Anavilhanas Lodge

Enchanting accommodation in the Brazilian Amazon, more like a small boutique hotel in the forest than a traditional jungle lodge.

With a rainforest location in the Anavilhanas archipelago, where over 400 islands pepper the Rio Negro, Anavilhanas Lodge offers simple but very comfortable accommodation and a selection of land and waterborne jungle excursions. The black water here is sparkling and clean, and there are very few mosquitoes.

This is more of a small boutique hotel in the forest than a traditional jungle lodge. Although there are a number of exploratory excursions, you won't see much wildlife, but the wooded islands are exceptionally beautiful. Accommodation is in smart thatched cabins on stilts, contemporary in style and beautifully constructed in rich honey-coloured hardwood, each with air-conditioning and a modern bathroom. On the edge of the property are four exquisite suites, perfect for honeymooners, with floor-to-ceiling windows opening out onto the forest.

Anavilhanas is the only lodge in the area with a swimming pool, beautifully situated within the expansive, forested grounds. In the spacious leisure area you can relax on plush sofas with a book or a cocktail to the sound of gentle bossa nova. Equally delightful is the al fresco restaurant, serving a good range of home-cooked food buffet-style.

There's a forest walk on the property itself; your guide will point out the medicinal plants whose healing properties have long been harnessed by the area's indigenous peoples. Other excursions include river journeys by motor launch or traditionally styled wooden riverboat, typically centred around caiman spotting, piranha fishing or visiting local native settlements and the nearby boat-building town of Novo Airão where you can see pink Amazonian river dolphins.