There were two parts to my Amazon experience. The first one was the jungle lodge, and many of my tourmates considered this to be the main highlight of the two week tour. We departed from Manaus by a large canoe to go to the rustic jungle lodge. The jungle lodge was run by a local family, and delicious local foods and drinks were provided. I still remember the delicious garlic hot sauce at the lodge! Passion fruit juice was to die for. We did piranha fishing and night canoe ride along with river at the jungle. Plus we visited a local village with its native architecture and huts and did a jungle walk with explanations of the medicinal purposes of the plants. It is so amazing to learn the many possible uses of these plants. I can say that my appreciation for nature has increased after the visit to the Amazon!

The second part of the experience was the regional boat ride from Manaus to Santarem. After coming back from the Jungle Lodge, we arrived in Manaus and then we boarded on the huge regional boat to Santarem. We spent around two days on the boat, slowing watching the world go by. We passed by some local villages and towns and admired the scenery en route. The most memorable were the spectacular sunsets and the meeting of the waters. We also had to sleep in a hammock! After two days though, I was glad to get out of the boat for another part of our journey in Alter do Chão.