The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon is the greatest rainforest on earth, an immense green world covering much of northern Brazil, threaded by the mighty Amazon river and holding the richest concentration of life on the planet. From the jungle city of Manaus, where the dark Rio Negro meets the sandy Solimões in the striking Meeting of the Waters, visitors venture by riverboat and to jungle lodges to glimpse pink river dolphins, monkeys, caimans and a wealth of birds.

What you actually see

• The river and jungle - the mighty Amazon and its endless rainforest.
• The Meeting of the Waters - where two rivers flow side by side without mixing.
• The wildlife - pink river dolphins, monkeys, caimans and birds.
• A jungle lodge stay - the canoe trips, night walks and river life.

When to go

The drier season, roughly June to November, brings beaches and better hiking, while the high-water season, December to May, lets boats penetrate the flooded forest; each offers different wildlife and experiences. It is hot and humid year-round.

Honest expectations

It is hot, humid and buggy, and wildlife is genuinely hard to spot in the dense forest, so manage expectations, this is not a safari with animals around every corner. Reaching the deep jungle takes time and money via Manaus and a lodge. Choose responsible operators, and prepare for basic conditions and insects.

Nearby

Manaus and its historic opera house are the gateway; the wider Amazon spreads across the region.