Presidente Figueiredo

Presidente Figueiredo sits on a belt of sandstone north of Manaus where streams draining the Guiana Shield cut down through soft rock, and the result is a concentration of waterfalls unusual for the Amazon basin, which is otherwise famously flat - the district counts well over a hundred and calls itself the terra das cachoeiras. Several drop over overhangs you can walk behind, including Cachoeira da Iracema and Santuario, where the water falls clear of a rock lip into a plunge pool. There are also caves: Gruta da Judeia and Maroaga, with a sandstone arch and a river running through. Some falls are on private land or in indigenous territory and need permission and a local guide, which is enforced.

History

The municipality is named after João Batista de Figueiredo Tenreiro Aranha, the first president of the province of Amazonas, and its roots lie in the settlement of the lower Rio Negro, which grew from the posts founded in 1657 where Manaus now stands and in 1668 at today's Novo Airão. It was created on 10 December 1981 from parts of Novo Airão, Itapiranga, Silves and Urucará, including the village of Balbina, and its first mayor and councillors took office in January 1983 (Wikipedia, Presidente Figueiredo).

Highlights

• Falls you can walk behind - water clearing a sandstone overhang at several sites.
• Over a hundred waterfalls - an unusual concentration for the flat Amazon basin.
• Sandstone caves - Maroaga and Judeia, with arches and an underground stream.
• Blackwater plunge pools - tannin-dark and swimmable at most sites.

When to go

All year; strongest December to May, though heavy rain closes trails. Two days.

What to expect

Several falls need a local guide and some are on indigenous land where access is restricted - respect that. Trails are muddy and slippery. Sites are spread far apart; a vehicle or a tour is necessary.

Nearby

Manaus is two hours south; the Balbina dam and reservoir are east.