Description
The Reserve is a state conservation unit located upstream at the middle of the Solimões River (Amazon). It was first declared a protected area in 1990, as an ecological station. In 1996, after the publication of the management plan, it was categorised as a Sustainable Development Reserve, combining the conservation of the area with the managed use of natural resources by the local population.

Ecotourism in Mamirauá was idealised as a means of providing an economic alternative to the traditional use of natural resources to the local population.

The Mamirauá ecotourism programme offers a series of activities, including excursions with local guides in channels, lakes and trails inside the forest; visits to local villages at the rivers margins, in order to interact and get to know the Amazonian population and their way of life, and also the unique opportunity to contribute to a pioneer conservation project.

Program
FIRST DAY: FRIDAY

Pick up is at 11:20 at Tefé Airport. Then transfer to the Areia Branca Pier(after the payments at the office and a visit at the Mamirauá store).

Departing around 12:00 from the Areia Branca Pier by boat. You can enjoy the breeze and the magic scenery. You might even be able to spot wildlife, such as pink dolphins at the Tefé Lake and tucuxis in the Amazonas River.

Arrival at the Uacari Lodge around 14:00. Our staff will be waiting for you. There will always be an English-speaking person at the lodge. Our staff will give you some rapid recommendations and explanations on the facilities of the lodge (meal times, solar power, water, no swimming, etc), and you will be asked to fill out the visitors registration form. At this time you will be able to meet all the employees, responsible for making your stay an excellent one.

All outings have to be accompanied by a local guide. Some of them a nature guides. You have to follow their recommendations at all times, especially those regarding your own safety.


At 15:30 you will be ready to go on a walk (dry season) on one of the trails. You will be taken, together with your whole group to do an interpretative trail. The naturalist and the local guide, combining scientific and traditional knowledge, will help you to interpret the Varzea's environment (flooded forest).

Our trails are designed not to be physically straining and most of them can be walked in three hours at the longest.

During the flood (May-July) all trails will be done in a small paddle canoe (your guide will paddle you through the trail).

The dinner will be served around 18:30. After dinner you will have the opportunity to listen to a presentation about the ecosystem and about the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Institute – its work, its research, etc. The nature guide will do the presentation at 19:30.

After the presentation, be ready to do a night tour with high chances to see the nocturnal fauna, as spiders, opossum, two-toed sloth, rats, bats, etc.

SECOND DAY: SATURDAY

If you choose to visit a local village, the morning is the time to do it. The Ecotourism program has had plenty of discussion with the local communities about those visits, and agreed on an informal itinerary with a series of attractions they would like to show and talk about. A person from the community will meet your group and show you around (please see the detailed information sheet about village visits). Depending on the village, you might have the opportunity to buy locally produced handcrafts - take small change with you.

If you choose not to visit a village you can go for another tour with your local guide.

At 15:30 the local guide will accompany you on another hiking- or traditional canoe-trip (rain season), into the heart of the forest, where you will have the opportunity to view various species of animals.

This night we invite researchers, that are working in the ecotourism area, for dinner. After the dinner they´ll give a presentation about their works.

THIRD DAY: MONDAY

In your last day in the Reserve, you have a choice to accompany a researcher’s team and participate in their field works, supplementing the technical information given last night. Or if you prefer, you can go to another wildlife viewing tour, travelling around the landscapes, channels and lake-system, which compose part of the Varzea's ecosystem.

In this afternoon you will be taken on a motorised canoe-tour to lake Mamirauá, a beautiful lake inside the core preservation area of the reserve. At the lake you will probably have encounters with pink river dolphins, hoatzins and perhaps the pirarucu fish, which you never will forget. You will stay there until the sunset. On your way back you will spot caimans, bats, night birds…

Dinner is at 20:00, so you can enjoy your last night to talk to the staff, to see another kind of documentary or just pack for the next morning. Your departure will be early, during the beautiful Amazonian sunrise.

Before leaving (Monday), we would be grateful, if you could fill out an evaluation form. It is very important for us to know your thoughts about the trip; in this way we can always improve our services.

“It is important to mention that the activities described above can be changed because of environmental factors, water level variation and climate conditions.”

What to take with you:
Clothing should be comfortable. For the excursions long sleeves and trousers are recommended. Do not forget to bring insect repellent and sunblocker.
Hats and sunglasses are recommended. Be sure to have rain-clothing and waterproofed boots or shoes with you. Please bring your own binoculars in order to enjoy the wildlife spotting. You should also make sure that your video and photographic equipment are protected from water. Inside the forest the light will be low, so remember to take fast films (400 ASA or more) and a flash.

Package includes:
Transfer Airport Tefe (by car) to the Mamiraua Reserve (regional boat), check-in and check-out, overnights, all meals, water, juice, coffee and tea, standard tours, guiding and lodging.

Not included:
Flights, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, insurance of any kind, extra transfers.

Group size:
Min. 1 pax

Rate:
Rate