Why Go?Named after female warriors of Greek mythology, the Amazon is itself a place of nearly mythical status. What traveler hasn’t imagined a trip to the Amazon, not only to admire the towering trees and awesome river, but to enter, in a real sense, the very life spring of the planet, the source of so much of the air we breath, the water we drink and the weather we rely on. To be sure, expecting a Discovery Channel–like experience (jaguars in every tree, spear-toting indios around every bend) is a recipe for disappointment. In fact, the Amazon’s quintessential experiences are more sublime than superlative: canoeing through a flooded forest, dozing in a hammock on a boat chugging upriver, waking to the otherworldly cry of howler monkeys. On a river whose size is legendary, it’s actually the little things that make it special. Give it some time, forget your expectations, and the Amazon cannot fail to impress.

Best Nature Reserves¨¨ Reserva de

Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (p626)

¨¨ Xixuaú-Xipariná (p623)

¨¨ Floresta Nacional (FLONA) do Tapajós (p590)

¨¨ Parque Nacional do Jaú (p623)

¨¨ Parque Estadual do Jalapão (p600)

Best Places to Stay¨¨ Local family’s home in

Floresta Nacional (FLONA) do Tapajós (p590)

¨¨ Pousada Pico da Neblina (p623)

¨¨ Hotel Casarão da Amazônia (p586)

When to Go

May The world- famous Ama-zonas opera Festival is held in manaus.

Jun The rain eases, but the river is still high and the forest flooded.

Oct hot dry weather makes for good hiking.

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Belém ........................568Ilha de marajó ............ 583Santarém ................... 587palmas ....................... 595manaus ......................600porto velho ................638rio Branco .................645

The AmazonPOP 15.8 MILLION

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1 Glide through the flooded forest at Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (p626), in search of the shaggy-coated uakari monkey.

2 Soak up night sounds and river life on jungle tours (p610) outside manaus.

3 rough it with rubber-tappers in Floresta Nacional do Tapajós (p590), outside Alter do Chão.

The Amazon Highlights