Belem - Iquitos Expedition Amazon: the green heart of South America

If nature’s orchestra has created a masterpiece, then it’s the Amazon. Its name evokes a sense of temptation, risk and a yearning for adventure, but also with the need to protect unique ecosystems. How does it feel to hear, see and sense it for the first time? Find out on board. The advantages of your little expedition ship are already apparent during the daytime passage through the Breves Channels, which gives an idea of the fantastic creations of nature. The calls of the toucans, yellow-headed caracaras and saffron finches will accompany you. The lush banks close in around the ship, while it confidently negotiates challenging changes in direction – much to the delight of the locals, the Caboclos, who you will meet time and again on your adventure in their boats, both large and small. While you experience the Amazon with all your senses, your experts on board will quench your thirst for knowledge and also shed light on the tensions between unspoilt nature and global economic interests.

The Amazon, or “Rio Mar”, as it’s known by the locals, is both a global symbol of the need to protect our nature and a wondrous, record-holding waterway. It is the setting for thrilling natural spectacles that you will experience respectfully and in the company of experts on your small, manoeuvrable expedition ship and its Zodiacs, weather and currents permitting.

Your intensive Amazon adventure begins in Guajara, a small settlement where families live from cattle farming. Perhaps you will see mighty water buffalo standing in the river, grazing on aquatic plants. With a bit of luck, you will be able to observe the legendary pink river dolphins from your Zodiac – the young are grey at first and only change colour after two years.

In the small riverside settlement of Virassaia, look out for a special feathered friend: the indigenous hoatzin. You might even see herons and cormorants as you enjoy Zodiac rides through the species-rich floodplain areas. New surprises await around every bend in the river.

Enjoy a relaxing time in the village of Alter do Chao on the Rio Tapajos, where a surprisingly Caribbean-style beach invites you to swim in the warm water. A landscape that appears and disappears depending on the water level. Along the riverbank, the Brazilian rainforest invites you to discover its wonders together with your experts.

On the large river island of Tupinambarana, you can explore the city of Parintins. Here you can experience pure Brazilian exuberance shaped by Indigenous traditions – such as the famous folklore festival in June. Pay a visit to the cathedral or treat yourself to some regional delicacies.

Seek out a totally different natural treasure in Canacari. You will travel through grassy meadows in Zodiacs in search of the largest water lily in the world, the Victoria amazonica, which can grow to an incredible 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter. But birdwatchers will also be in their element when great-billed diving petrels, silver and blue herons as well as various species of birds of prey show themselves.

Again and again, you will discover hidden paradises and marvel at exotic plants and creatures. The experts will enhance your experiences with their specialist knowledge. They’ll highlight the extent to which commercial interests are taking over and endangering this natural treasure trove, but also the work of global rescue and reforestation initiatives.

On the Rio Negro, you will bear witness to the legendary “Encontro das Aguas”, the “Meeting of Waters”. The “Meeting of Waters” is the spectacular confluence between the dark Rio Negro and the pale, sandy-coloured Rio Solimoes, the name for this part of the Amazon River. In this unique natural spectacle, the two rivers do not mix immediately, but flow side by side for kilometres. From the deck and the walkway at the bow, you will observe that the protected riparian landscapes of the Rio Negro look different depending on the water level. Your experts on board will have exciting stories to tell about the diversity of plants and animals that favour the riparian areas.

Accompanied by the sounds of the jungle, you will reach Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas. In this metropolis on the Rio Negro, it becomes clear how closely nature and culture are intertwined along the river banks. The kaleidoscope of colours in the jungle and the metropolis seem to vie with each other, yet together they form a unique symbiosis. The rubber boom once brought Manaus fabulous wealth, as evidenced by the magnificent Teatro Amazonas, with marble from Carrara and crystal chandeliers from Murano. The colonial past and the global present collide in the jungle metropolis, where modern glass facades alternate with classical and art nouveau buildings. Prepare to be inspired by the city’s history and its contrasts.

Even today, previously unrecorded animal and plant species are still being discovered in the Amazon region – a sign of how unique and precious this ecosystem is.

A Zodiac ride off Badajos through the small canals will raise your awareness of how special this place is. Huge water lilies adorn the water surface. Discover giant Brazil nut trees and the red flowers of bromeliads and passion flowers while the experts enhance your perspective on the fascinating undergrowth – for example, to help you marvel at the sloths or the capuchin monkeys doing gymnastics in the trees.

When the Zodiacs sail through the night-time jungle of Cuxiu Muni, look out for the eyes of caimans shining through the darkness. Your Amazon experts on board will introduce you to the bizarre world of reptiles and insects and explain the workings of the sensitive ecosystem with great enthusiasm.

This unique cruise is filled with astonishing sights – for example, on the Rio Jutai, when the cries of tropical birds reverberate across the water and you keep watch for exotic species. You will navigate the flooded forest with the Zodiacs between the submerged trees, which are covered with an abundance of vines and colourful flowering epiphytes.

In Leticia, an important trading centre in the tri-border region of Colombia, Peru and Brazil, you will also experience lush flora and plant life. Tropical fruits and vegetables and fresh spices on the colourful markets along the riverbank are a vibrant testimony to a culture that lives with and from nature. Tantalising colours and scents captivate your senses, accompanied by the whistling and calling of the parrots.

Pevas, one of the oldest Peruvian settlements on the Amazon and still characterised today by the traditional stilt houses of Indian villages, gives you an idea of what it is like to live in the wild. A fascinating end to your intense Amazon adventure.