In August 2024, I embarked on an unforgettable two-week journey through the Amazon rainforest. Our group was small which made it easy to get to know each other and I already knew a few people from previous trips. We were led by the knowledgeable Roy Atkins from Speyside Wildlife, along with Miguel Castelino and Luis Segura from their South American tour operators, and Moacir Fortes Jr. (Mo), the captain of the ‘Iracema’, the boat that would become our home on the river.

Day 1: Arrival in Manaus (August 18)

We flew from Heathrow to Manaus via Sao Paulo and were met at the airport by the local guides. We began our exploration with a tour of the city’s downtown area, including the stunning Opera House. After a delightful lunch at a local restaurant, we checked into our hotel by the beach. I was exhausted and fell asleep, so I missed the afternoon walk. After dinner, I found a Tropical House Gecko in my bathroom: a charming reminder that I was now in the Amazon.

Day 2: MUSA and Mari-Mari Eco Lodge (August 19)

The day began with an early breakfast before we set off to MUSA (Museu da Amazônia). Climbing the 42-meter-high tower with its 200 steps was well worth the effort. The views were stunning and there were lots of exotic creatures to see including Pied Tamarins, Guianan Bearded Saki Monkeys, and both Channel-billed and White-throated Toucans. The sight of various Macaw species flying overhead added to the excitement.

Afterwards, we all got on the bus for the long drive to the Mari-Mari Eco Lodge. Here, we first had lunch before setting out to find the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock. This is a remarkable looking bird and we were lucky to see several of them hopping about. Dinner was followed by a short walk in search of owls, but none showed themselves.

Day 3: Jungle Trekking and Harpy Eagles (August 20)

After a pre-breakfast walk, we ventured to a different area of the forest where we discovered a small clearing with a view of a Harpy Eagle’s nest containing one chick. The local guides already new about this find but had managed to keep it a secret. It was an exhilarating sight!  

After returning to the lodge for lunch and packing up, we made our way back to Manaus to board our boat, the lovely ‘Iracema’.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with refreshing drinks and introduced to the crew before unpacking in our cabins. That evening, we enjoyed a canoe ride during which we saw a Great Potoo, several Black Caimans, a Chaco Tree Frog and the prehistoric-looking Hoatzin.

Day 4: Birdwatching and Fishing (August 21)

The next morning started with coffee and an early canoe ride; around 70 different bird species were seen. After breakfast, we attempted fishing for piranhas but only Roy and the crew managed to catch any.

In the afternoon, we visited a small village where our guide, Mo Jr, told us about the local plants, including rubber and cacao. Mo had previously bought a bunch of bananas on a tree that we now watched being harvested. The whole branch was cut down and the large bunch was delivered to our boat where it was hung on the top deck to further ripen.

After dinner, we took another canoe ride and saw nine sloths, as well as an Opossum and several Boat-billed Herons. I didn’t manage to get any photos but Jane N got some great ones, a couple of which I have included.

Day 5: Exploring Islands and Dolphins (August 22)

In the morning, we went ashore on an island that Mo had expected to be forested. However, it was disheartening to see that most of the trees had been cut down, and the land was now being farmed. Despite this, we managed to walk through some fields and spotted several birds along the way. We got back in the canoes and went ashore at a sandy beach that turned out to be the other end of the same island; there had been two islands that had merged over time. Here we saw Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns as well as Black Skimmers, and we saw several clusters of eggs in the sand. A couple of Sand-coloured Nighthawks were also sitting on the sand.

Next, we made our way to the meeting of the waters, where the dark waters of the Rio Negro meet the muddy Solimões River. It was fascinating to see such a sharp boundary between the two rivers. The contrast was striking, with one side dark and calm while the other was light and turbulent.

After enjoying this natural marvel, we continued up past Manaus again on our way further up the Rio Negro. Following lunch on the boat, we visited a spot where some locals had befriended pink river dolphins. This was a highlight of our trip. We stood on a platform in the water and the dolphins were encouraged to come close by being offered fish. The dolphins took no notice of us as they came up and took the fish.

After our delightful encounter with the dolphins, we returned to the boat where we enjoyed drinks on the top deck while watching the sun set over the river and rainforest.

Day 6: Lago Jarda Adventures (August 23)

Waking up anchored in Lago Jarda was magical; the mist hung over the trees standing in water. After breakfast, we took a long boat ride through different channels, disturbing Long-nosed Bats that were beautifully camouflaged on tree trunks along the way. We saw several new birds and even some lizards, including a Diving Lizard and a Whip-tailed Lizard. There were lots of butterflies, including some stunning blue morphos fluttering by. We also saw a huge caterpillar that looked like it could be a Tetrio Sphinx climbing up a tree trunk.

We continued up the river to some land owned by Mo’s family, where we dropped anchor by a beach. The afternoon was filled with anticipation as Mo wanted to show us something special. We hopped into canoes and paddled through the tranquil waters until we reached a place in the forest where Mo had discovered a massive fungus.

As we walked through the forest there were Bromeliads in bloom and several orchids too.  Suddenly, Mo flushed out a Rufous Nightjar! We all scrambled to catch a glimpse when someone noticed another one right next to the path: what a treat! As dusk began to settle in, we made our way back to the canoes and back to the boat.

Later, we gathered for a barbecue with the crew. They had set up lights along the path to the barbecue area and, despite the heat, they built a cozy bonfire that added warmth to our gathering.

Day 7: Watermarks, Waterfalls & Wildlife (August 24)

We woke up to find that our boat had moved overnight to somewhere new. The area was beautiful, with half-submerged trees showing white stripes on their trunks from the water levels.

Breakfast was at 6:30 am and, afterwards, we set out on a canoe ride. We saw lots of birds and even some pink river dolphins. The sounds of the Variable Chachalacas filled the air. They reminded me of my visit to Tobago, though these were a different species.

Mo took us to what he called a “waterfall,” but it was more like a gentle ripple in the water. We took the opportunity to go swimming there, which was refreshing.

After swimming, we returned to the boat and relaxed on the upper deck until lunch. After lunch, we had some downtime before going for another swim from the boat at around 3:40 pm. It felt great to cool off again.  Later in the evening, we went out for another night canoe ride.

Day 8: Owls, Crafts, and Monkeys (August 25)

A pair of Spectacle Owls greeted us at dawn from the top deck: what a sight!

After breakfast, we took the canoes to a place to start a forest walk. It was very hot. During the walk, we saw a beautiful red and black dragonfly that looked a bit like a Neon Skimmer, but those don’t come this far south. It might have been a Diastatops estherae.

In the afternoon, we stopped at Novo Airao where we first visited a couple of local craft projects. One was funded by WWF and another used waste wood from boat building to make furniture and craft items for sale.

Next, we went to Mo’s family’s hotel, run by his sister. While having a cool drink in the garden, we saw our first Trogon, a Green-backed one. We also saw some Humboldt’s Squirrel Monkeys.  The main purpose of our visit was to see the Night Monkeys living in a nearby tree, which we did. On the way there, we passed a large Armadillo wasps’ nest, full of wasps.

Day 9: Jau National Park (August 26)

We started the day with early morning birding from the upper deck. Breakfast was brought to us there, which was a nice touch. From there, we saw both Tucuxi and Pink River Dolphins, as well as Orange-cheeked Parrots. We then went ashore at the entrance to Jau National Park to sign in.

After some more birding from the boat, we took a canoe ride through half-submerged trees. With a lot of careful manoeuvring, we managed to get good views of a Tropical Screech Owl.  As usual, there were butterflies and dragonflies flitting by. We also caught brief glimpses of a Brown Capuchin Monkey and a Northern Caiman Lizard.

It was very hot, so we returned to the boat for a rest. In the late afternoon, we went on another canoe ride.

Day 10: Jungle Trekking and Petroglyphs (August 27)

Some of the group went on a 4:30 am trek to find a Rufous Potoo. I skipped this as it was too dark. They heard the bird but didn’t see it. Instead, Jean and I did some birding from the upper deck as dawn broke.

After breakfast, we took a long jungle walk starting at the same place. We saw several new birds, including the Screaming Piha we’d been hearing for days. We also saw some monkeys and a beautiful Leprieur’s Glory butterfly.

Back at the boat, we had a swim. Some dolphins seemed curious about us and came quite close, which was exciting. We then started our return journey from the park, as we needed to leave it before dark.

On the way, we stopped at a place with large boulders covered in petroglyphs. We went ashore in canoes to explore. It was an interesting place but it was quiet with few birds around.

After dinner, we went on a night canoe ride. We saw a Rusty Treefrog, a Spiny Tree Rat, and a gorgeous Agami Heron. There were lots of night wasps and, unfortunately, several of us, including me, got stung.

Day 11: Howler Monkeys & Harpy Eagle (August 28)

After breakfast, we set off on a canoe ride to some small rapids where we could swim. On the way, we found a tree full of berries that had attracted about 30 different bird species. We also heard and managed to see some Guianan Red Howler Monkeys in the distance.

At the small waterfall, the water was cold and the level was low. I decided not to swim this time. Mo showed us some tiny Cardinal Tetras in a bottle so we could take pictures before releasing them.

On the way back, we saw an American Pygmy Kingfisher, our first sighting of this species. Joel, one of the crew, caught some fish for our lunch while we were birdwatching.

In the afternoon, we went on another canoe ride through some dense thickets. It was quite a challenge getting to where Mo wanted to look for the Capuchinbird. Pedro cleared a path through the water with his machete while we ducked to avoid branches and obstacles. Once we made it ashore, we searched for the Capuchinbird but didn’t find it; it was possibly the wrong time of year.

Afterwards, we got back in the canoes and manoeuvred our way back through the thickets to the open river. While scanning for more birds, Roy suddenly said that he could see a Harpy Eagle. At first, we thought he was joking; it seemed too good to be true. But, as we rounded a bend in the river, there it was: huge and majestic, perched in a tree.

On our return journey to the boat, we came across a fisherman who had caught lots of fish and a Yellow-spotted Side-neck Turtle. Mo bought the turtle so we could release it the next day and also purchased a fish that he put back into the water.

After dinner, we went on a final night canoe ride where we had great views of an Amazon Tree Boa and several Boat-billed Herons. Unfortunately, there were lots of night wasps again, and several of us were stung. It wasn’t the best way to end an otherwise exciting day.

Day 12: Final Wildlife Encounters (August 29)

During our last morning canoe ride, we were treated to sightings of several Amazonian Umbrellabirds flying across the river, with one even landing in a tree in the distance. It was a beautiful way to start the day. We then found a place to go ashore in search of the Wire-tailed Manakin that Mo had heard calling. We were rewarded with great views of this striking bird.

Suddenly, Mo told us to stand completely still and quiet as a swarm of small wasps passed by. It was a bit nerve-racking. Then we started to get bothered by tiny sweat bees that kept getting in our eyes.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a lovely swim off a sandbar where we had moored for our final stop. Here, we released the turtle that Mo had purchased from local fishermen the day before. As evening approached, the crew prepared a delicious BBQ for us on the beach. It was a perfect way to celebrate our last night together.

The End and Final Thoughts

As I woke up back in Manaus on August 30, it was the end of this amazing journey. After breakfast, we gathered for our final checklist discussion about favourite moments before packing up for our return home.

I really enjoyed my time in the Amazon. The guides were knowledgeable, the fellow guests were great, the boat was comfortable and the food delicious. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this incredible place.

While I had expected the Amazon to be teeming with life, it often felt surprisingly quiet. We often had to work hard to find wildlife and we didn’t always get great views of it but that didn’t take away from the overall experience. Each day brought new adventures and discoveries that I will remember fondly.