Jungle tour (5D/4N) My boyfriend and I booked a package with Amazon deep Jungle tours for a 5 day/4nights tour of the Amazon... read moreMy boyfriend and I booked a package with Amazon deep Jungle tours for a 5 day/4nights tour of the Amazon in Manaus. We were very happy we chose this tour. Our tour guide Paulo was helpful and very knowledgeable of the place. From the first boat ride to the end of our trip, he explained to us a lot about the Amazon and other useful information about Brazil. He was also quick to answer all of our questions.

Our tour was so much fun. During our tour, it was just myself and my boyfriend who were in the tour group. So basically just the three of us going on boat tours and the different activities. But since it was just me and my bf, our itinerary was more flexible.

I enjoyed the boat rides, the jungle treks and especially the stay in the jungle (using hammocks). It was quite impressive how Paulo has already built his own camp in the middle of the jungle so it’s ready when he and his tour groups stay at the jungle. We just had to prepare the hammocks and mosquito nets so that we have a nice place to sleep during the night. We were lucky as well to see a lot of gray and pink dolphins when we were out. They are difficult to spot but once you figure out their movements, you can already anticipate where they are going to show next.

I quite like the lodge we stayed as well. The food was nice and everyone was very helpful. The caipirinhas were nice (tell the barrista to use the Ypico brand, I find that’s much nicer than the other one!).

Overall it was a very fun and enjoyable trip. I would recommend booking your Amazon tours with Amazon Deep Jungle tours. read less

Authentic Amazon Experience If you are looking to get deep into the unexplored rain forest, camp overnight in the Amazon or immerse yourself... read moreIf you are looking to get deep into the unexplored rain forest, camp overnight in the Amazon or immerse yourself in the local culture, then look no further than Amazon Deep Jungle Tours.

Note: I chose the 9D/8N trip to Cumapi Rapids (-1.5467011, -65.8323882) located at the north end of Cumapi Lake. Cumapi Lake is incorrectly named Lake Japiá in Google Maps.

In the day and age of mass market air travel, it’s hard to find a place that takes more than a day to get to. But that’s exactly what’s in store for you. It’s this incredible remoteness that makes the adventure both rare and special.

Once in Manaus, you can choose to either speedboat or fly to Tefe (speedboat 14-hours, flight 1-hour), then a 6-hour speedboat ride to Maraã, followed by a 3.5-hour boat trip to the Cumapi Lake Ranger Station and a final 5.5-hour boat ride to the Cumapi Rapids campsite. Whoa.

In hindsight, I would have gladly paid extra to skip the 14-hour speedboat between Tefe and Maraã to spent more time on the ground. However, I will say the prolonged travel builds an incredible suspense and anticipation for what it’s finally going to be like once you reach camp.

Along the way you’ll be in the capable hands of the team at Amazon Deep Jungle Tours:

Eduardo - the owner, entrepreneur, businessman and visionary. He’s originally from Maraã but relocated to Europe at age 3 and then moved back to Maraã at in his late teens when his mother passed away. He’s an easy person to get along with, and pages upon pages of glowing reviews on TripAdvisor means you can trust him implicitly to make your experience memorable. He doesn’t guide all that much anymore and instead focuses his time on growing the business. As such, he’ll be the one corresponding with on WhatsApp to customize your trip. Fluent in English, Portuguese and Dutch.

Samir - the experienced guide, explorer, teacher and ecologist. This job is a perfect blend of his expertise and exactly what you want from your on-the-ground leader. With Eduardo spending his time in the office now, Samir is the primary English speaking guide. He’ll teach you about the various trees and plants you’ll encounter, making sure to show you which can feed you, heal you and hurt you. He’ll spot wildlife by sight or by sound, and be able to tell you the name and interesting facts about the species. His knowledge and passion really makes the adventure special. Fluent in English and Portuguese with minor proficiency in French.

Miqueias - the captain, cook, hike leader, tracker, fisherman, woodworker and fire builder. He’s the jack-of-all-trades local who’s lived in Maraã and grew up in these waters his entire life. If the boy from the Jungle Book (Mowgli) grew up to be a man in real life, it would be Miqueias. He’s the one who creates a seamless, safe and satisfying trip. He also might have the best laugh in the entire Amazon. Fluent in Portuguese with very minor proficiency in English.

Within minutes of meeting all three of these men, I completely trusted them and their ability to keep me safe. Which is a good thing when you’re trying to catch caymans, exploring virgin forest or come across recent jaguar footprints.

After spending a week with them, I think my favorite thing about the team is their thirst for exploration. For example, on their one day off after my trip and before the following one, they set out together to explore the jungle around Maraã for fun. What more could you ask for.

If your goal is like mine and you always dreamed of visiting the “lungs of the planet” to live how the locals live, this is it. Those searching for a remote, authentic experience should look no further than Amazon Deep Jungle Tours.

5-Stars and Highly Recommended!! read less

The only Amazon tour you should even consider - an authentic experience that will change your life! This is an extremely long review, but I feel it is necessary to communicate the reasons why we enjoyed this... read moreThis is an extremely long review, but I feel it is necessary to communicate the reasons why we enjoyed this trip, why it was an unforgettable experience, and why we would highly recommend Amazon Deep Jungle Tours.

My husband and I were looking for a tour operator in the Amazon, as he wanted to do some fishing (specifically for peacock bass) and I wanted to sleep in the jungle (rather than in a lodge or on a boat). We were not happy with all of the "Eco Tours" and house boat fishing trips on offer operating out of Manaus, as they all offer the exact same package and appear to be pandering to tourists. We found Amazon Deep Jungle Tours (ADJT) through a review on TripAdvisor, and by just looking at the website, we could immediately sense that this operator was different - I especially connected with the "About us" section of the website, as it read of someone that is committed to giving you the best experience on the river. When we emailed the company, the owner, Eduardo, immediately replied. Even though we would only meet Eduardo 7 months after our initial contact, you could sense his enthusiasm and passion for what he does in all correspondence.

We chose to do the 9 days/8 nights trip to Maraa, and Eduardo was happy to adjust the itinerary so that we could focus on fishing. From the website, we knew that the first two days would be travel by boat and since we live in Africa, we had very little expectation. However, we were surprised at how luxurious the speedboats were! All seats were large and comfortable, and reclined to levels where you could actually sleep comfortably. All boats serve large meals (you will not be hungry!) and coffee, hot chocolate, and water. The morning we left Tefe, we were amazing that we were already seeing toucans and macaws flying over the river! I remember thinking at the time that it really payed off to take time to go deeper into the jungle rather than going a few kilometers out of Manaus like what the other tours offer.

When we arrived in Maraa, we met Eduardo's family and had lunch with them. We spend the rest of the afternoon walking through the village and we were able to see and eat so many fruits that we have never seen or tasted before! At this point we had met the team that would be taking us into the jungle. When we got onto the motorized canoe the following morning, we were surprised at how prepared the team actually was. Drinking water was brought onto the boat, and I did not need to use my water purification tablets at all (as I assumed we would be drinking boiled river or tap water). There was more than enough food for the trip and from my own observations, the team had taken all possible safety and first aid precautions. Although we were far from civilization, we never once felt unsafe.

The ADJT team is absolutely incredible! Although not everyone spoke English, this didn't bother us at all (and to be fair, we don't speak Portuguese!). The team operates very much like a family and made us feel like we were a part of this family. Additionally, the team is extremely professional, competent, and very knowledgeable concerning all aspects of life on the river. They could even identify fish based on the sound of its splash in the water...(this blew my mind). At the end of our trip, we were convinced that this team would do almost anything to make our trip unforgettable.

Adilon, who we nicknamed Captain Catfish (as he is the maker and captain of the boat we were on), I'm pretty sure would have paddled the entire length of the Amazon to see my husband catch a monster peacock bass. He is also a master spear fisherman! His wife, Maria, is an excellent cook. The food was delicious and there was always more than enough so you don't ever feel hungry. We nicknamed Maria the Fish Whisperer (seriously though, if you want to catch big fish, you NEED Maria on the boat; we only caught piranha when shes wasn't around!). Mikeias, who we nicknamed Mr Delivery (because there isn't a thing this man can't deliver on), did a lot of the "behind-the-scenes" stuff that you sometimes may take for granted, but we were extremely grateful that he was always setting up our hammocks (this seems easy, but I could not sleep the night my husband set up my hammock...), paddling the canoes, and doing all the other tasks that may go unnoticed. If you are planning to do some serious fishing, ask for Samir (Sabretooth). He is the only person other than Eduardo that speaks English and he would be able to help out with what you need regarding your tackle/set up, as he is a keen rod-fisherman himself. Eduardo (King Cayman - as he can call cayman!) was also with us the entire time, and the excitement, passion, and child-like wonder he has for the Amazon is contagious!.

Although we did not catch monster fish (but to be clear we did catch a lot of reasonably sized fish), we were amazed at the diversity and number of fish in the lake. Every few minutes you could hear fish (including arapaima!) jump. Unlike other tour operators that take you specifically for a single species (piranha, peacock bass, etc), we were able to fish for all species and caught some amazing fish - piranha, monkeyfish, catfish, peacock bass, and although we had an arapaima taking our bait, we couldn't land him. We also saw a lot of bird species: toucans, macaws, parrots, giant kingfishers, herons, ospreys, and hummingbird eggs, as well as frogs, river dolphins, and monkeys.

I honestly cannot recommend ADJT enough! No other tour operator will take you so far into the jungle that you have literally sailed more than 1000 kms on the Amazon. Also, since you are fishing in tributaries between the Japura and the Rio Negro, you have more diversity in fish species (if fishing is what you are after). One thing that is really important to us is community development - Eduardo not only employs local people, but also actively uses his tour company to empower other local and indigenous communities. He recently acquired federal permission to promote tourism on an indigenous reservation and this is where we fished. We were not interested in tours that parade tourists through the local villages (people are not animals in a zoo) and so Eduardo's passion for empowering local people really meant the world to us.

Coming from Africa, I didn't think this experience would have such an impact on us, but it changed our lives. There isn't a day that has passed since our trip that I have not thought about the river, the jungle, and the ADJT team (seriously, they feel like family and we miss them!). Of all the tour operators out there, I can guarantee you that even in the same jungle and on the same river, none of then can compete with what ADJT has on offer and they cannot provide an experience that ADJT can deliver. read less