Amazon Cruise Motor Yacht Tucano - 8 Days
HIGHLIGHTS
Twice a month the expedition vessel, Motor Yacht Tucano, ventures far up the least inhabited river in the Amazon Basin: The Rio Negro. It explores areas very rarely visited and seeks out the mysterious life of the wilderness. This trip explores some of the most untouched rainforest in all of the Amazon.
Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon is the most thorough, detailed, and sophisticated trip offered in the entire Amazon. The guides are accomplished naturalists and you will see creatures almost never seen by other visitors. The trip is rather like being on a time machine in that you are able to visit places that have not changed for millions of years. Truly the trip of a lifetime!
Dates
2010: Jan 02-09, Jan 16-23, Jan 30-Feb 06, Feb 13-20, Mar 13-20, Mar 27 - Apr 03, Apr 10-17, Apr 24-May 01, May 08-15, May 22-29, Jun 05-12, Jun 19-26, Jul 03-10 (Family Departure), Jul 17-24, Jul 31-Aug 07, Aug 14-21 (Family Departure), Aug 28 -Sep 4, Sep 11-18, Oct 02-09, Oct 16-23, Nov 06-13, Nov 20-27, Dec 04-11, Dec 18-25
2011: Jan 01-08, Jan 15-22, Jan 29-Feb 05, Feb 12-19, Mar 05-12, Mar 19-26, Apr 2-9, Apr 16-23, Apr 30-May 07, May 14-May 21, May 28-Jun 04, Jun 11-Jun 18, Jun 25-Jul 02, Jul 09-16 (Family Departure), Jul 23-30, Aug 06-13 (Family Departure), Aug 20-27, Sep 10-17, Oct 01-08, Oct 15-22, Oct 29-Nov 05, Nov 12-19, Nov 26-Dec 03, Dec 10-17, Dec 24-31
Price
Per person in double occupancy
Jan - Nov 2010 $2,400
Dec 2010 - Nov 2011 $2,650
Single Supplement $960, 2010 & $1325, 2011 (There is no single supplement if you are willing to share with another person on the cruise.)
Children 12 & younger, sharing a rrom with an adult, travel at half price (subject to cabin availability).
Family Departures: Scheduled "family departures" have some additional activities suitable for children.
Included
- Accommodations on board M/V Tucano
- Transfers
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (Codes: B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
- Bottled water and fruit juices are served on the boat
Not Included
- International airfare and taxes
- Visa fees
- Accommodations in Manaus (we recommend 2 nights stay prior to your voyage, to allow for airline delays)
- Departure tax
- Gratuities
- Alchohol, soft drinks & items of a personal nature
The Ship
The Amazon cruise vessel Tucano has 9 comfortable outside cabins with large windows, beds and private baths, and is air-conditioned throughout. With small groups (Max. 18 passengers), trained naturalist guides, and thoughtful itineraries, this cruise offers a genuine, thrilling experience with the REAL Amazon rainforest.
Observation Deck: This deck is open and an exceptional place to observe wildlife. The forward balcony allows views to the front and into the treetops. From beneath the sun canopy you can see the world's greatest collection of birds and the occasional monkey cavorting in the branches. From the top deck there is wilderness as far as the eye can see. The top deck is a wonderful place to lounge around as you cruise along the wilderness river. Top
Middle Deck: The balcony around the front of the boat is a wonderful place to pull up a chair and observe the forest close up. The salon is airy and has windows all the way around. All of the walls are paneled in lovely hardwood. Two cabins on this deck have single beds seperated by a night stand. These cabins can accommodate three travelers with the insertion of a third narrow bed. Two other cabins number have a bunk bed with a twin size mattress above and below. All of the cabins have private showers and sinks.
Main Deck: Two cabins on this deck have single beds seperated by a nightstand. With the insertion of a third narrow bed, these cabins can accommodate three travelers. Two other cabins number have a bunk bed with a twin size mattress above and below. All of the cabins have private showers and sinks. There is a full galley and a swim deck at the stern. You get in and out of launches to the side of the boat through two entries designed for this purpose.
Unless specific cabins are reserved when you sign up for a trip, cabin assignments are made at the ships' discretion. Subject to availability, the larger cabins on board the vessel are assigned without additional charge. If however, two passengers would like to guarantee a particular cabin, there is a reservation fee of $500 per cabin. Cabin reservations are on a first come/ first serve basis and are subject to availability.
Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon - Full Itinerary
Rio Negro - Day 1
This morning all guests board the vessel the Motor Yacht TUCANO and depart upstream on the Rio Negro. Through the morning you will cruise through the world's largest river island system, the Anavilhanas Archipelago. By mid-afternoon the vessel has gone beyond the frontier of settlement and entered a wilderness area. Both shores are covered by dense rainforest. Though you never know what you will see, you have a good chance of observing pink river dolphins and a large collection of exotic birds! In the late afternoon you embark in the launches and hunt for wild life. You may also go for a swim in some of the world's most clean and refreshing water. (LD)
Rio Negro - Day 2
Early this morning you explore the rainforest along the waters edge in our launches. You should hear and perhaps see howler monkeys along with a morning serenade of toucans. After breakfast you will go for a walk in the forest and get a 
good start on understanding Amazon ecology. Around midday, return for lunch and the vessel will get underway, perhaps stopping at a place to swim. In the late afternoon, explore the forest in launches and listen to the sunset chorus of birds and frogs. (B,L,D)
Rio Negro - Day 3
This morning there will be an early exploration of the waking forest. Keep your eyes open for monkeys! Return for breakfast followed by either a walk in the forest or an excursion in the launches. TUCANO will travel during the middle of the day and stop in the afternoon for an excursion. Tonight the vessel may travel a bit more under the night sky crowded with stars. (B,L,D)
Rio Jauaperi and the Varzea - Day 4
After our two morning excursions TUCANO will navigate along the heavily forested shore, scouting for wildlife. You may stop for a visit at a settler's home carved out of the forest. In the early afternoon you will be near an extraordinary river called the Rio Jauaperi. Here the type of forest is known as the varzea. You will scout along the shoreline for some of the extraordinary creatures found only in this unique environment. Weather permitting, embark on a night excursion to observe nocturnal creatures. (B,L,D)
Rio Negro - Day 5
Today the TUCANO departs the Rio Jauaperi and for the next two days proceeds downstream on the Rio Negro exploring a new collection of rainforest habitats. In the daytime you will continue to scout in launches, walk in the forest, and at night hunt for nocturnal wildlife. (B,L,D) Top
Novo Airão - Day 6
After a walk in the forest, you cross to the West bank of the Rio Negro, exploring as you go. The TUCANO will stop at the substantial boat building village of Novo Airão. The 19th Century thrives in this remote corner of the globe! Tonight TUCANO goes downstream to arrive at daybreak near the confluence with the Amazon River. (B,L,D)
Lago Janauari Ecological Park - Day 7
This morning explore the Lago Janauari Ecological Park where seasonally the thick brown water of the Amazon flows swiftly through the forest. This area is usually a very good place to observe wildlife. Around midday the vessel will travel to the "Encontra das Aguas", a stark several mile long line where the world's two largest rivers, the Amazon and the Negro, join in a turbulent maelstrom. Here the dark water of the Negro runs beside the opaque brown water of the Amazon. In the afternoon you will scout one of the hidden streams in the area to try to see more of the Amazon's beautiful and bizarre creatures. Tonight there will be one last excursion looking for nocturnal life. (B,L,D)
Departure - Day 8
In the morning all guests disembark from TUCANO and transfer to the airport. (B)
Please note that the day to day schedule must be considered approximate. The exact order of the days and specific features may be altered due to navigational and other scheduling considerations. Top
A Socially and Environmentally Responsible Ship
M/V Tucano's Amazon voyages are designed to be not only interesting and engaging experiences in tropical nature, but to be ecologically sensitive and to contribute to rainforest preservation. The contributions to preservation are primarily through environmental education and importantly through providing a substantial income to local communities in a way that places high value on preserving wild rain forest. Trips offer a fully sustainable and non-extractive use of primitive rain forest.
All of the staff members are local Brasilians and are licensed by the Brasilian authorities. They are long term employees with stable jobs. The guides are fully equal to the task of providing detailed and correct information about Amazon nature and they are also dedicated conservationists.
On all excursions the guides are charged with not only finding and observing interesting creatures and plants, but also putting our observations into an ecological framework. In the evenings guides also address larger topics such as species diversity, hydrology in the Amazon, geography, geology, and settlement by native peoples. Cruises also visit some remote settles and villages, and the same learning and respectful perspective is brought to the contacts with these folks living traditional lives. Procedures are in place for not disturbing small communities. This includes varying the places visited and ensuring that the interactions with local peoples are respectful and not economically disruptive. The company also provides materials that can benefit the entire community such as diesel fuel for the village generator or writing materials to the village school. “Manufactured” or artificial cultural experiences for visitors are never orchestrated.
M/V Tucano observes a zero impact policy on trips which includes not removing anything from the forest, leaving nothing behind, staying on defined trails, not creating new trails, keeping noise to a minimum, and leaving no waste behind. Considerable measures are taken not to disturb creatures including not getting too close, leaving an area if an animal becomes disturbed, and not handling creatures. M/V Tucano recycles waste, hauls trash back to landfills in the city, and uses as much natural products as possible. Top
