Day 1 - Departure to Manaus from Miami or New York in a overnight flight.

Departure - Arrival in Manaus and transfer to hotel. Manaus is the jungle capital of the Amazonas state and lies near where Rio Negro and Solimões rivers meet to form the mighty Amazon itself. Manaus has its origins as a trading center for local denizens and a piece of civilization for the lost souls of the wild jungles; there's even an opera house and a handful of museums. Check into the hotel; our guide will brief us on our Amazon jungle program, familiarize us with some of the wildlife we'll spot as well as speak about some common-sense precautions to take. Enjoy a city tour of Manaus to see the Teatro Amazonas opera house, a museum or two such as the Indian Museum and the open-air markets. Overnight in Manaus.

Day 2 - Manaus - Amazon River Adventure - The wonders of the Amazon jungle await! We'll board our vessel and leave at approximately 9:00 AM, setting out from the Floating Docks on the Rio Solimões. The floating docks, which can accommodate oceangoing vessels, are an engineering marvel; their giant buoys rise and fall with the water level. Leaving Manaus, we can see powerful lumber mills, floating markets, and other regulars who make their living on or near the waters of the Amazon. Life here is very different from just about anywhere else in the world - locals, or caboclos, live in river villages in modest houses on stilts (to keep them dry in the flood season). Our riverboat will head for the so-called Meeting of the Waters where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões rivers meet a little over 6 miles (10 km) downstream from Manaus. On our voyage, we'll have a chance to spot Amazon river dolphins, a species of cetacean found in the Orinoco and Amazon River basins. They are known locally as a boto. We'll continue to the Lake January Ecological Park to see the giant water lilies (Vitória-régia, the largest aquatic plant in the world) as well as the Indian handicraft market here. Lunch on board. We'll navigate to Paricatuba Creek on the Rio Negro, an ideal place to take a peek into the hinterlands. Later, we'll have the opportunity to go piranha fishing. Dinner on board. After dark, we can go on an "alligator flashing" trip - we'll see alligators up close as they stare into the lights of the guide's flashlight (yes, this is safe, for us and the alligators). In the nocturnal world of the jungle, a completely different array of wildlife appears - you'll never forget your experience here. Overnight on board the vessel.

Day 3 - Amazon River Adventure - This morning we will awake to have breakfast on board the boat. We will dock and take a jungle walk from the banks of the Rio Negro to see some of the varied species of trees and medicinal plants of the rain forest. One of the main attractions of the Amazon is its seemingly limitless abundance of wildlife, and we will surely see a wealth of aquatic, terrestrial and avian species. What we'll actually see depends upon local conditions, the time of day, time of year, and our tour guide's advice and guidance. Mammals include several species of monkeys like wooly, squirrel, spider; jaguars and peccaries to name a few. Avian life to be spotted includes beautiful morpho butterflies, colorful macaws and potentially hundreds of bird species. Aquatic and amphibian creatures run the gamut from frogs to caimans, and from river dolphins (see above) to various subspecies of piranha. Lunch will be on board. In the early afternoon, we'll proceed up the dark waters of the Rio Negro to Araras. We will take a canoe ride on the igarapés (creeks or small tributaries) which at times of high water are excellent routes into the jungle. We'll have dinner on board the vessel. After dark, an optional spear-fishing trip on the Igapós will be organized. Overnight aboard the vessel.

Day 4 - Amazon River Adventure - Manaus - Return to Manaus Breakfast on board the vessel. During the dry season, we continue on to the Arquipélago das Anavilhanas (Anavilhanas Archipelago) where approximately 400 islands are concentrated in the middle of the river. We'll have the chance to explore the beaches and islands and go ashore. In the rainy season, we can take a refreshing plunge in the river. We can take a canoe ride into the islands to get a closer look at the native fauna. Lunch will be served on board. We return to Manaus around 5:00 p.m. Say goodbye to your captain and crew as we disembark and proceed to our hotel. Your evening will be free to go out on the town and brag of your jungle exploits! Overnight in Manaus.

Day 5 - Departure - Today we say farewell as we take our departure flight home. Depending upon the flight option you have chosen, you'll either depart to the airport for your morning flight back to the States, or transfer to the airport in the evening for an overnight flight back.