Amazon Clipper Cruises have a traditional riverboat fleet and a luxury riverboat running regular cruises along the Amazon. This is The Premium, their luxury vessel, which offers more spacious cabins than their traditional fleet. This boat also has lower beds, and good public spaces. It is small enough to dock at remote spots and to cruise to hidden locations and is the perfect size for a comfortable cruise along the Amazon River.
There is a choice of three cruise itineraries:
Amazon Cruise: 3 days/2 nights. Departs on Mondays with an itinerary mainly on the Amazon River.
DAY 1- Monday - We meet at the lobby of the Tropical Hotel at 14:00 hrs. We board The Premium and depart toward the Amazon River while we enjoy a welcome drink and listening to the information about route and facilities. After a snack we meet in the leisure room for lectures about Amazon where we will get a good start on understanding Amazon ecology while the vessel take us upstream along the Amazon. Before dinner you may like to order a caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil! After dinner we will explore the river's edge with powerful searchlights and we are likely to see caiman, close relatives of crocodile, and sometimes night-hawks, snakes, toro-rats, sloths and frogs.
DAY 2- Tuesday - By the time we wake, the vessel is in the Janauaca Lake and we start an early exploration by canoe of the waking in forest. We will keep our eyes open for birds and hopefully see the Pink River Dolphins. We return for breakfast followed by a walk in the forest and a visit to the inhabitants of the lake who eke out their living from manioc plantations, fishing, diverse fruit trees, rubber, Brazil-nut trees, wood and other extractive products. The piranha fishing in late afternoon is not only for passionate anglers. There are good chances of seeing Hoatzins and large flocks of egerets. After dinner we will explore the forest in our canoes with the possibility of observing nocturnal animals and admiring the millions of stars and constellations of the southern hemisphere.
DAY 3- Wednesday - A last exploration for bird-watching and a good chance to see the Victoria Regia, the giant water lilies in the Janauary Ecological Park. We explore the mysterious flooded forest by canoe or walking on catwalks, observing wildlife in the trees and in the water. While we have breakfast the boat starts its navigation toward the "Meeting of the Waters". This is a unique spectacle where the bright colored water of the Amazon and the dark water of the Rio Negro flow side by side without mixing for many miles. Now we return to the Tropical landing stage passing Manaus port, with views of the floating docks, market, old custom house and the dome of the Opera house, arriving at 11:30 am. End of services.
Negro River Cruise: 4 days/3 nights. Departs on Wednesdays with an itinerary mainly on the Rio Negro.
DAY 1- Wednesday - We meet at the lobby of theTropical Hotel at 14:00 hrs. We board The Premium and depart upstream on the Rio Negro while we drink a fresh fruit juice and listen to information about the facilities. After a snack we meet in the leisure room for lectures about Amazon where we will get a good start on understanding Amazon preservation and ecology. After dinner we will explore little creeks in our canoes and listen to the sounds of nocturnal animals with the possibility of observing birds,frogs, snakes and caimans.
DAY 2- Thursday - Early morning we explore the surroundings along the waters edge in our canoes where we mainly find fruit-eating birds like parrots and toucans. After breakfast we go for a jungle walk, we discover many surprising fragrances of the leaves, fruits, woods and animals. Around midday we return, and we may go for a swim before lunch. In the Afternoon we navigate through the Anavilhanas National Park, one of the world's largest fresh water archipelagos; a labyrinth of waterways. In the late afternoon we embark in the canoes and learn more about this wonderful nature park.
DAY 3- Friday - Early this morning we spend a little time fishing for piranhas and other fish. After breakfast we visit a Native Community where we find many of the typical Amazonian fruits like Cupuaçu and Tapereba, palm trees like Açaí, Tucumã and Pupunha. We learn about the preparation of manioc flour and the health and education situation of the children. After lunch we land on one of the white sandy beaches to swim in the dark water and hopefully see some Pink River Dolphins. We go exploring by canoe and scouting for wildlife in the late afternoon. On the way toward the Amazon River will be served dinner.
DAY 4- Saturday - Early this morning we explore the Lago Janauary Ecological Park. This area is usually a very good place to observe wildlife and there's a chance to see the “Victoria Regia” the giant water lilies. While we have breakfast we navigate to the "Meeting of the Waters", the confluence of theworld's two largest rivers, the Amazon and the Negro. Now it's time to return to the Tropical Hotel landing-stage and we get fine views of Manaus waterfront. Arrival at 11:30 hrs. End of services.
Amazon and Negro River Cruise: Departing on Mondays. This is a combination of the above two options.
