5-Day Amazon River Cruise in Brazil
PlanetaEXO
TripsBrazilAmazon

5-Day Amazon River Cruise in Brazil

Amazon
4 Nights·5 Days
AmazonMulti-ActivityComfort Adventures

Overview

Embarking on a 5-day Amazon River Cruise in Brazil offers a unique blend of adventure, ecology, and comfort in the heart of the world’s largest rainforest. This journey is designed to provide a deeply authentic experience, taking you further into nature than a typical quick getaway to ensure true immersion. You will have the opportunity to genuinely connect with the environment as well as engage in cultural exchanges with riverside and Indigenous communities.

Throughout the expedition, you will travel on a rustic, regionally built riverboat that ensures a relaxing journey. Guests are accommodated in comfortable, air-conditioned cabins that feature private bathrooms and river-facing windows, allowing you to enjoy the views in total comfort while a welcoming crew makes you feel at home.

The itinerary is packed with exciting main activities that allow you to explore the Jaú and Anavilhanas national parks. Guided by bilingual local experts, you will experience the rainforest firsthand through jungle hikes and navigate the waters with night canoe safaris to spot caimans. Additionally, the trip features memorable excursions like piranha fishing on the Rio Negro and interactive encounters with pink river dolphins.

  • Full itinerary: speedboat safaris through Anavilhanas National Park, river swims in the Rio Negro, jungle treks to the Madadá caves, piranha fishing, the Jaú and Carabinani rivers, waterfalls, and riverside community visits.
  • A true liveaboard Amazon cruise from Manaus: a rustic, cozy riverboat with 3 decks, a bow deck, sun loungers, a sound system, and showers.
  • Deep inside Jaú National Park, the largest freshwater forest park in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on an Amazon rainforest cruise far from the day-trip crowds.
  • Wildlife you can actually see: pink and gray river dolphins, macaws, herons, caimans, piranhas, and the bicó monkey on Ilha dos Macacos.
  • Activities guided by experienced native guides and a bilingual expedition leader.
  • All-inclusive experience: round-trip transfer, suite-cabin accommodation, full board with drinks, all guided tours, and a native crew.

  • Please note: The river decides. Water levels, navigation, and weather can change the daily plan, so the itinerary below is a suggested route that the expedition guide confirms and adjusts on the ground.

Itinerary

Day 1

Manaus / Novo Airão / Anavilhanas

  • Transfer Manaus → boat09 AM pickup · air-conditioned vehicle
  • Boarding & sailing to Novo Airãoarrive by lunch
  • Speedboat safariAnavilhanas National Park archipelago

Day 1 opens in Manaus. A 9 AM transfer takes you to the boat, and you sail to Novo Airão, arriving around lunch, which is served on board.

After a short Amazon briefing on the region’s wildlife, flora, river basins, and the route ahead, the expedition begins through the Anavilhanas archipelago. A speedboat explores the nearby islands and lagoons, where pink river dolphins (boto cor-de-rosa) and gray dolphins (tucuxi) are often seen alongside herons, macaws, parrots and kingfishers. You stop for a swim with floats in the Rio Negro, then continue to the Madadá outpost.

A light dinner is served on board. Spend the night in a boat suite cabin or in a hammock at the Madadá mirante, a two-story bungalow with a bathroom set in the forest, overlooking the Rio Negro.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

The Jacaré riverboat, a three-deck wooden vessel with green hull, cruising a dark calm river on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, with dense forest lining both banks under a clear blue sky
Two wooden deck chairs on the curved bow of a riverboat during an Amazon river cruise in Brazil, with clouds perfectly mirrored on a glassy dark-water river flanked by dense rainforest
Extreme close-up of a green amazon parrot with a vivid orange-red eye ring and red forehead feathers, gripping and gnawing at dark tree bark during an amazon river cruise in Brazil.
A blue-and-yellow macaw perched on a weathered tree branch during an amazon river cruise brazil, with lush green forest canopy in the background
A passenger leans on the wooden bow railing of a riverboat on an amazon river cruise in brazil, gazing down a glassy black-water channel flanked by dense rainforest canopy reflected in the still water

Day 2

Anavilhanas / Madadá

  • Sunrise at Madadá
  • Jungle trek3h round-trip · Madadá caves
  • River swim with floatsRio Negro

Sunrise at Madadá is followed by a regional breakfast. Then, a 3-hour round-trip trek leads through primary forest to the Madadá caves. Back at the river, you swim with floats in the Rio Negro before returning to the boat, where lunch is served while navigating.

In the afternoon, the boat sails toward Praia do Sono, with a visit to the Mirituba community or a sunset on the river. You spend the night anchored on a dry-season beach or in an igarapé near Airão Velho.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Two travelers crouch beneath a mossy rock overhang on an amazon river cruise brazil forest hike, surrounded by dense green jungle foliage while sheltering from rain in their ponchos
Three guests fishing from a wooden canoe on a calm, mirror-still river during an amazon river cruise brazil, surrounded by dense tropical forest under a partly cloudy sky
Close-up of deep pink cauliflorous flowers with long pale trailing filaments blooming directly from a tree trunk in the Amazon rainforest, spotted on an amazon river cruise in Brazil
A shaggy brown-and-grey saki monkey grips two thin tree trunks and stares directly at the camera during an amazon river cruise brazil wildlife encounter
A small wooden motorboat carrying five passengers drifts across the calm, dark waters of an Amazon river cruise in Brazil, under a bright hazy sky with no land in sight.
A hand wearing a beaded bracelet holds a bamboo fishing rod with a piranha caught on the line during an amazon river cruise in Brazil, dense green forest visible in the background.
Aerial view of a white sandbar cutting through dark tannin-stained Rio Negro waters on an amazon river cruise in brazil, with a small riverboat and green umbrellas visible from above

Day 3

Jaú National Park / Jaú & Carabinani rivers

  • Recreational piranha fishingat sunrise
  • ICMBio ranger basepark entry & registration
  • Short walk10 min · giant samaúma tree

The day starts with recreational piranha fishing. After breakfast, visit the ruins and history of Airão Velho and the petroglyph traces left by travelers of a distant past. At the entrance to Jaú National Park, the boat stops at the ICMBio base for visitor registration and control. Just past the base, a short 10-minute walk leads to a giant samaúma, one of the Amazon’s largest trees.

Sailing the Rio Jaú, watch for birds and aquatic mammals, then head up the Rio Carabinani, a large tributary full of waterfalls and rapids. This is the heart of the Amazon river cruise in Brazil: protected, remote, and rich in wildlife. Later, return to the boat and sail at sunset toward the Cachoeira do Jaú community.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A pink river dolphin seen from above just beneath the dark water surface during an amazon river cruise in Brazil, its warm orange-pink coloring vivid against the black Rio Negro waters
View from high up a massive lichen-covered tree trunk looking down at a calm dark river channel where a wooden riverboat with a turquoise roof and a narrow canoe are moored beside dense Amazon rainforest, on an amazon river cruise brazil
A backpacker climbs between the massive buttress roots of a giant rainforest tree on an amazon river cruise brazil excursion, with lianas spiraling overhead in the dense jungle canopy
A black-furred monkey with a russet lower body clings to a tree branch in the forest canopy, looking directly at the camera during an amazon river cruise brazil wildlife excursion
A caiman's head barely breaking the water's surface at night on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, its golden vertical-slit eye glowing among floating aquatic plants
A smiling man holds a laughing young girl as she touches the textured bark of a large rainforest tree during an amazon river cruise brazil forest hike, dense green vegetation surrounding them
A hiker in a teal long-sleeve shirt carrying a water bottle walks away from the camera along a narrow leaf-covered trail through dense rainforest on an amazon river cruise brazil excursion.
Guests leaping from the upper deck of the Jacareagil riverboat into a glassy river at sunset on an Amazon river cruise in Brazil, with golden light reflected across the calm black water
A bright shooting star streaks diagonally across a deep blue star-filled night sky on an amazon river cruise in brazil, with thousands of stars visible in the Milky Way

Day 4

Jaú National Park / Cachoeira community / Rio Jaú waterfall

  • Cachoeira community visitcasa de farinha, school, crafts
  • Fisherman’s canoeIlha dos Macacos · bicó monkey
  • Waterfall swimCachoeira do Rio Jaú (dry season)

Anchor at the Cachoeira community and spend time with residents: a seasonal-fruit orchard, the cassava flour house (casa de farinha), games and football with the children, and handicrafts. You also visit the municipal school built by the Fundação Almerinda Malaquias (FAM) under its Riverside Education project.

A fisherman’s canoe takes you to Ilha dos Macacos to watch local wildlife, especially the bicó monkey. On the way back, swim at the Cachoeira do Rio Jaú waterfall (dry season). After lunch on board, the boat begins sailing back to the ICMBio base and out of the park.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A smiling visitor with traditional geometric face paint and a beaded wrist cuff sits face-to-face with an Indigenous community member wearing a large feather headdress during an amazon river cruise brazil cultural visit
A couple embracing on a rock ledge beside a wide, amber-tinted waterfall on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, with flat red sandstone outcrops and dense green forest stretching to the horizon under a dramatic cloudy sky
A woman rests her cheek against the massive moss-covered trunk of a century-old rainforest tree during an amazon river cruise brazil itinerary, eyes closed, arms wrapped around it, with towering buttress roots rising behind her into the forest canopy
Slender trees standing in still, mirror-flat floodwater at golden hour on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, their bare branches and leafy crowns reflected perfectly in the dark water, with dense rainforest lining the far bank under a partly cloudy sky
Close-up portrait of a green amazon parrot with red forehead markings and orange-ringed eye, gripping and gnawing at dark tree bark during an amazon river cruise brazil wildlife encounter
A three-toed sloth clinging to a moss-and-lichen-covered tree trunk and looking directly at the camera during an amazon river cruise in Brazil, with lush green forest in the background.

Day 5

Novo Airão / Manaus

  • Return sailJaú → Novo Airão
  • Pink river dolphinsNovo Airão
  • Transfer Novo Airão → ManausA/C taxi or van

Sail back from Jaú to Novo Airão, where you interact with the pink river dolphins. A city tour of Novo Airão includes the Fundação Almerinda Malaquias (FAM), an income-generation and environmental-education project for children and youth, and the AANA artisans’ association for fiber, wood, and indigenous crafts (optional).

Lunch is served at the Flor do Luar floating restaurant before the transfer back to Manaus by air-conditioned taxi or van.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch

A craftsman carves a small wooden piece by hand at a workbench covered in wood shavings, with rows of multicolored laminated wood figurines lined up beside his tools during a stop on an amazon river cruise brazil itinerary
View from the bow of a small riverboat on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, with a carved caiman figurehead pointing toward a glassy black-water river reflecting orange sunrise clouds and flanked by dense forest on both banks
Wide dark-water river reflecting warm golden sunset light on an amazon river cruise in Brazil, with a low strip of dense rainforest canopy along the left bank and a pale blue sky fading to amber on the horizon
Collection of small handcrafted wooden boxes with inlaid stripe patterns in warm reds, creams, and dark browns, made from multiple wood species, displayed in a tray during an Amazon river cruise in Brazil stop at a local artisan workshop
A pink river dolphin surfaces from dark Amazon waters on an amazon river cruise brazil, its long toothed beak open and pectoral fin catching warm amber light reflected on the surface

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Manaus ⇌ Novo Airão)
  • 4-night stay on board in a climate-controlled suite cabin (or a hammock at the Madadá mirante on Night 1)
  • Meals (full board): 3 main meals a day plus snacks, juices and mineral water at will, fruit caipirinhas, and beer
  • Guided tours (speedboat safaris through Anavilhanas, jungle trekking to the Madadá caves, piranha fishing, Jaú and Carabinani river excursions, waterfall swims, and community visits).
  • Bilingual guide and a trained native crew (captain, sailor, cooks, cabin staff, head expedition guide, and a native guide)

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Extra drinks beyond those included
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses
  • Accommodation in Manaus
  • Any other service not listed as included

FAQ

Reviews

“Great organization and service! I really recommend them!”

— Hyunmin Han

“We had a fabulous trip up the Rio Negro in a perfect small boat. Everything worked smoothly - including the communication - and our guide was superb. Food excellent. Magical days in Amazonia!”

— Jane Hardy

“Better than we accepted! We had a fantastic four day boat trip on the Amazon with our two kids. We had a wonderfull experience in the nature and with the wildlife. Also with the native people from the Amazon, that we have visited. Our guide and the whole crew of the boat were fantastic. All were very friendly and lovely. The food was the best! Thank you PlanetaEXO for organising that Trip for uns!”

— Desirée Jaensch

“PlanetEXO found and booked a fabulous trip for us, after giving us several options based only on location and things we might be interested in. Communication via WhatsApp was extremely quick and easy. A painless process with an excellent result.”

— JW Hardy

“My wife, daughter and I did a 4 day trip on the boat Jacaré - Tinga and it was a spectacular. We were up early to watch the sunrise and had activities all day long. We thought 4 days would be too short but we came away feeling very satisfied that we had seen what we needed to. The staff was great and the "skiff" rides into all the tributaries both during the day and night were incredible. A lot of this was because we had Kenrick as our guide. He has more than 10 years as a guide in the area and also teaches survival tactics for the jungle. Having his vast knowledge, ability to spot sloth and monkeys from incredible distances and catch caiman at night with his bare hands for us to hold, on top of his knowledge of all the "short cuts" through the forest in the boats made the trip extra special. Thank you Katerre and thank you Kenrick for a one of a kind expedition.”

— John Detar

“As a group of three, we recently enjoyed three tours with PlanetaEXO. Not only did they help us book a 4-day Lençois Maranhenses trek, a 5-day Amazon Cruise and a 4-day Pantanal, but also transfers between our flights. All the itineraries were very clear, and everyone was very punctual with our meeting spots and activities. A special shout out to Beatriz, who organised all our communications with our guides, and also checked in with us as we were moving very quickly. We had such an amazing experience and would recommend it to anyone looking to experience Brazil off the beaten track.”

— Hannah Vlismas

“We had a fantastic experience booking with Planetaexo. Beatriz was amazing and helped us book 3 tours in different corners of Brazil, then helped us further with the best way to fly to make it easy. We will definitely use the service again. It helps save the time of arriving in a location and finding a suitable local provider. Planetaexo is a really great company with good communication.”

— Peter Wood

“One of the best trips i have ever done! Me and my wife took the 5-day tour on jacaré-tinga to the Jau National Park. We went very deep into the Jungle and even saw a Jaguar, as well monkeys, caymans and otters! The experience was amazing and the staff, in particular our Guide Noah, did a great job. Despite being so remote, the service was superb and it was quite a luxurious trip with great food and air conditioned rooms. The mix between adventure and relax time was perfect.”

— Fabian

“We embarked on a 5d/4 nights journey aboard the rustic boat Jacare Acu down the Rio Negrø towards Jau National Park. The boat accommodation was comfortable and catered for by a magnificent crew serving 3-times daily freshly made meals and navigating small support speedboats when venturing out on excursions. All excursions were accompanied by an excellent English-spoken guide. A perfect blend between excursions and slow dreaming the time away aboard. Swimming in Rio Negrø, BBQ on the boat, rubber making-workshops, alligator-watching, sipping sundowners on the top deck. The blend was optimal between authenticity and luxury with full respect for indigenous Amazonian values. Our kids 7/12/14 loved it to bits. Planeta Exo provided excellent service from enquiry to booking and following up during the trip to make it a smoothless trip. Thumbs up. We recommend wholeheartedly and unconditionally.”

— Jan Backaert

“One of the best experiences of my life! Surreal landscapes and tours, and a wonderful crew! Impeccable food and caipirinhas (Eli and Leda were sensational), and the guide Noah was excellent. I couldn't have asked for more!”

— Patricia Acosta

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$ 2,650/ per person