Uakari Lodge: Amazon Rainforest Ecolodge Trip in Brazil
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Uakari Lodge: Amazon Rainforest Ecolodge Trip in Brazil

Amazon
4 Nights·5 Days
AmazonJungle ExperiencesComfort Adventures

Overview

Deep in the heart of the Amazon lies the Mamirauá Reserve, a World Heritage Site of Nature and one of the most protected flooded forests on the planet. It is home to endemic wildlife such as the white uakari monkey, plus pink river dolphins, caimans, and more than 350 recorded species.

This trip takes you there to sleep at the Uakari Lodge, a floating ecolodge anchored on the water and fully integrated with the landscape. It is run jointly by the Mamirauá Institute and the local riverside communities, so the money you spend funds those communities, strengthens their organization, and turns conservation into a livelihood. This is the heart of what makes the experience different from a standard Amazon ecolodge.

  • Full itinerary: interpretive trails, jungle hikes, canoeing, piranha fishing, night safaris, a boat trip to Lake Mamirauá, and a riverside community visit.
  • Stay at the Uakari Lodge, a floating ecolodge inside the Mamirauá Reserve, fully integrated with the flooded forest.
  • Chances to see white uakari monkeys, squirrel monkeys, the Amazon pink dolphin, caimans up to 4 m, and 350+ species.
  • A community-run conservation project: your stay supports the riverside communities and the Mamirauá Institute.
  • Visit a riverside community and learn how families adapt to a 10–12 m yearly change in water level.
  • Activities guided by bilingual (Portuguese/English) naturalist guides plus local Mamirauá experts.
  • All-inclusive experience: round-trip transfer, 4 nights of full board, and all guided activities.

  • Please note: this is a rustic-but-comfortable floating ecolodge inside a natural reserve, not a luxury resort. The itinerary below is a suggested plan that adapts to the river’s season (trails on foot in the dry season, by canoe when the forest floods) and is confirmed on arrival. Access is via Tefé, not Manaus.

Itinerary

Day 1

Transfer & Speedboat to the Reserve / Interpretive Trail

  • TransferTefé (airport/hotel) → Lake Tefé harbour · ~4–5 km
  • Speedboatto the Mamirauá Reserve · ~1h30 (Meeting of Waters)
  • Interpretive trailFrom 3:30 PM (or boat in flood season)

Your Amazon Rainforest ecolodge trip in Brazil begins at 1 PM with a pickup at Tefé airport or your hotel, then a transfer to the harbor on Lake Tefé to board a speedboat. The roughly 1h30 crossing passes the meeting of the black waters of Lake Tefé and the white waters of the Solimões, with the first chances to spot some of the region’s 350+ species on the way to the Uakari Lodge.

After check-in and a lunch of local delicacies, the first activity at 3:30 PM is an interpretive trail (a boat trip when the trails are flooded), with local guides explaining the floodplain ecosystem.

Dinner is at 7 PM, followed by a talk on the history of the Mamirauá Reserve and the work of the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, a research unit overseen by Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

A red-faced uakari monkey hanging upside down from a tree branch in the Amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in Brazil, its golden-orange fur splayed out as it stares directly at the camera
Two guests in camouflage life vests and wide-brim hats sit at the bow of a speedboat on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, pointing ahead as the boat cuts through a calm dark-water river flanked by dense jungle on both sides
A row of wooden cabins with terracotta-tiled roofs sitting on the water's surface at the Uakari floating lodge, their orange reflections rippling across a calm river with dense forest behind
A curly-haired traveller in a green t-shirt raises a camera to photograph the moss-covered buttress roots of a giant rainforest tree during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with dense green canopy and tall trunks stretching into the background
Three river dolphins surfacing and splashing in a wide Amazon river channel on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with a green flooded forest shoreline and cloudy sky in the background
Three river dolphins surfacing together in a calm Amazonian waterway during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with lush floodplain vegetation lining the far bank

Day 2

Rainforest Hike or Canoe / Piranha Fishing / Night Tour

  • Hike / CanoeRainforest trail (canoe in flood season)
  • Piranha fishingAfternoon
  • Night tourNight hike or spotlight boat

Mornings start early: breakfast at 6:30 AM, out by 7 AM. A hike through the rainforest reveals Amazonian trees and animals, with good chances of seeing squirrel monkeys (in the flood season the same trails are paddled by rowing boats). After lunch, there is a break until 3:30 PM, then piranha fishing.

Once you have dinner, head out again for a night hike in the dry season or a spotlight boat trip when the forest floods to watch and listen to the forest’s nocturnal life. This is often the best window for caimans and night birds.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Four visitors stand at the base of a massive buttress-rooted tree during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, gazing up at its towering trunk as a guide points to the bark in dense green jungle
A three-toed sloth grips bare branches high in the canopy during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, its shaggy algae-tinged fur blending into the sparse tree crown against an overcast sky
A wooden boardwalk leads to an overwater bungalow with a terracotta-tiled roof on a calm jungle lake during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, the sky blazing orange and pink at sunset with a dense tree line reflected in the still water
A guide from the Uakari Lodge looks up into the canopy of a flooded igapó forest during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with tall trees rising from still dark water and hanging lianas framing the scene
A squirrel monkey carrying its infant on its back pauses on a thin branch during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with dense green canopy behind them
A caiman floating low in dark water at night, its textured head and banded tail visible just above the surface during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil

Day 3

Jungle Trail / Boat to Lake Mamirauá / Caiman Spotlighting

  • Trail / CanoeLonger route · 14-trail system
  • BoatLake Mamirauá · From 3:30 PM
  • SpotlightingCaimans up to 4 m

After a breakfast of local fruit and cassava dishes, a longer jungle trek or canoe trip (depending on the season) explores the reserve through its system of 14 trails. You return to the lodge for lunch and time in the hammocks.

At 3:30 PM, set off on the biggest outing of the trip, a boat ride to Lake Mamirauá, to learn about the area’s history from your local guides. On the way back, spotlights pick out nocturnal wildlife, including caimans up to 4 meters long.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A guide paddles two guests through a flooded igapó forest in a green canoe during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with tall trees and broad-leafed plants rising from calm, mirror-still water
Three scarlet macaws perched among the leafy upper branches of a tall tropical tree against a blue sky, spotted during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
A bald uakari monkey with a vivid pink-red face and thick orange-brown fur perches on bare branches in a tropical rainforest canopy, a highlight of any amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
A Uakari Lodge staff guide and a female visitor with a backpack point upward into the dense Amazon rainforest canopy during an ecolodge trip in Brazil
A toucan with a large curved bill and red undertail perches on a bare branch high in the forest canopy during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, against a clear blue sky
A small kingfisher-like bird with iridescent teal-green upperparts, a chestnut-rufous breast, and a sharp yellow-based bill perches on a dark branch against a deep blue-black background, spotted on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil

Day 4

Riverside Community / Canoe or Fishing / Science Talk

  • CommunityRiverside village visit
  • Canoe / FishingRowing canoe (dry) or piranha fishing (flood)
  • Science talkResident biologists present their research

Set off at 7 AM with a local guide to see daily life in a riverside community, where the water can rise and fall about 12 meters a year and every routine adapts to it. It is the clearest window on how people and the flooded forest live together.

In the afternoon, a rowing-canoe trip in the dry season or traditional piranha fishing in the flood season is your last outing in the reserve. Later, biologists working in the area explain how scientific research shapes the conservation strategy you have seen all week.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A woman browses rows of red seed bead necklaces and small earrings displayed on a wooden wall at a riverside community craft stall during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
Wooden stilt houses lining the Amazon riverbank reflect in calm dark water, surrounded by dense rainforest canopy, on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
Close-up of a person's hands mending a fishing net with a wooden needle during a riverside community visit on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
Overhead view of a wooden table covered with handmade crafts from Comunidade Caburini, including red and dark seed-bead necklaces, carved gourd rattles, woven palm baskets, wooden spoons, and bone figurines, as a visitor's hand reaches in to browse during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
Flat-lay of Amazonian handmade crafts on a white cloth during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, including seed-bead necklaces and bracelets in red, black and orange, carved turtle figurines, dolphin-shaped ornaments, woven keychains, and painted gourd bowls
A toucan with a vivid multicolored bill peers out from a hollow in a large tree trunk during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, green forest canopy softly blurred behind it
A man toasts cassava flour on a large iron griddle outdoors during an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, while a visitor photographs the scene against a lush green forest backdrop.
Wooden stilt houses with corrugated roofs in a riverside Amazon community, laundry hanging beneath one porch and chickens roaming the grass, typical of the communities connected to an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil
A large flock of hoatzins with orange-buff plumage, spiky crests, and blue facial skin crowding a mound of dried vegetation on an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil, with green grass in the background
A man mending a fishing net on the porch of a weathered blue-and-grey wooden house beside the forest, warm backlit sunlight filtering through the canopy above, part of an amazon rainforest ecolodge trip in brazil that includes a riverside community visit

Day 5

Final Boat Trip / Return to Tefé

  • Final boat tripAfter breakfast · return ~9 AM
  • TransferLodge → Tefé (airport/hotel) · depart 10 AM

For your last morning at the Uakari Lodge, breakfast is at 6:30 AM, followed by a final boat trip, returning around 9 AM. You then depart at 10 AM for Tefé airport or your hotel, which marks the end of the Amazon Rainforest Ecolodge trip in Brazil.

Meals included: Breakfast

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Tefé Airport or hotel ⇌ Uakari Lodge)
  • 4-night stay at the floating Uakari Lodge inside the Mamirauá Reserve
  • Meals (full board): breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the lodge
  • Guided tours (interpretive trails, jungle hikes, canoe and boat trips, piranha fishing, night safari, Lake Mamirauá, and a riverside community visit)
  • Bilingual (Portuguese/English) naturalist guide plus local Mamirauá Reserve guides

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Transfer between Manaus and Tefé (both ways)
  • Accommodation in Manaus or Tefé
  • Breakfast on the first day, and lunch and dinner on the last day
  • Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Laundry, gratuities, and other personal expenses
  • Any services not previously mentioned

FAQ

Reviews

“We loved our stay at Uakari Lodge. Everything was so well run, and the meals were definitely better than I expected. Kudos to the staff and the guides. Highly, highly recommended.”

— William

“We had an amazing experience!! The cabins very clean, comfortable and nice. The location is beautiful, so as all of the tours. I think that the price is very worth paying, and even more that it goes for the community. The service was excellent. All of the guides have the best attitude, they are always willing answer questions and help for you to have the best time and experience! I already recommended it, and would definitely go back!!”

— Daniela

“The trip was incredible, we loved everything. From the food, which was delicious every day, to the cabins, which I thought were very well equipped and very pretty. But without a doubt the best were the tours and the people who work there; the tours exceeded my expectations and the people who work there are extraordinary. I would highly recommend it and I would definitely return.”

— Sebastian

“Wonderful, educational, informative, hands on way to accomplish a life long dream of experiencing the Amazon. We did not get to see the Uakari, or any cats but that is the way it goes. Beautiful scenery and expansive variety of bird species, Learning about the igapó and várzea flooded forests was especially fascinating for someone with a forestry background and the guides extensively sharing their knowledge on the regions historical & current environmental/cultural socioeconomic challenges and opportunities. We were there in the wet season, so much more boating than hiking. Great staff and tasty filling meals. Remember to take some cash for tips though!”

— Wildlands

“The Pousada is a true paradise. We had excellent days of rest with a practically private beach. If you are demanding about cleanliness, food and service, this pousada is certainly the place for you. There is also the possibility of going out for some nightlife if you prefer, but during the day, you will certainly not want to leave.”

— Caru

“We spent a few days here as part of a longer trip around the Amazon in Brazil. The lodge is literally floating on logs on a bend of the river so getting anywhere involved paddle or motorised canoes. When we were there it was the end of the wet season so although it was not raining (much) the forest was flooded and we couldn't do any walks - but we knew this in advance and had plenty of great wildlife viewing from the canoes and paddling through the flooded forest was a really magical experience. Bird life is good but we had really come here to look for various mammals and the guides knew exactly where to take us to give us the best chance of seeing things. It should be noted that we had our own private guide (Ronaldo) so we could choose what we wanted to do each day Some animals (like the yellow crowned toro) were known to live in certain trees so were pretty much a dead cert to see. Others like the Bald Headed Uaraci that the lodge is named after live in certain areas and after a bit of searching we had some great views on multiple days. However it was pure luck that whilst looking for the Uacari we came across a mother melanistic jaguar swimming through the flooded forest with her two black cubs. Three black Jaguars together is extremely rare and the guides did a great job of carefully following them (at a distance) and then, when the cubs were safely up a tree, returning to the lodge to ensure that all the guests could get a sighting - even those who were supposed to be en-route to the airport! The accommodation is rustic (fans but no-aircon as expected) but comfortable with great bathrooms and cute bats living under the eaves. The food was buffet style and generally very tasty (although Brazil is rightly not known for its pizzas!). Overall we had a great time - many thanks to Ronaldo and the rest of the team.”

— Andrew

“Posto incredibile immerso nella foresta amazzonica. Sei sopraffatto dalla natura in mezzo a caimani, scimmie e delfini rosa di fiume”

— Francesco

“As a frequent traveler to Brazil, this lodge had been on my bucket list for quite sometime. I had long wanted to see the White Bald Uakari so booked a private excursion to focus on this primate. I was teamed up with local guide Manuel Coelho Rodrigues who also shared a passion for the uakari. I found out after I got there that Manuel had gone in two days early to help locate some of the family troops that hang out not far from the lodge. Not only did he deliver on me seeing the Uakaris on two separate days, but one encounter was almost four hours long! We watched them eating, socializing and younger uakaris engaging in play behavior! It was an experience I will never forget. The lodge itself was run so professionally. My friend spoke Portuguese, but they are also sending some young Brazilians to be at the lodge who speak English to help with all things. Our person was Loni who went above and beyond to make sure our stay was perfect. There was also another girl there Gabby that helped us as well. I also can not rave enough about the food. I felt like there was always plenty and so many delicious options. Every excursion we went on they made sure we had coolers full of home made snacks and fresh juices! I have been to many community based projects and I will have to say this is one of the best. Plus not only did we see Uakaris, but many other species of primates, sloths, possums, Long -tailed porcupines, and many fabulous birds and reptiles. If you are even thinking of going here, do it!”

— Howlers

“We stayed at Uakari last Easter. We did the 3 days experience and it was absolutely unique. The lodge is very basic but comfortable and the food is really nice. But the best part of the experience are the incredible natural environment and the amazing people working there. Allan, our guide was super helpful making every effort to communicate with us in a mix of Portuguese, Spanish and English and made the experience very educational and fun. We would absolutely recommend Uakari to everyone who likes nature and doesn’t need an ultra luxury accommodation to enjoy their holiday.”

— Patricia

“If you want to have an immersion experience in the Amazon without giving up certain luxuries (hot showers, tours, sleeping in beds, local food and guides), this Lodge is the ideal place. The staff is wonderful, the food is incredible, and the tours show us the stunning beauty and treasures of the Amazon: its animals and the local traditional communities.”

— Helena Val

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