4-day Amazon Kayak Tour Brazil
PlanetaEXO
TripsBrazilAmazon

4-day Amazon Kayak Tour Brazil

Amazon
3 Nights·4 Days
AmazonKayaking & CanoeingActive Adventures

Overview

Ready for adventure? This 4-day Amazon kayak tour in Brazil takes you deep into the rainforest along the Rio Urubu, a narrow ~500 km river, known for its igapó waters and strong appeal for ecotourism.

Over 4 days, paddle quiet blackwater, hike to hidden caves near Presidente Figueiredo, fish for piranha, and camp in hammocks deep in the forest. A gentle current keeps you moving, with a few fun, safe rapids to add a thrill, so this jungle kayaking adventure suits active travelers rather than those chasing hotel comfort.

Guided by English-speaking local experts, this tour is built around real immersion in nature: rustic camps, field-cooked meals, and long days of Amazon river kayaking on a river few people ever see.

  • Full itinerary: kayaking the Rio Urubu, cave hikes (Maroaga, Judea, and a jungle bat cave), waterfall hikes, piranha fishing by day and night, night wildlife spotting, and a motorized canoe return.
  • Paddle the Rio Urubu, a narrow ~500 km Amazon tributary, for a deep, authentic jungle kayaking adventure far from the crowds.
  • Explore the Maroaga and Judea caves, a wild jungle bat cave, and hike to hidden waterfalls, including the trip’s largest.
  • Camp deep in the rainforest: nights in hammocks under mosquito nets and rain tarps.
  • Try piranha fishing by day and night, and spot caimans and other nocturnal wildlife.
  • Activities guided by English-speaking local experts.
  • All-inclusive experience: round-trip transfer from Manaus, 3 nights camping, all meals, local guides, and kayaking and camping gear.

  • Please note: this is a rustic camping expedition. All listed activities are included, and the exact route and campsites adapt to river level, weather, and the group’s pace.

Itinerary

Day 1

Manaus → Presidente Figueiredo / Maroaga & Judea Caves / Rio Urubu / Camp in the rainforest

  • Driving Manaus → Presidente Figueiredo · ~2h / ~107 km (BR-174)
  • Hike Maroaga Cave & Judea Cave
  • Kayak ~1.5h to the first camp

At 8 am, our local partner will meet you in your hotel lobby and drive about 2 hours north along the BR-174 to Presidente Figueiredo, taking in the Amazon Rainforest landscape on the way.

Our first trail leads us to the Maroaga Cave and the Judea Cave, which offer the perfect opportunity to learn about the region’s fauna, flora, geology, and history. After lunch, a short 15-minute drive brings us to the Rio Urubu, where your guide explains how to enter, exit, paddle, and steer the kayak safely.

A quick swim helps shake off any nerves, and then we paddle about 1.5 hours through lush forest to the home of a local friend—the location of our first camp. While the guides set up your hammock, have something to eat and drink. A perfect first day of your Amazon kayak tour in Brazil!

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

A silky multi-tiered waterfall cascades over mossy rocks into a churning forest pool, surrounded by dense tropical rainforest canopy on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil
Photo 2
A wide, glassy river corridor lined with dense tropical rainforest canopy and soft morning mist rising above the treetops, seen from water level on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil

Day 2

Kayak / Bat Cave & Waterfall / Piranha fishing

  • Kayak ~20 min + afternoon paddle
  • Hike bat cave & jungle waterfall (~2h)
  • Fishing piranha fishing & night spotting

After breakfast, kayak for about 20 minutes to our second hike, a roughly 2-hour walk to a bat cave and a jungle waterfall that is ideal for cooling off. Here, the guide shares jungle plant lore and rainforest first aid.

Back at the river, relax over lunch. Then, paddle on in the afternoon to dive even deeper into the forest. At the new campsite, watch the sunset and cast a line. Around dusk it is time for piranha fishing—if the catch is good, piranha soup joins the menu.

After dark, the brave can join the night spotting for caimans and other nocturnal animals. This calm, unhurried stretch is Amazon river kayaking at its most immersive.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Two kayakers in red life jackets paddle side by side along a narrow, dark-watered river channel on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, with dense rainforest canopy rising on both banks
A tawny capuchin monkey rests flat on a tree branch amid dense green jungle canopy, gazing directly at the camera — a close wildlife encounter on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil
A slender bright-green snake draped along a thin branch high in the forest canopy, perfectly camouflaged among leaves on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil
A traveler crouches at the rocky edge of churning brown rapids on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, surrounded by dense rainforest under a bright blue sky
A traveler resting in a camouflage hammock strung beside a rushing jungle stream, surrounded by lush tropical foliage on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil
A crackling campfire with a cooking pan and grill rack on a white sand riverbank at night, with a wooden canoe resting at the water's edge during an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil

Day 3

Downriver / Urubu River Waterfall / Starry camp

  • Kayak descent to the next camp
  • Hike to Urubu River Waterfall
  • Night fishing or night hike

After breakfast, continue our kayak descent of the Urubu to a peaceful resting point for lunch and a moment to relax, followed by a walk to the largest and most impressive waterfall we visit on the whole trip.

From there, paddle on to a beautiful campsite and fall asleep under a starry sky to the sound of distant rapids. Fishing or a night hike rounds off our last night in the forest.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Golden sunset reflected across a calm tropical river on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, with large tree silhouettes framing a dramatic cloud-streaked sky
Sunlit trees standing in a flooded tropical river during an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, with misty jungle canopy stretching into the distance
A red and blue wooden canoe moored on a dark river in front of a weathered timber hut surrounded by dense rainforest vegetation, seen on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil
A guide holds a small baby caiman under torchlight during a night wildlife encounter on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, its eye glowing amber in the darkness

Day 4

Motorized canoe return / Presidente Figueiredo / Manaus

  • Canoe return upriver · ~3–4h by motorized canoe
  • Driving Presidente Figueiredo → Manaus · ~2h / ~107 km

On the final day, head back upriver by motorized canoe against the current—a great chance to photograph the journey we paddled, with a little extra walking and swimming along the way (when the river is low, the return becomes an adventure of its own).

Back at the starting point, visit the town of Presidente Figueiredo and the rapids of the Rio Urubuí (a tributary of the Urubu River) before driving roughly 2 hours to Manaus. You should arrive in the city around 4 PM, marking the end of your Amazon kayak tour in Brazil.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch

A solo kayaker paddles toward dense rainforest trees along a dark-water river on an Amazon kayak tour in Brazil, with a vivid rainbow arching across the stormy sky above

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Manaus ⇄ Rio Urubu, via Presidente Figueiredo), including the motorized canoe return
  • 3 nights of rustic rainforest camping in hammocks with mosquito nets and rain tarps (river beaches or local-family stays, depending on the route)
  • Meals (full board): all meals during the expedition, plus drinkable water and a traditional caipirinha
  • Kayaking and camping equipment
  • Guided tours (kayaking the Rio Urubu; cave hikes to the Maroaga, Judea, and bat caves; waterfall hikes; piranha fishing by day and night; night wildlife spotting; and a visit to Presidente Figueiredo and the Urubui rapids)
  • English-speaking local guide

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • First-day breakfast and last-day dinner
  • Beverages and anything else sold during the activity
  • Travel insurance (recommended, not included)
  • Personal hygiene products, towel, souvenirs, and gratuities
  • Any services not mentioned above

FAQ

Reviews

“Urubu River is an outstanding place to visit. The whole trip was well organised from the beginning to the end. Food was delicious. Most importantly: Errikes and Gil are not only knowledgeable guides but also lovely people. Thanks for everything.”

— friedrich graffmann

“We were so impressed by the level of support and care that provided by PlanetaExo! We took 2 different expeditions, first in Jalapão and second kayaking on the Rio Urburu in Amazonas. Wonderful all around and we highly recommend this company!”

— Walker Kozik

“We booked two tours with PlanetaEXO, one in the Amazon and one in Pantanal. The one in Amazon was quite bad, the guide did not communicate very well, and they also burned plastic, which we very much disliked. The one in Pantanal was great, we saw a lot of animals, the guide was communicative and he took care of a lot of things, and you could clearly see that he cared about our well-being and enjoyment.”

— Bastian

“Our Amazon Adventure Tour with Amazon Mystery Tours was really amazing! We could experience the Amazon in many different ways by hiking, biking, kayaking and sleeping in a hammock. It was very well organized and the food was great! Erikes and his team made our experience truly exeptional, thank you so much!”

— Siri

“We were treated to well cooked meals and a helpful guide. The waterfalls and caves we visited were certainly well selected and enjoyable to explore. The program included hours of ciesta time per day in hammocks strung up in the jungle waiting for wildlife to appear but we were unlucky. The plants, insects and variety of new fruit was quite interesting and when asked our guide told us more about them. On occasion he went out of his way to point new things out, such as bring us these bean like fruit one breakfast, but for the most part it was up to us to find interesting things to ask about. During one waterfall/cave hike we had an additional local guide who stopped to point out specific items of interest and tell small stories about them. This was very much appreciated and if our main guide had taken a more proactive approach during the rest of the trip we would have given full points.”

— David Schryer

“We did a four-day kayaking trip followed by a four-day Amazon cruise. The former was pretty basic, with hammocks to sleep in and basic (but generally very good) camp meals. Paddling was great but pretty demanding during the very dry season in which we went. If you're a less enthusiastic paddler, you may want to choose a rainier time of year.”

— LeeAnn

“The experience was amazing being completely immersed in nature. Our guide knew exactly where to go and had a good spirit during the 4 days tour. We slept in hammocks, went Kayaking and saw amazing hidden waterfalls after some good trekking trails. For your information it is a bit physically demanding but totally recommended for a full Amazon experience. Logistically, PlanetaExo's team was very helpful during the pre-booking and information phase.”

— Camilla Melis

“The amazon trip was very well organized and the guides were very nice! We recommend it.”

— Nicola Farina

“The four days I spent kayaking in the Amazon with Planeta EXO were absolutely amazing. The booking process was seamless and the agents were friendly and helpful. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the local peoples and fauna and ensured that everything went smoothly. We were shown a lot of incredible sights, from cave waterfalls to crystal clear water pools. The Amazon is an incredible place and our guide made it an even more special experience. For those who enjoy spending time in nature, I can’t recommend this tour enough. It’s an unforgettable experience.”

— Connor Choban

“Friend, I will be eternally grateful to you for showing me the real rainforest, Mother Nature. The food you prepared over the fire, the trust you had in us to let us crash until night under the milk trail, the second day at the waterfalls with just us and no other tourists far and wide, sleeping in hamacas, and coping so well even when we had to change plans. In the jungle, not everything can and should go to plan. You coped so well to adapt to the situation. Canoeing was amazing, the places you took us were incredible, and the sense of trust in you and mother nature made this adventure so harmonious and beautiful. Small inconveniences are happily taken for this outdoor experience wonder!”

— TR

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$ 500/ per person