Guide to visiting the Brazilian Amazon: Manaus, Novo Airão & Anavilhanas

Everything you need to know about visiting the Amazon, including Manaus, Novo Airão, and Anavilhanas National Park.

I'd long dreamed of visiting the Brazilian Amazon. This vast expanse of water and forests we hear so much about, whether for its natural riches and unique beauty, or for the constant threat looming over it, had, for a long time, lived only in my imagination. I confess I felt a certain imposter syndrome: how could I, a Brazilian who has traveled to over 50 countries, never have set foot in the Amazon?

But one day the time comes! I set off for Manaus and immersed myself in the Amazon rainforest, basing myself in the town of Novo Airão, a 2.5-hour drive from the capital of the state of Amazonas. It was surprisingly easy (and magical) to explore river beaches during the dry season, navigate the igapós (flooded forests) in the rainy season, and hike through the heart of the jungle, finally experiencing the fauna and flora of this forest we've always heard so much about.

First of all, follow me on Instagram @danae_explore – that’s where you can keep up with my trips, find lots of travel tips, and send me a DM anytime! I love chatting about travel

This practical guide brings together the essentials for planning your trip to the Amazon: from when to go and how to get there to accommodation tips (for all budgets) and unmissable tours.

I traveled to the Amazon in January and caught the transition between seasons, which allowed me to enjoy the best of both worlds: swimming at the beaches and boating among the trees in the igapós. So, come along! Visiting the Amazon is easier, more affordable, and even more rewarding than you might think.

We made this trip together with Alter do Chão, check out the link for all the details to discover this other Amazonian paradise.

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Fast facts

Our plans for Manaus were:

Day 1: Boat trip to see the Meeting of the Waters of the Negro and Solimões rivers. Typically, these tours include a visit to an indigenous community and activities such as pirarucu fishing, dolphin watching, swimming in the Rio Negro—basically, a mix of Amazonian experiences that can be interesting for those with little time. In these links you can book tours in advance, but you can also go straight to the Manaus port and book directly with local providers.

Day 2: Tour of Manaus and its museums: Centro Cultural Palácio da Justiça (Palace of Justice Cultural Center), Teatro Amazonas (Amazonas Theater), Centro Cultural dos Povos da Amazônia (Cultural Center of the Peoples of the Amazon), Mercado Municipal Adolpho Lisboa (Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market), Centro Cultural Palácio Rio Negro (Rio Negro Palace Cultural Center), Museu da Amazônia – MUSA (Amazon Museum). I like to start exploring a city with a walking tour, it’s the best way to learn about local history and what makes the place unique. After that, you can walk or take an Uber to the other sites. If you still have energy, I recommend ending the day at Praia da Lua or Ponta Negra.

Day 3: Presidente Figueiredo Waterfalls. About 150 km from Manaus (2 hours by car), the town of Presidente Figueiredo is increasingly getting known for its waterfalls and natural pools. To fully enjoy it, the best option is to stay at least one night in the town. But if time is short, there are day trips from Manaus. Check the options on Civitatis or Get Your Guide and follow your guide’s advice, as the best waterfalls and pools depend a lot on the season and water level.

Afterwards, we continued our Amazon journey in Alter do Chão, in Pará — click on the link and check out all the tips!

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Novo Airão and the Anavilhanas National Park

Novo Airão is a small town on the right bank of the Rio Negro, where tourism has become one of the main activities. The town itself has very simple infrastructure, still preserving the unique character of small Brazilian riverside towns.

Anavilhanas is the second largest river archipelago in the world, with more than 400 islands. The National Park, created in 1981, protects over 3,500 square kilometers of Amazon forest.

With its white-sand beaches, rivers, forests, shade, and fresh water, the Amazon is, for me, one of the most special places in Brazil. Beyond the unforgettable experiences, this kind of immersive travel allows for a deep connection with nature while teaching us to respect it.

The water of the Rio Negro — true to its name, “Black River” — is very dark, but it’s clean and has a pleasant temperature. Thanks to its acidic pH, the water doesn’t favor mosquito breeding. Believe it or not, we didn’t see a single mosquito during our entire stay in this region!

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How to get to Novo Airão – Anavilhanas National Park

The trip from Manaus to Novo Airão takes about 2 and a half hours by car, or around 9 hours on a regional boat (an overnight trip where each passenger brings their own hammock). The adventure spirit is strong here, but comfort prevailed, so we chose to drive. Our accommodation in Novo Airão arranged transfers to and from the hotel.

It’s also possible to go from Manaus to Novo Airão by speedboat (about 3 hours), but there wasn’t one available on the days we needed it, and I was concerned the kids might get seasick. The route goes upriver on the Rio Negro and must be quite a sight.

For a more scenic option, you can fly by seaplane, which takes about 50 minutes. They say the aerial view of the forest is unforgettable, and I can only imagine how amazing it would be to take a scenic flight over the forest.

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Where to stay in Novo Airão, in the Anavilhanas National Park

Novo Airão offers accommodations for every style, taste, and budget.

There are boutique jungle lodges, the kind you see in ads or celebrity posts and instantly want to experience. Of course, when I asked, the prices were closer to a fancy-five-star treehouse. In short, far beyond our budget.

But if you’re ready to splurge, or manage to find a good deal, spending a few days in one of these boutique lodges would be a spectacular experience. Check out Mirante do Gavião and Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge — tell me they aren’t the stuff of dreams!

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In the town center, there are more affordable options. Pousada Bela Vista sits right on the banks of the Rio Negro, close to the center, and Local Hostel Novo Airão is a great fit for budget travelers. Amazonia Park Suites is a bit farther from downtown but seems to have the best facilities among them, offering good value for money.

We stayed in a fantastic Airbnb, Madada House. From the outside, it looks like a typical Amazonian house, but inside it’s beautifully decorated, modern, well-equipped, with all the amenities you’d expect and more, plus excellent and very attentive support staff. And of course, reliable Wi-Fi. The same management company runs other houses in town, such as Anavilhanas House (for up to seven people), Jaú House (for two people), and Carabinani House (for six people).

One advantage of staying in town (including our Airbnb) is the good cell phone reception (at the time, only Claro had coverage; other carriers worked via roaming). In the jungle lodges, you’ll only have Wi-Fi.

Note: When researching accommodation for this trip, I also looked into jungle lodges located deeper in the forest. Many of these had no cell phone signal, and Wi-Fi was radio-based, available for just a few hours a day in certain areas of the lodge. Recently, some properties have installed satellite internet. If staying connected is important to you, make sure to confirm this with the hotel before booking.

How about searching right now for accommodation in the Brazilian Amazon? You can do it right here:

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When to visit the Amazon?

The Anavilhanas National Park is open year-round, and the region has two distinct seasons:

• Dry season (September to February): this is when the beautiful white-sand beaches emerge throughout the archipelago.
  
• High-water season (March to August, peaking in June–July): during this time, the beaches disappear and the highlight becomes boat trips through the flooded forests, the igapós, often called “enchanted forests.”
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We visited the Amazon in January, at the end of the dry season. Many beaches were already underwater, but we still managed to enjoy some — Camaleão Beach was our favorite. Both times we stopped by this beach, it was just us on a vast stretch of sand, a real paradise.

In the late afternoon, after returning from boat rides, we could still relax at Orla Beach in Novo Airão, right in front of our Airbnb, near the Flutuante dos Botos.

Is it possible to swim in the Rio Negro?At first, I had my doubts — is this dark water really clean? But then I thought: “Where else would I ever get to swim in a river like this?” I dove in, and after that, I couldn’t stop. The water is wonderful — trust me! In the end, visiting the Amazon in January was a great choice, as we enjoyed the best of both the dry and wet seasons.

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What is the weather like in the Amazon in January?

The Amazon is hot and humid year-round, but from June to November it tends to rain a little less. When we went in January, we had rain showers every day, but they were quick, ending as suddenly as they started, and they never got in the way of our outings — and yes, we got rained on in the boat, on the beach, walking around town, at home, everywhere

Is it hot? Yes, very. Humid? Yes, very. Is it worse than Rio de Janeiro in the summer? No, not at all Seriously: be prepared, it’s hot — very hot — the sun is strong, but there’s a nice breeze and the daily rains help cool things down. Honestly, I’ve felt hotter in Rio de Janeiro than I did there.

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Is it difficult to visit the Amazon?

Another question I often get is: is it difficult to visit the Amazon?

The answer is no! Far from it. Even on a simple, non-luxury trip like ours, we never faced any difficulties. Of course, it all depends on your idea of comfort and how much you want to spend. If you arrive by seaplane and stay in one of the boutique lodges, it will certainly be the trip of your dreams.

But if you’re traveling on a smaller budget, like we were, it’s still very easy. The drive from Manaus to Novo Airão is smooth, the town has accommodation options for every budget, the food is good, and the tours are safe, calm, and well-organized. The town’s structure is simple, but it works — you can travel comfortably, even without spending much.

In short, visiting the Amazon is not difficult — it’s accessible, safe, and enjoyable, no matter your budget.

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Where to Eat in Novo Airao

One of the best parts of traveling is enjoying the local cuisine. Since we were staying in a very comfortable house, we sometimes chose delivery from local restaurants — and it was a great choice.

We ordered several times from Sabor do Sul Restaurant, which serves regional dishes. We tried some of the main specialties, like pirarucu, tambaqui, tucunaré, and free-range chicken. Definitely worth trying!

Another option is the Flor do Luar Restaurant, which is on a floating structure on the Rio Negro. We didn’t go, but it looks really cool and the view is beautiful.

For a quick bite, we stopped at Saloon Ajuricaba. The sandwiches were excellent — though I must admit the food we ordered for lunch was enough to cover dinner too

The town also has a microbrewery, Sarapó Cervejas Amazônicas, and of course we couldn’t miss the chance to try the local beer! That’s something I always enjoy when I travel — not just the local food, but the beer too

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How many days to stay and what tours to do in Anavilhanas National Park

The days we spent in Novo Airão, in Anavilhanas National Park, followed a clear routine: wake up, breakfast (the housekeeper brought us fresh bread every morning and prepared breakfast), boat ride, return for lunch, relax a bit, head out for a walk and ice cream in town, dinner, then end the day in a hammock or on the balcony. Not bad, right? And believe me, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune to enjoy the Amazon in comfort and without worries.

There’s plenty to see and do in Novo Airão. Any time of the year you can experience the Amazon’s flora and fauna, take boat rides and forest hikes, swim in the Rio Negro, interact with dolphins at the Flutuante dos Botos (river dolphin viewing), visit traditional riverside communities, and in the dry season, relax on the stunning beaches along the Rio Negro.

I recommend staying 2 to 4 days in Novo Airão:

Day 1: Flutuante dos Botos and boat trip through Anavilhanas National Park, including a visit to riverside communities.

Day 2: Pedra do Sanduiche and hike to Gruta do Madadá; stop at a beach (if possible, go to Camaleão Beach). In the evening, go on a night boat ride for wildlife spotting.

On additional days, enjoy other activities in the park according to your interests: beaches, trails, canoeing, wildlife watching, and more. Don’t miss Velho Airão, the ruins of the old town.

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Flutuante dos botos (river dolphin viewing)

The Flutuante dos Botos (river dolphin viewing) was right in front of our Airbnb — we just had to walk a few meters down to the banks of the Rio Negro.

Amazon river dolphins are the largest freshwater dolphins in the world, reaching up to 2.5 meters in length and weighing around 200 kg. A visit to the Flutuante dos Botos, which is an awareness and conservation center for these animals, is a must when in Novo Airão.

Some of the dolphins, used to showing up several times a day for feeding, often stay around the area. For us, it meant this: dolphins right in front of our Airbnb, plus a beach right there too = we got to enjoy the company of dolphins while relaxing on the beach, all to ourselves.

But a reminder: dolphins are wild and protected animals. No matter how accustomed they may seem to people, they are not pets. Keep a safe distance and never touch or feed them.

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Boat trips on the Rio Negro

All tours in Anavilhanas are boat tours, and you can plan them with your boatman according to what you prefer: a contemplative ride, a trip with a forest walk to see the giant samaúma trees, a tour with trails deep into the forest such as the hike to Gruta do Madadá or to the ruins of Velho Airão, or even a longer boat expedition to Jaú National Park.

Velho Airão is an old village abandoned by its residents in the 1950s. Legend says it was due to a plague of ants, but it was most likely the decline of the rubber boom in the region.

On any of these trips, one of the most fascinating aspects is simply taking in the vegetation: the diversity, the shapes, the endless shades of green, and the way the forest and the water interact. With the help of a good guide, you may also spot a wide range of wildlife along the way.

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Pedra do Sanduíche and Gruta do Madadá

One day we set out to explore Pedra do Sanduíche, an ancient rock formation that really does look like a “sandwich” of stones, as if they had been carefully stacked on top of each other. From there, a beautiful trail leads through the forest to the Madadá Caves, two groups of sandstone blocks that are about 700 million years old. We were four adults and three children (ages 7 to 10), and it took us about an hour and a half to get there, and the same amount of time to return.

On the boat ride back, we stopped at Praia do Camaleão (Chameleon Beach) for a well-deserved swim.

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Rio Negro beaches

On one of our days in Novo Airão, we took a boat trip through the igapós, and on another day we sailed among the islands of the archipelago, stopping at Praias do Meio, Folharal, and Paraná da Onça. We passed through countless channels, islands, and islets, each one more beautiful than the last.

If we had one more day, we would definitely have gone on another boat trip, as there are endless igapós, islands, and channels to explore. You’ll never run out of reasons to set out on the river and take in the natural beauty of the region.

Night wildlife viewing boat tour

We also joined a night wildlife viewing tour. We left by boat at dusk, navigating the canals of Anavilhanas National Park in complete darkness — it was a new moon, so it was just us and the stars in the vast Amazon sky. In addition to hearing a variety of birds, we saw sloths, caimans, snakes, and several other species. At one point, fish even jumped into our boat. In short, it was an adventure!

Even though we saw many animals and experienced the Amazon’s biodiversity, wildlife spotting in the forest is much more limited than in savanna regions (like the Serengeti), since the dense vegetation makes it harder to see animals.

Traditional Amazon communities

It’s also possible to take a boat trip to visit traditional riverside communities. Unfortunately, due to restrictions at the time, we weren’t able to visit them.

Contact information

Our boatmen were Ceará, Zezão, and Euler, all arranged by Silene (+55 92 99113-2444) from the Novo Airão boatmen’s association. Whenever possible, book your tours directly with local providers instead of intermediaries — this way your money goes straight to the people who live there and make the destination so unique.

If you prefer using aggregator sites, both Get Your Guide and Civitatis offer a wide variety of tours in the region (I’ve included some links throughout this article).

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All our posts about traveling in Brazil, be sure to check them out before planing a trip to my home country:

• Brazilian Amazon - How to visit the Amazon Rainforest
• What to do in Alter do Chão: Exploring amazonian beaches and rainforests in Brazil
• What to do in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso
• The best tours to do in Bonito, Brazil, in 4 days
• Ultimate Guide to Bonito: Exploring the Southern Brazilian Pantanal's Hidden Paradise
• Bonito, Brazil with kids: When is the right age to visit?
• Complete guide to visiting Lençóis Maranhenses: Tips and essential itinerary
• Chapada das Mesas – Complete itinerary: what to do, where to stay, how to get there
• What to do in Pirenópolis: ecotourism and history in the interior of Goiás

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