Holiday
in one of the spectacular Brazilian Amazon lodges and
you'll be able to reestablish yourself with nature, with
the chance of seeing a vast array of animals, fauna and
plants in this vital part of the world's ecosystem. Realizing
the importance of this in 1996 the Brazilian Ministry
of Environment's (MMA) decided to establish the Amazon
as one of the world's largest Ecotourism Hubs (the area
actually comprises 12 townships) and now ecotourism has
become a major economic activity, underpinning the local
communities and tour operators - a far cry from the early
1980s when there were basically only three major hotels
in the state of Amazonas!
If you would like to spend some time at any of the Brazilian
Amazon lodges that have been developed since the 1980s,
the following are some of the better known ones:
Pousada Guanavenas
Pousada Guanavenas (jungle lodge) is a 52 room palatial
Amazon lodge with air-conditioning in each room and with
each room having its own bathroom. Activities at the hotel
include 2 swimming pools, a games room and even a volley
ball court. However, the lodge has two standout features:
a private veranda overlooking the Canacari Lake and hot
water showers!
Ariau Amazon Towers
Simultaneously declared the world's only and the world's
largest tree-top hotel, the Ariau Amazon Towers lodge
is located 60 km northwest of Manus on the banks of the
Rio Negro. Access to the lodge can either be via boat
(up the Rio Negro) or car (overland). The lodge is located
in the Rio Negro natural park and has 291 rooms, 2 restaurants
and 3 swimming pools. Hardly slumming it, this fantastic
lodge has been declared the "5th Wonder of the Modern
World" by Newsweek magazine!
Acajatuba Jungle Lodge
Also located 60km northwest of Manus, and accessible by
boat or overland, Acajatuba Jungle Lodge is most certainly
a step back into the real Amazonian world. Accommodation
at the lodge has been constructed in the local "Caboclo"
style - meaning all 20 cabins are built on elevated pilings
1 meter from the ground. The lodge is highly recommended
for those tourists seeking closer contact with the nature
of the Amazons - but the lodge still allows visitors the
luxury of having their own on-suite bathroom.
Terra Verde Lodge
One of the oldest lodges in the Amazon, Terra Verde Lodge
(or "The Forest of Life" as it translates into English)
was set up by a famous ecologist on his private estate
in the late 1970s. Today the lodge can be accessed via
river - up the Rio Negro, or via land. Terra Verde Lodge
is certainly the place to stay if you really want to get
back in touch with nature - over 175 different species
of birds have been recorded here. The lodge is probably
now more famously known as being the location for the
recent Survivor Amazon series.
Beside these better known Brazilian Amazon jungle lodges,
accommodation at a number of the other Amazon lodges that
now operate under the government's incentive scheme can
be arranges either in Manus or at a travel agent in one
of the major cities in Brazil. Keep in mind however that
if you are going to a Brazilian Amazon jungle lodge you'll
need to make your way to Manus - from where a tour representative
should take you the remainder of the way to the lodge
itself.
