national forest tapajos

My first time venturing into the the Amazon forest and I wasn't disappointed with this outing. Water is available for sale before the trek and I would high recommend buying a big bottle. It is hot and humid in this place but the hike it self is not strenuous. Your local guide will take you on a 7km journey through this amazing place filled with one of the most diverse ecosystem in the world.

A fun guide with hundreds of stories to tell, Gil is the ultimate guide for families. He is full of energy, knows the areas like the back of his pocket, and always try to find ways to make us have a good time. His english is perfect with a charming accent, which makes everything more interesting and easier for us foreigners. He also focuses on learning and knowledge, as well as on adventure, love of nature, laugh out loud fun and good home made food. A perfect combination. At our request, Gil organized a night in the jungle for our families and friends! What an adventure, truly out of the beaten path! Him and his companions brought us to the perfect spot to set up camp: Hammacks and campfire. They even built an elevated structure for the teenagers to sleep higher in the trees! Memorable. They set up a rudimentary grill to cook the fish and the meal. Finger licking good diner, in good company right in the middle of the jungle. Then at sunset time, fireflies of different colours started decorating the canopy, a way to say good night to us traveller for a night to remember in the middle of the National Tapajos Forest.

We spent few days in a little community called MAGUARY.You sleep directly in the house of the habitants in hammack and share their life : playing with the children, helping for some tasks, go walk in the forest with a native, bought artisanal stuf.All the money taht they earned with tourism is directly injected in the community organisation, school, health ...Really relaxing + eco tursim + solidarity = perfect !

After reading numerous reviews of famous Amazon guide Gil Serique on Trip Advisor, we booked a Meeting of the Waters (Santarem) and Tapajos National Forest (Alter do Chao) excursions with him during our cruise to Brazil in February and March 2014. Our Amazon guide, Gil Serique, is one of those people that truly live up to their reputation and actually deliver more than what they promise. He is the real deal, and a trip with him is a destination in itself. Although this excursion is shown at Santarem on Trip Advisor, we did this tour during our stop at Alter do Chao, where our guide Gil Serique lives. Gil met us at the tender dock with a clean, well maintained, air conditioned multi-passenger van, driven by a very safe and conscientious driver. As soon as we had our group together, we were on our way to the Tapajos National Forest. From the first introduction you know that you are in for a real treat. Gil has an immensely charming, open, enthusiastic and friendly personality that is captivating from the first handshake. He has a very good command of English, is easy to understand, and very approachable for questions. Gil also has a never ending supply of interesting and humorous stories about the Amazon, his family's exploits in the region, and everything you want to know about the history, culture, and nature in the Amazon. Gil told us by email that because of the short time available to us, and the many things he wanted to show us, we would not have time to stop for lunch, but instead he would provide some nuts, fruit, and beverages. What an understatement! When we arrived at the Tapajos National Forest, large platters of pineapple, Brazil nuts, watermelon and many other unfamiliar, but delicious tropical fruits were waiting for us to snack on before heading into the rainforest and a trip to his family's ancestral property, which is now part of the national forest. Gil showed us how rubber is extracted from the trees, and gave us an excellent history of the Brazilian rubber industry, including Henry Ford's failed Fordlandia and Belle Terra rubber plantations. Gil took us to Belle Terra on the way back to Alter do Chao after our rainforest adventure . Gil suggested reading the book "Thief at the End of the World", a novel by Joe Jackson which is a historical account of the theft of Brazilian rubber seeds which had a devastating impact on Brazil's rubber economy. It was good advice. Gil timed our trip so we had time to visit his house on the shore in Alter do Chao, where he treated us to a magnificent platter of fried fish, rice, and vegetables accompanied by wonderful Caipirinhas. If you have the opportunity to do this excursion with Gil Serique, do whatever it takes to make it happen. I also posted a review of our other excursion with Gil Serique, Meeting of the Waters, at Santarem..

The Tapajos National Forest can also be reached by car, which I rather prefer since one can access pristine rainforest without having to walk the over-one-hour-hike that separates it from the communities along the river, on the top of it you can learn better about the environmental issues we cope with and access a 45-metre tower to contemplate Rainforest canopy. Dont expect to see much wildlife or do expect to see a very limited number of mamals if you spend only a day or two.Camping certainly provides deepest contact with nature. On the way back to Alter do chao do drive through Belterra, the second city founded by Henry Ford in the Amazon.

My brother and I travelled to Santarem and Alter do Chao and our main interest was to visit the Amazon Forest (Flona). Other travellers adviced us a great guide, open-minded, energetic and a real story-teller, called Gil Serique. We stayed at his place for 2-3 days, he organized all the trip based on our indications and I have to say that it overcame our expectations. We took a raft on the river, we had a view from top for enjoying the sunset, we slept in a camp in middle of the forest and we had a really adventurous trekking in the FLONA. I had a dream to see the Amazon forest and what I saw was amazing. Higly reccomended!

A few sad animals, food and drink overpriced. I work in catering, I KNOW what it costs to stock those bottled drink cabinets from Bookers. Too greedy Tom and Ivor. You started off well but £ signs in your eyes now.

We visited the riverside community called Jamaraqua (there are many others, such as Maguari, Sao Domingos, etc). From there we started our walk through the forest guided by the sweet Lourdes. The trail is clearly marked at the beggining but as we go deeper and higher into the forest the way isnt always as clear.At the beggning the vegetation is what they call "secondary" meaning it has already been chopped down and regrown, but ti the uneducated eyes, like mine, is plain beautiful and period. But higher up we went into the "primary woods" and the beauty remained. The samauna trees (giant massive trees, that can up to 80 m) are spectaular, but also the piquias, cedros, and so on are breathtaking. Not to mention the butterflies, so many, so lovely. Of course, there's always the big spider somewhere, but the guide knows where they hide and some people actually like to see them (not me). The walk takes 4 hours usually - 7,5 km - and at the end you can have lunch at the house of Dona Conceicao e Seu Pedro, which I strngly recommend. And end your day with a refreshing dive in the cool waters of the nearby igarape, just a 10 minute walk away, as the waters of the beautiful Rio Tapajos, right in front of our starting point, might be a bit too warm after the exercise.

The Tapajos National Forest lies southwest of Santarem, between the BR 163 highway and the Tapajos river. The area is huge : more than 1 million acres and can be visited in several ways.I visited the local communities on the riverbank in the north of the reserve: São Domingos, Maguari and Jamaraquá. Local people are allowed to make sustainable use of river and forest resources and so you can find out all about rubber tapping, medicinal oils made from tree sap or seeds, how to climb up a palm tree etc. They are also making some nice stuff like veg-leather (from rubber|) and nice handicraft. Oils made from Andiroba are both great for the skin and an insect repellent. And of course you are on the beach and they have bed&breakfast. There are guides that can take you on trails into the rainforest, to the higher grounds where the trees are much taller and bigger. You can swim in the river (but be careful to shuffle in order not to step on a stingray) or in the creeks (igarape).if you want to see the big trees you can also enter directly from the BR 163. It is rare to see such a tall rainforest close to a city,. It is like entering a natural cathedral, very impressive. I got permission to visit the LBA canopy tower, which takes you to 45 meters from where you can see the canopy and the birds (and monkeys). Amazing views.You can get here by car or by public transport, but you need permission from ICMBio (who manages the area). Make sure to go with a good guide, as you will see and learn much more. The bird list is 343 species and includes the harpy eagle (nests here) . More than 120 mammals, including several species of monkeys. Large tree species is at 400. Close by is Belterra, a town founded by Henry Ford. Very charming to see an american town in the middle of the rainforest and it is well taken care of. They have some nice (but simple) places to eat.

Para visitar a floresta há necessidade de ter uma autorização do ICM-BIO. Mas a experiência de conhecer as comunidades ribeirnhas e a floresta em sí é única.

Pra quem gosta de aventura é uma ótima pedida fazer trilha na flona tapajos, mas aconselho ir bem preparado, pois vai ser um grande desafio desbravar essas matas!!

Estive na época da seca, é tudo muito diferente para quem vive no sudeste e esta acostumado só com mar. A floresta é bem bonita, já modificada pelo homem. A caminhada é longa, cerca de 4 horas, nao basta a água que os guias costumam levar, tem que ter uma fruta, uma barrinha de cereal tambem. O ritmo da caminhada acaba sendo um pouco corrido (especialmente para mim que amo tirar fotos), mas no final vale a pena. No caminho, paradinha para ver artesanatos de sementes dos moradores locais, tudo muito bonito, caprichado e barato. Almoço geralmente na casa do guia da floresta e final do passeio tomando banho num igarape lindo, com direito a por-do-sol de filme no caminho de volta a Alter. Passeio que dura o dia todo, geralmente das 09 as 19, 20h. Não dá pra ir a Alter e não conhecer a Flona

Nosso passeio foi de barco pelo Rio Tapajós com paradas em praias mornas e refrescantes pelo calor da região e com um almoço caseiro dentro de comunidade ribeirinha da Flona, com visita a lojinha de artesanato da própria comunidade. Muito gratificante e enriquecedor o passeio.

tem comunidades tradicionais nesse local, as pessoas são humildes mas muito gentis, a floresta margeia um Rio de águas as vezes é azul, as vezes é verde chamado Tapajós, as árvores são muito altas mais ou menos 20 metros de altura, as estradas de acesso não são asfaltadas mas são transitáveis... Para um bom passeio recomendo a vc que se programe para o verão nesta região , em torno de Julho a Dezembro, vc vai ..ADORA o passeio,, A Floresta Nacional do Tapajós fica no município de Belterra via BR 163..

Demora um pouquinho pra chegar lá, mas após o portal você é "transportado" à vivência ribeirinha com praias de rio belissímas e pouco frequentadas. Leve tudo que precisar e vá cedo pra aproveitar bem.