Get ready and let’s explore some amazing sites where our elements came from!

We travel, we explore, and we meet new people & experience new things. It is what makes our journey in life fun and exciting. We took elements from each continent and embedded them into our beads to serve as a reminder to never stop exploring. So get ready and let’s explore amazing sites where our elements came from Swiss Alps (Europe), Amazon River (South America), Sahara Desert (Africa), Rocky Mountains (North America), Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Himalayan Mountains (Asia), Antarctic Sea Salt (Antarctica). There are also two additional pieces that remind you to stay wishful and keep thriving! You can learn about them here!

 

Welcome to the Amazon River!

Amazon’s lowlands are a marvel of imagination with an ecosystem of enormous size and its biological variability. Amazonia has more water than the seven largest rivers in the world. The river basin would accommodate two countries the size of India! The Amazon is shared by eight countries. It is one of the most important sources of life on the planet influencing the air, water, and climate on which we depend.

If you think there’s a jaguar or a half-naked people behind every tree then you’re mistaken. Instead of this, you will find armies of monkeys, astonishing variety of plant life, the hospitality of the inhabitants of the Amazon villages and towns, and the quiet but awe-inspiring power of the greatest river.

When is the best time to go?

The best time for a trip to the Amazon is from May to June, after the rainiest months (from February to April) and before the heat (from September to November). From April to May there is the highest water level in the Amazon River. The river spills and floods the surrounding forests. The water levels rise and fall during the year by as much as 40-50 ft. During the ascent, you can make an incredible canoe trip on the river and the flooded jungle. However, the dry season is attractive in its own way: clear weather and the ability to take long walks through forests.

 

Welcome to Amazonia

Acquaintance with Amazonia for “traditional” tourists begins with accommodation in a «forest hotel». Most lodges provide private rooms, home-cooked meals, and daily tours. Not every hotel has a bathroom and 24-hour power supply. Many lodges provide an opportunity to spend the night in the jungles in an equipped camp during two- or three-day hikes (also called «survival tours»).

 

River rafting is another way to get to know the Amazon. During river tours, tourists sleep on board, go on tours during stops on the riverbank. River tourist vessels differ considerably in the level of comfort and service. As a place to spend the night, you can find both a simple hammock and a luxurious bed. The typical duration of the river tour is 5-10 days.

Almost every tourist who has come to the Amazon takes part in long hiking and/or canoeing trips along the river, while simultaneously acquainting himself with the Amazon forests and the local fauna. You can also visit locals, spend the night in the jungle or try to catch some of the many native fish that people travel across the world for their opportunity to catch.

 

How long should you stay in Amazonia?

For most travelers, a ten-day tour is enough to enjoy the Amazon countryside. If you take a couple of days for flights/transfers/road, you have 5-6 days for tours and all kinds of entertainment. If you plan to spend more than a week in the Amazon forest, try to split the journey into several parts and spend it in different parts of the Amazon.

 

Best places to visit

 

Manaus is the largest city in the region where it is quickest and easiest to travel to the jungle. In the Amazon State Capital, you will find many tour operators offering different tours, from budget options to the most exclusive and expensive. The only downside is that the groups are usually numerous, and the nature of the routes is not entirely mapped.

 

Prefer walking tours?

There are many options. One of the best areas to visit is a small town in Tefe in the Mamirauá Reserve, located 419 miles upriver from Manaus.

Approximately 300 miles from Manaus there is the tiny town named Alter do Chão, which is the starting point for boat trips to Rio Tapajós, one of the most important tributaries of the Amazon. The boating program provides stops at local settlements with tours to rubber plantations. The town of Alter do Chão itself is distinguished by a beautiful beach with white sand and clean air.

 

Easiest ways to get to Manaus?

 

Manaus has direct flights from almost all major cities in Brazil and even from Miami (United States). It is also accessible by water from any city on the Amazon, including Belém and Portovelo. In this case, prepare for a long journey ranging from two to five days.

You can reach Alter do Chão or Tefé by plane or boat. Most of the air and river routes that lead to Tefé pass through Manaus. There is no way to get directly from Manaus to Alter do Chão. You can get to Belém or Santarém by plane or boat, and from there to Alter do Chão by bus or taxi. There are fast boats between Manaus and Tefé, they run much faster than regular boats.

Taking a plane is faster than the speedboat, but traveling in Amazonia by river is an interesting adventure: you can sleep in a hammock, meet other passengers. On the other hand, if the route runs along the main channel, you won’t see much of nature.

 

Visit Amazonia to feel the connection to Mother-nature, appreciate its wild beauty and power, and learn from the people who live in harmony with it. Learn how people, animals, plants, rivers, and forests are inextricably linked and cannot exist without each other.

 

5 interesting facts about Amazonia:

1. Amazon River is over 11 million years old.

2.   There are about 3,000 different types of fruit in the local forests.
3.   In the Amazon jungle, there are still tribes that have never come into contact with civilization.
4.   The forests surrounding the Amazon River produce about 1/5 of all the oxygen on the Earth.
5.   There is only one bridge that crosses the Amazon River. It is located in Brazil.

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The Piraha tribe

 

The people of the Piraha tribe and their way of life is very interesting! Here are a few fun facts about the Piraha tribe:

• The Piraha people don’t use numbers. Instead of “one, five, ten, etc.” they use “a few, some, and many”.
• There are no defined sleep periods. They will only sleep for 1-2 hours then go about their activities and they will sleep again once they are tired. People are usually up all hours of the day/night since there is no real sleep schedule.
• Piraha people change part of their name/title throughout their life. Since they do not use numbers their name describes their age. This will determine whether the person is a child, a teenager, a young man/woman, or an old man/woman.
• There are no calendars, clocks, or schedules. The concept of time is not something the tribe uses.
• The tribe does not store food, they simply catch it and eat it.
• They do not have any specific names for colors and will just use comparison words to describe it. For example, instead of using “red” as a color they will say “blood-like”.

The people of the Piraha tribe live a very simple but happy life! Those that have visited have said they are very nice and are always laughing! Something we can all take away from the Piraha tribe is that simplicity may be the true key to happiness!

Comment down blelow which county you would like to visit with Meraki Journey!