Ancient trees
Amazon giants.
Heloisa Saori Danno — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Amazônia Real from Manaus AM, Brasil — CC BY 2.0 · André de Castro Souza — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gpfbcbc — CC BY-SA 4.0
Tapajós National Forest is a federal reserve of Amazon rainforest on the east bank of the Tapajós River, about 549,000 hectares bounded by the river on one side and the BR-163 Santarém-Cuiabá highway on the other, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation. It is a sustainable-use reserve, home to about 4,000 people in dozens of local communities and villages of the Munduruku people. Visitors come to walk among giant Amazon trees, some of them centuries old, to swim in clear creeks and to learn about life in the river communities. Trails range from short walks to expeditions of several days, led by local guides who live in the communities; the riverside community of Jamaraquá is one of the best-known starting points. There is no entry fee, while guides, transport and meals in the communities are paid, and trips are arranged from Santarém and Alter do Chão. Temperatures run 21-31 °C all year, and rain is heavy in the wet season.
Amazon giants.
A riverside community.
Forest swimming.
East bank of the Tapajós, in Belterra, Aveiro, Rurópolis and Placas, Pará
Yes, trails are led by local guides from the communities, and trips are arranged from Santarém or Alter do Chão; there is no entry fee.