Expedition Up the Amazon:

From Coastal Brazil to the River's Soul

April 9 - 18, 2028

Itinerary       Pricing

Click here to register to join us on Zoom on Tuesday, August 4, at 10 AM EST, where we'll be going through this itinerary in depth and answering any questions you may have.

Embark on a pioneering expedition up one of the world's greatest rivers. Our journey, "Expedition Up the Amazon: from Coastal Brazil to the River's Soul," is a voyage that charts a unique course from the Brazilian coastline deep into the heart of the Amazon. The adventure begins in the bustling coastal city of Fortaleza, then we sail to the port city of Itaqui, gateway to the river's interior.

April 9: Fortaleza, Brazil - Embark

Fortaleza is Brazil's fifth-largest city, located on the northeastern coastline in the state of Ceará. Its history includes a Dutch outpost in 1654, later retaken by the Portuguese and renamed Fortaleza (fortress). Among the highlights are the Praia do Futuro beach, forró, traditional music and dance at the ornate, Art Nouveau-styled Theatro José de Alencar, or shopping for hammocks and handmade lace and embroideries at the Central Market.

April 10: Day at Sea

April 11 - 12: Itaqui, São Luís

Itaqui, a port in São Luís, Maranhão, provides access to the UNESCO-listed Praia Grande historic city centre. This area is home to over 3,500 colonial Portuguese houses, along with galleries and museums. Further inland, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is renowned for its unique landscape of stunning white sand dunes sculpted by the wind and filled with rain-fed, crystal-clear blue lagoons.

April 13 - 14: Days at Sea

April 15: Rio Cajari

The Rio Cajari Extractive Reserve in Amapá highlights remarkable ecological diversity while balancing conservation with sustainable use by local communities. Encompassing rainforests, cerrado grasslands, and flooded riparian zones, the reserve is home to valuable tree species like Brazil nuts and açaí palms. It supports a wide range of wildlife, including tapirs, monkeys, cats, alligators, turtles and numerous bird and fish species.

April 15: Aquiqui, Amazon River

Aquiqui is a town along the Iquiqui River's unspoiled banks on a tributary of the Amazon in Brazil. Surrounded by rainforest, it provides access to traditional Caboclo communities living in harmony with nature, where visitors can learn ancient wisdom and observe their customs, beliefs and way of life in tune with the ecosystem. The area is home to diverse wildlife like aquatic birds, monkey squirrels and iguanas.

April 16: Gurupa, Amazon River

Gurupa is a fishing town on the Amazon River delta in Brazil. Located on Ilha Grande do Gurupá island, it lies near the Amazon's convergence with the Xingu River. Adapted to seasonal floods, Gurupa offers access to the biodiversity of the vast Amazon Basin and an ecosystem which includes várzea forest and savanna. The area provides habitat for endemic birds like the scaled spinetail, fish, monkeys and bats drawn to the várzea's fruiting trees.

April 16: Furo do Cujuba

Furo do Cujuba is a stream in Pará, Brazil, that traverses diverse Amazonian ecosystems, including forests, lowland forests and aquatic vegetation. This waterway is part of the intricate system of rivers and channels that characterise the Amazon region. These ecosystems play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the Amazon. Along the furos are riverside communities whose daily lives are intimately connected to these waterways

April 17: Cruising Breves Narrows

Navigating Brazil's Breves Narrows, upriver from Belem in the Thousand Islands region, is a mesmerising Amazonian journey. This natural passage, surrounded by towering walls of lush vegetation, creates a secluded green canyon in the heart of the jungle. Enigmatic wildlife such as scarlet macaws, and equatorial flora such as giant Victoria water lilies flourish. The welcoming locals, known as ribeirinhos, offer warm hospitality.

April 18: Belem - Disembark

Once one of South America's most prosperous cities, known as ‘tropical Paris’, today Belém remains a thriving port and is the gateway to the Amazon. The opulence of Belém’s golden era is showcased at the neoclassical-style 1874 Theatro da Paz on the Praça de República. Pretty green spaces are shaded by mango trees and the historical centre has plenty of wonderful museums. The bustling Ver-o-Peso market is Latin America's largest open-air market

This is where we will disembark because the time has come to make our way back home with all the wonderful memories made on our trip.