amazon jungle trips
 

We are beginning to plan a trip to the Amazon for 2015. Anyone have experiences with the lodges such as Sacha, Napo, or La Selva? Is basing yourself at a lodge better than booking a boat cruise from one area to another? Does anyone have first hand experience with a cruise they loved or hated?

Following is a go at Brazil and especially the Amazon(ia)...scroll down to Manaus if you wish, otherwise, see Rio pix first.

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...oBrazilAmazon#

sorry for delay

Stu, did you enjoy your Amazon cruise and would you do it again? From the photos, it doesn't look particularly appealing.

We went to Sacha and it was wonderful; lots of wildlife, great canopy walkway, good guides, and nice lodging. I highly recommend it.

SD

If it's "real" cruising one wants...you're right..but to travel the smaller tributaries and get to meet the locals was priceless...yes, we enjoyed it immensely....3 passengers and crew of five. Admittedly, the pics are only a selected few as I dd not scan many others somewhat worthy of it. Lodges and regular cruising aren't our kind of thing.

@tower--From the photos, your boat trip looks wonderful!!! (Horses for courses, I guess.) Been here quite a while with no desire to go and they are the first thing to catch my imagination.

Stu, I agree with your style of travel. I've been watching your comments on Fodors for years. I am in the planning stage of a SA trip for next year and am deciding on what to do about the Amazon. Your mode of travel looks great and I will consider that among others. I am also a big nature fan and want to meet locals. I was just asking because it looks like a lot of brown water and a few trees and lily pads with a small group of people in the middle. Sometimes the experience and view doesn't translate in photos. I wanted to know if you enjoyed it. Thanks for answering. That's enough to convince me to keep the Amazon in my plans.

@sdtravels- regarding Brazil, if you really want to meet locals, start now to learn as much Portuguese as you can. Few people speak anything but.
Consider doing the Amazon from Peru.
Consider the northern Pantanal for wildlife.
Other natural areas in Brazil to consider include Fernando de Noronha, Lencois Marahenses from Santo Amaro, Chapada Diamantina, mountains of Minas Gerais state with Colonial towns, Abrolhos marine park, Jericoacoara, among others.

Thank you SambaChula, Peru might fit better with our trip. I'll check it out.

SD...sorry so late in responding...yes, we thoroughly enjoyed the Amazon, "our way"...my wife even measured many other later trips we took, by the "kick" of the Amazon. Now that she's gone, I keep looking back to my memories of a trip she loved so well.

Stu. I'm so sorry for your loss. Treasure your memories.

Thank you, SD