Einstieg in den Dschungel 3 Tage/2 Tage – in der Tapiri Rio Negro Lodge

The lodge family, staff and guides at Tapiri are great, really nice folks. The cabins are fine 4mtr x 4 mtr rooms with bathroom attached, and an air conditioner. Kind of 2 star furnishings, sheets, etc, but it is a jungle setting. If you are new to jungles, this is a fine start to your learning experience. The best experience here is swimming with the pink dolphins - fantastic! Having said that, the Rio Negro in October has probably 1/3 the animals and birds and 1/5th the fish varieties that occur downstream of Manaus on the Amazon, because of the pH of the dark water at around 4.5pH - highly acid. If you want to come to Rio Negro you should probably come at the end of June after the rainy season while the wildlife is still around before the water is retreating and getting more acid. Or, as we did, went to the Amazon area below Manaus after (or instead of) where the wildlife is still abundant all the time. Just my suggestion. Again, some really nice people here, and in the villages, etc... but compared to downstream of Manaus, not the best for wildlife including lack of birds which need fish to feed on.

Me and my friend were literally the only tourists in the area, the lodge is in a small native community with electricity. Very unique experience exploring the forest and river. Bring insect repellent, do not believe the locals when they say there is no malaria in Rio Negro (in fact Rio Negro waters are more likely to carry malaria).

Our stay at Tapiri lodge was exceptional, in all different aspects. My husband and I spent only two days there because of our hectic schedule. The lodge was comfortable and located in a magical part of the Rio Negro, near the Anavilhanas Archipelago, close to other caboclo villages, but very isolated and quiet, with a fantastic sunrise seen by the porch of the lodge (don't miss it!). The food there is all home-cooked and really delicious. The owner and his family are lovely and very hospitable. The experience was wholesome and unique. We had a fantastic guide, Kenedy, who spoke excellent English and was very communicative and knowledgable, who accommodated our schedule & mood and helped us get the most out of the trip. The company JoshuasAmazonExpeditions did a great job putting together a very demanding schedule for us, because of our limited time and unlimited wishes, and all the folks who we worked with (staff, drivers and local support) were great and very professional. Salute to our excellent boat driver Eduardo from the local village who did a fantastic job selecting the sites in the area to go fishing and night sailing. Thank you for the great experience guys!