Welcome to the Jungle

We went to Manaus to get to the jungle. Turns out it's still a little tricky (and about 3 hours) to get to the jungle from there. Here's your step by step guide should you find yourself in Manaus any time soon:

How to Get to the Jungle

1. Jump on a boat at the port of Manaus (after hoping your tour company didn't forget to pick you up at either the airport or hotel).

2. Ride on said boat with one English speaking tour guide, a local boat driver, and a random selection of women, children and old people looking to get across the river.

3. Cross the Meeting of the Waters. Here, the black water of the Rio Negro and the light brown water of the Solimoes stay separate for over 5 kilometers. The speed, ph and temperature (I can vouch for this as we put our hands in as we crossed over) keep them separate.

4. Arrive in mystery port to make transfer to van. Wander around bicycle shops, pet stores, and old churches while guides buy dozens of eggs, drinking water and other assorted supplies.

5. Ride in van past lush wetlands until you reach a river. Here, the guide loads a boat and leaves you with a new guide who speaks zero English to take you on a 45 minute boat ride.

6. Ride in "canoe" in the Amazon. No idea where you're going. But perfectly content to be on a boat.

7. Hopefully avoid all rainstorms while on boat. We didn't miss them all, but we were pretty lucky. It is the rainforest after all.

 

8. Arrive at Jungle Hotel! (Ararinha means Macaw) Still no idea where you are, but the only way to get there is by boat.

9. Get assigned a jungle hut. This was a life a leisure with running water, beds, and boardwalks to avoid stepping on snakes and other creepy crawlies in the night.

9. With no cell service, and no place to be, the only thing left to do was be amazed by the sunrises (accompanied by the growl of a pack of howler monkeys in the distance) and go on adventures in the Amazon...