Tour companies in the Amazon

[ldog]

We are sailing on the Prinsendam in November/December 2008. Ports are Macapa, Santarem, Boca De Valeria, Manaus, Parintins and Alter Do Chao in Brazil.

 

Has anyone ever used private tour companies that they could recommend? I know that the Holland America tours will be fine but I'd like a more personal touch if at all possible.

 

Any help would be appreciated. I have tried the search here and haven't come up with anything.

 

thanks

[dfb]

We used Amazon Explorers in Manaus. We just walked in to their office in the Cruise Passengers Terminal building the day before and booked the 10am to 4pm meeting of the waters tour with lunch for the next day. It was $53 pp. It was on a small boat that would have held at least twice the number of people that they had onboard. I would say maybe 30 people were on the boat that day. It was a nice respite from the closed in heat, noise and chaos of Manaus as we were there for 3 days. As to the other ports, our experience was that they were too small to support resident tour operations, though I am sure there were lots of enterprising individuals to be found as you come ashore. The link below is our journal starting in the Amazon.

Debbie

http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/circle-south-america-2008-aboard/entries/2008/02/17/day-45---february-17-2008---sailing-the-amazon-river/1791

[ldog]

Thank you for posting the link, Debbie. I learned a lot from your information.

 

It just took up most of my morning!:D

[Lair Bear]

Sorry wrong post .........................

[Lair Bear]

Sorry, did it again . . . . .

[rascalrider]

dfb...is your Amazon cruise journal posted anywhere else? The aol site has been closed down.

Thanks.

 

Jan...do you have a journal posted anywhere from your cruise? Would you care to share any tour operators that you used? I am taking the identical tour as you did, just a year later! Thanks for any leads. Did you happen to take a photo of the pier condition and steep ramp in Parintins? I am wondering if my scooter can handle it.

 

Ruth

[dfb]

Ruth, Oops! You're right AOL did shut down their journaling feature. Here is a new link. Regarding the ramp at Parintins, I did not post a photo of it. Sorry. I do remember the tender dock area being rather a shamble. Also, as I recall the tides were pretty impressive there, on the order of several feet, so the ramp was steeper coming or going. So, it may just depend on conditions at your arrival and departure. You might want to check with the ship's personnel that work the tendering operations when you get there. Good luck, Debbie

 

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/02/day-48-february-20-2008-manaus-brazil.html