Getting picked up at hotel at 8:30 am we arrived on harbour where two boats where waiting. First there was a little confusion which boat we start with but after finding it out we start the trip as the only passengers!

First we hide down the Rio Negro to the area where he join the amazonas coming from peru.

This area is called “meeting of waters”.

Currently it is winter which means that the amazonas is 12-14 meters higher than in summer time. Many areas are flooded and from many trees we just see the tops.

During lunch our boad was anchored on one of this trees. The food was simple but good.

After that we shipped to a national park. Of course it was flooded too. At least there was a way built of wood where we can walk. unfortunately only for several 100 meters, because the was repairing it.
Doesn´t mather. The most interesting for Max was the apes which was waiting at the start ot the walkway.

After that we used the dinghy to discover the jungle and fishing piranha. Max was lucky catching one. Also the prianha was happy – it gets thrown back to water.

Shortly befor sunset we where back on our boat where Max was able to do a little more fishing (he likes it very much). After that we where able to enjoy sunset and a remote thunderstorm befor we get dinner.

After dinner there was a second trip with the dinghy to look for kaimans. I was to tired but Kasia and Max went and the where lucky to see one! I was lookting the stars in the meantime.

Last thing happened after they come back – we hide over to a place where the boad could stay during night.

Next morning: breakfast sitting on a boad in the middle of the amazonas during sun rise. The boad was anchoring on a tree again and our neighbors where playing musik.

Then we leaf to meet pink dolphins! It was an incredible excitement. Max, who is very short-sighted, was able to see them without his glasses and he enjoyed it very much! There we also meet our new fellow traveler – a father and sun from india.

Together we visit a village of indians which was traditional built only a few years in the past. The indians coming from different parts of the amazon jungle to be able to send there childs into school. It is free of charge for them and a schoolboat is caching them up and bring them back every day.
They was presenting some traditional dances and selfe made things.

After lunch we went fishing with the dinghy again. All of us was able to catch at least one piranha while our guide stops after he had 12 of them. All get thrown back to water of course!
We also see a lot of birds, some apes and some other animals.

Back on boad we get coffee and selve made cake which was very good. Then they start searching for an anchor place for the night befor we hat dinner at sunset.

That day starts with blue sky. After breakfast there where another trip with the dinghy to another indian vilage. Kasia and Max join the trip while I decide to start packing our belongings. To be honest – sitting in the dinghy is not confortable. There are only metal sheets where you can sit.
The indians produce soap and bread from tamiok and some other things.

They where coming back by 10:30. The temperature is raising, the boad get heated in the sun and nothing appends until lunch. After lunch we asked when we will have our transfer and get as answer: we will start by 1pm. So we waited. No wind, only sun was burning. Shortly befor 1 pm we get told, that we have to use the dinghy for our transfer.
So we brought all our belongings to the dinghy and had to ride for more than one hour in the buring sun (no shadow at all!). We where completely sweaty as we arrived at 2pm at the meeting point – a street to Manaus. But there was nobody catching us up! No mobile signal, no phone available, so we start waiting. After 15 Minutes our guide starts getting restless too. Finaly at 3pm (one hour late) the car from the agency arrived.
Since we learned in the meantime that we have an one hour ride back to manaus harbor, getting another dinghy over the Rio Negro waiting for another car to go for another hours to finally catch another dinghy for the last part (at least another hour again) to reach the lodge where we planed to stay for two nights, we decided to cancle that.

We where sweaty, sun burned, tired, angry and not willing to spent another at least 3 hours to rich a lodge where we would stay as only guests for 2 nights befor we had to go back to manaus. Maybe we are to pedantic, but this sounds not being worth it!

The first day was great, the seconds starts great but then it stating get worse. We have intentionally booked with a much praised individual provider, so we do not waste the little time with unnecessary waiting and exactly that happened!

So: Amazonas river is great! We enjoyed it very much, but the travel agency does not deliver what the promised: a perfect service for individual travlers.