AMAZÔNIA

OFFER YOU A NON CONVENTIONAL COMPREHENSIVE ADVENTURE INTO THE JUNGLE

AMAZONAS

GENERAL INFORMATION

AMAZONAS

Amazonas is the largest state in Brazil, encompassing more than 18% of inhabited territoty. The areas protected by federal law are twice the size of Portugal, five times the size of Switzerland and twenty times that of Lebanon.

On the left bank of the Rio Negro lies the city of Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas with over a milion inhabitants.

Impressive buildings like the Amazonas Theatre, Municipal Market (a replica of “Les Halles” in Paris) and the Rubber boom.

Manaus has one of the most modern airports in Brazil, “Aeroporto Internacional Eduardo Gomes”, only 15 kms from the city center. The airport links Manaus with all the major cities in the country as well as the East and West coasts of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and other neighbouring countries.

Manaus is also the departure point for numerous adventures into the Amazom Jungle. Iaratur takes pleasure in their tradition of sharing with you this fascinating experience.

With a team of selected professionals, Iaratur will guide you safely through this fabulous mystery: The Amazon.

FLORA E FAUNA

The are numerous species of trees, many of which are unknown to science, 25%of all pharmaceutical components used in medicine today are extracted from the tropical forest. The forest consists of ‘Igapo’ (flooded forest), ‘Varzea’ (forest which is flooded for part of the year) and TERRA FIRME where trees can reach over 60 meters in height.

The fauna is also varied: birds, rodents, primates, felines, etc.

Nearly 60% of all the planet’s life-forms live in this jungle, only 30% of which are known to science.

DICTIONARY

Igarape - In the dialect of the indigenous people this literally means ‘path of canoes’ or small creek.

Igapo - Flooded forest.

Caboclos - Second genaration indians with white blood.

Mandioca - The root of the manioc plant which is prepared in various ways, the principl of which is ‘farinha’, the staple diet of the Caboclos.

Latex - The rubber extracted from the ‘seringueiras’ tree which gave the amazon forest its glory days as the primary world producer. Today the tropical rainforests of the Asian continent dominate the market.

Vitoria-regia - The largest floating plant in the world, this ‘Queen Victoria’ water lily is famous for the constrasting colours of its beautiful flowers.

Palafitas - Type of dwelling used on the banks of the Amazon giving effective shelter to the natives during the rainy season.

RIVER TRIPS

AMAZONAS

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

RIVER AMAZON / SOLIMOES

The Amazon is over 6500 kms long and holds a fifth of the earth’s fresh water. With an average speed of 2,5 knots per houur and at anaverage of 4-5 km in width (reaching 10kms in parts), and an average depth of about 100 meters, it carries with it tons of organic matter wich give the water its typical yellow colour, facilitating the proliferation of insects and encouraging the survival of the fauna and flora of the region. Its banks are inhabited by a number of different communities.

RIVER BLACK / RIO NEGRO

One of main tributaries of the Amazon, close to 1500 kms in length and with clean blank waters whose acidity inhabits the proliferation of mosquitoes. The largest group of river islands, the Archipelago of the Anavilhanas, lie in these waters; about 400 islands providing one of the most important ecological sanctuaries for bird life in the Amazon.

JANAURI ECOLOGICAL PARK

Located at approximately 7 kms from Manaus between the right bank of the Rio Negro and the XIBORENA canal, Janauari Ecological Park is a concentration of the various eco systems of the region. A trail through the jungle leads to a lake where the beautiful flowers of the ‘Vitoria-Regia’ water lil y can be admired.

MEETING OF THE WATERS

This phenomenon is a result of the meeting of the Rio Solimoes and the Rio Negro at approximately 18 kms from the city of Manaus.

Due to the differences in their density, temperature and speed the brown end black waters run side by side for 6 kms before mixing.