Amazon Rainforest: Guided Jungle Hike & Wildlife from Manaus

4.92

(13 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I felt a bit nervous stepping onto the motorized canoe that morning in Manaus. The river was still quiet, almost glassy, but there was this low hum from the city behind us and then just bird sounds as we slipped away. I remember the air smelling thick — green and earthy, like rain even though it hadn’t rained yet. It took maybe half an hour before we stopped at the edge of what honestly looked like an endless wall of forest. My shoes already felt sticky from the humidity.

Our guide — Paulo, who grew up nearby — met us right where the boat landed. He had this easy way of pointing out things I would’ve missed completely: a tiny frog on a leaf, some kind of fruit that smelled sharp and sweet at the same time (I can’t remember the name; Paulo laughed when I tried to say it). We walked for about three hours. Sometimes he’d stop and let us touch tree bark or crush leaves between our fingers so we could smell them — one was supposed to help headaches. The ground was soft but full of roots; I tripped once and felt ridiculous but nobody cared.

I didn’t expect how dense it would feel inside the Amazon rainforest. Light came in patches and sometimes you’d hear something moving off in the brush — Paulo would just smile and say “probably monkeys.” We spotted a few spiders (big ones), some bright birds overhead, and at one point he showed us where scorpions hide under fallen logs. Not sure if I’ll ever get used to that idea! Still, being there with someone who knew every sound made it feel safe somehow. I kept thinking how different everything smells here compared to home — even my shirt picked up that leafy scent.