Rainforest: M/Y Tucano

1) How is this trip different from other tours?
Our visits to the Amazon rainforest take place with small groups. Larger groups scare away wildlife and dilute contact with the guides. We also go to intact pristine rainforest. Most tours in the Amazon go only a short distance from cities or other settled areas. Many tours only ever visit disturbed forest--some tours actually visit the same places week after week. Our trips go far away from settlement into beautiful natural rainforest.

Another major distinction of our trips is the quality of guiding. As tropical forests are extremely complex environments, without knowledgeable guides it can appear to a visitor as one great green blur. We take a thoughtful approach to natural history. The trips are detailed and full.

2) Are these trips fun?
Our trips are aimed at observing wildlife, but we also want to have fun! The best kind of nature trip is good humored and light hearted. We try to be precise about nature and enjoy ourselves at the same time. We have a cocktail hour on the top deck with hors d'oeuvres every evening and sometime during the trip will have "Caipirinhas" the national drink of Brazil.

3) Do we visit only touristy areas?
No, our group size is small and the places we visit are natural areas. We are almost always the only visitors to travel to these magnificent rainforest areas. Also, our itineraries are flexible so that we can explore interesting places we encounter en route.

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4) Do we get a chance to get off the boat?
Absolutely. Most of the nature portion of our program our trip takes place off the vessel. We make several daily excursions in our launches, we walk in the forest, we visit small villages, and also the homes of pioneer settlers. During the hottest time of the day and sometimes at night we move the vessel so that we have different places to explore at each stop throughout the trip.

5) What is the best time of year to go? What is the weather like?
The best time to travel is really dependent on your own scheduling considerations. Our trips take place in the very middle of the Amazon in the State of Amazonas. In this region the rainy season runs roughly from late January through early May. Though it rains more, there are some advantages of travelling between January and May.

Most riverine plants fruit and flower in the rainy season, it is one of the best times to see birds and monkeys at the waters edge. It is generally a bit cooler this time of year since there are cold fronts that sweep up from Antarctica all the way to the equator. Though it can rain more in the rainy season, it is quite rare to have a full day of rain. The usual pattern is for rain every afternoon around one o'clock while we are having lunch, with a clearing in the late afternoon about the time that we leave the vessel for our afternoon excursion.

In the dry season, from June to December, the rivers begin to drop in depth and broad beaches of fine white sand appear. This is an excellent time to see large fishing birds and at night, reptiles. The forest remains a fantastic riot of plant life. It usually rains some every day in the dry season too. We never know what we will see on our trips. The real key to observing wildlife is the diligence of the guides and a little bit of luck. We operate our expeditions year round and the trips are wonderful any time of year.

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6) Do we get a chance to go into the forest?
All our Amazon trips spend a considerable amount of time in the forest. We stop several times a day to explore on foot or in the boat launches.

7) Are the walks in the forest strenuous?
Our forest walks are primarily to spot plants and animals and are not particularly strenuous. The best way to spot wildlife is a quiet stalk along the forest trail, not crashing through at a sprint. Since different passengers would like to walk at a different pace, at times we divide into two groups, each with a guide. If you would like to get out into the forest for a vigorous HIKE and work up a sweat, one of the groups will forge ahead through the forest, going for distance. In addition, passengers can remain on the boat at any time, and many will choose to relax on the observation deck with a cold drink, binoculars, and a good book.

8) Does the vessel become small after a few days?
Our Amazon exploration boat, the Tucano, is a wonderful boat and is new. It is not a luxury boat, but it is cool and comfortable and designed specifically to explore the most remote corners of this magnificent forest. All of the cabins are air-conditioned and have private baths. We make several stops each day for our excursions and swimming so that guests do not get "cabin fever". There are also quite large group spaces to enjoy at any time of day. There is an open sun deck, a dining room for lounging and meals, and a covered balcony around the front of the boat.

9) Does the boat go close to shore?
The course of our expedition boat hugs the shore line. We are constantly on the lookout for interesting wildlife which frequently congregates at the river’s edge. We make numerous stops to investigate and explore with our launches. Though we remain comfortable, we do not become insulated from the forest. The river itself is interesting to watch since we often see large fish jumping, freshwater dolphins, countless birds, and strange gargantuan trees with hanging vines.

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10) Are the areas where the trips take place over-visited?
Our trips go to places very rarely visited. We are often the only groups ever to stop in the places we select. We go much farther than other groups and it is extremely rare for us to see any other humans except the occasional fisherman. Though our trips visit the same region the actual places visited differ from trip to trip because we prefer not to visit the same areas more than a few times a year. This minimizes our impact as well as offer a great variety of experiences for our guests and crew members alike.

11) Is the water safe to drink?
The water is perfectly safe. Our expedition boat is equipped with a large dispenser of bottled water, and we keep it full for the duration of the trip.

12) What are most of the participants on the tours like?
Our guests come in all ages and walks of life. The wonderful variety of their backgrounds enriches the experience for us all. The single thing that all passengers have in common is a curiosity for the tropical forest and the Amazon. Our passengers are some of the most interesting and nicest people in the world.

14) Is the Amazon dangerous? Are there lots of criminals? How are Americans perceived, do they like us?
The large cities of South America are no safer than large cities in the United States. In the Amazon however, there is much more a sense of community and our guests can be at ease. On the river and in the forest we are in one of the least densely populated areas on the planet and also one of the safest. There is virtually no risk of crime on the expedition.

Brazilians are fond of American culture which they garner from American movies and from large immigrant communities in the United States. Like the United States, Brazil is a large country with a significant immigrant population and our two cultures have many things in common. The easy going nature that Americans are known for applies equally to Brazilians. In short, Brazilians are generally quite fond of Americans and when Americans get to know Brazil, the feeling usually becomes mutual. We are very careful to ensure that all our contacts with people in the field are respectful and positive.

15) Do the trips damage the wilderness areas we visit?
Ecotourism is one of the very few ways in which income can be generated from undisturbed rainforest. The presence of our groups has a very positive impact on the places we visit by providing income in wages and material and, as importantly, by involving a large number of local people in an economic relationship to forest preservation. On the trips we are very conscientious not to disturb the natural areas that we visit. We leave them as wild and undisturbed as when we arrived.

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