The conservation area where Uakari Lodge is located has the longest protected floodplain forest in Brazil.
May comes and brings together the massive amount of water – mostly from the snow melting from the Andes Mountains, which travels hundreds of kilometres and changes life in the Amazon.
That is particularly felt at Mamirauá Reserve. The thousands of people who live here will now change their routine and board a canoe for almost any activity at the communities – the water levels (that vary about 12 metres every year!) are by the front doors (or sometimes inside them) and believe us: these people are completely adapted to that.
Mamirauá is the longest protected floodplain forest in Brazil and is part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites. It is also a RAMSAR site – a worldwide system of wetlands that aim to conserve their unique biodiversity.
But… what about tourism? How will the visitor’s experience be?
Believe us: there is no greater Amazon experience than coming to Mamirauá during the flood season. The sensation of getting immersed in the forest usually makes our visitors get excited once the water levels are close to the treetops and, hence, wildlife are just next to you. Expected lots of birds, sloths, monkeys playing around, reptiles and, if you are lucky some small cats such as the margay (Leopardus wiedii).
The traditional visits we take at the local partner communities also make our guests amazed: full floating cattle farms are built for animals; water levels might be inside houses – forcing these groups to build second, third or even fourth floors, depending on how intense the flooding is. Food habits also change as there is no earth for agriculture.
Learn more about our programs during the flood season – all information on our regular 3, 4 and 7 days experiences are here 🙂
(Image credits: Marcelo Castro and JP Borges Pedro)