Category: Brazil

The Ultimate Guide to Carnival in Rio – Part 2: How to Plan

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date April 15, 2015
6,263 Comments on The Ultimate Guide to Carnival in Rio – Part 2: How to Plan

So you’ve read all about what Carnival in Rio is like, and you’re ready to jump on a plane yesterday right?

This post should help guide you through planning and booking Carnival in Rio—from when to start booking, where to stay, and other things to consider before booking your cachaça fueled trip.

WHEN IS CARNIVAL 2016?

Carnival 2016 runs from Friday, February 5 to Wednesday, February 10. There will be plenty of parties in the days before and after these dates, but this is when the official blocos and parades take place, and definitely the minimum amount of time that you’ll want to be in Rio.

HOW LONG SHOULD I SPEND IN RIO?

As long as you can.

I spent eight nights in Rio and found it to be very rushed. I spent the first four days (Monday – Thursday) running around town visiting the Christ Statue, Sugar Loaf, hang gliding (because of the weather this can eat up an entire day), Forte Duque de Caxias, and I only got to spend one day lounging on Copacabana beach before it was overrun with Carnival partiers. I spent the last four days and nights moving from bloco to bloco with zero time to relax on the beach or sightsee, and I missed the last day of Carnival when the Super Mario Bloco happened. I also didn’t have enough time to do a favela tour or visit Tijuca Forest either.

I’d say if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, give yourself at least ten days in Rio. But obviously the more the better. If you’re only planning to visit Rio for the Carnival dates, be prepared for slower traffic, large crowds, and not seeing much of the city outside of the blocos.

WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY FLIGHT?

Unless you plan on staying at a fancy beachfront hotel, flights will most likely be the most expensive part of your trip. Even before you’re ready to book your flight I recommend you start playing the points game with your frequent flyer miles or travel credit card well in advance. Otherwise you’ll most likely be seeing fares for over $1000 from the US. Flights to Rio are definitely not cheap.

Once you’ve decided on which dates to travel you’ll want to book your flights (and accommodation) as soon as possible. Try being a little flexible with your dates to see which days are the cheapest and you might save a few bucks.

If you need a visa, you’ll need this flight confirmation first as part of your visa application.

DO I NEED A VISA OR ANY OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS?

If you’re traveling from somewhere other than Brazil you’ll obviously need a passport. Make sure that it’s valid for at least six months after your return date, and that you have enough blank pages to accommodate the entry/exit stamps. Some countries also require a visa, so make sure to leave a full blank page for that if necessary.

US citizens also need to obtain a tourist visa (which right now is $140, good for ten years). If you live near a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate it’s fairly simple to schedule an appointment and go in with all of the paperwork and get it yourself. But if you’re nowhere near one you might have to pay a decent chunk of change to have an agency take care of it for you. This can get pretty expensive, so take care of it as soon as you’ve booked your flight so that you don’t also have to pay fees to expedite.

I used Travel Visa Pro to get my visa. Their site is horribly designed, but their customer service is outstanding. I had tons of questions during the application process, so I found their on-site chat feature to be a huge help to make sure I was doing everything properly.

When applying for your visa you’ll need to show proof of a booked round trip flight in to and out of Brazil. This can be difficult if you’re traveling a bit more loosely or on a one-way ticket, but it can be done. For example, I was planning on doing most of my travel to, from, and within Brazil by boat and bus, booking it all once I arrived and as I traveled. The people at Travel Visa Pro advised me to book a random bullshit roundtrip flight, print the itinerary, cancel the flight, then send the printed itinerary in with my visa application. I didn’t want to at first, but I ended up doing it through Expedia since they have a free 24 hour cancellation period, and everything worked out fine. I definitely felt shady doing it, but feeling shady is better than losing money and being denied a visa because you don’t have a return flight.

US citizens can check this link for more info on visa requirements: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/brazil.html

DO I NEED ANY VACCINATIONS?

If you’re sticking to Rio de Janeiro and the surrounding coastal areas, then most likely no. But if you plan on traveling further inland before or after Carnival you might want to double check the recommended vaccinations. It’s never a bad idea to make sure you’re up on your routine vaccinations (such as MMR, etc.). Some health insurance plans will cover certain vaccinations, but others you’ll have to pay out of pocket at your primary care physician or at a travel vaccination center.

Here’s a link to help you decide what you may or may not need for Brazil: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/brazil

WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY ACCOMMODATION?

If you have any sort of standards or expectations (like a private bathroom, private room, etc.) while traveling, get your hotel/hostel/apartment situated ASAP. Prices are roughly three to four times their normal rates during Carnival and they book up early. I booked in October (four months early) for this year’s Carnival and all of the hotels and hostels were already picked over. I lucked out finding one in Copacabana that was about $80/night (usually only about $20/night), but I shared a dorm room with five others. It was fine for me since I was rarely in the hostel and I had the chance to meet plenty of others to party with, but hostels aren’t for everyone. The sooner you book, the more options you’ll have and the cheaper they’ll be.

Sites like Airbnb are also a good option, especially if you’ve got a heap of cash to throw down up front. Unfortunately they’re not necessarily cheap, but you can easily reserve a multi-room place and then find other people to fill the rooms and split the cost.

When I searched for hotels in October I was seeing rates starting at $300/night and up, so good luck with that.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY?

Don’t worry about staying near the Sambadrome (where the main Carnival parade happens). It’s far from basically everything and the surrounding area doesn’t have the best reputation at night, so you’re better off only making the trek there for the parade.

Most of the blocos happen in Zona Sur (the South Zone, where all of the beaches are) and downtown, so you’ll definitely want to stay in one of these areas.

I found Copacabana to be a perfect location—right on the beach, and easily accessible to all of the blocos on the beach and downtown because it’s basically right in the middle. Ipanema and Leblon beaches are beautiful and they say more upscale than Copacabana, but they’re also a bit further from downtown than Copacabana is. Botafogo, Flamengo, and Lapa are also popular tourist spots; especially near the Lapa Arches where tons of people meet for drinks pretty much every day and night during Carnival.

I stayed at the Rio Rockers Hostel about four blocks from Copacabana Beach and felt 100% safe day and night. To the point where I drunkenly walked 15 minutes to McDonald’s with my phone in my hand texting at midnight one night. In retrospect that was an extremely stupid idea and I should’ve been robbed (as others I’d met were robbed in the same area), but hey, sometimes you drink a million caipirinhas and do stupid stuff.

In my opinion, staying near a train station is a great way to get around during Carnival, especially since the streets close down for blocos and it can be difficult to get around them. The trains run 24 hours during Carnival and are always packed with party goers, so it makes the ride between blocos an event in itself. Some of the subway stations will close down too if there’s a bloco happening there, but it’s not difficult to figure out the next closest stop since everyone will be getting off there (in costume and beer in hand).

If you’re really broke you can check out couchsurfers, but just remember that if they bail last minute you could be left shelling out a ton more money for last-minute lodging.

Here’s a link to some more information about the neighborhoods in Rio: http://www.rio.com/practical-rio/neighborhoods-rio

HOW EARLY DO I NEED TO BOOK TICKETS TO THE SAMBADROME?

For many people (both locals and tourists) a highlight of Carnival is the parade at the Sambadrome. Personally I’m not a fan of parades, so I had absolutely zero intention of going until I developed a severe case of FOMO once I realized basically everyone else in Rio was going.

If you don’t care much about the Sambadrome then you can pick up some cheap last minute nosebleed seats once you’re in Rio. You’ll be able to see the parade, but you might want to bring some binoculars or at least a camera with a decent zoom. However, if you want a good view and comfortable seats you’ll want to purchase tickets as far in advance as possible as they sell out very early—especially for the best parade days.

I got tickets at my hostel for about $35 the day before and we sat in the very last section on the parade route. Our seats were set back quite a bit from the parade, so it was difficult to see the detail of the costumes with the naked eye. But people were still singing and dancing and having a great time, squeezed elbow to elbow in the stands. Overall it was fun and tolerable for a couple of hours, but be warned that these parades go on literally all night long.

The main parades (i.e. the biggest and best samba schools) are Sunday and Monday, with most people opting for Monday. If you’re a clueless tourist like me you probably won’t recognize much difference between the different schools, so go whichever night is most convenient and affordable for you.

I was also told by locals that you can show up on Monday around 1 or 2AM and try to bargain cheaper seats, so that’s worth a shot too.

Here’s a bit more info about the samba schools and the parade and tickets.

http://www.rio-carnival.net/rio_carnival/sambodromo-samba-parade-tickets.php

Seats at the Sambadrome — These were our $35 nosebleed seats at the Sambadrome

I’m not sure why there’s such a big gap between the first set of seats and the bleachers.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO BOOK FOR CARNIVAL?

To me, the best thing about Carnival is the street parties. And better yet they’re free and awesome. So you can show up to any of them with a beer in hand and have the time of your life, no need to book anything in advance.

So really, the only things you should book in advance are flights, hotels/hostels, and Sambadrome tickets. But if you plan on spending any time immediately before or after Rio in a nearby beach town or island such as Ilha Grande or Paraty, you’re better off to book that in advance also. Lots of people plan to do the same so places can book up a bit in advance if you wait until the last minute. We had to rearrange our plans for the first three days after Carnival because there were no hostels available in Paraty.

Now that you’ve got the basics covered, just save up some money and start counting down the days! There are tons of other celebrations all over Brazil (like the more traditional celebration in Salvador) so if you can swing it, it’s worth checking some of those out too before visiting Rio.

Anything else you’re wondering about planning a trip to Rio for Carnival? Comment below!

Tags Brazil, Carnival, guide, party, Rio de Janeiro, South America

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The Ultimate Guide to Carnival in Rio – Part 1: What to Expect

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date March 26, 2015
6,677 Comments on The Ultimate Guide to Carnival in Rio – Part 1: What to Expect

World famous beaches, bronzed bodies dancing to sensual samba beats, and hundreds of thousands of people looking to have a good time. Who hasn’t thought about partying in Rio de Janeiro for Carnival at least once in their life? Well I have, many times. So I finally took the plunge and went this year, at the ripe old age of 29, and I had a freaking blast. And I totally think you should go in 2016.

I’ll admit there was a small part of me that thought that maybe I was a bit too old to go to Carnival. The same part that loves going to sleep by midnight, hates large crowds, and even secretly hates drinking. But after my plane touched down in Rio, that part of me disappeared.

If you’re thinking about going to Rio for Carnival, I hope that this post will give you an idea about what it’s like and also convince you that it is an awesome, unforgettable experience. This is part of a two post series, so next I’ll follow up with everything you need to know and do to start planning—including flights, visas, accommodations, and how soon to start planning.

WHAT IS CARNIVAL?
Technically speaking Carnival is a festival held on the Friday before Lent, and continuing through Ash Wednesday. I think there might be more religious significance behind it but you won’t learn about that here, sorry. To me, Carnival in Rio is a giant, nonstop party with elaborate costumes, sexy dancing, and millions of happy people in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The energy is amazing, the dancing is endless, and the caipirinhas are delicious. It’s heaven.

But more importantly, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is basically made up of two things—the infamous Sambadrome Parade, and blocos, which are basically the most badass block parties you’ll ever attend. There are Carnival Balls (haha balls) and parties at clubs as well, but those cost quite a bit of money, so again you won’t learn about those here. You can drink on the streets in Rio, so why would you pay to go in somewhere when you can grab a beer, walk down the road, and join one of hundreds of street parties for free?

One of the insanely awesome floats at the Sambadrome

Didn’t even realize that these women were topless until I zoomed into the picture at home

THE SAMBADROME
All those photos and videos you see of nearly naked women shimmying around in six inch heels and bedazzled costumes are from the Sambadrome. The Sambadrome is the 13-block long outdoor stadium with bleacher style seating, where the various samba schools perform and compete in elaborate costumes alongside even more elaborate floats. Stay tuned for more detailed info on how to snag Sambadrome tickets and where to sit in part two!

THE BLOCOS
Blocos are the street parties scattered all around the city, and in my opinion the best part of Carnival. They’re usually centered around a band in a set area or along a parade route that partygoers follow while singing and dancing along. Many of these blocos have themes or costumes, but they’re free and open to anyone who wants to attend.

In 2015 there were 456 registered blocos in the few weeks just before, during, and slightly after Carnival, with some of them putting on more than one party. Translation: you will have zero problem finding an awesome party at any given moment. Most of the best blocos happen during the day, so it’s not unusual to be out on the streets partying by 9am.

You should definitely look up the official dates, times, and locations posted once Carnival 2016 arrives, but here are a few of the annual blocos you won’t want to miss out on:

– Sargento Pimenta was one of my favorites, and is an absolute must for Beatles fans. The band plays several hours of Beatles music with a samba spin, as the crowd sings and dances along to every word. Sometimes they mix it up and throw some Portuguese in there, but it’s exactly what you’d imagine a lovey-dovey Brazilian Woodstock to be like, and it’s an absolute blast.

– Cardao do Bola Preta started up in 1918, and is the oldest and largest bloco in Rio. One year it had about 2.5 million attendees, so it’s very likely you’ll be partying alongside at least a million other people. The official costume for this bloco (encouraged but not mandatory) is anything white with black polka dots.

– Banda de Ipanema is a street band that holds three different parties—the first two on the Saturdays just before Carnival, and the third on the Tuesday during Carnival week. This bloco attracts a diverse crowd but is also well known amongst the LGBT community and famous for the parade of drag queens.

– Boitata happens on Sunday morning during Carnival weekend every year. Rafael, the awesome front desk guy at Rio Rockers (who I’m convinced knows absolutely everything about Rio) told me it’s his favorite bloco, so naturally I had to go. It was indeed a blast.

– Boi Tolo is the perfect bloco if you’re a musician and want to play along during Carnival. Boi Tolo was formed when Boitata changed their route one year, leaving a bunch of people standing in the streets confused and forced to create their own party. They’re super inclusive so you should be able to show up with your instrument and just roll with it.

– Super Mario bloco is every 80’s kid’s dream come true. This band marches around alongside hundreds of Marios and Luigis while playing hours of Super Mario songs. And yes people run at warp speed when the Star Power song comes on. Enough said.

– Carmelitas is a bloco in Santa Teresa that was formed in honor of a nun who supposedly jumped out the window of a covent in order to partake in Carnival. Each year they hold two parties, one at the beginning of Carnival to signify her joining in the festivities, and one at the end to celebrate her return to the covent unnoticed. People dress up as nuns as a symbol to “hide” the escaped nun.

Sargento Pimenta performing an epic show while vendors serve us beer and caipirinhas. Also featured, a guy in a condom hat.

A bloco in Leme, just at the end of Copacabana Beach. At least a third of these people ended up in the ocean.

IS CARNIVAL EXPENSIVE?

While it’s not super cheap, it also doesn’t have to be super expensive. Unless you’re a super raging alcoholic, transportation and lodging will be the most expensive part of your trip. In that case then yes, Carnival is very expensive. More on that in part two.

Once you’re at Carnival I find you can spend as much or as little as you want. The drinks I bought were usually around $1-$2 USD for a beer, or about $4-$5 USD for a caipirinha. But I’ve found that you can talk the vendors into deals by buying more than one drink. Also you can grab cheap street food for dirt cheap, or walk into one of the many grab-and-go style shops for a quick sandwich, slice of pizza, or bowl of açaí. Then again you can pay like $40 USD and eat like a king at an all-you-can-eat churrascaria (which I definitely recommend doing at least once. I went to Churrascaria Palace in Copacabana and thought I’d died and gone to meat heaven).

Some of the tourist attractions can be a bit steep though. I paid 350 Reais (about $109 USD) to go hang gliding + take home a CD with pictures and a video, but everyone else I met had to pay 650 Reais for that same package (about $204 USD). Don’t ask how we got that deal because we definitely weren’t supposed to, but I’m not complaining. Other things like the roundtrip van + ticket to the Christ Statue was around 50 Reais (or $16 USD). Bottom line, bring some money to play with.

Another way to save money is to take public transportation because taxis are EXPENSIVE. The subway runs 24/7 during Carnival and there’s almost always a constant party on it, so that’s always a fun way to get around. Buses are cheap, frequent, and easy to navigate as long as a bloco isn’t blocking their route.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SEE AND DO IN RIO?
If you’ve never been to Rio then you’ll no doubt want to check out some of the awesome things that make Rio amazing.

These are some of the more popular attractions, and it’s easy to see how you could fill an entire month. Most tours shut down during Carnival, so make sure to tack on extra days before or after in order to plan for these. I arrived on the Monday before Carnival and left on the Tuesday right before it ended and I was constantly rushed to fit in everything I wanted to do. I feel like I missed out on quite a bit and wish I would’ve had at least another week there.

– Corcovado and the Cristo Redentor (the Christ statue and mountain. On a clear day, go in the morning and you’ll have the sun hitting the face of the statue. Since the sun goes behind the statue in the afternoon, taking photos will be nearly impossible unless it’s closer to dusk. There are numerous ways to head up there, but if you’re like me and you hate tourist attractions, and you just want to get up there, snap a couple photos and get back down as quickly as possible, check into the vans that take you from places like Copacabana Beach. They’re not very expensive and they drive you all the way up to the top. Or check out the helicopter tours if you’re loaded.)
– Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain, and FYI it’s incredible at sunset)
– Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon Beaches
– Sunset at Aproador (the rocky area between Copacabana and Ipanema where everyone gathers and claps as the sun sets. Bring beer!)
– Maracanã Stadium (one of the biggest stadiums in the world where local favorites Flamengo play)
– Escadaria Selarón (you know, those colorful steps in the Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams video for Beautiful)
– Santa Teresa
– Carioca Aqueduct (the Lapa Arches)
– Fort Copacabana
– Guanabara Bay
– Free walking tours of the city (check out Free Walker for walking tours and pub crawls)
– Favela tours (easily arranged at most hostels)
– Hang gliding and paragliding (do hang gliding, seriously)
– Lagoa and the Botanical Gardens (I’ve heard renting a bike to ride around the lagoon is great)
– And there are a ton of options if you want to get a bit more active: hiking Dois Irmãos, Tijuca National Park, rock climbing, biking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, etc. etc. I’m convinced that Rio is paradise.

I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Rio For Partiers too, it’s a handy little book full of information—from what to see, do, eat, and drink, to how to say things, and coupons to save you money and get free drinks all over town. It’s super handy and really explains everything you need to know about Rio de Janeiro.

*Pro tip: Right now you can download the ebook for free on their site, so for all of you broke ass backpackers, take advantage of this! –> Rioforpartiers.com

Cristo Redentor — Of course the Christ statue is annoyingly crowded with tourists

As are the Lapa steps (that’s the gringo name for Escadaria Selarón)

Pão de Açúcar, better known as Sugarloaf Mountain to us gringos

Aproador. Bring beer and clap your hands along with everyone else when the sun sets.

Try to catch a match at Maracanã, but be warned that in such a massive stadium you might feel all alone at a smaller match.

Hang gliding in Rio is unbelievable. Do it.

A FEW MORE TIPS AND THINGS TO KNOW

TOILETS
I’m usually not one to drink in crowded places because I have a bladder the size of a water balloon, so the bathroom scene is key to my enjoyment of any alcohol-fueled outing. All throughout Carnival there are a ton of chemical toilets at the different blocos, but their quality and cleanliness definitely differ, as do the lines. In Leme for example there were hour-long lines for basic, stinky, dirty port-a-potties, but in Ipanema I only waited behind three people for a fairly nice, well maintained toilet with an attendant. Peeing in the street is illegal though so don’t get caught doing that!

WHAT TO PACK
February is summer in Rio so it’ll be really hot. Like 30-40ºC/86-104ºF all the time. Pack light, meaning bikinis, swim trunks, tank tops, shorts, dresses, etc. I wore flip flops the entire time but some people opt for lightweight sneakers since the grounds can get pretty nasty and people will step on your toes. It’s totally acceptable to walk around in next to nothing in Rio, so the less clothes you have on the more you’ll fit in. Leave the fancy designer labels and flashy jewelry at home though, and if you can bring a small waterproof handheld camera as opposed to an SLR, do so.

If you have room for some costumes or props then go ahead and bring them, but if not don’t worry. There are plenty of little spots all over the city where you can buy stuff for super cheap.

MAKING OUT
There are people making out EVERYWHERE at Carnival. EVERYWHERE.

Brazilians have a huge make out culture as it is. It’s completely normal for them to make a move within minutes of meeting someone as their way of showing interest. As an almost 30-year-old woman with an undeniable attraction to Latin men, venturing into the motherland itself sounded exciting at first. Like “yes, there’s going to be a ton of hot Brazilian men lining up to make out with me.” But then I got there and reality set in. They’re just like guys anywhere and six out of ten of them are disgusting. The other four are twelve years old. Plus it’s pretty off-putting to see someone make out with one person and then move right along to the next. And call me old fashioned (or just old) but I guess I need at least a little bit of a spark and maybe some conversation before swapping spit.

At Carnival guys will literally grab you by the arm as you walk by and ask “make out with me?” And that’s if they have manners. Other guys will just come right up to you and go for it, usually kissing your ear or near your mouth. Some will be VERY persistent and follow you for blocks, rubbing you down with ice cubes and blowing on your back to cool you off in the the hot afternoon sun. Not that that happened to me or anything…

If you’re not keen to get chapped lips or mouth herpes, my best advice is to stick with a group of people to significantly lower the amount of guys who try to face rape you. And just politely say no to anyone you’re not interested in. From my experience most guys will simply walk away, no big deal.

…this happened. Guys in drag are everywhere at Carnival, and they’re all on the prowl. I had to give in to at least one.

DRESSING UP
It’s not mandatory that you dress up, but I promise you’ll have way more fun if you do. Wear whatever you want—something simple or something awesome and well thought out. Just remember that it’s hot, you’ll probably sweat a lot, and angel wings will get in the way. You can change it up or wear the same costume every day, it doesn’t matter. You might want to grab a few extra props too, just in case you accidentally lose half of your costume in the ocean on the first day like I did.

You can pick up random odds and ends on nearly any street corner during Carnival, but Rua da Alfândega (the street just outside the Uruguaiana subway stop) is lined with a ton of super cheap costume shops.

A costume and booze are essential to Carnival

These two didn't know each other. — These two didn’t know each other.

STAY SAFE
I’m sure that I was naively seduced by Rio’s beauty and charm, but it seemed perfectly safe to me. At least in Copacabana where I stayed. To the point where I drunkenly walked alone for about twenty minutes to get food one night at midnight, with my phone in my hand, texting. In retrospect that was an extremely stupid idea and I should’ve been robbed just to teach my cocky ass a lesson, but hey, sometimes that’s what happens after drinking a gallon of cachaça.

However, Brazil is still a developing country where poverty and crime are obvious issues, but that’s easy to forget if you’re primarily in the touristy areas doing Carnival-y things. Nearly everyone I met had been robbed or mugged. I was just fortunate enough not to be one of them. One guy had his phone stolen out of his hand by a kid on a bike while walking down the street in Ipanema. Another guy had his phone taken in his hostel by a fellow traveler. A group of Brits I met wandered into a favela after dark and left without their wallets. Another group of guys got robbed at knifepoint near the bus station.

These things happen, and all I can say is just be extra cautious and aware, and use your street smarts. Don’t carry a bunch of things on you, because even sober people lose things in large crowds. If you’re a girl your bra will become your best friend. Keep your money (just enough for the day) in your bra, and tie your camera strap around the center of your bra and keep it stuffed in your cleavage for safe keeping. At least that’s what I did and I didn’t lose a thing!

The closest I came to any altercations happened around 9pm one night as the party was winding down on Ipanema Beach (aka everyone was drunk). I stepped away from the group to grab another drink, but while the guy was mixing it up, two girls approached me speaking Portuguese in a very harsh tone. The only word I could understand was “gringa” as they looked me up and down with a look of disgust. I was a bit tipsy, and these chicks towered over me, so for a second I thought “oh shit, this is where it all ends. I’m about to get knifed right here on the beach.” They got even closer and up in my face, but luckily the caipirinha guy stepped in and yelled at them in Portuguese, and they walked away (but not without shooting me a few mean looks over their shoulders). In my sensitively drunk state of mind I had a hard time grasping why two girls would come at me when I did absolutely nothing to provoke it, but a few locals told me they were “probably just jealous.” Sooo basically Brazilian girls are jealous of white girls, and us white girls are jealous of the insanely hot Brazilian chicks. Sigh, women.

Groups are good. — How about that beer vendor throwing up the shocker in the background? Well done, beer guy.

OTHER TIPS TO HELP YOU SURVIVE CARNIVAL
– Drinking alcohol + sunshine can be a lethal combo. Remember to drink a bit of water here and there. Even better, buy a coconut to refuel whenever you’re feeling a bit dehydrated. It’ll change your life.
– Don’t forget sunscreen, and other protection if you’re planning to visit an infamous pay-by-the-hour sex hotel.
– Be prepared for long lines and head to the toilet well before you’re about to pee your pants.
– Since Rio is full of beaches that stay lit up well into the night, there’s a huge chance you’ll end up in the ocean after a day of drinking. Just be careful of riptides and strong currents, they seem extra strong when you’re drunk.
– If you’re a woman who’s traveling alone, find a group to go out with and stick with them. One night during a bloco in Leme I stepped away from the group to pee in the ocean and within six seconds some guy came up and latched onto me from behind. When I tried to swim away I felt his hands grab at my bikini bottoms. It took a good elbow in the side and a loud “NO!” to get him to leave me alone as I swam away. But joke’s on him since I was peeing the whole time.

Check out The Ultimage Guide to Carnival in Rio Part 2: How to Plan. In the meantime, is there anything else you’re dying to know about Carnival? Comment below!

Tags Carnival, festivals, guide, parties, Rio de Janeiro, South America

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Ten Days in the Amazon on a Budget: Part 2

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date March 8, 2015
12,956 Comments on Ten Days in the Amazon on a Budget: Part 2

Three nights of sleeping in a hammock strung up alongside about 100 strangers. Six consecutive carb-heavy meals of rice, noodles, and beans. Ninja mosquitos with a freakish immunity to Deet. Showers in smelly brown river water. This isn’t exactly a Carnival Cruise, people.

Perhaps this post should be titled something along the lines of “Traveling From Colombia to Brazil on a Boat,” but I wanted to keep it consistent with the first post. But that’s exactly what this post is about, my experience of crossing the border in Leticia, Colombia and taking the slow boat from Tabatinga to Manaus.

The hammocks before it got crowded — Our hammocks strung up before it got too crowded

If ~~you’re not uptight~~ you don’t have high standards while traveling, this is an awesome, cheap way to see the Amazon on a tight budget—not to mention a great way to save hundreds of dollars traveling from Colombia to Brazil if you’ve got a bit of time. A flight between the two countries can easily cost upwards of $700 USD, but for only about 70 you can hop aboard a ship from Tabatinga, Brazil (which is only a short cab ride from the Leticia airport, or walking distance from most hostels in Leticia) and head downriver to Manaus to catch a flight elsewhere in Brazil.

So that’s exactly what I did.

I did the trip downstream during the rainy season when the rainforest was flooded, which apparently knocks off at least an entire day. There are several other routes from ports in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil ranging from a few days to closer to a week, but I thought the three-day route between Tabatinga and Manaus was plenty.

Keep in mind prices will likely vary greatly based on the time of year and how far in advance you book, but here’s my breakdown during the peak of high season just before Carnaval:

– $112 flight from Bogotá to Leticia on a Tuesday
– 200 Reais (about $66 USD) for my 3-day boat ticket (which includes all meals)
– 36000 Colombian Pesos (about $14 USD) for a hammock and rope
– $164 overnight flight out of Manaus to Rio de Janeiro on the following Thursday night.

That ends up being about $356, which isn’t exactly pocket change, but the only other costs over those total ten days were $30 for three nights in Leticia, the free hotel room in Manaus, plus a few bucks for meals and $100 for the Amazon tour. Plus booking the overnight flight to Rio helped me save on one night’s accommodation. Definitely cheaper and more exciting than if I had flown the $700 Bogotá to Brazil flight in seven hours, and way cheaper than booking a touristy Amazon tour through some agency.

Amazon Boat — A quick shot of our ship in port in Manaus

As mentioned, this post is all about staying in Leticia, Colombia and taking the slow boat from Tabatinga, Brazil, to Manaus, Brazil. For more info on an activity-based tour of the Amazon, check out this post.

ABOUT THE BOAT: VOYAGER V

There are several different ships you can take, but I don’t think you have much control over which one you get on. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I prepared myself for the worst. There was a lot of ambiguity on how long the trip would actually take, and some horror stories about the food being served with a side of explosive diarrhea and vomiting. But overall my trip was a super relaxing, pleasant experience with no nasty side effects—for me at least, some others on board the ship weren’t so lucky. My tiny bout of tummy troubles held off a good few days until I was tucked away in my own private hotel room in Manaus. (Thankfully it was nowhere near as bad as what I dealt with in Thailand.)

Anyway, back to the ship, the Voyager V. Most of the locals seemed to congregate on the bottom level even though it was extremely noisy near the engine. There was a small kitchen in the back half of the ship right alongside the motor, and a picnic table eating area where all of the meals were served. Food was served at a set time every day (breakfast around 6am, lunch around noon, and dinner around 5pm) and yes, I was almost always one of the first people in line for feeding time.

On the second level there was a fully netted-in soccer pitch that stayed lit up well in the night. There’s also a snack counter selling hamburgers, ice cream, beer, soft drinks, and a few other snacks; a common area with plastic tables and chairs, and what looked to be private cabins towards the front of the ship.

The top level was pretty much just hammocks, bathrooms, and gorgeous views.

The bar/hangout area — The common area aka the gringo drinking area

The private cabins had a little space to themselves on the side of the boat — People who booked private cabins enjoying some deck space

Each deck has several bathrooms containing a toilet and a shower, and some have a sink. On the top deck alongside our hammocks we had four bathrooms with a few additional sinks outside of the bathrooms, along with a TV and about 15 power outlets. There are actually a good amount of power outlets scattered around the boat, but they’re almost all in awkward places high on the wall. You can leave your phone there to charge by tucking it behind a soap dispenser or something but forget about trying to charge a laptop unless you’re ready to stand there and hold it.

Bathrooms on board the boat — Two of the bathrooms on the top deck. Notice the charging ports on each side, where it’s kind of difficult to leave something charging.

DAY 1
Our tickets had a 1030AM departure time. Riiight. Anyone who’s traveled in South America knows that 1030 translates to about 130. Yet we still decided to head down to the port to get a good spot around 9am. In the pouring rain, four of us crammed into this miniature clown car taxi with all of our wet bags. The dirt roads were flooded, so the taxi driver refused to drive us all the way to the port. Instead he dropped us off at the top of a muddy hill where we were forced to make the rest of the slippery trek downhill in the pouring rain. I still don’t know why we paid him the full fare, but I’m glad I’d tucked the flip flops away in favor of hiking boots. After dropping my bag in a mud puddle while digging for my ticket, I went straight to the top deck where all of the gringo tourists were stringing up their hammocks. I had some of the guys help me hang mine, partially because I didn’t trust my own knot-tying skills, but also because I was too short to reach the rafters.

The hammocks on the top deck — The top deck hammock area filling up

Dirty hammock selfie — Snapping a quick hammock selfie on the last day before packing up to head into Manaus

The deck filled up within about a half hour of our arrival, but we finally left the port at about 110pm, naturally.

The first day was rainy and grey so I spent most of it tucked away in my hammock stuffing my face with an embarrassing amount of the snacks I’d packed. Around 5pm we were served a delicious chicken noodle soup and bread. Soup isn’t really my idea of a full meal, but with chicken, noodles, and veggies, it was extremely tasty and satisfying. Once it got dark I decided it was appropriate to start drinking beer, which I quickly decided was a huge waste of money. The mini cans of Brahmas were quickly eating up my budget but not giving me the desired level of drunkenness I had set out to achieve in pursuit of a good night’s sleep. After six I settled for a sleepy buzz, but unfortunately the MMA fight blaring on TV well into the middle of the night had a different agenda.

Tiny Brahmas

The Hammock Crew — My hammock buddies. Daniel (the crazy German smirking at the camera) spent his entire three days trying to become a Rubik’s Cube master

If you’re a light sleeper like me, a pair of earplugs just won’t do the trick. Bring headphones and charge your phone/mp3 player. I was constantly waking up every time my earplugs came loose. Also every time a baby screamed, someone knocked into my hammock, or the boat made its cringe-worthy screeching metal sound while turning. At like 12 or 2am (I was too sleepy to read my watch properly) the boat blew its horn and woke us all up while pulling into port. In my sleepy, startled state I shouted “iceberg right ahead!” before drifting back to sleep. Good to know I still have a sense of humor while half asleep.

DAY 2
It seemed like only ten minutes later when I heard a man walking around the deck, shouting in Portuguese while rolling up the sides of the boat to reveal glaring morning sunlight. “What an asshole,” I thought, “doesn’t he know people are trying to sleep?” But he was calling us for the world’s earliest breakfast. And as much as I’m not a morning person, I’m also not one to miss a free meal, EVER. So I forced my grumpy ass out of my hammock at 6am and made my way down to the bottom deck for breakfast.

“Breakfast” was a community bin of shitty rolls (aka hot dog buns as we call them in the States), a tub of butter, and overly sweetened coffee. Definitely not the quality of breakfast I’d normally wake up at 6am for. I smuggled an extra piece of bread back to my hammock to coat with the strawberry jelly I’d packed, scarfed it down, then read about two lines from a book before dozing off again. The only good thing about not getting a proper night’s rest on a boat like this is realizing that you have absolutely zero obligations the next day, so you can nap whenever you damn well please. Finally when I woke up for good a couple hours later I mustered the energy to shower.

Showers on the boat are exactly what you’d expect them to be. They pump out brown river water straight from the Amazon, in the same 4×3 room as the communal toilet. It’s not as cold as you’d expect, but not at all warm either. In the humid Amazon temperature I actually found it rather refreshing.

After that my entire day was an endless cycle of reading, napping, and eating. I think I took four or five naps, only leaving my hammock whenever I heard someone shout that it was feeding time.

Lunch consisted of a basic pasta, rice, beans, and some kind of beef. It’s a good thing it was delicious because it’s basically what we ate for every single meal the rest of the trip. After going for seconds on the pasta and beans I went back to sleep and woke up a half hour before dinner. (Yes, I’ve gained weight.) Dinner was basically the same meal as lunch, except with chicken instead of the beef.

After dinner I wandered around the boat with my camera to take some shots of the best sunset we’d see while on the river. I nerded out for a good hour or two before retiring back to my hammock to resume reading Killing Pablo.

I slept much better the second night because I wised up and put my headphones in and blared some Deftones for a good twelve hours. Win.

Another boat at port we'd been following for a few spots — Another boat making the same journey

Cruising along — Chugging along the river

Evening cruising — The scenery doesn’t change too much, but it’s sure nice to watch as it passes by

Sunset on the Amazon — Oh and the sunsets are pretty epic

DAY 3
I woke up again at 6AM just long enough to ask the girl in the hammock next to me if breakfast was the same as yesterday. When she said yes I covered my face and fell back asleep until about 830.

Upon waking I fixed myself a rather creative breakfast using some vanilla wafers, strawberry jelly, and a smashed ball of bread I dug out of my bag, then showered up to take another nap. We had lunch around noon, and right after loading up on more carbs I noticed the soccer pitch empty, complete with a shoddy looking ball. I was starting to feel restless and fat, so I gathered the gringos to play a game. Before long we were going full-on gringos vs Brazilians, running barefoot on the pitch and sweating our asses off in the afternoon sun. I only made it about 20 minutes before I had to quit from the unbearable blisters forming on my girly feet. I don’t think they missed me though, I was definitely the worst player on both teams.

Afterwards I went to the snack counter and paid 5 reais (about $1.60 USD) for a ham, egg, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo sandwich because my body was craving some sort of variety. It wasn’t great but it was a nice change. I skipped dinner that evening and instead watched an episode of Parts Unknown, and did some reading and writing before fading off into yet another early slumber.

DAY 4
On Tuesday morning I woke up around 7am to a lot of commotion. I thought it was just everybody making their way to another shitty breakfast, but I quickly realized people were packing up their bags. I looked at the GPS on my phone and we were nearly to Manaus. That woke me up immediately, so I got up and made my way to the front of the boat to see the sprawling city before us, which seemed to have popped up out of nowhere in the middle of the Amazon. Within the hour, the trip was complete in only about 66 hours total.

Manaus — And just like that, a city of almost two million appears out of nowhere

The trip was much more comfortable and organized than I was expecting. It’s not really a good way to see wildlife (or maybe we just weren’t looking hard enough) but you’ll get to see some interesting villages and beautiful sunsets. From what I could tell there are a lot of locals and tourists making the trip, so it’s easy to meet people on board if you’re traveling solo. But really, as long as you’re ready to relax and do nothing for a few days, you’re set. It doesn’t hurt to bring along a book or two and some snacks, but it really is very easy to just sway in your hammock and watch the scenery go by while catching up on some serious napping.

Tags Amazon, boat, Brazil, Colombia, guide, South America

Adventure Brazil Colombia Guide Outdoor Peru Solo Travel South America Tours Travel

Ten Days in the Amazon on a Budget: Part 1

Post author By Just Visiting
Post date February 4, 2015
6,500 Comments on Ten Days in the Amazon on a Budget: Part 1

Part of the reason I chose to do an extended trip through South America was because I couldn’t choose where to visit first on a short vacation: Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro, Patagonia, or the Amazon. So naturally, I decided to do them all, plus a bunch of other awesome things in between.

As part of my budget adventure, I planned on taking the three-night slow boat through the Amazon from Leticia, Colombia to Manaus, Brazil because this would only cost me $75 with all meals included, as opposed to the $700+ to fly internationally from Colombia to Brazil (more on this coming soon, stay tuned!). So naturally, it made sense to fit my Amazon experience in during my time in Leticia or Manaus.

(Aside from the cost breakdown at the end, this post is all about the two-day tour I took from Leticia. More info about the other seven days in Leticia, Manaus, and the three-night boat journey coming soon.)

My initial search for Amazon tours brought up a ton of options from Manaus. But they also seemed a bit expensive, and seeing as Manaus is a city of nearly two million, I thought it might be an odd place to go off the grid and spend some time in the secluded depths of the Amazon. Luckily when I arrived in the small tri-border town of Leticia, I met three other solo travelers who wanted to do a tour from there. Since there were four of us it ended up being about 1/3 the price that I was budgeting for one from Manaus, at 240,000 COP (roughly $100 USD). Sold.

We chose the two-day, one-night Javari tour from La Jaganga Hostel, and it was everything I wanted in a quick trip to the rainforest. We considered the three-day, two-night trip, but it really didn’t seem to offer many more activities than the two-day.

The trip took us on the Javari River which separates Peru and Brazil. The idea of an organized Amazon tour was really off-putting to me at first, but it’s pretty much the only option unless you want to end up lost in the Amazon by yourself. Luckily, this didn’t feel like a tour at all. Instead it was just us four and our guide, Francisco, and it felt like we were hanging out with a friend who was just showing us around. We didn’t see another tourist until we were heading back to Leticia on day two.

The man, Francisco, and his machete after chopping down some tree branches that once stood in our way

Here’s how our two days went:

DAY 1

We left the hostel around 8:30am in a ten-minute taxi ride to the port across the border in Tabatinga, Brazil, where we met with Francisco. With his round belly and beaming, gummy smile, we all instantly loved him. The five of us jumped in the wooden, canopied boat as Francisco turned in three different directions, pointing out Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. After crossing over to Peru for a quick, yet crucial beer run, we took a leisurely boat ride alongside pink and grey dolphins, brown water, and lush green trees.

Amazon Crew — L to R: Max the German, Josh the Aussie, Francisco the Colombian guide, and Susannah the Colombian

The perfect companion for an Amazon boat ride: rum

About three hours into the ride, we passed a house and waved at the kids as we zoomed past. Next thing we knew, Francisco was turning the boat around to take us for a visit. We climbed the stairs to the wide-open room that hovered over the water on stilts. The family of about nine kids and four adults sat inside, grating and cooking yucca, and spoke Portuguese despite being on the Peruvian side. The kids were in charge of peeling and cutting up the yucca before handing it off to the women to press through a machine and then grating it by hand. Then the man cooked it in a giant pan over a fire, and us gringos ate it by the handful.

After our afternoon snack, we continued down the river to another house which was one of only a couple that we passed during the whole 3-4 hour boat ride. Like the last, this house was also on stilts. Since it’s rainy season and the forest is flooded we weren’t able to find dry land to hang up the hammocks, so we stayed the night in this house. It was basically two separate “houses” joined by a short outdoor walkway. One was a fantastic, huge kitchen complete with hammocks, a portable cooktop, a wooden table and bench seats. The other was two stories high, and the main sleeping quarters. The top floor appeared to be for the family, and us guests were split up into rooms: boys in one, girls in the other. Each room had two mosquito-net covered beds and mesh windows that looked right out at the river. The three bathrooms each had a refreshing shower that used rainwater from a tub on the roof, and for the most part you felt like you were showering outside. Quite honestly, it was kind of like a wilderness dream house.

An inside shot of the main sleeping area of the house we stayed in. The downstairs had several different rooms and three bathrooms which you can see into there in the back.

The kitchen — The ginormous kitchen and baby Victoria who was very curious about my camera

View from the front door of the house. The room in the back is the kitchen area.

Neighbors — I think the family owned this house too, right next door

I unloaded my bag in the room and went for a quick swim because I couldn’t resist playing with the most adorable puppy ever who was climbing on some scraps of wood in front of the house. The water was only about thigh-high, a further reminder that the flooded area around the house is actually dry land during the dry season. Totally unimaginable.

The family prepared us food which was surprisingly phenomenal. I thought it would be a lot of bland rice and beans like most tours, but again, this was nothing like a normal tour. We had yucca, potatoes and beans, lentils, arepas, pork chops, eggs, fish, piranha, pasta, cucumber and onion salad, carambola juice, camu camu juice, spaghetti, and a few other things I didn’t really recognize but loved the taste. It was like eating at an old friend’s mom’s house; they fed us well and there was a ton food every time we sat down.

The family was so friendly. Apparently they live in town, but they built this house as their kind of getaway house, and to host tourists for an extra income. My only regret is that I didn’t speak more Spanish or Portuguese so that I could’ve conversed with them more like the two in our group who were fluent in Spanish.

After we ate, we set out on the boat again to visit a wildlife conservation area, which looked just like another house on stilts in the middle of the rainforest. When we pulled up in the boat two monkeys immediately ran aboard, climbing on our heads, curling up in our laps, and almost instantly finding and devouring the bag of camu camu berries we’d just picked. The whole time we wandered the property, the monkeys followed us around curiously, hanging from the trees while snacking on fruit and watching our every move.

Monkey — My flash accidentally went off (seriously, I never use a flash) and this monkey jumped and ran after me while screaming. Scariest moment in the Amazon so far.

Then we got the chance to play with an anaconda that was contained in a wooden shack. Snakes don’t scare me, so I wasn’t so much worried about it biting or choking me as I was about not being strong enough to lift it or take it off without dropping it to the ground and pissing it off. Turns out, with a little help, it wasn’t as heavy as I’d thought and I managed to get a photo with it.

Prehistoric Turtle — I think this was called a Mata Mata Turtle, some sort of prehistoric turtle that’s only found in the Amazon region

En español, we learned a bit about the gigantic nearly-extinct arapaima fish and some pretty awesome looking turtles, when suddenly we heard this loud, barreling train-like noise, and looked over to see a wall of rain pouring down about a half mile away and a rainbow forming right in front of us. With my camera and lenses in my hand, two of us sought shelter under the house along with a dog and her pups, a few chickens, and a little girl, while everyone else went up into the house.

After the brief rainstorm, the sky cleared and we headed to a lagoon to watch the sun set while pink dolphins swam around us. It was definitely one of those “holy shit I’m in the Amazon Rainforest” moments, where my dreams as a third grader were finally fulfilled. Now if only I could figure out a way to see dinosaurs and make it to outer space, third grade Kim would be so jealous.

We went back to a delicious candlelight dinner when I realized, and revealed, that this was my first candlelight dinner ever. I think everyone laughed at me. Afterwards, Max and I headed out on a canoe to search for some of the nocturnal animals of the Amazon with the neighbor. This guy had a flashlight that could easily illuminate trees fifty feet away as he searched for the different creatures of the night. It was all kinds of awesome just paddling around this wide open lagoon under the light from a nearly full moon and hundreds of stars. We floated around to the choir of jungle animals as our guide pointed out the different sounds of monkeys, tree rats, frogs, and other Amazonian creatures.

Every so often he’d spot a pair of red eyes and paddle closer. Before I knew it he was pulling small caimans into the boat, letting us hold them before throwing them back in the water. They seemed to freeze up as soon as you touched them, and when we threw them back in the water they swayed their body back and forth like they were still in shock before disappearing.

We also saw a snake swimming through the water, a wide-eyed owl perched on a branch only a few feet away, a tarantula clinging to the side of a tree, and I nearly bashed my face into a bat that was hanging on the side of a branch before it got startled and flew away. It was a truly amazing experience that I couldn’t believe the other two had missed out on by going to bed early.

When we got back, Francisco was partying down with some cachaça caipirinhas he’d mixed up. I tried one but it was a bit too sweet for me, and since I was the only non-Spanish speaker still in the room, I got ready for bed and retired for the night by 10pm.

DAY 2

It started getting light out at the absurd hour of 430AM and the family started stirring about just as early. I looked out the window to see grey skies and decided there wouldn’t be a great sunrise so I went back to sleep.

At a slightly more reasonable hour (about 7AM) I finally got up and showered. After another delicious breakfast, we set out in a canoe to go piranha fishing, which was probably the most hilarious experience of the entire two days. Five of us piled into what probably should’ve been a three-person canoe, without life jackets, and set out again with the neighbor guy. The water was about an inch from spilling into the boat and flooding us out, as we cautiously turned our way into the jungle. Every slight move tipped us to the side as I regretted bringing my SLR on board, so I shoved it in my waterproof bag for safe keeping. After about a half hour we ended up in a pretty strong current, which had us bashing into branches, careening straight for a tree. Josh, the Aussie in our group who was paddling in the front, looked for direction on which way to go but the tide carried us much quicker than the guide could direct us. We crashed right into the tree as Josh calmly stood up, quietly mumbled some profanities, and jumped into the water without even rocking the boat. I knew something had happened, but the slow rate at which he calculated his next move and jumped out without capsizing us was rather impressive. Just as quickly, I realized that he’d just ran right into a swarm of wasps when I saw at least a hundred of them flying around a grey nest. Both Josh and the paddle were being pushed downstream with the current and we kind of just sat there watching as the guide backed us up away from the wasps. Josh eventually climbed back on board with stings all over his face and neck, and I held off on making fun of him until later in the evening.

About an hour and a half after setting out, we dropped our poles (sticks with fishing line and a hook tied on, baited with fish) into the water right in the middle of some shrubbery. Almost immediately I could feel the piranhas biting, but the first few times I pulled the hook up those bitches robbed me of my bait.

Now you should know that I’m a fairly poor sport. I’m fiercely competitive when it comes to dumb shit. I learned early on that I suck at sports and it’s a waste of energy to get pissed because I suck at soccer, basketball, kickball, running, etc. I just do what I can and have fun. But when it comes to things like bowling, beer pong, Mario Kart, tejo, and apparently fishing, I get livid when things don’t go my way. I focus intently and the only words to leave my mouth are usually curse words. So you can imagine the scene as we all sat quietly in a canoe while the piranhas stole my limited bait right off my hook.

Then the guide caught one.

Then Josh caught one.

Then I got pissed.

Using that anger, on the next nibble I yanked the hook right from the water and voila—a piranha! I shouted a few obscenities, took some pictures, and to add insult to injury to the piranha, the bait was still in tact when we took it off the hook. I dropped the line back down into the water and felt another bite. Again, I pulled a second piranha up less than 20 seconds later, with the same piece of bait. Talk about killing two fish with one piece of bait, suckersss!

I was on a roll. At this point, Josh had also caught two and stopped for a smoke, Susannah had given up a long time ago, and I put another piece of bait on my hook. We only had a couple of pieces of bait left, and after my adrenaline wore off I realized what a dick I was for baiting up again when Max had yet to catch a fish and was still trying. After another piranha robbed me of that piece, I reluctantly put the pole down and decided to chill out and let Max try to wrangle one in with the last pieces of bait. He didn’t, by the way.

The ride back to the house wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the ride in, as the guide took the helm and guided us through a calmer area full of giant Amazon water lilies. We returned for our last delicious lunch which also included the freshly prepared piranha. They don’t have much meat on their bones, but piranha meat is delicious. It’s not fishy at all, just super juicy and tender.

Amazon Water Lilies — The giant Amazon water lilies are lined with spikes underneath to ward off predators, and can support around 20kg, if not more

Fish lunch — I took this pic through the green mesh screen of the girls preparing our fish right in the river. If I spoke their language I would’ve offered to help.

Sorry not sorry, piranhas. Thanks for being delicious.

Around 2pm we packed up and left the house for another leisurely ride back to Leticia. We saw toucans and tons of other colorful birds flying in the sky, sloths slowly climbing amongst the leaves, huge towering ceiba kapok trees, and all in all completely different scenery as we cut through the jungle.

I don’t really know what’s going on here, but we were trying to take an interesting selfie.

We made it back to Leticia around sunset, as James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” BLARED from the Peruvian border. Definitely a weird choice considering how little English music I’ve heard down here, but it gave us a good laugh.

Should you do it?

Duh, that goes without saying. Visiting the Amazon was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had so far, and I barely scratched the surface. It was a fantastic two days and I really think we saw and did a lot. If you do the same tour during the dry season you’ll probably have more options to hike through the rainforest, sleep in hammocks outdoors, and possibly see even more wildlife. But we definitely got to see much more than I thought we would, and I can’t recommend this experience enough. I would love to go back during the dry season and do a longer trip, but come on, $100 for two days of transportation, food, lodging, and activities? Totally worth it. It’s worth noting that the more people you have, the cheaper it is. And if you need a translator you will pay even more, so it helps to have at least one person in your group be fluent in both Spanish and your native language.

Pricing breakdown for ten days in the Amazon region:
Flight from Bogotá to Leticia: $112 (though one guy I met said he booked one for $40, I have no idea how)
Three nights at La Jangada Hostel in Leticia: $30
Two-day, one-night tour: $100
Three-night boat from Leticia to Manaus: $75 (more on this adventure coming soon!)
Two nights in Manaus: $21 (I redeemed hotel points for a free stay, just had to pay taxes. But you can find a hostel for just as cheap.)

Grand total: $338, averaging about $33.80 per day, plus a little extra for food in Leticia and Manaus.

Tags Adventure, Amazon, Amazonas, Brazil, Colombia, guide, Javari River, Leticia, Nature, Outdoors, Peru, rainforest, South America, Tabatinga