Although the majority of travellers use Manaus as their gateway to the Amazon - and it is the capital of Amazonas state and boasts several architectural wonders such as the Opera House - I recently discovered a better way to explore the world's mightiest river, setting out from the lesser known city of Santarem. Upon landing at the airport we were met by a driver from the company who operate the river boat, and were delivered to the pier where the boat was moored.
After being welcomed aboard, my new wife and I were shown to our stateroom - where a cold drink was waiting for us. We were the only guests aboard as our British travel agency Dehouche, based in Rio de Janeiro, had booked the boat privately on our behalf. Accompanying us on our voyage of discovery were the skipper, first mate, cook and fluent English speaking guide. We spent 4 wonderful nights cruising along the Amazon and a couple of it's minor tributaries, often in splendid isolation with no other boats or people in sight, making the whole experience feel somewhat pioneering as we bestrode the deck like the great explorers of yesteryear.
The food and service during the entire voyage were of an incredible standard - especially when one remembered that one was in the midlle of the planet's largest jungle; Dehouche had even rung ahead and got the boat stocked up with the wine that I requested! 3 excellent meals a day were prepared with fresh local ingredients, and a snack or drink were always available. The quality of the food was much higher than in any of the Amazon jungle lodges that I had previously stayed in on dry land. The cabin was also extremely comfortable and certainly better than sleeping in a hammock amongst the trees and being pestered by bugs. There was never a dull moment as the crew always had some form of entertainment on offer - although when we wanted to simply relax on the deck with a caipirinha in hand they were perfectly understanding. The activities available range from kayaking to fishing to treks through the jungle. For those who want a real experience on their honeymoon I recommend contacting Dehouche about this trip; when combined with several days on one of Brazil's glorious deserted beaches it really does make for the honeymoon of a lifetime.
Contact
Mr P Irvine
Dehouche S.A,
Rua Joao Lira, 95
Leblon 22430-210
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
tel US: 0800 690 6899,
UK: 0871 284 7770
info@dehouche.com
http://www.dehouche.com
Tel: +55 21 2512 3895
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