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Covering approximately 5.5 million square kilometres across nine countries, the Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest and home to around 10% of its biodiversity, including over 1,500 species of birds. Brazil just happens to contain 60% of this vast ecosystem, made all the more luscious by the vast, coursing rivers, and inhabited by thousands upon thousands of unique creatures. Embark on guided hikes where three-toed sloths loll overhead and giant anteaters crunch through the undergrowth, cruise along one of the many waterways where pink dolphins and giant otters glide alongside you, or zoom through the canopy via zipline as toucans and tanagers take flight. After a day bursting with adventure, there’s no better feeling than retreating to your jungle lodge for a feast of rich Amazonian dishes as the forest swells with the sounds and sights of the night.
The meeting place of luscious rainforest, the tawny Cerrado savannah and Brazil’s famous Pantanal wetlands, Mato Grosso represents the Amazon in transition. But that just means you get the best of three worlds. For one thing, the foliage is far less dense so you’ll find the wildlife is easier to spot, whether you’re after howler monkeys or hyacinth macaws – and the birding is particularly glorious in the north. There is also a superb list of adventures on which to embark, from boating along the shimmering Cristalino River and swimming in clear waterfall pools to exploring the forested trails of Alta Floresta. And hey, look in the right place and you may just spy a jaguar staring back at you.
A singularly magnificent place where snaking rivers wind their way through lowland forest, before finally meeting their end on the Atlantic Coast, Pará is a reintroduction to the Amazon you thought you knew. In areas like Alter do Chão, you might believe you’re in the Caribbean with its white-sand river beaches and crystal-clear water, while inland adventures will take you into the realm of endemic birdlife, armadillos and sloths. Within the immense Xingu basin, discover a stronghold of ancient tradition and deep-seated culture, where the indigenous peoples demonstrate their powerful bond with the wild. Depending on the time of year, you could also catch an array of colourful festivals. From cruising beside pink river dolphins to sampling unique cuisines, Pará will have you mesmerised.
Namibrand, Namibia
