Dear Partners,
In August, our team recently embarked on an unforgettable journey to the lower Amazon, more exactly, the charming State of Pará. During this trip, we had the opportunity to explore the surroundings of Alter do Chão, the city of Belém, and the incredible Marajó island.
In order to highlight each of these destinations thoroughly, we will cover them in two publications. The first being dedicated to Alter do Chão and the second to Belém and Ilha do Marajó.
Day 1 – Alter do Chão, a hidden gem in the heart of the Amazon.
We started our journey in wonderful Alter do Chão, located about 30km west of Santarém (the point of entry for those flying into this part of the Amazon). Alter do Chão boasts one of the most beautiful river beaches in Brazil, although it only appears during the low water season, from August until December.
Arriving early afternoon, we were greeted by a delicious Amazonian lunch of freshwater fish, served with regional fruit juice. After our meal and a well-deserved rest, we went out to explore this captivating village. The central plaza is the meeting point, a charming place on the river front, with a variety of restaurants, market stalls, and street artists.
The first surprise of the trip wasn’t too far away. At Dona Gloria’s bar, known to locals as the “Canto do Chorinho”, local musicians meet every Friday evening to play typical Brazilian rhythms, characterised by compelling melodies and improvised instruments. Dona Gloria’s bar quickly becomes overcrowded, and people spill out onto the street, stopping traffic. However, this only adds to the atmosphere and makes the experience more special. It is a favourite for local families to unwind at the start of their weekend and it felt like a truly immersive experience.
Every Thursday evening, the village’s main square is the stage for the “Quinta do Mestre”, a wonderful show of Carimbó, traditional Brazilian folk music and dance, characterised by lively rhythms, and colourful costumes. It originates from the State of Pará, blending indigenous, African and European influences.
Day 2 – FLONA (Tapajos National Forest)
Our encounter with the imposing Floresta Nacional dos Tapajós (FLONA) was scheduled for the second day of our visit. The forest is home to rich biodiversity, from the small agouti to the enormous Sumaúma tree, a centennial tree of over 50 metres tall. This full day excursion set off from the village port by speed boat and it took us little over an hour to reach the Jamaraquá community. Passing by numerous beaches and local communities enroute, the river shows its grandeur as it progressively widens to a point where it becomes difficult to see the opposite shore.
Upon disembarking at the Jamaraquá community, we were welcomed by Vavá, our native guide who accompanied us through the approximately 9 km trail in the forest, which took around 5 hours of walking at a moderate pace.
Vavá showed us how special it is to have a native guide, who not only knows, but lives and breathes the forest. He was able to show us something new around every bend, from the various trees and plants and their use, to how to protect ourselves from insects with the natural scent of Tapiba ants. The trail started off at a flat area surrounded by secondary vegetation. As we proceeded, the forest became denser and the trail steeper, and soon we reached primary vegetation, where we encountered the forest giants, such as the Piquia, Cumaru, Carapanauba and, the biggest of all, the majestic Sumaúma.
The steep terrain presented us with a beautiful viewpoint, enabling us to see the forest “breathing”, with vapour rising above the top of the trees to form clouds. During the second half of the trail, we crossed a small igarape, a creek which starts in the forest and empties into the river, the perfect opportunity for a break and swim in the refreshing waters.
Back around 3pm, we were welcomed with a delicious lunch, prepared by the community restaurant. After enjoying yet more delicious fresh fish, we took the journey back to our hotel in Alter do Chão, but not without a stop to enjoy and amazing sunset. Wow, what a wonderful day!
Day 3 – Jari Canal
After a good night’s sleep, we recovered our strengths and headed back to the village port to start the third day of our trip. This day didn’t require the same physical effort as the previous day, but nonetheless, the excursion was just as fascinating. The destination of the day was the Jari Canal.
Jari is a narrow canal between the Tapaós and the Amazon, which is home to a great number of birds and other animals. This experience can be summarised by two main stops along the way: the homes of Dona Rosangela and Dona Dulce. These two women embody great strength and sustainability, preserving the forest, while living off it. Rosangela, or Rosa, as she is better known, built her traditional home in the flooded forest, using stilts to cope with the varying water level. Rosa’s home is the starting point of an enchanting trip by canoe (wet season) or walk (dry season).
During our visit she took us in one of her canoes through the flooded forest. Navigating between treetops is an indescribable experience. The reflection of the sun in the river created a painting of branches and leaves in the water. We saw sloths, herons, and other animals, but nothing was as fun to watch as the small monkeys that followed the canoe, jumping from branch to branch.
Our second stop was at Dona Dulce’s home. She welcomed us with a warm and captivating smile and quickly invited us to come in and see her charming garden of Victoria Regia’s. Dulce interacts with visitors in a charming and enthusiastic way. While everyone sat around the table, she showed us a wide variation of delicacies and dishes made from the roots, stems, leaves, and the flower of this giant waterlily. Dulce enlightened us with her mix of scientific knowledge, cooking skills, and exuberant presentation. We thoroughly enjoyed the tasting session that followed, and as was to be expected, the home-made, lily-based tempura, chips, French toast, jam, pickles, and quiche, delighted everyone’s taste buds.
The journey back to the hotel during sunset was filled with impressions of all the natural beauty and remarkable people we met in this secluded corner of the Amazon.
From here we will head to Belém and Marajó island, subject of our next publication of Ideia Tours on the Road.
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