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Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Amazon Tupana Lodge, Manaus, Amazonas

By Alison McGowan June 23, 2010 I had heard good recommendations for the Amazon Tupana before I even came to the Amazon, so I knew it would be excellent, but having never been to a jungle lodge before had little idea of what to really expect. As it turned out it was very similar to other hidden pousadas in size and atmosphere - 10 apartments and 2 bungalows and - but this is way off the beaten track, only accessible by river and only for those who like their jungle and river excursions as part of a pre-planned package. Like most places of this sort the Amazon Tupana works on an all-inclusive basis, with transfers and all meals included in the price. Every day has a programme of activities - including Cayman spotting, jungle walking, piranha fishing and visiting local riverside dwellers and guides are chosen on the basis of fluency in languages other than Portuguese in addition to knowledge and experience. There are a good number of jungle lodges located in the Amazon region, with varying standards of accommodation and varying prices to match. Amazon Tupana is definitely the one which offers the best value for money of the lot, and it undoubtedly has the best food but don‘t expect luxury for the price. Rooms are good sized with nice sheets, en-suite shower-rooms, screened windows and a veranda with hammock, but there is no soundproofing to the apartments and the low power "generator" electricity is only on for a few hours every day which means you can‘t see what you look like in the bathroom mirror, really cold drinks are sometimes hard to find and reading a book in the evening requires an additional torch. Owners Walter and Conceicao bought the place a couple of years ago and since then they have been busy making improvements, building new accommodation and a new restaurant with views over the river. There are still things in the planning stage, but don`t expect air-conditioning, TV, music, internet and mobile phone coverage anytime soon. What you get instead is an oasis of peace, where in addition to the excellent service, you get showered with affection by Conchita the monkey and Romeo the anteater. And all around you is the constant quiet hum of the green green jungle. The Amazon Tupana lodge is situated on the banks on the Tupana river and getting there is an adventure in itself, including 3 boat rides of various types and just over a hundred miles of TransAmazonian highway which runs southwest from Manaus to Porto Velho, deteriorating into constant potholes after the first 50 or so miles. Don‘t expect air conditioned luxury as you are just as likely to get a VW van which has seen better days, but the scenery on the first and last boat journeys is definitely worth seeing and includes the famous "Meeting of the Waters" where the brown River Solimoes runs alongside the black Rio Negro and eventually becomes the Amazon. On a good day the hotel transfer from airport or pousada in Manaus to the lodge should take you about four and a half hours. But that is if you don‘t get torrential rain, and the guide isn‘t taken unexpectedly sick, and the fast launch isn‘t out of action and the canoe isn‘t stuck in the sinking mud. All of those things happened on our trip and we finally made it several hours late, sodden, muddy and hungry - but just in time for dinner. That number of unforeseen things is unlikely to ever repeat itself - in quite the same combination at least - but it is as well to take as little luggage as possible, to be prepared for minor inconveniences and have a rain jacket and torch to hand just in case it does. The Amazon Tupana is a true Brazilian hideaway and like most hideaways getting there isn‘t that easy, but it is definitely worth it when you do arrive - and then you are right in the middle of the Amazon Jungle. Not To Be Missed - Meeting of the waters - Night time cayman spotting - Piranha fishing - Guided jungle walks - Overnighting in the jungle - Visits to riverside communities Starpoints * Spacious comfortable rooms * Excellent service * Consistently good buffet food * Lodge pets - Conchita the monkey and Romeo the ant-eater Try a Different Place if... ... you can‘t stand heat and humidity or affectionate monkeys, or you don‘t like being completely cut off from the outside world. Alison is a British writer, musician, and marketing consultant, based in Rio de Janeiro. She can be contacted on alison@hiddenpousadasbrazil.com. Visit her site at http://www.hiddenpousadasbrazil.com/. Previous articles by Alison: Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada do Capao, Serro, Minas Gerais Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Luar do Rosario, Milho Verde, Minas Gerais Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada d'Oleo de Guignard, Tiradentes, Minas Gerais Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Chalé Oasis, Galinhos, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Bela Vista, Novo Airão, Amazonas Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Beijo do Vento, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Agua de Coco, Ceara Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Artjungle Eco Lodge & Spa, Itacare, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Alcino Estalagem, Lençois, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada 0031, Cumbuco, Ceará Brazil: Maguire‘s Guesthouse, Manaus, Amazonas Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Hotel Casa do Amarelindo, Salvador, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Hotel BeloAlter, Alter do Chão, Pará Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Fazenda Santa Marina, Santana dos Montes, Minas Gerais Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Casarão da Amazônia, Soure, Ilha de Marajo, Pará Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Casa Mila, nr. Ubatuba, São Paulo Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Casa Beleza, Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Bambu Bamboo Pousada and Spa, Parati, Rio de Janeiro Random Ramblings on the Weather in Brazil Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Beijamar, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Hotel 7 Colinas, Pernambuco Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada dos Quatro Cantos, Pernambuco Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Estrela do Mar, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Vivenda, Rio de Janeiro Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada da Terra, Minas Gerais Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada Mirante de Pipa, Rio Grande do Norte Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada do Caju, Alagoas Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Pousada da Amendoeira, Alagoas Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Estalagem Caiuia, Alagoas Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Lagoa do Cassange, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Ponta do Muta, Bahia Brazil: Hidden Pousadas - Santa Clara, Boipeba, Bahia

6/23/2010