Arrive in Manaus after flying over the green expanse of the Amazon Rainforest, and be met at the airport for transfer to the Tropical Hotel on the edge of the Rio Negro. The rest of the day is free to spend at your leisure. You can get to know Manaus, the city at the heart of The Amazon Jungle, or you can spend your time enjoying the facilities of Brazil’s largest luxury hotel. With 2 swimming pools, 5 tennis courts, sauna, beauty parlor, shopping arcade, an orchid house, and even a small zoo, spending time in your hotel can be as busy or as relaxed as you wish. For the evening, there are 5 bars with live music and shows available, plus 2 restaurants where you can sample some of the river’s 3000 species of fish.

At dawn the ship arrives at the entrance of the Manacapuru River. The Sunrise Lovers Breakfast, which is available every day on the sun deck, allows you to enjoy the dawn chorus, a very special time of every Amazon day. There is also a later breakfast for those who prefer not to wake up so early, after which a morning trek and photo safari takes you through the Manacapuru region and into the jungle. A boat trip through the flooded forests and channels (Igapós and Igarapés) is also possible. Lunch is taken in the restaurant during the journey to Alligator Lake, where piranha fishing and bird-watching are afternoon excursions, while night-time caiman alligator spotting after dinner takes place from much smaller boats. You can learn how it is possible to gauge the size of the alligators, from the tiniest up to 6m long, by seeing the reflection from their eyes at night. You may even be able to hold one of the smaller specimens with the help of your experienced guide! Live music in the Moon Ballroom and at the Sun Deck bar provide nightly entertainment. (Meals – B, L, D)

Breakfast can be taken while observing the bizarre natural phenomenon that is the Meeting of the Waters. Around 10km downstream from Manaus, two huge rivers – the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimões – meet but refuse to mix for around 8km. The acidic waters of the Negro gain the dark color from the soils and vegetation of the lowland forests to the north of Manaus, and the river flows slower and is warmer than the Solimões, which is rich in nutrients and organic matter. The differing densities ensure the phenomenon occurs in the middle of the river. Only after these rivers mix does the giant river known as the Amazon continue for the 1500km journey to the Atlantic Ocean. The ship returns to Manaus for passengers taking the shorter option to disembark, and for those beginning the cruise with the Rio Negro section to board. Passengers continuing the journey have the day to enjoy lunch and the facilities of the vessel such as the swimming pools. Cocktails, dinner and evening entertainment are all provided. (Meals – B, L, D)

After breakfast on the sun deck or in the restaurant, small boats called tenders will take you through the Igarapés for a trek through the jungle and a visit to Novo Airão. This is the best place on the Amazon River to see the river dolphins. There are five types of freshwater dolphins in the world, but only one type of pink dolphin. They live in only two of South America’s major river systems and can be seen from very close up on this tour. There are three colors of dolphin at Novo Airão, some grey, some grey with a pink underside, and some that are totally pink. All three types are very friendly and seem to enjoy the company of humans. You can swim and play with them and even feed them if you take a little care. With the steamy Amazon Jungle around you, and the waters of the giant river keeping you cool, this is guaranteed to be a truly memorable experience for any adventurous traveler. After lunch, the afternoon can be spent on a photo safari or fishing for piranha in Lake Aracari. Alligator spotting at night follows dinner. (Meals – B, L, D)

Bird-watching as the sun rises over Rio Puduari is especially dramatic, with flocks of macaws, parrots, parakeets and toucans, and many more all competing to make the most noise. Occasional iridescent kingfishers and hummingbirds glisten in the morning sun, while swifts dive spectacularly to catch insects on the surface of the water. Herons, storks, and ibis’ fly ahead of boats along the waterways, while there may also be an eagle or two calmly surveying the scene from the tops of the trees. After breakfast, you can disembark to trek through the jungle on the side of Rio Puduari. Lunch is taken during the journey to Alligator Island, where you can take a photo safari or an excursion through the magnificent Igarapé Aturiá during the afternoon. During the evening, dinner will be enjoyed in the restaurant and music and dancing will take place in the Moon Ballroom. (Meals – B, L, D)

Breakfast is followed by trekking and a photo safari at Rio Cuieiras. On treks such as these your guide will teach you some of the tricks that have helped indigenous people to survive in the jungle for thousands of years. Learn how to make fire without matches, how to make a hammock from palm leaves, and which trees can be used to obtain rubber and chewing gum; both of which originated in the Amazon. The green jungle will be filled with birds and butterflies; their explosive colors ranging in size from the smallest sparks of yellow to bigger flashes of neon blue and florescent orange. A visit to the local community at Cambebas follows, where you can learn how the native people have adapted to living on the edge of the jungle in places where the water level varies by as high as 15m. During lunch, the ship travels to Praia Grande where you can cruise the flooded forest in tender boats before having some free time to relax on the river beach. A folkloric show provides the after-dinner entertainment, with the stories of the local Guaraná Indian legends. (Meals - B, L, D)

Breakfast is taken at the Meeting of The Waters before the ship returns to Manaus in the morning where your cruise ends. You will be transferred from the port to the airport. (Meals – B)

CAT Tip - Make the most of the trip: Choose to spend an extra night at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus on your return to the city. You can also take in a show or watch opera on the edge of the jungle!