Alter do Chão, Brazil
Monday February 24, 2025
Today we are anchored off of Alter do Chão. The first thing we noticed, before we even left the ship, was the plethora of different colors and sizes of the moths and butterflies that are visiting the ship.
We tendered into town without any definite plans. The last few days have been very full and memorable. We have learned so much about the culture of the people and the amazing plants and animals that make this area home. My brain is full!!
Once we got into town though, many opportunities presented themselves, and the next thing we knew we were in a small boat, with a local guide, and heading up a small lake to look for wildlife! This was a fabulous experience!
This is a lake about 40 minutes from Santarém. The blue dot is where our guide took us to discover other aspects of the rainforest, including birds and animals.
"Charlie" was our boat captain and guide, and he knew this area very well. He took us to the quiet and green parts of the lake and was a magnificent bird spotter.
The most famous attraction in this area is the Ilha do Amor, or Love Island. Even though it is called an island, it is actually a sandy peninsula between the Tapajós River and Lago Verde.
Here is the area where we saw the wildlife. The boat navigated into flooded areas where the water covered up about 5-8 feet of the trees, so in some places we were navigating among tree tops. Absolutely beautiful:
New birds:
And here is a very cool non-bird animal:
This snake is highly venomous and part of the pit viper family, almost always found in shrubbery, palms and trees and anywhere in the vicinity of water. It can grow to be 28-39 inches in length. When we saw it, the snake was slithering along the branch.
Once we returned from the boat ride, we went to the beach to check it out. We waded out into the river water and it was very warm.
It will take us two sea days to exit the Amazon River and re-enter the Atlantic Ocean. Our next stop will be French Guiana on Feb. 27. We hope you enjoyed our blogs from the Amazon Rainforest. We sincerely enjoy sharing our experiences!!
Love the picture of the Caracara. I am always fascinated by birds of prey. What a great trip through the. Amazon!
Wow, what an experience
Thoroughly enjoyed your travel blog. Thx for sharing your experiences with all who viewed.
The crested caracara is beautiful! Glad you guys stuck your feet in a the water. Sounds like a fun, impromptu day! Enjoy the journey back home. In my mind the ship is just reversing backwards down the Amazon making that annoying beeping noise.