Tucano yacht, Galapagos Islands, Brazil

Tucano is a very comfortable and stylish exploration vessel, based in Manaus, Brazil, which has been running much-acclaimed cruises in the Amazon for over 15 years.

The cruise
The Heart of Amazonia 7 night/8 days cruise explores some of the most untouched rainforest in all of the Amazon. The cruise begins in Manaus and ventures far up the Rio Negro to an area very rarely visited. With the naturalist guides you actively seek out the unique plants and animals in this primeval forest. You get out into the forest and explore - not simply watch from the deck of the vessel, through daily walks in the forest. Some days you swim off deserted beaches in water as pure and clean as rainwater. You are always treated to vistas of wild rainforest stretching as far as the eye can see.

Tucano sails upstream on the Rio Negro as far as a major river called the Rio Branco, about 200 miles from Manaus. The vessel mostly navigates smaller tributaries because that is where wildlife is still found in abundance. You will explore many different rainforest habitats. On the last day Tucano travels to the meeting of the waters of the world's two largest rivers: The Amazon River and the Rio Negro. more

The vessel
Tucano has 9 comfortable cabins with large beds and private baths, is air-conditioned throughout, and is only for small groups of up to 18 pax. The top deck is open and has a large sun canopy - a wonderful place to spot wildlife or soak in the vastness of the Amazon. There is also space to catch some sun and watch the Macaw parrots screeching across the afternoon sky. The middle deck has a wide balcony around the entire front of the boat. Passengers can see where we are going and observe monkeys jumping from one vine to another.

Per person in double occupancy cabin 2008

8 days / 7 nights (Sun-Sun)
$ 2,300

Per person in double occupancy cabin 2009

8 days / 7 nights (Sun-Sun)
$ 2,400

* Rates subject to change, without notice

Year	Seasons
2008	Prices are the same throughout the year unless indicated in the notes.

What's included

Prices are per person, double occupancy. Accommodations, transfers as indicated in the itinerary, meals as indicated in the itinerary. Bottled water served free of charge on the M/Y Tucano. Prices and itineraries are subject to change without notice.

What's not included

Any airfare, departure taxes, visa fees, items of a personal nature.

Notes

Single Travelers
No single supplement will be charged if the passenger is willing to share with another same sex passenger. Guests may request single occupancy with a fare supplement of 40% of the cruise cost. Single accommodations on the cruise may not always be available. The single cabins on the boat are not as large as the double cabins.

Triple Cabins
Some of the cabins on the M/Y Tucano can accept three travelers. This is helpful for families. In cabins "3" and "4" a third narrow bed can be placed between the single beds. Cabin "0" has a queen size bed and also a single bed. There is no discount for triple occupancy; passengers pay the double rate.

Cabin Assignments
Unless specific cabins are reserved when passengers sign up for a trip, cabin assignments are made at our discretion. Subject to availability, the larger cabins on board the vessel are assigned without additional charge. If however, two passengers would like to guarantee a particular cabin, there is a reservation fee of $300 per cabin. Cabin reservations are on a first come/ first serve basis and are subject to availability. All of the cabins on Tucano are outside cabins with windows, private baths, air conditioning, and hot water showers. Four of the cabins are larger than the others and have single size beds side by side. These are cabins numbered 3, 4, 5 and 6. In order to accommodate parties of three travelers, we are able to insert a third narrow bed. Cabin "0", has a queen size bed beside a single bed. Four cabins have a single size mattress above and a single sized mattress below. These are cabins numbered 1, 2, 7 and 8. Please note that passengers that have chosen single accommodations and pay the single supplement will be assigned one of the smaller cabins. Passengers that travel as singles and are willing to share accommodations may not reserve a particular cabin.

Discounts for Children
On regular departures children 14 years and under who share a room with an adult are eligible for a discount of 20% off the Cruise Rate, subject to cabin availability.

Family Departures
All of our trips are family friendly, but the scheduled "Family Departures" include some additional activities suitable for children. On these departures children 14 years and younger can travel at a discount of 50% from the Rate.

Airport Transfers in Manaus
Airport transfers are included in the cruise cost no matter when the passengers arrive. All airport transfers are to and from the international airport and the Hotel Tropical, Manaus.

Hotel Nights
We strongly recommend that passengers spend one night in Manaus in a hotel prior to the cruise. On request, we can book reservations at the five star Hotel Tropical where the Motor Yacht Tucano boards passengers. Check-in time is 12:00pm. Early check-in is available at additional cost.

Optional tour of Manaus
A three hour early morning tour of Manaus is available at the end of the trip for the cost of $60. The tour consists of a visit to the boisterous Mercado Municipal of Manaus and the Teatro da Amazonas, the famed opera house of the Amazon. Included are the services of an English speaking guide, entrance fees, and transportation to and from the Hotel Tropical. Please note that most museums are closed on Sundays and Holidays.

Charter Costs
Please contact us regarding chartering the vessel. A charter is when your family or your group plans a trip on the Tucano for yourselves alone. It is perfect for a family trip, a group special, or for a company retreat. The vessel is available for charter throughout the year. An itinerary customized to your interests and also budget is feasible. Since there are countless interesting places to go in the Amazon we can be assured of operating an interesting itinerary.

Sample 7 days Itinerary
Day 1	Depart Manaus, Brazil And ecplorer the river Apuaú
Day 2	Explore the giant lake, Lago Turia
Day 3	Lago Buriti
Day 4	Scout the river Jaueperi
Day 5	Descending the Rio Negro
Day 6	Visit the small town Novo Airao
Day 7	Explore the Amazon River and the meeting with Rio Negro
Day 8	Return Manaus

Amazonia

Below are diagrams of each of the three decks of Tucano. Passenger cabins are indicated by drawn beds. This symbol stands for windows. There are many, all of them open and close, and they are large permitting the Amazon breeze scented with blossoms to waft into the cabins (unless you choose to close them and the curtains too).

All of the 9 cabins on Tucano are outside cabins with large windows and private bathrooms. Each cabin is air-conditioned with its own thermostat. All the cabins are comfortable and have private baths. The Salon is at the front of the boat affording splendid views of the rainforest throughout the day. The Salon is also air-conditioned, though in the cool of the day we generally leave the windows open to breathe the fresh air scented by Amazon blossoms.

Observation
Deck

This deck is open and an exceptional place to observe wildlife. The forward balcony allows views to the front and into the treetops. From beneath the sun canopy we see the world's greatest collection of birds and the occasional monkey cavorting in the branches.From the top deck there is wilderness as far as the eye can see.The top deck is a wonderful place to lounge around as we cruise along the wilderness river.

Middle
Deck

The balcony around the front of the boat is a wonderful place to pull up a chair and observe the forest close up. The salon is airy and has windows all the way around. All of the walls are paneled in lovely hardwood.Two cabins on this deck have a single beds seperated by a night stand. Two other cabins have a bunk bed with a twin size mattress above and below. All of the cabins have private showers and sinks.

Main
Deck

Two cabins on this deck have single beds seperated by a nightstand. By inserting a third narrow bed in the middle, these cabins can also accomodate three persons. Two other cabins number have a bunk bed with a twin size mattress above and below. All of the cabins have private showers and sinks. There is a full galley and a swim deck at the stern. We get in and out of our launches to the side of the boat through two entries designed for this purpose.

Heart of Amazonia

Day 1 This morning all guests board the vessel the Motor Yacht TUCANO and depart upstream on the Rio Negro. Through the morning we will cruise through the world's largest river island system, the Anavilhanas Archipelago. From the observation deck we scan the magnificent tangle of vegetation at the water's edge. By mid-afternoon the vessel has gone beyond the frontier of settlement and entered a wilderness area. Both shores are covered by dense rainforest. Though we never know what we will see, we have a good chance of observing pink river dolphins and a large collection of exotic birds. Most certainly we will be treated to magnificent forest vistas and the spectacular trees themselves. In the late afternoon we embark in the launches and hunt for wildlife. We may also go for a swim in some of the world's most clean and refreshing water. (LD)

Day 2 Early this morning we explore the rainforest along the waters edge in our launches. We should hear and perhaps see howler monkeys along with a morning serenade of toucans. After breakfast we go for a walk in the forest where we will get a good start on understanding Amazon ecology. Around midday we return for lunch and the vessel will get underway, perhaps stopping at a place to swim. In the late afternoon we will explore the forest in our launches and listen to the sunset chorus of birds and frogs. (BLD)

Day 3 This morning there will be an early exploration of the waking forest. We will keep our eyes open for monkeys- on most trips we see them often. We return for breakfast followed by either a walk in the forest or an excursion in the launches. TUCANO will travel during the middle of the day and we stop in the afternoon for an excursion. Tonight the vessel may travel a bit more as we marvel at the night sky crowded with stars. (BLD)

Day 4 After our two morning excursions TUCANO will navigate along the heavily forested shore, scouting for wildlife. We may stop for a visit at a settler's home carved out of the forest. In the early afternoon we will be near an extraordinary river called the Rio Jauaperi. Here we will see a kind of forest known as the varzea. We will scout along the shoreline for some of the extraordinary creatures found only in this unique environment. Weather permitting we will do a night excursion to observe nocturnal creatures. (BLD)

Days 5 Today we depart the Rio Jauaperi and for the next two days proceed downstream on the Rio Negro exploring a new collection of rainforest habitats. In the daytime we will continue to scout in our launches, walk in the forest, and at night hunt for nocturnal wildlife. (BLD)

Day 6 After a walk in the forest we cross to the West bank of the Rio Negro, exploring as we go. We will stop at the substantial boat building village of Novo Airão. As we walk through the streets we'll marvel at how the 19th Century thrives in this remote corner of the globe. Tonight TUCANO goes downstream to arrive at daybreak near the confluence with the Amazon River. As we glide through the starry darkness this is a good night to sip the national drink of Brazil, the "Caipirinha". (BLD)

Day 7 This morning we explore the Lago Janauari Ecological Park where seasonally the thick brown water of the Amazon flows swiftly through the forest. This area is usually a very good place to observe wildlife. Around midday the vessel will travel to the "Encontra das Aguas" a stark several mile long line where the world's two largest rivers, the Amazon and the Negro, join in a turbulent maelstrom. Here the dark water of the Negro runs beside the opaque brown water of the Amazon. In the afternoon we scout one of the hidden streams in the area to try to see more of the Amazon's beautiful and bizarre creatures. Tonight there will be one last excursion looking for nocturnal life. (BLD)

Day 8 In the morning all guests disembark from TUCANO. Some guests will participate in an optional tour of the city of Manaus before transferring to the airport. (B)

Meal Codes: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner Please note that the day to day schedule must be considered approximate. The exact order of the days and specific features may be altered due to navigational and other scheduling considerations.

Degree of Difficulty: Good health is necessary. There are several daily excursions off the vessel and many guests choose to participate in some but not all of them. While guests can have a quite enjoyable trip by simply staying on board TUCANO and participating in launch excursions, participants in our walks in the forest must be able to comfortably walk for two or more hours at a time. The vessel is air-conditioned in the middle of the day and throughout the night.

Please keep in mind that the itineraries are approximate. Given variable weather, river levels, and navigational considerations, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary exactly as published. We endeavor to include all of the features described in the program, but because the world is a place of constant change all travelers need to understand that in some cases an element of the published itinerary may not be included. Our aim is to offer a comfortable and well timed experience to our passengers, but passengers should appreciate that there may be glitches, delays, and inconveniences.