Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge

Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge is immersed in the wildlife-rich Amazon jungle, 180km from Manaus. It is on the doorstep of the Anavilhanas Archipelago, a national park of over 400 islands and pristine waters rich in marine life. 

The rustic cottages at Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge are built on stilts in traditional style, with shaggy thatched roofs and wide verandas facing into the jungle. Inside they’re modern, comfortable and spacious, with air conditioning and hammocks for lounging in the heat of the day. The larger bungalows are slightly more secluded, deep in the jungle, and have exhilarating glass walls that bring you even closer to nature.

The Anavilhanas restaurant serves hearty home-cooked buffets, and uses local produce including delicious, traditionally-prepared fish. 

Lounging by the pool, overlooking the river and the islands, is particularly lovely, as the Rio Negro’s acidic waters actually repel the kind of little biting insects other waterways attract. There’s also a thatched hammock pavilion for lazing the day away and a floating deck for kicking back with a caipirinha. There's also a 13m-high observation tour for even more panoramic views.

Trekking through the incredible rainforest that surrounds the lodge with a responsible, ecologically knowledgeable guide is a must to get an understanding of this biodiversity hotspot, and you can spot wildlife from jaguars and sloths to alligators in the area. As well as snorkelling and boat trips around the coral reefs, slipping along the waterways of the Amazon at night in a motorised canoe is a truly magical experience, as is a date with the river’s unique pink dolphins.