Santarém

Day Trips

Wander along Praça da Matriz as the sun rises, admiring the ornate 18th-century church façade and pastel colored colonial buildings. Sample fresh açaí and tapioca at a nearby café while locals greet you warmly. Feel the city’s heartbeat as vendors set up their stalls under towering mango trees.

Join a guided walking tour to uncover hidden Portuguese tiles and carved wooden doors in narrow alleys. Visit the Museu de Arte Sacra to see priceless religious artifacts and learn about Amazonian baroque. Pause for cold coconut water at a street kiosk while watching riverboats drift by.

Stroll to the riverbank at twilight to see fiery orange skies dancing on the Tapajós. Dine at a family-run bistro serving regional fish stews, paired with fresh manioc flour. End the night with forró rhythms drifting from open-air gatherings in Praça da Matriz.

Board a small boat at dawn for a tranquil cruise upstream where the Amazon meets the Tapajós. Watch fisherman casting nets and families preparing canoes for market day. Feel the mist on your face as the forest canopy glows in golden light.

Stop at a riverside community to learn traditional boat-building techniques and sample smoked tambaqui. Help locals harvest jatobá nuts and discover their culinary and medicinal uses. Share stories under palm-thatched roofs as you sip homemade guaraná juice.

Return to Santarém on a sunset cruise, witnessing the sky transition through fiery hues. Enjoy grilled fish and fried plantains at a floating restaurant moored on the shore. Let the gentle rocking of the boat lull you into relaxation as lanterns flicker on the water.

Drive along winding roads to the beach village of Alter do Chão, famed for its white sand and emerald lagoon. Lounge under coconut palms before immersing yourself in crystal-clear waters. Spot pink river dolphins playfully breaching at the shoreline.

Kayak across Lago Verde’s calm waters, skirting hidden coves and botanical islands. Picnic on freshly baked pão de queijo and local fruit while birds flit among mangrove roots. Take an interpretive forest walk to learn about native medicinal plants.

Return to town for roof-top drinks overlooking the lagoon bathed in sunset colors. Sample regional tapas—fried maniçoba croquettes and tucupi-poached shrimp—at a laid-back bar. Join impromptu jam sessions as musicians gather under twinkling fairy lights.

Set off early into the Tapajós National Forest with an experienced guide, breathing in the humid, earthy air. Spot howler monkeys calling through the canopy and colorful butterflies dancing overhead. Learn to identify towering Brazil nut and mahogany trees by their bark patterns.

Pause for a rustic riverside lunch of grilled piranha and freshly harvested açaí. Paddle a dugout canoe down a hidden tributary to reach a secluded waterfall pool. Wade beneath cascading water for a refreshing jungle shower.

Return to the lodge as fireflies emerge among the palm fronds. Gather around a communal table for manioc porridge and fish soup, swapping tales of wildlife sightings. Drift to sleep to the rhythmic chorus of frogs and crickets.

Board an early boat across the Tapajós to Ilha do Amor’s pristine stretch of sand. Walk along the white beach while local guides explain the island’s indigenous folklore. Taste freshly picked cupuaçu and learn about its cultural significance.

Explore shaded mangrove trails, observing hermit crabs and wading herons. Snorkel coral-like roots beneath the surface, revealing schools of silver fish. Lounge in hammock villages as the sun warms the air, reading or simply listening to the river’s lullaby.

Watch the sun dip below the horizon, turning sand dunes pink and gold. Feast on churrasco grilled over open coals, accompanied by lively traditional dance performances. Return under a starlit sky, the Milky Way blazing above the water.

Travel upriver to the remote Jauari Ecological Station, a hub for conservation research. Accompany scientists on a mammal-tracking expedition, learning how they tag and monitor jaguar populations. Hear the crackling forest floor under your boots as capuchins chatter overhead.

Visit the research lab to see specimens of rare insects, amphibians, and botanical samples. Join a demonstration on DNA barcoding to identify cryptic species. Share a rustic lunch of rice, beans, and smoked fish with field biologists.

As dusk falls, embark on a night safari in search of nocturnal creatures like ocelots and caimans. Stand in awe as giant river otters glide silently along the shoreline. Return to the station for hot tea and tales around a lantern-lit table.

Join a local chef for a market tour at Ver-O-Peso, selecting fresh ingredients like tucupi, jambu, and fresh river prawns. Learn about each spice’s role in Amazonian cuisine and negotiate playful haggles with vendors. Sip a cooling acerola smoothie while breathing in vibrant market scents.

Enter the kitchen for a hands-on cooking class, crafting regional dishes like pato no tucupi and tacacá. Roll cassava dumplings and stir richly flavored yellow pepper sauces under expert guidance. Feast on your creations paired with tangy lime caipirinhas.

Attend an Amazonian supper club hosted in a charming colonial casa, sampling dessert delights like doce de cupuaçu. Engage in lively conversation about culinary heritage with fellow gourmands. Cap the night with traditional forró dancing to soothe your appetite.

Head to the Ponta de Pedras mangrove reserve before sunrise, binoculars in hand. Spot scarlet ibis, hummingbirds, and kingfishers flitting among the aerial roots. Hear the symphony of calls echoing through the misty waterways.

Kayak silently along narrow channels, glimpsing crabs scuttling over submerged roots. Pause at raised observation platforms to photograph heronries and elusive collared peccaries. Enjoy a bush-style lunch of cassava cakes and smoked fish in the shade.

Return to Santarém for a sunset juice made from umari berries at a riverfront café. Wander through candlelit streets to soak up peaceful evening vibes. Savor an alfajor filled with cupuaçu as a sweet finale to your day.

Travel to a nearby indigenous village for a genuine cultural exchange with the Munduruku people. Learn ancient handicraft techniques, weaving colorful baskets from natural fibers. Participate in a morning ceremony invoking river spirits with rhythmic drums.

Share a communal lunch featuring maize porridge and fish roasted over open fire. Engage in storytelling sessions where elders recount Amazonian myths and legends. Try your hand at traditional archery, aiming at woven targets hung in the forest clearing.

Return to Santarém for a riverside performance of native chants and dances. Feast on Amazonian barbecue under lantern-lit palms, tasting unique regional cuts of meat. Reflect on the day’s insights as firefly lights flicker over the water.

Spend a relaxed morning exploring any favorite Santarém markets for last-minute souvenirs like artisanal hammocks and native spices. Sip strong café com leite at a sidewalk café while watching local life unfold. Pack up your photos and memories as keepsakes.

Board a luxury riverboat for a leisurely cruise along the Tapajós with panoramic glass windows. Indulge in a multi-course Amazonian-inspired lunch featuring fresh ceviche and local fruits. Chat with fellow travelers and share highlights from your 10-day journey.

As the sun sinks into the river, toast with sparkling Amazonian guaraná as the sky ignites in deep reds and purples. Drift past silhouetted palm trees and rural homesteads lit by soft lantern light. Disembark under starlit skies, carrying the magic of Santarém’s riverine soul with you.