Think the Amazon’s just trees and river cruises? Think again. From ancient rock art and bizarre wildlife to white-sand river beaches and surreal architecture, the Brazilian Amazon is full of surprises. Whether you're gliding through flooded forests in a kayak or eating grilled pirarucu with locals, the region delivers far more than you’d expect. This list covers the most unforgettable things to do in the Amazon – from the well-known to the offbeat. No tourist traps – just real experiences worth your time.
You’d be forgiven for skipping Acre – it’s remote, barely developed for tourism, and sits in the far west corner of Brazil, wedged up against Peru and Bolivia. But if you’re looking for one of the most unusual things to do in the Amazon, this one’s a real curveball: a hot air balloon ride over hundreds of ancient geoglyphs carved into the earth.
These massive geometric shapes – circles, squares, and interlocking lines – were only discovered in the 1970s, after deforestation revealed them beneath the forest canopy. Since then, researchers have uncovered nearly 300 of these figures, and no one’s entirely sure what they meant. Ritual sites? Cosmic calendars? Amazonian crop circles? Take your pick. Theories lean toward religious or social uses, abandoned after European contact in the 16th century.
Acre doesn’t get many visitors, which means you’ll likely need to arrange your balloon ride well in advance. But floating above the canopy as morning mist rises over this secret history of the forest is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you’re the kind of traveler who prefers “wow, I’ve never heard of that” to “Instagram hotspot,” this will be a highlight.
Getting to Acre involves flights to Rio Branco, followed by ground transport to key sites like Boca do Acre. There’s not much tourist infrastructure, but that’s part of the charm. Bring your sense of adventure – and a good camera.
Photography by Kiki Deere
Mount Roraima doesn’t just look otherworldly – it practically is. A hulking tabletop mountain rising sheer from the jungle, it inspired The Lost World and still feels like it’s hiding dinosaurs. If you’re serious about planning a trip to Brazil with adventure at the core, this is one of the country’s most epic treks.
Roraima sits at the point where Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana meet. Technically, the easiest route to the summit is from the Venezuelan side, but reaching it from Brazil is possible for experienced hikers – just be warned, it’s far more remote and logistically challenging. The mountain is sacred to the Indigenous Pemón people, who believe it to be the stump of a great tree that once held all the world’s fruits.
The trek itself usually takes 6-8 days, with long jungle hikes, rivers to cross, and steep scrambles. But the top is like landing on a new planet: vast rock formations, strange endemic plants, sudden waterfalls, and a cloud layer far below. Temperatures drop sharply at night, and the weather can flip in minutes.
You’ll need a guide, good gear, and a lot of stamina. This isn’t one to improvise. But for those who make it, Roraima is unforgettable – wild, spiritual, and completely disconnected from the modern world. It’s not just one of the most dramatic peaks in South America; it’s one of the most surreal landscapes you’ll ever step foot on.
Mount Roraima, South America © Marcelo Alex/Shutterstock
You don’t expect to find Brazil’s best beaches this far from the coast. But Alter do Chão, on the banks of the Tapajós River in western Pará, flips the script. From August to December, when the river recedes, brilliant white-sand islands emerge in the middle of the Amazon – no salt, no sharks, just fresh water and soft sand.
This sleepy village is a local favorite but still under the radar internationally. Across from town is Ilha do Amor – the “Island of Love” – a wide stretch of beach reached by wading or canoe. Palm-roofed bars serve cold beer and grilled fish, and hammocks swing in the shade. There’s not much to do, which is exactly the point.
If you do want to explore, you’ve got options: paddle through the Lago Verde, hike into the Tapajós National Forest, or visit nearby Indigenous communities. The vibe is low-key and local, not a party scene.
It’s an easy detour from Santarém, especially if you’re looking to break up a longer Amazon trip with some downtime. Don’t expect luxury – but do expect sun, sand, and seriously unexpected beach bliss, deep in the heart of the jungle.
Alter do Chao
Forget steak and feijoada. When it comes to things to do in Brazil, eating your way through the Amazon is a trip in itself. The local cuisine is like nothing else in the country – earthy, spicy, wild, and often just plain weird.
Start with tacacá, a yellow broth made from boiled manioc root, jambu leaves that make your mouth tingle, and whole shrimp with the heads still on. Then there’s pirarucu, a giant river fish that’s salted like cod and grilled over open flames. Or tucunaré, a.k.a. peacock bass, served stuffed with herbs and baked whole.
Fruits are just as strange – and delicious. Açaí here isn’t a frozen smoothie bowl; it’s a bitter, pulpy side dish eaten with fried fish. Other native fruits like cupuaçu, bacaba, and taperebá show up in everything from juice to ice cream.
Where to try it? Markets in Belém or Manaus are packed with food stalls, but even remote jungle lodges often serve excellent regional dishes. And unlike some parts of Brazil, vegetarians can find options – just ask ahead.
Brazilian acai berries © Shutterstock
If you want a fast, full-sensory blast of the Amazon, head to Ver-o-Peso Market in Belém. It’s loud, messy, overwhelming – and absolutely one of the best things to do in the Amazon if you like your travel raw and real.
Dating back to the 1600s, this waterfront market sprawls along the edge of the Guajará Bay. There’s no tidy layout – just aisles of vendors calling out prices, chopping fish, and hawking everything from medicinal bark to Amazonian aphrodisiacs. You’ll see bright piles of native fruits (cupuaçu, taperebá), buckets of live crabs, and stalls selling strange-smelling herbs used in everything from hangover cures to spells.
The best way to do it? Don’t rush. Grab a glass of açaí (locals eat it salty, not sweet), pick up a grilled fish sandwich, and chat with vendors about what’s what. You probably won’t know what half the stuff is – but that’s half the fun.
This isn’t a sanitized tourist market. It’s noisy, sweaty, and very real. And it tells you more about life in the Brazilian Amazon than any museum ever could. Just keep an eye on your bag, and don’t wear white – you’re going to get messy.
Photography by Kiki Deere
Sloths clinging to trees. Caiman lurking in blackwater creeks. Pink dolphins breaking the surface just as the sun comes up. If you’re into Brazilian wildlife, the Amazon isn’t just the best place to see it – it’s the only place.
The most immersive way to experience this ecosystem is to stay in one of the best lodges in the Amazon. You’ll sleep in stilted cabins deep in the forest or along the river’s edge, far from cell towers and city noise. Mornings start with canoe safaris; evenings end with flashlight-led night walks where glowing eyes peek back from the trees.
Some lodges offer guided treks into reserves like Mamirauá or Jaú National Park, with expert trackers helping you spot elusive creatures: giant otters, howler monkeys, even the occasional jaguar paw print. Others include visits to Indigenous communities where you’ll learn how local knowledge and wildlife protection go hand in hand.
These aren’t luxury stays, but they’re rich in experience, and often community-run. Don’t expect Wi-Fi. Do expect wildlife you’ll never see anywhere else.
Exploring the Amazon by boat, Brazil
At the mouth of the Amazon River, Marajó Island feels like Brazil flipped on its head. This is the only place in the world where police ride water buffalo. No joke. You’ll see them trotting through the town of Soure or lounging in fields like they own the place. And here, they kind of do.
Marajó is the world’s largest fluvial-maritime island – bigger than Switzerland – and its northern coast is lined with wild, wave-lapped freshwater beaches. Praia do Pesqueiro is the most famous, with long empty stretches of golden sand and tidal pools that fill at high tide. There’s no party scene, no surf shacks, just peace, wind, and a sky full of birds.
Getting here takes effort: a ferry from Belém, followed by a bumpy ride across the island. But if your Brazil itinerary includes time for slow travel and local flavor, this is a brilliant detour. Visit ceramics workshops, eat soft Marajó cheese with tapioca pancakes, and watch scarlet ibis fly overhead at sunset.
It’s rural, it’s weird, and it’s wonderfully different from the rest of Brazil. Just don’t be surprised if you get stuck behind a buffalo traffic jam.
Freshwater beach, Ilha do Marajo
Hidden in the scrubby hills near the Amazon River are the Monte Alegre rock paintings – some of the oldest in South America, and strangely overlooked. These red and black ochre drawings, made by Indigenous artists over 13,000 years ago, cover rock faces with abstract patterns, animals, and human figures. You’ll also see handprints that feel oddly intimate, like they were just pressed there yesterday.
Reaching the site takes effort. You’ll need to cross the river from Santarém, then drive or hire a moto-taxi into the forest. From there, it’s a hot, dusty hike to reach the painted cliffs of Serra da Lua or Pedra do Mirante. There’s little signage and no crowds, but the silence adds to the power of the place.
Monte Alegre is one of the best places to visit in Brazil if you’re into ancient history without the polished museum feel. These aren’t roped-off tourist attractions – they’re open-air windows into pre-Columbian Amazonian life, scattered across a remote landscape of mesas, caves, and river views.
Bring water, wear good shoes, and go with a local guide if you can. Most of all, take your time. These paintings have been here for millennia – they’re not going anywhere.
Rock painting, Mount Alegre
Anavilhanas isn’t just a national park – it’s a mind-bending maze of over 400 river islands scattered across the Rio Negro. Located a few hours upriver from Manaus, this vast fluvial archipelago is a tangle of jungle, blackwater creeks, and mirror-flat lagoons. If you're after immersive things to do in the Amazon, this is a must.
You can explore by motorized canoe, kayak, or even floatplane, depending on your base. Many travelers stay in eco-lodges near Novo Airão, which offer day trips into the park. At water level, you'll weave through narrow channels shaded by overhanging branches, with the sound of howler monkeys echoing in the distance. Look up and you might spot a sloth curled into a tree fork, or a toucan flashing across the canopy.
In high water season (roughly March to July), much of the forest is submerged, and paddling through the flooded jungle feels like entering a lost world. During the dry months, hidden beaches emerge between the islands.
This is the Amazon at its most peaceful – no motorboats buzzing past, no crowds, just you and the forest breathing around you. Bring insect repellent and a decent zoom lens.
Amazon, Brazil @ Shutterstock
In the middle of Manaus – surrounded by rainforest and river – sits one of the strangest architectural surprises in South America: the Teatro Amazonas. Built in 1896 during the height of the rubber boom, this pink-and-white opera house was meant to show Europe that Brazil had arrived. It still feels completely out of place – and totally unforgettable.
Every inch of the building screams extravagance. The chandeliers are Venetian crystal. The ceiling fresco was painted in Paris. The tiles of the dome were imported from Alsace and designed to resemble the Brazilian flag. All of this was floated up the Amazon River, piece by piece, at staggering cost.
You can take a guided tour or, better yet, catch a concert. The acoustics are excellent, and performances are surprisingly affordable. Even if opera’s not your thing, it’s worth going just to sit under the chandeliers and let the weirdness of it all sink in.
There are plenty of things to do in Brazil that involve beaches or jungles, but this is the only one where you’ll watch high art surrounded by tropical chaos. It’s an unexpected twist to any Amazon itinerary, and a perfect way to end or begin your rainforest adventure.
Manaus, Teatro Amazonas, Cupola, created using 36,000 colourful ceramic tiles imported from Alsace, low angle view
You’ve seen rivers. But probably not like this. Just outside Manaus, the muddy Rio Solimões and the inky-black Rio Negro flow side by side for 6km without mixing – a natural phenomenon known as the Meeting of the Waters.
It’s one of the more accessible things to do in the Amazon, but still surreal. The two rivers move at different speeds and temperatures, which creates a visible line in the water like someone drew it with a ruler. Boat tours take you right to the divide, where you can dip your hand in and feel the difference.
Most tours also include stops at floating villages, giant lily pad fields, or even short walks into the várzea (flooded forest), depending on the season. You can do it in a few hours from Manaus, making it ideal if you're short on time but still want a hit of the wild.
Yes, it’s touristy. But it’s also genuinely weird and worth seeing. Just avoid the packages that cram in too many stops or overpromise wildlife.
Presidente Figueiredo, about 2 hours north of Manaus by road, isn’t what most people picture when they think "Amazon" – and that’s exactly why it’s worth a visit. Here, the rainforest breaks into caves, canyons, and dozens of dramatic waterfalls.
Known as the "Land of Waterfalls," the area is home to well-marked trails that wind through dense jungle to falls like Iracema, Mutum, and Cachoeira da Neblina. You’ll pass sandstone cliffs, swim in tea-colored pools, and cool off under the falls – no boat required.
Most travelers visit on a day trip from Manaus, but staying overnight gives you a better shot at exploring less crowded trails early in the day. You can also visit Gruta Refúgio do Maroaga, a sandstone cave system surrounded by thick forest and howler monkeys.
This is a solid break from river-based activities – no lodge bookings, no canoe logistics, just rainforest, rocks, and waterfalls. Bring insect repellent, decent shoes, and expect to get muddy. It’s worth it.
If you want to experience the Amazon quietly – no engine noise, no tour group shouting across the boat – kayaking through Mamirauá is one of the most peaceful and immersive things to do in the Amazon.
Located near the town of Tefé, the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve is a massive protected area of flooded forest that’s only accessible by water. It's also one of the few places where you might see rare Amazonian species like the uacari monkey (bright red face, fluffy white body) and river manatees.
Several eco-lodges in the area offer guided kayaking trips that wind through silent creeks and submerged trees, especially during high-water season (March to August). You’ll paddle under hanging vines, past river turtles sunning on branches, and into bird-filled backwaters that feel like nature documentaries come to life.
Unlike some wildlife tours, this one’s all about slow travel. You’re not chasing the next sighting – you’re floating through a living ecosystem, at its pace. And that’s exactly the point.
Want to take your Amazon adventure up a notch? Skip the gimmicky “survival tours” and book an experience with certified local guides who live in the forest. Real bushcraft here isn’t about showmanship – it’s about respect, precision, and knowing how not to die in the jungle.
In areas around Manaus or Tefé, some community-led tours offer short survival workshops where you’ll learn how to filter water, identify edible plants, build a shelter, and navigate without GPS. You might make a fire using sap from a copaíba tree or try your hand at weaving palm leaves into a roof.
Brazil travel experts often recommend these experiences not just for the skills, but for the insight they offer into traditional Amazonian knowledge. Many of the best guides are former rubber tappers or Indigenous trackers who blend ancestral techniques with environmental education.
It’s hands-on, sweaty, and often humbling – but also deeply respectful of the forest and those who know it best. Just don’t expect to walk out as a jungle ninja. You’ll gain perspective more than skills – and that’s a win.
The rubber boom brought Manaus untold wealth in the 19th century – and a brutal legacy of exploitation and deforestation. But in parts of the Amazon, rubber tapping has quietly returned, this time sustainably and with locals in control.
Near Xapuri in Acre, you can visit community-run rubber projects that follow in the footsteps of legendary activist Chico Mendes. These tappers extract latex the old way: slicing trees in the early morning, collecting the milky sap, and smoking it into sheets. No chainsaws. No deforestation. Just rhythm, tradition, and a living wage.
Some projects welcome visitors for day trips or overnight stays, with tours led by tappers themselves. You’ll see how rubber is collected, processed, and even turned into bags, shoes, and art. You’ll also hear firsthand how sustainable rubber tapping offers an alternative to land clearing and cattle ranching.
It’s not flashy, and it’s not for everyone. But if you're interested in slow travel, environmental justice, or Brazil’s social history, this is a meaningful detour. And your tourist dollars go straight to the people protecting the forest, not exploiting it.
written by
Olga Sitnitsa
updated 22.07.2025
Use Rough Guides' trusted partners for great rates
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for visiting Brazil
