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Uakari Floating Lodge
Mamiraua
OUR MISSION |
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ABOUT UAKARI FLOATING LODGE - in their own words:
IN THE MAMIRAUÁ RESERVE
Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve is a state protected area with an extension of 1.124.000 ha, located between Solimões, Japurá and Auti-Paraná rivers. It’s the biggest protected flooded forest in the world.
Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve is a state protected area with an extension of 1.124.000 ha, located between Solimões, Japurá and Auti-Paraná rivers. It’s the biggest protected flooded forest in the world. Only 4% of Brazilian Amazon consists of freshwater swamp forest and Mamirauá Reserve plays an important role to protect this ecosystem. It’s inserted in the Central Amazon Corridor and it’s part of the Amazon Biosphere Reserve.
Besides, it’s a recognized Brazilian reserve by Ramsar Convention, that protects wetlands of great importance. Every year the reserve goes through high and low water levels. The variation among the crest of these two stages is about 10 to 12 meters. The flood variation, the geological history and geography of the place give Mamirauá high levels of endemism and particular species.
Mamirauá Institute is a Social Organization organized and supervised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and it acts as a research unit. It develops research programs, management and social development and it also supports Mamirauá Reserve’s management.
Eight communities from the reserve act managing the Lodge, the employees, the contractors and the salespeople. Uacari Lodge’s operation is a performance line of Mamirauá Institute’s community-based tourism program.
Started in 1998, Uacari is managed by shared management among Mamirauá Institute and the communities from Mamirauá Reserve. The enterprise’s aim is to generate income for the local people and to contribute to natural resources’ preservation. Ten communities from the reserve act managing the Lodge, the employees, the contractors and the salespeople.
Uacari Lodge’s operation is a performance line of Mamirauá Institute’s community-based tourism program. Uacari Lodge has two teams. One team works in Tefé town and takes care of reservations, arrivals and departures of the guests. The other team works at the Lodge. You’ll probably have more contact with the Lodge’s team. You’ll find a bilingual naturalist guide. He’s going to be your host.
Most part of the employees come from riverine communities, the management, local guides, maids, cooks, auxiliaries and janitors. The Lodge’s team works in rotation system. Each person works about 10 days a month and come back home. The objective is not to make the people depend on the touristic activity, but they can keep doing other activities. Mamirauá’s Auxiliaries and Ecotourism Guides Association (AAGEMAM) was created by local people to organize tourism management and to strengthen community organization
SUSTAINABILITY-FOCUSED
The facilities are sustainable. The energy comes form the sun. The rain is collected and kept. The effluents are treated before coming back to the river. The tiles are ecological, made of recycled PET from plastic bottles.
Uacari Lodge floats peacefully. It consists of 5 bungalows with two rooms and two bathrooms in each bungalow. Each room has a porch with a view of the river and the forest. In total, there are 10 rooms with the capacity of 20 guests. The Lodge has a central floating area with a small deck, a kitchen, a restaurant, a bar, a video room and a library.
The facilities are sustainable. The energy comes form the sun. The rain is collected and kept. The effluents are treated before coming back to the river. The tiles are ecological, made of recycled PET from plastic bottles.
Uacari Lodge’s menu matches Brazilian and regional food. There is seasonal fresh fruit, beiju, homemade bread, juice, coffee and milk. The typical Brazilian rice and beans are delicious as well as the salad and one or two vegeterian dish for lunch and dinner. In Amazonian cuisine it’s impossible to be missing any type of fish as well as a chicken dish. After the meals, it’s good to taste a delicious dessert, made with typical Amazon fruit. Observe and try some Amazon typical fruit such as açai and cupuaçu. They aren’t available all months. You can also find sapodilla fruit, camu camu, araza, pineapple and passionfruit.
FULLY-SERVICED
In total, there are 10 rooms with the capacity of 24 guests. The Lodge has a central floating area with a small deck, a kitchen, a restaurant, a bar, a video room and a library.
GETTING THERE
Flight to TEFE and motorlaunch into the reserve.
WHEN TO VISIT - more detailed season by season descriptions available on FAQs
The best time will vary according to your interest. The rainy season lasts from December to March. In April the flooded season begins, it´s when the forest is completely flooded and the activities are done in boats and canoes. From August to November it is the dry season, when you can go hiking and when there is a higher concentration of fish and birds.
