Startup gives immersion within the Amazon with sustainable tourism

Expeditions include living in riverside communities, hammock nights and indigenous handicraft workshops; income helps support local people

Despite being one of the biggest postcards in the country, the Amazon is still largely unknown to Brazilian tourists, who are more used to beaches in the northeast and capitals in the south and southeast.

This pent-up demand is beginning to be met by tour operators who offer immersion experience packages in nature and in the daily life of communities originating in the region.

Vivalá, a startup from São Paulo specialized in sustainable tourism, created in 2015, offers tourists the possibility of experiencing a bit of the daily life of riverside and indigenous communities in immersions with art, crafts and cuisine. A two-way street, as the experiences also generate financial return for the communities and help in the conservation of the greatest biodiversity in the world.

And it was based on this objective that the company created a route that takes those interested in getting to know the amazon for three states: Amazonas, in the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve; in Acre, within the Katukina Kaxinawá indigenous land; and in Pará, in Alter do Chão and in the Tapajós National Forest.

That’s why the organization specializes in expeditions to conservation units, with a lively interaction with nature and local traditional communities, through Community Based Tourism.

At the meeting with the Rio Negro, near Manaus (AM), the expedition experiences the culture of the riverside peoples, through workshops on traditional knowledge, handicrafts with native seeds, carimbó classes, among others.

Where is the lodging in Manaus?

Accommodation is in lodges in the jungle, but with private rooms and bathrooms, as well as air conditioning to cool you down during the hot days in the North. Transport follows the native spirit, being carried out by canoes and boats on the Rio Negro, the main protagonist of this route.

Another highlight of this itinerary is the cuisine, which provides travelers with a tasty experience with famous local dishes.

The package also includes an experience with the Shanenawa ethnic group, on the Envira river, in the north of Acre. The experience also includes a night with bonfire and music, body painting, traditional baths of the local culture, trails and workshops.

While crossing the Tapajós River, in Pará, it is possible to combine the beauties of the Amazon forest with the paradisiacal beaches of Alter do Chão, in addition to tasting the unique flavors of Pará cuisine.

Where is the accommodation in Pará?

Lodging is done in inns or hammocks in riverside communities. It is also possible during the journeys to enjoy diving in streams and have an unforgettable encounter with the ancient kapok trees, the giant trees of the Amazon.

How much does it cost to travel with the startup Vivalá?

Trips can last from four to eight days and packages cost between R$2,850 to R$5,850. For the Amazon Rio Negro destination, it is still possible to work as a volunteer. For this modality, the trip lasts from 1 to 4 weeks and allows the traveler to work in the areas of health, education, environment or bioeconomy.

Source: Exam