Brazil: is a stable and friendly country and travel to Brazil is safe and enjoyable.  The Brazilian currency is the Real (pronounces “Hay-eyes”, plural) and can be exchanged in the airports, banks, and hotels in Manaus.  Our English-speaking staff will meet you upon your arrival in the Manaus Airport and see to your every need throughout your trip in Brazil.

Passport: A valid passport is required for travel to Brazil.  Your passport must have an expiration date of at least 6 months past your return date from your trip to Brazil.  If you do not already have a valid passport, you should obtain an application and begin the process as soon as possible.  Normal processing time of a passport application is approximately 6-8 weeks.  You may obtain a passport application through your local post office.

We recommend that customers schedule a connecting flight home no sooner than 3 hours after landing back in the US following your return flight from Manaus.  You will need to gather your baggage, clear customs, etc.  Amazon River Adventures provides the usage of conventional bait casting and spinning rods and reels, line and hooks at no charge to you.  This will save considerable time at Customs! If possible, we recommend reserving the night’s stay at a hotel in the US arrival city and flying home early the next morning. (Our travel affiliate will be happy to assist you with this should you desire.)

COVID-19 Testing and/or Innoculations: Please check with your domestic and international airline carrier regarding their specific and current requirments for departing from home airport / landing in / departing from Manaus, Brazil.

• Inoculations: We advise that you consult your physician or local Health Department’s Travel Clinic and follow their recommendations.
• Climate: Manaus, Brazil is located 200 miles south of the equator.  The daylight remains at a constant 12 hours per day with sunrise and sunset at 6 AM and 6 PM, respectively.  The temperature ranges from 60-80 degrees at night to 70-95 degrees during the day.  Although you will be fishing tributaries of the Amazon River during the “dry season”, rain showers are common and some can even last for a full day or more.  Be prepared for weather conditions from hot and dry to wet and windy.

Fly Fishing Equipment

Rods – Fly rods should be from 8wt – 11wt, with either a 9wt or 10wt being the best weight if you are only bringing one rod.

Reels – Good quality with a strong drag and capacity for a lot of 30 lb. backing, designed for the weight rod you are bringing.

Line – Any good quality floating, weight forward, line will work best. I prefer to use a shooting head system because Peacock Bass are definitely not line shy. If you are bringing a second rod, I recommend a 5ft. #6 sinking-tip line for the second outfit.

Leaders – A very quick and easy method is to simply cut a 5-6 ft. section of 40, 50, or 60 lb. “hard mono” and tie it on as a straight-leader. If you are interested in fishing for line class records for Peacock Bass, you will need a leader with a heavy butt section, followed by your IGFA approved line class section between two Bimini twists, ending in a 20lb., 30lb., or 40lb. fluorocarbon tippet. Be sure to check on the current IGFA record for the line class that you are fishing, so you will know if a record breaking fish has been caught.

Flies – Peacock Bass flies should be tied on large sharp, 3/0-4/0 hooks. Peacock bass will hit top-water poppers, but large streamers will produce more strikes. All colors will attract peacocks to strike, especially combinations using yellow, green, red, olive, and blue. Smaller 3”-4” streamers are easier to cast and will produce a lot of strikes from fish in the 2-6 pound range. For really large Peacock Bass, you will need to fish with a streamer that is from 5”-8” in length.

Personal

• Travel Guides: The national language in Brazil is Portuguese.  Your trip to Brazil will be most enjoyable if you will buy a travel Guide for Brazil and/or a Portuguese (Brazilian dialect) language tape and take the time to learn something of the country before your trip.
• Glasses: (2) pair prescription glasses (1 as a back-up) (2) pairs of sun glasses with keeper straps
• Photography: All the Santana yachts’ have 110 voltage, the same as in the U.S., so bring your camera and/or video equipment.
• Medications: Bring those medications that you normally need, i.e. aspirin, Allergy Medication, Band-Aids, suntan lotion (SPF 45+), your prescription drugs, etc. in your carry-on luggage. The Santana yachts all have a well- maintained first-aid kit for everything from sunburn to hook removal.
• Allergies: If you know to be allergic to insect sting such as bees/wasp you should carry with you an EPI-Pen for strong allergic reactions to insect stings.
• Gratuities: The Guide Service Fee is recommended for each guest at approx. $42 per Guide per day and normally paid by the week after fishing. Recommended yacht staff service fee is a minimum of $250 per guest for the week and divided amongst the entire non-Guide personnel (yacht crew including Captain, housekeeping, cooks, waiters, etc). If you feel a particular staff or Guide member has provided exemplary service to you, and you wish to provide an additional gratuity, please feel free to offer it to them personally. In addition to gratuities, you will need to bring travel money for first day in Manaus, as well as for souvenirs and gifts.