bosque

This 3-4 hours tour leaves from your hotel or other points in the city, per arrangement. On the other side of town we'll connect with the Santarem-Cuiaba Highway, BR-163, and travel up to the planalto at an elevation of 158 meters (518 feet) and then enter a secondary dirt road to Bosque Santa Lucia. Note the dramatic changes from a slash and burn system of agriculture to mechanized farming for soy and rice.

At Bosque Santa Lucia your guide will take you for that nature walk you've wanted to take since arriving in the Amazon. More than 400 different species of native trees are found in the forest, some of which have been tagged for your convenience. Bosque Santa Lucia provides most the the characteristics noted of the more distant, inacessible primary forest, i.e., widely diversified species of trees and plants making use of nutrient-poor soils. Discover for yourself the secrets of how they manage this task.

The tour also includes a stop at the Bosque Reception Center. A large number of wood samples are housed here, plus some other artifacts from the forest. There are many featured trees and plants around the building, for example Brazil Wood, Jacaranda do Para, Rosewood, orchids and medicinal plants.

For those persons wanting a full day, Belterra is an excellent addition to the Bosque tour.

Image: Steven Alexander

Brasil nut trees at Bosque Santa Lucia