There's nowhere else on the planet quite like the Amazon River. Flowing more than 4,000 miles through a region home to about 10 percent of the world's species, the river seethes with color and life.
Expect to see scarlet macaws swooping overhead, monkeys leaping from branch to branch, fishermen paddling by on long wooden canoes and giant lily pads blooming on the surface of the water.

In the Amazon, the rainy season -- also known as wet, high-water or flood season -- runs roughly from December through May. There are a few key advantages to cruising the Amazon River this time of year: The weather is slightly cooler (in the 80s rather than the 90s), the higher water levels mean that you're closer to the canopy where many birds and animals hang out and the lush flooded forests make for striking photos.

Sailings depart from Manaus, a bustling city of more than two million, and often include stops in other local communities such as Santarem and Parintins. This means that Brazilian Amazon itineraries often have more emphasis on people and culture than Peruvian or Ecuadorian itineraries, which are very nature-focused.
One key attraction on Brazilian cruise itineraries is the Meeting of the Waters, near Manaus, where two major tributaries -- the light brown Solimoes River and the blackwater Negro River -- come together and run alongside each other for several miles without merging.