January Ecological Park

Lake January offers one of the most convenient and accessible wildlife-watching experiences from Manaus. Half and full-day excursions bring visitors to the park by boat, from which it’s possible to marvel at the biodiversity and the mammoth Victoria lilies, some measuring up to 7 feet (2 m) in diameter. A handful of floating houses make for fantastic photo ops and a market selling traditional and handmade items by local artisans proves the perfect place to pick up handicrafts as souvenirs. Excursions into the ecological park can be combined with a visit to the Meeting of the Waters, where the Rio Negro and Amazon River come together in a clash of colors.

• January Ecological Park is one of the best places to spot wildlife for travelers with limited time to spend in the region.
• While it looks touristy at first glance, travelers agree January Ecological Park’s floating restaurant serves up local cuisine that’s worth stopping for.
• Don’t forget to bring insect repellent and a rain poncho in case of a sudden downpour.

The January Ecological Park is located about an hour by boat from Manaus, on the Rio Negro. The easiest way to get there is to join a guided excursion from Manaus.

There’s always something to see in the ecological park but the popular giant water lilies tend to be at their largest between January and June. The tradeoff when visiting from July to November is that rain is less frequent, which makes wildlife spotting easier.

Manaus may be a city of nearly two million people but it remains an excellent base for taking in the biodiversity of the Amazon. For excellent wildlife viewing in the region, head to Arquipelago de Anavilhanas, a national park with some 400 islands that provide a habitat for monkeys, sloths, black caimans, manatee, and giant arapaima. Parque do Mindu, just 15 minutes from downtown Manaus, has raised boardwalks for wildlife viewing on foot.