To join the cruise, all travelers will meet at the private Tucano Rendezvous lounge, located near the banks of the Rio Negro, in the city center of Manaus, Brazil on the day of embarkation. Complementary transfers to the Tucano Rendezvous lounge are provided for travelers staying at the Hotel Juma Opera and the Hotel Villa Amazonia.

The forest walks are primarily to spot plants and animals and are not particularly strenuous. The best way to spot wildlife is a quiet stroll along the forest trail, not crashing through at a sprint.

The Amazon is the greatest collection of life on earth, but remember the Amazon is one of high diversity, low density. While there are lots of large mammals in the Amazon rainforest like jaguars and tapirs, they are very elusive and they have plenty of space to hide when they hear you. On our trip we will see lots of kinds of creatures but not very many of each kind. The beauty is in how the flora and fauna have evolved wonderful and bizarre adaptations to thrive in this wilderness.

We are in the wilderness far away from people and areas where diseases are mostly found, so there is little risk. For protection in the unlikely event of exposure to disease, most passengers ensure that their yellow fever and hepatitis inoculations are up to date, and take malaria prophylaxis pills. Prudent use of insect repellent on the trip is recommended. The standards of cleanliness on board M/Y Tucano are very high and the cuisine is adapted to visitors.

The best time to travel to the Amazon is really dependent on a traveler's personal considerations. M/Y Tucano cruises year-round and the trips are wonderful any time of year.

Rainy season spans late January through early May. It's rare to have a full day of rain, and advantages of traveling in this season are that most riverine plants fruit and flower during this period, so it's a great time to see birds and monkeys at the water's edge. Temperatures are also generally a bit cooler.

The dry season, with the lowest river levels and warmest temperatures, runs from September to November. As the rivers get shallower, broad beaches of fine white sand appear. Even in the dry season, it often rains a bit in the afternoons. This is an excellent time of year to see large fishing birds, marine mammals, and at night, reptiles like Caiman.

Absolutely! The yacht cruises mostly in the middle of the day and at night, which leaves lots of time to explore off the vessel in the rainforest. There are usually 3-5 excursions off the vessel every day, including walks in the forest every morning, as well as exploring in launches with quiet electric motors, paddling by kayak, and visiting small villages or the homes of pioneer families. On several nights during the cruise, weather permitting, observe bizarre noctural creatures from the safety of the launches.

The M/Y Tucano has an efficient air-conditioning system that functions in the heat of the day and at night. The yacht has a policy of "Solar Power Hours" for certain periods during the daytime, when all fuel-consuming machines are turned off and what energy is used comes from solar panels. This is generally in the morning and late afternoon when travelers are off the vessel on excursions. The vessel remains comfortable even without electricity due to the solar panel and thoughtful design features including thermal insulation. The stateroom windows open and close and have insect screens.