Imagine the beauty of seeing and experiencing the Amazon rainforest from above and from the water… In the Serras Guerreiras de Tapuruquara, hikes lead to lookout points where you can see the forest and the course of the Rio Negro, while boat trips take visitors to indigenous cultural experiences. There, listening to those who live there is part of getting to know the place, discovering what the mountains mean to the communities, including the indigenous peoples.
It is in this area, in the Santa Isabel do Rio Negro region of Amazonas, that yet another project by Raízes—in partnership with the Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA)—is getting underway. This time, the invitation is to conduct a commercial assessment and develop an action plan for the Serras Guerreiras de Tapuruquara, with the goal of understanding how to make the itinerary more accessible to travelers interested in this experience.
To that end, we are beginning to engage in dialogue with the communities and with those involved in this story, including the Federation of Indigenous Organizations of the Rio Negro (FOIRN), the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai) , the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) and the Municipality of Santa Isabel do Rio Negro. The consultation also involves Poranduba, which is responsible for current marketing, and Garupa, which supported the design of the itinerary during its development phase about ten years ago.
Indigenous Experiences: The Amazon as Seen by Those Who Live There
What happens between climbing a mountain and arriving at the next community? Much of the trip. Along the Rio Negro, during meals, and through activities shared with their hosts, visitors come to know a region inhabited by various indigenous peoples, with a significant presence of the Baré people.
The expeditions grew out of a collaborative effort with the communities and their association, the ACIR, along with partner organizations. It is a community-based, multi-ethnic itinerary in which residents help organize the experiences and welcome travelers to share a bit of their life in the region.
There are two ways to explore the Serras Guerreiras. The Maniaka offers an experience focused more on cultural activities and requires less physical effort. It includes visits to farms and pottery workshops, as well as activities such as canoe building. On the other hand, Iwitera features three hikes up the mountains and requires more stamina for walking, with trails leading to Jacuraru, Yacawení, and Tapira.
Both options allow you to explore the region at the pace of the river journey and through encounters with local communities. Details can be found on the Poranduba expeditions page, which joined the initiative in 2023 and is also part of the MUDA! Collective for Responsible Tourism (just like Raízes).
The name “Serras Guerreiras” holds a story about the territory itself. According to the accounts of Indigenous experiences presented in the itinerary materials, the mountains are warriors transformed into mountain ranges. Learning these stories from those who tell them gives new meaning to the landscape you see during the hike.
A journey steeped in history, with new steps ahead
After about ten years of development, there is much to learn from those who took part in the first expeditions of these indigenous experiences and from those who continue to welcome visitors. Raízes’ work begins by compiling these experiences, assessing the current state of the itinerary, and exploring its commercial potential.
How does a trip like this reach the people who would like to take it? To answer this question, we’re also hearing from tour operators who have already visited the region on familiarization trips—so-called “famtours”—as well as others who may come to work with the destination.
Those who were involved in the early stages are familiar with the decisions made when the itinerary was created. The current tour operator handles travelers’ questions and oversees the sales process. The local communities, in turn, have firsthand knowledge of what happens when groups arrive and what the activity means for their daily lives. Each conversation helps us understand a different aspect of how this all works.
“The business assessment will bring these perspectives together to identify challenges and opportunities for making the itinerary more competitive. Based on this, the action plan will guide the next steps, taking into account both the experience of those already working with the Serras Guerreiras and opportunities to collaborate with other operators,”, explains Mariana Madureira, executive director of Raízes.
A trip is being offered, and there are people dedicated to making it happen. We want to work with them to identify areas for improvement, so that more travelers can experience the Amazon as seen from above and introduced up close by its residents. Keep following us on our website and social media to learn more!
