Rio De Janeiro To Manaus Via The Guianas Overland

Guide

A driver/guide is included on this tour.

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being. When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas. When staying in hotels (usually in cities) we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the hotel. Lunches and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive. When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size). Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

Others

Services of your expedition leader and driver Transportation in a custom-built Madventure overland truck and use of all equipment Local transportation costs (if required) Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Ferry tickets (when travelling together as a group) 59 breakfasts, 30 evening meals All accommodation costs (50% hotels, guest houses and hostels, 50% camping) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

Transport

We will be travelling in a purpose-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. The overland vehicle we use is a custom-built expedition truck which can accommodate up to 36 people although most of our expeditions travel with approximately 25 people. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We spend a lot of nights around the campfire so we take along good axes and saws for the times when we have to replenish our wood supply. We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, etc. Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels we stay at. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we recommend you bring your own for general use.

Accommodation

You will spend 50% of the time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. The other 50% of the time you will be in your tent camping. Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the jungle and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense. When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean budget hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of both sexes. There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

Flights

No flights included or expected during this tour.

Others

Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended) Visas (no visas required for most nationalities) Lunches and evening meals when in hotels, guest houses and hostels Lunches when camping Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks Any optional activities and excursions International and domestic flights Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow Tips (USD $60 per crew member recommended)

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Prices are shown in USD. BRAZIL Sambadrome budget ticket $40 Serra dos Orgaos National Park hike $20 Ouro Preto gold mine tour $20 Kayaking in Itaunas $20 Abrolhos Archipelago boat trip $50 Monte Pascoal National Park guided hike $20 Porto Seguro museum $5 Kayaking in Itacare $20 Salvador museum $5 Chapada Diamantina National Park day hike $50 Taquarucu guided hike $20 Amazon jungle 3 day/2 night trip from Manaus $200 FRENCH GUIANA Tresor and Kaw nature reserves day trip $100 Guiana Space Centre $10 Devil’s Island boat trip $70 Saint Laurent du Maroni transportation camp $10 SURINAME Paramaribo sunset boat trip $30 Bigi Pan half day tour $50 GUYANA Kaieteur Falls flight $200 Panorama Nature Trail guided hike $20

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, Telephone: +44 20 7938 1734, https://microsite.campbellirvinedirect.com/madventure. They are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover – Telephone: +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.