Included Exploring Santarem Experience
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Port
Santarem, Brazil
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
Information Not Currently Available
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
Information Not Currently Available
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3¾ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Depart the pier by coach on a city loop through Santarém, with your first stop at the Praca do Pescador to see the local fishing boats. You'll also visit some handicraft shops here to browse for souvenirs.
The Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao was built in 1761 on the same spot where Father Joao Felipe Bettendorf, founder of Santarém, built a chapel. In the church you will find the famous crucifix donated by the German scientist Karl von Martius -- payment for a promise he made when his boat was shipwrecked on the Amazon River in 1819.
Leaving the town behind, you'll drive to the manioc flour house, where local families work together making farinha, or manioc flour -- one of the most important foods in the Amazon region. At the Casa da Farinha, you'll view rubber and Brazil nut trees, as well as the production of tapioca. Before you return to your coach, a family member will show you their garden and explain how vegetables are grown in this area.
As this rewarding introduction to Brazilian culture concludes, you'll return to the pier.
Please note: Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent and a hat. Transportation in Santarém is not air-conditioned. The rainy season in the Amazon extends from December through March. Bring a light waterproof outer layer on tour with you. Your guide will do his/her best to speak English, but please keep in mind that the limited tourism infrastructure of Santarém is part of the city's charm, and bear with any language difficulties (s)he may encounter.