Amazônia National Park

Amazônia National Park is in the state of Para of Brazil. The easiest access to the park is from the nearby city of Itaituba.

Amazônia National Park protects an immense tract of rainforest along the Tapajós River in western Pará, with a smaller portion extending into Amazonas state. It covers parts of the municipalities of Itaituba, Trairão, Aveiro and Maués and protects headwaters feeding both the Tapajós and Parauari–Maués-Açu river systems.

It was the first national park created within the Brazilian Amazon. Despite its size, ordinary visitor activity is concentrated around the Tracoá and Uruá bases, reached from Itaituba along the Trans-Amazonian Highway. The rest of the park consists largely of remote forest with little or no visitor infrastructure.

The park is especially rewarding for travellers interested in rainforest ecology, birds, primates and a relatively undeveloped wilderness experience. Its main attractions include forest trails, the Tapajós River, rocky rapids, seasonal beaches and views from the Uruá area. Facilities are extremely basic, so visitors should arrange access with ICMBio and arrive with their own food, drinking water and equipment.

Amazônia National Park was established in 1974 after the opening of the Trans-Amazonian Highway through western Pará. The protected area was intended to conserve a major sample of Amazonian forest while settlement, road construction and migration were transforming the surrounding region.

The park originally contained more than one million hectares. Its boundaries were altered in 1985, expanded in 2006 and modified again in 2012. The 2012 legislation removed approximately 18,700 hectares from the left bank of the Tapajós to allow studies connected with the proposed São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric project. A revised management plan was eventually approved in 2021.

The park is also archaeologically and culturally significant. Its landscape contains evidence associated with the long human occupation of the Tapajós region, including peoples connected with the Tapajó, Munduruku and Sateré-Mawé cultural traditions. Archaeological sites and areas associated with isolated Indigenous peoples are not ordinary tourist attractions and must be approached only under official authorization.

The park consists mainly of a vast forested plateau broken by low hills, stream valleys, rocky formations and the broad channel of the Tapajós River. It occupies a watershed divide between rivers flowing toward the Tapajós and those draining eastward toward the Maués-Açu system.

Along the Tapajós are rapids, exposed stone reefs, islands and sandy banks. During the relatively drier period from approximately August to December, river levels fall and seasonal beaches and rocky outcrops become visible. The Uruá viewpoint overlooks one of these stretches of river.

Numerous clear or dark-water streams, locally called igarapés, descend through the forest. In the park’s eastern sector, limestone and other sedimentary rocks have produced caves and grottoes with potential ecological and archaeological importance. These remote formations are not necessarily open for casual visits.

Most of the park is covered by dense evergreen rainforest, including lowland, submontane and river-associated forest. Emergent trees may reach around 50 m above the forest floor. The vegetation also includes flooded forest, palm-rich areas, vines, epiphytes and large kapok or sumaúma trees rising above the canopy.

The park supports an exceptionally rich community of primates, although most are easier to hear than to see. Mammals include jaguars, pumas, margays, Brazilian tapirs, giant anteaters, giant armadillos, bush dogs and giant otters. Amazonian manatees occur in the wider aquatic system.

Birdwatching is one of the park’s principal attractions. Notable species include the golden parakeet, harpy eagle, musician wren and harlequin antbird. Macaws, parrots, toucans, woodpeckers, antbirds and mixed feeding flocks may be encountered along the forest trails and river margins.

Large animals generally avoid people, and dense vegetation limits visibility. Visitors are more likely to encounter monkeys, birds, butterflies, frogs, lizards and insects than jaguars or tapirs. Early mornings and late afternoons usually provide the best opportunities for wildlife observation.

The park has a hot, humid equatorial climate, with high temperatures, high humidity and rainfall throughout the year. Annual temperature variation is small, and there is no completely rainless season.

Rain is generally heaviest from around January through May. During these months, the unpaved Trans-Amazonian Highway becomes muddier and access to the Uruá and Tracoá sectors may be difficult. Heavy tropical showers can also swell streams and obscure trails.

The relatively drier period from approximately August to December is locally called the Amazonian summer. River levels fall, exposing beaches, rapids and stone formations along the Tapajós. Conditions remain hot, humid and capable of producing sudden thunderstorms.

The Trans-Amazônia highway runs through the park. To get there, take a bus from Itaituba to Jacareacanga and ask the driver to let you off at the park entrance. The highway is paved as far as Itaituba but other parts are unpaved earth roads topped with gravel that deteriorate during the rainy season, November to April, and need much repair work each May and June. The park can be accessed from Santarém, Pará, which is at the confluence of the Tapajós with the Amazon River. Santarém has an airport. Any roads usually require four-wheel-drive vehicles and river transport is normally used in this region.

Bus from Itaituba around 10:00. Bus to Itaituba around 14:00. About R$30, one way.

Car rentals in Itaituba are about R$100 per day, plus insurance.

Taxi from Itaituba is about R$150.

You must obtain permission from IBAMA/ICMBio to visit the park. They have an office in Itaituba.

Address: Av. Mal. Rondon, s/n - Liberdade, Itaituba - PA, 68181-010. (IBAMA/ Parque Nacional da Amazônia). ☏ +55 93 3518-4519

Pay the park rangers/guides about R$50. (Ask at IBAMA if that is still correct.)

There is no public transport or park-wide road network. Visitors normally drive along the BR-230 to the Tracoá or Uruá base and continue on foot along designated trails. The road is unpaved beyond Itaituba and can require a high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle during the rainy season.

The park’s 2020 public-use plan recorded eight trails, one viewpoint and two support bases, at Tracoá and Uruá. Trail conditions and openings may change because of fallen trees, flooding, maintenance and staffing, so check with ICMBio before departure rather than relying solely on online maps.

Boat travel is possible along the Tapajós, but an experienced local pilot is essential. Rapids and exposed rocks are especially hazardous when water levels are low between August and December. Boats should carry life jackets, sufficient fuel, sun and rain protection, communications equipment and emergency drinking water.

Longer routes, overnight hikes and traverses are contemplated by the park’s public-use plan, but they require advance coordination. Do not enter remote forest without confirming the route, access rules and expected return time with park staff.

The Tapajós River is the park’s dominant scenic feature. Its green-blue water, rocky rapids, islands and forested banks can be viewed from trails, boats and the developed sector around Uruá. During low water, temporary sandbanks form natural beaches, although swimming should occur only where park staff or an experienced guide confirms conditions are safe.

The Uruá viewpoint overlooks the river’s rapids and exposed stone formations. Sunrise and late afternoon offer softer light, cooler conditions and better opportunities for bird and wildlife observation. The viewpoint area has basic toilets but should not be regarded as a fully serviced visitor complex.

The established trail network has included the Tracoá, Gameleira, Açaizal, Capelinha, Interpretativa do Tapajós, Morro da Terra Preta and Piçarreira trails. Routes vary from short interpretive walks to longer forest journeys. Confirm which are maintained and open before setting out.

Birdwatchers should explore quietly in the early morning, listening for parrots, toucans, antbirds and primates moving through the canopy. Binoculars are essential because most wildlife remains high in the trees or concealed by vegetation.

The limestone and sandstone areas contain caves, archaeological remains and landscapes of scientific interest. Many lie far from the normal visitor sector and may require specific authorization, research arrangements or specialist guiding.

• Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio - Itaituba), Av. Mal. Rondon, s/n - Liberdade, Itaituba, toll-free: +55 93 3518-4519. Mon-Fri 08:00-18:00; Sat Sun closed. Get your permit for the park here. free. (updated Apr 2016)
• Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente / Parque Nacional da Amazônia (IBAMA / Parque Nacional da Amazônia), Av. Mal. Rondon, s/n. Aeroporto Velho. Itaituba – PA. (IBAMA/ Parque Nacional da Amazônia), ☏ +55 93 3518-4519. office hours. To visit the Amazônia National Park, you need to get a permit. One can be obtained here. You need your passport - maybe also a photocopy and some 3x4 cm photos. The permit is free (at last check). free. (updated Apr 2016)
• -4.547808-56.3037561 Park office 2 (Base ICMBio 2), Transamazônica Highway BR-230 (about 65 km south along the highway from Itaituba), ☏ +55 93 3518-4519. Start your hike from here.  (updated Aug 2017)
• -4.4712-56.28422 Entrance to the park (Base 1). Pass this on the highway as you go to Base 2.  (updated Aug 2017)

There are no shops or dependable sales points inside or immediately around the visitor sector. Purchase all food, bottled water, fuel, medicines, toiletries, batteries and insect repellent in Itaituba before entering.

Bring cash for minor local expenses, but do not expect a souvenir shop or electronic payment facilities at the park bases. Mobile coverage and electricity are limited.

Do not purchase feathers, skins, live animals, orchids, archaeological objects or anything reportedly removed from the forest. Collection and removal of natural or cultural material from a national park are prohibited.

There are no public restaurants inside the park. Visitors must bring all of their food from Itaituba or arrange catering with a tour operator or accommodation near the boundary. ICMBio’s visitor information states that cooking is possible at the Uruá accommodation, where a stove and some kitchen utensils are provided.

Choose provisions that remain safe without continuous refrigeration. Electricity is not continuously available, and the generator may operate for only a few hours. Bring extra food in case rain, road conditions or boat problems delay the return journey.

Store food securely to prevent monkeys, rodents and insects from reaching it. Carry all packaging and other rubbish back to Itaituba; do not bury or burn waste in the forest.

Bring enough safe drinking water for the entire visit, with an emergency reserve. ICMBio describes potable-water availability at the park as precarious and specifically advises visitors to carry mineral water.

Do not drink untreated water from the Tapajós, streams, rain tanks or accommodation taps. Water obtained locally should be boiled, filtered and disinfected before use.

There are no public bars inside the park. Visitors should bring their own tea, coffee, soft drinks or other beverages. Avoid alcohol before boating, hiking, swimming or driving on the BR-230.

Overnight facilities are very basic and should be arranged with ICMBio before arrival. The older description of a free cabin should not be relied upon: the official visitor page does not state that accommodation is free, and its present condition, availability and any charges must be confirmed directly.

ICMBio’s visitor information describes two simple accommodations at the Uruá base. One has a bathroom, a kitchen with a stove, two rooms, beds, hammocks and basic cooking utensils. The other consists mainly of a large open room, veranda and toilet, and visitors must sleep in hammocks.

The base is not connected to a regular electricity supply. A generator may operate for only part of the day, so bring charged power banks, headlamps and spare batteries. Do not assume that bedding, mosquito nets, gas, fuel or cooking equipment will be available without confirmation.

Most travellers stay in Itaituba, which has hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and transport services, and visit the park as a day trip or prearranged overnight excursion. Privately operated accommodation also exists near the park boundary, but current operation and transfers should be verified directly.

Camping is possible in designated areas, but ICMBio notes that the park lacks a properly developed campground with facilities such as laundry areas, tables and comprehensive sanitation. Obtain permission and confirm where tents may be pitched before arrival.

Bring a waterproof tent, mosquito net, sleeping mat, lightweight bedding, stove, fuel, food, drinking water and rubbish bags. Avoid placing a tent beneath dead branches or immediately beside a river or stream that could rise during rain.

The Uruá viewpoint has three toilets and has sometimes been used for sleeping, but visitors should not treat this as an automatically authorized or serviced campground. Confirm arrangements with park management.

The public-use plan permits the development of hikes longer than 5 km, overnight routes and traverses, but backcountry travel should be undertaken only with explicit authorization and appropriate local guidance. Much of the park has no signs, communications, rescue infrastructure or reliable water supply.

Do not establish an informal camp deep in the forest. A permitted expedition must be fully self-sufficient and carry navigation equipment, shelter, treated water, food, first-aid supplies and an emergency communications plan. Pack out all rubbish and avoid disturbing archaeological or Indigenous sites.

Contact ICMBio before visiting to confirm access, trail conditions and overnight arrangements. The official park page lists +55 93 3518-4519 for visitor information, while the park administration is based in Itaituba. Leave the route and expected return time with park staff or another responsible person.

The BR-230 becomes difficult during the January–May rainy season. Mud, flooded sections, fallen trees and vehicle breakdowns can leave travellers stranded far from assistance. Carry a spare tyre, tools, recovery equipment, fuel, food and drinking water, and avoid unnecessary travel after dark.

River travel has its own risks. Rapids, strong currents and submerged or exposed rocks require a pilot who knows the local channels. Wear a life jacket and do not swim near rapids, unfamiliar banks or places used by caimans and other wildlife.

Heat, humidity and dehydration are more immediate risks than attacks by large animals. Wear light covering clothing, a hat and sturdy footwear, and carry sunscreen, repellent and more water than expected. Do not walk alone or leave a marked trail.

Jaguars and pumas normally avoid people, but venomous snakes, scorpions, wasps and other animals may be encountered. Watch where hands and feet are placed, shake out footwear and never approach or feed wildlife.

Pará is within Brazil’s malaria-endemic Amazon region. Use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and trousers after sunset and sleep beneath a mosquito net. Travellers should obtain medical advice before departure and seek prompt care for fever during or after the trip.

Brazil’s Ministry of Health recommends yellow-fever vaccination for travellers going to recommended areas, normally at least ten days before travel unless medically contraindicated.

Medical and rescue assistance can take a long time to arrive. Carry essential medication and insurance covering evacuation. Brazil’s emergency numbers are 192 for an ambulance, 193 for the fire and rescue service and 190 for police, although mobile reception inside the park may be absent.

• Itaituba — The park’s principal gateway and the place to obtain food, water, fuel, accommodation and information from ICMBio. Regular boats connect its port with Santarém and other Amazonian cities.
• Santarém — A major regional transport centre at the meeting of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers, with flights, riverboats, hotels, restaurants and onward access to the lower Tapajós.
• Alter do Chão — A riverside village near Santarém known for seasonal white-sand beaches, Lago Verde, canoe trips and forest excursions. The best-known beaches emerge during the relatively dry August–December period.
• Tapajós National Forest — A more developed option for community-guided forest walks, riverside villages, giant trees, canoe trips and community-based tourism. It is usually approached through Santarém, Alter do Chão or Belterra.
• Belterra — A small historic town south of Santarém and a useful gateway to communities and trails in Tapajós National Forest.