Jau National Park

Jaú National Park is one of the largest conserved areas in Brazil, and the second largest continuous area of protected tropical rainforest in the world. It protects the entire hydrological basin of the Rio Jau, between two of the greatest rivers of the Amazon basin, the Negro and Solimões, and with both Tertiary and Quaternary geological formations, it harbors a unique group of exceptional ecosystems. It is located primarily on terra-firme, and other forms of open tropical forest. Few conservation units in the Amazon region also protect such a large portion of the flora and fauna of black water river systems.

There is no road access to the Park beyond Novo Airão village which is located 100km upstream from Manaus, it is only accessible by river, so boats are the usual means of access. Visitors need prior authorization from the AMBIENTAL INSTITUE OF BRASIL IBAMA headquarters in Manaus. At the entrance, there is a houseboat for the park guards.

There are indigenous inhabitants in the area today a recent survey identified 17 archaeological sites at the mouth of the Rio Jau, with undated material suggesting that the area may have been part of a corridor between the Solimões and Negro rivers peopled by ethnic groups of both regions. Numerous stone carvings were found on the river’s edge. Detailed studies of these sites could help to explain the history of human occupation of the lower Rio Negro.

Tour Jau National Park