Paddling near Altamira, Pará

Altamira sits on the banks of the Rio Xingu in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, in the state of Pará. The Xingu is the defining water here — a major Amazon tributary wide enough to feel like an inland sea in places, with forested margins and strong currents. Local operators run guided kayak trips directly on the Xingu, and the broader network of Amazonian rivers including the Rio Iriri extends the paddling territory considerably for those prepared for remote conditions.