Manaus: -3.1233° N, -60.02054° E

When Googling “Amazon Rainforest” the first three questions that pop up are, Is the Amazon rainforest dangerous? How important is the Amazon rainforest? And what is the most rare animal in the Amazon?

In this thin mountain air of Colorado, 20% of every deep breath you take is oxygen from the world’s largest rainforest. In the thick jungle canopies it takes rain 10 minutes to hit the forest floors. In fact, much of the ground floor of the Amazon never sees the sun. In the center of this jungle, almost 1,000 miles upriver from the mouth of the river lies the city of Manaus, founded in 1669. This frenetic riverfront metro serves as the jump off point for adventurous souls embarking on canoe expeditions through mangroves, day trips to take in giant lily pads or embark on exploration upriver to parts unknown. The city is known for its kaleidoscope of color, from the famous rose colored Teatro Amazonas opera house (a reminder of the go-go years of the Portuguese rubber trade of the 1880’s) to the simple yet brightly-colored fishermen’s boats that dot the shoreline. It is here, where the black water of the Rio Negro and the silty brown Amazon converge yet refuse to mingle and where hammock-lined river cruises are the preferred way to spend lazy afternoons. For the more active trekkers, the rainforest offers jaguar trails, bushwacking to spot the elusive anaconda, or paths to observe Black Caimans hunting at river’s edge. The waterways are constantly changing with each rainy season and the most experiences boatmen will give you a sly smile and tell you about the giant river otters that are a few miles down stream. As you relax in your hammock over the cries of Howler Monkeys your google search all those months ago seems less and less relevant.