MY Tucano
Broad‑beamed and three‑decked, she’s styled after a heritage steamer to evoke classic Amazon river travel. She cuts a distinctive figure on the Rio Negro, and her expert crew – utterly devoted to her – give the vessel a personality as memorable as the landscapes she explores.
As the vessel travels upriver, the landscape opens into the Anavilhanas Archipelago, a labyrinth of more than 400 islands, channels and flooded forests. This shift from urban energy to deep‑Amazon tranquillity defines the journey, offering guests an immersive passage into one of the region’s most intricate and biodiverse environments.
Inspired by 19th‑century steamers, the interiors are rich and atmospheric: dark raised‑wood panelling, polished brass, botanical prints and framed maps. More than 70 windows are set throughout the vessel – at least four in every cabin – creating a sense of space and constant connection to the forest outside.
Communal areas include a welcoming salon and observation spaces that make the most of the vessel’s height, offering excellent vantage points as the Rio Negro’s dark waters wind through islands and flooded forests. Meals are served in a relaxed dining room, where guests gather between excursions to enjoy freshly prepared dishes and share the day’s sightings from one of the Amazon’s most quietly adventurous vessels.
Experiences
- Explore narrow blackwater channels by launch or kayak, gliding through quiet forest corridors where wildlife gathers at the river’s edge.
- Take a bold dip from the stern swim deck, slipping into the Rio Negro’s clear, tannin‑dark waters for an unforgettable Amazon swim.
- Spend time in the open wheelhouse, chatting with the captain and watching the river unfold from one of the vessel’s best vantage points.
- Venture out on nocturnal forest excursions, scanning for frogs, sloths, arboreal porcupines and the gleaming eyes of hidden night creatures.
- Join the lively Caipirinha Night, mixing cocktails and enjoying samba on deck as the river drifts quietly past.
- Witness the Encontro das Águas, where the Rio Negro and Solimões meet in a dramatic two‑tone confluence often visited by pink and grey river dolphins.
- Walk through remote riverside settlements, meeting families who live by the rhythms of the Negro and gaining insight into life in the world’s largest river basin.
We include it for those who want small‑group expeditions deep into forest and waterways, prioritising authenticity over opulence. Comforts abound, but the focus is firmly on nature; and enjoying every moment of discovering it.
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“Combine eco-credentials with excellent itineraries and a spirit of adventurous fun, and you have MY Tucano. It’s a boat rich in personality and unmistakably full of heart.”
Why Plan with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that address location-specific needs from education to conservation and environmental sustainability. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that address location-specific needs from education to conservation and environmental sustainability. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Great Places to Combine with MY Tucano
MY Tucano works beautifully as part of a wider journey in Brazil. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.MY Tucano works beautifully as part of a wider journey in Brazil. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
A treetop villa at Awasi Iguazu lodge is a tranquil and serene retreat where you will feel immersed in the splendour of lush forest. From here, you will venture to Iguazu Falls and much more.
If you want a high-quality experience in a superb location affording staggering views of Copacabana beach and its dramatic environs, then Miramar by Windsor is the place to stay.
Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge is a magnificent property in the heart of the Brazilian Rainforest, right on the edge of the Anavilhanas National Park. The dark waters of the Rio Negro surround the property, making it a prime site for adventures by river as well as in the forest.
You will be energised not only by seeing the wonderful wildlife of the Pantanal, but also by experiencing ground-breaking conservation at work in the Caiman Ecological Refuge. It sets the standards that others follow.
With a stunning location, the stilted buildings of this beautiful lodge put guests right within the branches on the banks of the Juma River. It’s a black water region, so there are very few mosquitoes to spoil your experience of the rainforest.
Whole Trip Far Exceeded My Expectations
"Journeysmiths was recommended to me by friends and I’m incredibly grateful that they did so. I have always wanted to travel to the Pantanal in Brazil and Ross Cambray at Journeysmiths arranged the most fantastic, well thought out itinerary for me. He made the whole process so easy and was extremely efficient, well informed and pleasant to deal with. The whole trip far exceeded my expectations. It will be difficult to improve on this!"
The birdlife in Brazil is especially impressive, with feathers reflecting every single colour of the rainbow. Whether you’re an amateur enthusiast or a serious birder, the Amazon Jungle is breathtaking in the variety of the species which live there. You’ll find the richest birding hotspots along with the very best birding guides in Latin America.
A simply enormous country, Brazil truly does have it all: vibrant wildlife, cosmopolitan cities and pristine wild landscapes. The Amazon Rainforest is Brazil’s most famous destination, and whilst this is undoubtedly an incredible place, there really is a lot more to see. Think canoeing through mangrove forests, luxuriating on immaculate coastlines, exploring wetlands buzzing with wildlife, and visiting cities that burst with energy during carnival time. Here we collate our 10 favourite experiences.
Brazil is vast, known for its lively cities, heavenly beaches and glorious wildlife areas. We’ve put together a set of FAQs that cover the basic need-to-know tips when starting to plan your holiday. If you’d like more tailored advice, contact our Journeysmiths today and we’ll be happy to help.
Famed for its beautiful coastline and, of course, the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil is the Earth’s most biologically diverse country. Over 100,000 animal species are currently known, and with around 700 new ones discovered each year, this diversity is ever-increasing. A trio of glorious wilderness areas - the lively, bustling Amazon Rainforest, The Pantanal’s labyrinth of pristine waterways and wetlands, and the vast, rolling savannah of the Cerrado - come together to make Brazil a hugely important conservation destination.