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- There is not really a good or bad time to visit the city of Manaus
and its surroundings. The time of the year you should visit the area
depends greatly on the activities you want to practice or what you
wish to accomplish with your trip to this great region.
Many activities in the surrounding rainforest will depend on
water-levels. Water levels of the Amazon River, the Negro Rivers and
its tributaries, fluctuate anywhere from 35 to 40 feet between the
high and low water levels. From end August the levels are almost at
their lowest and many beaches can be found along the rivers and
tributaries. Some parts of the forest will be completely dry and
this is a great time for expeditions by foot and to set up camp. By
November the water will start to rise reaching its highest point
somewhere in April or May (which are also the wettest and coldest
months). The river will stay high and the jungle will be flooded
near the rivers. This is a great time to explore the forest by small
boats and to sail up the smaller tributaries.
Water levels will stay high until July when they will start dropping
real fast. From here the cycle repeats itself.
The reason for cycle is simple: The Amazon River, the Negro River
and many tributaries of these rivers, get their water from rain and
melting ice and snow high up in the Andes. The winter season in the
Andes is from July till November - December when little rain and no
melting is going on, resulting in little water coming down to feed
the rivers. When spring begins in the Andes the ice and snow begins
to melt and the water levels begin to rise.
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