RouteRio Branco

Juruá River: Acre's Remote Amazon Heartland

The Juruá River in western Acre — accessible only by small plane or long river journey — is one of the Amazon's most isolated regions; rubber tapper communities, indigenous peoples, and intact forest define the deep interior

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1
River Journey to Marechal Thaumaturgo
The river trip from Cruzeiro do Sul to Marechal Thaumaturgo takes several days on Juruá — the forest on both banks is intact, the communities are remote and the river wildlife is extraordinary
2
Cruzeiro do Sul: Juruá Gateway
The Acre city of Cruzeiro do Sul - reached by daily flights from Rio Branco - is the gateway to the Juruá River; the city is surrounded by intact forest and has its own distinct cuisine and culture
3
Juruá Biodiversity
The Juruá River basin is among the Amazon's most biodiverse — the flooded forests, oxbow lakes (igapós) and the intact gallery forest support species rarely seen elsewhere; river dolphins are abundant
4
Rubber Tapper Communities
The remaining rubber tapping communities in the Juruá Valley sustain the forest economy - Brazil nut, copaiba oil and rubber still provide income along with government programs; the communities oppose logging and cultivation
5
Voluntary isolation in Acre
The extreme western border region of Acre-Peru has several groups of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation — the most significant population of uncontacted peoples in South America; their territory is legally protected and entry is prohibited
6
Acre River System
The Acre River that flows through the Rio Branco is the state's central waterway – riverside life, community waterways and the seasonal floods that shape the cities and countryside of Acre are all centered around this Amazonian tributary