Meeting of the Waters

Where the Tapajós meets the Amazon at Santarém, the two rivers flow side by side without mixing for several kilometres — the dark, clear water of the Tapajós against the opaque, sediment-heavy Amazon. It is the same phenomenon as the more famous meeting near Manaus, but here you can witness it from a boat leaving directly from the Santarém waterfront rather than on a costly tour.

Local boat taxis will take you out to see the confluence for a few reais, or you can negotiate a longer trip into the Tapajós for the beaches and flooded forest. At certain times of year dolphins — both the Amazon pink river dolphin and the smaller grey tucuxi — are visible in the transition zone.

things to do sight
A story
The Tapajós runs clear and dark because it drains over ancient crystalline rock with few suspended sediments, while the Amazon carries enormous quantities of silt from the Andes. At their meeting the two rivers resist mixing for several kilometres, the boundary between them sharp enough to be a navigational feature for local boatmen.

Other places in Things to Do