# Alter do Chão: map, what to do and when to go

Tapajós village with river beaches that appear at low water, canoe trips through the flooded forest at high water, and the Tapajós National Forest nearby

Canonical: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/
Language: en. Extended author commentary and itinerary notes may remain in Portuguese. Dates below belong to individual sources; this is not live availability.

## Direct answer
- **Alter do Chão: in which months is Ilha do Amor above water?** From August to December, at low water, and the strip of sand grows from September.
- **Alter do Chão: how do I get there from Santarém airport?** It is about 33 km on a paved road.
- **Alter do Chão: how many days should I stay?** Four days: three in Alter, one for the village, Ilha do Amor and Serra da Piraoca, one by boat on Lago Verde and the Canal do Jari and one in the Tapajós National Forest, and the fourth in Santarém, before the flight.

## The village, Ilha do Amor and Serra da Piraoca
Coffee in the village and a walk around the main square and the Tapajós waterfront, to arrange the next days' tours at the pier.
- Ilha do Amor
- Serra da Piraoca
- Lago Verde

## Tapajós National Forest
Very early departure from Alter, by boat to the chosen community (Jamaraquá, Maguari or São Domingos) or by car via Belterra and the BR-163.
- Tapajós National Forest
- Praia do Pindobal

## Ilha do Amor
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-ilha-do-amor
One to two hours
The strip of white sand in front of the village, between the Tapajós and Lago Verde, is a peninsula that the river covers for part of the year. It appears at low water, from August to December, and grows larger from September, with beach stalls serving grilled fish and clear water for swimming; the crossing is short, on small boats that leave from the village pier. It fills up on weekends and during the Çairé; on weekdays it is calmer. From February to June it is submerged, and in July it begins to reappear.
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## Serra da Piraoca
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-serra-da-piraoca
Santarém · One to two hours
The hill behind Ilha do Amor has a short, steep trail, about an hour round trip, to a lookout with views of the Tapajós, Lago Verde and the forest canopy. It's worth climbing late in the afternoon, when the heat eases, and coming down before dark, with water and closed shoes; travel guides recommend going in a group or with a guide. The access starts on the other side of the crossing.
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## Lago Verde
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-lago-verde
One to two hours
The lake that the peninsula separates from the Tapajós is the gateway to the Floresta Encantada, an igapó (flooded forest) explored by canoe after a motorboat ride to the entrance. At high water, from February to June, the canoe goes deep among the trees; in the dry season, only the first stretch is navigable. The tours leave from the waterfront with boatmen from the village.
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## Canal do Jari
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-canal-do-jari
Half a day or more
An arm of water among igapós, in a várzea (floodplain) area, where boat trips look for birds, sloths and caimans and, for part of the year, giant water lilies. It is a full-day outing, arranged in the village, that usually ends with sunset on a sandbar.
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## Ponta do Cururu
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-ponta-do-cururu
One to two hours
A sandbar that appears at low water, from August to December, sometimes into January if the river is still low, and the most sought-after spot in the region to watch the sun set over the Tapajós. It is usually the end of the boat trips. It has no facilities at all: water, snacks and your trash go back and forth on the boat.
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## Tapajós National Forest
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-floresta-nacional-do-tapajos
Pará · Half a day or more
Created in 1974, the Flona covers 530,620.65 hectares and, according to a 2023 news report, about a thousand families in 28 communities, who run the tourism. The most popular trails leave from the communities on the banks of the Tapajós: at Maguari, about 14 km to a nearly thousand-year-old sumaúma (kapok) tree, with a stream swim; at Jamaraquá, about 10 km among centuries-old trees; at São Domingos, about 10 km to a lookout over the river. The guide and lunch are arranged directly with the community. You get there by boat from Alter or by road, via Belterra and the BR-163.
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## Praça do Sairé
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-praca-do-saire
Santarém · Up to half an hour
The square where the Çairé's barracão (festival hall) and stages stand. In the third week of September it hosts processions, litanies and the festival's concerts; outside that week, it is a village square on the way between the waterfront and the restaurants.
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## Praia do Pindobal
https://nilopelomundo.com/en/place/alter-do-chao/#g-lugar-praia-do-pindobal
One to two hours
A river beach in Belterra, on the bank of the Tapajós, that makes a good stop on the way back from the Flona by road. Like Ilha do Amor, it changes size with the river level.
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**Alter do Chão: in which months is Ilha do Amor above water?**
From August to December, at low water, and the strip of sand grows from September. From February to June the beaches are submerged and the outing becomes canoeing through the flooded forest; July and January are transition months.

**Alter do Chão: how do I get there from Santarém airport?**
It is about 33 km on a paved road. Taxis and ride-hailing apps make the trip directly, at prices that vary a lot: agree on the fare first. By bus there is no direct line: the airport-to-center line runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and you transfer on Avenida Fernando Guilhon; the village line's schedule is not published, so confirm it, especially at night.

**Alter do Chão: how many days should I stay?**
Four days: three in Alter, one for the village, Ilha do Amor and Serra da Piraoca, one by boat on Lago Verde and the Canal do Jari and one in the Tapajós National Forest, and the fourth in Santarém, before the flight. With three days, cut Santarém, not the Flona.

**Alter do Chão: how do I visit the Tapajós National Forest?**
Arrange the guide and lunch by phone, directly with the community: at Maguari the trail is about 14 km, at Jamaraquá and São Domingos about 10 km. You get there by boat from Alter or by road, via Belterra. In July 2026 the guide cost R$ 200 per group of up to five people, without a meal.

**Alter do Chão: which vaccines and health precautions are recommended?**
The CDC recommends the yellow fever vaccine, from 9 months of age, for those traveling to Pará, and lists the state among those with malaria transmission. Repellent, long clothing in the late afternoon and mosquito nets in the forest pousadas also help against dengue.


## In the Nilo app
- Plan these 3 days on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/guide/alter-do-chao/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-itinerary
- Mark your hotel on the map: https://nilopelomundo.com/en/app/map/alter-do-chao/?utm_source=llm&utm_medium=markdown&utm_content=door-stay

## Full editorial guide (Portuguese)
https://nilopelomundo.com/llm/alter-do-chao.md