My husband and I took a private, 16 day trip down the Rio Negro with Carlos Damasceno as our guide. We found Carlos helpful, informative, friendly and trustworthy. He organised everything for us and tailored the trip to our tastes. We wanted to see the more out of the way places and true wilderness areas, being interested in natural history. Carlos ensured this. For example, his network of contacts, meant we could explore the more remote areas without fear of being lost. I am a botanist and Carlos introduced us to one of his Brazilian-Indian mates who could take us to a remote area where an insectivorous plant that was new to science grew. I would highly recommend Carlos as a guide.