When Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014, Amazon River cruise specialist Rainforest Cruises. In fact they had double the reservations from UK sports fans. It is reasonable for them to expect large numbers next year when the 2016 Olympic Games will be hosted by Rio de Janeiro.

Manaus is the main port serving the Amazon region. It is the capital of the state of Amazonas in Northern Brazil.  Although a four hour flight from Rio Jeremy Clubb (director of Rainforest Cruises) thinks the travel time is not a deterrent once visitors have already flown a great distance to Brazil.

“Rio is one of the most fascinating cities in the world and there will be a real carnival atmosphere during the Olympic Games, but Brazil is a huge country with many fascinating landscapes and an adventure along the Amazon is one of its unmissable draws,” he says.

“With a range of cruises scheduled to tie in with visits to the Olympics, we can give travellers the chance to explore the world’s most famous river and see the spectacular jungle and wildlife up close.”

Rainforest Cruises’ Olympic programme includes five-day trips along the Negro River (the largest Amazon tributary) in the traditional riverboat Tucano.

The Rainforest Cruises website describes the Tucano as, not a luxury vessel, but comfortable and designed to enable exploration through small tributaries and hidden channels where wildlife can be found, but where larger vessels cannot go.

They provide morning kayak excursions for an intimate rainforest experience and fishing for piranha as well as a night canoe trip in search of caimans.

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games take place from August 5 to 21.