-This is the Amazon, both the world's largest tropical rainforest and its mightiest river, coursing 4,000 miles from source to sea.

I'm Robson Green, and this is my journey of a lifetime.

I've got a feeling this adventure is going to be spectacular.

2 million square miles of rainforest is home to a profusion of species -- hundreds of mammals, thousands of birds and fish.

Its sheer scale is absolutely staggering.

I am stepping way outside my comfort zone as I learn how to appreciate the rainforest and what it offers the world.

I'll be meeting the people... -Thank you.

-...and the wildlife... -Hello, mate.

-...that call this place home.

I want to understand its problems... And that's just acres and acres of trees that have been cut down.

-...and learn to meet its challenges.

Ah!

Ah!

Ay-yi-yi.

I caught the eye of my next-door neighbor.

This journey isn't going to be easy.

But it's one I'll treasure for the rest of my life.

♪♪ ♪♪ I'm on the final leg of my journey deep into the Amazon.

I've got one more day left on this beautiful boat.

And what a day it promises to be.

I'm heading into Anavilhanas, a remote network of over 400 islands connected by channels, lagoons, and swamps in the heart of the rainforest.

A huge variety of wildlife thrives here in its unique ecosystem.

♪♪ What a sight to wake up to.

One of the largest freshwater archipelagos on the planet.

Anavilhanas.

To get here, I left behind Novo Airao to explore the archipelago, reaching the furthest northwest point of my Amazon odyssey before heading back via road towards the city of Manaus.

I'm up early today with my local guide, Saru, drifting through this network of islands and lakes.

-There.

-That's a hawk, is it?

Oh!

What is that?

Agami heron.

-Yeah.

-Look at the colors on that.

These hunting birds are drawn to the river by the hundreds of species of fish found in the archipelago.

And just like the birds, today, I'll try to catch one.

I've already lost a fishing competition with Saru using my own fly fishing method.

It was a spectacular fail.

So today he's teaching me to fish like a local.

There's only one method that is king for Saru.

And that's this -- the bow and the arrow.

How are we going to catch a fish with this?

In all my years of fishing, I've tried this method once or twice, but never with any success.

It looks homemade, this.

You make this?

Really?

Wow.

-Yeah.

-And what age were you when you started using this?

-Five.

-So he's got a bit of a head start.

Before I try and catch lunch, I need some target practice, and Saru is full of surprises.

He grabs a pineapple from the stern.

What are you going to do with that?

♪♪ So go on, tell me what you -- -[ Laughs ] -Yeah, great.

Should I have a go?

-Yes.

-Aiming at the pineapple?

It was close.

And just when it looks hopeless... Third time lucky.

Oh!

Oh, my God!

I split the arrow as well.

That was a real Kevin Costner moment.

I split the arrow on the pineapple.

-[ Speaks native language ] -Let's go and find these fish, Saru.

♪♪ You spot them, I'll hit them.

Straight over the top.

Ohh.

Tell you what, that was close, man.

I think it's a piranha.

Missed it.

Oh!

Damn it!

If it was up to me to put food on the table, we'd starve to death.

I'm so sorry.

And now Saru's going to show me how it's done.

-Yes!

-We have got lunch, Saru.

-It's a sizable piranha.

Who needs thousands of pounds of fly fishing gear when you've created this out of some simple things?

It's amazing, Saru.

A catch that will give us sustenance before we head further upriver.

♪♪ I'm continuing my journey in the Amazon.

I'm back on the boat that's been home for the past five days.

As dawn breaks, the weather takes a dramatic turn.

Oh, my gosh.

Well, you never know what's around the corner on the Amazon.

And we are just being battered by a storm of biblical proportions.

This violent squall has hit us out of nowhere.

And the crew are struggling to control our flat-bottomed boat.

We're in danger of being blown aground.

So it's batten down the hatches.

All hands to the pump!

Teotoni, bless him, he's on our starboard side, using his boat as a tug.

The force of the rain is more torrential than any downfall I've ever witnessed.

♪♪ ♪♪ But it's short lived.

Finally, lines are tied ashore and the big boat is safe.

Despite the deluge, the Amazon is in desperate need of more rain.

The region is suffering an extreme drought, and the river is at its lowest level in over 120 years.

It will take many months, maybe even years of rainfall to restore the river to its previous water level.

All along the Amazon are hundreds of communities living on the river, depending on it for their food, water, transport, and work.

Today, I'm heading off the beaten track to explore this unique way of life.

So tell me, where are we headed today, Saru?

Where are we going?

Yes?

-Yes.

-Is this the type of village and community you grew up on?

In your lifetime, have you ever seen the river this low?

-The floating village of Catalao is normally connected to the main river.

But shockingly, now it's landlocked.

To get to it, we have to walk over dry land that should be riverbed.

-Oh.

-Careful with your step.

Cassioni.

-Cassioni.

Bom dia.

My guide is Cassioni.

She lives here with her husband and three children.

As we approach the village, the full impact of the drought becomes obvious.

Houses that should be floating are high and dry.

But thanks to a dam that the locals have built to divert the river, some of the houses remain afloat.

Cassioni tells us that this is how her village should look even in the dry season.

Catalao Village.

-Yeah.

This is the name.

-It's very beautiful.

♪♪ Around 120 families have made their homes here and earn their living from fishing, farming, and running boats.

For you, what's the best part of living life floating on the Amazon?

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -I can imagine there's very little stress in this community with the sights and the sounds and the rhythm of the water.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] ♪♪ -Well, every village has a guard dog.

I'm just pleased that one can't swim.

♪♪ So I'm seeing a lot of houses, like any village.

Do you have a corner shop?

-There's also a floating church and a school.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -I love it.

How many children go to the school?

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] Wow.

So how do they get to here?

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -You're the school bus driver.

You're the school boat driver.

[ Laughter ] In a normal year, the river level fluctuates 45 feet with the seasons.

Having houses that float means people can live right by the all-important water without ever getting flooded.

But today, they have the opposite problem, with many stranded.

Although for now, Cassioni's house is still on the water.

This is your house?

This is the boat you pick the children up in?

-Sim.

-I like it.

Obrigado.

Your home.

The families construct the houses on huge tree trunks to keep them afloat.

I love it.

Cassioni has offered to make us lunch.

On the menu, armor-plated catfish, a staple dish caught on her doorstep.

Beautiful food, lovely people with this lovely riverside view.

And you're suffering a terrible drought at the moment.

How has that affected you and your family and the village?

If the severe drought continues, it threatens to leave the many floating villages of the Amazon isolated.

But this morning, the drought is on hold and the rain is pouring down.

I've enjoyed every second in Catalao.

So beautiful, so friendly, and so welcoming.

Thank you so much.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -Tchau.

-Tchau.

-What?

Oi, you're coming with me, mate.

We've got places to go, people to see.

Oh, he's having some more fish.

After Saru has finished his catfish, we motor back to our boat.

As the day draws to a close, we head off on a moonlit adventure into the unknown.

I'm about to see and hear a whole new side to the Amazon.

[ Animals calling ] Bloody things.

So we've traveled an hour in the pitch black, but as the day shift goes to bed, the night shift clocks on and you're greeted by really mysterious and sometimes scary sounds.

[ Animals calling ] The jungle has come alive.

What's making that?

There's a really loud croaking sound.

A frog cannot make that sound.

I didn't believe you were going to say a frog.

I thought it was some kind of huge monkey.

It's a frog.

-Yes.

[ Laughs ] -But we're not here for the frogs.

We're looking for the Amazon's apex predator, the caiman.

Caimans are the South American relative of alligators and crocodiles.

There are six different caiman species, and they are found only in Central and South America.

Growing up to 16 feet with a lot of teeth, black caiman are the largest and the deadliest.

They're near nocturnal, so to find one, Saru is using powerful torches which will reflect from the caiman's retina, giving away their position.

So what we're looking for now are pairs of eyes.

Pairs of yellow eyes.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Can we get any closer to it?

You're going to try and get it?

-Yeah.

-What with?

Your bare hands?

You've not got a net in the boat.

Where are you going?

-Shake something up in there.

-Are you crazy?

There's anaconda, caiman.

There might be a jaguar there.

-Yes.

-I'll stay here and look after the boat.

I can't believe he's attempting to catch it in the pitch black with his bare hands.

Oh, my gosh!

Just like that, he wrestled with a caiman.

Oh, my gosh!

Wow.

-See?

-Okay, I'll let you -- I'll let you hold him because I know they can still give you a nip.

What species is this?

Yeah?

That will be nine feet when it's an adult?

-Yeah.

-That's beautiful.

Amazing.

Am I okay to touch its tail?

I'll let you keep ahold of the pointy end.

And what do these species eat?

Yeah.

Where is Mum and Dad?

Right.

And are caiman allowed to be hunted still?

Or are they protected?

So when you were growing up, Saru, did you hunt caiman?

So it's just for you now it's catch and release.

-Yeah.

-You don't catch and keep.

Sure.

And do you think this small caiman will survive?

What a privilege to be alongside something like that.

It's beautiful.

Yes.

Yeah.

Caiman are an Amazon conservation success story.

Having previously become endangered due to poaching, they are now abundant in the river.

And away he goes.

He'll be back when he's nine feet long.

He'll not forget you in a hurry.

Or me.

I'm so glad I was able to encounter this fascinating creature.

The near-nocturnal caiman's day may be only just beginning, but it's time for me to turn in for the night.

Day breaks on the Amazon, and I'm heading back to Novo Airao, where I'll travel on one of the few main roads to Manaus.

Which means I have to say goodbye to the boat and its crew.

-Yeah.

Yay!

-The team on board this boat who put up with us for the past few days are just the kindest, nicest people you're ever likely to meet.

-Bye-bye.

Thank you for everything.

It's been amazing.

Teotoni, good to see you.

Obrigado, man.

And this is going to be a tough goodbye.

Being with you this week has been a life-changing experience.

And I mean that, brother.

I mean that.

I'm not going to say goodbye.

I'm going to say goodbye until the next time.

Thank you.

Take care.

Tchau.

♪♪ I'm up at first light and heading east towards Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas state.

And on the way, I've got a rendezvous in the rainforest.

Climbing 242 steps to treetop level, this is the 140-foot high Museu da Amazonia observation tower.

At the top, there's a whole new world to discover.

Haha!

I really am on cloud nine.

Look at that!

At the moment, it's not much of a viewing tower.

But I love what they call the mist here.

The moisture that's generated from all this vegetation.

They call it a flying river.

This flying river of mist carries half of the Amazon's 10 feet of average annual rainfall.

The lifeblood of the most biodiverse environment on Earth.

As the day heats up, the mist evaporates and the wonders of the rainforest will be revealed.

But for now, I'm greeted by a beautiful form of natural music.

A wonderful symphony of birdsong.

A lot of birds here.

In fact, there's more bird species here than anywhere else in the world.

It's estimated that around 1,500 different bird species live in the Amazon, including majestic toucans, hummingbirds, and harpy eagles, and many of them live in the canopy layer at the top of the trees.

I wonder what they're saying.

I'd love to know.

Well, luckily I'm about to meet a man who really can talk to the animals.

Dr. Mario Cohn-Haft has spent a lifetime studying the incredible diversity of the Amazon's birds.

-Robson.

Great to meet you.

-Good to see you.

-Welcome to my back garden.

-Yeah.

Of all the creatures in all the world, why birds, Dr. Mario?

-Why doesn't everyone want to study birds?

I don't get it.

I mean, they fly.

That ought to be good enough, right?

They sing.

They make music.

They dance.

There's nothing bad about a bird.

-Which is certainly true.

But until the mist clears, we can't see the extraordinary range of Amazonian plumage that I've been promised.

We can hear them, though.

And Dr. Mario has a clever trick to entice them out of the forest.

-I happen to have an MP3 recording on my phone.

-Let's give it a go.

Let's talk to the animals.

Come on.

-These are macaws.

[ Macaw calls play ] -We don't have long to wait before an answer comes back through the mist.

And as it starts to clear, suddenly, there they are.

-Yeah.

They're flying toward us.

Below us, below us.

-Oh, my Lord, look at that.

Oh, wow.

-That was something, huh?

-Wow.

Oh, that was joyous, man.

I'm loving this.

Known for their bright colors, macaws are the largest parrots in the world and can live up to 50 years.

Do you know what?

I can see blue sky.

The lifting of the morning mist reveals a whole array of the forest's birds.

-I just spotted a puffbird.

-Oh, wow.

-It's got a heavy bill on it.

That is for catching big insects, big beetles and caterpillars and things like that.

-And then suddenly, overhead, we're surrounded by whirling yellow-headed vultures.

♪♪ The study of birds in the Amazon is particularly important.

They're known as a sentinel species, meaning that they reflect the overall health of the ecosystem.

Oh, my goodness, what is this I'm seeing here?

Iridescent green with a black head.

What is that?

-This is called a violaceous trogon.

Gorgeous, aren't they?

-I'm now a big fan of the trogon.

What an extraordinary experience this has proved to be.

It's been an absolute privilege.

I have enjoyed every second.

I wish you'd been my teacher at school because I wouldn't have turned out being an actor.

I'd have been an ornithologist.

-And it's been a real pleasure.

-I could have stayed there forever, but it's now time to make my way out of the rainforest and back towards civilization.

On the edge of this sea of trees is Manaus.

The final approach to the city is spectacular.

This is the Rio Negro Bridge.

At 2 miles long and 600 feet high, it's the only major bridge across the Amazon.

♪♪ Manaus was once known as the Paris of the tropics.

The main plaza is the old cultural center, and overlooking it is one of the most famous restaurants in the city, which specializes in using the lesser-known fruits of the rainforest.

So I'm off to a real gem of Amazonian cuisine, where apparently every bite tells a story of this unique and bountiful land.

Caxiri, named after the alcoholic beverage made from fermented cassava juice.

It's the vision of head chef Debora Shornik, and after the lunchtime rush, she's showing me how she uses the abundance of plants growing in the Amazon.

Bonjour.

-Olá!

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] Robson.

That's really nice.

It's like a really powerful watercress.

Debora's ingredients are a snapshot of the huge wealth of edible plants found in the Amazon, and they're full of extraordinary flavors, like these butterfly pea flowers.

Wow.

And that is definitely a tango on the taste buds.

Beautiful.

I've never tasted anything like that before, and it's really fresh and it gives you a lift.

Have indigenous people known about all of these ingredients for thousands of years, and we are just discovering them now?

And the Amazonian flavors continue with the salad dressing.

That's passion fruit.

I said it with 100% confidence, totally wrong.

I've eaten lots of nutty cassava root, but had no idea its juice can be so tart.

As well as being added to the salad, tucupi is also used to make ceviche, curing the raw fish with its natural acidity, and it's finished off with a bit of seasoning.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -Oh, yeah.

Whew.

Yeah.

That'll liven it up.

The ingredients Debora uses here are not widely known outside of the Amazon.

So even for Brazilians from other states, there's a surprise on every plate.

Come on, let's sample these delights we've created.

Look at that.

-Obrigado.

-Obrigado.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Wow.

That's so good.

That's so good.

-Gusto.

-And do you think that's one of the main reasons your restaurant is such a success?

That there is a story behind every meal?

Amazing.

Absolutely amazing.

It's lovely to meet you.

Thank you so much.

The food is exquisite.

It really is.

-Muito obrigado.

-What a way to explore the flavors of the region.

Skillfully combined to make the most delicious and surprising food as exotic as the Amazon itself.

♪♪ I've been losing myself in the heart of the Amazon.

And before I leave this incredible ecosystem, I'm going back to try and get a closer look at the extraordinary pink dolphins that play in the Amazon River.

♪♪ This morning I hope to come face to face with the creature they call in this part of the world boto.

It's a mysterious animal that seduces you into its watery kingdom.

Also known as the pink river dolphin, this elusive mammal calls the Amazon home, the largest freshwater dolphin in the world.

A vulnerable species facing a high risk of extinction.

I've been told there's a pod an hour upstream.

They are beautiful creatures.

-They are beautiful.

-Guiding us there, leading scientist Vera da Silva.

-They are very kind creatures, but they are powerful and they are wild.

-She's a biologist who has been studying dolphins for over 40 years.

She's taking me to a feeding station to check on a pod that are part of her study.

♪♪ Ah, there they are.

Will you look at that?

-We have four dolphins in here.

-I forgot how big they were.

My goodness.

Adult males are larger than females and can reach lengths of up to nine feet and weigh 400 pounds, feeding primarily on a wide variety of fish and crustaceans found in the Amazon.

So tell me about the work you do.

-We are monitoring the movements of these animals and making a catalog to identify each animal.

-By tagging and tracking the dolphins, Vera gets a better understanding of their numbers, habitats, and reproduction rate.

So what hopes do you have for these beautiful creatures?

-I'm not the most optimistic person.

First, you see the climate change and a lot of fish also dying because of the increase of the temperature in the water.

Consequences of the fishery, young ones die in nets and also the change of the environment.

-The recent severe drought has hit hard.

Photographs of around 100 pink dolphins killed after low water levels heated up to an intolerable level hit the headlines just before I came here.

-We are facing things that we never dreamed to see, areas completely dry.

-As well as climate change, mass forest clearance and mining are also disrupting dolphin habitats and reducing their numbers.

-People need to help to protect not only the dolphins, but the rivers, the Amazon, the whole ecosystem.

-Biologists like Vera are doing all they can to raise awareness of the plight of this incredible species, and it's hoped future campaigns can educate communities to understand their importance and help their survival.

-We are working hard and fighting to preserve not only the dolphins, but the whole Amazon and their biodiversity.

-As long as there's people like you around making us understand their behavior and their needs, there's always optimism.

There's always hope.

Lovely to meet you.

-Lovely to meet you.

Thank you.

-Thank you.

My time exploring the Amazon is almost over.

♪♪ ♪♪ They say in this part of the world, there are still communities living in complete harmony with the rainforest and the river in a way that's existed for thousands of years.

There are over 350 different ethnic groups living in the rainforest, almost 10% of the Amazonian population.

Around 60 of these groups remain totally uncontacted.

But some welcome visitors to share their unique way of life.

And this morning, I'm off to meet some people who've been doing just that.

They're called the Tuyuka tribe.

They're an indigenous community who relocated to the edge of the forest to be nearer civilization so they could make contact with the rest of humanity.

You see the kids in the distance.

Not a bad playground.

♪♪ The head of the village has come to greet me.

What an honor.

Robson.

Pleasure to meet you.

Thank you for inviting me to your village and coming to meet your people.

Thank you.

The Tuyuka people originate from a remote area of rainforest near the Colombian border.

They relocated to this stretch of river around 20 years ago.

Nice to meet you.

Good to meet you, man.

Good to meet you.

♪♪ Today it's believed around 600 live in Brazil.

The Tuyuka welcome visitors in order to keep their culture alive.

And I'm being treated to some traditional dishes.

Cassava, soup, and stew are all on offer.

Does it all -- most of it come from the forest and the river?

May I try this?

I like that.

That's all sorts of spices in it.

And that couldn't be more true.

My next dish, maniuara ants, a staple food for many indigenous groups in the Amazon, providing valuable protein.

Well, I've come here to learn the ways of the tribe.

So here we go.

Down the hatch.

Mmm.

Oh.

They're nice.

They're really okay.

And I suspect very, very good for you.

All washed down with some Tuyuka caxiri, home brew made from that versatile cassava root.

Oh, it's got a kick to it, hasn't it?

A drink that is offered on special occasions.

Obrigado.

The Tuyuka are famous for weaving baskets which are used to filter the juice from fruit.

Wow.

Look at him.

I'll catch.

How's that?

Oh.

I'm helping, if you can call it that, to pick jenipapo, a fruit native to the rainforest and one that's used for the tribe's body art.

Tattoo time.

Here we go.

Staining the skin black, they say it'll last, like henna, around two weeks.

The Tuyuka believe the symbols being painted down my back will protect me against bad spirits and keep me safe away from home.

Now I've come here to learn about the rainforest and the people who call it home.

For you, what makes the rainforest and the river so special and unique?

Is your son not tempted by the bright lights of the city?

It's a very humbling experience, being within a small community like this, because you get a definite sense of togetherness.

For a community that for many years has been secluded to have been so kind to open their doors to me.

And this is one of those memories I shall never forget.

-[ Speaks Portuguese ] -Thank you.

Obrigado.

My majestic journey is coming to an end.

The Tuyuka body art will fade, but my Amazon experience will last a lifetime.

The sheer size and scale of the rainforest is absolutely mind blowing.

I've immersed myself in the beauty and complexity of the Amazon... Brown River.

Black River.

...climbed dizzying heights... Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have the honor and privilege of doing something like this.

...come face to face with its precious wildlife.

She's beautiful, isn't she?

Really beautiful.

It's like it's doing tai chi, isn't it?

...discovered the threats facing its future... And that's just acres and acres of trees that have been cut down.

...and met unforgettable communities that call the Amazon home.

Get it!

Did you see that?

Get it!

Incredible people that I'll never forget.

Being with you this week has been a life-changing experience, and I mean that, brother.

I mean that.

♪♪ That's the thing about the Amazon -- gets under your skin, kind of works its way into your heart and it stays there forever.

♪♪ -♪ Whoa ♪ [ Singing in Portuguese ] ♪♪ ♪♪