The Meeting of Waters | Encontro das Águas, is a phenomenon that happens at the confluence of the Negro River, of black water, and the Solimões River, of muddy water, where the waters of the two rivers flow side by side without mixing for an extension of more than 6 km . Then the waters of the two rivers come together, and start to be called the Amazon River, one of the main economic and transport means for the inhabitants of the city of Manaus, Brazil and the meeting of the waters of these two rivers is one of the main tourist attractions in the region.

Meeting of Waters | Encontro das Aguas

Meeting of the waters

Confluence between blackwater of Rio Negro and the pale sandy-colored of Solimões River

This phenomenon happens due to the difference between the temperature and density of the waters and, also, to the speed of its currents. The Rio Negro, as its name suggests, is a river of very dark waters. Its black tea color is due to the large amount of organic acids from the decomposition of vegetation. It has a high degree of acidity, with pH 3.8 to 4.9, has an average temperature of 28º C and flows slowly at about 2 km per hour. The Rio Solimões has a muddy color very similar to coffee with milk. All of this because of the large number of sediments that the water carries as it flows under the Andes. It is colder than the Rio Negro, having 22º C. In addition, it flows much faster, running about 6 km per hour. [Image Source]

Meeting of Waters | Encontro das Aguas. Confluence between blackwater of Rio Negro and the pale sandy-colored of Solimões River — Image Source

Encontro Das Aguas Manaus

The confluence between the dark and pale sandy-colored rivers in Brazil

The difference in composition, the acidity rate, the flow temperature and the density is what prevents the mixing of the two when they meet. The color contrast is very striking, and this phenomenon can be seen even from space. Sometimes the water encounters obstacles that form strong whirlpools that agitate the two rivers and make very beautiful shapes.

Encontro das Aguas | Confluence between Rio Negro and Solimões River

There are dozens of tourism agencies that offer the tour to the region, in itineraries that usually include a tour of the region's streams. If the tour is done in a small boat, the visitor can put his hand in the water while crossing the waters, and feel that the rivers have different temperatures. In the period of the full river that runs from January to July, it is the best time to take a walk to observe the meeting of the waters, since the exits between the streams are in motorized canoes. You can enter the holes and arms of rivers and have the possibility to see animals such as birds, monkeys and sloths. The tour is always carried out at the Janauari Ecological Park, where you can also observe and take pictures of the aquatic plants Vitoria-Régias. The end of the tour is in a floating restaurant with typical Amazonian foods.