Excursion Henry ford's rubber village tour at Santarem

On this fascinating tour, you will explore Belterra, a village fruit of an attempt by Henry Ford to revive the Amazon rubber trade in the first half of the twentieth century.

Belterra

In 1934, Henry Ford purchased 700,000 acres of land to harvest the rubber he required for car tires due to his increasing production of automobile. He named the plantation 'Belterra', located approximately 44 kilometers (27 miles) from Santarem or one hour drive.

Belterra, built on a hill overlooking the Tapajós river, mimics a small American town with whitewashed wooden houses, immaculate gardens, fire hydrants, churches and spacious tree-lined streets.

Upon arrival at the rubber village, visit Belterra's old Vila Americana (American Village). See the hospital constructed by Ford that today is used by the Major.

Henry Ford

Belterra became home to approximately 4000 workers and their families, among natives and American citizens.  Buildings were constructed, roads paved, electricity and telephone lines installed, right in the heart of the jungle! However, no significant amount of rubber was ever really exported from Belterra or Ford's other Amazonian plantation, Fordlandia, and when synthetic rubber was introduced to the US, Ford closed both sites, selling them in 1946 for just US$250,000 to the Brazilian government - a fraction of the estimated US$20 million that he had invested in them! The rubber groves at both complexes, no longer tapped, fall under the authority of Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, and today are used for research and training

Following this unique experience, return to the ship in Santarem.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Santarem, Belterra, Tapajós river, rubber factory, rubber plantation, hospital, manioc flour house.

Note

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of driving and walking over bumpy, uneven terrain, with a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach. This tour is not suitable for pregnant guests, guests with neck and/or back problems, guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair. The coaches used on this tour are air-cooled (there is no A/C). Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable trousers and long-sleeved shirts with flat, closed-toe walking shoes, and bring sun protection and insect repellent from the ship.

Restrooms are of basic standard.