Due to the intense rubber harvesting, agricultural methods and other means of deforestation, you won't see forest near the city. This is why tour boats or lodge boats pick you up in Manaus and take you by river to experience the true Amazon. There are plenty of choices for tours in Manaus and include trips off the river into the small tributaries called igarapés.
A cruising expedition may be as rough and ready as you can take, arranged by barter on site with the boat owner or captain, or it may be arranged in advance through a tour operator. If you choose to make your own arrangements in Manaus, be prepared to haggle over costs, provide some if not all of your provisions and hammock, as well as pay for some of the gas.
