How Deep is the Amazon River?

For centuries, the Amazon River has been one of the most important waterways on the planet. At its deepest, the Amazon River is 100 metres (330 ft) deep. Curving its way through Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, the river offers intrepid explorers a unique vantage point for discovering the Amazon rainforest. From the comfort of a luxurious river cruise ship, travellers are able to peer into the thick vegetation that lines the banks of the rivers and seek out monkeys, sloths and other exotic, tree-dwelling creatures.

If a glance to the trees proves unfruitful then passengers might have better luck searching in the water below for wildlife. Amazon River dolphins, piranhas and caimans can all be found within the river – keep your eyes peeled and you might be lucky enough to spot one. These are just the beginnings of the wonders that the Amazon River has in store for those who choose to navigate its powerful water.

So, now you know a bit about what the Amazon River adds to the tourism potential of the countries it flows through. But, what makes this river truly impressive is not the animals that live in and around it. It’s its size. The Amazon River is debatably the longest river in the world – depending on whether or not you agree with the addition of the Pará River to its length. It comes first in a whole host of other categories, including longest and biggest river in the world.

As the title of this article might suggest, we are going to take a look at how deep the Amazon River is and explore various other features of this mighty waterway.

The majority of the river has a depth of around 20 to 50 metres (66 to 164 ft) but this plunges to around 100 metres (330 ft) at its deepest points.

After a maximum of 100m you might reach the riverbed of the Amazon River but did you know that if you dig a bit deeper you will discover a whole new river? A group of Brazilian scientists have discovered an underground river located 4km beneath the Amazon River. This river is just as long as its upstairs neighbour but it believed to be up to 4 times the width in some sections. The river has been named the River Hamza after the lead member of the discovery group and is just another example of how incredible nature is and how much more we have to learn.

The entirety of the Amazon River is impressive to behold but there are some parts that are utterly phenomenal and should be paid special attention to. One of these place is what is commonly referred to as ‘The Meeting of the Waters”. This part of the river is where the black water of the aptly named Rio Negro and the golden, sandy coloured water of Rio Solimões meet. This natural wonder occurs in Manaus and is one of the main tourist attractions in that part of Brazil.

The stark line that is created between the two different colours is what makes this part of the Amazon River so special. Normally, when two rivers meet, their waters mix and therefore a line such as this one would not exist. However, the notable difference in this situation is due to the temperatures of the waters, the speed at which they are flowing and the water density. The Rio Negro is slower, warmer and less dense than that Rio Solimões and it is for this reason that the two don’t mix right away.

The Meeting of the Waters is not the only interesting thing about the Rio Negro. Despite being very dark in appearance, the Rio Negro actually contains very little sediment, meaning that it is surprisingly clear once you get up close and personal with it. In fact, on a good day, you can see down into the water to a depth of about 9 metres. Scientists believe that it could well be one of the clearest patches of water on the planet – take a look for yourself and see what you think. It's also one of the deepest Amazon River tributary at 100 metres (330 ft) deep.

There are a lot of incredible things to see on this planet, but the Amazon River has long been one of the best. Containing a fifth of the world’s freshwater supply, this is no simple stream. After all, the Amazon River is from 20 (66 ft.) to 100 (330 ft.) metres deep. This river is the lifeblood for millions of people and animals and is an experience that you will never forget. Now when someone asks you "How deep is the Amazon River?" you'll know the answer. Better yet, why not discover the magic of the Amazon for yourself, contact us for more information.