Google is now offering tours of the Amazon (the river, not the company) as part of their Street View feature in Google Maps.
The inclusion of the Amazon in Street View was unveiled as part of World Forest Day, which took place on 21 March.
Prospective users can “…a virtual boat ride down the main section of the Rio Negro, and float up into the smaller tributaries where the forest is flooded. Stroll along the paths of Tumbira, the largest community in the Reserve, or visit some of the other communities who invited us to share their lives and cultures. Enjoy a hike along an Amazon forest trail and see where Brazil nuts are harvested. You can even see a forest critter if you look hard enough!”
50, 000 stills were taken to make the tour possible. If you are looking for a starting point for your relatively hazard-free tour here (the Rio Negro) is as good as any.
Source: Google Blog via Engadget
