Things to know before travelling to the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest is a mostly untouched region of primary jungle, a true wilderness, heavy with wildlife, and adorned with gorgeous tropical flowers and fruits. Visiting the rainforest can be one of the purest and most intense travel experiences and requires careful planning and, most importantly, an understanding of what to expect.

To help you prepare for such a magnificent experience, we thought we’d share some top tips.

• Light colours are beneficial against the sun and bugs, whilst dark clothes tend to attract mosquitoes. The best colours to wear are light tones such as brown, beige and green which will help you blend in to your surroundings and won’t attract the animals’ attention.

• If travelling in Manaus from late May – July, the river will be particularly high, meaning that there are likely to be fewer explorations on foot.

• When travelling to your jungle lodge, you may find you are restricted to a maximum baggage allowance of 10kg due to limited space in canoes or light aircraft. In these cases, the local operator will provide secure storage for the remainder of your luggage.

• When staying in jungle lodges, it helps to store your boots upside down and bang them together before putting them on, to dislodge anything that may have found a home there during the night.

• Do not store any food in suitcases as animals will do everything they can to get to it, potentially damaging clothes and the bag. If you do have any food with you, the best place to keep it is in the safe.

• The humidity and heavy rainfall, as well as boat journeys, can cause things to get wet very easily. The best way to protect your belongings is to either cover your backpack with a waterproof poncho or to safely pack clothing and valuables such as cameras and books in zip-lock dry bags.

• A head torch is an essential item if you are staying in a lodge which doesn’t have any electricity, and for night walks.

• When travelling in an open-top canoe for a long period of time, make sure to apply sun cream to the thighs.

• Remember your binoculars – the wildlife might not be easy to spot with the naked eye and you’ll get more from your experience if you can watch the animals in closer detail.

• If you’re staying in an air-conditioned room, it’s best to keep your camera outside, or in a safe; the humidity in the air outside will cloud your lens if it’s been in a cool room. This can take a while to clear and you don’t want to miss out on any photo opportunities!

Last updated: 16 Jun 2017

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