If you are planning a getaway to the Amazon rainforest, keep these five tips in mind to help ensure you have an outstanding experience.
Travel Using a Guide
The Amazon rainforest is roughly the same size as the 48 contiguous states, so make the most of your time by hiring a guide. Choose one with an excellent reputation who understands the geography and nature of the area. Of course, you will want a guide who speaks your native language.
Research Local Flora
You will see many beautiful plants when you visit the Amazon jungle, but there are a few plants that can harm you. Therefore, you should research the local flora before starting on your adventure. Strychnos is a plant with green oval leaves, and its parts can be used to make poisonous arrows. If you get some of this plant's resin in a cut, you could die. Another plant that you will want to watch for is the angel’s trumpet. Consuming even a small amount of the alkaloids found in the flower can cause lucid dreams, and consuming more than a tiny amount can be lethal. Curare can also be used to create poisonous arrows. Coming into contact with the alkaloids in its flower can cause respiratory distress.
Expect Bad Weather
Experts warn that the Amazon weather changes suddenly, especially when you consider the amount of moisture that falls. Therefore, make sure that you stay weather aware throughout your travels. The weather fluctuates quickly, especially between August and December, while the remainder of the year can see intense thunderstorms that last from a few hours to many days.
Avoid Animal Encounters
The rainforest contains many animals, insects and snakes that you need to be careful of because they have the potential to be harmful. Always keep in mind that you are a guest in their home. Bullet ants are among the biggest ants in the world, and their sting releases paralyzing neurotoxins. If you get bitten by one of the nine species of rattlesnakes found in the rainforest, you could experience blindness, auditory problems, and paralysis.
Respect Native People
While you will meet a multitude of friendly people living in the Amazon rainforest, you also need to be careful not to accidentally encounter one of the people groups who are unfriendly to tourists. These people groups include the Piripkura, whose numbers have been significantly reduced by people massacring them for their land. A guide will make sure you know the areas to avoid.
The Amazon rainforest is an incredible place to visit. You need to go with a guide and do your homework about safety precautions before traveling there.
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