What might you do in preparation for a trip to the amazon rainforest?

Answer 1

When traveling to any isolated area of wilderness, you need to be adequately prepared for the unexpected. Here are the steps I would take when preparing and executing a trip to the Amazon rainforest. Don't be overwhelmed; most likely, none of the situations I mention below will happen to you. However, it is always best to prepare for the worst, just in case.

LEARN IN ADVANCE

1. Taking classes with a survival expert can teach you many things that I can't tell you here. Note that I am not a professional, even though I have a fair amount of knowledge on this subject.

Knowing how to tie a variety of knots can be extremely useful in a dangerous situation.

Also, learn how to identify the edible plants in the rainforest that you are visiting. Knowing this could save your life, because most plants in the rainforest are poisonous, and it is risky to test them. However, here is a plan of what to do when you find an unidentified fruit (note that you should not do this unless you NEED food and have no better sources. Also, non fruit plant foods are riskier than fruits, because many more fruits are edible compared to leaves).

Step 1: Cut open the fruit. Rub the inside on your skin, and wait 15 minutes. If you get a rash or any irritation, it is toxic.

Step 2: Touch the inside of the fruit to your lip. Again, wait 15 minutes and watch for signs that it is toxic.

Step 3: Take a small bite. Chew it and then hold it in your mouth for 5 minutes. If you experience no suspects signs like an irritation, swallow. Then wait 30 minutes for the next step.

Step 4: Eat the entire fruit (if it is a tiny fruit, you could probably eat several). Wait for 8 hours. If you experience no negative symptoms (like nausea), it is safe to eat. Note that if you have drank toxic water, that could give you those symptoms. Thus, you need to be careful what you drink, and I will cover that below.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

2. Don't go on such a trip alone. The buddy system is definitely not overrated, and if one person is injured, the other can help.

3. Pack plenty of gear. Here is a list of things you should NEVER go to any jungle without. Be sure to look at them all carefully, because each one is essential.

A. A Swiss Army Knife. They have many functions, and are extremely useful in any survival situation. In fact, you would almost certainly find many good uses for it even if everything went perfectly (as it most likely would).

B. A Medium Sized Knife. You want something that is sturdy and sharp, so that you can cut wood easily. Having the ability to cut wood into tools is a very helpful thing, with or without an emergency.

C. A Machete, or Bush Knife. Machetes are large knives (their blades are up to 2 feet, or about 0.7 meters long), designed with three parts: The front is a tip for cutting, and the middle is for shaving wood, and the back is for chopping, as if with a hatchet. At least one jungle survival expert said that if you only pick one thing to bring, it should be a machete.

Machetes can be used for everything from chopping wood, to making tinder, to cutting meat. They are also used for bush whacking, which is when the side of the knife is used to strike brush, pushing it out of the way, and making it easier to travel.

D. Nylon Rope. Nylon rope can be used to tie together many tools and to hold together a shelter. By knowing how t make many knots, you will be able to use rope to its full ability.

E. First Aid Kit. Obviously, getting injured or sick in the jungle is a serious situation, and even a minor cut can become infected. A first aid kit can help to disinfect and protect injuries, and to temporarily help someone in a more urgent situation, possibly saving them long enough for help to arrive.

F. Satellite Phone. Satellite phones are phones which have reception in nearly any place and nearly any situation. Even hundreds of miles from any cell phone tower, you can communicate in order to get help. Just be sure not to use up the batteries, in case you have an emergency.

G. Map of the Local Area. It really speaks for itself. One time, to people went into the rainforest without a map. One of them remembered it perfectly, except one tiny detail: he forgot which way was north. Therefore, they traveled for days in the wrong direction, and nearly died before they met a fisherman. Bottom line is, don't forget to bring your map (or anything else). And pay close attention to navigation.

H. 2 Compasses. These will help you to stay on course. If you are disoriented or confused, having two to confirm each other can be extremely helpful (not to mention the fact that you will have a back up just in case).

I. Signaling Devices. Something such as a flare gun can make you visible when otherwise a helicopter could not see you under the forest canopy.

J. Proper Clothing. Because of the common biting insects and the spines on many plants, you should bring a lot of protective clothing. I'll start with your head...

A cloth to tie over the top of your head. This keeps bugs out of your hair and sweat out of your eyes, without blocking your vision overhead (which can be important in case there is a snake on an overhead branch).

Long pants and a long sleeved shirt, to protect your legs and torso.

Gloves for your hands, to protect them from spiny plants.

Boots. Don't ever bring socks. They will accumulate moisture and cause cuts to form on your feet, which will rapidly become infected and can cause you to be unable to walk and even lead to death. To keep your feet dry, stop every few hours and take off your shoes to let the moisture evaporate.

A Poncho. Not only can it keep you dry when it is raining, it can help you to build a shelter.

K. A Hammock. Hammocks are easy to set up and they create a bed above the ground, which is essential if you want to get any sleep (otherwise you will be covered in ants and other insects all night long).

L. Mosquito Netting. This will keep out mosquitoes, which are most active at night. It is more effective than any repellent, and can protect from a lot of discomfort and even deadly diseases. If you have no other resort, coating your exposed skin in mud will create a layer that protects you from the mosquitoes.

M. A Cigarette Lighter or Fire Piston. Cigarette Lighters are very reliable, but eventually run out. Fire pistons, on the other hand, can last for a nearly infinite number of uses to start fires. You can go to the related link for more information on fire pistons.

N. A Large, Heat Proof Jug for Water. This is important because despite the humidity, you dehydrate rapidly in the rainforest. Thus, you need lots of water to drink. However, rivers and streams in the jungle are almost always loaded with pathogens that can cause diarrhea or worse, and parasites that could cause you illness for years after your trip is over. However, by filling up a heat proof jug with water and boiling it, you get the essential water without the nasty parasites.

O. Water. Bring as much fresh, clean water as you can. It tastes way better than any water you could find in the jungle.

P. Food. Bring as much food as possible, because living off the land there is far easier said than done, and you will probably be hungry more often than not if you don't have enough food.

Q. A Waterproof Watch. A watch can help you to properly keep track of when you need to do particular tasks, such as preparing for the night.

Note that you should test all of your survival gear before the trip, because you would hate to find out something didn't work right when you needed it most!

SEVERAL SURVIVAL TIPS

1. Always stop traveling several hours before sundown. You need all of this time to prepare a shelter and fire. Be sure not to pick a location too close to a river. First, this is where the animals, including dangerous ones, are most common, and a large rainstorm could cause a flash flood, and carry you downstream.

2. If you brought all of the supplies I mentioned above, you can build your shelter with the following steps:

Step 1: Find 2 trees that can support you weight, which are close enough together to tie one end of your hammock to each tree.

Step 2: Make a notch in each tree, and tie the hammock to the trees, using the notch to support the rope.

Step 3: Tie a rope that goes horizontally overhead from one of the two trees to the other. Drape the mosquito netting and then the poncho over the top, and secure it. You now have 5 star jungle living!

3. Build your fire. Make sure that you know how to do this, and take your time to prepare. One of the most important things about fire starting and maintaining is proper preparation. Note that fire repels biting insects and large carnivores such as big cats.

4. When collecting water, it is best to dig a hole about 1 foot (0.3 meters) away from the edge of the river. Dig the hole until it fills up partially with water, then give it 30 minutes for the particulates of mud to settle (it will taste much better that way). This water will have fewer pathogens then water straight from the river. Still, boil it for 10 minutes if at all possible. And water caught in plant leaves and trunks is very clean, and can be drank unprocessed.

5. If you need to find your way out, travel downstream. That always leads to people eventually. If you can't find a river, travel downhilll until you do (if you travel downhill, you will almost certainly find a river eventually).

6. If you travel in the jungle away from a river, it is nearly impossible not to get lost and literally wander in large circles. To avoid this, determine your direction. Then, look for the farthest landmark in the direction that you can see (most likely it will be a tree). Then walk to it, and pick the next landmark that's as far away as you can see in the direction that you wish to travel. Before you walk to it, make sure it lines up to create a straight line with the tree you are at and the tree that you started from. Then repeat.

Note that I am not a survival expert, and before you make this trip be sure to consult a survival expert. And remember, it's better to be safe than sorry, so always be prepared. Lastly, don't worry because it is unlikely that any bad situation would happen to you.

P.S. For the sake of the environment, bring all of your trash back with you when you leave the rainforest.