Before planning a trip to the Amazon Rainforest it may pay to first ask yourself what the Amazon Rainforest is like. Armed with the information, you can then make the most of your visit and plan accordingly. There are many recommened tours in the Amazon Rainforest and the staff are very helpful in answering specific enquiries.
True to its the name, the forest can get very wet indeed, so plan to take waterproof clothing or invest in a durable poncho. It is this rain that powers the rainforest ecosystem, and without it these forests would not be able to sustain 50% of all life on Earth.
Aside from being among the wettest places, due to their global position, rainforests also receive more light than any other vegetation type on Earth. This makes them very hot and humid. As a rough guide, the Amazon Rainforest approaches about 33°C during the day (at its hottest in early afternoon) and then gets down to 18°C at night. If planning a trip this means you should take clothing for both the hot days and cold nights.
What is the Amazon Rainforest like – Flora & Fauna
If you are not familiar with tropical areas, the interior of the Amazon Rainforest will seem very alien. There are no leafless trees common to temperate regions as the trees are evergreen in habit, continuously shedding and growing new thick, waxy leaves.
The majority of trees in the Amazon Rainforest have narrow, straight trunks, and hanging from these are vines, which provide much needed support in the thin layer of soil. The vines give the impression of trees growing from every angle as your guide cuts through the vegetation.
The trees and vines are like motorways for ants, the most abundant rainforest insect. Some ants are in a close relationship with their host plant, which they will defend with their lives. Others, called leaf cutter ants, will be seen tirelessly carrying large leaf fragments across the branches and back to their nest.
If you are going to the Amazon Rainforest, you may hear the sound of howler monkeys as you trek through the undergrowth, or look up to see the friendly face of an Amazon tree frog watching as you navigate its home. If you find small objects being thrown from above, look up to see if a troop of squirrel monkeys are throwing twigs as they follow you through the forest.
When you emerge from the forest to navigate the waterways by boat, you are likely to see colourful macaw parrots flying across your path, highlighted by the light blue sky. As your gaze follows the birds you may catch sight of giant, colourful butterflies flying back across the river.
Read more about these Amazon Tours in Peru here.
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If you’re wondering what to do in the Amazon Rainforest, there are many activities dependent on interest. A professionally trained guide will be able to spot animals and plants you might miss and is an essential part of visiting the forest. No amount of reading will equal the experience and to fully know what the Amazon Rainforest is like and to make the most of a visit, the best suggestion would be to arrange one of our recommended Amazon jungle tours.
What do you imagine the Amazon Rainforest to be like? How would you describe it if you’ve been here before? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
