It’s about more than going down to the woods today…
People go all kinds of funny about jungles. Even the word is enough to make them either run shrieking from the green anacondas they are convinced lies in wait for them, or strap on their backpack and dash whooping into the trees, with a bag of sand ready to replace that idol. Oh wait, no, that was Indiana Jones again. Either way, they’re evocative places, and if you’re looking for something different on your travels, it might be worth trying turn over a few leaves.
Why go?
Here are just a few reasons:
Physical / mental challenge. Jungles cling to mountains, clutter volcanic slopes, carpet valleys, and shroud all kinds of interesting terrain. Just getting through them can be an effort in itself, to reach that waterfall or find a spot to sit and wait for those birds, and for some, that’s the whole point.
Preservation and protection. Jungles are increasingly fragile ecosystems requiring conservation; the same goes for some of the indigenous people who live there. Some people go to the jungle to make sure it’s still there to go to.
Extraordinary wildlife. You don’t have to run around necking hallucinogens with shamans (and we wouldn’t recommend that you do) to see unusual sights in the jungles of the world, from tiny arrow frogs that are almost poisonous just to look at, to tigers, elephants, and etc.’s personal favourites: leaf cutter ants, patiently trudging along the forest floor moving bushes from one place to another, a leaf at a time.
It’s fun. Didn’t you hear all the stuff about the wildlife, the mountains and the adventure? OK, throw in rivers, a whole different nocturnal ecosystem, the noise, and you’ve got everything you need for a memorable experience. Ever heard a cicada singing? The little insects make a noise like a chainsaw being bullied by a Transformer. Cool.
Where to go?
Spin a globe. Stick a pin in it. You’re likely to be near some amazing jungle. There are plenty of places to research:
Amazon rainforest. The daddy of them all, it occupies some five million square kilometres, sprawls over nine nations (Brazil (with 60 percent of the rainforest), Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), and is one of the most diverse areas on the planet in terms of the flora and fauna found there.
Madagascar’s mangroves. Hard to get to, but worth the trip, the mangroves found on the island lying off the East coast of Africa offer wildlife not found anywhere else on Earth. Wade or paddle through the swamps to see unusual trees, caimans (small, tough-looking alligators), water birds and even Lemurs (imagine a cat on its hind legs, with a really long tail, chattering and – if you’re etc. – throwing rocks at you).
Australia. It’s not all about the outback and the beach – there are over 450 miles of rainforest near Cairns alone to explore, where you might be lucky enough to see a flying phalanger – kind of like a squirrel with a built in hang-glider.
Costa Rica. The cloud forests of Monteverde (the green mountain) are draped in humid mists and home to jewelled, gravity-defying humming birds, amazing butterflies, smart monkeys and toucans – which are beautiful, but oddly hilarious at the same time. You can also glide through the canopy on zip wires in some places, and wander over bridges spanning lush green gorges, hundreds of feet below.
And that’s without even mentioning Indonesia, Vietnam, or the vast range of adventures Africa has to offer. You get the idea: it’s a jungle out there. (Just count yourself lucky we haven’t resorted to Tarzan jokes yet.)
How to go
A few ideas:
Expeditions are a good way of covering ground, meeting people and exploring. There are many organisations out there, read around the guidebooks and forums to see who has a good reputation, and check out the Bluelist section of the Lonely Planet website – it’s full of travellers’ recommendations.
Guided tours. You don’t have to get lost for days, even a half day hiking with a local guide can show you things you have to prod your eyes to make sure are real. You’ll be amazed how much you’ve been missing once you have an expert with you.
Projects. People like Raleigh International have specialised in voluntary and conservation work for years; other groups are dedicated to scientific research, conservation, wildlife management – you can even catch and count vampire bats in some parts of the world, should the fancy take you.
Don’t go on your own. There’s the obvious ‘potentially dangerous’ thing, but also the fact that you won’t see half of what’s there, as you won’t know what to look for. No matter what the budget, it’s always good to try and get a guide at some point; you’ll regret it otherwise when your pics come back. ‘Oh, yes. That bit was green, too. Um…’
Be prepared
Reading up on the environment you’re going into is incredibly important, especially if you’ll be staying overnight in the jungle. You can expect bity things, jumpy things, climby things, swoopy things…and they’re all perfectly evolved to survive there. You, on the other hand, are not. Show the place some respect – get your jabs, take your malaria pills, wear insect spray and strong shoes, for example. Be aware of the dangers of altitude, dehydration, humidity – that way your dream trip won’t end in nightmares as you’re carried, raving, from the undergrowth. And did we mention that some jungles have tigers in them? Tigers. Go in peace, and go carefully.
Jungle jargon
Technically, jungle refers to a certain kind of growth, and is different to rainforest, mangrove and the like. We’ve used it here as a broad term because we figure you won’t mind. And we get to write the headline we’ve always wanted to.
The ghost who walks
According to the people of the Peruvian amazon, a spirit known as El Tunchi protects the rainforest (apparently it’s the spirit of those who took their last breath within the forest). It passes by whistling; if you join in, ET will put the frighteners on you – especially if you’ve disrespected the forest. Local tip? Don’t whistle. And play nice.
Essential Gap Links
www.etcmag.co.uk – browse our features archive for advice aplenty
www.gogapyear.com – the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s site has useful info on how to prepare, passports, visas, health…you name it
www.gapyear.com – the essential online community for young travellers
www.lonelyplanet.com – great guidebooks, plus useful forums and Bluelists of cool places to wander to
www.roughguides.com - more great guidebooks. They also do a very good ‘First time round the world’ guide, and cheap travel insurance
www.gogap.com – not to be confused with gogapyear, this site describes one group’s travels, where they went, how much it cost, and so on – not regularly updated, but might give you some ideas!
www.travelblog.org – free website lets you create your own blog, to keep your friends at home up to date (and suitably, teeth-grindingly jealous)
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