There’s no doubt that visiting the Amazon River will be an adventure of a lifetime but, just as it is the case with planning any trip, you need to make sure that you are prepared! The Amazon River is the longest river in the world, which means that it can get quite unpredictable. Luckily for you, now that you’ve come across our simple travel guide, you can be sure that you’ll be fully prepared for your trip! With these five tips, exploring the Amazon River will be the time of your life!
1. Plan your trip according to the season that suits you best!
In order to truly understand just how long the Amazon River, maybe it is best to compare to other rivers. Being the longest river at 6992 km/4345 miles sounds impressive, but when compared to the Volga River, the longest river in Europe with the length of 3530 km/2193 miles, or North America’s longest river – the Mississippi River with the length of 3778 km/2347 miles, this puts a whole new perspective on the subject.
Understandably, you cannot expect the longest river in the world to have traditionally defined seasons, so you should plan your trip accordingly to which season suits you best – the rainy season (December-June) or the dry season (June-December).
The dry season offers you the ultimate experience of visiting the Amazon River just when the mosquitoes number goes down and, when due to water levels receding, numerous hiking trails and beautiful beaches are revealed.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in visiting the Amazon and exploring it directly on the water, you should do so in the rainy season. Due to the floods in this season, many low-lying forests become flooded and thus allow you to explore your surroundings on the boat!
2. Book a cruise!
Speaking of exploring the Amazon River directly on the water, you cannot, and I repeat, cannot miss out on booking an Amazon River cruise for yourself and your loved ones. Cruises allow you to witness the glory of this nature’s wonder from a whole new perspective, while at the same time offering you to do so without having to give up on luxury.
Don’t tell me you are not picturing yourself overlooking the breathtaking nature while sipping on your morning coffee from the comfort of your suite! Most cruises come at a reasonable price while at the same time allowing you to be pampered on your trip.
If you haven’t cruised the Amazon River, you haven’t seen the Amazon River!
3. Pack smart!
Being surrounded by an endless body of water and cruising on the river both sound like something that requires packing up extra shorts, but the reality is quite different. Despite the humidity and heat, you will want to pack lots of long pants and long sleeves. This way you can be sure that you will be protected from the mosquitoes and the strong sun. Forget about being fashionable because when it comes to exploring the Amazon River, dressing smart is a must! Check out this packing guide for more tips.
4. Brush up on your Spanish!
If your Spanish has become rusty, now is the time to revision it! Although most tourist spots are full of English-speaking guides, speaking Spanish will allow you to get to know the locals and get a taste of the native life. And luckily, if you’re not that good at it, Spanglish just may do the trick!
5. Explore the fauna!
The Amazon River is majestic on its own but combined with 7000+ animal species to add even more life and color to it, it creates an image that you will remember for the rest of your life. This means that exploring it without having extra memory cards with you would just be a shame. Sure, you cannot expect to see all the notorious Amazon wildlife species on your first day, but hey, better safe than sorry, right?
You can also go swimming with pink river dolphins, or even sign up for Wildlife Sanctuary volunteer work. Not to worry, this type of volunteering does not require you to be extremely educated on the Amazon wildlife. All you have to bring along is a positive attitude!
Whichever type of traveler you are, the Amazon River has something to offer! If you need more tips or want to book an amazing cruise, make sure to visit Aqua Expeditions! All that is left to do now is to pack up and get ready to have the time of your life!
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