First things first, before you even book your plan ticket to Brazil or any other nation from which the famous Amazon jungle is accessible, get yourself vaccinated for Yellow Fever. You cannot afford to have the same attitude to Yellow Fever most people have towards something like their car’s seatbelt, that being that it’s an unnecessary irritation which just has to be sorted out because some officials who are being a pain said so. No!

It’s important to get vaccinated for Yellow Fever, but that’s not where it starts and ends. We’re not going to make any mistakes about it or try to mislead anyone – it is indeed a travel adventure in the true sense of the word heading into the Amazon jungle. You’ll definitely be risking your life, but with the right approach it will be a safe and calculated risk.

Additional vaccines

As far as additional vaccines go, get those locally once you’re in Brazil perhaps. Don’t fall into the temptation of getting the “premium” vaccination package or something like that from your travel agent back home. They’re likely just trying to milk you of all the money they can get out of you because what you’ll often find is that you don’t really need those vaccines.

Get vaccines locally if required, but only those which are recommended by credible medical practitioners who service the tourism sector. You could very well be advised that you don’t even need any additional vaccines at all, but you’ll definitely need to take additional medical precautions.

Pack a first-aid kit

If someone needs to convince you to pack in a first-aid kit when you head into the deep, dangerous corners of the Amazon jungle then you’re perhaps not properly prepared. You’re not in the right mindset and you’ll be prone to taking unnecessary chances which could get you killed or seriously injured or ill.

Again, perhaps a local tropical jungle specific first-aid kit will do, so buy it there.

Emergency contact details at hand

A first-aid kit can only go so far in coming to your aid if you run into some very possible trouble on your trip into the Amazon, so you’ll have to have some emergency contact details at hand. Ambulances these days definitely reach the deepest parts of the jungle, but you have to be able to make contact with them.

Fortunately though there’s a whole industry around tourism into the Amazon, so it’s not like you’ll be on your own in organising all these requirements.

Don’t go alone

This is another one of those things you shouldn’t have to be told, but going with a specific local tour guide is about more than just a safety issue. Your experience will be that much more enhanced, such as how one popular local Amazonian guide will work some of his magic to bring out some rather unique-looking bat caves to make for once-in-lifetime experience.

Another local tour-guide will be able to help you interact with the pink dolphins of the Amazon River if you perhaps want to swim with them.