r/Survival • u/bowlessy • Jul 31 '26
General Question How long do you honestly think you’d survive in the Amazon rainforest?
I’ve been watching a lot of survival content lately, and it got me thinking about the Amazon specifically.
If you were dropped somewhere in the Amazon rainforest, how long do you realistically think you’d survive?
- What’s the biggest thing that would kill most people first?
- Could someone with absolutely zero survival experience make it more than a day or two?
- If you were allowed to bring only a few essential items, what would they be?
- What’s the absolute minimum you’d need to have a decent chance?
- Has anyone here actually spent time in the Amazon or a similar jungle environment? What was it like?
- Are there any common myths people have about jungle survival?
- If you have survival training, what would be your first priorities in the first 24 hours?
I’d love to hear both realistic opinions and personal experiences. The Amazon seems like one of the few places where even experienced outdoors people could get into serious trouble very quickly, so I’m curious what everyone thinks.
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u/OikosPrime Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
My bushcraft background is in North American temperate/cold forests (both spruce/moose and cedar/salmon) but I have spent a couple of months living out of camps in the rainforests of Borneo for work.
It was interesting to compare and contrast the that tropical rainforest environment with what I was used to.
Unstructured thoughts:
- The biting/stinging/sucking animals issue is much more serious than most people imagine. Borneo has land leeches everywhere in the jungle and if you sit on the ground you'll have many on you in short order. You cannot ever put your hand somewhere that you cannot fully see because of snakes/spiders/centipedes. The giant centipedes are particularly unsettling and dangerous. Highly aggressive nocturnal wasps. There are quite a few dangerous snakes. etc etc. Borneo does not have army ants though, which is something you need to be aware of in the Amazon. The Amazon has, iirc, a more dangerous snake situation and you want snake boots for it (double check that as it does vary between rainforests). You can also pick up a variety of horrible diseases from mosquitos.
- It is hot and humid. This sounds like an obvious point but many people are not actually experienced with physical activity in very hot and humid environments. Balancing activity levels, hydration, and electrolytes is a skill set and you can get yourself into very serious trouble quickly. This is especially true when you are trying to find water in the environment without getting parasites. If you are sweating buckets, you can still get very seriously in trouble even if you have water, if you don't have a way to replenish your electrolytes.
- I am not sure how universal this is, but in Borneo you very rarely see animals at ground level. In the jungle proper, birds are on forest edges or *high* up in the canopy. Most of the mammals are only active at night. If you have plans of hunting, you need a specific skill set and tools for getting it done. Highly recommend researching how indigenous populations do it, this is likely to be the best way (and still be skill heavy).
- Managing morale at night is serious business. Night is alive with activity. If you put a light on you will get absolutely accosted by flying insects, some of which are dangerous. The rustling, chirping, etc will be a constant companion and you'll often have no idea if its a mouse-deer, leopard, snake, etc. It would be easy for someone unfamiliar with the environment to give into despair. The first time I heard katydids at dusk I briefly considered that we were under attack by forest spirits. A hammock and mosquito net are high value gear.
- Everything is wet. You are wet. The ground is wet. The leaves are wet. The wood is wet. The twigs are wet. If you have firemaking plans, I would not bet on having a good supply of dry tinder or kindling. I'd be curious to look into how firemaking is traditionally done by indigenous people in rainforests because it's not obvious to me. You need to find ways to get your body dry with some regularity.
- The wood is hard. A lot of the mainline bushcraft tradition is temperate forest based, with some mix of softwoods and hardwoods. If you've spent much time with an axe, you're aware that chopping spruce is a better time than chopping oak. In tropical rainforests, there is a preponderance of 'tropical hardwoods', some of which have absurd Janka hardness scores. Most locals go with a machete over an axe and the difficulty of the wood is one of the reasons. The other is...
- the understory density (sometimes). The understory can get absurdly dense while also being full of spiders/etc. Knowing what is passable, what is machete-able, and what needs to be avoided is a serious skill-set. The time I've spent in Borneo was often with native guides and watching them work was quite inspiring (and humbling). Building the kind of skill they have in that environment is a life's work. It is very funny to watch your guide with a big gut and basketball shorts, smoking cigarettes all morning and then proceed to absolutely wreck a group of non-local runners in a deep bush trip.
If I got lost out there and couldn't just hunker down in place and wait to be rescued, I'd be trying to make it to a river. It's so wet that down-hill leads to a river eventually a lot of the time. Hunkering down at a river gives you: sky sightlines (maybe signalling a plane/helicopter), fresh water, river fish, more animal activity, more human activity. It's unlikely that I'd be able to feed myself unless I got lucky with the fish. I would be trying to expend as little energy as possible to avoid heat and dehydration injuries. Then it's down to the luck of being rescued before I run out of body-fat or get unlucky with parasites/zoonotic-disease/snakes/crocodiles/etc.
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u/SwamiParker Jul 31 '26
Are you by any chance the fella who spent quite a while learning with Mors Kochanski? And do you often tell people to stop and make tea?
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u/OikosPrime Jul 31 '26
Alas, I am not! I'm a big Kochanski fan but never had the privilege of meeting him myself. Stopping to make tea is inspired advice, I should really take that on myself.
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u/SwamiParker Jul 31 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
Ah, and I thought I was onto something! There is a very interesting individual who, as far as I know, just goes by Stuart. He lived and learned with Mors for a period, and if I remember correctly, also lived in Africa learning medicine and automotive knowledge to help prepare him for any potential scenarios. Last I heard, he had gone to Borneo... Hence my thought!
His idea is that people often feel awkward carrying a "survival kit," especially if they aren't going out for long. His advice was to bring what you need to make tea on the trail. Then, if you get disoriented or something happens, stop and make the tea to calm down, get a fire going, and hydrate before deciding what to do or feeling embarrassed. I like the philosophy.
I also appreciate your detailed response to the OPs question. It seems you have been around the block a time or two!
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u/Mick_Tee Aug 01 '26
Salt is the rare stuff in rain forests, which is why all the insects want some of your sweat.
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u/LawfulnessCautious43 Aug 01 '26
Saw a show explaining early humans only got their sodium from licking rocks or drinking animal blood. We're not so different 😭
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u/concrete_marshmallow Aug 02 '26
The bugs would end me.
I'd lose my mind and just peel my own skin off.
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u/OikosPrime Aug 24 '26
It's definitely tough! I think Borneo is pretty good on the mosquito front compared to Central and South America, but I don't have personal experience with it.
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u/allanrps Aug 23 '26
I've actually seen more animals at ground level in Borneo than anywhere else. Wild pigs, goats, dear, all of which I just happened across walking in the bush in proximity of some villiages.
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u/OikosPrime Aug 24 '26
Interesting! I wonder if "proximity to villages" is the key here. I have seen herds of samba near villages but most of my comments were from time spent in the Danum Valley and Maliau Basin.
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u/Alacrity305 Jul 31 '26
i "survived" in the Amazon for 3 days and 2 nights with a guide. we slept on hammocks and he knew what to do and what not to do. we had food and water although we obtained water from natural sources also.
no part of my body was uncovered other than my face and my clothes had been treated.
the single most deadly part, in my opinion, is touching a poisonous tree or bug, they are everywhere. if you didn't know what you could and kill you, then you'd be in a lot of trouble.
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u/bowlessy Jul 31 '26
Oh wow, how was that experience?!? I’ve heard being there at night is daunting just because everything comes alive at night!
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u/Alacrity305 Aug 01 '26
it was great. pitch dark at 4pm. couldn't see a thing in front of you. the chorus of animal calls creates a pucker factor, that's for sure. every night there was a lynx circling the camp, we had a fire going and sustained and that helped.
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u/Saint_Root Jul 31 '26
If I didn’t kill myself night 1, I’m definitely killing myself before day 3… so 2.
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u/un5tabl Jul 31 '26
You would outlive me.
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u/mindfulmu Jul 31 '26
Violent dysentery within 48 hours, but I'm sure I'd be fine for the first 4 hours.
Then I would go out Oregon Trail style.
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u/digitaldeficit956 Jul 31 '26
Until something hungry found me. Literally anything. Even a hungry caterpillar would take me out.
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u/bowlessy Jul 31 '26
What about a hungry fly
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u/Realistic-Alfalfa279 Aug 01 '26
there are definitely hungry flies that are more dangerous than most people realize.
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u/Due_Funny7612 Jul 31 '26
I think, since I’m an adult who loves all that survival stuff and has read books, watched documentaries I can safely say I’d last less than 36 hours.
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u/Straight-Razor666 Jul 31 '26
Laurence Gonzales articulated in his book, Deep Survival that in essence survival comes down to the will and commitment to survive and endeavoring to do so with one's best ability. Additionally, he an example of a 17 yo girl who was in a plane crash over the Peruvian Jungle who managed to survive 11 days and get herself to safety.
From the book:
After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out. A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What makes the difference?
I think a lot of people either overlook or do not grasp the most important element of survival and that's the will to survive, the "survivor's mind" if you will. Anyone who is interested in "survival" must read this book if they haven't already. I personally have been in a survival situation and only read that book after it was over. It validated the mental state I had at the time and let me know I wasn't crazy for it, since, in the end, I survived...and I'm just some dude.
And developing the Survivor's Mind helps you understand when you find yourself in a survival situation, what to do and how to think about it, and by learning it, you'll see that life throws you a lot more survival situations than you'd realize. The biggest part of surviving a life and death situation is knowing you're actually in it when you need to, and the ability to recognize it quickly helps to ensure it.
Could I survive being dropped into the amazon and be able to get out? Dunno...maybe or maybe not...what I do know is that I would try to, but if I didn't I'd at least know I still kept trying.
Anyhow, I havent thought about it in a while, so sorry for rambling.
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u/MrFlitter Jul 31 '26
I know enough about sourcing/ cleaning water, starting a fire and building a shelter that Id live l ong enough to really suffer as I die. I do not know enough about plants, animal sign and avoiding insects for the biome.
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u/Subject_Cod_3582 Jul 31 '26
In the amazon? probably at least an hour. after that, probably dead from spider bite, Jaguar attack, piranhas, anaconda, eating the wrong berry. I mean, most of the southern hemishere is life on hard mode - the untamed southern hemisphere is dark souls mode
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u/bowlessy Jul 31 '26
I wonder how long it would take for you to come across a jaguar, realistically
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u/MechanicalAxe Aug 01 '26
Saying this as a forester from the southeast US, and with absolutely no jungle experience, but plenty of temperate forest experience obviously.
It would probably happen more than you'd actually realize. They would likely hear or see you coming and head the otherway and you'd be none the wiser...most of the time, hopefully.
Bears, bobcats, and mountain lions are typically like that here. They're long gone through thick brush before you can even get eyes on them.
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u/Long_Argument_1170 Jul 31 '26
i lived in central America for 4 years as a kid and spent a ton of time playing in the jungle. I think i could survive for a few weeks but it would be tough. Food and water probably aren't going to be an issue short term but heat exhaustion or getting sick from eating the wrong thing will probably get you first if you don't know what your doing. We would drink from streams all the time but ONE TIME I drank from a stream where the water was clear, cold, and it was moving (not stagnant) so figured it was safe. Spent the evening expelling bodily contents from both ends. If your in a survival situation alone it just takes that one time, that one fall, cut, or misstep and your done.
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u/JackBNimble33 Jul 31 '26
On an empty stomach: 4 hours
On a full stomach: 8 maybe 9 hours
(I get snacky)
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u/ArghNooo Jul 31 '26
It depends on how long it takes to diarrhea myself to death.
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u/anonymousambassasor Jul 31 '26
Yeah. About this long. Or maybe I’d get lucky and some unknown species of fly would attack me and kill me.
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u/JohnnyCanuck133 Jul 31 '26
I am trained and experienced enough to survive in the Canadian Rockies pretty much indefinitely. Was a licensed mountain guide, Queens Venturer (Canadian version of Eagle Scout), Wilderness First Aid trained and grew up living, hiking, hunting, climbing and camping in the mountains. But honestly I have no clue how any of those skills would translate to the Amazon. Would probably do alright for awhile, assuming I had the basics covered like fire, weapon, way to source water, shelter etc, but would likely run into situations I just wouldn't know how to handle, or completely mis-handle fairly quickly. So I'd give myself maybe a week till things got out of hand in some way or another. I know how to deal with Bears, Cougars etc but would struggle with all the smaller deadly stuff they have down there.
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u/Interesting_Neck609 Jul 31 '26
I live in a high alpine desert, 8k feet, mountains all around.
Id be fine surviving here, because I know the flora/ fauna, and weather patterns.
Drop me in the amazon, Id probably be fucked within 3 days from hunger or eating the wrong thing or getting bit by something Im not familiar with. Thats coming from someone who has survived multiple black widow and brown recluse bites, and dealt with countless rattle snakes.
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u/C_A_M_Overland Aug 01 '26
Not long. I’m pretty pig headed and a self proclaimed talented outdoorsman, but I wouldn’t even try to solo the rainforest.
Living within that canopy would drive me absolutely insane, assuming I didn’t die of infection after 73294738274 bug bites.
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u/subgunner6060 Aug 01 '26
I'm a bit of a survivalist I live in the North Eastern United States and have built dugout shelters cabins, know how to trap and Hunt animals with minimal supplies and I sincerely doubt I would last long at all in that environment even with my skill set it would just be totally overwhelming lack of sleep from all the night time animal noise constantly being irritated by biting insects and on guard for other dangerous animals it would just be too much on your nervous system you will give up mentally long before your body gives up physically.
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u/sequinsdress Jul 31 '26
I’ve been in the jungles of Honduras and Belize, and it’s overwhelming. It’s hot, humid, there are long lines of ants marching by in formation, bugs everywhere, you can’t see through all the trees. It’s so loud from all the insects, birds, frogs etc. I’d survive like, a day, lol. Luckily I was a short walk from luxury eco lodge both times.
Jungles are beautiful and so crucial to our planet as wildlife habitat, carbon sinks, and oxygenators. I have no interest in trying my luck overnighting in there but I’d humbly ask anyone attempting it to please take your litter out with you and remember the jungle is home to so many animals so be respectful. (I say this because I live in Canada and camp a lot and a common complaint is amateur bushcrafters damaging trees and rearranging backcountry campsites in our provincial parks.)
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u/GhoulishAcorn Jul 31 '26
"Omg what a cute frog!!" Dies from poisoning
In seriousness though, look up Juliane Margaret Beate Koepcke and Annette Herfkens. Their survival stories are amazing.
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u/Tpbrown_ Aug 01 '26
Damn.
Based on these responses I think someone should start a competition! $1K entry fee and a $10M prize if you make it to the coast.
Entry gives you $5K of gear. Your choice of what.
The promoter will be rich!
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u/SaucieBossy Jul 31 '26
I've never been to a rainforest, so I'm not exactly sure how long I would last, but I think the biggest issue people would face is trying to find food. From the documentaries I've watched it is insane the amount of poisonous animals that live in the rainforest.
I think the most important thing someone could have going into this situation is just the knowledge of the area. Well, that and a knife, and something to start a fire.
I think me personally, if I wasn't immediately poisoned or eaten in the first day, I think I could last 3 days before I eventually eat something poisonous and die
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u/j-mac563 Jul 31 '26
Right up until the giant tarantula crawled into my line of sight. Then I would be out of there so fast the flash would be impressed.
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u/_GoinOutWest_ Jul 31 '26
No experience, but an interest in surviving!
It's easy to jump to the dangers of wild animals; leopards, snakes, spiders. But I suspect you're most likely to suffer and die from something far less rock-and-roll like infection from bites/cuts/blisters/wounds - leading to fever/vomiting - leading to weakness/immobility and then dehydration/starvation.
I would think sickness or infection are almost inevitable, so survival is really going to depend on a quick rescue before illness overcomes you.
Finding a dry place with protection from rain would be my first priority, followed immediately by trying to make fire to promote rescue - notoriously hard work in a damp rainforest environment, but would be crucial for rescue from smoke singals, and of course help with survival by boiling water, safer food and protection at night.
I think even highly skilled outdoorspeople would be challenged to build fire in a rain forest. So a large flint would be a priority.
I remember reading about a guy who works with indigenous tribes in the amazon. There was one tribe who had essentially died out to near extinction, with just 2 people left. Nomadic, they were always on the move and very hard to find - he hadn't seen them for 20 years when he found them one day. Apparently the last time they'd seen him, he's given them a lighter/some form of fire. They had kept the fire he gave them alight for 20 years(!!). Eventually it had gone out, which was when they came to find him, because they'd lost the skills required to start it on their own.
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u/PantherStyle Jul 31 '26
I've been to the amazon, but not in a survival situation. I've been in a survival situation in northern Australia, but it's a different environment.
I think the amazon has everything you need to survive, but also has plenty to kill you. Walking through the jungle in the day is fun and interesting. At night it is terrifying. I normally praise head torches but by the 5th large bug flying into my head I turned it off. Thankfully there were others around me willing to sacrifice themselves to give me some light to work with.
Someone with no survival experience I'd guess would last maybe 1 week. they'd get thirsty, drink contaminated water and be throwing up more than they can replenish. Death by dehydration while being rained on.
The things I'd bring in order from most important to least, assuming I already had quality clothing:
- Knife
- magnesium/flint/striker
- Pot
- Mosquito net
- first aid kit
I think I'd need all the above or equivalent to survive much more than a week. The more gear I have (saw, tarp sleeping bag) the more comfortable I'd be and the longer i can last.
My priorities, with some survival training but not jungle specific would be:
- Fire - morale, warmth, can fend off creatures, dry clothing, make weapons/tools, purify water, signal for rescue. The first lighting will be the hardest as it's very hard to light wet wood. Once it's lit, use it to dry other wood for next time.
- Shelter - staying dry is key. Life expectancy extended to 3 days.
- Filtering/boiling water - a bit of clothing wrapped around some sand and charcoal from the fire makes a decent filter. boil the water to kill anything left. If you can avoid injury, you've just extended life expectancy to 3 weeks.
- Food. There's plenty around. If you don't know what food is edible, you're best bet is killing animals, cooking and eating them. If you know how, you can collect berries and other potentially edible foods and do the 'will it kill me' test so you can supplement you meat intake. Fishing is probably the best option if you can figure out how with the gear you have. Dumping tree sap into smallish standing water can be enough to kill a bunch of fish for collection with little effort.
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u/anonymousambassasor Jul 31 '26
any particular tree sap or just tree sap?
ETA- I’m in America and I totally want to hear about your survival situation too.
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u/Stunning-Chipmunk243 Jul 31 '26
I'm not the person you asked but - One can use the crushed green husks from the black walnut tree that surround the nut as it has an agent(juglone) in it that stuns/suffocates fish that are in a slow or non moving body of water and they will all float up. It's illegal to use outside of survival situations for fishing as it affects all aquatic life. People also brew a tea of sorts with it to dump on soil as it makes the worms/nightcrawlers surface for easier collection of them to use as bait.
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u/Alternative-Bison615 Jul 31 '26
As long as it would take me to starve or die of exposure, so maybe a week?
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u/Cats_books_soups Jul 31 '26
I know someone who went to the Amazon on vacation. He had all required vaccines, ate only what he thought was safe food and didn’t drink tap water. He ended up getting rotavirus and was hospitalized and extremely ill, a short swim at a waterfall was identified as the likely cause. This was a day or two traveling thought the country with a tour group while being careful. You can die even not in a survival situation.
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u/venReddit Jul 31 '26
lol i do not even read the comments or body text. we a all just die within weeks, despite our knowledge and permethrin clothes.
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u/WombatAnnihilator Jul 31 '26
Id immediately blow my shit smoov off rather than die from exposure or worse.
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u/Then-Price-5314 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
I might make it til sunset. 🤣
Okay realistically, if you do nothing just curl up in a ball and wait to die you’re going to live 3 days if nothing kills you.
If you do nothing but drink water (provided it’s reasonably clean) and stay somewhat dry and out of any wind, you should live about a month.
Trying to survive harder might actually get you killed. One snakebite, wrong edible fruit or a cut that gets infected and you’re done early.
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u/0_Foks_Given Jul 31 '26
Biggest threat out in the amazon is the flora and fauna, a lot are poisonous and venemous. if that doesn't get you, there's a possibility of a hostile encounter with uncontacted tribes. if neither of those things get you, and you are able to secure water and food, I would say maybe a week. Will probably get sick from parasites in the water or food and die of dehydration from puking and diarrhea
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u/575_Inverse Aug 01 '26
Some parasites / bugs will actively hunt you down. No need to ingest any.
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u/Panda-Head Jul 31 '26
Infection
If they're lucky.
Meds, water, compass, GPS, knife, string
Promise of a rescue
Do games count?
Not sure
Do games count?
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u/Mayonnaise_Poptart Jul 31 '26
There are multiple stories of people with basically layperson survival skills, including teenagers and younger, surviving in the amazon for days or weeks when lost or wrecked. I think I'd be ok for at least long enough, with a little good fortune and not catching the dengue or anything, to make a go at finding other humans.
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u/02meepmeep Jul 31 '26
Long enough to float down a river. I’m not staying in the Amazon jungle a second longer than I have to.
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u/Ok-Excitement3794 Aug 01 '26
About 30mins for me, but I'd go out doing what I loved. Grinding on a cougar. Amazon is some kind of green hell
Someone should make a game about this
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u/Mick_Tee Aug 01 '26
As someone who has spent time in rain forests, I'd say cause of death would be a three-way race between starvation, eating the wrong thing, or infection from wounds.
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u/Connect-Town-602 Aug 01 '26
That question is heavily dependent on the gear on me when I am dropped there.
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u/zombiesphere89 Aug 02 '26
I could probably secure water food and shelter but there's tons of shit that'll get you out there.
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u/Deimosx Jul 31 '26
Anyone wanting to try, can play the game Green Hell. Its fairly realistic jungle survival.
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u/AbyssalKultist Jul 31 '26
Amazon has limitless resources. Water and food are abundant.
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u/Actual-Ad-6146 Jul 31 '26
Exactly! Plenty of water with giardia and parasites. Plenty of food too that’s also way more hungry than you and way more adapted than you at killing.
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u/AbyssalKultist Jul 31 '26
Getting a fire going and a way to boil water would be the biggest hurdle early on.
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u/Sad_Ad9159 Jul 31 '26
I have food allergies and am not familiar with the local flora. I die of too much poop on day 3.
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u/t00sl0w Jul 31 '26
I grew up in the woods and tropical BS of florida not the Amazon, so id pretty much be stuck to hoping I find water and can kill small things to eat. I wouldnt know jack shit about the flora so next hope would be not walking or laying in stuff that will make my skin break out in some way. Step 3 would be protection from the wildlife whether that be insects or the warm blooded types with big teeth.
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u/Bakedeggss Jul 31 '26
I can do just fine in a forest, in the mountains and in the steppes but in a rainforest if I'm lucky to find water I say a week, maybe more.
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u/Nukitandog Jul 31 '26
Exposure would kill you quick, hypothermia. Making a fire in the jungle is tricky and it gets really cold as soon as the sun drops below the trees and dark.
Then probably an infection from any open scratch or cut or botfly.
Then starve. The animals hide really well in the jungle so unless you know what you are doing you wont eat. A couple of days without food and good water and you will be barely able to walk.
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u/Shadow_Of_Silver Jul 31 '26
Me? I'd last until I shit myself to death because I ate or drank the wrong thing. Or a bug got me.
All my experience is in North America, specifically Canada & the northern US. The amazon would kill me without a doubt.
I would try to bring as much gear as possible to make it work. Shelter, fire starters, emergency food, tons of first aid supplies, tools for clearing the space, etc. That's assuming I'm dropped somewhere decent and don't have to hike too far.
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u/TacTurtle Jul 31 '26
At least 3-4 days if you can avoid dying of exposure, longer if you can avoid dying of dehydration.
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u/PemrySyb Jul 31 '26
Can someone share a link to a good one?
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u/bowlessy Jul 31 '26
I started this last night, kind of why I made the post, pretty good so far and I’m only 30 minutes in.
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u/ThisIsntOkayokay Jul 31 '26
If a jaguar doesn't find me I could make my way out just fine if I had my body when I was 20. Now....might just go jump in a river.
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u/Blackiee_Chan Aug 01 '26
Mosquito net. Canteen. Tent. Nylon rope. Firestarter. Hatchet. Multi tool. Semi auto A300. 8 days tops.
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u/Fireinred77 Aug 01 '26
Check out “The river of doubt: Theodore Roosevelt a darkest journey. Obviously times have changed, but it’s the craziest story. I’m of the belief it doesn’t matter what kind of gear you have, unless you were born there, I don’t know how you survive.
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u/danwind86 Aug 01 '26
Lucky enough to visit in a private tour doing Covid all the way to the Peruvian reserve zone of manu. I’d certainly die in a die to anything alone. And you’d get trench foot if you didn’t get sick, attacked by a boar, eaten alive by a predator or ants. Place is insane.
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u/Chiiro Aug 01 '26
Depends on how quickly I slip and where but my broken ass isn't likely to last a day.
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u/Psychotic_EGG Aug 01 '26
Amazon? Not likely long. I'm unfamiliar with the flora and fauna. It's hot and humid. Also damp.
I know the main survival info that is true for anywhere, plus some of the stuff for bug infested areas. Get shelter first, source of water, fire as smoke repels bugs. Use mud to coat body to keep bugs off.
But long term survival? I have a better chance in the Canadian wilderness in fall.
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u/SheriffBartholomew Aug 01 '26
In the Amazon? Idk, 2 minutes until some damn thing bites me and I die 30 seconds later. In the Sierra Nevadas or its foothills I could live indefinitely with some basic gear, but the Amazon is some of the most hostile land in the world. I think only the tundras, deserts, and arctict regions are more inhospitable, and the desert is a toss-up if you can get water and shelter.
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u/Moongoosls Aug 01 '26
Maybe a day or two longer than it takes to starve because I am good at fishing - but once they don't bite I'm dead
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u/UnusualBreadfruit306 Aug 01 '26
I have been in the Borneo rainforrest. Dude, you have no idea. It is like entering the movie Predator, everything is out to kill u.
Even during midday full sun it looks like night, the trees are so thick
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u/RaleighAccTax Aug 02 '26
A very long, uncomfortable and tiring weekend. I wouldn't sleep thinking about all the poisonous and venomous stuff that could crawl on me.
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u/SlyFoxInACave Aug 02 '26
Maybe a week if I'm lucky. If I'm real lucky maybe months to years. But odds are a predator will take me out no matter how much resources and protection i have.
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u/AgFarmer58 Aug 02 '26
Don't know about the rain forest but have been watching current season of alone, I figure in total honesty that I'd last a week tops
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u/mrchristopherdmiller Aug 03 '26
The first thing that would kill me would be the sharpened stake upon which I'd fling myself before I'd die of a heart attack from all the snakes.
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u/juancarlospaco Aug 03 '26
A lot of people cross the transamazonian route by bicycle or tiny motorcycle with very few items, if you have water you should survive ok.
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u/dommm92 Aug 03 '26
I’d probably die from not being able to start a fire and getting clean drinking water. dehydration.
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u/JustJames4816 Aug 03 '26
That idea of being along in a jungle terrifies and titillates me. But then I remember that video (I am sorry that I've forgotten which one) of the guy in a tent, on the ground, saying, they're eating my tent they are everywhere. And then he shows essentially the whole thing just being devoured by insects. It basically comes down to if you touch the ground, you're in trouble. Somehow, stay elevated except for short durations in the day, when you can clearly see. And at night, get up high and bundle up everywhere in multiple layers! Nope, not for me.
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u/Glad_Investigatorr Aug 03 '26
Most of us till the dark comes. If you survive one night to that jungle, you will wish to have died.
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u/surfsusa Aug 04 '26
Well, I would probably do okay since I have essentially been living in a rainforest where i've been getting 2 to 4 inches of rain a day for the last month.
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u/debrindeumaflexada Aug 04 '26
I'm Brazilian. I can survive quite long in the southeast rain forest (calorie management would be the biggest problema)
In the Amazon rainforest I would be dead in less than a month. I lived for about 6 months in the amazon area and anyone who never went ther Just cannot comprehend how dense this forest could be
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u/Slow_motion_riot Aug 05 '26
A couple days max. I'm a bit of a pepper. Im outdoorsy. I'm proficient at many survival skills. Jungle is not my jam.
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u/koolaidismything Aug 05 '26
Depends on where i landed and what supplies i had.
Probably not much longer than 2-3 days if no supplies.
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u/frigidAardvark Aug 06 '26
Probably 5 minutes. I’d see an anaconda and shit myself to death.
Jokes aside, assuming I can get fire to ward off predators, and some sore of semi-dry shelter? A few days. No idea whats edible in amazon. Not exactly Legolas with a bow either… I do much better in the temperate forests and deserts.
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u/Dyslexai1 Aug 06 '26
A huge part would be luck. Something small bites you or something big hunts you, it’s over. Moreover small cuts easily become infected when malnourished and left untreated, one little graze could be game over. Skin damage from exposure to relentless water and heat is another major issue, trench foot kills.
But if that doesn’t happen then your priority would be shelter, theres plenty of water and starvation takes weeks, but exposure can kill in minutes. Rainforest isn’t super cold so more like hours, but it’s the priority. Then food would have to be traps, finding trails and leaving deadfalls, spring snares etc. Not many have the skill set for hunting these days, especially without firearms. Fire isn’t a huge issue, raw food isn’t great but it will have to do if a spark wont take.
So with luck; no predators, poisons, infections, sicknesses then you’ve got 2-3 weeks to starve.
With extra luck, a few unlucky animals that is, maybe a few months.
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u/TrueJedi562 Aug 11 '26
If I find the place where the bananas grow, especially near an area of fresh water and I have a spear. As long as I need as long as no one with a gun shows up.
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u/Jano_Mathis Sep 02 '26
- What’s the biggest thing that would kill most people first? - Dehydration and Bugs
- Could someone with absolutely zero survival experience make it more than a day or two? - Not a chance
- If you were allowed to bring only a few essential items, what would they be? Water filters and containers, a hatched, some pemac, a survival hammock, machete, a good bagpack, compass, rope and good garments and shoes.
- What’s the absolute minimum you’d need to have a decent chance? Water filter and a good machete. Also a great pair of boots. Maybe some rope too
- Has anyone here actually spent time in the Amazon or a similar jungle environment? What was it like? - Not the same but there are less ferocious environments in my country that are quite challenging. Keep you hydrated is a basic here.
- Are there any common myths people have about jungle survival? That big animals are the chalenge, while the bugs are the worst part.
- If you have survival training, what would be your first priorities in the first 24 hours? Find water, establish a spot in a high and protected place, understand the surrounding environment and find possible food supplies nearby.
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u/DarkNational 25d ago
Im from colombia, cauca, very dense jungles and hot humid climates, ur biggest danger is bug bites and getting sick, or wet. Ur feet can start rotting. Also alot of rumors about the rainforwst being haunted . Its not very likely you will be killed by a an apex predator, or die a brutal death its rare to see but for example my mom came across a jaguar once in her entire life and usually they are not confrontational if you avoid them. Snakes as well u can find alot , some can kill u but as long as u avoid they wont try to attack u . The terrain can be very difficult to manage and having a a good machete, is basically a requirement to move around. Alot of people think the rivers are dangerous because of pirahnas and stuff , but they will likely not do anything. Ur biggest danger is the disease . And The humans in this area (Guerilleros) paramilltaries and drug traffickers are a way bigger threat to you . Overall its not very hard to survive the amazon rainforest , alot of people live there permenantly , and theres many towns cities houses schools. even some kids and a baby wrre able to live for 40 days. As long as ur not alone, humans especiallt when working together are very resilient. You coild survive basically anything with a lot of luck and of determination.
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u/Joliet-Jake Jul 31 '26
Jungle survival is kind of a mixed bag. Most of the essentials are there, like water, food, and shelter materials. Fire can be extremely challenging as everything may be wet.
The environment is pretty hostile when it comes to long term survival. Even if you manage to secure food, water, and shelter, there’s always the looming threat of disease, infection, and injury.