The top 10 rainforests and jungles in the world.
The top 10 rainforests and jungles in the world
A trip into a rainforest or jungle is to enter the richest habitat on earth. This is an eco-system that supports animal and plant kingdoms in a fragile interdependency—an environment where man is tolerated rather than accepted. The world's forests are endangered, and must be visited with care, but to experience one is to open our eyes to the challenges that we face. Forests support over five million plant and animal species, and even now, protect numerous undiscovered species.
The best way to visit these precious environments is on an organised tour. Some forests are relatively safe from harm and quite welcoming, but some are fragile, on a knife-edge, and need soft footfall visits in order to protect them. There are also numerous local tourism, conservation and volunteering projects that educate visitors and support local communities, taking you deep into the lush green hearts of these magical places.
1. DAINTREE
While thousands of people visit the Daintree, in far North Queensland, you can still escape from it all and experience the ancient sense of this place. Famously known as the place where 'the rainforest meets the reef', it is home to one of the largest range of animals and plants on earth. It contains 30% of the frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. The forests are ancient and can track their lineage back around 135 million years. These forests act as a reminder of what much of Australia was like when it was far wetter through the presence of primitive flowering plants. For instance, the ancient rainforests stretched out as far as the Uluru/Ayers Rock. Now they exist in small pockets—none of them is more impressive than the Daintree where coral reefs push up against dazzling white beaches that then merge into the tropical rainforest.
2. THE AMAZON RAINFOREST
A huge moist leaf forest covering a great swathe of the top of South America, the Amazon spreads into nine countries, but is most of it falls within Brazil. As well as being the largest rainforest in the world and half the world's remaining rainforest, the Amazon has greater biodiversity than any other - and that's before everything here has even been found and dissected. More than a third of all the world's species live in the Amazon, as well as the vast range of plants there are more than two and a half million species of insect, 3000 kinds of fish, 1,200 types of bird, 370 kinds of reptiles and 420 different mammal species. If around 90,000 tonnes of living plant can come out of one square Amazon kilometre then imagine what has been lost in the 600,000+ square kilometres of rainforest which have been destroyed. As well as plants and animals there are still people living in the Amazon.
3. MONTECRISTO CLOUD FOREST
High altitude, a thick protective canopy, and plenty of rain equal great biodiversity—ferns, oaks, laurels, orchids, owls, spider monkeys, anteaters, pumas and toucans are all found in the Montecristo Cloud Forest.
4. CHAPADA DOS VEADEIROS AND EMAS NATIONAL PARKS
The two sites included in the designation contain flora and fauna and key habitats that characterize the Cerrado—one of the world’s oldest and most diverse tropical ecosystems. For millennia, these sites have served as refuge for several species during periods of climate change and will be vital for maintaining the biodiversity of the Cerrado region during future climate fluctuations.'
5. ALASKA'S BACKCOUNTRY RAINFOREST
In the vast Backcountry Rainforest, it is hard to go past the tangle of forests that line the western seaboard of North America, north of Vancouver. The landscape is an enormous interface between a maze of inlets, with Orca in the water, and incredible forests and mountains, and the largest expanse of temperate rainforest on the planet. Perhaps a single place to pick out is the forest on the Chilkoot Inlet, near Haines in Southern Alaska, which lead through old growth forest into the mountains. The valley is the 'civilised' end of this incredible ‘big country’ and gives a sense of what it is like further in. The world's largest gathering of bald eagles adds to the adventure (during autumn or winter).
6. SINHARAJA FOREST
Sri Lanka’s last lowland wet forests can be found south of the central mountains at Sinharaja. Rich with birdlife and also leech-infested, every naturalist visiting Sri Lanka should visit this remarkable remnant rainforest—a habitat that is all but lost in this lovely but politically-troubled island nation.
7. KINABALU NATIONAL PARK
People mostly think of the rainforests and montane forests of Borneo in terms of orangutans, orchids, pitcher plants and the epic and sickly sweet smelling Rafflesias, the world's largest flower, and home to a hugely diverse range of plant and animal life. Humid corridors between towering trees teem with exotic birds, animals and insects, and it can almost be an intoxicating, overwhelming experience. The Kinabalu National Park lies like a dense foggy blanket on and around the slopes of the massif, South East Asia's highest, and with its varied elevations, from the montane and rainforests around the base to the alpine meadows near the summit, it's an excellent place to see the diverse range of Borneo's endemic plants and animals. The most unique of these include several carnivorous species—Kinabalu giant red leech and Kinabalu giant earthworm. Near the park headquarters is an orchid garden and the Poring Hot Springs, which was established by Japanese soldiers during the war.
8. MONTEVERDE RESERVE
Monteverde is one of Costa Rica’s most interesting locations, and is also an important rainforest (actually called a cloud forest due to the cloud-like mist that deposits moisture directly onto the leaves of the plants). Monteverde supports more than one hundred mammal species, four hundred species of bird, tens of thousands of different insects and two-and-a-half thousand different plants, including more than 400 different kinds of orchid. Monteverde Reserve's most famous resident must be the resplendent quetzal, but howler monkeys, jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, macaws, snakes, butterflies etc. also make their homes here, to name but a few.
Multiple trails cross the Monteverde Reserve, most which are well marked. The protected part of the rainforest is only open between 7am and 4pm. Monteverde’s neighbour, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, has a higher elevation and is cloudier than Monteverde, but the habitat supports similar species. Neither of these reserves is an official national park, but operates as not-for-profit enterprises, which also run several conservation projects. This is one of the world’s greatest rainforest experiences, and one of the few that is relatively easy to visit.
9. SAPO NATIONAL PARK
Sapo is probably one of the last places on earth to experience virgin rainforest. It is extremely difficult to navigate at a temperature and humidity that make carrying a backpack and normal thought processes extremely difficult. The forest vegetation carries cholera and the tree sap also contains certain flesh-eating micro-organisms. Malaria is also a major threat, and an important point that must be noted is that in the forest, human beings are prey items or major threats, and animals may act aggressively to human presence.
Now this has been emphasised—Sapo is beautiful. Looking from a bird's-eye view, one can see rainforest from horizon to horizon, and it does not contain the expanse of rubber trees that one is used to seeing in rural Liberia. A word of caution—if you wish to visit Sapo, inform appropriate authorities of your presence. It is vital that visitors have a professional support network, as it is easy to become disorientated in Sapo. Check all clothing and baggage first thing in the morning for visiting wildlife, do not reach into an open backpack before looking to see what you will be putting your hands on.
Do remember to bring appropriate amounts of drinking water as cholera is prevalent here. Try not to physically touch undergrowth as it could potentially be poisonous and will definitely contain biting insects! Leopards, forest elephants, crocodiles and various poisonous snakes are present and although these are elusive, you should never leave the camp alone, and if taking a toilet break ‘always’ bring a torch and always be wary when around water systems. When walking, scan the ground for venomous snakes, especially those from the Viperidae family that are invisible in leaf litter.
Bring more socks than you think you will need as feet turn to mulch with humidity. Every pore of your body will be drenched with water so dry clothes should be brought for sleeping in but one may find the humidity too hot to wear clothes when inside the tent. Lastly, make sure all food is probably sealed and contained. I have witnessed ants managing to crawl inside sealed jam-jars and baggage, my colleague woke to then find thousands of driver ants (army ants included) inside his tent, to say he was terrified is an understatement, we were convinced a leopard had entered the camp!
My whole party found that one week in the rainforest pushed the body to limits never experienced before. Tiredness will consume you quickly so good humour, experienced camp etiquette and professionalism are all a must. Never, ever rely on a GPS! Solely navigate by compass and then, when you are in doubt, use the GPS. Remember that a car is metallic, so stand away from your vehicle and remove metallic jewellery when taking a compass reading!
I hope you experience the true Sapo National Park which I had the delight of being a part of. It is beautiful and you will feel humbled by the sights, sounds, expanse of the boundary and the fact that some trees disappear through the clouds. I like to refer to Sapo as the ‘lungs of earth’. Safe journey!
10. ECUADOR'S CLOUD FORESTS
Mainland Ecuador has three general regions—the Amazon, the mountains and the Pacific Coast. Heading up from the coast and over the Andes toward the Amazon Basin, you pass through a range of ecosystems, including subalpine Paramo system. The cloud forests occur on both sides of the Andes and houses incredible biodiversity, especially of birds.
The best time to plan a visit here is during the dry season, between June and December.
The amazing Amazon—one of the best jungles in the world
Amazon, the thickest and the darkest jungles in the world spreading across nine countries, is simply mystical. However, most part of this forest falls in Brazil, South America. This, being the largest rainforest on the planet earth, is home to around 3000 species of fish, more than 1,200 kinds of avifauna, 370 kinds of reptiles and 420 various mammals. Amazon forest is a mystery! No one has yet explored it entirely because of its thickness and vastness. The place has been visited by a number of jungle enthusiasts and bio scientists and they are still uncovering what lies in the heavy jungles of Amazon! The tribes that inhibit the jungles of Amazon are still untouched by what lies behind the wall of greens. They still live without internet and television among the plants and trees and animals, a fact that still is a mystery in itself!
Alaska’s Backcountry—best rainforests in the world
The Backcountry Rainforest is huge and dark. If you ever get lost in this rainforest, it will be really hard for you get out of the tangles of the enormous trees and thickness of this jungle. The landscape is gorgeous though! The incredible dark forests and mountains inside make Backcountry the largest (area wise) temperate rainforest on earth. You will find people living near the valley at the end.
The virgin rainforest Sapo National Park
Sapo in Liberia is counted amongst the last places on the planet to have virgin rainforest. You can easily catch cholera and Malaria here and quite interstingly and weirdly the tree sap of the forest have certain flesh-eating micro-organisms too. Here humans are an easy prey to animals and mosquitoes. However, the jungle is beautiful and mystical, and if you wish to visit here anytime make sure you inform the required authorities beforehand! They can arrange a few things or a local guide who can take you inside the jungles safe zones where you can have your share of exploring this beauty.
Montecristo Cloud Forest and Monteverde Reserve
Montecristo Cloud Forest in El Salvador, with its high elevation, receives huge amount of rainfall. The place is also home to various kinds of animals and insects including owl, spider, monkey, pumas and toucans, among others. On the other hand, Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica is one of the most interesting places where one can easily spot quetzal, monkeys, jaguars, snakes and butterflies, among others.
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