Travelogue from Brazil: Sleeping in hammocks in the jungle – why should you try it?

In September 2024, our travel specialist Jude embarked on a tour to Brazil, where she explored the Brazilian part of the Amazon rainforest. Read about her experiences of sleeping in the jungle below.

As I carry the hammock under my arm, I wonder why I’ve chosen a night in a jungle camp when I have such a lovely, comfortable room at the lodge?! Yet, this adventurous part of my three-day Amazon experience lures me in—being so close to nature, savouring the scents and sounds of the jungle. And the silence. It’s amazing. On our walk, we gather some large banana leaves. “These will be our ‘plates’ for the meal later,” says the guide. Simple, yet effective.

After a short walk through the jungle, we arrive at the camp, about 20 minutes from our lodge. We are a group of around ten people, as well as the lodge’s dog. Upon reaching the camp, we see a large shelter, where we plan to hang the hammocks beneath. Here, we’ll sleep side by side.

Tasks are then divided among us. Some collect firewood with the guide, and others set up the dining table. It’s lovely to be active with everyone, creating our own camp and meal after being ‘spoiled’ from dining in hotels/restaurants for days.

The fire is lit with great skill, and the fish and chicken we’ve brought are fastened to the branches we gathered earlier. Very clever! Candles are placed on the dining table, and we sit around the campfire. Our surroundings are pitch black, and we listen to each other and the cicadas. That’s what happens when people gather in such situations, I think to myself, as we sit there: now you talk to ‘strangers’, and beautiful stories emerge, fostering a sense of togetherness and a casual feeling of cosiness. Someone has brought a cooler with beers from the lodge: a great idea!

After about an hour, the chicken and fish are cooked, and we tuck into the food. We eat with our hands, standing around the table in the candlelight, relishing it: it is such a special ambience! For dessert, we slice up some pineapple, and we actually decide to head to bed around half-past eight. A mosquito net is hung over the hammock, though it isn’t really necessary: I haven’t seen any mosquitoes while I’ve been here. According to our guide, they’re only around for a maximum of two months a year. I sleep exceedingly well in the hammock, enjoying the natural sounds and the stars above. Only a bit of snoring here and there keeps me awake, but eventually, I sleep through it.

Around five o’clock, the dog barks. It’s not just with us for companionship, but also for our safety: if there were a snake, it would start barking. However, this turns out to be more of a ‘wake up’ call, as no matter how cosy our positions, our time here has unfortunately come to an end. We pack our bags and take a shower. After breakfast at half-past seven, a couple of hours later, we’re taken by boat back to the harbour to continue our tour in Brazil.

The jungle overnight stay at Tupana Lodge comes highly recommended for those who love an adventurous, ambient experience amidst nature!

Kind regards, Jude

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller