Beaches, hill stations, and historical places are the first things that come to mind while thinking about a holiday. So, this year, why don’t you try something different? If you want to have a unique experience, visiting rainforests and jungles would be quite a thrilling experience. As the rainforests have a tropical climate and experience heavy rains around the year, they are gifted with lush green beauty that can help de-stress your mind. Moreover, you also get the opportunity to have a look at some exotic plants, animals, and trees.
Rainforests cover 7% of earth and are true gifts of nature. They also help in protecting and maintaining the ecosystem of the world and hence should be given special importance. Here we present some of the best rainforests and jungles in the world
Rainforests and Jungles you Must Visit
The tropical rainforests are located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, around the Equator belt. These forests are found in South and Central America, Africa, Australia, and Southern Asia. With this, let us take a look at the rainforests that you should make a visit to.
1. The Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon rainforest is known to be the largest rainforest in the entire world. Spreading over an area of 1.7 billion acres of land, this forest is not limited to one country. On the other hand, the Amazon rainforest is spread through countries like Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Suriname, Columbia, French Guiana, Venezuela, Guyana, and Equador. Amongst these places, 40% of the Amazon rainforest is found in Brazil.
The Amazon River, the second largest river in the world, flows through this forest. Packed with greenery, the aerial sight of this forest will leave you spellbound. As this is the largest rainforest on Earth, it also houses a variety of plant and animal species. It is said that 1/10th of all mammals and 1/5th of all plants in the world are found in this amazing rainforest. You can explore this forest through the various national parks and reserves in Brazil, Equador, etc.
2. Daintree Rainforest
Situated on the North-Eastern coast of Queensland in Australia, the Daintree Rainforest is known for its lush greenery, dense forest, mountain ranges, waterfalls, and streams. As the rainforest is situated right at the edge of the sea, this jungle is also home to some magnificent white sand beaches. With the area of 12,000square kilometers, Daintree is the largest rainforest in the Australian continent. It is also a place with the maximum number of plant growth. Explore this place to view some of the rarest plant species.
3. The Mount Kinabalu National Park
Notably, the first national park of Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu National Park covers 754 square kilometers of Mount Kinabalu. This National Park is a popular tourist place, where a minimum of 400,000 people visits every year. Apart from its lush green surroundings, this forest is known for its rich flora and fauna. Almost 4,500 plant species can be found in this forest. In the case of the animal population, there are around 100 mammal species and more than 300 bird species here. It is also a place that houses giant earthworms and Kinabalu giant red leech.
4. Sapo National Park
Being Liberia’s only National Park, it is also the largest protected area. The Sapo National Park spreads over an area of 180 square kilometers and is surrounded by the Putu Mountains in the North and the Sinoe River in the West. It is home to some of the globally endangered species. Some of these include the West African Chimpanzee, Pygmy Hippopotamus, the Zebra Duiker, etc. This rainforest is also popular for its abundant flora, fauna and natural resources too. However, as the forest houses a large number of wild mammals and other organisms, one should explore the forest only with the knowledge of the forest authorities.
5. Sinharaja Forest Reserve
The Sinharaja (meaning: Lion King) Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka has been proclaimed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Due to this, the rainforest has international significance. Although this jungle scales only 21 km, it has dense vegetation and is also a treasure trove of rich flora and fauna. It houses wild animals like elephants, leopards, monkeys, etc. It also has a variety of trees, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, etc. It is a place that has some of the endemic reptiles like a hump-nosed viper and green pit viper.
Apart from these jungles, some of the rainforests that you must not miss include The Monteverde Forest, Costa Rica; Tongass National Forest, Alaska; The Congo Rainforest, Central Africa; Valdivian Temperate Rainforest, Chile and Argentina; Montecristo Cloud Forest, El Salvador; Emas National Park and Chapada Dos Vaederios, Brazil, etc.
Each of these forests has unique characteristics and ecosystem. Moreover, some of these forests are also home to tribal colonies. So a visit to one of these jungles can also help you to learn about their culture and lifestyle, besides enjoying the beauty that these forests have on offer.
