Image of someone working on a fire during Bushmasters' jungle survival course

Jungle Survival: The Essential Skills

If you’re going to survive in the jungle, there are a number of skills you need to possess. Here, Bushmasters take you through some of those key attributes, and explain why they’re so important.

Physical fitness

An image of a man running, looking to improve his physical fitness (an invaluable attribute when surviving in the jungle)

You’re not going to cope very well with the harsh demands of the jungle if you’re not in good physical condition. While you don’t need to be able to run a four-minute mile, you’re going to need to have excellent stamina and a reasonable amount of strength. There’s a good chance you’ll be doing a fair bit of trekking in a bid to find shelter, food, or water, and you’ll need to be strong enough to fashion useful items from your surroundings. You won’t get very far if you’re not mobile, and you’ll struggle if you’re not strong enough to make anything.

Mental health

A picture of someone meditating - meditation can help improve mental health, an essential aspect of jungle survival

Just as (if not more) important as the physical side of things is your mental well-being. Realistically, there will likely be times during your jungle survival bid when everything feels a little desperate. You’ll be hungry, thirsty, and tired, but stopping won’t be an option. The ability to remain calm in difficult situations, and to carry on when your body’s seemingly fighting against you, is absolutely essential. Knowing how your own mind works, and having the ability to control and balance your thoughts (to some extent) is simply invaluable during a jungle survival experience.

Knowledge of flora and fauna

An image of a jaguar in the jungle

Depending on the type of jungle survival situation you find yourself in (planned or otherwise), you may have the chance to read up on indigenous plant and animal life. Doing so could be absolutely crucial. Understanding which plants you can eat, and how to spot signs of potentially dangerous animals, may well prove to be the difference between life and death. It’s advisable to read up on any jungle habitat you’re going to be travelling to or near; even if you’re not planning a survival trip there, you might end up in a difficult situation.

Remember essential equipment

A picture of a pocket knife - one of the most important pieces of equipment used for surviving in the jungle

Again, if you know that you might be entering a jungle, it’s advisable to have some essential equipment with you. Top of the list when it comes to these crucial bits of kit is undoubtedly a machete. Without a knife, you’ll struggle to chop up any plants or wood – this, in turn, restricts you greatly in terms of shelter, weapons, and fire. If you’ve got the luxury of preparation, you might also want to consider having a compass, some waterproof matches, fishing kit, water purification and insect repellent. This list of equipment is not even close to exhaustive – once again, if you’re likely to be travelling to a jungle, we advise that you read up and prepare as much as possible.

Think you’ve got all of that?

Reckon that all seems pretty straightforward? Think we’ve made it sound easy? The only way of truly finding out whether you could hack it in a jungle survival situation is to throw yourself in at the deep end, so to speak.

Get in touch with the team here at Bushmasters to find out about our upcoming trips. We run jungle survival experiences throughout the year, but you can also customise your very own, personal Bushmasters experience. Contact us now so you don’t miss out, as we tend to book up fast!