We Drove Across the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest has often received the nickname "The Lungs of our Planet". But explorers who venture into this jungle have often called it by another name. The Green Hell.

After overlanding across the americas, we decided to drive our old Toyota Land Cruiser with a roof top tent from Peru to Guyana. Initially, the plan was to go to Suriname, French Guiana, back to Brazil, and then head south. But things would go wrong, from a robbery to car trouble. But ultimately, we would end our trip short when bad luck turned to tragedy.

Of course, the Amazon doesn't suck at all. It's an incredible place, and even we would have some amazing experiences. It still offers endless opportunities for pure, raw adventure and exploration. But the way the Amazon has been treated in the last 60 years is what really sucks. To drive across its highways, whether the Trans-Amazonica, or the BR-319 running south to north, means to drive through endless cattle farms. A path of destruction started by a military dictatorship and perpetuated by illegal deforestation.

What we thought would be the ultimate 4x4 adventure through thick remote jungle, would instead be a long highway drive through the burning farmlands.

Film Gear that we use to make these videos
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sony A7III - https://amzn.to/4cijNmx
Sony 24-70mm - https://amzn.to/3YAAlTq
Sony 35mm F1.8 - https://amzn.to/3yseMtN
Smallrig A7III cage - https://amzn.to/3AgV30z
Smallrig Side Handle - https://amzn.to/3yznzdp
Smallrig Mini Top Handle - https://amzn.to/3YFwepd
Sennheiser MKE 400 Mic - https://amzn.to/3Ag8ga1
K&F Variable ND Filter - https://amzn.to/4fC8BUr
DJI Mavic 3 PRO - https://amzn.to/4fuVhl3
DJI Mavic 3 PRO ND filters - https://amzn.to/3YAAqGI
DJI Mini 3 PRO - https://amzn.to/3WWslLx
DJI Mini 3 PRO ND Filters - https://amzn.to/3WGeLdE
GoPro Hero 9 Black - https://amzn.to/3WWoDS6
Rode Wireless Go II - https://amzn.to/4fD4TtL
Peak Design Captrue clip - https://amzn.to/3WTYWkO
Tripod - https://amzn.to/4fDc4Cs
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
go-alone.com
Instagram.com/maxsrelax
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Some of the links above will direct you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources

Deforestation / Illegal logging

https://www.globalforestwatch.org/das...
https://news.mongabay.com/2023/09/def...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-...
https://imazon.org.br/en/imprensa/alm...
   • Satellite shows extent of terrible de...  
https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
   • Illegal Loggers: The Tribe Waging War...  
   • Our Fight - Illegal Logging and Murde...  

Cattle/Beef

https://www.statista.com/chart/19127/...
   • Meet the Ranchers Who Claim the Brazi...  

Food Security/Poverty

https://www.gov.br/secom/en/latest-ne...
https://www.theguardian.com/global-de...
https://agenciacenarium.com.br/maranh...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Amazon Theatre / Rubber boom

https://www.britannica.com/place/Manaus
https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativeli...
https://www.survivalinternational.org...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_...

00:00 Intro
00:49 Leaving Cusco
05:13 Watch out!
07:00 Into Brazil
13:00 Something Broke
18:30 Amazonian Fruit
20:40 BR-319
28:20 Pleasant Surprise
36:30 Crossing the Amazon river
38:50 Manaus
43:30 Heading North
48:55 Sudden Ending
52:12 Sorry