11 Gripping Books Set in the Amazon Rainforest
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Dense jungle, untamed rivers, and stories of survival—few places spark the imagination quite like the Amazon rainforest. These books will take you straight there.
It’s one of the most fascinating and unforgiving places on Earth—home to dangerous wildlife, dense vegetation, and an unpredictable rainy season. And yet, the Amazon rainforest has long captured the imaginations of countless adventurers, explorers, and writers.
If actually traveling there feels a little too far outside your comfort zone, the next best thing is to experience it through the pages of a book.
These are the best books set in the Amazon rainforest that will transport you straight into the heart of the jungle!
It’s no surprise that many of these picks are gripping survival stories, adventure-filled novels, and real-life accounts of resilience in one of the most remote and treacherous places on Earth. So, if you’re ready to embark on a journey deep into the Amazon—without leaving your couch—you’re in the right place.
Here are the best books about the Amazon rainforest to add to your reading list:
Novels and Fiction Set in the Amazon Rainforest
Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik
This thrilling, fast-paced novel follows a young woman seeking a fresh start as a teacher in Bolivia.
After meeting a handsome local, she embarks on a perilous and treacherous journey through the Amazon rainforest with him, as they head towards the remote village where he is from.
Ruthless River by Holly FitzGerald
When Holly and her husband set out on a year-long backpacking trip as their honeymoon, they had no idea of the harrowing events that awaited them.
Five months into their trip, they were left stranded in the Amazon after a plane crash, with nothing but a small raft to carry them down the ferocious river. This remarkable true story chronicles their dramatic survival story.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
This engrossing novel follows Dr. Marina Singh, who journeys to the Amazon rainforest after her colleague and mentor have disappeared while researching a new drug. Hoping to find her missing friend, she is plunged into the insect-infested and unforgiving world of the Amazon rainforest.
Non-Fiction & Memoirs About the Amazon Rainforest
The Unconquered by Scott Wallace
This gripping account follows a team searching for one of the last uncontacted tribes in the Amazon, a group of people whose civilization has remained largely unchanged since pre-Columbian times.
Will they succeed in reaching this isolated tribe and survive the jungle’s dangers?
Jungle by Yossi Ghinsberg
This true story recounts the tale of four travelers in Bolivia who believe they are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime while backpacking in the Amazon rainforest. However, things start to go wrong when the group gets lost and splits up, leading to a harrowing fight for survival in the jungle.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann
In 1925, a legendary British explorer named Percy Fawcett journeyed into the Amazon in search of a fabled lost civilization. He never returned.
In this intriguing nonfiction book, the author replicates Fawcett’s journey in an attempt to uncover his fate and the mythical Lost City of Z.
Mother of God by Paul Rosolie
If you are looking for another adventurous and exciting nonfiction book set in the Amazon rainforest, look no further than this one.
The Mother of God chronicles naturalist and explorer Paul Rosolie’s journey through the uncharted tributaries of the Amazon River, from where it begins in the Madre de Dios region of Peru, one of the wildest places on Earth.
The Mapmaker’s Wife by Robert Whitaker
Based on a remarkable true story, this book, set in 1735, follows a French mapmaker named Jean in South America who falls in love with a local woman named Isabel.
When the two are separated, Isabel embarks on a dangerous and extreme journey across the continent, risking her life for true love.
Walking the Amazon by Ed Stafford
Ed Stafford set out on a quest to become the first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon River. His incredible memoir chronicles his experience. Over the course of 860 days, he traversed 4,000 miles of the most biologically diverse environment on Earth.
He shares his adventures of surviving encounters with dangerous wildlife, battling illness and injuries, and withstanding extreme weather conditions to complete his ambitious journey through the Amazon.
Young Adult Books Set in the Amazon Rainforest
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
This young adult novel, set in the Amazon rainforest, takes place in 1910 and follows a young girl named Maia, who has been tragically orphaned.
In the wake of her parents’ death, she is sent from England to live with distant relatives in Manaus, Brazil. She is accompanied on her journey by an eccentric and mysterious governess, who has her own secret reasons for making the trip.
City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende
One more young adult novel for this list is City of the Beasts by acclaimed South American author Isabel Allende.
It follows a teenage boy named Alex who accompanies his fearless grandmother on a scientific expedition in the Amazon rainforest. There, Alex and his new friend Nadia experience a thrilling and unforgettable journey in the unexplored wilderness of the Amazon.
Best Books Set in the Amazon Rainforest
These are some of the very best books set in the Amazon rainforest—perfect if you’re craving adventure, survival stories, or armchair travel.
Have you read any of these books set in the Amazon rainforest? Do you have any favorite books set in the Amazon rainforest that I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
Related: 19 Exciting Books Set in South America
Where next?
Start with this list of the very best travel adventure books. It includes great reads that will fuel your wanderlust and have you staying up late to finish them.
Keep your wanderlust alive with more book lists set in specific destinations:
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