He Went To Explore The Amazon Jungle, But Never Expected This..

Ready For A Journey

Around the time that Ghinsberg turned 22, the time was finally ripe for him to embark on his grand journey. What he didn’t know was that his dreams of adventure and exploration would ultimately turn into a nightmare that would repeatedly put his life in danger with no apparent way out.

Escapist Aspirations

Part of what inspired Yossi Ghinsberg to seek his own adventure was by French author Henri Charrière’s book Papillon. The autobiographical novel recounts the author’s escapades after escaping imprisonment on the South American island of French Guiana.

The Long And Winding Path

In the months to come, Ghinsberg was able to travel to Africa and Mexico. However, he still longed to fulfill his ultimate dream: exploring the Amazon rainforest. Ghinsberg couldn’t wait to immerse himself in the untouched heart of the jungle, but he faced a dilemma. Determined to make it to South America, he worked several odd jobs including construction work in Norway, fishing in Alaska and truck loading in New York.

Resourceful Globetrotter

After some time, Ghinsberg finally had enough money in his pocket to make his way to Latin America. It was 1981, but by that time, his hero Henri Charriere had already passed away. Still determined to follow in the ways of his idol, Ghinsberg recalculated his journey and hitchhiked his way from Venezuela to Colombia.