How to Minimize Risks During Outdoor Activities

How often have you, while traveling, hired local services without prior research? Or exposed yourself to a risky situation without preparation? Unfortunately, this is a common scenario among tourists engaging in nature-based activities in Brazil and abroad. However, the assumption that nothing will go wrong during leisure time puts many people in danger.

In recent months, we’ve seen incidents ranging from rescues in national parks to fatalities during balloon rides and treks in Indonesia. These events bring – and have long brought – an important warning: being in nature safely requires planning, physical preparation, knowledge, and thorough research.

According to data from Férias Vivas, 99% of accidents involving tourists could have been prevented. The NGO has operated since 2002, raising awareness about the adoption of safe practices in tourism activities. It was founded following the death of Sílvia Basile’s 9-year-old daughter during a horseback activity at a resort in Maragogi (AL).

Among more than 4,000 cases monitored by the NGO, the main causes of tourist accidents identified were:

• Inadequate signage: 93%
• Lack of protective equipment: 77%
• Professional negligence: 70%
• Equipment failure: 57%
• Service provider’s lack of skill: 49%
• Tourist carelessness: 46%

According to Luiz Del Vigna, executive director of the Abeta (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Ecoturismo e Turismo de Aventura), three critical aspects – often overlooked by outdoor activity practitioners – compromise safety. These are: informality, illegality, and the low level of professional qualification in the market.

“The adventure tourism world is very fragmented and mostly informal. I travel across Brazil and know what I’m talking about. Accidents happen all the time, but not all are reported or included in statistics,” Luiz says.
For Sabrina Saltori, tourism safety consultant at Férias Vivas, the more people adopt a culture of safety and prevention, the more lives will be protected. “Usually, crisis management after an accident is prioritized instead of managing risk in advance. The more we can reverse these roles, the safer we’ll be.”

3 recommendations for safely engaging in activities with companies and guides

1. Provide users with essential preliminary information

According to Luiz Del Vigna, engaging in a safe outdoor activity requires consumers to seek knowledge and take responsibility for their choices. If you plan to engage in a risky activity, it’s essential to hire a company that thoroughly addresses those risks and has an emergency response plan.

Carlos Eduardo Santalena, climber, mountain guide and founder of Grade6 Expedições, says that for any outdoor activity – whether low, medium or high risk – agencies must provide a series of preliminary information. Furthermore, they should also perform an initial assessment of the client to determine if they are fit for the activity in question.

Carlos Santalena

The mountaineer has climbed Mount Rinjani in Indonesia, was the youngest Brazilian to summit Everest, and the youngest South American to complete the Seven Summits challenge. According to him, the essential preliminary information should include:

• Required level of physical fitness for the activity
• Necessary equipment
• Type of food, supplements, and conduct expected during the expedition days
• What is or isn’t included in the package – e.g., health and rescue insurance
• Detailed daily briefing of the expedition and how it will be carried out
• Information on the guide-to-client ratio and expected pace

According to Santalena, the number of guides may vary depending on the activity, but for mountaineering and trekking in general, there should be no more than one guide for every three clients. “In large groups, the pace varies, which impacts the guides’ work. Remember, they’re also responsible for services like meals, hydration, and setting up camp, all of which require labor and energy.”

2. Check whether the company follows a Safety Management System (SGS)

After providing preliminary information, companies must list all possible accidents and incidents and how they will be handled. This ensures both the company owner and the guide are fully aware of potential risks and know how to act in an emergency.

Asking whether the company follows ABNT NBR ISO 21101 is not a common practice – but it’s essential. This international standard – a global benchmark – sets safety management system requirements for adventure tourism activities. It provides guidelines to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement preventive safety measures.

ABNT NBR ISO 21101 applies to activities such as hiking and trekking, horseback riding, recreational diving, canoeing, climbing, rafting, paragliding, ballooning, among others. In addition to encouraging a documented safety policy, it involves team training for emergency response, regular procedure reviews, among other factors.

“Laws state that any company offering adventure tourism activities must have a safety management system based on ABNT NBR ISO 21101 and related standards. This is stated in the Consumer Protection Code. To offer something risky, the company must take every possible measure to prevent accidents,” Luiz explains.

Following this initial planning helps you avoid hiring companies that operate informally or illegally. “There are countless companies with business licenses that still lack a safety management system based on the standard required by law. So clearly, there’s a failure to comply with legislation,” Luiz explains.

3. Get to know the guide who will lead the activity

Another warning from Abeta’s executive director concerns the low professional qualification in tourist areas, where many locals become activity leaders simply to meet demand. “In Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, for example – where the recent balloon accident occurred – many farmers started investing in this business due to increased demand. However, they were never balloon pilots, never took courses or gained experience. They got into the business without the knowledge required to offer a safe experience.”

According to Santalena, this happens in all developing countries that rely on tourism. “People need financial returns and explore every local opportunity. They start out with a friend or sibling, hike a mountain twice, get a rough idea of the route, and become a guide. There’s no real regulation, which demands tourists to be much more skilled and knowledgeable to make informed decisions.”

The mountaineer also highlights the importance of checking whether the guide has technical training and active experience. “Practice ensures the automatic responses and speed needed in the field. Another important aspect is their experience with the destination and the profession they’re practicing.”

Other essential safety tips:

• Check if the company is registered with the Receita Federal and Cadastur
• Research the company’s reputation online and ask others for references
• Be cautious of companies offering prices far below those of recognized and recommended providers
• Pay attention to weather conditions during your trip. If the forecast is cloudy, make sure the activity is still viable

Nature activities without guides: what to do to avoid accidents

Lack of preparation and eagerness to reach the mountains are major factors leading to accidents in outdoor activities. After seeing destinations on social media and in the news, many people set off with friends on adventures without proper preparation. It’s only when they face the reality that they realize they weren’t ready — which is often too late.

Avoiding accidents should also be an individual responsibility. According to the NGO Férias Vivas, tourist carelessness — which can be prevented through training and common sense — accounts for 46% of accidents.

“Accidents result from a combination of errors: lack of knowledge, skills, wrong choice of equipment, inappropriate locations for the activity, and failure to check the weather forecast. Most incidents occur in less experienced groups who take on demanding trails without preparation,” says Ronaldo Franzen Nativo, mountaineer and founder of COSMO (Corpo de Socorro em Montanha), a nonprofit civil association. Founded in 1996, COSMO carries out rescues in the Parque Estadual Marumbi in Paraná and surrounding areas, with about 40 volunteer mountaineers.

Marcio Hoepers, president of the Confederação Brasileira de Montanhismo e Escalada (CBME), states that the best starting point for those wanting to practice mountain activities independently is through clubs and associations. These institutions teach and prepare people to be in the mountains safely, offering mountaineering and rock climbing courses, as well as first aid training, mountain environment behavior, safety, and more.

“Courses and interaction with more experienced members provide a foundation so that people can progress gradually. However, many people skip steps thinking they don’t need them. To evolve in mountaineering, you need a solid base — which is also necessary to learn how to get out of challenging situations.”

According to the CBME president, mountaineering is classified as a dangerous activity, but not inherently risky — it becomes safe through preparation. “Experience, lived moments, and years of practice will make you an experienced mountaineer — someone careful and aware of the risks involved.”

No one is immune to the unexpected, but Marcio emphasizes that the better the planning, the greater the chance of success. “Success isn’t always reaching the summit — it’s getting back home alive. A good mountaineer knows when to stop. You might push your limits, but you must know when you’re crossing the line between safety and your own capacity. Only years in the mountains will teach you that.”

Another key factor for safe planning is evaluating the destination. “If you’re going to developing countries, be aware that they may lack infrastructure. Most parks aren’t equipped to receive large crowds, and some have visitor limits. Not all have rescue teams on standby, relying instead on fire departments and volunteers,” explains Marcio, citing Europe and the United States as examples of excellent rescue structures.

Anticipating possible incidents is not pessimism

According to Coronel Leite, search and rescue expert, mountaineer, skydiver, and outdoor sports enthusiast, seriously assessing risks is essential when planning any activity. “It takes maturity to anticipate mishaps and possible errors. If you’re going on an adventure, your first thought should be: what could go wrong? That’s not pessimism — it’s preparation.”

Check out Coronel Leite’s guidelines for a safe outdoor experience:

• Being alone can be dangerous: if you’re inexperienced or attempting a major challenge, Leite recommends going with at least two people. “If something happens to you, they can carry you.”
• Share your itinerary: before heading out, let someone know your destination, departure time, and — most importantly — expected return time.
• Expect the unexpected: planning to start a trail in the morning and finish early afternoon? What if something goes wrong, and it starts to get dark? Always carry a flashlight — even a small one.
• Check the weather forecast: even on sunny days, conditions can change quickly. A rain jacket and windbreaker can prevent issues like hypothermia. Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat to protect against sunstroke.
• Save your phone battery. “Phones are for communication, but people use them as cameras and end up with no battery to call for help.”
• Hydration is also critical: carry a generous amount of water, especially in areas without resources.
• Wear proper footwear: it helps prevent blisters and reduces the risk of common injuries like sprained ankles.
• First aid kit: always bring what you normally use and extras for emergencies. In this video, Pedro Lacaz Amaral, founder of Gear Tips, shares what he always carries on his outdoor adventures.
• Invest in navigation and orientation: technical knowledge helps prevent getting lost and assists in rescue situations. Always carry a compass and a tracking device.

In potential rescue situations, it’s also crucial to know how and where to communicate. According to Coronel Leite, tracking devices like SPOT are essential for those who frequently venture into nature, as they work via satellite — without needing cell coverage.

SPOT has two buttons: SOS and Help. The SOS button is strictly for emergencies. When activated, FocusPoint International, Inc. provides emergency rescue coordination and monitoring through its dedicated centers. You register your emergency contacts in the system — those who will confirm your location — and they will trigger the protocol that involves contacting local authorities.

The Help button alerts your registered personal contacts that you require assistance in non-life-threatening situations. That way, they can take the necessary steps to help you.

10 Essentials

In the 1930s, American mountaineers created a precautionary technique called the 10 Essentials: a list of 10 items that prepares us for any situation. In this video, Pedro Lacaz Amaral, founder of Gear Tips, presents all the items and shares safety planning tips.

EU VIVI APP: the Trip Advisor of safety

Since 2017, the NGO Férias Vivas has maintained the EU VIVI app to help people experience safer adventures. The tool is free, collaborative, and focused on tourism activities in Brazil. With the app, you can check real-time reports on risk situations, accidents, and best practices — and also share your own.

EU VIVI App

I had an incident or accident — what should I do?

The first recommendation from Coronel Leite is to make a self-assessment. Ask yourself: “Am I able to get out of here by calling my family or with the help of my companions?” or “Can I keep walking to reach an accessible location?” If yes, do not activate the rescue service.

Useful numbers: if there’s no alternative, [in Brazil] call 193 (Fire Department) and 190 (Military Police). If needed, they will activate other agencies. “These two numbers are magical and interconnected.”

Help them locate you: “You’re in the middle of the forest talking to the rescue team. How will you explain where you are exactly? If you have a compass in hand and can hear the helicopter, for instance, you can already give your coordinates and start being located. Small actions can save a life. You need to help in your own rescue, and for that, you must understand basic orientation and navigation,” emphasizes the Colonel.

Are you lost? The tip is: call for rescue — don’t try to find your way alone. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help.

This post is also available in: Português (Portuguese (Brazil)) Español (Spanish)