A FAR Northern adventurer has told of dodging bullets, surviving a snowstorm and fearing for his life on wild whitewater rapids during his remarkable 7000km journey in a raft along the mighty Amazon River.

Speaking exclusively to The Weekend Post, Mission Beach tour guide Nathan Welch told of his death-defying seven month expedition on one of the world's longest and most dangerous rivers on the planet.

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He is part of only the fourth team to successfully navigate the Amazon River and secure his name in the history books.

Mr Welch and fellow adventurer Mark Kalch, formerly from Mackay, were forced to paddle 24 hours a day in six hour shifts for the final 4500km of the trip when their third team member, Philip Swart from South Africa, was hospitalised with a mystery virus.

"We thought we were going to die at one stage," the 32-year-old told The Weekend Post from Belem in Brazil.

"There's no helicopter to rescue you if you're stranded. You're on your own."

Mr Welch said the trio was shot at by narco-terrorists and military in the Peruvian Red Zone and on the Columbian border.

The source-to-sea journey met with mother nature's most unforgiving environments as they faced the raging river and jungles which took its toll on them not only mentally, but physically.

Mr Welch began to lose feeling in his right shoulder, forearm and deep cuts on the palm of his hands show the harsh conditions he endured.

"You just have to block out the pain and focus on your goal," he said.

"The thing that made this trip was mother nature."

But two months into their journey, mother nature overturned their raft and trapped the inflatable bundle between rocks and left them with nothing but the clothes on their backs for five days.

They were forced to shelter in caves and trek barefoot through the jungle where they came across a remote village. Locals helped them replenish their energy before making an attempt to swim to the raft in the middle of the river.

Mr Welch was caught in fierce snowstorms, slogging through knee-deep mud, battling huge tides and gale force winds.

The perilous journey was worlds apart from his day job as a rafting guide on the Tully River with tour company Raging Thunder.

The trio started their trip at the Amazon high in Nevado Mismi, 700km southeast of Peru’s capital, Lima.

"The scariest bit was the whitewater section," Mr Welch said. "We shot to a hole where there was just enough room for the raft to fit."

Mr Swart became ill in Iquitos and returned home to South Africa, leaving the other two to paddle 24 hours a day in six hour shifts for the remainder 4500km.

"In the final 1km to Ponte Taipu (where the river meets the Atlantic) and standing there in the pouring rain under a light beacon, our hearts and thoughts went out to him (Phil)," Mr Welch said.

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