The Pampas outside Rurrenabaque

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The Bolivian Amazon

The Bolivian Amazon is full of mystery. The Incas tried to conquer the area in the 15th century when they believed it was a powerful civilization living there.
The indigenous people, mainly the Moxos tribe, posed so hard resistance that the Incas, instead of fighting them, they allianced and settled among them.
The tale of the Incas' experience fired up the imagination of the spanish conquerors a century later, and they too searched the jungle for the rich and powerful civilization. The name of the kingdom was El Dorado (the Golden One) or Paititi (the land of the celestial jaguar).
The Spanish spent the whole 16th century trying to find the kingdom, but found nothing but death and diseas.

The Bolivian Amazon has some of the richest wildlife habitats on earth, and is a paradise for bird-watchers, monkey lovers and Jaguar seekers.


Rurrenabaque

Rurrenabaque is the most touristy citys in the Amazon Basin, laying in the western Bolivian Amazon. This part of the jungle is rich in flora, wildlife and indigenous culture.
The town has a fabulous setting beside Rio Beni, that gives the region it's name.
It's easy access by plane, and it's rich wildlife, makes it the top destination for travellers who want's a glimpse of the jungle.
The most of the people go for a tour eather to the jungle or to the pampas.


Parque Nacional Madidi

The Rio Madidi Watershed is one of south-America's most intact ecosystems.
Parque nacional Madidi, on 1,8 million hectare protects teh most of it, which takes in a range of wildlife habitats, from the lowland rainforest and up to 5500m Andean peaks.
It's home to an astonishing variety of Amazonian wildlife; 44 %!o(MISSING)f all New World mammal species, 38 %!o(MISSING)f tropical amphibian species, more than 10 %!o(MISSING)f all bird species known to science and more protected species than any park in the world!!


The Pampas

The pampas is reached by a 3 hour drive from Rurrenabaque to Santa Rosa. From here, you take a boat ride down the Rio Yacuma.
You can spot caiman, alligator, anaconda, turtles, dolphins, fish for pirañas, and whatch a rich birdlife.
Most of the companies offer 3 day trips to the pampas, but we ended up with a "private" excursion for one day.
And it was enough to spot a good selection of animals : )

A couple of days out in the wilderness was also enough to get to know some of the insects around : )
Sandflies are pretty hungry on human flesh, and I can probably count around 15 bites on each ankle and a nice collection in my bum : )

Anyway, it was a great trip all the way fom Sorata to Rurrenabaque. A trip highly recomended : )

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Comments

[David]

herlig dyreliv
Som "nyutdannet norsk jeger" gleder det ekstra å se at faunaen i Sør-Amerika fortsatt sparker :) Flotte bilder igjen Magnus!!

[Hendis]

Hei igjen David!
Hyggelig at du foelger med!! Jeg skimter saa vidt "lyset i tunnelen" ja ; ) Er jo "bare" to mnd igjen... men det er vel med blandede foelelser at jeg naa kan se frem mot hjemreise. Er masse aa oppleve ennaa, og det er jo helt knall paa tur. Jeg vet ikke om dagliglivets mas og kjas frister ; ) Morro aa hoere at du skal hjelpe til med aa holde dyrebestanden i Norge i sjakk!!