Bolivia Complete Travel Guide
Where in the Amazon?
The Amazon can be visited from various countries in South America, depending on where you’re travelling, lots of countries hold a piece of this vast rainforest.
I decided to visit the Amazon jungle from Bolivia. It’s not only one of the cheapest option to do so, it simply suited my itinerary.
How to get there?
The Amazon jungle tours start from Rurrenabaque, a small town in the middle of nowhere. From La Paz there is a daily night bus that will take you here in 14 hours. I opted for a flight. Ecojet is the only airline that flies to Rurrenabaque, and only a few times a week.
Agency: Fluvial tours
With Fluvial tours I went for the 3 days / 2 nights Pampas tour. The accommodation is extremely basic in a jungle lodge with only a cold shower. Knowing this, I already decided not to shower for 3 days.
Arranging it from an agency in La Paz, I paid 950 bolivianos. My Irish friend from the group arranged it the day before in town for 850 bolivianos, and the two young Englishmen who joined last-minute for 800 bolivianos. I also paid an extra 100 bolivianos for a private hut.
3 day Pampas tour
From Rurrenabaque we first drove 1.5 hours to Santa Rosa de Yacuma. Here we got on a boat on the Yacuma river. From the boat we encountered all types of wildlife, first and foremost the hundreds of caiman alligators, next a whole bunch of capybara, yellow monkeys who come and eat the bananas out of your hand, various birds, turtles, and even river dolphins.
Caiman
After dark we went out on the boat for a night tour with flashlights. Shining along the river bank all the caiman eyes lit up. It was pretty creepy having so many eyes staring at you in the dark.
Those tiny dots of light are creepy caiman alligators staring at me at night
The next day we put on the Wellington boots and walked knee-deep through the swamp, in search of an anaconda. I doubt any anacondas would be found, but it sure was an interesting hike, cutting away the vines with the machete.
Walking through the swamp
The Yacuma river is not only infested with caiman, but also piranha, which meant we went piranha fishing. And eating those same piranhas for dinner. Except for me, who totally dislikes any form of underwater creature as a meal.
The caught piranhas
Surviving the jungle
I expected it to be hot and sunny in the jungle, unfortunately we had an overcast all 3 days (luckily no rain). I was extremely cold and happy to have my hot water bottle filled every night, as my lifeline in bed. I survived the jungle, but came back with a cold and needed to recover.
My fun group of Amazon jungle survivors
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