After some time soaking up the daily comforts of city life in La Paz, it was time to venture into some very unfamiliar territory: The Pampas. The Pampas in Bolivia is a vast wetland region right on the edge of the Amazon Rainforest. This area is known for high chances of wildlife spotting, so we were eager to see what we might find!
Rurrenabaque is a small town that happens to be the gateway to the Pampas and Amazon in Bolivia. The most common (& cost effective) way to get here from La Paz is via night bus. Unfortunately for Jack, this meant another sleepless night. Once we arrived in Rurrenabaque, we were outfitted with ultra stylish rubber boots and button up shirts for the next few days. During our journey from Rurrenabaque to our ecolodge, we became acutely aware of just how remote we were getting—we wouldn’t stand a chance on our own out here.
Day One
Upon arrival at our home for the next three days, we were greeted by alligators, golden monkeys, and humid 100 degree plus weather. Over lunch we met our fellow explorers for the next few days. Unsurprisingly, we were the only ones from the United States joined by a couple from the UK, a couple from Germany, and a pair of friends also from Germany. Welcome to our second multi-day social experiment — or rather, guided tour. Thankfully after an initial awkward lunch, mostly everyone settled in and got along really well through the trip.
We spent the afternoon gliding along the Yacuma River, spotting wildlife along the way. We were lucky to spot a family of capybara (which really still look like adorable giant guinea pigs to us). It felt like every few minutes we spotted a bird we’ve never seen before. We had to have seen at least 20 new bird species of which we got 0 pictures of. Sorry. There were of course many alligators & caiman — admittedly we still mix these guys up. The highlight was definitely spotting pink River dolphins. We know it’s in the name, but wow they are a way more vibrant pink than we expected.
Day Two
After a good night’s sleep feeling like pretty princesses under our mosquito net, we woke up for a sunrise walk. Sleeping in wasn’t an option with the howler monkeys having much to say, so we were glad to take advantage of the early morning. Following breakfast, it was time to commence our anaconda search. Although initially nervous, upon learning it’s the only non-venomous snake we were likely to encounter, we suddenly were just hoping it was the only one we’d find. We were thrilled to find five hiding in trees attempting to stay cool. Jack, our very own searching extraordinaire, was the only non-guide to spot one for the group.
In the afternoon, we tried our hand at piranha fishing. This proved to be a pretty challenging feat — you have to be SO quick. Kim successfully caught one that became part of our dinner later. Let’s just say if we were dependent on our group’s fishing skills for all of our food, we would’ve gone hungry that night.
The day ended with a nighttime boat tour. Picture this: it’s pitch black and you have no clue what’s lurking around you. As you paddle down the river, you shine your flashlight ahead and suddenly have dozens of pairs of glowing eyes staring back at you. We were surrounded by alligators on the riverbank and in the water next to us — some of them getting a little too close for comfort. Hearing what was likely a jaguar hunting in the distance, we were happy to spot a bunch of little baby alligators. We needed a dose of cuteness.
Day Three
We ventured out for one last nature walk amongst the trees. Along the way we were lucky enough to spot an anteater and some more monkeys. In the spirit of full immersion, we even tried a bug that tastes like creamy coconut (due to what it lives inside and feeds on). They say “you only Pampas once,” so we figured why not?
Despite melting in the heat for a few days, this trip was full of novel sightings and memorable experiences, all for a really accessible price. Visiting this area was one of the big draws to entering Bolivia, and it was definitely worth it!
