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Written by: -
Millicent Foreman
107 D4 Echo Glen Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Dates: - July 10-August 3 1996
Email: - mforeman@sumnet.summit.winston-salem.nc.us
Comments: - My trip to Bolivia was spectacular. First off I was the
only person on my tour. It was just me and my guide for 21 days. I landed in La Paz when
it was snowing and the whole place looked magical. La Paz has an older feel than Quito or
any of the other Latin American cities I have visited and the snow and heavy clouds added
to the feeling of isolation and antiquity. We were in La Paz for a few days and then
headed to the northern part of the country. Flying over the Andes was breathtaking. I saw
the yawning, barren altiplano and the vast, bright blue Lake Titicaca. Then came a sea of
clouds over the rainforest. Eventually it cleared enough to see the meandering rivers and
the sea of green-the trees. We veered into Brazilian airspace and flew over the land where
Chico Mendez lived and died and then landed in Cobija near the Rio Acre, the natural
border between Bolivia and Brazil. From Cobija we drove south to the Rio Tauhamanu (sp?).
There Eli, my guide, put together our folding sea-kayaks, we loaded up, got in our
respective boats and headed down river. It was my first time in a kayak!! For the next
eight days we paddled 200 miles spending our nights in tents on the little sand beaches
that appeared now and then on the shore of the river. We saws monkeys more than once each
day and more caiman than could be counted- hundreds. One beach were we camped was covered
with jaguar tracks and had one long snake track leading down to the river. Each night we
went to bed to the eerie sounds of the howlers and in the morning we rose to them. We saw
flock after flock of parrots. Some mornings they would all roost in one of the tall trees
across the river from us and make a tremendous racket. We encountered scarlet macaws and
many water birds. Once we when we were looking for a place to camp for the night we came
upon a huge, standing, dead tree covered with storks. Why so many would congregate in one
place is curious- again there were hundreds. The sounds of their wings flapping and their
mumblings in such number had an otherworldly feel. We saw many capybara tracks and once
saw one hauling ass to get away from us. It prompted me to think how useful a book of
animalsą backsides would be for identification!! Around one bend we discovered a group of
large red howlers right down at the water. All the other monkeys we had only glimpsed in
the trees. This vision was enthralling as they made their retreat into the forest. The
most outrageous sighting however was that of a giant anteater right on the shore,
unencumbered by foliage. It was huge and at first it was face on and I thought it was a
tapir, but then it turned and I saw the length of its nose. Then its long feathery tail
came into view and it was unmistakable. I might have been looking at something from
outerspace for all the awe I felt!!
The people we met on the river were so warm and friendly. Always, regardless of their
circumstances, they offered us something to drink and eat. One family were rubber tappers
and I saw them drying the latex sap over a bamboo pole into a great gob of łgomba˛ to
sell at market. I ate a lot a agouti, very tasty, which they called jochi while we were on
the river. It seemed to be the main source of meat in those parts. A couple of the
villages had schools and I got to talk with the school mistress at one of them and of
course meeting the children was always a delight.
The Tauhamanu was not a tourist route. It was only used by the indigenous people who lived
in the area and the occasional fisherman- sometimes from just over the border in Brazil.
We went days sometimes without seeing another human soul. We reached our destination, a
small village called Puerto Rico, three days ahead of schedule. I did all right with my
paddling which was a real relief to me; I worried about my 40 year old body and my ability
to learn this new skill. Eli was a great teacher.
We hung around Puerto Rico for a few days and hired a boat to take us up the Rio Manuripi,
a black water river, that converges with the Tauhamanu to form the Rio Orthon. Eli has
paddled the Orthon, the Beni and the Madre de Dios and was really curious about the
Manuripi.
Exchange Rate: - about 5 Bolivianos to the $
Rating: - 10
Weather: - cold in La Paz, especially at night. Hot in the Bolivian Amazon- it was the dry season- we had no rain while I was there.
Terrain: - La Paz is at aobut 13,ooo ft. and I could really feel the
altitude. The city of La Paz is very hilly, a lot of walking up and down to get places
Cobija and surrounding area is flat, tropical forest and riverine environments, although
there is a lot of deforestation around Cobija
On the Rio Tahuamanu it was flat water all the way and the shores were covered with
rainforest growth, there are very few settlements along this river.
Hotels: - I stayed at the Residential Rosario in La Paz and I like it very much. I ate most meals at El Lobo just down the street from the hotel. In Cobija I stayed at the Prefectoral- real plumbing problems there and spartan rooms, but I liked the place and the owners. We camped out on the Rio Tahuamanu for eight days. We stayed at a guest house in Puerto Rico. I can't remember the name of it but it was fairly close to the river. There is not much choice as to where to stay here and the guest house was a real trip. Meals could be a problem, there were no restaurants. We ate at these little temporary set-ups on the street. The meat they served was called jochi which is agouti or paca- it was good!
Route: - Air to La Paz and then Cobija ( a spectacular flight over the
Andes, Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian Amazon La Paz to Cobija aobut two hours. Taxi to
Porvenir. Portable sea-kayak from Porvenir to Puerto Rico. Bus back to Cobija. All
expenses including air flight to Cobija were covered by the tour company Rainforest
Expeditions (a U.S. company) except for meals in town. The cost of the tour was about
$3,000. The flight from Greensboro, NC to La Paz was about $1,000 roundtrip with American
Airlines and about eight hours
The Tour Company is:
Rainforest Expiditions
PO Box 2242
Nevada City, CA 95959
916 265-0958
email: rainfrst@netshel.net
My Guide was Eli Rush and he was excellent!!
Essentials: - Insect repellent! with deet- there are these little biting flies on the river called mariui's (sp?) that are vicious. Light weight long sleeve shirts and long pants. Sunscreen!! Hat!!! Flashlight- a head lamp is nice. Soap that is biodegrable and easy to rinse off in cold water. Bandanas- for washing, cooling off, etc.
Interests: - Kayaking/rafting
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