administrative bizniz

Today was an internet and scheduling day. Unfortunately about once a week or so we need to really stop and figure out our rough schedule. This one is pretty interesting.

Tomorrow, Sunday, we're going to the famous Tarabuco market. I'm sure I'll end up with several new items to weigh the pack down.

Tomorrow night we're taking a night bus, cama ejecutivo [read: luxury], to La Paz, a 12 hour ride arriving at 7 am Monday morning.

At 11 am Monday morning we fly to Rurrenabaque to begin an ecotour in the Amazon Basin in Parque Nacional Madidi. We booked tour for this with Chalalán Ecolodge, Bolivia's leading community-based ecotourism project. Here is the itinerary:

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Day 1: La Paz – Rurrenabaque
Fly La Paz - Rurrenabaque (50 minutes). Our staff transfer you from Rurenabaque airport to the Chalalán office by bus where you fill in the forms necessary to enter Madidi National Park and receive information about your trip to the Ecolodge. This night. You stay in a nice hotel in the centre and have the rest of the day to relax in Rurrenabaque.

Day 2: Rurrenabaque – Chalalán Ecolodge – Madidi National Park
After breakfast at the hotel, you take a boat up the River Beni and on to Chalalan. It takes 5½ hours up the rivers Beni and Tuíchi. Our boats are equipped with: roof, comfy seats, life jackets, raincoats and a first-aid kit. Snack en route.
After lunch at the lodge, there is time to rest or swim in the lagoon before you hike in the rainforest. There is a walk along the Paraba path to the viewing point where you can see the beautiful landscape across the lagoon, mountains and the Madidi rainforest. We return by canoe along the rivers leading to the Chalalán lagoon, watching birds and monkeys on the way. Dinner at the lodge followed by a night hike to see insects, tarantulas, amphibians, mice, and nocturnal birds and monkeys.

Day 3: Chalalán Ecolodge – Madidi National Park
After breakfast, you walk through the jungle, learning about the forest and the wildlife. There are themed walks to choose from: natural interpretation of the forest, natural history, ecological processes, medicinal plants and hardwood trees, animal behaviour and bird watching.
Return to the lodge for lunch and then spend the afternoon taking a short walk in the Amazon. Late afternoon features a choice of activity: handicrafts, canoe on the lagoon or watching videos about the community and the national park.
In the evening, there is a canoe trip on Chalalán Lagoon spotting amphibians, nocturnal birds and alligators - easily seen because of their glowing eyes.

Day 4: Chalalán Ecolodge – Madidi National Park
You spend the day out and about. You walk along the rivers Rayamayo and Eslabón where you can fish and watch spider monkeys, tapirs, deer, wild boar and maybe match a glimpse of a jaguar.
Following a packed lunch on the banks of the River Eslabón, you wander back to the lodge, spotting birds, mammals and insects and catching fish if you wish. This evening there is a traditional “dunucuabi” dinner of catfish wrapped in leaves or fish á la “tacuara”. This is followed by a traditional Quechua – Tacana night with music and dances from the San José de Uchupiamonas community. (Traditional dinner and dance depend logistic at Chalalán)

Day 5: Chalalán Ecolodge – Rurrenabaque – La Paz
After breakfast, it’s a short walk to the river Tuíchi to take the boat back to Rurrenabaque (3 hours). At 11.30 you are at Rurrenbaque ready for your flight back to La Paz.

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OK, this sounds a little hokey, very cushy, and perhaps over-planned. We could have just gotten guides in Rurre and roughed it a little more... But, this is the only lodge inside the park, and will be far away from the gringo-ville that is Rurrenabaque. Also, to add a dash of realism to the flowery itinerary provided to us by the lodge, I've read traveler reports of the really nice accomodations also accomodating huge spiders, wall-climbing frogs, and bats. That's right, in the rooms.

So mom, I'll be AWOL until at least Friday :)