Pampas- The Anaconda knows how to party

In La Paz we meet an old acquaintance again: Michael the old Irishman. He tells us about his plans to travel to the Pampas, a part of the Amazon jungle characterized by extensive swamps and grasslands. We spontaneously decide to join him. Also joining us are Kathlyn, Michael's girlfriend from Ireland, and Melissa, a Swiss who also spontaneously books the trip. We start early in the morning at 6:00 am to La Paz airport, wrapped in thick jackets and hats. When we arrive there, we check in and wonder which plane it could be. To our pleasant surprise, it is the smallest plane on the runway. An already adventurous-looking propeller plane with 19 seats. Jackpot! This is going to be a real adventure. The flight is surprisingly calm. We feel some turbulence, but the plane glides through it very smoothly. There is infinite legroom and everyone has a window seat ;) Filled with adventure euphoria, we land 40 minutes later in Rurrenbaque, where a driver is already waiting for us. The airport, consisting of a shabby corrugated iron hut, an asphalt runway, and a gravel and dirt apron, already conveys the right feeling. After the best flight ever, we take a short drive into the city, where we get ourselves a phenomenal breakfast at a French bakery before taking a 3-hour drive through the jungle on gravel roads to the starting point for the boat. Shortly after our arrival there, our guide Rambo arrives and we get into the boat for a three-hour ride on the river to the lodge. Along the way, things really start happening. We see several crocodiles and alligators, countless sunbathing turtles, a capybara, and various species of monkeys. Every now and then, a pink dolphin pops up to breathe. In the air, we see herons, eagles, birds of paradise, and the anaconda hunter. When we arrive at the lodge, we get a short breather before taking the boat to a nearby lodge to watch the sunset. There, we play football and volleyball with the locals and enjoy a beer or two before heading back to the lodge for a fantastic dinner. On the way, we use lamps to search the water's surface for crocodiles and find countless ones. The next morning, we head deep into the Pampas. We go on an anaconda hunt! We wander through swamps and cut our way through bushes and tall grass with a machete. Unfortunately, only Melissa is lucky enough to see a 2-meter-long anaconda slithering through the swamp. Nevertheless, it's a huge amount of fun and we learn a lot about the Pampas. After lunch, we head towards the jungle by boat. Along the way, we discover many of the creatures mentioned before. In addition, sloths and many, many monkeys. In the late afternoon, we have the opportunity to swim with the pink dolphin in a small bay, before heading to a small farm for another sun-downer. There, we have the opportunity to ride wild horses. My legs almost touch the ground, but it was outstanding. The next morning, we get up early for the sunrise! It's a beautiful sight, but the mosquitoes eat us alive. After that, we have a balanced breakfast before trying our hand at piranha fishing. Unfortunately, it's the rainy season and the water is very murky, so we don't catch anything. A short time later, we have an early lunch before we have to start our journey back to catch our flight back to La Paz. On the way, we see many, many animals. Three hours later, it's already time to say goodbye to our guide. I quickly buy myself a machete before we head back to Rurrenbaque on the gravel road for a three-hour drive. When we arrive at the airport, it's a disappointment. The flight has been canceled! The plane is broken and we have to stay here for another night. Not so bad, we get a refund and after some searching, we find a cheap and good accommodation. In the evening, we treat ourselves to a proper restaurant and after a well-rested sleep, we head back to La Paz the next day after a good breakfast. Not with the adventure plane we came with, but still nice.

Regards Max and Marius