Alligator on the pampas tour
When initially planning our RTW trip, we built it around several cornerstones. There were a small number of must-sees on our list, and that became the base for planning our itinerary. A trip into the Amazon was one of those, and we ultimately decided to do it while in Bolivia, for several reasons, low cost (comparative to Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador) and our itinerary (we were heading to Argentina next).
Jungle Tour or Pampas Tour?
- We woke up to spider monkeys playing and running every morning
We knew Rurrenabaque was the jumping off point for trips into the jungle, and we also knew that two options were offered, a jungle tour or a pampas tour.
The Pampas is the name for the Amazon savannas. As we researched the two, the Pampas immediately intrigued us. The Pampas tours were reputed to include significantly more wildlife sightings and significantly fewer prehistoric-sized bug sightings. Also, on the Pampas tours, you spend a good amount of time cruising up and down the river, whereas on the jungle tours, you spend a good amount of time hiking around the steamy jungle on foot.
After talking to several tour companies, it really was a no brainer to go with the pampas tour as seeing wildlife was our main goal.
What tour company to go with?
After deciding to do the pampas tour, it was time to decide on a tour operator. The main reason for visiting Rurrenabaque is to explore the jungles of Bolivia, so obviously there is no shortage of tour operators. They all seemed to offer the same types of tour, all with slight variations in both itinerary and price. There were obviously a few that offered a significantly lower price than the rest, and those always raise red flags with us, so we eliminated those immediately as possibilities.
Another important thing for us was a knowledgeable, English speaking guide, so that, coupled with the really good reviews we read, was why we settled on Indigena Tours. Like many of the big things we did on the trip, we didn’t want to go cheap and have the possibility of a miserable time, so we bucked up for a reputable company.
Itinerary and Costs
It is possible to do both a jungle tour and a pampas tour through Indigena. We chose the three day, two night pampas tour, mainly because seeing wildlife was our top priority, and we still had lots we wanted to do in Bolivia before heading south into Argentina.
Itinerary: As already stated, the pampas tour was a three day, two night tour that had an incredible mix of activities. Below is a condensed version of the itinerary, but be sure to check out the detailed recap of our time spent in the Bolivian Pampas.
- Our transportation for three days
- Day One: We left Rurrenabaque early in the morning and had a half day’s drive ahead of us before arriving at the river and our transportation for the next three days, a small, yet comfortable dug-out canoe. The rest of the day involved cruising the river, seeing all sorts of species of birds, turtles, monkeys, pink dolphins, capybaras (or as we called them ROUS’s), and the aforementioned crocs and gators before arriving at our accommodations for the next two nights.
- Day Two: The second day involved all sorts of activities, including anaconda hunting, piranha fishing (which also became our dinner), an impromptu futbol game involving tourists vs. guides, which later became the Gringos vs. the Bolivianos, a stunning sunset, and a nice evening of relaxation and beer drinking.
- Day Three: A lazy morning of hanging out and cruising the river, then some swimming with pink dolphins before the boat and jeep ride back to Rurrenabaque.
Relaxing on the pampas tour
Cost: We paid $215US for both of us. The cost included the three day tour, transport to and from Rurre, lunch and dinner the first day, all three meals the second day, and breakfast and lunch the third day, and accommodation for two nights. The accommodations were simple. We stayed at a lodge with several large dorm rooms. They had roofs and walls, but there were gaps in them and it had the feeling of sleeping outside. Mosquito nets were a must, and the place we stayed (where all Indigena Tours stay) had a volleyball court, showers (cold water, which was fine with the heat and humidity), and a great room to hang out and relax, with hammocks swaying in a room overlooking the river.
Tips for visiting the Pampas
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We may look ridiculous, but no malaria for us!
Clothes to bring-It’s hot and humid in the Bolivian savanna, and there are lots of mosquitos and other little pests, so plan accordingly. Lightweight, light colored clothing is best, and you may want to think about bringing both long pants and a long-sleeved shirt for bug purposes, especially for the anaconda “hunt.”
- Sunscreen and Bug Spray- It should be obvious, but make sure you have some strong bug spray and sunscreen. You’re in a boat on the river a lot, and the sun can be pretty powerful.
- Food- The food was the only downfall of Indigena’s tour. I know we got really spoiled on our Inca Trail hike, so the bar was set ridiculously high, but the food was lacking here. Some was bad, some was okay, some was pretty good. Just be aware that you aren’t going to be getting culinary brilliance here.
- Futbol- We heard rumors of pick-up soccer games happening on pampas tours, and I was very happy that it happened on our tour. Whether you’re a soccer player or not, it was a huge highlight of not only our pampas tour, but of the whole trip, and I highly suggest joining. Nothing like a friendly little competition, with losers buying beer, to help out any cultural differences. Read more about it here.
