Jungle Rafting to Rurrenabaque

Hello Everyone

As I promissed on a recent post now I am back to share my experience on the Jungle Rafting with Deep Rainforest Expeditions in Bolivia.

On the first day we got picked up at midnight and arrived in Guanay around 9 in the morning. 4 were picked up in Coroico and we just saw them next day. There were 10 people from all around Europe in the group. After a traditional breakfast, rice, beef, fried eggs and tomato, we were taken to the river where the guides were already building the raft. As we were told we were meant to help the guides but there’s no much to do with it because the logs were already cut and the tubes inflated. The only thing left to do was to tie the logs to the tubes which took about 2 hours but there’s a special way to do so and only the guides could do it. After being fried up in the sun we had lunch and after lunch boarded. It is really an achievement to get on the raft. We rafted for 3 hours to a sided canyon where we camped out. We could have an I bath by the stream which was quite refreshing. In the night rained cats and dogs and to our surprise no one in the group got wet.

The raft seems to be uncomfortable at the beginning but each one finds a way to be comfortably seated, sleep, and even read a book.,It is so basic and now I just can’t believe I spent so many hours on it.

On the second day we went to an awesome spot with a great waterfall, and superb Rainforest, After 50 minutes walk as everyone was sweating like hell we had a jump in. We rafted all afternoon long to the house of a local where we could try some fresh coconuts and watermelon. In the morning we noticed our guide caught a huge cat fish that was deliciously prepared for lunch by our cook Rina. In the afternoon we started using the extra ring in the water which every want wanted. Just Awesome

Third day was like rafting in hell, it was easy 38-40 Celsius and it was really good to be free to swim in the river at almost any time, stopped for a walk in the Jungle and had a good experience in that pristine Rainforest, after one more hour stopped at a farm and set up the tents under a proper tin roof. We had a fresh fruit salad with fruits we took away before getting to the camp. After dinner we walked in the dark in the Jungle for about 2 hours and it was really good to get that feeling in the dark

On the fourth day we rafted all morning long with some swimming included until we reached a giant beach, from where we waked again into the Jungle, we came across a huge herd of wild pigs which was a real experience! Rafted downstream 2 hours more and stopped at a beautiful sandy beach full of sandflies, everyone must take long trousers and long sleeved shirts for this trip. We asked the guides to lend us the fishing string and we were really lucky to catch a couple of cat fish but only could eat one next day.

Fifth day was only for rafting, as every day we started at 07:30 a.m. and got to Rurrenabaque at 17:00
I have to say that this tour can be improved in terms of comfort but at the same time I think that improvements may change completely the essence of the Tour. It is a Real Extreme Jungle Experience You have to be well prepared mentally for such a trip because you have to spend long hours in the sun and most of the beaches used for camping are completely full of sand flies.

About equipment, tents were water proof, our English guide Raúl was simply the most professional I’ve met always after everyone at the pioint that one of the nights he was checking the tents in the middle of the storm, Amazing!, food was excellent and the native guides that work really hard, specially the helper at the back of the raft were all a good crew.