The Amazon Basin – Rurrenabaque, Bolivia

The 20-hour bus ride to Rurre was extended to a full 24 because of an excess of Coca on the roof (ie slow to leave the city because of hitting low-lying electrical lines, cautious driving with the top-heavy bus, frequent stops for dropped sacs, etc.).  Around curves worse than Death Road the imbalanced bus uncomfortably swayed.

Rurrenabaque

(click the panorama to enlarge)

Rurrenabaque

The Jungle…oooooh

The steep hike to the top of a densely filled mountain at the edge of town.

The two pueblos as seen from atop the mountain: Rurre and the rightfully named Buenadventura on the other side of the river.  I actually took this picture because I like the hawks circling the thermals.

Boat ferry from Rurre to Buenadventura.

Buenadventura

Great view of the mountains.

...and El Río Beni at dusk.

The pueblo

A retired hang glider from a poolside lookout.

Madidi National Park

The river entrance to Madidi.

In the Amazon Basin.

I’ve never seen such dense forest before…

Me Tarzan.

(The picture doesn't show it, but I'm actually about five feet in the air...Seriously!)

Boat ride up el Río Tuichi.

Sunset

Rurre on the left of me, Buenadvetura on the right, here I am.
(click the panorama to enlarge)

The Amazon Basin – Rurrenabaque, Bolivia