Bolivia Guide
The Amazon
Pampas del Yacuma
Northeast of Rurrenabaque, the dense forests of the Andean foothills quickly give way to the pampas: the vast, swampy grasslands that dominate much of the Beni. Though they have been grazed by cattle for hundreds of years, the pampas still support a great deal of wildlife, particularly along the forested banks of the great rivers that meander across them. Tours with the tour agencies in Rurrenabaque head into the pampas by motorized canoe along the Río Yacuma from Santa Rosa, a small cattle-ranching town about four hours north on the road to Riberalta and Guayaramerín. In the rainy season, the Yacuma bursts its banks and floods great expanses of the surrounding grasslands, causing wildlife to become more dispersed, but in the dry season it's reduced to a narrow river which attracts an amazing abundance of fauna. Sinister black-and-white cayman – some over 2m long – lounge on the muddy banks, slipping quietly into the water as you pass; turtles queue up to sun themselves on logs protruding from the water; groups of capybara, the world's largest rodent, watch with apparent indifference as canoes pass right in front of their noses. Most spectacular of all, though, are the pink freshwater dolphins, known as bufeos, that fish and play in the wide bends of the river. All the wildlife seems largely unconcerned by the passage of motorized canoes, even though the river can get pretty crowded with tour groups. In addition, all manner of birds live on the banks of the river, including herons, three different species of kingfisher, elegant roseate spoonbills, massive storks and the clumsy hoatzin.