Ein paar Häuser weiter von unserem Hotel in La Paz fanden wir das Büro von Madidi Travel. Diese Agentur und besonders deren Inhaberin, Rosa Maria Ruiz (Mitgründerin des Madidi Nationalparks), hat sich ganz dem ökologischen und nachhaltigen Tourismus verschrieben. Sie bieten Touren in Serere im Dschungel Boliviens an, in einem privaten Gebiet mit 4 Seen und einer riesen Vielfalt von Tieren und Pflanzen. Serere befindet sich etwa 3 Stunden flussabwärts mit dem Motorboot von Rurrenabaque, dem Ausgangspunkt vieler (auch nicht wirklich umweltfreundlicher) Touren in den Dschungel und die Pampas.
Wir kamen ziemlich zerstört in Rurre an: 16 Stunden im ältesten Bus und der schlechtesten Strasse unseres gesamten Trips zusammen mit einem schlechten Burger vom Vortag hinterliessen so ihre Spuren. Wir wurden umso herzlicher von Rosa Maria und ihrem Spinnenäffchen, das sie grosszieht, im Büro von Madidi Travel empfangen. Nach einer Dusche und einem schönen Frühstück sah die Welt wieder viel besser aus (später mussten wir allerdings feststellen, dass wir tatsächlich Salmonellen aufgelesen hatten, hört sich aber schlimmer an, als es ist). Dann ging's auch schon los auf den Rio Beni, wo man schon Schildkröten beim Sonnenbaden beobachten kann. Im Camp angekommen gaben uns Hitze und die Moskitos einen tosenden Empfang, von dem wir uns erst mal einen Augenblick in unserer privaten Cabin mitten im Urwald erholen mussten. Am späteren Nachmittag, nachdem die grösste Hitze überstanden war, machten wir uns auf in die Casa Grande, dem Haupthaus am See, wo wir die gesamte Küchencrew trafen. Freddie, der Cocinero, machte sich auch gleich daran, uns einen Tee gegen unsere Bauchbeschwerden zuzubereiten. Mit unserem Guide Choco machten wir dann eine kleine Kanutour, auf der uns viele Vögel und einige Caimane begegneten, begleitet vom unheimlichen Gehäul der Brüllaffen, die um diese Zeit stets ihr abendliches Konzert geben. Nach einem vorzüglichen Dinner ging's dann zurück ins Häusschen. Choco hatte uns freundlicherweise zuvor auf die braune Riesentarantel hingewiesen, die auf der Palme am Wegrand ihr Lager aufgeschlagen hat - man ist nie allein im Dschungel! :-)
Die nächsten 4 Tagen wanderten wir täglich durch den dichten Urwald, bestaunten riesige Bibosi-Bäume mit Lianen, farbenfrohe Pflanzen und Riesenschmetterlinge. Immer wieder entdeckte Choco im dichten Gewucher oder am See ein Tier, dann hiess es gaaanz leise ranpirschen und staunen. Hier eine Auswahl der Tiere, die wir beobachten konnten: Affen (viele verschiedene), Caimane, Schildkröten, Ameisenbär, Riesenameisen, Papageien, Sererevögel (die Namensgeber des Reservats), Coati (eine Art Nasenbär), Faultier, Capibara (eine Art Riesenratte mit Hufen), Dschungelschweine und Fledermäuse. Ein besonderes Highlight entdeckten wir, als wir zufällig innehielten, nachdem wir Einheimische auf dem Weg getroffen hatten: Boris fiel eine komische grüne Banane auf, die nicht zum Rest des Baumes passte, an der sie hing. Bei genaurer Betrachtung stellten wir fest, dass es sich um eine GRÚNE MAMBA handelte, die da vom Baum bambelte! WOW! Schnell ein Foto und dann weg.
Wir verbrachten eine wunderbare Zeit in Serere, neben der fantastischen Tier- und Pflanzenwelt werden uns die superfreundlichen Leute in Erinnerung bleiben, die alles für unser Wohl taten. Und auf der Rückfahrt nach Rurre konnten wir uns ein kleines Bisschen bei der Tierwelt revanchieren: wir entdeckten am Ufer des Beni ein Faultier, dass den Fluss überquert hatte, aber nicht mehr das steile Ufer hochkam. Choco half dem armen Kerl hoch und er rettete sich "schnell" (für Faultierverhältnisse) auf das nächste Bäumchen.
Wir werden den Dschungel vermissen!
A few blocks down the road from our Hotel in La Paz we found the Madidi Travel Agency. This organization and especially its head Rosamaria Ruiz dedicate their work to a sustainable and eccological form of tourism. They offer tours in the Serere Park which is a 3 hours down the river from Rurrenabaque.
We arrived quite nackered in Rurre after 16 hours of hell. The bus was crap and we allready picked up some bug the day before. The road was fully made of dirt and as narrow as possible. The path went along the Yunga area which is full of steep but green mountains. We were shit scared when two vehicles met on the way since on one side there was only the canion. However, half dead we arrived in the Madidi Travel office were we were offered a shower andcould realx before we went on the boat. It turned out later the bug we had was the salmonella. In the jungle we were welcomed by Choco, he would be our guide for the following days. Since the humidity probably was close to 100% and the heat and the moscitos were giving us a very hard time we had to relax in our 360 degree view lodge. Choco took us out on the boat lateron to observe the birds and crocs on the lake where we also enjoyed the sound of the howler monkeys.
The following we were touring through the jungle and approached the animals. Not only animals but also the flora is tremendous. We have seen huge Bibosi trees, lianes, colourfull flowers and huge butterflies. It is really difficult to spot the aniimals though but we were able to see some, here is a list of what we've wondered at: Various types of monkeuys, Caimans, Turtles, Anteater, Monster-Antz, Parrots, Serere-Birds (after whom the Park is named), Coati (some type of anteater), the Sloth, Capibara (Giant rat whith hooves), Jungle Pigs, Tarantulas and Bats. A special highlight however was a "thing" Boris observed on tree just after we have met some indigenous people on the pathway. It seemed to be a banana but turned out to be the GREEN MAMBA. What an experience. Quickly took picture and buggered off.
We spent a wonderfull time in the Serere not only due to nature but also due to the wonderfull staff that took care of us during the stay, so many thanks to them at this stage. On our way back on the river Beni to Rurrenabaque we could even give something back to one animal that needed our help. A sloth was stuck in the sand when wanting to climb up the island on the river. Choco grabbed it on the back and probably saved his life. The sloth seemed to be happy again :-) After all this we really gonna miss the jungle a lot. Despite the moscitos and the harsh conditions it was such a rewarding experience.
We arrived quite nackered in Rurre after 16 hours of hell. The bus was crap and we allready picked up some bug the day before. The road was fully made of dirt and as narrow as possible. The path went along the Yunga area which is full of steep but green mountains. We were shit scared when two vehicles met on the way since on one side there was only the canion. However, half dead we arrived in the Madidi Travel office were we were offered a shower andcould realx before we went on the boat. It turned out later the bug we had was the salmonella. In the jungle we were welcomed by Choco, he would be our guide for the following days. Since the humidity probably was close to 100% and the heat and the moscitos were giving us a very hard time we had to relax in our 360 degree view lodge. Choco took us out on the boat lateron to observe the birds and crocs on the lake where we also enjoyed the sound of the howler monkeys.
The following we were touring through the jungle and approached the animals. Not only animals but also the flora is tremendous. We have seen huge Bibosi trees, lianes, colourfull flowers and huge butterflies. It is really difficult to spot the aniimals though but we were able to see some, here is a list of what we've wondered at: Various types of monkeuys, Caimans, Turtles, Anteater, Monster-Antz, Parrots, Serere-Birds (after whom the Park is named), Coati (some type of anteater), the Sloth, Capibara (Giant rat whith hooves), Jungle Pigs, Tarantulas and Bats. A special highlight however was a "thing" Boris observed on tree just after we have met some indigenous people on the pathway. It seemed to be a banana but turned out to be the GREEN MAMBA. What an experience. Quickly took picture and buggered off.
We spent a wonderfull time in the Serere not only due to nature but also due to the wonderfull staff that took care of us during the stay, so many thanks to them at this stage. On our way back on the river Beni to Rurrenabaque we could even give something back to one animal that needed our help. A sloth was stuck in the sand when wanting to climb up the island on the river. Choco grabbed it on the back and probably saved his life. The sloth seemed to be happy again :-) After all this we really gonna miss the jungle a lot. Despite the moscitos and the harsh conditions it was such a rewarding experience.
