Peru-Bolivia Jungle Exploratory

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Peru-Bolivia Jungle Exploratory By David Phillips April 1, 2000

As he gently took my hand in his, an old smiling Aymara campesino, passing by with his burros near the shore of Lake Titicaca, said to me in Aymara, "You will take a little gold with you from here". In his greeting, an Andean metaphor, he spoke the truth. I took away so much from Peru and Bolivia, in the form of experiences and adventures. That is why we travel, I remembered, to experience life in the fullest way possible. In three weeks of nonstop travel, I experienced so many of the places Wildlanders go.

Spilling over into Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca renews ones soul. Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America. At 13,000 ft. it is also one of the world's highest navigable lakes. Its deep blue waters are bathed by bright sunlight and framed by the gleaming snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. Its a heavenly place, and that's what must have drawn Inca emperors to the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun); hills covered with endless ancient terraces and several archaeological sites remind us of the spiritual importance of the lake to the ancient Andean people. The island is thought to be the place where the first Inca, Manco Capac, and his sister Mama Ocllo, emerged from the lake and began a journey that would take them to Cusco, the navel of the Inca empire. Today, descendants of the Incas, Aymaras and their predecessors live in stone walled villages and farm serene landscapes where seasons and skies replace clocks or phones. We gently hiked through ancient villages. Brightly clothed campesinas exchange shy smiles, seemingly as curious about your life as you are of theirs.

There are many ways of experiencing Titicaca. You can stay for the night on the Island of the Sun with a native family at their friendly bed and breakfast. Or we can arrange for the simple comfort of a new, small, ecologically designed lodge with a spectacular view. You cross the lake to reach the Island of the Sun and Copacabana Peninsula aboard a stable, steel-hulled catamaran, complete with cabins, a dining room and bar, and observation deck. The town of Copacabana is not to be missed. (This is the original Copacabana, so named from the Aymara term"khota kajuana", which means "overlook of the lake"). In Copacabana you'll visit the large cathedral, built in 1614, an amazing feat for that time and place. It is the shrine of the Virgin of Copacabana, still fervently worshipped by many Catholic Bolivians as powerful and miraculous. People park their new cars in front of the Cathedral to be blessed. The whole area is an idyllic and interesting land, with numerous surrounding hills to hike, including the Calvary Hill, atop which is a double stone spire nicknamed the Inca's Gallows and used by the Incas for astronomical observation. I stayed at the cozy, lakeside Hotel Rosario del Lago in Copacabana, where all rooms face out to radiant sunsets on the lake.

I also wandered in La Paz and enjoyed it thoroughly. Set in a huge bowl of a valley, the capital of Bolivia is a study in contrasts. Modern and traditional people shared the bustling sidewalks. Much of La Paz is a fascinating outdoor market, where campesinas sell every thing imaginable, from TV sets and clothing to food, house wares, piatas, hand crafts and even sorcery charms in the Witch's market section. I felt very safe wandering about, even at night. Pacenos, locals from La Paz, are as respectful and peaceful as their name implies, and the city is the cleanest I have ever seen in Latin America. Fine hotels abound, from the stately Colonial Paris on the main Plaza de Armas, to the modern and luxurious Europa and Rey Palace, to smaller, cozy hostels such as the Rosario. Whatever your preference in lodging, Wildland can arrange it. As for dining, good food is abundant and inexpensive everywhere in La Paz. Even the best restaurants, such as the Vienna and the Gringo Limon, are very reasonably priced, with excellent food and service.

There is much to see and experience in Bolivia. Spanning the Andes to the Amazon, it is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world. In fact, we are working with Conservation International and local Bolivian groups to help preserve the natural environment and indigenous culture. I met with a number of ecotourism outfitters and tourism officials at a conference in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, a warm subtropical city in southeast Bolivia. They provided me with abundant and detailed information about new adventure travel opportunities in this vast, varied country.

Relatively few people have discovered the wonders of Bolivia, making it the mother lode of authentic adventurous travel in the Andes and Amazon.

Bolivia has it all, from the huge salt flats and red and green lakes of Uyuni, to dinosaur tracks and the colonial charm of Sucre, towering mountain cordilleras for any type of trekking experience, huge rainforests and rivers of Madidi and varied ecosystems of Noel Kempff Mercado National Parks, wildlife-rich pampas (grasslands and gallery forest), the Pantanal wetlands, and of course the gorgeous land and waters of Titicaca. It is an uncrowded, friendly and very beautiful country. Are you ready for the Andes?