Ecotrip Amazon Fund to Bolivia from 10 September till 7 October 2009
Led by Erik Jongejan (Biologist and member of the AF board), duration 28 days.

We welcome you to join us on our ecological expedition to Bolivia this September 2009. Experience the unspoiled rainforests, the spectacular world of plants and animals, desolate salt plains, flamingo filled blue lakes, authentic towns, and traditional cultures. In addition, you’ll be able to see some of the projects Amazon Fund will engage in.



We’ll land in Santa Cruz and continue east by to Alta Vista, a potential project of AF near the Jesuit village of Concepcion. From there we will travel to Noel Kempff, a diverse wilderness, proclaimed by UNESCO as the Natural Patrimony of Humanity.

There the impressive Capara-Tableland, a mesa of sandstone from the Precambrian geological rises above from the rainforest. This area is home to 130 mammalian species, 4.000 species of flowers (110 Orchid species), 620 species of birds, and 70 species of reptiles.

Amboro is a National Park near Samaipata, 80 km (50 miles) west of Santa Cruz. This region is renowned for its with richness of ferntrees, and it possess has a diverse fauna including jaguars (leopards), capybaras, river otters, agoutis, tapirs, deer, peccaries, and multiple species of monkeys. Here are more than 700 species of birds including the rare Quetzal and the Blue Horn Curassow (Unicorn Bird). We’ll also visit the Gap of Orchids and the Eagle Gap, “Chinco de los Condores”.

Travelling to Sucre well experience stunning vistas and the chance to observe the Red Macaws, nesting Gap paroquets, and Condors. Our stay in the early capital Sucre will permit us to visit magnificent historical buildings, museums and experience Alcan and Candelaria cultures. We will look for birds on the slopes of the Andes such as Andes Caracara, Ibis, Giant Honey bird, Tits, and Shrike turants.

In Potosi we can visit the Cerro Rico, the largest silver mines. During the free morning we’ll have time to discover the town.

We continue our jeep trip on world’s highest roads to the Laguna Celeste/Light Lagoon and the Tunupa volcano. We will see thousands of flamingos, including the James flamingos. This is one of the most bizarre landscapes on earth, surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes of 6.000 m (20,000 feet) such as Ulturunca and Licancabur.



We will drive a whole long day to the north, south of La Paz in Urmiri where we enjoy the valley with hot water springs.

Next day we stay on the Titicaca Lake, world-famous frontier lake between Peru and Bolivia. We’ll drink in the culture of the lake life and explore Sun Island (Isla del Sol) in the middle of the 3.810 m (10.000 feet) high lake.



We will travel to the capital La Paz and enjoy the authentic culture, the residents’ colourful clothes, markets, streets, House of Parliament and the Palace of the President Evo Morales.

The next day, a one hour flight will take us to Rurrenabaque, a village of 17.000 inhabitants on the border of the Andes, near famous nature reserves as the well known Indian Ecolodge Chalalan, run by the indigenous people there.

Chalalan is situated in the green verdant richness of Madidi Park. In the early morning, a huge choir of Howler monkeys will serenade us. Their songs can be heard more than 100 km away. A canoe trip upstream takes us to the location of one project of Amazon Fund; here we hope to establish an animal rehabilitation centre and a site where potential nature guides can be educated.



Our expedition will end after 4 days in Madidi and Rurrenabaque with a flight to La Paz. We’ll celebrate our trip with a second stay in this and neo-colonial town and board our return home flights the next day.


Summary

• 24 day stay in Bolivia (arriving Santa Cruz departing La Paz)
  Booking based on departure from Toulouse or Amsterdam.
• First day in Santa Cruz includes tour of the botanical garden. The final day in La Paz includes an old town visit.
• Flights: Iberia, LAN Airlines, TACA International Airlines; inland TAN Bolivia.
  Attention: time schedule and fight companies can change, and program could be different based on circumstances and decisions of the guide.
• Included: all meals, stay in 2 person rooms, 2 or 3 star hotels/hostels during the 23 days. Also included for the entire expedition will be 4x4 jeeps, local nature guide with fluency in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, German and English, and English fluent leader-biologist;
• You’ll have access to literature, guidebooks for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, flowers, and trees.  Also available will be telescopes, glasses, and loupes
• International flights, flight La Paz-Rurrenabaque v.v. included
• All transfers for international and national flights included
• Free non-alcoholic drinks and fruit.
• Not included:  entry fees to National Parks, museums, tips, alcoholic drinks, extra needs, boat trips, taxis, cost of Eco lodge Madidi Chalalan, and private choices
• Total cost: € 3.950 (advance payment of € 500; return money if it is overdrawn or not realize at the entire trip in 2009).
• Max participation total: 12 persons, incl. leader
• See scheme with attractions, overnight and stay in lodge, hotel or hostel

More information: erik.jongejan@gmail.com