The Itenez River forms a natural boundary with neighboring Brazil. And while NKMNP is about as remote as it gets in Bolivia, there are villages on the Brazilian side of the river. Fishing is a popular enterprise here and the Brazilian villagers often stray into tributaries and lagoons on the Bolivian side. One of the NKMNP park rangers, Umberto (who is based at Flor de Oro and who doubles as our guide as we speed along the river) stops periodically to chastise villagers for fishing illegally in Bolivian waters. This is a potentially hazardous activity because we never know whether the poachers are armed and dangerous.
Blue skies have returned to our little slice of paradise this morning, though, and the wildlife are enjoying the weather as much as Christi and me. Umberto zooms up the river seemingly equally adept at spotting wildlife as poachers. Once he spots an interesting critter he hammers towards the riverbank. Not surprisingly, the startled and naturally skittish animal heads for the hills or at least the depths of the jungle (the Galapagos Islands, it ain’t). We suggest a more stealthy approach. It is in this way that we encounter that most archetypal of South American animals, the capybara, which is the largest rodent in the world. A large male capybara is happy to pose for photos – love it. Also spot a lot of birds including the Jabiru stork and some scarlet macaws.
Later we hike to a viewpoint and the bare rocks are so hot that the heat they radiate drenches us in sweat. We break for a picnic lunch at a nearby guard camp, Las Torres, and the chicken salad sandwiches and cold coca cola are absolutely delightful. I don’t think I’ve had a more refreshing glass of coke in my life. The most nerve-tingling moment of this first safari, though, occurs on our return boat ride when a magnificent jaguar slinking through the long grass at the river’s edge momentarily pops into view. Fortunately, Umberto (from a speeding boat note) locks eyes with the great beast and is able to point out the majestic creature to us (clearly less observant) tourists who stare open-mouthed until it retires quickly into the protective camouflage of the jungle. This encounter so quickly that I never had time to bring my camera up to my eye. Only in my mind’s eye do I see that magnificent creature over and over again. The sunset over the Itenez River is beautiful. In this solitary idyll all is peace and tranquility.
Blog post by Roderick Phillips, author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching tale of love and test tubes.
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