Jaguar
The Bolivian Jungle's
20-25 days mid-August/September
Limited to 3 people
The Jaguar. Big, beautiful, sleek, elusive, stealthy, invisible. One of the world's most beautiful big cats continues
to prove that
it is also one of the most difficult to see in the wild. On our trips into the Madidi National Park you'll see Jaguar tracks along
the river, and you may even hear their distinctive grunting at night, but few are lucky enough to actually see one of these magnificent
animals.
Mountain Adventures, working with our local experts has developed an adventure specifically geared toward viewing and photographing
these awesome cats. During August and September you'll be in their home areas for 15-20 days, departing from Rurrenabaque and traveling
mostly by motorized dugout boats. At this time of year, the rivers are low and the beaches are wide and open. Turtles move up onto
the beaches to lay their eggs, and the Jaguars move in for an easy meal. The lack of cover along the beaches will provide you an opportunity
to watch these cats as they carry on their daily activities.
The trip will be difficult due to both the weather and the schedule. The
weather is usually hot and humid during that time of year, which can wear on people who are not used to it. The schedule is necessarily
odd to maximize your probability of seeing Jaguar. You'll travel during the heat of the day, stopping in late afternoon to rest. Evening
is a good viewing time, then finally off to sleep. You'll be up again before sunrise because the next best time is from first light
until early morning, then it's time to move on to another spot. Despite the difficulties, this schedule will have many rewards by
enabling you to see other animals like Capybara, Tapir, Jaguarundi, several types of monkeys, Collared Peccary, Otters, Macaws, Toucans,
and more.
You will also have ample time to explore the fascinating city of La Paz, with optional day trips to Lake Titicaca, and the
pre-Inca ruins at Tiahuanaco.
e-mail: mtnadv@netshel.net
Urban predator
The beautiful
Jaguar
Secret