Rafting Peru’s Tambopata River is an awesome adventure that mixes heart-pounding thrills with the kind of tranquility you only get once you’ve escaped civilization.
Peru’s got nearly 400 miles of river systems, many of which are great for white-water rafting. But the tropical rainforest lined route from Puno (6,234 feet above sea level) to Madre de Dios Amazon plain (656 feet above sea level) is undoubtedly its most spectacular.
The 10-day trip – part remote expedition, part extreme sports adrenaline rush – is a great way to get outside your comfort zone.
Once you’ve learned the basics of river safety and managed to at least feign a degree of paddling technique, your attention turns from your rubber-inflated craft to the world beyond it. Here we’re talking giant butterflies, otters and monkeys, as this is one of Peru’s least inhabited regions. Some say they’ve seen jaguar, although we think that could be a bit of a stretch.
Every now and then the river sets a change of pace – the serene strokes you take while appreciating the pristine rainforest give way to furious paddling, as you negotiate the white waters of a grade III and IV rapids.
Rafters are on the river for around five or six hours a day, so a bit of perseverance and stamina needs to be packed along with those fresh pairs of underpants and socks.
Each night, you camp on a riverside beach, but be warned – it’s very much a case of back to basics. The trip is self-sustainable, meaning that rafters transport all their food and bedding on the raft – creature comforts here come in the form of harmless critters cozying up to you as you sleep.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Image: iheartpandas)
