Wednesday 8 July 2015

To the Land of the Incas

My overall goal was to reach Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru. From Rurre in Bolivia's part of the Amazon Basin, I decided to take the long way - overland to Cobija on the Brazilian border, then just a short distance (100 km) through Brazil to IƱapari in Peru. From nearby Puerto Maldonado it would be another long river trip, this time up the Rio Madre de Dios to Shintuya in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. After Shintuya, the climb through the clouds to Cusco is short and dramatic. 

The bus ride to Cobija was a rather monotonous 26 hour endurance test through the Pampas. The monotony was punctuated when the bus was loaded onto a barge to cross the mighty Beni and Madre de Dios rivers which eventually flow into the Amazon. For most of the way I was sitting on my backpack in the aisle as the bus was packed. I would have preferred my bike at that point! I'll remember my brief 6 hour visit to Acre province of Brazil for the contrasts with Bolivia: the physically larger people, officials sharply dressed in uniform, sealed roads, modern buses, plainer food, large farms rather than smalll landholders, and of course the different language. There were similarities too: the jungle in the area has been well and truly tamed, removed of its mysteriousness, and the people I met were just as open and friendly as in Bolivia. 

In Peru, I found a boat to take me up the Rio Madre de Dios to the village of Boca Manu. Only reachable by boat, Boca Manu sits on the edge of the Parc Nacional Manu, a 20,000 sq km expanse of pristine jungle that is home to some of the world's last remaining uncontacted tribes. There was a festival going on and many inhabitants of the surrounding indigenous villages had made boat journeys of up to 3 days to be present. The festivities included music, dancing, competions in volleyball, football and archery, and of course drinking. I was able to stay in the house of a local family and enjoyed the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. 

The boat trip upstream from Boca Manu to Shintuya was pretty forgettable in an underpowered little pekapeka longboat that struggled against the increasingly swift current. The boat leaked, it rained all day and we ran out of fuel. It was a relief to finally arrive in Shintuya and have a soak in the nearby hotsprings!

From Shintuya, a dirt road climbs 3000 m up through the clouds to the city of Cusco on the Peruvian Altiplano. It was another rapid and dramatic change of scenery mirroring my descent friom Sorata and brought my time in the Amazon Basin to an end. The area around Cusco was the centre of power of the Incas and home to most of their most famous architectural wonders, including Machu Picchu. Once I get used to the cold again, I'm looking forward to getting out for some more exploring. 

The bus trip from Rurre to Cobija took around 26 hours on a dusty dirt road through the Pampas.

To cross the Rios Beni and Madre de Dios, the bus was loaded onto a barge. A tug was used to maneuver the barge.

A bus crossing in the opposite direction.

Plenty of action on the other side of the Rio Madre de Dios (still in Bolivia).

Unsurprisingly, fish is a pretty common meal in these parts. Cost: about US$ 2.


Much further on, I reached the village of Boca Manu. It is also on the Rio Madre de Dios, but much further upstream and now in Peru. A festival to mark the 35th anniversary of the region was on.

I met some journalists from the regional newspaper and accompanied them to the nearby indigenous village of Isla de los Bayas. They interviewed the chief of the village (in traditional clothes in front of me) and we all drank masato. Masato is made from fermented yuca (a root) and tastes pretty awful, especially after 4 bowlfuls.

Typical accommodation in the indigenous village.

Between the Boca Manu and Islas de los Bayas is a bridge straight out of Tomb Raider.

I spent 3 nights with a friendly family in Boca Manu. This was their house with attached comedor (dining area).

The archery contest. Men from the surrounding indigenous villages lined up to compete.

A cook-up of beef and yuca for the whole village. I helped peel the yuca, which is a type of root.

Idyllic sunset over the Rio Madre de Dios at Boca Manu.

Chilling while heading upstream from Boca Manu to Shintuya.

The joys of travelling upriver in a leaky boat in the rain and then running out of gas. The hardships were all forgotten when I reached Shintuya and soaked in the nearby hotsprings. The next day I reached the town of Salvacion by moto taxi.

Get out!, she said

It's a rough road from Salvacion up and out of the jungle..

Finally I made it to Cusco!