One of the things I love to do when I travel to another country is go rafting down one of their rivers. It's a great way to see the countryside without the tourist crowd around you. Here is our adventure on the Urubamba River in Peru outside of Cuzco.
In some places like Guatemala, the Amazon, or in Costa Rica, it's a great way to see the jungle from the inside.
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The Nahualate River, Guatemala
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Many times you'll start off early in the morning and have a large breakfast before taking off into the breathtaking landscape. Plan 1 day on these treks although some can last from 3-4 days (if you choose) or sometimes even longer......
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The Pacuare River, Costa Rica
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You can find many wonderful companies online but make sure you check out the reviews before sending any money.
If you've never rafted before, you can start on a class 2 or 3 river. "Class" refers to how active the river is for rafting. The higher the number the river; the more action you're going to get. Class 4 is much more exciting and good for those wanting a little bit of the action and splash, but not willing to die:) Class 5 is ONLY recommended for the professionals. If you want to play it safe, take a Class 3 river run. I find Class 4 is enough action for me:)
Grab a waterproof camera, or in some cases, there will be rafting operators who'll snap pics for you leaving you to enjoy the journey. You'll go into some of the most isolated spots in the forests or countryside where you'll be able to study a variety of plants in their undisturbed environments. You may even see a Native American moving about the forest.....if you're lucky:) You'll definitely see A LOT OF FLORA AND FAUNA.
Remember to always have a guide if you don't know what you're doing so you can smile like my friend Jen here on the Tambopata River in the Amazon.
It's a great way to see National Parks and all the animals/plants that live in those areas. But if you decide to go into the jungles via this route, remember to keep your eyes open for monkeys and other animals....and if the water is still, remember to keep your voices down or not talk at all to see the maximum amount of critters. Remember that water carries sound. Best times to go are in the morning or evening when animals are out. Birders, your best time is early in the morning before the sun rises so you can get into your stands with your binoculars and cameras before the parrots arrive at their clay licks. If you haven't read my earlier posts on several of the places mentioned above, just type in the search box the words Peru, Guatemala, etc and it'll take you to some of my earlier writings. Until next time, happy adventures!
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