Rio Paraguay Trip

A serious adventure awaits...

For those who want a unique adventure I offer to guide a trip down the rio Paraguay on Indian canoes.
The trip will involve flying to Bahia Negra, adapting two or more dug out Indian canoes with all the necessary accommodations to survive such a trip, and then casting off into the pantanal for between ten and fifteen days until we reach Concepcion 550 km downstream.

While previously taking this trip on a custom-built raft, Globo TV, the largest TV company in Brazil, spotted us drifting down the river and added a brief moment of the trip on their documentary about the Rio Paraguay which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9pjyFV8BQA.

What I bring to this trip: The ability to adapt these canoes to make them comfortable, and useful tools to make such a trip a pleasure. Many contacts along the river in estancias (large farms) and villages where supplies and on land adventures can be had. An expertise in fishing and wild cooking and a knowledge of the rio, it’s currents and weather patterns - I have previously undertaken many long trips with outboards, two trips with a zodiac and recently a 12 day raft trip.

What you can expect from the trip: To be immersed and isolated within one of the great wildernesses of South America. To watch at night the black palm trees silhouetted in front of a burning sky, the screams of Pumas echoing in your ears and Caiman drifting around the boat. To wake in the yellow misty morning with Jabirus (the worlds biggest stork) stranding over you and Dorados jumped from the water and through the air. To spend the day gliding in a world without humans, just endless waterways, endless fields of swimming plants - with unlimited amount of birds hustling on them - and fish. Perfect fish for being caught and cooked.

Depending on the flow of the water and the wind, I have experience that 50 km a day is possible without hurrying. However, speed is not the priority of the trip. Each day we shall take time to explore, to fish and to pay visits to estanicas that are often only contacted from the river. For example, in the photos below is a boy who is 16 years old. He owns 4000 hectares, inherited from his father, but just 100 cattle. When the flood water comes all his land is covered, and also the Jaguar and Puma eat a lot of his calves. He also has Big Swamp Deer (extremely close to extinction) on an island close to his farm.

Obviously this trip is not the soft option. It is hard and unknowable. Huge storms can appear, and we will be exposed and isolated. But that is the point of adventure. It should be wild and a little bit dangerous.

Information and Prices:
Trip including aeroplane to the start point: $2900.
Two boats, all equipment and food included.
Time of the Trip on the River: Minimum 10 to maximum 15 days.
Each additional person: $1000 US
A minimum of one month's notice and a deposit of $1000 is required.

Pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/roblepy/Flosstrip2009RaftTrip2009