Located about 90 minutes northeast of La Paz, Bolivia’s capital city, the small town of Sorata (elevation 8000 ft) is situated in a valley surrounded on all sides by the rugged snow capped Andes Mountains. Sorata is very popular with the trekking crowd. Having visited Sorata on my most recent tip to Bolivia, I can attest to its popularity with young trekkers. In fact, Sorata markets itself as being the trekking capital of Bolivia.

All the tourists I met – most of them were 22-35 years old – came to Sorata specifically to do some trekking. There are a number of popular multi day trek options in the area. It seems that the only non-trekker in Sorata was yours truly. Due to a very bad leg, a multi day trek - especially in very cold weather at high elevation – would not be very smart, so I decided to stay put in town. That being said, I did my fair share of walking every day.

While hiking to the Gruta lagoon – some 12KM away - I met a group of young Israelis. Like most young Israeli travelers, they had recently completed a stint in the Israeli army before embarking on a one-year journey around the world. I talked to one of the young guys in the group, a wiry fellow in his early 20’s. He related how he recently completed the arduous 3-day trek to the summit of llimani while staying in La Paz. That wasn’t surprising in itself – given his relatively young age - but I was a little bit taken aback when I discovered that he was a moderate smoker

I met another small group of people at my hostel who were embarking on a multi day trek after breakfast to the nearby. One of the trekkers was an amiable British chap in his early 40’s. He had done some moderate trekking in the UK and Europe and he was a smoker as well, not a heavy smoker albeit. Trekking with him were two ladies – early to mid 30’s - that he met while traveling in Bolivia. The owner of the guesthouse set them up with an experienced local trekking guide equipped with donkeys, food supplies and other gear. Apparently they were going to camp outside along the slopes in sleeping bags.

Although I enjoyed myself immensely during my short stay in Sorata - especially after befriending a precocious young street dog - somehow I felt that I was missing out on something – because I wasn’t able to trek. Oh well…

A couple of months ago, I returned from a somewhat lengthy trip to South America. In 54 nights, I visited three countries – Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. In order to get some idea where my monies went, I kept a rather a detailed log of all my travel expenses.

After slicing and dicing all the data, I have decided to share my findings with all my fellow travelers - after all, many of you are probably curious as to how much does it costs to travel in South America. Now I am not talking about a 2-3 week package tour but a real journey, which I define as a trip of at least 25 or more days. My findings are rather illuminating…

When viewing the expense summary (see below), please keep in mind that I am not a backpacker nor do I consider myself a conventional luggage-toting tourist. I would probably describe myself as being a flashpacker, which is midway between the other two aforementioned traveler types. I usually travel with a large canvas bag, a small carrying bag, a dedicated camera bag and a backpack for my laptop, an I-pod, a portable sound system and some reading material.

As far as accommodations go, I usually stay in one of the better budget hotels, moderate bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels or one of the best hostels/guesthouses. Only on rare occasions do I splurge on accommodations, and in general, I dine at either at local cafes or moderately priced restaurants. No street food for me!

Total land expenses for 55 days/54 nights…..$4140      Per diem expense…..$77
Includes domestic airfare within South America

Breakdown of the land expense per country
    PERU (12 nights)               $1143**             Per diem expense…..95.25 

    BOLIVIA (25 nights)          $1621**             Per diem expense…..64.84 

    ARGENTINA (25 nights)     $1376**             Per diem expense…..80.94 

It should be noted that all touring costs were included in my land expense per country figure. Here’s a rundown of those expenses: Peru - three tours for $211; Bolivia - three tours (includes a 4 day/3 night Salar de Uyuni package) for $290 and Argentina - two tours for a measly $33.

**Domestic airfare within South America is also included in my costing figures. In Peru, I flew from Lima to Arequipa for $117, in Bolivia, I flew from La Paz to Sucre for $84.50 and in Argentina, I flew from Salta to Buenos Aires for $245**

Please note all prices are in US dollars.

You might want to see a more detailed breakdown of the land cost per country - includes average price per accommodation/per night per country (including highest and lowest prices); average cost per dinner (including highest and lowest prices) as well as a comparative cost of a small bottle of water. Very interesting, and worth a view!

After reviewing my cost breakdown, what can we conclude? Bolivia has the reputation of being the least expensive travel destination in South America and my data bears that out. Peru is considered a more affordable destination than Argentina, but my data shows that the per diem expense in Peru was somewhat more than Argentina. Keep in mind that the per diem rate for Peru was inflated by a somewhat pricey one-day tour to Isla de Ballestas/Paracas National Park ($128). Then again, Argentina might be a more affordable destination than the general perception held by most travelers.

I befriended a young street dog while staying in Sorata, a small town located in the Andean highlands of Bolivia. On my first night in town, I dined at one of the small cafes located just off the plaza. There were a number of street dogs hanging around the corner - feeling sorry for them, I bought some salchichas con papas(sausages with potatoes) from a local vendor and fed them.

Walking across the plaza on my way back to the hostel, I was escorted by two of the dogs. We were soon joined by a 3rd dog. I was out of “dog food” so I had nothing to feed the newcomer. He had short hair, a moderate skin rash on his rear hindquarters and walked with a limp. When he was standing still, he dangled his leg. I surmise that at one point in his young life he had been hit by a car, a common occurrence among street dogs. Like most street dogs he had no name, so I nicknamed him Pedro. Bidding Pedro and the other two dogs farewell, I made my way back to my hotel.

The following morning, I made my way back to the plaza where I ran into Pedro again. When I called his name, he ran to me, wagging his tale. Like many street dogs, Pedro was fairly scrawny so I bought him two plates of salchichas con papas, and he gleefully gobbled it up. Afterwards, I sat down at one of the park benches, and Pedro lied down on the pavement besides me as I patted him on his head.

The life of a street dog is not very fun – abandoned by their human owners sometime early in their life and left to fend for themselves on the streets, most of these dogs become full time scavengers. In Sorata, the dogs hang around the plaza during the day, looking for scraps of food on the ground or soliciting handouts from patrons of the park. At night, the dogs target the garbage cans located just outside the small cafes and food stalls surrounding the plaza.

Over the next couple of days, I would hook up with Pedro whenever I went to the plaza, buying him some street food or some raw meat from the butcher shop located in the outdoor market. Pedro really relished the raw meat. At no time however did Pedro beg for food – but I fed him just the same. On two occasions, Pedro followed me back to my hostel – the first time, he tried to enter the hostel but the owner shooed him away.

After waking up one morning, I walked to the roadside fronting the Hostel – about 600 meters from the plaza – to be greeted by Pedro, who appeared from the bushes located at edge of the nearby soccer field. Apparently he slept there overnight.

On my last day in Sorata, I tried to find Pedro a home with one of the villagers. But alas, no one wanted to adopt Pedro. Too bad, Pedro was a very sweet dog and would have made a nice pet for someone. I will miss him….

On my most recent trip to Bolivia, I had a very bad experience with some very inconsiderate and vulgar tourists at my hostel.

I was staying in Samaipata, a small mountain town located on the backpacker tourist trail in southern Bolivia. The town becomes very quiet after 9:00PM as there are very few bars or nightspots for tourists to congregate. With nowhere else to get together, parties among backpackers often happen spontaneously at their hostel. Sometimes these parties last until the wee hours of the morning.

I had returned to my hostel about 11:00PM. Walking to my room, I passed by a group of young backpackers – both males and females - who were having a little party outside on the patio. Quite rowdy and loud - as evidenced by the number of empty beer bottles on the table, they were obviously somewhat inebriated. I greeted them goodnight, sort of an indirect way of telling them to keep the noise down.

Obviously they didn’t get the message as they continued on with their loud chatter and laughter. As I was trying to sleep as were some other hotel guests, I really thought these people were out of line. As the noise escalated, I bolted out of bed, went outside and told them very politely to keep their voices down.

I guess that was like adding fuel to the fire – as they got even louder and more raucous. Another 30 minutes elapsed (it was now close to midnight) before I bolted out my bed again, ran outside and told the young merrymakers to shut up already.

One of the young men - I recognized his voice as being Nate, the American guy from San Jose, California - retorted “Hey Old Man, Why don’t you go back to bed and put in your earplugs”. As he made his snide remark, the young British gals laughed hysterically like hyenas. Funny, huh? I wanted to shove my fist up his mouth but common sense prevailed as I returned to my room.

Well, the group did not break up their party until shortly before 1:00AM but not before singing in unison, Johnny Cash’s classic song “Ring of Fire”. Oh well, at least they sang it in tune!

The third and final leg of my journey to Bolivia took me to rather quaint town of Samaipata located in the mountains of southeastern Bolivia. Samaipata is a good 3-hour ride from Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s most populous city. To reach Santa Cruz from La Paz, your best bet is to fly Aerosur, as I did. The flight takes about one hour.

Compared to the tropical town of Rurrenabaque, Samaipata is very quiet with an almost nonexistent nightlife. During the early evening hours, the liveliest place in town is the beautiful central plaza, where you’ll often find some street musicians and jugglers. The climate is quite cool at night; after 9:00PM or so, everybody has gone home.

Samaipata is the ideal place to chill out and relax. There are a fair number of expats from Europe and North America who have resettled in Samaipata. At 5,000 feet above sea level, the climate is agreeable all year around – it never gets too hot or too cold and the mountain air is very refreshing. In addition, the town is virtually crime free.

Trekkers love nearby Amboro National Park. Since I didn’t have the time or the legs for an all day trek, I skipped Amboro. Instead I hooked up with two young European gentlemen on a mini trek – about 7 kilometers round trip - to a very prominent mirador (lookout point) located just outside of town.

Along the way, we were joined by a freelance guide by the name of Senor Perro, who expertly led us up the steep and rocky slope to the mirador. The panoramic views of the valley and the town were absolutely wonderful.

Two of the better lodges/hostels in town are the La Posada del Sol and Andorina Hostal. However if you’re willing to splurge a little bit, I can wholeheartedly recommend El Pueblito. Located just outside of town, this 4 star hotel is a replica of a small colonial village complete with its own church and plaza. With rates of $30USD for a nice comfortable studio room complete with fireplace, it’s a real steal!

Most travelers arriving in Rurrenabaque (Rurre for short) are young backpackers from Europe or Israel – for the most part, these travelers stay in Rurre just long enough to book a tour into the rainforests of Madidi National Park or to the savannahs (pampas).

If you choose a tour to the rainforest, you can expect to see many plants (of course) and lush green vegetation, insects, spiders, some birds and monkeys, but very few large animals; on the pampas tour, you’ll see many birds, monkeys, pink dolphins, capybaras and some large mammals.

Clustered around the Amaszonas Airlines ticket office along the main drag are numerous travel agencies offering a variety of jungle and pampas tours as well the sales offices of the different nature lodges in the area.

There is no reason to book your jungle or pampas tour in advance – your best bet is to play it by ear and visit several travel agencies after you arrive, and find a tour to your liking and budget.

There are numerous budget hotels and guesthouses in town. Most are of similar quality and very cheap - from $7-12USD per night – and they cater primarily to backpackers and the walk-in trade. Very few people book their hotel in Rurre in advance.

My personal recommendation is the Oriental Hotel. Located directly across the street from the plaza, Hotel Oriental is a small family owned hotel. Nothing fancy, but the rooms are clean and secure. A lovely tropical garden occupies the center of the property complete with palm trees and hammocks. Room rate for single occupancy was $9USD (70 Bolivianos) including breakfast. Phone 892-2401 (ask for Ruben).

By all means, do not attempt to take the bus from La Paz to Rurrenabaque. Even though the physical distance is not far - approximately 350 KM (220 miles) – I understand that the trip takes a grueling 20 hours. Your best bet is to fly. Amaszonas Airlines has four flights daily using small 16 seat prop planes; in additional TAM Airlines – a military airlines – uses slightly larger equipment but offers only one flight per day.

The airport in Rurre is a very primitive affair – there is a small grassy landing strip which often gets washed out when there is a good rain. When this happens, flights often get canceled.

The first leg of my journey to BOLIVIA took me to the High Elevation Altiplano
of the Andes. From there, I flew on a small prop plane from La Paz across the rugged Andes to the small Amazonian town of Rurrenabaque.

Situated on the banks of the Rio Beni in the middle of Bolivia’s Western Amazon, Rurrenabaque is a popular tourist hub for forays into the rainforests of Madidi National Park and to the wetland savannahs (pampas) northeast of town.

Located at an elevation of 270 meters (approx 900 feet) above sea level, Rurrenabaque is hot and humid and very tropical. Once you arrive at the airstrip located just outside of town, you’ll see a large sign in Hebrew welcoming Israeli Tourists in front of the airport hanger.

The popularity of Rurrenabaque with young Israeli tourists – mostly backpacker types- was quite evident as I walked through town. There is a large Israeli café and internet shop in the center of town; the café really buzzes with activity at night.

In addition, there are a number of Israeli Expats who reside in this jungle town; some of them have collaborated with Bolivian nationals in the restaurant business and other tourist related enterprises.

I ran into so many young Israelis in Rurrenabaque during my short time there, I affectionately renamed the town “Little Israel”.

This colorful jungle town is very laid back and the locals are very friendly. During the late afternoon hours, I enjoyed hanging out at the main park to watch the young children at play. Like many of my fellow travelers, I was just passing through and was in town just long enough to book a 4-day/3-night tour into Madidi National Park

While BOLIVIA is the poorest country in South America, it is a very fascinating and affordable travel destination. Bolivia gets a very bad rap by the American media primarily because of our government’s dislike for the “leftist” policies of President Senor Evo Morales. Due to the media’s portrayal of Bolivia being an unsafe travel destination, very few mainstream American Tourists travel there.

I personally feel that Senor Morales is trying to do a lot good for the indigenous (and mostly impoverished) people of his country who represent the majority of the population. That doesn’t sit well with some of Senor Morales countrymen - for the most part, these people are the privileged minority and are European (white) in ancestry; they lead fairly comfortable lives and control the country’s capital wealth. By no means, do they want the status quo to change.

Politics aside, I had a fantastic time traveling through Bolivia and I highly recommend Bolivia as a destination to my fellow travelers from USA. Compared to more advanced countries in South America - like Argentina, Brazil and Chile - Bolivia is relatively untainted by the excesses of tourism and commercialism, plus it doesn’t hurt that your monies will go a very long way. There is absolutely no anti-American sentiment - at least I didn’t experience any.

To give you some idea about the singular beauty and magic of Bolivia, I will be sharing with you a series of travel videos (three in all) based on my own recent travel experience.

The first installment features The Altiplano of Bolivia - includes highlights of La Paz and Lake Titicaca. ENJOY!

I have never seen so many exotic and different types of spiders until I traveled to the Amazon rainforest. They come in all different shapes and sizes – including the large orb spiders that weave intricate webs to the large ground dwelling tarantulas and wolf spiders.

One particular spider really happened to catch my attention on my recent trip to the Amazon Basin of Bolivia. I was walking on one of the hiking trails in Madidi National Park with my tour guide when I spotted a small, very exotic looking spider nested in its web amidst the dense foliage. See picture

The little gal (she) was no bigger than ¼ inch (6mm) long, but had an unusual oblong shaped body with yellow markings on her flanks and rump. I maneuvered my camera within 2 inches of the creature and snapped a couple of pictures. I know that this particular spider is by no means rare nor is it one of the more abundant spider species in the Amazon rainforest. Admittedly I am not a spider expert nor do I consider myself that knowledgeable about spiders. That being said, are there any arachnophiles out there who can identify this little beauty?

DINING OUT Many restaurants in RIO and throughout Brazil specialize in buffet dining and charge you for your meal on a per kilo basis. Dining out in Rio is not cheap!

VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS Brazil is not the greatest place for vegetarians – it seems that Brazilians love a diet rich with cheese and meat. I was lucky to find a small macrobiotic restaurant in downtown RIO that offered a number of set lunches. Very affordable with local prices.

In Copacabana, I stumbled into Bio Carioca, a quaint vegetarian restaurant located just a couple of blocks from my hotel, and in the upscale neighborhood of Leblon, I ate at the Vegetariano Social Clube, a very stylish and chic (albeit expensive) vegetarian bistro. Despite the relatively high prices, I have to admit that the food was pretty tasty though.

IPANEMA BEACH I had read all the glowing reports about this famous beach, and they are truly deserved. The setting is magnificent with the famed Sugarloaf bookmarking the far end of this magnificent wide, white sand beach. On a Saturday afternoon, the long stretch of beach was packed with sun worshipping cariocas. On the sidewalk lining the beach, came a stream of joggers, walkers and skateboarders. Despite its urban setting, there were very few hawkers and solicitors.

Located across the street from the beach are high-rise office buildings and condos. I was surprised by the absence of streetside cafes, bars and restaurants. The scene is surprisingly low key.

Too bad I was unable to make the trip to the famous Christ the Redeemer Statute. Perched on the top of Corcavado Mountain about 2300 feet up, the panoramic views of RIO from this vantage point are supposed to be incredible.