Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Activities
The road to Chulumani follows part of another good river for white-water rafting, the
Río
Unduavi
. The upper section ranges from essentially unnavigable Class V to Class VI,
with steep chutes, powerful currents, large boulder gardens, blind corners and waterfalls.
Beyond this section it mellows out into some challenging Class IV white water followed
by Class II and III rapids. Access is limited, but the Chulumani road does offer several
put-ins and take-outs. The best access points have been left by construction crews who've
mined the riverbanks for sand and gravel. A good take-out point is Puente Villa, which is
three to four hours below the best put-ins. La Paz tour operators (
Click here
)
can help ar-
range a guided trip.
Sleeping
In addition to a few cheap
alojamientos
(basic lodgings) - Sarita on Irupana's main street
is the cleanest - Irupana has a couple of interesting options for accommodations.
Posada Nirvana Inn $$
(
213-6154;
www.posadanirvanainn.com
; cabañas per person incl breakfast B$180;
) One of the most memorable places to stay in the Yungas is Posada Nirvana Inn in the
barrio of Chiriaca at the top of Irupana (go past the soccer field and turn right). It consists
of five sublime
cabañas
(cabins) in an immaculate hillside garden full of orange and man-
darin trees with top views over the valley. It's run by considerate hosts, and the rooms are
well looked after - comfortable and romantic with a log fire - and there are optional kit-
chen facilities. There's also a swimming pool and sauna. Staff can arrange forest walks.
LODGE
Hotel Bougainvillea $
(
213-6155; Sucre 243; r per person B$70;
) The Hotel Bougainvillea is an attract-
ive, modernized, whitewashed building built around a pool. Its rooms are clean and ap-
pealing, although management is not overly welcoming.
HOTEL
Getting There & Away
Regular buses drive the 31km from Chulumani to Irupana (B$3, one hour) and there are
also some direct connections to Irupana from La Paz.
Micros
run to the smaller villages
from Chulumani and Irupana.
