From Torres del Paine in Chile to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Kaieteur Falls in Guyana South American boasts many epic national parks. It’s time to add another to the list: Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa (REA) in Bolivia.
Why does it deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as those world-famous parks? Start with spectacular scenery that ranges from snowcapped volcanoes, geysers and hot springs to rock formations reminiscent of a surrealistic Salvador Dali painting and lakes colored red, green and white depending on the microorganisms that thrive in the water.
REA’s wildlife is equally outrageous. Three different flamingo species feed and breed in the colored lagunas while llamas, alpacas and vicuña graze on the ever-present ichu grass. Andean condors float high above while pumas and Andean foxes lurk in the shadows.
The park lies along the eastern edge of Andes mountain range in southwest Bolivia. And it’s huge — more than 2,700 square miles (larger than Delaware). That’s a lot of terrain to cover on your own, especially when so much of REA is roadless and uninhabited.
The alternative is asking Hidalgo Tours to arrange a multi-day exploration of REA with a guide and driver in a four-wheel drive visitor, or a passage through the vast park on a journey from San Pedro de Atacama just across the border in norther Chile to the spectacular Uyuni Salt Flats about a day’s drive north of the park.
0 Comments