La travesía más extrema de Bitácora: Santiguada contra culebras y toboganes de selva 🐍Valen de Viaje

The first and only time we went to the Cuao mountain range in Amazonas state, we were caught in a raging flash flood of the Cuao River when we were in a place called El Tobogán. To get there, we crossed the country from north to south: Caracas – Puerto Ayacucho – from there to Puerto Samariapo, and then by dugout canoe to the Cuao mountain range, where a Piaroa family had a formidable camp next to the Danto rapids. We slept to the sound of the roaring water, which was so soothing and even felt protective. Few people ventured into those landscapes, but our guide—Javier Vielma, the great connoisseur of the Amazonian land—assured us that we would love this route even more than Mount Autana. Although 20 years have passed, I would say that was true. After camping on the banks of the rapids, we hiked for a few hours deeper into the jungle, through the humidity and under the dense canopy, almost always hearing the river beside us, until we reached El Tobogán (The Slide). A rather rudimentary thatched hut awaited us where we could hang our hammocks. We tried spider crab for the first time because we found a huge one along the way and roasted it; we took a refreshing dip in the slide—watch out so we didn't tumble down—and waited for nightfall. Unexpectedly and terrifyingly, a torrential downpour began. The river rose and rose, flowing under our hammocks. There was general alarm, but we were saved. However… the return trip was literally up to our necks in water, with our gear on our heads and all the bridges we had crossed completely submerged. That's the nature of the Amazon; nature in general, and I love it! 00:00 | Reacting 20 years later to the Cuao mountain range in Amazonas. 01:05 | How to get to the Cuao River: A journey by boat from Samariapo. 02:04 | The secret of navigating in a curiara (dugout canoe): Why do you have to take off your shoes? 02:58 | Navigating in the rain on the Amazon: Recording a logbook without drones. 03:56 | Raudal del Danto Camp: Indigenous tourism with the Piaroa community. 04:51 | The best sunrises in Venezuela: Between the Autana mountain and the Cuao River. 05:25 | Swimming in the rivers of Amazonas: The Cuao River's treacherous current. 06:09 | Meeting a Piaroa shaman: Ancestral tradition and indigenous medicine. 08:00 | Shamanic chants to cure snakebites. 09:20 | The Counter to the Mapanare: My Protection Ritual in the Jungle 11:25 | "Bitácora Never Returns": Extreme Hike in Torrential Rain 13:38 | How to Cross Streams in the Jungle: The Piaroa Log Bridges 14:01 | Hunting Spiders in the Jungle: We Found the Giant Monkey Spider 15:21 | How to Get Drinking Water in the Jungle: The Water Vine 16:02 | Caño de Piedra Natural Slide: Extreme Adventure in the Amazon 17:00 | How to Make Fire with Wood: Indigenous Survival Techniques 18:22 | What Does a Monkey Spider Taste Like? Cooking a Giant Spider Over Wood 19:19 | "The Return with Water Up to Our Necks": How We Survived in Bitácora SUBSCRIBE:    / @valendeviaje   Instagram:   / valendeviaje   📌Journalist/General Production: Valentina Quintero - @valendeviaje 📌Digital Media Manager: Adeimar Bastidas - @adeimarbl 📌Post-Production Director: Gustavo Mendoza - @el_tasto 📌Editor: Gustavo Mendoza - @el_tasto 📌Graphic Design: Stephanye Cuellar - @stephanye._ 📌Motion Graphics: Andrés Ungaro - @gazoo69 📌YouTube Optimization Team: Barbara Mongou - @barbaramongou Ricardo Miranda - @popinteractivo