Madidi national park was established in 1995 and is among the biggest protected regions on this planet spanning an area of more than eighteen thousand sq. kilometers. Rurrenabaque is your starting point for this trip. We believe our tour operator offers a great quality of service while at the same time an authentic Jungle Experience; as well as having been recently awarded the "Green Action" eco tourism certification which we believe is important for protecting the Bolivian natural environment!
Meeting at the office in Rurrenbarque you'll embark on a motorboat trip down the waterways of Beni and Tuchi for approximately three hours until you reach a local community where the main economic activity is producing 'miel de caña', a type of honey made from sugar cane (a type of molasses). After you will continue to the eco lodge where you will be welcomed with a rejuvenating beverage produced from local fruits. Right after you will be escorted to your cabins before having lunch and a rest in the hammocks escaping the mid-day temperatures while enjoying the sounds from the jungle.
In the afternoon you'll wander a nature path within the jungle where your guide will reveal many different plants and flowers explaining the way the native Tacana people utilize them for therapeutic applications, food and building purposes. There may be the opportunity to spot various animals such as spiders monkeys, howler monkeys, wild pigs plus a few different birds, as well as a range of insects and spiders. After returning to the lodge its time for the evening meal as night falls. After food you can go on a guided evening walk to try to locate nocturnal wildlife and as well look for caiman (alligators) near to the river bank using spotlights to find the reflections off their eyes.
Waking early you will set out for another walk down one of several hiking trails nearby the lodge experiencing the noises the rainforest produces as morning blossoms. Your guide will indicate the source of a number of the sounds and hopfully you will observe the high-volume call of a howler monkey. Following breakfast in the eco lodge the group will be able to participate in some workshops in order to understand elements of the traditional Tacana culture. These activities can sometimes include how to create jewelry from basic jungle materials, and how you can grind traditional rice (tacú) or learn how to use a bow and arrow for hunting.
Following lunch you commence a 2 to 3 hour trek further into the jungle where with any luck you will discover more animals and intriguing plant life. This evening rather than going back to the eco lodge you'll spend the night camping out in a tent or beneath a mosquito net and rain proof tarpaulin. Dinner that night is going to be prepared on an open fire and enjoyed by candle light within the jungle and after that you will explore the jungle by night searching for nocturnal wildlife. Since this trip heads much deeper into the jungle you may well view a few diverse animals such as tapir, giant armadillos and with any luck maybe a puma or a jaguar.
Today you will hike to see the nesting cliff of the colorful macaws and you will see a panoramic view of the jungle and the rivers below. If your feeling adventurous you can build a traditional raft out of local trees and raft down river to reach the eco lodge. For anyone desiring a more relaxing return you can take the motor boat heading back to the lodge. Once your arrival at the lodge you will eat lunch and after a brief rest commence your boat journey back to Rurrenabaque.
Is this trip for you?
This is for travellers who like backpacking, staying in basic accommodation, and don't mind roughing it a bit. Do you have the patience for real third world travel experiences?
This trip will involve hot & humid weather; mosquitoes; and basic accommodation at an isolated lodge with mosquito netting, & cold showers (refreshing). You will also need to make your own way to the meeting points to begin your trip.
Altough we beleive this trip is fantastic value in Bolivia you will have a better time if you understand that things do not always run to schedule and rarely reach 1st world standards; and also by accepting any problems that arise as part of the experience!
What you need to know about the flights to/from Rurrenabaque!
Although not included in this package you should be aware of how flights to Rurrenbarque work so to prepare for your trip better.
If there are cloudy conditions in Rurrenabaque then flights cannot take off or land due to visability issues, so in the rainy season delays and cancellations are common. If your flight is delayed the system works like a queue and passengers are rescheduled according to who was originally due to fly first when the cancelation took place.
For the flight from Rurrenabaque to La Paz you check in at the Amaszonas office and NOT at the airport.
If flying, we would reccommend staying in Rurrenbarque the night before and night after to prevent schedule problems!
Please Note
We assume no responsibility for any social, mechanical, health, or climatic conditions on any travel day.
We take no responsibility for your personal belongings!
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