In the Bolivian Amazon, the mountains meet the jungle. In the span a few miles, the icy peaks drop down to green tundra, which gives way to dwarf cloud forest, alive with the vibrations of hummingbirds. A little lower the trees are taller, sheltering ferns, orchids and birds, and lower still mighty rivers wind through massive forests teeming with a greater diversity of life than almost anywhere else on the planet.  This trip is about exploring the richness of the birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects in this area, and connecting to the people who have coexisted with and formed part of this life for centuries. But this trip also about protection. The ecosystems are under threat from logging, hydroelectric projects and mining. The tribes in this jungle are dwindling and losing their traditions as the outside world closes in. But through these sustainable tourism projects, which are designed, run, and owned by natives, you can help affirm the value of the natural and human inhabitants of these areas and slow the advance of destruction.

Highlights

  • Experience the daily life of a Mosetén tribe member in the Pilón Lajas Reserve
  • Canoe along the Beni River in the upper Amazon
  • Go on a nocturnal hike in the jungle to look for tarantulas and frogs
  • Spot exotic birds, monkeys, caimans, and frogs in the Madidi Jungle

Brief Itinerary

Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Canoe Along the Quiquibey River  Mapajo
Day 2 Explore Mapajo & Pilón Lajas Reserve Mapajo
Day 3 Get to Know the Mosetén & Tsimané Tribes  Rurrenabaque
Day 4 Enjoy a Hike Through the Rainforest Madidi National Park
Day 5 Discover the Madidi Jungle Madidi National Park
Day 6 Boat on the Tuichi River - End of Trip  

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Canoe Along the Quiquibey River 

Beni River, Amazon, Rurrenabaque
Board a canoe at Rurrenabaque

Welcome to Bolivia! The adventure begins in Rurrenabaque. Head to the town's port on the Beni River and board a canoe for a trip through the Bala Gorge, paddling along the Quiquibey River on your way to the Pilón Lajas Indigenous Territory Park and Biosphere Reserve. Disembark at the jungle village of Asunción del Quiquibey and find your way to your bungalow to drop off your things. Today you will see how village residents created Mapajo, a community-run ecotourism project that protects the ecosystem. After a buffet lunch prepared by community members, a local guide will take you along a walking trail into the jungle to learn about medicinal plants. Spend the evening relaxing to the sounds of the nighttime rainforest. 

Day 2: Explore Mapajo & Pilón Lajas Reserve

Caiman on the banks of the Quiquibey.
A caiman on the banks of the Quiquibey River

Spend the day exploring your surroundings. Relax by the waters of the Quiquibey River, observing tropical birds, mammals, and reptiles. Keep your eyes open for unusual tracks, like those of the jaguar. Enjoy lunch on the sandy riverbank, followed by a walk to a macaw nesting site. After nightfall, return to the river to spot caimans: they're easily identified by the red glint of their eyes.

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Day 3: Get to Know the Mosetén & Tsimané Tribes 

Members of the Moseten tribe weaving baskets.
Weaving baskets with a Mosetén tribe member

After breakfast, you'll return to Asunción del Quiquibey to experience the daily lives of the Mosetén and Tsimané tribes. Learn about everyday customs and practices, from weaving to farming, as well as traditional hunting methods using bows and arrows. Then you'll get into a canoe and cruise downstream to Rurrenabaque, where you'll spend the night. 

Day 4: Enjoy a Hike Through the Rainforest

Madidi Jungle Ecolodge, Rurrenabaque, Bolivia
Fall asleep to the sounds of the Madidi jungle

After a good night's rest, you'll ride in a motorized canoe up the Beni River, back through the Bala Gorge, and along a small tributary until you arrive at the Madidi Jungle Ecolodge. This low-impact rainforest lodge is wholly owned and run by indigenous people from the heart of Bolivia's Madidi National Park, recognized as one of the most biodiverse places in the world. The park is home to more than a thousand different bird species — 14% of all birds known to man.

Enjoy lunch and a hammock siesta. Then you'll go on an afternoon hike into the rainforest to spot macaws and parrots. If you're lucky, you might also see white-lipped peccaries, red howler monkeys, and brown capuchin monkeys. When darkness falls, you can venture out again, this time in search of nocturnal wildlife like tarantulas and frogs. 

Day 5: Discover the Madidi Jungle

Bolivia - Madidi Jungle - Spider monkey
A black spider monkey on the Biwa Trail

Join a guided hike this morning along the Biwa Trail, where black spider monkeys are often spotted. Along the trail, you will stop at a popular viewpoint for a stunning panoramic view of the rainforest canopy. Another set of trails takes you back to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, head out for a second guided hike, this time along the Mapajo and Almendrillo trails to discover the Giant Kapok, Almendrillo, and Strangler Fig trees. You will learn about different forest plants and their medicinal and spiritual uses, as well as their role in the ecosystem. When it's time for dinner, you'll sample a local dish, dunucuabi (catfish wrapped in leaves).

Day 6: Boat on the Tuichi River

Hoatzin bird, Boliva
The ancient hoatzin bird, related to the dinosaur

On your last day in the jungle, take a short boat trip upstream on the Tuichi River to the Serere Trail. Go on a riverside hike to a floodplain to spot native wildlife. Here you might see yellow squirrel monkeys and hoatzin birds, the most ancient bird species in South America. And if you're up for it, try your hand fishing for piranhas at the aptly named Piraña Lagoon. Spend a little time visiting Caquiahuara to look for the red and green macaws and other parrot species. Then it's time for the boat ride back to Rurrenabaque. Say farewell to the Amazon as you head back to La Paz. Enjoy one last Bolivian dinner and a night on the town in La Paz before the itinerary ends.

Day 7: Depart La Paz - End of Trip

Mount Illimani in La Paz

Today the trip comes to an end. Head to the airport to catch a flight out. Safe travels!

More Bolivia Itineraries

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Map

Map of Adventure in the Bolivian Amazon - 6 Days
Map of Adventure in the Bolivian Amazon - 6 Days