About Madidi Ecolodge

Madidi Jungle Ecolodge is a low-impact rainforest eco-venture created and sustained 100% by indigenous families from the heart of Bolivia’s Madidi National Park. The Lodge is accessible by a 3.5 hour boat ride from Rurrenabaque, and is a prime location for wildlife viewing, and serves as the base for a variety of hikes of different lengths. The Ecolodge offers comfortable accommodation for a maximum of 18 visitors at one time, and a menu of delicious meals based on traditional rainforest ingredients. The staff are all local, bilingual (Spanish and English) guides, with passion and expert knowledge of the surrounding rainforest. Come and join us at the Madidi Jungle Ecolodge and participate in genuine, Community-based Ecotourism in Bolivia!

Our mission is to offer a unique and unforgettable Amazon jungle adventure and for you to experience the wonder and the wildlife of the jungle on one tour in the Bolivian Amazon, in which we seek to improve our indigenous life conditions and primarily support the conservation and protection of the existing biological diversity of our community land (TCO Uchupiamonas) and Madidi National Park – Bolivia.

Please note: All excursions and timetables in these sample itineraries are flexible, and can be tailored or rescheduled depending on a number of factors, including: weather, season and visitors´ specific interests or physical conditions. We are happy to discuss any requirements with you.

For all our programs, we recommend either booking an early flight from La Paz to Rurrenabaque, or alternatively staying one night in Rurrenabaque before departure. The flight from La Paz to Rurrenabaque takes 40 minutes and is a great opportunity to view the Andes mountain range and enjoy a panoramic and aerial view of the Beni and Tuichi Rivers of the Amazon Basin

MADIDI NATIONAL PARK – BOLIVIA 4 days program

Day 1: Rurrenabaque – Madidi National Park

08:30 Departure by motorboat from Rurrenabaque to the Madidi National Park. The trip up the Beni and Tuichi Rivers takes 3.5 hours and is a great opportunity to see wildlife and the impressive landscape of the Amazon, such as the Bala Canyon.

13:00: Arrival to Madidi Jungle Ecolodge and accommodation in traditional style cabins. 14:00: Lunch and opportunity to relax in the hammocks

15:00: We set out for a 3 hours guided hike along the Wabu Trail, where you will visit a salt lick, locally known as “Cullpana”. This is a strategic area in the rainforest where various animals gather to take in important mineral salts from the substrata. Some animals also use the area for its mud pools as a bathing area. The trail offers the possibility to observe white-lipped peccary, red howler monkey, brown capuchin monkey, toucan, guans, and many different birds. Return to the Ecolodge along the Tuichi Trail.

19:30: Dinner and free time.

Day 2: Madidi National Park

07:30: Breakfast at the Ecolodge. After breakfast, we will start a 3 or 4 hour guided walk via the Mapajo and Almendrillo Trails. Along these trails, you’ll appreciate the Giant Kapok Tree, Almendrillo Tree and the Strangler Fig Tree. Your guide will give an in-depth explanation of the diverse species of plants used for medicinal purposes and ancestral benefits. It is a great opportunity to understand and learn about the Amazon ecosystems while observing the pristine environment and different species of wildlife. Return to the Ecolodge along the Matapalo and Dati Trails.

12:30: Lunch and opportunity to relax in the hammocks

15:00: We will take a short boat trip upstream along River Tuichi to the Serere Trail for a short hike beside the riverside jungle to a floodplain. Here you will have a chance to see yellow squirrel monkeys and Hoatzin birds, the most ancient bird species in South America (related to the dinosaur). We will stop at the Piranha lagoon to fish for piranhas. After this (optional) activity you will continue the hike reaching a recently discovered salt lick. Return to the river and travel back to the ecolodge by boat.

19:30: Dinner at the Ecolodge. After dinner you will have the opportunity to take a night hike into the jungle to observe the nocturnal wildlife. During this walk you will be able to see many species of insect, amphibian and reptile, such us tarantulas and frogs. Listen to the jungle symphony produced by the uncountable variety of wildlife.

Day 3: Madidi National Park

07:00: Breakfast at the Ecolodge. Then we will begin a 4-hour guided walk along the Mapajo and Pavacullpana Trails, considered the longest hike. This route is a great opportunity to observe tapir, white lipped peccary, brown capuchin monkey, red howler monkey, black spider monkey, saddleback tamarin monkey, guans and toucans. During the itinerary you will stop at a platform to observe the largest salt lick in the area, locally called “Cullpana” where animals gather to take in minerals. Return back on a short hike before taking the boat to the Ecolodge.

13:00: Lunch and opportunity to relax in the hammocks.

15:30: In the afternoon, you can choose between two options available. The first is learning how to make traditional handicrafts, such as rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Assisted by your guide, and using seeds from the rainforest, you can spend time creating your own jungle souvenir. Alternatively, you can go on a short walk along the Dati Trail and Almendrillo Trail to a salt lick frequently visited by Red Howler Monkeys. You will return on the Mapajo Trail and have time to relax before dinner.

19:30 For dinner, you will sample the local dish “Dunucuabi” (catfish wrapped in leaves). After eating, guides can optionally chat to you about their ancestral history and explain more about the local Uchupiamonas and Tacana cultures.

(Alternative option) Lake Santa Rosa – Madidi National Park

Full Day trip to Santa Rosa Lake. A 2-hour boat trip along the Tuichi River, followed by a short walk, will lead us to the spectacular Santa Rosa Lake. The lake is a natural paradise where you can enjoy canoeing, fishing for piranhas and wildlife viewing in the deepest Amazon. We will have lunch on the shores of the lake. After resting, we will go on a short hike to visit citrus fruit and coffee plantations. Along this way, you will have the opportunity to see yellow squirrel monkeys, brown capuchin monkeys and titi monkeys (Lucachi). The boat trip upstream and downstream is a great opportunity to see the capybaras, caimans, tapirs, and hopefully spot the famous Jaguar.

Please note that this activity has an extra cost of USD.30/person (minimum 2 people) to cover boat transport costs.

Day 4: Madidi National Park – Rurrenabaque/La Paz

07:30: Breakfast at the Ecolodge.

08:00: We go on a short boat trip upstream along the River Tuichi, followed by a short hike near the stream. You will learn about the secondary forest and the characteristics of the floodplain. Back on the river, you will have the option to try tubing, an exciting ride in rubber inner tubes along the fast-paced rapids and calmer waters of the river. We provide life jackets for your safety. Tubing is an optional activity that can be substituted for a return boat trip to the Ecolodge. Tubing is dependent on weather and river conditions.

12:30: Lunch at the Ecolodge. When lunch is over you will have some free time before returning to Rurrenabaque.

13:30: Boat trip to Rurrenabaque. On the way you will optionally visit Caquiahuara where you will have the chance to observe the red and green macaws and other species of parrot. Bird watching can be done any time of year, however, it is more frequent from May to December. The trip is a great opportunity to see exotic species such as the capybaras, tapirs, turtles or caimans. The return boat trip takes only 2 hours.

15:30: Arrival in Rurrenabaque. Transfer to your hotel or airport.

N.B: Please note this program is flexible, and we are happy to discuss any special requirements with you.

THE PACKAGES INCLUDE:

• Transfer to and from Rurrenabaque airport
• Transportation by boat Rurrenabaque/Madidi Jungle/Rurrenabaque (3h to get there and 2h to get back)
• Accommodation in traditional-style cabins (private room with shared bathroom and/or exclusive cabins/rooms with a private bathroom)
• Three meals per day (regular/vegetarian/other) accompanied by local seasonal fruit juices
• Mineral water during your stay
• Highly experienced, bilingual local guide (English/Spanish)
• Guided activities around the 40km of trail system inside the jungle of the Madidi National Park
• Rain poncho and rubber boots for the duration of your stay

 PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• The price of airline/overland tickets between La Paz-Rurrenabaque-La Paz
• Entrance fee to the Madidi National Park: Foreign visitors BOB200 /USD30 per person.  Bolivian citizens BOB50 per person.
  
• Accommodation and meals in Rurrenabaque
• Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages – 
• Any other services not considered in the program

IMPORTANT SPECIFICATIONS:

• Madidi Jungle Ecolodge has the capacity to host a maximum of 20 visitors
  
• We have 4 private rooms with private bathrooms and 6 private rooms with shared bathrooms. twin room, triple room, marital room and family room are available
• Children under 12 years old will be hosted in their parent´s room
• Programmed activities at the Madidi National Park are flexible and may be modified in accordance with the visitor´s interests, logistic or climatological reasons

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• The boat is equipped with comfortable seating, life vests, rain ponchos and a roof. Its maximum capacity is 6 passengers
• There is a maximum of 4-5 passengers per group to allow for a more natural appreciation of the rainforest
• Departure by boat from Rurrenabaque to Madidi Jungle is scheduled for 08:30am. This departure time can be subject to unforeseen change (weather conditions or flights schedule)
• The return boat trip is after lunch at 13:30, which can change depending on flight departure times returning to La Paz city
• Due to logistics, we recommend that tourist or tourism company schedule return flights to La Paz for the late afternoon (17:45)

NOTE the animals shown on the photos on this page are never guaranteed, it is and remains nature. The possibility exists !