Wilds of Madidi (BMNP)

From 4-9 days
Starts and ends La Paz

This extension to our Bolivian Highlands tour visits Madidi National Park, one of the most bio-diverse of the rainforest areas.

Madidi National Park was formed in 1995 to protect almost 2 million hectares of pristine Land. It covers a wide range of habitats from the forested Andean foothills down into the lowland tropical forests and savannas of the Amazon basin.

Wildlife

Madidi is home to over a thousand species of birds and more than half of all neotropical bird species. It also contains 44% of neotropical mammals and 38% of neotropical amphibians.

The richness of the flora is equally astounding with a large number of endemics. In combination with the neighbouring Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, in Peru, it is thought to be the most bio-diverse of all the South American national parks.

Probably because of the very low numbers of mahogany found here, Madidi has escaped the destruction by loggers which many other rich tropical forests have suffered.

The community of a few hundred Quetchua-Tacana Indians living in San José is the only settlement within the park. They have lived here for over 200 years in harmony with the jungle around them surviving from subsistence farming.

Outline itinerary

We fly to the small lowland town of Rurrenabaque, on the banks of the river Beni. Next, we travel by boat on the Beni and Tuichi into Madidi National Park. The trip takes 3-4 hours, depending on river conditions.

We stay at the Chalalán Lodge, a project designed to benefit the whole community creating an alternative sustainable economic activity while preserving the resources of the park.

Chalalan cabins

Chalalán cabins are nestled in mature rainforest gaps adjacent to Chalalán lake. The cabins are connected by short trails and are a 30 minutes hike from the Tuichi River.

We have the opportunity to explore the varied ecosystems of the rainforest. We spend time at important features such as streams, dominant fruiting trees, claylicks and wetlands, where wildlife forages and congregates.

Local guides will introduce us to the subtle and intricate beauty within Madidi's forest, explain the the behavior and ecology of local wildlife and the use of plants in the lives of native people for sustenance, construction, art and medicine.