Madidi National Park

Madidi National Park [1] is in the northwest of the La Paz Department of Bolivia.

Understand

Landscape

From snow-capped peaks in the Apolobamba range of the Andes to tropical lowland basins in the Amazon. The landscape includes an incredible range of ecosystems, from high altitude grasslands to clouds forests, lowland tropical forests to pristine lowland savannas. Madidi is part of a vast wilderness that includes neighboring protected areas in Bolivia and southeastern Peru.

Flora and fauna

Madidi is one of the most biologically diverse protected areas on the planet. The park is home to over 1,000 bird species, representing a whopping 11% of the world’s 9,000 bird species. Madidi contains large populations of Latin America’s most charismatic wildlife species: jaguar, spectacled bear, maned wolf, vicuña, giant otter, Andean condor and military macaw, among others. The newly discovered monkey species lives in Madidi and nowhere else.

Get in

The Madidi National Park can be reached from Rurrenabaque.

Be careful to choose a good tour and a good guide. Don't be the next to become disappointed. There are many tour operators and travel agencies with a wide range of tours and prices. And of course you can find really good quality. Quality and price are connected. But first of all you have to spend time on investigation. Ask for proper information and testimonials. As a general rule the cheaper lodges are closer to the town of Rurrenrabaque, there is increased boat movement along the river and generally more tourists which makes it harder to see the big mammals, if you are only going to the AMAZON once in your life then we recommend you to pay a little bit extra and go to the deeper lodges where there are less tourists and a greater chance of seeing wildlife.

Nicks Adventures Bolivia can arrange tours to Madidi National Park which can be catered for budget/luxury travellers or Wildlife /Birding based trips.

More information on tours in article Rurrenabaque.

Fees/Permits

The obligatory entrance fee is mostly not included in the prices of the tour operators and was 125Bs in June 2011.

Sleep

Lodging

Some eco-lodges are found in and around the Madidi National Park. The oldest and best known is Chalalan Ecolodge in Chalalán on the Tuichi River. An other is the San Miguel del Bala Eco-Lodge on the banks of the Beni River, reached by boat 40 minutes up stream from Rurrenabaque.

• Berraco del Madidi[2] (ph:3892-2966) "Calle Comercio esq.Vaca Diez" (Rurrenabaque). A Bolivian rainforest eco-camp, specializing in multi-day tours. Located deeper than any other operator in the Amazon's Madidi National Park. The tours are individually tailored, with only 8 guests at any one time.

• San Miguel del Bala Eco-lodge, [3]. Eco-tourism, owned and operated by the indigenous community of San Miguel del Bala. Diferents tours from 1 to 4 days, with various activities such as : visiting and sharing with the Tacana indigenous community, daily and night trecks to observ the wildlife, explor a canyon, learn the medicinal plants... 2 eco-lodges are proposed : one near the community, comfortable cabins with 2 beds and electrecity (solar panel) and private bathroom, one in the national park with 3 beds and electricity. The cabins are scattered, giving the feeling of living alone in the rain forest. San Miguel del Bala is owned by the indigenous community and revenues of tourism benefits directly to his inhabitants.

• Madidi Jungle Ecolodge, [4] is an innovative Community-based ecotourism venture located in the heart of the Madidi National Park, Bolivia. This Indigenous Ecotourism venture open in 2011 seeks to strengthen the conservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of the area. Madidi Jungle Ecolodge offer transportation in comfortable boats, unparalleled accommodation, the best native guides and interpreters and an exquisite and delicious menu using local ingredients. Rurrenabaque is an unforgettable beginning for the Madidi adventure. Madidi is an ideal destination to see the jungle and be one with nature and the local cultures. Madidi Jungle Ecolodge invite you to participate in true Indigenous Community-based Ecotourism in Bolivia.

Get out

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