Madidi National Park is, like, one of the most biodiverse spots on Earth, really, home to jaguars, giant otters, pink river dolphins, and howler monkeys. Birdwatchers might also see hundreds of avian species, including the striking Andean cock-of-the-rock and a range of macaws. Wildlife sightings depend on the exact habitat you go into, because the…
Repellents that have at least 20% to 30% of DEET, or Picaridin in that range, are generally the most effective way to keep mosquito bites away in Rurrenabaque. Those active ingredients give more enduring protection from mosquitoes that can spread malaria, yellow fever, and dengue, especially with the humid jungle setting around you. While you…
There is, yes, a moderate risk of malaria in the Bolivian Amazon, especially around rural zones and lower altitudes like the Pando and Beni departments. Travellers should really be advised to talk to a healthcare professional about antimalarial medication before their departure, so they can be sure what to take and when. And the danger…
Catching piranhas is a standard thing included in almost every Pampas boat tour, usually with a plain handline rigged up with a hook and raw beef for bait. The guides pull the canoes right up to those marshy riverbanks where the carnivorous piranhas with the red bellies naturally gather. What you manage to reel in…
Spotting wild jaguars in Madidi National Park is extremely rare and depends on quiet, multi-day trekking way deep into the primary forest, usually when the dry season is on. Since jaguars are solitary, highly elusive apex predators, you should not count on sightings while on standard tours. Your best chance shows up when you travel…
Swimming with pink dolphins has become one of the most requested activities on many Pampas tours. Usually, guides anchor the boats in safe pockets on the Yacuma River, then tourists step in and jump right in. These dolphins are wild, but also naturally curious, so they often glide pretty close to people. Still, visitors should…
You can spot the endemic Bolivian pink river dolphin mostly in the calm, muddy waters of the Yacuma River while on a Pampas tour leaving from Rurrenabaque. This particular subspecies (Inia geoffrensis boliviensis) prefers the slow-moving side channels in the upper Amazon basin. Skilled local guides can track them easily by that distinctive breathing sound…
Going on an Amazon tour in Bolivia is usually pretty safe as long as you pick a certified eco-agency, keep to your guide’s directions, and take the usual tropical health precautions, you know. Most of the trouble comes from mosquitoes and related illnesses, strong heat exhaustion, and small boat mishaps, more than anything involving dangerous…
Madidi National Park gives you this really dense, traditional Amazon rainforest feel, with a focus on flora and hiking, even if it can be a bit slower and more grounded. A Pampas tour, meanwhile, leans into open wetland savannahs, and you’ll usually move by boat so you can spot wildlife without the whole tree cover…
You can go from La Paz to Rurrenabaque either with a quick 45-minute commercial flight or by risking a demanding 12- to 18-hour overnight bus trip. The bus route is famously bouncy; it snakes down steep, rough mountain roads through the Yungas area, and during the rainy season, it is really vulnerable to landslides. For…