Rurrenabaque (Madidi National Park)

Gateway town to the Bolivian Amazon: canoe into Madidi's rainforest eco-lodges, or head to the pampas wetlands to see caimans, capybaras and pink river dolphins.

Rurrenabaque sits on the Beni River in northern Bolivia, on the border between Beni and La Paz departments, where the last ridge of the eastern Andean foothills meets the Amazon plain. Across the river lies San Buenaventura in La Paz Department. The town itself is small, but it is the gateway to two very different ecosystems: to the west, upstream by canoe, the primary rainforest of Madidi National Park and the Pilón Lajas Biosphere Reserve; to the northeast, the pampas wetland grasslands along the Yacuma River.

On the jungle route (usually 2–4 days) you stay at community-run eco-lodges such as Chalalán, with jungle hikes, night wildlife walks and canoeing on the lake, and may see monkeys, macaws, tapir tracks and all kinds of insects. On the pampas route (usually 3 days) you drive about 3 hours from town to Santa Rosa and then switch to a boat; caimans, capybaras, pink Amazon river dolphins and waterbirds are extremely abundant, so wildlife sightings are more reliable. Both routes are booked through agencies in town; be sure to choose a licensed, reputable operator that does not allow visitors to touch or feed animals.

The best season is the May–Oct dry season, when wildlife concentrates near water and roads are passable; the Nov–Apr rainy season often brings heavy rain, and the pampas road can become muddy or impassable. Getting there: small planes fly daily from La Paz to Rurrenabaque in about 50 minutes but are often delayed by weather; by bus the trip takes more than 15 hours. Allow 4–6 days in total. Tips: a yellow fever vaccination is required; bring long-sleeved clothing, strong insect repellent, a headlamp and cash (ATMs in town are unreliable). Both the national park and the wetlands charge entrance fees.

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