ABOUT US

Bolivia’s Wildlife Ecotourism Pioneer & Conservation Advocate

Bolivia's Leading Wildlife Operator

Nick’s Adventures Bolivia is Bolivia’s leading wildlife and eco-tourism operator, founded by Nicholas McPhee and Carolina Gutierrez Arana and headquartered in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Operating since 2012, the company specializes in jaguar tracking, Amazon wildlife expeditions, Uyuni Salt Flat experiences, tailor made custom Bolivian tour programs and birdwatching tours across Bolivia’s most remote and biodiverse ecosystems.

What began as a personal mission to document and protect Bolivia’s most persecuted wildlife has grown into one of South America’s most respected eco-tourism travel companies— recognized with the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and consistently rated #1 Tour Operator in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Google Rating

4.8 ★

Santa Cruz Operator

1 #

Megadiverse Nation

top 10

A Lifetime of Wildlife Exploration — From Six Continents to Bolivia

Nicholas McPhee is the founder of Nick’s Adventures Bolivia and one of Bolivia’s most experienced wildlife expedition leaders. Before establishing the company, McPhee spent decades traveling extensively across six continents — tracking snow leopards in the Himalayas, conducting wildlife safaris across Africa and Southeast Asia, and walking tiger reserves in India.

McPhee also worked in some of the world’s most demanding operational environments, including Afghanistan and Iraq, where he developed the logistical discipline and crisis management skills that are now the backbone of Nick’s Adventures Bolivia’s expedition safety protocols. Running a wildlife operation in Bolivia’s most remote wilderness — from the Kaa-Iya National Park to the Amazon basin of Alto Madidi — requires exactly this kind of experience.

When McPhee arrived in Bolivia, he spent over a year exploring the country’s most remote ecosystems — the Amazon basin, Alto Madidi, Pando, the Chiquitanía lowlands, and the Kaa-Iya National Park — before establishing what would become Bolivia’s most specialized wildlife tour operation.

🐆Jaguar tracking in the Bolivian Pantanal and Kaa-Iya National Park — a 3.4-million-hectare protected wilderness

🌿Amazon wildlife expeditions in Madidi National Park and the Alto Madidi biosphere, one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth

🦜Bolivia birdwatching tours covering over 1,400 recorded bird species — more than all of North America combined

🦎Conservation-focused guiding — every tour directly supports local and indigenous communities in Bolivia’s wildlife corridors

roots of a wildlife advocate

A Wildlife Passion Born in Australia — Down the Street from Steve Irwin

Nicholas McPhee grew up in Queensland, Australia, within walking distance of Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo and the original Crocodile Park. Growing up alongside one of the world’s most influential wildlife conservation advocates had a lasting and formative effect. From an early age, crocodiles, snakes, and the wild creatures that most people fear were simply a normal part of life.

Watching Steve Irwin’s hands-on approach to wildlife conservation up close — not on television, but as a childhood neighbor — shaped McPhee’s core conviction that the most effective path to conservation is direct, human connection with wild animals and the ecosystems they inhabit.

That conviction drives every expedition Nick’s Adventures Bolivia runs today. The goal is not just to show tourists wildlife — it is to create moments of genuine connection that change how people think about Bolivia’s wildest species.

the founding story

How Nick's Adventures Bolivia Was Born — and Why It Matters

Nick’s Adventures Bolivia was co-founded by Nicholas McPhee and Carolina Gutierrez Arana, a native Bolivian with deep roots in the country’s conservation community. Carolina’s profound knowledge of Bolivia’s wildlife, landscapes, and indigenous communities provides the cultural and scientific foundation that defines the company’s approach to expedition guiding.

When McPhee and Gutierrez Arana began exploring Bolivia together, what they discovered was deeply troubling. Bolivia’s wildlife — including the jaguar, puma, anaconda, tapir, and multiple species of wild cats — was under severe pressure from large-scale unregulated hunting, rapid deforestation, and unchecked agricultural expansion. Species were being killed at scale, often not out of malice, but out of a lack of education about the ecological role these animals play.

Wildlife tourism — the economic force that transformed conservation outcomes in Kenya, India, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Nepal — was essentially nonexistent in Bolivia. Local communities had no financial reason to protect what they didn’t fully understand. So Nick and Carolina built one.

our core purpose

Two Missions. One Extraordinary Country.

Nick’s Adventures Bolivia was established with two explicit conservation missions — both of which guide every tour, every guide training, and every community partnership the company maintains across Bolivia.

Attitude Transformation

Change How Bolivia Sees Its Most Persecuted Species

The jaguar is Bolivia’s apex predator — the keystone species that holds entire ecosystems in balance. Yet it is still widely persecuted as a threat to livestock. Nick’s Adventures Bolivia exists to demonstrate, through direct wildlife experiences, that a living jaguar, a free-roaming puma, and a wild anaconda are worth infinitely more alive and free than dead. Conservation starts with understanding.

why bolivia — and why now

Bolivia Is One of Earth's Last Great Wildlife Frontiers

Bolivia ranks among the world’s top 10 megadiverse nations — home to extraordinary concentrations of wildlife, birdlife, and plant species found nowhere else on Earth. From the jaguar-stalked Amazon rainforest to the flamingo-filled altiplano, Bolivia holds more ecological diversity than almost any country on the planet.
But Bolivia is far more than its wildlife. It is a country of staggering contrasts and unforgettable destinations: the vast white expanse of the Uyuni Salt Flats, the sacred shores of Lake Titicaca, the ancient Chiquitanía missions, the Gran Chaco wilderness, and indigenous cultures that have shaped this land for thousands of years.
Despite all this, Bolivia remains one of South America’s least-visited countries, meaning its wild places are still pristinely wild, its salt flats uncrowded, and its people genuinely welcoming. Through Nick’s Adventures Bolivia, we work to show the world what this extraordinary destination truly is: a place that rivals the Galápagos, the Serengeti, and the Pantanal, yet remains largely undiscovered.
Bolivia is not simply a destination. It is one of Earth’s last great frontiers.

the people behind every expedition

Bolivia's Most Knowledgeable Wildlife Team

When you travel with Nick’s Adventures Bolivia, you are in the hands of one of the most knowledgeable and passionate wildlife teams in the country — a group assembled over more than three decades of operating in Bolivia’s most remote wild places.

Professional Wildlife Biologists

Our core guide team includes trained wildlife biologists with deep expertise in Bolivia’s ecosystems, animal behavior, and species conservation — knowledge that transforms every sighting into a genuine learning experience.

Indigenous Field Specialists

Many of our guides come from the local and indigenous communities that live alongside Bolivia’s most important wildlife corridors, bringing with them generations of ecological knowledge that no classroom can teach.

Expert Naturalist Guides

Our naturalist guides are wildlife professionals — not simply trackers or drivers — who are deeply invested in the long-term conservation of the species and landscapes they work with on every expedition.

Nicholas McPhee

Founder & Lead Expedition Guide

Co-founder of Nick’s Adventures Bolivia. Based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Specializing in jaguar tracking, Amazon expeditions, and wildlife photography tours since 1989.

credentials & recognition

Why Travelers Choose Nick's Adventures Bolivia

Nick’s Adventures Bolivia is consistently recognized as the leading wildlife expedition operator in Bolivia — backed by decades of operational experience, genuine conservation commitment, and an unrivalled depth of knowledge of Bolivia’s wildest places.

400+ Five-Star Reviews on TripAdvisor & Google

★★★★★ 4.8 / 5· Google & TripAdvisor · 500+ Reviews

Denko P

Jaguars and sloths Jaguars are elusive, so tracking them takes patience and a lot of luck. We were very happy to spot jaguars over two (out of 4) days - once spotted we ran in single file towards them in hopes to get closer before they noticed us—lots of fun and adrenaline! Thankfully our guide Fernanda had a camera with her so we were able to get a couple of photos as we only had our phones with us. (A good long range camera is recommended). We were also happy to see our first sloths on the tour! In short, we had fun and enjoyed the tour.

Fearless31326040909

Sloths and more We would like to thank Pablo and Roberto for a wonderful tour. It gave us a genuine taste of Bolivia with a touch of pride, optimism, spirituality and humour and Sloths. Beyond excellent. Pablo spoke good English and had a great sense of humour.

Jan Dehn

Very high quality experience - excellent service and itinerary. Strongly recommended. We booked at two-week Bolivia adventure with Nick's Adventures comprising the San Miguelito Ranch, Sucre and Potosi, and Uyuni and Potosi province. We had an excellent experience from start to finish. Even before the trip itself, we were furnished with usual information and advice to tailor our choices. All transfers were provided and on time. All the guides were highly experienced. The destinations were excellent too. The San Miguelito ranch experience was my favourite bit of the trip. In three days, I saw 136 species of birds and more than twenty animals. In addition to the five different ecosystems on the property, the ranch has access to the neighbouring soy farm, which is a sixth ecosystem. Duston, the host, and Jorge, our guide, were simply excellent. Extremely knowledgeable and professional and fun to hang out with. If you are a nature lover, I highly recommend adding the San Miguelito segment, but remember this is raw nature, not a children's playground. The value for money is huge, but you need to work for it. The hikes and game drives are long and sometimes quite demanding, but incredibly rewarding. I was astonished by the amount of biodiversity. The accommodation is simple, but good. We had a large ensuite room in the main ranch. The food was really excellent - Aracely the cook makes incredibly tasty Bolivian dishes. In Sucre, Nick's Adventures had assigned us a very experienced guide, Jose Herrera, who was quite a character and had an incredible knowledge about Bolivia's history, notably in Sucre and Potosi. He was also able to give us very interesting personal insights about the dinosaur park, which is definitely worth a visit. I had no idea, but Bolivia actually has the two largest dinosaur print sites in the world (Cal Orcko and Torotoro National Park). If these sites had been located in, say, the US or Europe they would be known the world over. In Bolivia, you have easy access without the crowds, but the guidance of Jose really added value. The last leg of our trip was a road trip from the Uyuni salt flats to the incredible southern end of the Altiplano near the Chilean border. This is quite simply one of the most spectacular geological extravaganzas anywhere in the world. Our guide and driver, Luis and Luis, were highly experienced. Luis (driver) was considerable and safe and also has wicked music in the car, which we could listen to whenever we wanted. Luis (guide) was extremely knowledgeable, yet humble and approachable. We particularly appreciated his attention to our special needs due to some medical issues. His focus was clearly entire on making sure we had a great experience. Which we did. In summary, we were extremely pleased with our experience with Nick's Adventures. I have travelled all over the world and the service we received was right up there among the best we have had. If anything, I think Nick's Adventures undersell the experience! Bolivia is really an amazing country and we were extremely well taken care of the entire visit. Great guides, great itineraries. And the agency was at hand to take care of any issues (there were none). I also think the value for money was really high. so I can only recommend this outfit if you are planning a visit to Bolivia.

Hnin Aung

An excellent tour company We toured Bolivia with Nick's adventure tours in December 2025. I can say that its one of the best holidays we have ever had. Nick and his team made sure that every need we have was met and arranged an excellent alternative when Jaguarland our first choice was flooded. San Miguelito jaguar Conservation ranch was perfect for wildlife sightings, best hosting and best food. We were very happy with the change. Our Uyuni part of the trip was also wonderful with excellent guides and great hotels. Bolivia is an amazing country and Nick and his team ensured that we had the best holiday. Feliz Navidad!!

Native tours Rurrenabaque

Observing a Jaguar Nick Adventure, the best sustainable ecotourism project in Bolivia, benefits the conservation of the habitat of the largest cat in the Americas, the jaguar, a keystone species for environmental balance that is threatened. This project also provides direct benefits to indigenous communities. Traveling with Nick Adventure means being an important part of the preservation and protection of the jaguar and improving the quality of life for thousands of indigenous and non-indigenous people in Bolivia.

Thomas T

Jaguar Experience of a Lifetime! For anyone who has a spirit for adventure, this is truly a moment you will remember when you reflect back on your life. If you are able to brave the mosquitoes, heat, and camping lifestyle, the jaguar sightings you could be rewarded with are lifelong treasures. My fiancée and I were fortunate enough to see a young jaguar at sunset who walked towards us from 500 meters away to as close as 4 meters away!! The awe filling moment of seeing such a beautiful creature so close was an absolute blessing that only a man like Nick could have delivered. The team was wonderful and Nick has a vision worth seeing for yourself!

Kathryn S

Jaguarland Reserve Tour Best unique experience - exceeded all expectations. Incredible crew. Exceptional value. We had the time of our lives! The crew were absolutely incredible and so dedicated and enthusiastic. Their passion for conservation is unparalleled. Seeing jaguars just took my breath away. This tour was exceptional value. Natalie cooked incredible food. There was even fans and electricity cords in the large tall tents. I don't even like camping but the mattresses were high off the ground and it didn't feel like camping at all. Plus how else can you wake up to birds that feel like you're in a Jurassic Park movie. Go! You'll love it!

Angela B

Wildlife viewing far from the madding crowds! I did back to back tours in Kaa-Iya National Parks and then in Jaguarland. Although the animals weren't so cooperative in Kaa-Iya, we did see deer, peccaris, aguti and jaguarundi and some fresh jaguar, ocelot and tapir footprints - they just chose not to be seen! I saw many, many birds, including some on their migration further south and it is great to see a part of the Gran Chaco almost completely undisturbed and in almost complete solitude. In Jaguarland, the numerous jaguar sightings were obviously the highlight, but also we saw an elusive ocelot, 5 species of monkey, peccaris, capybaras, agutis, deer and more. And then there's the amazing birdlife - macaws, toucans, parrots, herons, potoos, hawks, eagles, jabiru to mention a few. For the birdlife alone, it would be worth a visit, and I'm told I only saw a fraction of what is there at other times of the year! The guides and drivers work tireless to maximise your sightings, day and night, and the food whipped up by the cooks, with limited resources, was amazing! I will be back!

common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about who we are, how we work, and what makes our expeditions different.

Who is Nicholas McPhee?

Nicholas McPhee is an Australian-Bolivian naturalist and the founder of Nick's Adventures Bolivia, one of Bolivia's leading wildlife and expedition tour operators. Born in Queensland, Australia, McPhee grew up near Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, which shaped his lifelong passion for wildlife conservation. He has traveled extensively across six continents — tracking snow leopards in the Himalayas, conducting safaris in Africa, and working in high-pressure environments including Afghanistan and Iraq — before establishing his expedition operation in Bolivia, based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

What does Nick's Adventures Bolivia specialize in?

Nick's Adventures Bolivia specializes in wildlife and nature-focused expeditions across Bolivia's most biodiverse ecosystems. Core offerings include jaguar tracking tours in the Bolivian Pantanal and Kaa-Iya National Park, Amazon wildlife expeditions in Madidi and Alto Madidi, birdwatching tours covering Bolivia's 1,400+ bird species, private Uyuni Salt Flat experiences, and custom multi-day itineraries for photography groups, families, and solo travelers.

Where is Nick's Adventures Bolivia based?

Nick's Adventures Bolivia is headquartered in Barrio Equipetrol, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. The office is located at Edificio Nano, Oficina 119. The company operates expeditions departing from Santa Cruz across Bolivia's national parks, Amazon lowlands, Andean highlands, and Altiplano — including multi-day tours to Rurrenabaque, Kaa-Iya National Park, the Bolivian Pantanal, and the Salar de Uyuni.

Is Nick's Adventures Bolivia a licensed tour operator?

Yes. Nick's Adventures Bolivia is a fully licensed tour operator registered with the Bolivian Ministry of Tourism. Founded in 2012 by Nicholas McPhee and Carolina Gutierrez Arana, the company holds a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and is consistently ranked as the #1 tour operator in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, with over 500 five-star reviews from travelers from more than 60 countries.

Who co-founded Nick's Adventures Bolivia?

Nick's Adventures Bolivia was co-founded by Nicholas McPhee and Carolina Gutierrez Arana. Carolina is a native Bolivian with deep roots in the country's conservation community and indigenous networks. Her knowledge of Bolivia's wildlife, landscapes, and local communities provides the cultural and scientific foundation that distinguishes the company's approach to expedition guiding from standard tour operations.

What languages do Nick's Adventures Bolivia guides speak?

Nick's Adventures Bolivia operates primarily in English and Spanish. Nicholas McPhee leads English-language expeditions personally, and the wider guide team includes bilingual naturalists and wildlife biologists fluent in both languages. All pre-trip communication, itinerary planning, and on-tour guidance is available in English.

What is the Jaguar Conservation Project?

The Jaguar Conservation Project is an initiative Nick's Adventures Bolivia actively supports in and around Kaa-Iya National Park — Bolivia's largest protected area, covering approximately 3.4 million hectares in the Gran Chaco. The project works to protect Bolivia's jaguar population by funding field research, supporting ranger operations, and educating local communities about the ecological role of the jaguar as an apex predator. Nick's Adventures Bolivia uses wildlife tourism revenue to contribute directly to these conservation efforts.

What makes Nick's Adventures Bolivia different from other tour operators?

Nick's Adventures Bolivia distinguishes itself through three core commitments: small private groups (maximum 4 travelers), guides who are trained wildlife biologists and naturalists rather than generalist drivers, and a genuine conservation mission embedded in the business model. The company operates in Bolivia's most remote and productive wildlife habitats — areas that mass-market operators do not reach — and designs every itinerary around the specific interests and pace of each group. All tours directly support local and indigenous community employment in Bolivia's wildlife corridors.

Ready to Experience Bolivia's Wild Places?

Join Nicholas McPhee and Bolivia’s most experienced wildlife team on an expedition you will never forget.