Madidi National Park · Yucuma River Pampas · 1,000+ Bird Species · Pink River Dolphins · Pristine Amazon Wilderness
Overview
Rurrenabaque is a small Amazonian town nestled along the Beni River in Bolivia’s Beni Department, accessible by a short domestic flight from La Paz or Santa Cruz. Despite its modest size, it serves as the gateway to two of South America’s most ecologically significant environments: Madidi National Park — consistently ranked among the most biodiverse protected areas on Earth — and the Yucuma River Pampas, a vast network of flooded savannahs, oxbow lakes, and gallery forest teeming with wildlife visible in the open.
Madidi National Park alone harbors over 1,000 bird species — approximately 11% of all bird species on the planet — alongside more than 200 mammal species, including Giant Otters, Jaguars, Tapirs, Pumas, and Giant Anteaters. Its rivers shelter over 300 fish species, and its forests contain an estimated 12,000 plant species. The park gained global recognition when it was featured on the cover of National Geographic in March 2000, and has since been cited by multiple scientific bodies as the most biodiverse area ever studied on Earth. The Pampas ecosystem offers a contrasting, open-habitat wildlife experience: boat safaris along the Yucuma River deliver reliable sightings of Anacondas, Black Caimans, Capybaras, large troops of Squirrel and Capuchin Monkeys, and the extraordinary opportunity to swim with wild Pink River Dolphins — an experience unique to the Bolivian Amazon.
Nick’s Adventures Bolivia has been operating expert-guided tours in the Rurrenabaque region since the 1990s, working with local Tacana indigenous communities, experienced bilingual naturalist guides, and carefully selected lodge partners. Tours range from 3-day Pampas river safaris to 8-day remote fly fishing expeditions deep into the Bolivian Amazon. All programs run in small groups, maximising wildlife encounter quality and minimising environmental impact. The Pampas Tour and Madidi National Park Tour can be seamlessly combined into a single expedition — one of the most popular multi-ecosystem itineraries in Bolivia.
Destination Type
How to Get There
Best Time to Visit
Wildlife Highlights
tour plan
Nick’s Adventures Bolivia offers four distinct programs in the Rurrenabaque region, each designed around a specific ecosystem or activity. All tours operate in small groups with expert bilingual guides. The Pampas Tour and Madidi National Park Tour can be combined into a single multi-ecosystem expedition — contact us to plan your itinerary.
01
Wildlife · River Safari · Photography
Based at the Caracoles Lodge deep along the Yucuma River, this 3-day program is Bolivia’s most celebrated pampas wildlife experience. Scenic boat safaris through open savannahs and gallery forest deliver sightings of Anacondas, Black Caimans, Capybaras, Howler Monkeys, and the legendary opportunity to swim with wild Pink River Dolphins. Evening night tours reveal a completely different cast of nocturnal species.
02
ECOTOURISM · BIRDWATCHING · INDIGENOUS CULTURE
The most celebrated lodge experience in the Bolivian Amazon, owned and operated by the Tacana indigenous community on the shores of Chalalán Lagoon inside Madidi National Park. Accessible by a 3-hour scenic boat ride from Rurrenabaque, the lodge sits surrounded by primary rainforest and offers guided jungle walks, night spotlighting treks, canoe trips on the lagoon, and expert Tacana-led birdwatching in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
03
Wildlife · Birdwatching · Adventure · Fishing
A 4-day expedition to Berraco del Madidi Lodge — the deepest lodge inside Madidi National Park, reached by a 6.5-hour boat journey from Rurrenabaque up the Beni and Tuichi rivers. The program includes jungle trekking to a famous Tapir and Peccary salt lick, sports fishing for Golden Dorado, Tuichi River rafting, and a visit to the Tacana indigenous community.
04
Wildlife · Birdwatching · PHOTOGRAPHY
A 3 to 5-day immersive birding expedition to Sadiri Lodge — positioned deep inside Madidi National Park within the territory of the San José de Uchupiamonas Indigenous Community. The programme explores 34,000 hectares of primary Amazonian rainforest with 25 km of walking trails, targeting over 400 bird species including 9 owl species, Military Macaws, and the endemic Yungas Tyrannulet.
05
Wildlife · amazon – pampas – fishing
A 6-day expedition combining Bolivia’s two greatest wildlife ecosystems: 3 days deep inside Madidi National Park — trekking to a Tapir and Peccary salt lick, fishing for Golden Dorado on the Tuichi River, and night walks for Jaguar and Ocelot — followed by 3 days in the Bolivian Pampas searching for Anaconda, swimming with Pink River Dolphins, and spotlighting Black Caiman after dark.
Our team replies within a few hours. We also speak Spanish and English.
Many of our clients combine the 3-day Pampas Tour with the 4-day Madidi National Park Tour into a single 7-day expedition — experiencing both the open wetland pampas and the deepest Amazonian rainforest in one visit. Nick’s team handles all logistics, boat connections, and lodge coordination. Contact us to plan your combined itinerary.
The most common route is a short domestic flight from La Paz's El Alto Airport to Rurrenabaque — the flight takes approximately 25 minutes with Amaszonas Airlines. Flights can also be routed from Santa Cruz connecting through La Paz. Nick's Adventures Bolivia assists all clients with domestic flight bookings and arranges transfers in both La Paz and Rurrenabaque. An overland option also exists via the Yungas road (approximately 18 hours from La Paz), though the flight is strongly recommended for convenience and safety.
Rurrenabaque is a year-round destination, but May through November is generally the optimal travel window. During the dry season (June–October), water levels drop in the pampas, concentrating wildlife around rivers and making sightings more consistent. Jungle birdwatching is excellent throughout the year. The wet season (November–April) brings lush greenery and a different cast of species, though some trails and boat routes may be affected by high water. The Golden Dorado Fly Fishing Expedition is exclusively available from July through November.
The region offers some of the most diverse wildlife encounters in South America. In the Pampas, commonly recorded species include Pink River Dolphin, Black Caiman, Anaconda, Capybara, Howler Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Capuchin Monkey, Brazilian Porcupine, and Piranha — with occasional sightings of Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot, and Tapir. In Madidi National Park, the biodiversity expands considerably: Jaguar, Giant River Otter, South American Tapir, Giant Anteater, Spider Monkey, Red Howler Monkey, White-lipped Peccary, and the recently described Madidi Titi Monkey have all been recorded on tours. Birdlife is extraordinary throughout — Macaws, Toucans, Hoatzin, King Vulture, Roseate Spoonbill, and hundreds of other species can be seen across both ecosystems.