One of the World’s Rarest Macaws · Gran Mojos Protected Area · Conservation-Focused · Trinidad, Beni
About This Experience
This conservation-focused day tour takes you to a secluded private ranch within the Gran Mojos Protected Area near Trinidad, Beni — one of the last places on Earth where the critically endangered Blue-Throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) can be reliably observed in the wild. With an estimated 150–300 individuals remaining globally, this endemic Bolivian species is one of the rarest parrots on the planet, and the ranch we visit hosts one of the most important surviving breeding populations.
Expert local guides — some of whom have dedicated years of academic research to this species — lead small groups through the ranch’s Motacú Palm clusters, the macaws’ primary food source and preferred nesting habitat. Encounters are consistent: groups of up to eight individuals have been observed roosting in palm trees, using established nest boxes, or flying overhead in formation against the Beni sky. The birding across the ranch is outstanding beyond the macaws themselves, with Howler Monkeys, Three-Toed Sloths, Collared Peccaries, and enormous flocks of Blue-and-Yellow Macaws accompanying every visit.
The tour concludes with a visit to the Blue-Throated Macaw Conservation Centre — a dedicated facility where a team of volunteers and ornithologists work on captive breeding, forest replanting, and rescue from the illegal pet trade. A portion of proceeds from this tour is directly allocated to the Centre and to agreements with ranch owners to preserve Motacú Palm stands. This is not just a birdwatching excursion — it is active participation in the survival of a species.
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Pre-dawn hotel pick-up in Trinidad and immediate departure for the private ranch. The outbound journey follows a secluded road through the Beni lowlands — an excellent birding corridor in its own right. The guide points out species along the route but maintains pace, since the best observations of the Blue-Throated Macaw occur in the early morning hours when birds are most active at their roost and feeding sites.
Upon arrival at the ranch, the group treks through the extensive Motacú Palm areas that form the macaws’ critical habitat. This is where encounters are most reliable: groups of up to eight individuals may be observed roosting in the palms, inspecting established nest boxes, or performing their distinctive display flights over the ranch. Beyond the macaws, the forest islands of the property teem with Howler Monkeys, Three-Toed Sloths, Collared Peccaries, and very large flocks of Blue-and-Yellow Macaws. Birders have recorded up to 100 species in a single visit, including Greater Rheas, Trogons, Jabiru Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, and numerous seedeaters.
A picnic lunch is served at the ranch before the group re-boards the vehicle for the return to Trinidad. The road back offers additional birdwatching stops at known hotspots along the main route.
The final stop is the Blue-Throated Macaw Conservation Centre on the edge of Trinidad — a small but vital facility staffed by volunteers and researchers conducting captive breeding, forest restoration with preferred food plants, and rescue operations for birds confiscated from the illegal pet trade. The visit provides context for the conservation crisis facing this species and the tangible work being done to reverse it. Return to hotel by late afternoon.
Our team replies within a few hours. We also speak Spanish and English.