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Most people who visit the Amazon region of Bolivia will go to the Pampas and many combine this with a trip into the jungle proper in Madidi National Park. The town of Rurrenabaque serves as the starting point for trips into these areas and is accessible via daily flights (45 mins) or by road. Typical journey time by bus from La Paz is around 18-20 hours although in the rainy season it can be much longer, sometimes in excess of 30 hours. A private jeep can do the journey in around 12 hours and handles bad conditions much better.

The Pampas

The Pampas are wetland savannahs interlinked by winding rivers containing patches of tropical forest, small lagoons and low open grassy areas. They are home to a large and diverse population of animals and these are often easy to spot due to the openness of the environment. Apart from the huge variety of birds, wildlife such as pink dolphins, monkeys (howler monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys to name just a few), alligators, caimans and turtles are abundant and are usually seen during a visit. Although less likely to be seen, anacondas are regularly found as are other species of snakes. This ease of spotting wildlife, and the ability to get in close proximity with many of the animals, makes the pampas ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, photography and birdwatching. It is the perfect place to get a taste of the wonder that is the Amazon basin.

Madidi National Park

Madidi National park was created in 1995 and covers an area 4,500,000 acres (1.8 million hectares). A large part of this is amazon jungle but it also encompasses snow covered mountain areas of the andes, cloud forest and puna grasslands. It is claimed to contain over 44% of known mammal species, 38% of amphibians and over 1000 species of birds plus thousands of plant species. The jungle areas visited on tours are rich with fauna and flora but due to the density of vegetation it is not as easy to see animals as in the pampas. Visitors to the area learn about the eco system, the plantlife and insects. Incredible specimens such as¨Walking trees¨ that plant new roots above ground and shed the old ones therefore allowing them to move over time and ¨ajo ajo¨ tree that smells just like garlic are just a couple of examples. There are also many medicinal plants to be found and there are opportunities to sample jungle fruits. The park was made world famous by National Geographic magazine when they ran an article in March 2000 and the number of visitors has been increasing ever since.This has unfortunately damaged the environment to some degree but the park is still an amazing and valuable natural wonder.

Madidi National Park contains some high quality Eco lodge options aswell as budget trip lodges.The most famous of these is Chalalan Ecolodge that is entirely owned by the community and has won awards around the world for its work.

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