An extraordinary trip to experience the Amazon jungle visiting San Miguel del Bala lodge located in just at the boundaries of Madidi National Park, one of the richest and most complex ecological systems in South America.

After looking how the people of the community of San José de Uchupiamonas succeed with their Lodge at Chalalán, the people from San Miguel del Bala - community located at the food of the Bala rocky range, just within the boundaries of Madidi National Park - also wanted to create their own Lodge.

After many years living as hunters, loggers and farmers, the Takana indigenous of San Miguel del Bala followed the example of their neighbors and - thanks of the financing of the “International Development Bank” and the technical assistance of “International Conservation” they built a lodge.

This lodge can be accessed from the gateway community of Rurrenabaque in less than one hour by dugout canoes upstream the spectacular Beni River. Constructed with care of the natural surroundings and using forest materials, solar energy and intensive protection, the lodge is surrounded by primary forests inhabited by an astonishing variety of birds and mammals. The region is an ideal habitat for Monkeys, Alligators, Turtles, Hoatzin, and Macaws that reverberates under a constant symphony of birdsong, shouts of howler monkeys, and barking toucans, particularly at dawn and dusk.

Madidi National Park is the largest protected area in the country, located to the north of Cordillera Real covers a wide area of 18.000km2 (7020mi2) between the lower slopes of Apolobamba mountain range at the west, passing through the mountain valleys and cloud forest, to the savannas of the Amazonian jungle at the east.

This park of is probably one of the most complex ecological systems in South America, to give you an idea of the variety of the fauna, we can tell you that it contains: about 1000 bird species (90% of all Bolivian bird species), 44% of all New World species of mammal, and an estimated of 38 % of Neo tropical amphibians.

Ruins of former cities, terraces and several hundreds of miles of stone paved trails, can be found inside the park boundaries, remaining us about ancient people that inhabited these lands. Nowadays, their descendants still live in the area in several ethnic groups like: the Aymaras or the Kallawayas in the highlands, or the Takana, Mosetenes and Chimanes in the lowlands.

Itinerary:

D1. Flight to Rurrenabaque. Motorboat to San Miguel lodge.
D2. San Miguel lodge.
D3. San Miguel lodge.
D4. Motorboat to Rurrenabaque. Flight to La Paz.

• An enriching interactive-tour to understand the Amazon jungle in Madidi National Park; one of the richest and most complex ecological systems in South America.
• Great opportunity to spot wildlife; monkeys, snakes, alligators and lots of birds (actually almost 90% of all Bolivian bird species).
• Accommodation at San Miguel del Bala Lodge is a great alternative for Chalalan since is located just 1 hour distant to Rurrebanaque (compared with the 5-6 hours to Chalalan).
• The best opportunity to meet local cultures and interact with them.
• Spectacular aerial views of the mountains during the flights in and out to Rurrenabaque.