Chalalan Ecolodge in Madidi National Park
| country: | Bolivia |
| departures: | Daily departures throughout the year |
| price: | From £285 - £340 (4 - 5 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Superb opportunities for wildlife viewing in Madidi National Park one of the most bio-diverse parts of the world.
Madidi National Park was formed in 1995 to protect almost 2 million hectares of pristine land, covering a wide range of habitats from the forested Andean foothills down into the lowland tropical forests and savannas of the Amazon basin.
Madidi is home to over a thousand species of birds, more than half of all neotropical bird species, 44% of neotropical mammals and 38% of neotropical amphibians. The richness of the flora is equally astounding with a large number of endemics.
In combination with the neighbouring Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, in Peru, it is thought to be the most bio-diverse of all the South American national parks. Probably because of the very low numbers of mahogany found here it has escaped the destruction by loggers which many other rich tropical forests have suffered. The community of a few hundred Quetchua-Tacana Indians living in San José is the only settlement within the park. They have lived here for over 200 years in harmony with the jungle around them surviving from subsistence farming.
After flying to the small lowland town of Rurrenabaque, on the banks of the river Beni, we travel by boat on the Beni and Tuichi into Madidi National Park. The trip takes 3-4 hours, depending on river conditions.
We stay at the Chalalán Lodge, a project designed to benefit the whole community creating an alternative sustainable economic activity while preserving the resources of the park. The very comfortable Chalalán cabins are nestled in mature rainforest gaps adjacent to Chalalán lake (great for swimming) and are connected by short trails and a 30 minute hike from the Tuichi River.We have the opportunity to explore the varied ecosystems of the rainforest, experiencing important features such as streams, dominant fruiting trees, claylicks and wetlands where wildlife forrage and congregate. As well as our search for local wildlife. the expert local guides will introduce us to the subtle and intricate beauty within Madidi's forest, explain the the behavior and ecology of local wildlife and the use of plants in the lives of native people for sustenance, construction, art and medicine.
The trip can be extended with extra days at the lodge or with a day or overnight visit to the community of San José (3 hours upriver from Chalalán), where there are bungalows available.
Madidi National Park was formed in 1995 to protect almost 2 million hectares of pristine land, covering a wide range of habitats from the forested Andean foothills down into the lowland tropical forests and savannas of the Amazon basin.
Madidi is home to over a thousand species of birds, more than half of all neotropical bird species, 44% of neotropical mammals and 38% of neotropical amphibians. The richness of the flora is equally astounding with a large number of endemics.
In combination with the neighbouring Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, in Peru, it is thought to be the most bio-diverse of all the South American national parks. Probably because of the very low numbers of mahogany found here it has escaped the destruction by loggers which many other rich tropical forests have suffered. The community of a few hundred Quetchua-Tacana Indians living in San José is the only settlement within the park. They have lived here for over 200 years in harmony with the jungle around them surviving from subsistence farming.
After flying to the small lowland town of Rurrenabaque, on the banks of the river Beni, we travel by boat on the Beni and Tuichi into Madidi National Park. The trip takes 3-4 hours, depending on river conditions.
We stay at the Chalalán Lodge, a project designed to benefit the whole community creating an alternative sustainable economic activity while preserving the resources of the park. The very comfortable Chalalán cabins are nestled in mature rainforest gaps adjacent to Chalalán lake (great for swimming) and are connected by short trails and a 30 minute hike from the Tuichi River.We have the opportunity to explore the varied ecosystems of the rainforest, experiencing important features such as streams, dominant fruiting trees, claylicks and wetlands where wildlife forrage and congregate. As well as our search for local wildlife. the expert local guides will introduce us to the subtle and intricate beauty within Madidi's forest, explain the the behavior and ecology of local wildlife and the use of plants in the lives of native people for sustenance, construction, art and medicine. The trip can be extended with extra days at the lodge or with a day or overnight visit to the community of San José (3 hours upriver from Chalalán), where there are bungalows available.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Rurrenabaque from La Paz. Full day in Rurre. with option to visit the wildlife rich Pampas, or just chill out in this laid back jungle town. |
| Day 2: | Boat from Rurrenabaque to Chalalán. Afternoon swim and local hikes. |
| Day 3: | Local forest hikes to spot wildlife and learn about the forest. |
| Day 4: | Return by boat to Rurrenabaque. Fly to La Paz. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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The Chalalán Eco-Lodge is a project, designed to benefit the local community of Quetchua-Tacana Indians by creating a sustainable and viable alternative economic activity while preserving the resources of the park, thus preventing destructive logging and hunting. Chalalan is now completely administered by the local community and all of the personnel, from cooks and boatmen to guides and office personnel are fully trained local community members
The lodge is built with the almost exclusive use of materials that could be sustainably harvested in the surrounding forest, solar panels were set up throughout the complex to provide adequate electricity and an ecological sewage disposal system was created. All profits go straight back into the community.  This holiday is part of the responsibletravel.com and Conservation International Community Based Tourism Programme to support and promote community based tourism ventures that offer significant conservation and development benefits to local communities. To see other community based tourism holidays and find out more about the programme click here. |
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