The Madidi National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management is a paradise of lush natural wealth where major ethnic groups inhabit. There is the Beni River which originates in the foothills of the Andes. On its banks there is an incredible variety of woods.

Rurrenabaque is the gateway to Madidi, it is a paradisiacal setting of lush natural wealth where major ethnic groups inhabit. In the San Aventura town there are settled ethnic groups of Tacanas and Chimanes. 20 km from San Buenaventura there is the "Estrecho de Bala", named for the speed acquired by the vessels passing the site.

The Madidi National Park has an exceptional scenic beauty, presence of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, high Andean lagoons, deep valleys and canyons, cliffs, torrential rivers and waterfalls. According to the wide altitudinal range, it presents an extraordinary diversity of eco-regions, emphasizing the zones and per glacial environments, Páramo yungueño desert, cloudy forest of Ceja, humid to per humid forest of Yungas, pluvial sub-Andean forest, the dry deciduous forest of San Juan del Asariamas (Probably the unique one in the world and in an excellent state of preservation). The very humid Pedemontano forest (one of the last well-preserved samples in Bolivia), seasonal basal humid forest, flood savannahs and palmares swamps (Mauritia flexuous and Mauritiella Aculeate) and its rich wildlife.

There are numerous sites of archaeological importance both of Inca origin and of Mollo culture, including several pre-Columbian roads such as Mojos, Puina, Pata. Likewise, several traditional Quechua populations of colonial origin stand out in the highlands (Mojos, Puina, Pata). In the lowlands, the Area is the basis of the development of the Tacana Indigenous Culture and is part of the traditional area of the indigenous groups that are itinerant Esse Ejja in addition to being Moseten communities.

The Madidi protects the region of greater biological wealth of Bolivia, reaches a relevance not only continental but also worldwide. In this sense, it constitutes one of the most extraordinary natural reservoirs of genetic resources of the planet. Due to its dual category National Park and the Natural Area of Integrated Management Madidi presents an enormous potential to develop programs of management and conservation of wildlife of regional applicability.

The altitudinal range of the Area is very wide, ranging between 200 and 6,000 meters above sea level. The area comprises a great diversity of physiographic environments, from the high mountain ranges in the area of Apolobamba to the Amazon plain of the Heath River, including in the gradient a diversity of mountainous regions and the sub-Andean system.
Geomorphology, except for the alluvial valley of the Tuichi and the plains of the Heath, is essentially mountainous with abrupt reliefs and deep canyons.

Which activities can I do at the Madidi Park?

The trip Apolo-Rurrenabaque is one in a life time trek and boat adventure, itbegins in Apolo, is an experience that combines trekking with sailing along Tuichi River and Beni River.

From Rurrenabaque is possible to sail for Beni River and enter Tuichi River to camp and take some walks through the jungle. Moreover, it is possible to visit Tacana communities of San José de Uchupiamonas or San Miguel del Bala, take a trekking route that reaches Tuichi River, and then sails the same river to Rurrenabaque.

Regardless of the travel that realizes, the landscape is always diverse and extraordinary and there are many possibilities of wildlife observation. Stream of Beni River that is born in the area of Apolobamba. It crosses an alluvial valley that runs among the moist mountainous forest of Yungas. It is possible to take river tours in boats, walk through the forest and you go camping in its margins.

Management Category: National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area.

Extent: Area of 1,895,750 ha (18,957 km2).

Location: Located in the northwestern region of the Department of La Paz, in the provinces of Franz Tamayo, Abel Iturralde and Larecaja. The municipalities involved are Apolo, San Buenaventura, Ixiamas, Pelechuco and Guanay. Bordered on the west by the Republic of Peru.

Biogeographic subregions, altitudinal range and weather: The Madidi corresponds to Puna subregions, Yungas Montane Wet Forest and Rainforest of Madeira. The weather varies from cold in the Andes, to warm in the northern lowlands. The altitudinal range between 200 (low area near Rurrenabaque) and 6,000 masl; physiographic environments: high mountain ranges in the Amazon basin Apolobamba to Heath River, a diversity gradient in mountainous regions and Subandino system.

Vegetation and flora: Due to the wide range of altitudes, Madidi Park presents an extraordinary diversity of ecoregions: areas nival and periglacial environments, Páramo Yungueño, Bosque Nublado de Ceja, Bosque Húmedo a Perhúmedo de Yungas, Bosque Pluvial Subandino, Bosque Seco Deciduo de San Juan del Asariamas (probably unique in the world and in excellent condition), Bosque muy Húmedo Pedemontano (one of the last well-preserved samples in Bolivia), basal Seasonal Rainforest, Sheets Palmares Flood and royal palm swamp. Estimated 5,000 to 6,000 species of higher plants in the Madidi Park, including: a new species to science the huaycha (Weinmannia microphylla), the yuraj huaycha (Miconia theaezans), the mountain pine (Podocarpus spp.), The bibosi (Ficus spp.), among others. It presents a wide variety of palms: Ceroxylon pityrophyllum (and very rare), the jatatas (Geonoma megalospatha, G. and G. lindeniana deversa), acai (Euterpe precatoria) and royal palm (Mauritia flexuosa).

Fauna: There are 733 species of fauna recorded, which are mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Among mammals highlights the jucumari or spectacled bear, Andean cat or squirrel, or deer Brocket Andean puma, jaguar, tigrecillo, drover, londra, spider, manechi. Among birds crested eagle, tunqui, harpy, hummingbird endemic. Until now it has been identified 620 species of birds and it is estimated that there up to 1,100 species, extraordinary figure to represent 90% of the avifauna of Bolivia. The monkey "lucachi" a new species to science, hidden in the rain forests of Madidi National Park, is a golden-haired monkey, unknown to science until 2004, when it was discovered they held an auction to raise funds for conservation and finally naming him Callicebus = Golden Palace.

Local population: There are three communities in an area of ​​very difficult access (the highlands at more than 3,000 masl), a total of about 180 families of Quechua origin. In the intermediate mountainous region (from 3,000 to 600 masl) there are around 25 small communities; at the North of Apolo and Northwest of Asariamas, towards the border with Peru, there are 370 families. In the lowlands population is very scarce, located in few small communities and in some scattered settlements, the communities are located towards the Beni River (El Carmen, San Miguel, Quendeque and Bala) and towards the North of the lowlands on the Tuichi River San José de Chupiamonas is located, a total of about 120 families. The population of the lowlands is essentially: Tacana, Esse Eja and Mosetén. The urban centers near Madidi Park are: Apolo (1,628 inhabitants), San Buenaventura (1,670 inhabitants) and Rurrenabaque (4,959 inhabitants) to the East, and Ixiamas to the North (1,256 inhabitants).

How to get to the Madidi Park?

The entry points are Apolo to the South and Rurrenabaque to the East. Both locations are accessible by land via buses that leave daily from La Paz (Villa Fátima) or from Trinidad and Rurrenabaque. The local airline Ecojet offers flights to to Rurrenabaque.