Places of Interest - Bolivia

The small town "Rurrenabaque" is surrounded by deep jungles, mountains and the river Beni. It is a backpacker's mecca full of Western cafes, restaurants, hotels, internet cafes and travel agencies and everything else that the modern traveler needs nowadays. Of course you can stay here in your hammock and enjoy the hustle and bustle around you but most people come here to book a few days trip into the amazing National Park "Madidi" where the town is the main hub for. 

Rurrenabaque - La Paz: it is about 20 hours of bussing (very dangerous road) between “Rurre” en La Paz but it can also increase to 25 hours. If they do not have enough people (clients) in Rurrenabaque, the bus simply does not leave.

In the main street "Avaroa" in Rurranabaque are many Western eateries - one of them is "Monkey's bar" - they have good chicken curry dishes and stews. You can also enjoy a beer in the city on one of the many terraces or enjoy a cold milkshake.

• Name: "Centro de Recreation de Ejercito"

Address: Plaza 2 de Febrero

Price: 80 Globe (double room)

Phone nr. : 892 2375

Content:

This hostel is centrally located on a large, almost empty square in Rurrenabaque. When you come in you seem to have to report yourself present in a kinda jungle soldiers officers mess. There is also a Chinese restaurant situated in the hotel and it is spacious – it’s along the river. Large wooden furniture, lots of stuffed animals and fans that rattle above your head. The rooms are very large and the outside air is only separated by a large green mosquito net so it’s kinda noisy. In addition, it is clean and looks good.

TOUR to "Madidi" National Park:

• We’ve booked the tour with "Dolphin" travel company which is situated in the main street in “Rurrenabaque”;
• We paid 700 Bol p.p. for 2 days and 1 night in the jungle (excluding entrance fee park).

Including:

• Boat trips;
• Food and drinks (lunch, dinner, breakfast and lunch);
• There are a total of 4 tourists, a guide and a cook;
• Exclusive: 125 entrance fee.

DAY 1:

• 09:00 departure at the office;
• 1 hour check-in national park across the river, complete payment and forms;
• 3 hours sailing (large canoe with folding chairs);
• Lunch and check-in, in jungle hut;
• From 15:00 to 18:00 walking in jungle;
• After dinner 45 minutes evening walk in darkness.

DAY 2:

• Short boat trip and short jungle walk to sand-colored wall (macaw parrots);
• View and listen to parrots (Macaws) at the top of the mountain;
• Lunch and return to "Rurrenabaque" at 1400.

Overview:

The whole tour was kinda chaotic - we had made our wishes known before we went on the tour and until the last moment it was not clear how many people would go, who and how the days would be filled up. I found the tampering with those papers and the late departure not contributing to a thorough preparation. Arriving it turned out that there was still a large group full of young people at our jungle hut (and we could not eat and sit at the same time in the lunch-place as we did not have enough seats) which we tried to avoid. The food was fantastic (cooked by our cook Tina). Nilo our young guide was a nice boy but gave the young ladies too much attention and forgot to inform the rest of the group (us) about the animals that live in the park, the history and all other background information. The sleeping place was otherwise fine and the daily schedule also. As far as I am concerned they can better tell the "truth", ask for a little more money and people who fit together will instead make as much money as possible as quickly as possible.