- Overview
- Itinerary
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
- Gallery
- Booking
- FAQ
The variety of eco-systems and flora and fauna you will see on this trip are incomparable and you will have countless opportunities to photograph birds and mammals on this trip as well as reptiles and insects. Please keep in mind that shooting in the jungle requires fast lenses, higher ISO’s and tripods to assure keeper photos.
The location of the Chalalan Lodge and adjacent wetlands and small rivers have an abundant variety of birds (macaws, hawks, toucans, ibis, herons, etc.), mammals (monkeys, ant eater, jaguar, fox, etc. ) and reptiles (lizards, turtles, snakes, caiman, etc.) and countless insects of all shapes and sizes.
Chalalan Lodge is the perfect basecamp for those venturing into the Amazon.
We will begin our journey in La Paz and fly the next day to the frontier town of Rurrenabaque to spend one night in preparation for our early morning departure to Chalalan Lodge which is up the Tuichi River. The March 2000 issue of National Geographic featured Madidi National Park and was shot by Joel Sartore and is a great example of what this park is all about.
Departure begins from Rurrenabaque via a motorized boat on the Beni and Tuichi Rivers for approximately five hours. The lodge is owned and administered by the natives of the village of San Jose de Uchupiamonas (located 8-10 hours via motorized boat up the Tuichi River from Rurrenabaque) but the lodge is at the five-hour mark from Rurrenabaque. Generations of the Quechua-Tacana people living in this region make them the obvious choice as naturalist guides that will take us along trails to find birds, mammals and reptiles to photograph and to share their knowledge of their home with you.
Day hikes twice a day and nocturnal wildlife hikes will give us plenty of opportunities to see a great variety of wildlife. The animals are protected (no hunting) so they are not super-wary of people and they are predictable and seen in many places we will visit.
If you like insects, bring your macro lens as there is an endless variety of insects that can keep you busy.
Chalalan is the perfect getaway for those that are in love with the neo-tropics and also for those just venturing into world of the Amazon for the first time offering great accommodations, food and excellent bi-lingual guides that will lead us to the animals.
We can run this trip at any time of the year, so please let us know your date preferences and we will create a custom departure date for you and your group.
Current tour departure dates:
- April 12-18, 2021
- May 3-9, 2020
- June 7-13, 2020
- July 5-11, 2020
- August 2-8, 2020
- September 6-12, 2020
- October 4-10, 2020
Flights to La Paz, Bolivia
Typically, flights to Bolivia depart late in the evening from Miami and arrive in La Paz the next morning. Depending on your airline, you would arrive at different times on day 1 in La Paz. Please let us know your flight info so we can coordinate pick-ups and other services.
International airfare is NOT included in this itinerary.
For airline tickets, please contact our ticketing agent GEO Travel 1-800-938-7285.
Itineraries
Day 1
Arrive in La Paz, Bolivia – City Tour

Day 2
La Paz – Rurrenabaque – Chalalan Lodge

Day 3
Chalalan – Lagoon Overlook – Chalalan

Day 4
Chalalan – Eslabon River – Chalalan

Day 5
Chalalan – Rayamayo – Chalalan

Day 6
Chalalan – Tuichi River – Chalalan

Day 7
Chalalan – Rurrenabaque – La Paz

Day 8
La Paz – Home
For those departing to the US most flights leave early in the morning. We will provide a complimentary shuttle to the airport so please coordinate with us to schedule your transfer time.END OF OUR SERVICES
RETURN
As per the itinerary:
- hotels (as per the itinerary),
- most meals (B,L,D)
- bi-lingual guides
- private transport
- airport transfers,
- decades of experience and local knowledge
*International airfare is NOT included in price
In order to make a reservation for a photo tour you can either fill in the form found in "BOOKING" and send it in directly from this website, you can e-mail us directly with any questions or call us.
The procedure from beginning to end is roughly the following:
1. Initial contact from you to us via several methods; online form (below), e-mail, postal mail or by phone
2. We respond to your query and send you whatever information you may have asked for
3. You fill out the Trip Application Form and send in a deposit (non-refundable) for a specific tour
4. We acknowledge receipt of Trip Application Form and your deposit and send you a Receipt/Invoice for the balance due
5. We send the general Pre-Departure information packet so you can begin to make preparations (gear, visas, clothing, vaccinations, etc.)
6. You send in final payment (60 days before departure date) and required paperwork (Medical Form, Liability Release, copy of passport, Travel Arrangement Form)
7. We send you the Receipt/Invoice for all payments and any balance due (if any) and final itinerary
8. We communicate with you about any last minute requests or questions you may have
9. We meet you at the starting point of the photo tour
10. We all have a great tour and you make awesome images to cherish forever
YES!
Anyone can book a single spot on any tour group at any time. These prices reflect the cost for one person, based on the total number of fully-paid people booked on a trip. If you have more people in your group and/or if the total number of people rises, the cost per person goes down. These prices are NOT based on a person or complete group bringing in a set amount of people on a tour
Final group size / price tier will be known 60 days before departure
Yes. You can check the current price tier for any group at any time. Every time we have a new booking we will update the price tier. The same goes if somebody cancels the trip.