Sample Itinerary
Each Amazon tour with Berraco del Madidi is customized to your interests. We have a wide variety of adventure activities to choose from; each led by an experienced and qualified guide.
Please tell us which adventure activities interest you and we will work together to plan a customized itinerary for your tour. You can choose from hiking, fishing, survival skills, rafting, birdwatching, community visit and photography depending on your group size and trip duration. Descriptions of each activity can be found under the Plan Your Trip section.
Please tell us which adventure activities interest you and we will work together to plan a customized itinerary for your tour. You can choose from hiking, fishing, survival skills, rafting, birdwatching, community visit and photography depending on your group size and trip duration. Descriptions of each activity can be found under the Plan Your Trip section.
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5 days/4 nights
Purified water from the jungle vines
Day 1
We depart at 7:30am from the Berraco del Madidi office in Rurrenabaque. Traveling by motor boat on the Beni River, we enter the Bolivian Amazon's Madidi National Park, one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Along the river, caiman bake themselves in the tropical sun and macaws soar through the treetops. After 4 hours of scenic travel, we stop for picnic lunch on the river bank. Continuing on our journey, we arrive at the EcoCamp Berraco del Madidi in the afternoon.
Once at the camp, each guest is assigned their private Tacana hut surrounded by rainforest. Each hut is complete with tent, bed, hammock, table, and chairs. Our rustic camp is ideal for total immersion in the Amazon and as we have not cleared the surrounding trees, there is a greater chance of spotting wildlife at night – including tapirs and peccaries – right from your hammock!
After a snack in the dining room, we take a short hike on the Mapajo Trail to learn about different species of plants and animals found in the primary rainforest. Primary forest refers to untouched, pristine forest that exists in its original condition. This forest has been relatively unaffected by human activities and contains the oldest trees. These giants, like the Mapajo and Ceiba, create a full canopy, allowing very little light to penetrate to the ground floor. Primary forest is the most biologically diverse type of forest.
Following dinner, our guide leads a night hike along the Palmero Trail. There is no better place to immerse yourself in the sounds of the rainforest and discover nocturnal insects and animals like spiders, frogs, and Kinkajou screaming monkeys.
Day 2
After breakfast, we set out on the Playon Trail to learn about medicinal plants and wide variety of exotic birds inhabiting the area. Along the trail, you may also encounter howler monkeys, poisonous spiders, snakes, and other rainforest species. Once we reach the nature viewing platform, we wait for the hordes of wild jungle pigs that frequent the nutrient-rich mud pit below. Perched right above the action, the platform provides great photo opportunities for our guests.
After lunch and siesta, the guide leads a traditional fishing trip down to the Tuichi River. Using local fishing tools and techniques, guests are invited to practice the helicopter-like casting technique to reel in the mega fish that inhabit these waters. Giant piranha (Pacu) and catfish are among the most numerous. Our fishing excursions are catch and release only to ensure the sustainability of our enterprise.
Our cook prepares a traditional dinner of fish steamed in bamboo. After sundown, the local guides share popular rainforest legends, passed down through their families over hundreds of years.
Day 3
After breakfast at the Berraco EcoCamp, we embark north on the Tuichi River towards the indigenous community of San Jose de Uchupiamonas. After the picturesque 3.5 hour boat ride, we set off on a 25 minute hike to the village. There, our guests will have the opportunity to take a tour and learn about the community’s three-hundred year history. On the tour, you will visit the large community church, the school, the town hall and medical center. Locally made crafts are on display and available for purchase. At lunchtime, our guests enjoy a traditional meal in the home of a local family.
After lunch, our guides give a brief tutorial about the rafting equipment, safety and technique. We head back to the river and begin the rafting adventure! The 4-5 rapids on the Tuichi River range from Class I-III, depending on the season. We are happy to offer a very safe and family-friendly whitewater experience, with plenty of gentle flats between the rapids to take in the breathtaking Amazon rainforest scenery along the river. There are opportunities to view animals along the banks or take a break to swim on a hot day. The rafting experiences last about 3 hours and ends near the EcoCamp. Please note that there may be an extra $50 fee per person for this activity, depending on group size and trip duration. Please see Rates for more details.
Day 4
After breakfast at the EcoCamp, we prepare our packs for a 5-6 hour hike, carrying plenty of water and a light lunch. We head out on Expedition Trail, on which the guide explains and demonstrates critical rainforest survival techniques.
The indigenous guide teaches guests how to identify poisonous or otherwise dangerous insects, plants and animals in the rainforest. Equally important are the life-saving medicinal plants of the jungle. The guide explains which plants can be used as antiseptic or anesthetic for injuries incurred in the rainforest.
Finding food and clean water are the most important survival-skills learned on the trail. Water collection using vines and the construction of traps for catching birds and fish are techniques our guides will share from their personal experience. Every native guide knows numerous animal calls, used to locate and attract wild pigs, birds, monkeys, and many other animals. This is your opportunity to master the caiman grunt or howler whoop along side the experts.
Following a light lunch by the river, the guide will explain the traditional methods of rainforest navigation using the sun and tree formations before heading back to the EcoCamp.
Day 5
Breakfast is followed by a short morning walk through the Taitetu Trail. This trail is best for observing birds and collecting seeds for making local crafts. After lunch, we depart for the 4 hour boat ride back to Rurrenabaque. Depending on our passengers’ flight reservations, departure time is flexible.
We depart at 7:30am from the Berraco del Madidi office in Rurrenabaque. Traveling by motor boat on the Beni River, we enter the Bolivian Amazon's Madidi National Park, one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Along the river, caiman bake themselves in the tropical sun and macaws soar through the treetops. After 4 hours of scenic travel, we stop for picnic lunch on the river bank. Continuing on our journey, we arrive at the EcoCamp Berraco del Madidi in the afternoon.
Once at the camp, each guest is assigned their private Tacana hut surrounded by rainforest. Each hut is complete with tent, bed, hammock, table, and chairs. Our rustic camp is ideal for total immersion in the Amazon and as we have not cleared the surrounding trees, there is a greater chance of spotting wildlife at night – including tapirs and peccaries – right from your hammock!
After a snack in the dining room, we take a short hike on the Mapajo Trail to learn about different species of plants and animals found in the primary rainforest. Primary forest refers to untouched, pristine forest that exists in its original condition. This forest has been relatively unaffected by human activities and contains the oldest trees. These giants, like the Mapajo and Ceiba, create a full canopy, allowing very little light to penetrate to the ground floor. Primary forest is the most biologically diverse type of forest.
Following dinner, our guide leads a night hike along the Palmero Trail. There is no better place to immerse yourself in the sounds of the rainforest and discover nocturnal insects and animals like spiders, frogs, and Kinkajou screaming monkeys.
Day 2
After breakfast, we set out on the Playon Trail to learn about medicinal plants and wide variety of exotic birds inhabiting the area. Along the trail, you may also encounter howler monkeys, poisonous spiders, snakes, and other rainforest species. Once we reach the nature viewing platform, we wait for the hordes of wild jungle pigs that frequent the nutrient-rich mud pit below. Perched right above the action, the platform provides great photo opportunities for our guests.
After lunch and siesta, the guide leads a traditional fishing trip down to the Tuichi River. Using local fishing tools and techniques, guests are invited to practice the helicopter-like casting technique to reel in the mega fish that inhabit these waters. Giant piranha (Pacu) and catfish are among the most numerous. Our fishing excursions are catch and release only to ensure the sustainability of our enterprise.
Our cook prepares a traditional dinner of fish steamed in bamboo. After sundown, the local guides share popular rainforest legends, passed down through their families over hundreds of years.
Day 3
After breakfast at the Berraco EcoCamp, we embark north on the Tuichi River towards the indigenous community of San Jose de Uchupiamonas. After the picturesque 3.5 hour boat ride, we set off on a 25 minute hike to the village. There, our guests will have the opportunity to take a tour and learn about the community’s three-hundred year history. On the tour, you will visit the large community church, the school, the town hall and medical center. Locally made crafts are on display and available for purchase. At lunchtime, our guests enjoy a traditional meal in the home of a local family.
After lunch, our guides give a brief tutorial about the rafting equipment, safety and technique. We head back to the river and begin the rafting adventure! The 4-5 rapids on the Tuichi River range from Class I-III, depending on the season. We are happy to offer a very safe and family-friendly whitewater experience, with plenty of gentle flats between the rapids to take in the breathtaking Amazon rainforest scenery along the river. There are opportunities to view animals along the banks or take a break to swim on a hot day. The rafting experiences last about 3 hours and ends near the EcoCamp. Please note that there may be an extra $50 fee per person for this activity, depending on group size and trip duration. Please see Rates for more details.
Day 4
After breakfast at the EcoCamp, we prepare our packs for a 5-6 hour hike, carrying plenty of water and a light lunch. We head out on Expedition Trail, on which the guide explains and demonstrates critical rainforest survival techniques.
The indigenous guide teaches guests how to identify poisonous or otherwise dangerous insects, plants and animals in the rainforest. Equally important are the life-saving medicinal plants of the jungle. The guide explains which plants can be used as antiseptic or anesthetic for injuries incurred in the rainforest.
Finding food and clean water are the most important survival-skills learned on the trail. Water collection using vines and the construction of traps for catching birds and fish are techniques our guides will share from their personal experience. Every native guide knows numerous animal calls, used to locate and attract wild pigs, birds, monkeys, and many other animals. This is your opportunity to master the caiman grunt or howler whoop along side the experts.
Following a light lunch by the river, the guide will explain the traditional methods of rainforest navigation using the sun and tree formations before heading back to the EcoCamp.
Day 5
Breakfast is followed by a short morning walk through the Taitetu Trail. This trail is best for observing birds and collecting seeds for making local crafts. After lunch, we depart for the 4 hour boat ride back to Rurrenabaque. Depending on our passengers’ flight reservations, departure time is flexible.
