Description

We are a small indigenous community-owned ecolodge offering a wide variety of eco–tourism packages that allow you to discover our environment and the Tacana culture while comfortably lodged in private cabins within close proximity of Rurrenabaque. Enjoy our two lodges, one set alongside the Beni river next to the community of San Miguel that allows our guests to explore the Tacana culture, and the other set deep within Madidi National Park where visitors can experience the amazing biodiversity of the Bolivian Amazon.

We are Tacana Indians who have historically lived along the shores of the Beni and Tuichi rivers and within the boundaries of the famous Madidi National Park for hundreds of years. We have several different programs from a one day package to a 5 day/4 night adventure.

All of our employees, from the cooks to the guides, are native to the Tacana community of San Miguel. Your tour with us will directly benefit the community as all of the profits go towards improving health, education, and basic services in the village. You will have a chance to share in the culture and nature of this amazing place, but also see the good your money is doing within the community.

At San Miguel del Bala we want to make your stay as comfortable as possible, while enjoying all the wonders of the Bolivian Amazon. It is for that reason that we have built two lodges: San Miguel del Bala Lodge and Caquiahuara Lodge. These two ecolodges give our guests the opportunity to stay alongside the Tacana community for a cultural experience as well as offering an amazing adventure inside Madidi National Park (Caquiahuara is only offered on itineraries that stay for 3 days or more). Regardless of the tour you decide to take, San Miguel del Bala is proud to offer our clients the following services:

San Miguel del Bala Lodge

Our first lodge, San Miguel del Bala, offers 7 Private cabins (one with a double bed, 6 with two twins), private bathrooms, a hammock hut and cultural center, a dormitory cabin for larger groups, and a wonderful restaurant where you eat all your meals by the river.

Caquihuara Lodge

In our second lodge, Caquihuara (only available on 3 to 5 day itineraries), there are three private rooms, a shared bathroom, and a nice kitchen and dining area for your meals.

Characteristics

- Solar powered lighting in both lodges
- All meals prepared from locally grown produce and cooked with love by our specially trained chefs from the community of San Miguel
- Free coffee and tea at all times
- A native guide from the community will accompany you on all your activities.
- Comfortable motorized river canoes with roofs and cushioned seats.
- Amazing cutltural exchange with the Tacana Community
- Natural pool and waterfall for hot days when you need a swim
- 12 trails that allow our clients to really explore the biodiversity and culture of the Bolivian Amazon
- Macaw observation deck

Sights

The Madidi National Park, is located in the northeast of the country in the department of La Paz, and comprises an incomparably beautiful and diverse natural area bordered by the towering Andes in the south-west, cloud forests and impenetrable Amazon lowland jungle further to the north. The Madidi National Park extends over an area of ​​18,900 km2, with heights between 5,600 meters and 180 meters. The park is home of an enormous number of only partly documented animal and plant species that live here in harmony with indigenous tribes and communities. Madidi National Park is the world's most biodiverse sanctuary according to the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), with an overwhelming 1250 species of birds, 270 mammals, 213 amphibians, 204 reptiles, and 496 species of fish, and it is believed that dozens of species in the park are not yet discovered and are still unknown to science. The Madidi is home to various ethnic groups such as the Chimanes, Tacanas and Mosetenes, indigenous communities that have largely preserved their way of life, their culture and traditions. Some of these indigenous communities have started socially and ecologically compatible tourism projects to ensure the sustainable management of the natural resources of the park, and to share their knowledge of fauna and flora as well as ancient techniques of the survival in the jungle to it´s visitors. The Madidi is a fantastic place for nature and outdoor lovers, as well as adventurer and scientists.

For information about tours to the Madidi National Park and the San Miguel del Bala Eco Lodge, please visit our tours section.