THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 417

COMMUNITY TOUR OPERATORS
Thealternative toastandardagencytouristostayatoneofthecommunity-based projectses-
tablished in the mould of the internationally renowned Chalalán lodge, the first such venture
in the area. While you'll pay considerably more for a tour with most of the community pro-
jects (typically in the region of Bs1750-2100/$250-400 for an all-inclusive three-day/two-
night trip), your money will help ensure that sustainable tourism continues to triumph over
logging and hunting as a way of preserving community life.
Albergue Ecologico Chalalán Comercio 03 8922419, chalalan.com . A beautiful,
multi-award-winning ecolodge in the heart of the park beside the Río Tuichi, four to five
hours by boat from Rurrenabaque. The lodge overlooks a large lake, teeming with cayman
and all manner of water birds, and the surrounding forest is covered by a 25km network of
trails. Accommodation is in luxury thatched wooden cabins built in a traditional Tacana style,
with mosquito netting, comfortable beds and solar-powered lighting and shared, or private,
bathrooms. Pampas tours also available.
Eslabón Comercio 03 8922359, turismoeslabon.com . A new community operation,
staffed by ex-Chalalán guides and covering the newly created Reserva Municipal de los San-
tos Reyes, on the frontier between the jungle and the pampas. Again accommodation is more
basic, with shared rooms in a rustic albergue .
Madidi Jungle Ecolodge Avaroa 7128 2697, madidijungle.com . Another new project
started by four families from San José de Uchupiamonas, the same community that founded
Chalalán. With more basic, shared accommodation and capacity for fourteen people maxim-
um, this is a relatively cheaper, more intimate alternative.
Madidi Travel Comercio 03 8922153, madidi-travel.com . This might not be a
community-run project per se yet one hundred percent of the profits are ploughed back into
the communities it works with. Accommodation at their private reserve, Serere, is in spartan
yet stylish, two-storey cabañas , located by one of the area's four lakes, with a top deck
for hammock lounging and serving food prepared from almost wholly organic ingredients
sourced from local communities. A healthy population of big cats such as pumas, jaguars and
ocelots attests to the health of the area's ecosystem, and with daily walks led by some of the
best guides in Bolivia, as well as various viewing platforms, there's ample opportunity to ex-
perience it all. Volunteers are always welcome.
Mapajo Ecoturismo Indígena Avaroa 03 8922317, [e-mail] . The Al-
bergue Ecologico Mapajo , on the Río Quiquibey within the Reserva de Biosfera y Territorio
Indígena Pilon Lajas, is three hours by motorized canoe from Rurrenabaque. A two- to four-
day visit to the lodge offers excellent opportunities for exploring the rainforest and spotting
wildlife, as well as the chance to visit the local indigenous communities. Benefitting from
a beautiful setting on a high bluff overlooking the river, the lodge features six comfortable