Rurrenabaque

Rurrenabaque sits on the Beni river at the point where the last Andean foothills give way to the Amazon lowlands, a small town of a few thousand people that exists for travellers heading in two directions: upriver into Madidi national park, one of the most biodiverse protected areas on earth, and out onto the pampas of the Yacuma for wildlife on the open wetlands. Both are done as three-day trips with operators based in town, several of them community-owned, and the difference between the two is real: forest means dense green and hard-won sightings, pampas means open water and animals everywhere. The town itself has a riverfront, a hill viewpoint and a strip of tour agencies and cafés, and the flight in over the Andes is memorable in itself.

What you actually see

• The Beni river - boats and the crossing to San Buenaventura opposite.
• Tour agencies - the town's business, offering jungle and pampas trips.
• The forest edge - the last hills of the Andes meeting the lowlands.
• The flight in - the crossing of the cordillera from La Paz.

When to go

May to October is the dry season, with easier river travel and fewer mosquitoes; the wet months bring high water, heavy rain and more insects but also lush forest. Flights are weather-dependent year round.

Honest expectations

Flights are small aircraft and cancel frequently for weather, sometimes for days; the road alternative takes around twenty hours. Operator standards vary widely, particularly on animal handling in the pampas, where some guides still let tourists hold anacondas. Choosing a community-run operator matters.

Nearby

Madidi national park lies upriver; the Pampas del Yacuma are east.