La Paz - Rurrenabaque - Madidi - Jacj Cuisi (6 days, 5 nights)

Day 1:  La Paz

We will begin our tour in the heart of the Andes, in Bolivia’s largest Altiplano city, La Paz. Sitting at 12,000 feet above sea level, La Paz is the highest national capital in the world. Its population is primarily indigenous, which makes it a city rich in culture and history. Here, we will spend the day exploring some of the city's museums, historical sites, world famous hand craft markets, and get a taste for Bolivian cuisine at some of if its top traditional restaurants. We will be introduced to the gentle and humble nature of the Bolivian people, and have a glimpse of their daily life. For those that say that “the night is young”, we will explore a bit of La Paz's night life for some dancing and a few Paceñas.

Day 2: Rurrenabaque / Parque Jacj Cuisi

After an early breakfast, we will take a short flight across the beautiful Yungus mountain range, descending 11,000 feet into the Amazonian town of Rurenabaque.  After checking into our hotel, we will make our short journey across the Beni River to  CIWY's Jacj Cuisi. There we will have lunch, and explore Jacj Cuisi’s beautiful jungle, visiting some of its resident animals. Here we will learn about the animals that are taken in by CIWY, the illegal wildlife trade, and the threat that deforestation brings to these creatures. From “JC”, we will make our way back to Rurrenabaque, stopping along to way to visit our land sites. Here we will have the chance to walk on the land that is being paid for by the profits from our tours.  Once we've arrived back in town, we will feast on some local cuisine, and explore the “hustle and bustle” of tiny downtown “Rurre”.

Day 3-5: Parque Madidi

After a hearty tropical breakfast, we will be collected by our jungle tour operator, and begin our 6 hour boat journey into the heart of Madidi National Park, where we will spend the next 3 days getting lost in the beauty and mystery of the Bolivian Amazon. Our tour will take us to Chalalan Ecolodge, which sits on the edge of the Chalalan Lagoon, the home of the community San Jose de Uchupiamonas. Here we will explore the jungle through day hikes, canoe trips and night walks, where our native guide will teach us about Madidi's wildlife, ecological processes, fauna, wild edibles, medicinal plants and hardwoods.  We will have a chance to learn about the Uchupiamonas' way of life, what they eat, native dances, handicraft, etc. On day three, after breakfast and a morning hike, we will begin our boat trip back to Rurrenabaque. Along the way, we will stop for some lunch, followed by a canopy zip-line tour. When we arrive in Rurrenabaque, we will take the rest of the day to relax, or optionally explore some of the surrounding areas, followed by dinner at Casa de Campo, one of Rurre's finest restaurants.

Day 6: La Paz

After an early morning breakfast, we will head to the airport and make our way back to La Paz. Once in La Paz, we will have the day, (depending on individual flight schedules) to explore some more of the cities artisan markets for gifts to bring home. We will also offer an optional day trip for those who are spending more time in Bolivia. All meals, activities, and transportation will be provided on day 6 by BALTA. Lodging options will also be available for those who will be spending the night in La Paz.