Mashaquipe Eco-Lodge, Madidi National Park

A short flight will take you to the jungle town of Rurrenabaque, the entry point to Mashaquipe Eco-Lodge. From here it is a 2 1/2 hour boat ride through the canals and dense vegetation to the lodge.

Owned and run bv the local community, Mashaquipe Eco-Lodge is surrounded by tropical jungle, with guests woken to the noise of howling monkeys and macaws each morning. The lodge has 5 cabins, built in traditional Amazonian style, with wooden or sand floors, palm trunk walls and thatched roofs.

There is capacity for up to 24 guests at a time and cabins and bathrooms are shared with other travellers. Rooms are also equipped with individual mosquito nets for each bed, lamp tables and luggage racks.

The communal areas include an outdoor rest area, equipped with hammocks to enjoy the shade under huge trees after a morning of long walks in the jungle.

Accommodation is simple, but the surrounding rain forest is a sight to behold and Mashaquipe's guides will bring the area to life. From early morning birdwatching activities to jewellery workshops with the local community, the variety of activities keeps everyone entertained.

Mashaquipe Eco-Lodge, at a glance

• Owned and run by the local indigenous community
• In the lesser-explored Madidi National Park, in the upper Amazon basin
• Simple eco-lodge with shared rooms and bathrooms
• Excellent indigenous guides leading daily activities into the jungle
• A short flight and boat ride from La Paz or Santa Cruz
• Excellent value

For leisure and pleasure

• Boat trips along the Tuichi river
• Early-morning bird watching excursions and visits to the Caquiahuara macaw cliff
• Daily jungle walks in search of wildlife and medicinal plant excursions
• Creepy crawlies, including tarantulas and snakes come alive when exploring the nocturnal trails
• Observe wildlife including monkeys, peccaries and hundreds of birds species