Amazon Adventures

Bolivia

Best of Bolivia / La Paz / Lake Titicaca / Sucre-Potosi / Santa Cruz-Missions
Uyuni Salt Lake / Bolivian Pantanal / Madidi National Park / Amazon cruise

Reina de Enín River Boat

Imagine waking up to the sound of parrots and monkeys. Look out of the window and see early morning dolphins. Hundreds of animals and plants await you in the forest. Higher up the river a horse is ready...
There is more to experience... Imagine a cultural experience too: Native peoples. Their traditions and ways of life. Their compromise with nature. The magic of millenary civilizations. Higher up the river, a local community... There is a lot to share... Imagine you are in a hammock on the terrace, cold drink in hand. A flock of royal storks crosses the blue sky. The air is hot. Higher up the river, the beach... This is real life !...

Our infrastructure, together with our organizational capacity and experience (over 20 years of operations in this area), enable us to offer individualized trips in which the visitor can choose from a variety of activities centered around nature, culture, and relaxation. Nature activities are part of our environmental conservation program. They allow you to discover the rich diversity of flora and fauna in an area which covers three bio-geographic regions.

Cultural activities are focused on experiencing the way of life of the local indigenous communities of the Mojeña and Yurakaré peoples. They are part of the cultural and socio-economic development program that we are carrying out in the region.

Leisure activities are also an important part of the trip - a cruise aboard the Reina de Enin is above all a vacation.

All of these activities unfold around walks through the jungle - from half an hour to full-day hikes, horseback riding, motorboat excursions, visits to indigenous Mojeña and Yurakaré communities, canoe expeditions with native guides, visits to the Mocoví Wildlife Reserve, and leisure activities such as swimming, kayaking, fishing, or just relaxing under the sun.

There are daily flights to Trinidad from La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz.

May to October program - 5 days

1st day - Reception at Trinidad city airport. Immediate transfer to the Flotel Reina de Enín (10 miles away from the city). Beginning of the navigation by the Mamoré river, during the trip, sightseeing of the flora and fauna of the riversides. Arrive to the yuracaré community of San Renato, cultural exchange and horseback ride to el Carmen cattle ranch, trough the gallery forest and the savanna. By the end of the afternoon, the guide will invite everyone to swim in the refreshing waters of the Mamoré river. L+D

2nd day - Half-day excursion to a lagoon system called Victoria, this will be a perfect opportunity to swim close to the pink river dolphins. Once we reach the lagoon, a wood-made boat provided with a silent engine will introduce us into small streams surrounded by forest. After the lunch, a two hours trekking by the footpath to Soledad. We will have lots of opportunities to see monkeys, sloths and opossums... and we also will see giant trees species like: mapajo, bibosi and ochoó. B+L+D

3rd day - Navigation to la Morenita where we will enjoy the experience of canoe paddling the same way the people of the area do using a canoe made of ochoó wood and fishing the voracious pirhana. Lunch and afterwards we are going to the white colored sand beaches for swimming in the company of the friendly river dolphins. In the night after the dinner using a small aluminum motor boat we will go in a "photo safari" looking for the legendary conservation symbol: the black caiman. B+L+D

4th day - Visit to the mojeño community of Villa del Carmen, visit to the chacos, where we will have the opportunity to take a look at the small scale crops of: manioc, banana, cacao and sugar cane. Trekking by the forest for about half an hour where we would see different palm tree species used to make handicrafts by the local people. Return to the Flotel. In the night after the dinner, the guide will give a presentation about the archeological sites founded in the area. B+L+D

5th day - Last opportunity to catch the "big" ones: pacú, surubí, and general among others are 20 pounds fishes in average or just take a walk in the lonely sand beaches. Two hours navigation heading the port of la Loma Suarez upstream one affluent of the Mamoré: the Ibare river. This a perfect opportunity to enjoy the gallery forest from a high point of view at the top of the Flotel looking for caimans, monkeys and capybaras. Once we reach the port, our van will be waiting to take us to the airport. Transfer to International flight. B

Note:
This Program is indicative (subject to changes according to our operational conditions and specific interests of the passengers). This route can be done backwards.

May to October Program - 7 days

1st day - Meet and assist at Trinidad airport. Transfer to Port de los Puentes (16 Km to the west) where we will embark on the Flotel Reina de Enin, and start navigating along the Mamoré River - the largest river within Bolivian territory. Our first lay will bring us many opportunities for great wildlife viewing. Arrival at the Yuracare community of San Renato meet with the villagers for cultural exchange. In the late afternoon our guide will invite us for a refreshing bath in the Mamoré river. L+D

2nd day - Carry on with the navigation until we reach Estancia El Carmen cattle ranch. From there we will take a horseback riding excursion through the forest and along the savanna. On our way back we will visit the facilities of the ranch and take a look at how cows and horses are handled. In the afternoon we will explore the group of lagoons at Victoria. This is a perfect opportunity to have a close view of the Rosa Dolphins or bufeos. Once we reach the lagoons a low-noise outboard motorboat will take us into small tributaries surrounded by periodically inundated gallery forests. B+L+D

3rd day - This morning we will carry on with our navigation until we reach the beginning of the trail to Soledad on the riverbank, for a 3-hour walk including visits to giant trees such as Ceiba trees, Hura trees, and strangler figs such as the Bibosi trees. On our way we will pass along a cocoa plantation and will also cross a lagoon with Victoria Regia waterlilies. Back to the Flotel we will navigate towards the "Boca" where the Ibare and Mamoré rivers meet. Later at night, after dinner, we will embark on a small aluminium motorboat for a photo safari, looking for the legendary black cayman. B+L+D

4th day - Today we will visit the Mojeño community of Villa del Carmen, located on the shores of the Mamoré river. There we will meet with the local settlers in an attempt to know about their customs, crafts, and about the community development program that Fremen is currently helping to implement. A rainforest walk will then take us to the many palmtree species from which the locals take the raw material for their handicraft. Groups of monkeys can be viewed In the fruit-growing season. In the afternoon we will look for animals on the riverbanks and footprints on the beach. B+L+D

5th day - We will leave this area and head towards La Morenita, where we will enjoy paddling on our dugout canoes as locals do. This is the way we will enter two lagoons to look for the voracious piranhas (which will later serve as a delicious dinner). This afternoon we will stop at a beautiful, white sandy beach for a sunbath and a swim with the river dolphins or bufeos. At night we will be introduced to the archaeological findings related to the amazing hydraulic culture of the Moxos people. B+L+D

6th day - Early this morning we will take a motorboat along the Ibare river to visit to Chuchini area - a sanctuary for local birds as well a private protected area - where we will witness the wakening of hundreds of macaws and parrots. Afterwards we will visit the small, local archaeological museum. In the afternoon we will go fishing with the "experts" - the crew of the Reina will take us to some of their favorite places and we will probably catch fresh fish for tonight's dinner. B+L+D

7th day - Today we will look for some lonely beach along the river for a refreshing bath and say farewell to the "bufeos" dolphins. Alternatively those who prefer may go for big fishing such as general, pacú y surubí catfish. Then back on our smaller boats along the black waters of the Ibare river towards the port of Loma Suarez. There are many wildlife viewing opportunities on our way, including caymans, river dolphins, capybaras, monkeys, turtles, and lots of bird species of course. From Loma Suarez we will be transfered to the airport for our continueing flight. B

Note: The above program of activities is referential and subject to change according to operations requirements, weather conditions, the specific interests of the travelers and others. Also the itinerary can be done in reverse.

November to April program - 5 days

1st day - Reception at airport of Trinidad city and immediate transfer to the Flotel Reina de Enín (10 miles away from the city). Beginning of the navigation by the Mamoré river, during the trip, sightseeing of the flora and fauna of the riversides. By the end of the afternoon, the guide will invite everyone to swim in the refreshing waters of the Mamoré river. L+D

2nd day - Today we will arrive to la estancia el Carmen, a typical cattle ranch where we are going to horseback ride through the gallery forest and the savannah for about one hour and a half. In the afternoon, visit to the yuracaré community of San Renato for a cultural exchange. Later we will try to reach Green lagoon to spend the nigth. B+L+D

3rd day - Navigation to la Morenita, where we will enjoy the experience of canoe paddling the same way the people of the area do using a canoe and paddles made of ochoó wood. Once we are there we will try to catch some piranhas for the dinner. In the afternoon, we will make an excursion to a complex of five lagoons and small streams called Mocoví. A spectacular place to take "Jurassic" landscape pictures. In the night after the dinner using a small aluminum motor boat we will go in a "photo safari" looking for the legendary conservation symbol: the black caiman. B+L+D

4th day - Navigation to the mojeño community of Villa del Carmen, visit to the chacos, where we will have the opportunity to take a look at the small scale crops of: manioc, banana, cacao and sugar cane. Trekking by the forest for about half an hour. Return to the Flotel. Navigation to la Boca, the mouth of Ibare river. In the night after the dinner, the guide will give a presentation about the archeological sites founded in the area. B+L+D

5th day - In the morning, we will visit Chuchini, a bird sanctuary and a private protected area, where we can observe the departure of hundreds of macaws and parrots from the island of forest. After that, we will navigate upstream the Ibare river, heading la Loma Suarez port. As soon as we arrive, our van will be waiting to take us to the airport. Transfer to International flight. B

Note: This Program is indicative (subject to changes according to our operational conditions and specific interests of the passengers). This route can be done backwards.

November to April Program - 7 days

1st day - Meet and assist at Trinidad airport. Transfer to Port Varador (16 Km to the west) where we will embark on the Flotel Reina de Enín, and start navigating through a network of lagoons until we reach the Mamoré River - the largest river within Bolivian territory. There we will meet with the river dolphins - they will escort us throughout our trip. In the afternoon we will enjoy fishing, bathing and swimming in the river, and wildlife viewing. L+D

2nd day - Carry on with the navigation until we reach Estancia El Carmen. Horseback riding excursion for about 45 minutes through the savanna, locally known as pampa mojeña. In the afternoon we will return to the Yuracaré community of San Renato. There we will meet with the villagers for cultural exchange. We will observe jabiru and manguari storks, a number of egrets, and macaws. B+L+D

3rd day - This morning we will explore the group of lagoons at Victoria. This is a perfect opportunity to have a close view of the Rosa Dolphins or bufeos. Once we reach the lagoons a low-noise outboard motorboat will take us into small tributaries surrounded by periodically inundated gallery forests. In the afternoonwe will navigate towards the quiet waters of Laguna Verde for the night. B+L+D

4th day - We will leave this area and head towards La Morenita, where we will enjoy paddling on our dugout canoes as locals do. This is the way we will enter two lagoons to look for the voracious piranhas (which will later serve as a delicious dinner). This afternoon we will access the group of five lagoons and river affluents of Mocoví, a true paradise where only three scattered families live. We will travel through these amazing landscapes. Later at night, after dinner, we will embark on a small aluminium motorboat for a photo safari, looking for the legendary black cayman. B+L+D

5th day - Carry on navigation towards the Mojeño community of Villa del Carmen, located on the shores of the Mamoré river. There we will meet with the local settlers in an attempt to know about their customs, crafts, and about the community development program that Fremen is currently helping to implement. Navigation towards the confluence of the Mamoré and Ibare rivers, where many animal species meet due to the differences of water temperatures at this particular place. At night we will be introduced to the archaeological findings related to the amazing hydraulic culture of the Moxos people. B+L+D

6th day - Visit to Chuchini area - a sanctuary for local birds as well a private protected area - where we will witness the wakening of hundreds of macaws and parrots. After lunch those who want may enjoy the swimming pool attached to the Flotel that enables to bathe safely in the stream of the river. Then, at sunset the Captain will invite us on the terrace to enjoy our last stretch of navigation on board up the Ibare river, before farewell dinner is served. B+L+D

7th day - Navigation up the black waters of the Ibare river towards the port of Loma Suarez. There are many wildlife viewing opportunities on our way, including caymans, river dolphins, capybaras, monkeys, turtles, and lots of bird species of course. From Loma Suarez we will be transfered to the airport for our continueing flight. B

Tariffs (in US Dollars per person) - 5 day tour $423, 7-day tour $567
Single room supplement +50 %

Prices include: Transfers, English speaking guide, all meals, mineral water (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner).

Prices do NOT include: Airfares, beverages other than mineral water (a variety of alcoholic and soft drinks is available on board), insurance and airport tax ($2 for local flights and $25 for international flights).

What should i bring?
The Beni region enjoys a hot and humid climate. We recommend light cotton clothes covering arms and legs, sunscreen, hat or cap, and bathing suit. Also suitable are a raincoat or poncho to protect you from the rain, and walking shoes for rainforest hikes, mosquito repellent, flashlight. Cold winds may blow occasionally from the South, and you may find some warmer, extra clothes useful.

Important notice for your safety: we require all our travelers to bring a photocopy of passport and travel insurance.