Region
Beni
Base in Rurrenabaque for jungle and pampas tours; add Trinidad only if you want river boats or Moxos culture.
Key facts · Bolivia
- Best months
- May–Aug
- Currency
- Boliviano (BOB, Bs)
- Language
- Spanish
- Plugs
- A · C · 230 V
- Time zone
- UTC−4 all year
Rules in force · 6Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Bolivia ↗Visa rules depend on your passport (some nationalities need a visa in advance): check with Bolivia's migration authority or a Bolivian consulate.
- Bolivia ↗Most of the tourist route is above 3,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on arrival, and see a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.
- Bolivia ↗Protests and road blockades (bloqueos) are frequent and can close routes and cities for days; watch local news and keep plans flexible.
Beni is Bolivia's tropical lowlands: big rivers, flooded savanna and Amazon-edge forest. Almost every visitor comes for one reason — wildlife tours out of Rurrenabaque, reached by a short flight or a long bus from La Paz. Trinidad is the departmental capital and the gateway for river cargo boats and the Jesuit-mission towns of the Llanos de Moxos. Roads here are slow and can be cut for days, so fly where you can and keep buffer days before any onward flight.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- RurrenabaquePlanned
Jungle and pampas tour agencies, Madidi access, flights to La Paz.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- TrinidadCity guide
Departmental capital, river-boat port, Llanos de Moxos gateway.
Best May–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- RiberaltaPlanned
Far north; usually a stop on the way to or from Brazil, not a base.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- San BorjaPlanned
Road stop between Yucumo and Trinidad; access to Pilón Lajas and Beni reserve.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- San Ignacio de MoxosPlanned
Mission town; festival in late July.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- GuayaramerínPlanned
Border town across from Guajará-Mirim, Brazil.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- San JoaquínPlanned
Remote mission town; hard to reach, plan with a local operator.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Rurrenabaque 4: 3-day pampas or jungle tour plus a buffer day
- 6 nights
- Rurrenabaque 4 + Trinidad 2 (fly between them if the budget allows)
- The Yucumo–Trinidad road is unpaved in long stretches and can take 2–5 days with blockades; do not rely on it before an international flight.
- Rainy season (roughly December–March) floods parts of the Llanos de Moxos and slows every overland leg.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madidi National Park | Rurrenabaque | 180 min | unknown | Tours run 1–4 days; boats leave early morning. |
| Pampas (Yacuma area) | Rurrenabaque | 180 min | unknown | 3-hour jeep transfer then boat; 3-day tours are standard. |
| San Ignacio de Moxos | Trinidad | 180 min | unknown | Bus or van, roughly 3 hours in dry season; road quality varies. |
Bags between cities
No reliable luggage-forwarding service in Beni; carry what you need and leave the rest in La Paz.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinidad | × | × | × | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × |
| Bolivia (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rurrenabaque and the Andean foothillssouth-west Beni | wet | wet | wet | ok | best | best | best | best | ok | ok | wet | wet |
| Trinidad and the Llanos de Moxoscentral and eastern Beni | wet | wet | wet | ok | best | best | best | best | ok | ok | wet | wet |
- Rurrenabaque and the Andean foothills
- Hot and humid year-round; May–September is drier and the usual tour season. Rainy months can close roads and raise rivers.
- Trinidad and the Llanos de Moxos
- Flood season December–March; dry-season travel May–September is easier. Expect 30 °C+ most days.Flood season December–March; dry-season travel May–September is easier. Expect 86 °F+ most days.
The dry season (May–September) is the practical window: better roads, more wildlife visible around shrinking water, and fewer flight cancellations.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz (El Alto, LPB) | Rurrenabaque | Domestic flight | ~1 h | The fast option; schedules change and seats are limited — book ahead. Check current operators. |
| La Paz | Rurrenabaque via Yucumo | Bus | ~18–20 h total | Long, rough and blockade-prone; only if you have spare days. |
| Santa Cruz | Trinidad | Night bus | 10–12 h | Mostly 18:00–21:00 departures; semi-cama fares are modest. Check current schedules.Mostly 6:00 PM–9:00 PM departures; semi-cama fares are modest. Check current schedules. |
| Cochabamba | Trinidad | Flight or long bus | check | Flight is the sane choice; overland is a full day or more. |
| Guayaramerín (Brazil border) | Trinidad | Cargo boat on the Río Mamoré | 3–5 days downstream | Bring a mosquito net and water; cabins and food cost extra. Upstream takes 1.5–2× longer. |
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Keperi | Trinidad and lowland towns | Slow-cooked meat with rice, fried yuca and cheese; portions are large. |
| Piranha | River towns | Common on lowland menus; usually fried or in soup. |
| River fish (surubí, pacú) | Trinidad, Rurrenabaque | Grilled or in stew; ask what came in that day. |
| Amazonian game and snake | Rural markets and some tour lodges | Not for everyone; if it matters to you, ask before ordering. |
Go next
La Paz
Flight ~1 h from Rurrenabaque
The usual exit; altitude hits hard after the lowlands — take the first day slow.
Santa Cruz
plannedBus from Trinidad 10–12 h, or fly
Gateway to Samaipata and the eastern lowlands.
Cochabamba
plannedFlight, or long bus
Milder climate; useful link between lowlands and the Altiplano.
Riberalta
plannedFlight from Rurrenabaque, or long overland
Far-north hub toward the Brazilian border.
Guayaramerín
plannedFlight, or cargo boat from Trinidad
Cross into Brazil at Guajará-Mirim.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source