bala tours & ecolodges

Our Amazon jungle tour with Bala was a great experience. First off, the hour long boat trip up the river was probably one of the best parts of the whole trip; the views are spectacular and you start to realize how remote some of these places are. We didn't see as much wildlife as we expected, but were told by the guide that this was because our location wasn't as deep in the Amazon as some others do. We still saw the macaws, caught piranhas, and enjoyed the night tour.Some things to be aware of are that this is a remote location, so there is no electricity or hot water. The temperature is quite hot in the day, and the showers are very cold. They will turn on a generate to charge camera batteries etc. All in all, considering how deep in the jungle you are, everything was enjoyable.

We had a beautifull 3-day adventure, with over 70 species of birds and other animals, perfect lodging and food and a very good guide, that added his knowledge to our wildlife experience.

We went on the Pampas Tour to the Caracoles Lodge.Peace and quiet, nice cabins with mosquito nets and private bath rooms. When you arrive and every time you come back from a boat trip they welcome you with a cool fresh fruit juice. Kitchen staff very warm people and amazing food three days long! This is my second time with Bala Tours to the Pampas as a translator for Dutch friends and because of the professional approach and the respect for wildlife and environment how the guides handle this, it is probably the best Pampa Tour you can book for a reasonable price. Great guide and person is Piter Huari and of course the friendly family of Alcides Santalla. I found his son at the Travelife training course for Sustainability in Tourism in La Paz which gives an idea where Bala Tours interests are focused on. My travelers where inetrested in bird watching as their main goal of the trip. In three days we spotted 55 diferent species and have taken at least photos of 45! Apart from all the animals we have seen. Good trip, just go for it!

We did the 3d2n jungle tour and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and respectful of the forest and wildlife. The guides we met had grown up in the jungle near by and knew the forest intimately. They were also very keen to give us the best experience possible.

We booked a 3-day/2-nights jungle tour with Bala Tours. It was great! We didn't see that many animals, except for birds, insects and wild pigs, but it was great to stay in the middle of the jungle. Especially to sleep there and to hear all the noises.Eloy, our guide, was great! His English was perfect, he is really friendly and he told us a lot about the jungle.Also the cooking team in our lodge was perfect. They make delicous Bolivian food and something different every meal.

Myself and 4 friends booked with Bala for 4 Days, 3 Nights in the Jungle. From the very beginning the service was prompt and friendly, with our guide knowledgable, honest, entertaining and very friendly - a truly excellent tourism professional.The facilities inside the park were very nice, and an extra surprise for us was the friendliness of all the staff at the eco-lodge. On my last night, knowing I was soon to be married, they prepared a delicious surprise cake with a lovely message wishing me luck, as well as decorating a chair with various jungle crafts. This was, as the title above suggests, above and beyond what we had expected.As for the tour itself, it was exactly what we wanted; getting away and experiencing the jungle. A small gripe, though it wouldn't be applicable to us as we were not checking-off animals or experiences simply soaking up the jungle, is that there might not be enough activity for many guests on the four day trip, and they might want to mix it with the Pampas tour. In saying that, our guide brought us to an indigenous village they had never been to before, which was great, and also brought us on a unique ramble through the jungle where we were able to creep up on 150 sleeping wild pigs.Thanks to Iloy (?), our guide, and everyone involved for an incredible experience. I will be back!

A really great all around experience. From the first minute to the end you are treated extremely well. The guide was fantastic and the Pampas are beautiful. River dolphins, cayman, capybara and lots of other wildlife to see. Fantastic

We did the 2 night Pampas tour with Bala Tours and were never disappointed from the start. Carlos is an amazing guy, very friendly and helpful, he went out of his way for us. He picked us up from the airport and took us to their offices where we were able to change and leave our luggage before going on the 3 hour road journey into the jungle. This was a very bumpy ride over bad roads but was worth the drive. When we got to the Ecolodge the staff welcomed us with drinks and lovely smiles. The lodges were amazing, spacious, clean and had netting to keep bugs out. We had a triple room with mosquito nets over the beds and our own bathroom which was a very good size too. You will need a torch at night time as it is pitch black. The staff at the lodge were great, making fresh and tasty food each day, always happy to engage with us. One member of staff showed us a snake that had come onto the campus. Our guide at the lodge was good too and very helpful and knowledgeable. We did the usual boat trip upon the river seeing lots of wildlife. Also pirhana fishing was an amazing experience, we managed to catch some fish and took them to the chef to cook for dinner, they were tasty but boney. The night tour of the jungle was an experience in its self. The guide knew where to look to find wildlife, saw loads of caimans eyes bopping above the water, birds resting in the trees, bats and other wildlife. The stars in the sky were amazing coupled with the sounds of the jungle was an experience which will never be forgotten. We were sad to leave this place and the lovely people. Our flight to La Paz that evening was cancelled but Carlos from the office came to the Amazonas offices to help us as our Spanish was a little lacking. He spoke to the staff to try to sort out our flights and he also booked us into a nearby hostel. What an amazing, helpful guy...thank you Carlos.

We did the 3 day 2 night Jungle tour and had an incredible time. Our excellent guides were Piter and Nixon, they gave us all the information that we needed, were very informative about all the flora and fauna and were great at finding many animals that inhabit the jungle. The lodge was very comfortable, with a very good mozzie net and great hammocks!The food was also great, both for meat eaters and vegetarians (the ladies seem to be happy and laughing all the time).Don't miss out on the swim/drift down the river!Definitely Recommend Bala Tours!(We booked our tour and flights to Rurrenabaque through Kanoo tours who were really easy to deal with)

Surprisingly, Bala tours is a very professional agency, the contract we signed with them was very clear, the welcome was nice, the accomodation was very good taking into account the humidity in the Jungle, the food was good but a bit boring after two days and the main thing is that the tour were gorgeous, the guide was trying everything to find animals in the Jungle, the knowledge level of the guides differs but in general it's good, I would recommend the agency for a friend and I think it's the best value in Rurre and the most expensive (evethough the price is still reasonable)

This tour company provides short or longer tours, with guides, into the Amazon jungle. Their English is excellent, safety is always assured, and their lodges are beautiful, comfortable, and set in the midst of the awe-inspiring wildlife of the Amazon. A three-hour comfortable boat ride takes you up the Beni river, into the Madidi preserve. You will be 'off the grid,' for there is only the solar-powered electricity that runs the camp and - if needed - a generator-run connection to recharge phone batteries. Your guide will take you into the jungle, pointing out the macaws, monkeys, wild pigs as well as the unusual and beautiful trees and plants. Peaceful, exciting, safe - an unforgettable experience.

We stayed 3 days and 2 nights inside the Madidi national park with a group of 9 people, which is almost the maximum capacity of the lodge. The organisation by Bala Tours was perfect: transport from the airport of Rurrenabaque to the ecolodge by minibus and confortable boat, bungalows were very clean and cosy in the middle of the jungle, professional guide with good English language skills, excellent food with different choices at each meal. The lodge is located in the middle of the jungle at a very quiet place (you just hear the typical jungle sounds). Beds are equipped with mosquito nets and rooms were cleaned every day. Excellent location to destress and enjoy the Bolivian jungle in all safety and comfort.

My wife and I did the combined jungle and pampas tour which was a perfect way to see everything offered. While the information online was not sufficient to understand all the accommodations and necessary "equipment" for the trip, we were pleasantly surprised by all of it. The living quarters were fantastic, the food was overwhelming with buffets at every meal, and the company was delightful. Our guide was Eloy, who made the trip. His knowledge, passion, and respect for the wildlife and nature was more than we could have asked for. We saw every single animal and more we came to see...pink river dolphins, anacondas, various types of monkeys, caiman, capybara, ant eaters, porcupines, Macaws, and tarantulas. We would HIGHLY recommend Eloy, and Bala tours for an eco-friendly experience.

We did the combined jungle and pampas tour, spending two nights in each which I'd recommend as both offer different experiences. Both lodges were comfortable, with good beds, quality mosquito nets, and private bathrooms. There are hammocks outside each cabin. Overall I felt the staff were very professional and friendly, from the guides to the cooks and waitresses. Guides were knowledgeable and from the local area. Maximum group size is 6. Food was decent, although we got a little bored of the similarity each meal after 4 nights. I'd recommend this company to a friend.

Bala tours was brilliant for both the jungle and pampas tours in Rurrenabaque. The food was excellent and the lodging was very comfortable. The best bit, however, was our guide, Eloy, who spoke very good English and was very knowledgeable and informative about the wildlife in the area. I would definitely recommend Bala Tours for anyone looking for a tour guide around the jungle and pampas in Rurrenabaque.