Rurrenabaque
Encyclopedia
Rurrenabaque is a small town
in the North of Bolivia
on the Beni River
. It is the capital of Rurrenabaque Municipality
. In recent years it has become popular with international tourism as it is an easy gateway for visits to Madidi National Park (within the Bolivian rainforest
), as well as the surrounding pampas. Locals commonly refer to the town by its shortened nickname, "Rurre."
Rurrenabaque is located in José Ballivián Province
in Beni Department
, Bolivia. Rurrenabaque Municipality, the fourth (municipal section
) of José Ballivián Province, has 14,000 inhabitants, out of which 8,000 live in Rurrenabaque itself (Censo 2001, according to Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Bolivia).
Rurrenabaque lies on the east bank of the Beni River. It is expected that a bridge will be built over the river to connect with the town San Buenaventura on the west bank. The coming bridge is a part of a road project that is expected to be carried out in the years following 2008. It will considerably broaden the economic relationship between the two towns, which has been traditionally stunted by limited and expensive transport by boat. Since the river simultaneously widens and shallows at the San Buenaventura section, the top current becomes much stronger than on many sections of the river. Most boats and motors capable of crossing the stretch of river represent an investment beyond the means of most individual Bolivian families, but a bridge will allow San Buenaventura to enjoy the same accessibility as that enjoyed between Rurrenabaque and the neighboring town of Reyes.
Rurrenabaque is reached by bus, 410 km from La Paz (18 hours), or by airplane (45 minutes-1 hour).
Three airlines have flights to Rurrenabaque: Amaszonas
, Aerocon
and TAM - Transporte Aéreo Militar
.
The buses from La Paz pass through Coroico
, 70 km from La Paz.
A new road on this route opened at the end of 2006, decreasing most motorized traffic on the older, more dangerous 'Death Road,' now highly popular for mountain bike tours. The 'Death Road' is also called the Yungas Road
.
The airfield in Rurrenabaque has a grass runway, giving some problems in wet weather with excess mud. Current plans are for the main runway (18/36) to be paved. Low clouds over nearby mountains can hinder planes' visibility and thus can also prevent planes from landing.
A nearby airport can also be used, Reyes
, which is 32km and about one hour by bus. There are no mountains near Reyes, and the airport often has better weather and fewer low clouds. ([Reyes (Los Santos Reyes) is the capital of the José Ballivián Province
in the Beni Department
).
/rainforest
("selva" in Spanish) and to the pampas. The jungle/rainforest is south and west of Rurrenabaque (including a part of the Madidi
National Park), and the tours go by boat and foot. The pampas tours go to the area of the Yacuma River
, northeast of Rurrenabaque and Reyes, and the tours start with a long drive.
Rurrenabaque is a starting point for ecotourism
, and some eco-lodges are found in the area. A popular choice is Chalalan
Ecolodge, run by the community of San Jose de Uchupiamonas, in Chalalán on the Tuichi River
. Another is the San Miguel del Bala Eco-Lodge, run by the community of San Miguel del Bala
, on the banks of the Beni River
, reached by boat 40 minutes up stream from Rurrenabaque.
Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi manages Parque Jacj Cuisi, a wildlife center in San Buenaventura, where volunteers can work with wildlife and help in construction of the park's facilities for a small fee.
Events, festivities: The 2nd of February: Fiesta de Rurre - Anniversary of Rurrenabaque - The day of La Virgen de Candelaria.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the North of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
on the Beni River
Beni River
The Beni River is a river in the north of Bolivia.It rises north of La Paz and flows northeast through the pampas. One of the tributary rivers is Tuichi River in the Madidi National Park. Tuichi River joins the Beni River upstream from the town Rurrenabaque. South of Rurrenabaque, Río Beni runs...
. It is the capital of Rurrenabaque Municipality
Rurrenabaque Municipality
Rurrenabaque is a municipality in the José Ballivián Province in the Beni Department of Bolivia. The seat of the municipality is the town of Rurrenabaque. The municipality has 14,000 inhabitants out of which 8,000 live in the town of Rurrenabaque ....
. In recent years it has become popular with international tourism as it is an easy gateway for visits to Madidi National Park (within the Bolivian rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
), as well as the surrounding pampas. Locals commonly refer to the town by its shortened nickname, "Rurre."
Rurrenabaque is located in José Ballivián Province
José Ballivián Province
José Ballivián is a province of the Beni Department in northern Bolivia. It is named for José Ballivián, a general and former president of Bolivia who lived from 1805 until 1852. The province has a north-south extent...
in Beni Department
Beni Department
Beni, sometimes El Beni, is a northeastern department of Bolivia, in the lowlands region of the country. It is the second largest department in the country , covering 213,564 square kilometers , and it was created by supreme decree on November 18, 1842 during the administration of General José...
, Bolivia. Rurrenabaque Municipality, the fourth (municipal section
Municipalities of Bolivia
Municipalities in Bolivia are administrative divisions of the entire national territory governed by local elections. Municipalities are the third level of administrative divisions, below departments and provinces. Some of the provinces consist of only one municipality...
) of José Ballivián Province, has 14,000 inhabitants, out of which 8,000 live in Rurrenabaque itself (Censo 2001, according to Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Bolivia).
Rurrenabaque lies on the east bank of the Beni River. It is expected that a bridge will be built over the river to connect with the town San Buenaventura on the west bank. The coming bridge is a part of a road project that is expected to be carried out in the years following 2008. It will considerably broaden the economic relationship between the two towns, which has been traditionally stunted by limited and expensive transport by boat. Since the river simultaneously widens and shallows at the San Buenaventura section, the top current becomes much stronger than on many sections of the river. Most boats and motors capable of crossing the stretch of river represent an investment beyond the means of most individual Bolivian families, but a bridge will allow San Buenaventura to enjoy the same accessibility as that enjoyed between Rurrenabaque and the neighboring town of Reyes.
Transportation
Three airlines have flights to Rurrenabaque: Amaszonas
Amaszonas
Línea Aérea Amaszonas, often shortened to Amaszonas, is an airline in Bolivia, operating scheduled and chartered short-haul, low-volume passenger flights throughout the Northern and North Eastern regions of the country. The company was founded in 2000...
, Aerocon
Aerocon
Aerocon is a Bolivian airline.It started its operations in 2005.In 2006 the airline transferred its operational base to Trinidad. It is also called the Airline of Beni Department....
and TAM - Transporte Aéreo Militar
TAM - Transporte Aereo Militar
TAM – Transporte Aéreo Militar is an airline based in La Paz, Bolivia. It is the civilian wing of the Bolivian Air Force, operating passenger services to remote towns and communities in the North and Northeast of Bolivia....
.
The buses from La Paz pass through Coroico
Coroico
Coroico is a town in Nor Yungas Province, in the La Paz Department of western Bolivia.-History:Coroico Viejo was founded above the Kori Huayco River...
, 70 km from La Paz.
A new road on this route opened at the end of 2006, decreasing most motorized traffic on the older, more dangerous 'Death Road,' now highly popular for mountain bike tours. The 'Death Road' is also called the Yungas Road
Yungas Road
The North Yungas Road is a or road leading from La Paz to Coroico, northeast of La Paz in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road"...
.
The airfield in Rurrenabaque has a grass runway, giving some problems in wet weather with excess mud. Current plans are for the main runway (18/36) to be paved. Low clouds over nearby mountains can hinder planes' visibility and thus can also prevent planes from landing.
A nearby airport can also be used, Reyes
Reyes, Bolivia
Reyes is the city capital of the José Ballivián Province in the Beni Department of northern Bolivia and as well as of the Reyes Municipality..Reyes is located 32 kilometres from Rurrenabaque south west on the Beni River, and flights to Rurrenabaque may then be diverted to Reyes. Nuvia Montenegro,...
, which is 32km and about one hour by bus. There are no mountains near Reyes, and the airport often has better weather and fewer low clouds. ([Reyes (Los Santos Reyes) is the capital of the José Ballivián Province
José Ballivián Province
José Ballivián is a province of the Beni Department in northern Bolivia. It is named for José Ballivián, a general and former president of Bolivia who lived from 1805 until 1852. The province has a north-south extent...
in the Beni Department
Beni Department
Beni, sometimes El Beni, is a northeastern department of Bolivia, in the lowlands region of the country. It is the second largest department in the country , covering 213,564 square kilometers , and it was created by supreme decree on November 18, 1842 during the administration of General José...
).
Tourism
From Rurrenabaque popular tours go to the jungleJungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
/rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
("selva" in Spanish) and to the pampas. The jungle/rainforest is south and west of Rurrenabaque (including a part of the Madidi
Madidi
Madidi is a national park in the upper Amazon river basin in Bolivia. Established in 1995, it has an area of 18,958 square kilometres, and along with nearby protected areas Manuripi-Heath, Apolobamba, and the Manu Biosphere Reserve...
National Park), and the tours go by boat and foot. The pampas tours go to the area of the Yacuma River
Yacuma River
The Yacuma River is a river in Bolivia....
, northeast of Rurrenabaque and Reyes, and the tours start with a long drive.
Rurrenabaque is a starting point for ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
, and some eco-lodges are found in the area. A popular choice is Chalalan
Chalalan
Chalalan is an ecolodge in the Madidi National Park of Bolivia. The lodge sits on the Tuichi river, and can be accessed from within Bolivia by flying to Rurrenabaque and taking a boat up the Beni River and Tuichi River....
Ecolodge, run by the community of San Jose de Uchupiamonas, in Chalalán on the Tuichi River
Tuichi River
The Tuichi River is a river in the Madidi National Park in the north of Bolivia. The Tuichi River flows through the rainforest and joins the Beni River south of Rurrenabaque....
. Another is the San Miguel del Bala Eco-Lodge, run by the community of San Miguel del Bala
San Miguel del Bala
San Miguel del Bala is a little village in Bolivia.San Miguel del Bala is an indigenous community in the Bolivian Amazon rainforest on thebanks of the Beni River, near Rurrenabaque. Its nearest neighbour is the Madidi National Park, world famous as one of the places on earth with the widest...
, on the banks of the Beni River
Beni River
The Beni River is a river in the north of Bolivia.It rises north of La Paz and flows northeast through the pampas. One of the tributary rivers is Tuichi River in the Madidi National Park. Tuichi River joins the Beni River upstream from the town Rurrenabaque. South of Rurrenabaque, Río Beni runs...
, reached by boat 40 minutes up stream from Rurrenabaque.
Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi manages Parque Jacj Cuisi, a wildlife center in San Buenaventura, where volunteers can work with wildlife and help in construction of the park's facilities for a small fee.
Events, festivities: The 2nd of February: Fiesta de Rurre - Anniversary of Rurrenabaque - The day of La Virgen de Candelaria.