AMBORO NATIONAL PARK -REFUGIO LOS VOLCANES LODGE

Ideally situated in the southern side of Amboro National Park is the spectacular Refugio Los Volcanes. Just over two hours drive from city of Santa Cruz this paradise is a place that has to be seen to be believed.

The Lodge is surrounded by huge sandstone cliffs and the tropical forests of Amboro National park which support a staggering amount of plant, bird and animal species. Due to a strict no hunting policy and restricted access this area is now one of the world’s great strongholds of one of South America’s more rare and unique animals the Andean Bear, 5 species of cats have been recorded here which include the Jaguar and Puma and the Bush Dog was recorded here in our camera traps for the first time ever in the vincinity of the lodge.

 The Refugio Los Volcanes lodge is privately owned meaning only a certain number of people can access this paradise , the lodge has a capacity of 15 people with basic yet comfortable rooms, private bathrooms,dining facilities , well maintained treks and excellent international and bolivian food.

 If you are an avid bird watcher then this is the place for you , Andean Condors are frequently seen and its also one of the prime Military Macaw viewing destinations found anywhere in the world. There are a number of excellent trails where you can view birds and wildlife or just relax in many of the areas natural pools and waterfalls. Another positive of this area is that there are very little mosquitos , the climate is also cooler than Santa Cruz so it makes trekking here a pleasure.

For wildlife watchers there is a wide variety of species living here, Pumas, Spectacled Bears, Howler Monkeys, Agoutis, Jaguars and more are all found here however are not easy to find, if you are lucky you can get a glimpse of these elusive species. There are camera traps in the area and thus far have recorded 5 different species of cats including Jaguars, as well as Armadillos, Tayra, Lesser Anteaters, Opossums, Coatis and more.

Setting up a motion sensored camera trap which monitors wildlife in the area

There are treks ranging from just 45 minutes all the way up to a full days trek,these treks include visiting remote waterfalls, observing the flora and fauna of the region , bird watching and more.

The first ever Spectacled or Andean Bear we recorded on camera trap in Refuguo Los Volcanes

If you are interested in visiting this incredible hidden paradise which is just a few hours from Santa Cruz Bolivia then contact Nicks Adventures Bolivia and they can arrange a high quality trip of a lifetime.

Andean Bear captured on camera in Amboro National Park Bolivia

Two years ago , we first ventured into the spectacular Amboro National Park , this expedition was based on finding out which animal species where here and also the potential for low impact Eco Tourism , as we trekked deeper inside the Park we were greeted with large animal tracks which were larger than the human hands, the claws were a dead give away that it was not a Puma or Jaguar but was of the elusive Andean Bear, these tracks were everywhere and seemed to be just hours old.

Elated with this discovery we placed camera traps along the trails where the bear tracks where and left the area, 2 years later and after multiple unsuccessful visits to the park we had nothing to show for , that is until yesterday.

2 months ago we decided to set up a camera trap in an area rarely visited by tourists and as we retrieved our camera we were surprised to see not only Ocelots,Pumas, Margays,Tayra and Brocket Deer in the photos but a large and spectacular Andean Bear.

This photo of the beautiful Andean Bear has been 2 years of hard work , and we are delighted that this amazing animal is surviving in one of the most beautiful National Parks in Bolivia.


Note : we do not give an exact reference to which part of the National Park this image was taken, sadly Andean Bears are hunted for their body parts for Asian Medicines and also shot on sight by ranchers and local hunters.

For more information about our tours and conservation work contact us at: www.nicksadventuresbolivia.com