Bolivia from Quimbaya Latin America : Protecting the environment and sharing activities with local people

For more than 6 years, Quimbaya Tours Bolivia has been carrying out concrete and sustainable actions aimed at preserving the environment and promoting respect for local cultures in the country. In this article, we take you on a journey to discover two flagship initiatives of Quimbaya Latin America’s commitment: the Mirador de Lloco Lloco and the Chalalán Ecological Hostel in the Madidi National Park. Dive in with us on a journey where tourism rhymes with preservation, sharing and authenticity.

Waste collection at the Lloco Mirador

It’s already been 6 years since QUIMBAYA TOURS BOLIVIA started a very fine project to identify and improve tourist areas, the aim of which is to avoid negative environmental impact in the country’s very touristy areas.

The first action had taken place in January 2019 at the Mirador de Lloco Lloco, one of the most beautiful and most visited viewpoints in the country on the road leading to Tiwanaku and Desaguadero.

In collaboration with the local authorities, we installed a monitoring system in this area, to prevent travellers from being unpleasantly surprised to find rubbish left behind by other visitors to this magnificent place.

Since then, we have been collecting plastic bottles regularly and inviting our passengers to help us before they take part in the traditional ceremonies of thanks in the Cordillera Mountains.

© Quimbaya Latin America

Under the motto of the 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, we travel this route regularly, and since then, with the help of our guides and passengers, we’ve managed to keep the viewpoint cleaner.

© Quimbaya Latin America

The authorities are continuing this activity and as soon as we can go back, we will. As a company, we have a commitment, which is why QUIMBAYA TOURS BOLIVIA places great importance on the selection of its suppliers in this area, requiring that no single-use materials are used during our services.

Chalalán Ecological Hostel, Quechua Community - Tacana and Madidi National Park

Madidi National Park and its Integrated Management Natural Zone is one of the most important protected areas in Bolivia and in the world.

Its extraordinary biological wealth is expressed in the diversity of its ecosystems: 60% of Bolivia’s flora and a wide variety of animals, including vertebrates numbering over 2,000 species, live together in perfect harmony in the park.

31 indigenous and farming communities belonging to the Quechua-Tacana ethnic group live in this magnificent area and are involved in a major project to develop ecotourism in the Madidi National Park as a whole.

Thanks to their traditional philosophy of respect for nature, which prohibits hunting and commercial deforestation on indigenous territory, this area has become a veritable natural sanctuary, where the Chalalán Ecological Hostel is located. The hostel is reached by boat after a 5-hour crossing of the Beni and Tuichi rivers, surrounded by heavenly scenery.

The hostel is run with great success by the community, generating direct and indirect benefits for the indigenous families of San José de Uchupiamonas.
Their aim is to guarantee the sustainability of the Quechua – Tacana territory and culture for future generations.

Quimbaya Tours Bolivia supports the project 100% and we are committed to spreading the word.
Come and discover this magical place with us!

Milenka Apaza
Country Manager Bolivia – QUIMBAYA LATIN AMERICA

Leslie de Barrios
Country Manager Guatemala – QUIMBAYA LATIN AMERICA