About us

When Madidi National Park was created in 1995, many Tacana communities were outraged by what they saw as an invasion of their lands by the Bolivian government. The park was a step forward for conservation, but a step backwards for its inhabitants. San Miguel was one of the communities whose hunting and farming traditions were put at risk. Many communities opposed the idea of a protected area and carried on with extractive activities such as logging, hunting and slash-and-burn agriculture.

San Miguel decided to approach the problem from a different angle. Instead of fighting the new rules of the protected area, the community looked for economic alternatives. That is how the idea of an eco-lodge was born, with Tacana culture and the incredible biodiversity of the Bolivian Amazon at its heart.

Today San Miguel del Bala is a community tourism venture run by the community itself. Every visit helps keep Tacana traditions alive, protect the forest and fund improvements in health, education and basic services for the families of San Miguel.