Riberalta
Beni Department · Cities
Riberalta is the big town of the northern Amazon, where the Beni and Madre de Dios rivers meet. People get around by motorbike taxi, eat river fish and live from the castaña, the Brazil nut, of which the town is the world capital. Nearby, Tumichucua lagoon and Cachuela Esperanza, former capital of the rubber empire, tell the story of the Amazon.
140 maltitude
1 to 2 daysto spend there
Things to do
- Tumichucua lagoon
- Cachuela Esperanza and the rubber boom
- Brazil nut harvest and factories
- Sunsets over the Beni river
What to eat
- River fishSurubí, pacú or dorado, grilled over a wood fire or fried, with rice, cassava and plantain. Delicious by the water, in the Llanos and the Amazon.
- MasacoMashed plantain or cassava with charque or cheese. Rich and filling.
- Tropical fruitMangoes, pineapples, papayas, achachairú (a small tangy fruit) and fresh juices everywhere for a few bolivianos.
Tip. Flights from La Paz or Trinidad. The road is long and hard in the rainy season.
How to get to Riberalta
Trinidad Flight · 1 h flight
BoA or small airlines.
La Paz Flight · 1 h 30 flight
BoA flights, not every day.
Guayaramerín Road (bus, car) · 1 h 30
Shared taxi or bus, paved road.
Cobija Road (bus, car) · 8 to 10 h
Bus or shared taxi.
Dirt road, hard going in the rainy season.
Photos of Riberalta
More places in this region
RurrenabaqueGateway to the Bolivian Amazon, on the Beni river.
Madidi National ParkOne of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Primary forest.
Yacuma PampasWetlands teeming with animals: caimans, capybaras and pink river dolphins.
Barba Azul reserveBeni savannas, refuge of the blue-throated macaw, one of the rarest parrots in the world.
Beni Biosphere ReserveSavannas, forests and lagoons near San Borja: a reserve rich in wildlife, still rarely visited.
Trinidad (Llanos de Moxos)Capital of the Beni, with flood plains and Moxeño culture.
Laguna SuárezA big, quiet lagoon on Trinidad's doorstep, for swimming and eating fish.
San Ignacio de MoxosA former Jesuit mission on the Beni plains, famous for the Ichapekene Piesta (UNESCO).
CobijaThe capital of Pando, on the Acre river facing Brazil: gateway to the northern Amazon.
Porvenir and the Tahuamanu riverAn Amazon village near Cobija: boat trips on the Tahuamanu and a natural pool.
Puerto Rico and the Manuripi reserveA small town where two rivers meet, gateway to the Manuripi Amazon reserve.
GuayaramerínA border town on the Mamoré river, facing the Brazilian town of Guajará-Mirim.