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ronaldv759
We went on the 3 days Pampas tour with Norman in January 2015 and had a great time. We booked a tour and ended up having to whole boat to ourselves.Norman is extremely knowledgable about the area and wildlife species. We saw an uncountable number of bird species, had a black cayman coming close to our accommodation, saw 4 species of monkeys, uncountable number of pink dolphins and had a great time. Unfortunately we didn't see any anacondas, but the piranha fishing was good fun!The food was really good and there was always more than enough. The accommodation that we stayed at was at was really nice and at a good location in the Pampas.I highly recommend booking a tour with Norman, you won't regret it!
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KanyaFin
We absolutely loved our time in the Pampas. We had decided to book Pampas after the jungle based on tripadvisor recommendations and we were so glad we did.Norman is an amazing guide, his knowledge of everything is incredible. From the moment he picked us up, Norman was so informative. He asked us what we were hoping to see and we replied Sloths and Monkeys and we saw 3 Sloths and numerous Monkeys, including Squirrel Monkeys (so cute!), red and black Howler Monkeys and more. We enjoyed this tour many many times more than our jungle tour. We saw and learnt tonnes more. It is also more relaxing compared to the jungle as the majority of the time is in the boat, whereas the jungle is a lot of walking which I found very hard in the oppressive heat. Norman is the best guide, his English is incredible and I don't think there is anything he doesn't know about Pampas. Practicalities;Accommodation is basic but clean, with mosquito nets and nice hammocks to lie in. Food was lovely, Lloyda cooks up a treat and it's buffet style which I always prefer, you won't go hungry! Transport: the car was very comfortable but I felt that the driver drove too fast, which felt dangerous. However he was also v good at spotting animals and v patient when we stopped to look at wildlife. Book this tour and go for at least 2 nights. I imagine it won't be too long before Norman is booked up weeks in advance.
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amidala8855
We really enjoyed our stay in the Pampas. We booked a 2d/1n Pampas tour with Alex, who also booked us a flight from La Paz to Rurrenabaque and a Night at a really nice Hotel in Rurrenabaque. We only had to pay the flight in La Paz and this worked really well. Our guide Norman picked us up at the airport in Rurrenabaque and then we drove to the Pampas, a flat and wet region about 3 hours outside of Rurrenabaque, where chances of watching animals and birdlife are very high compared to the dense jungle. Norman was very kind and an excellent animal watcher. He knows a lot about all different kind of birds and you get a lot of interesting information about the wildlife of this beautiful region. He brought along his two charming daughters, who have never been to the pampas, and we loved the familiar atmosphere during the tour. The driver also saw a lot of animals and was a very funny and attentive person. The boat trips on the river were very relaxing and it was almost surreal to see that many animals so easily. We especially appreciated the respectful way Norman treated the animals we saw, he puts a high emphasis on sustainable tourism in the Pampas, which is not natural comparing with other tour operators.The accommodation just next to the river was very comfortable as well, we loved the varied food prepared by the very caring cook Lloyda: tipical food of the region nicely arranged. We would recommend Madidi Expeditions to anyone visiting the Pampas, it is totally worth the money!
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BenM678
What is Pampas?The Pampas is the flat wet part of the Amazon.If I want a proper jungle experience, why go to the wetlands?In comparison to the jungle, the wetlands contain far more accessible animals in abundance, (the same wildlife as the Jungle) and as you view most things in comfort from a boat you walk less and are less hot.We did 3 Days 2 NightsNorman, the founder of Madidi Expeditions and our Guide, met us a few days in advance to brief us. He's extremely friendly and professional.There were just two of us on our trip, my girlfriend and I, accompanied by Norman and a cook Lloyda.We drove 3 hours to Santa Rosa, stopping regularly when he spotted things of interest along the road.He even spotted a young Sloth...I don't know how. We were delighted.Within 20 minutes of getting on the boat at Santa Rosa, we'd seen a greater variety of wildlife than on our entire 4 Day Jungle trip, and they were in plentiful numbers.We could see the other lodges as we passed along the river and thankfully our accommodation was the nicest. The food that Lloyda prepared was really excellent. It was served buffet style, and there was variety and huge portions at every meal. What really made this tour exceptional was our Guide. He asked us at the start what our expectations were, and tailored the whole trip around them. He showed us so many animals, and on the rare occasions were there was little to see he made it interesting by teaching us about the plants and history of the area. We saw Sloths, Crocodiles, Turtles, Deer, Storks, Snakes, Yellow Squirrel Monkeys, Black howler Monkeys, Red Howler Monkeys, Toucans, Pink Dolphins, Piranhas, Capivaras and many more. And as I mentioned previously, these were in abundance.Norman is like an encyclopaedia and he worked tirelessly with a smile over the three days to keep us informed and excited. I don't think we could have had a better guide.I would highly recommend a 3 day trip with Madidi Expeditions. It was the best excursion we did in Bolivia.
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sinestribos
I've been travelling several times in the amazon before experiencing the bolivian rainforest. i really didn't expect such richness of fauna and flora, maybe it's the best preserved area still remaining in the Amazon. But , what really made my journey unforgettable , was the interpreter who lead us through the S.ta Rosa Pampas and Madidi rainforest. Norman is a generous, english speaking guide, always available and prompt to respond all kind of questions , adding his indigenous knowledge, proudly. He is maybe the most experienced guide i've ever met. Accommodation in Pampas was probably one of the best available, good and personalized food service ( they were all the time asking for our favourite food), cleanliness and flexible programs. Jungle experience was my best one, interesting interpretation , lot of local and scientific knowledge. Lot of fauna, we've been able to spot a Jaguar along the Tuichi river shore, wild pigs, parrots , three species of monkeys, a tapir....O f course, the season is quite important, the best period seems to be between July and October. Jungle accommodation was maybe a bit better than Pampas one. Any way, we higly recommend this tour, and , specially, Norman Valdez tour leader, as one of the best guides of the region.
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55andreasp
everybody who likes nature and looks for a good guide should contact Norman, a very professional, helpful and frindly person, and who knows his pampa region with all the animals, especially birds, very well. Ask for some peaceful and lonely journey, he will arrange it for you!enjoy travelling with him, enjoy the great nature Andreas&family
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514judithb
We contacted Norman already before we left to Bolivia. He replied all of our emails really quick and with a lot of information (even about a flight ticket to rurrenabaque). When we met him it was the same, he explained everything about the tour and gave extra tips for hostels and restaurants. (Be aware that he shares an office with madidi jungle, there's no sign with madidi expeditions)In the pampas he was as enthousiastic as a guide doing his first trip. He stopped whenever he, or one of us, saw something moving or heard something. He pointed us the smallest birds en learned us everything we wanted to know. He was really patient and went everywhere we wanted. Every evening he asked us what we wanted to do the next day. His knowledge in combination with a good sense of humour made it 3 incredible days we will never forget!! Add to that te good(!!!) food and you won't be disappointed!
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DavidTerry93
We booked on 3 day pampas tour with Norman as our guide. The whole experience was fantastic and the wildlife spectacular. Pink dolphins, mammals and over 50bird species including all 5 types of kingfisher. Norman really made our trip extremely special. He was a fantastic guide and had expert knowledge on all the species we encountered. We thoroughly enjoyed his company and had plenty of laughs.I would highly recommend this for anyone who is remotely interested in wildlife or a seasoned birdwatcher. Absolutely fantastic.
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LimitlessMatt
We had booked Norman for a 3-day Pampas tour after him being our guide for 4 days @ Madidi Jungle Lodge. Norman is so kind and knowledgable and really make the stay MUCH better. He is part of an organization that is actually trying to help the parks get better. Same people as Madidi Jungle Lodge. They truly do care about the ecosystem and are making it better each day. We loved the food and the accommodation.As soon as we pulled up to the lodge, we were surrounded by dozens of monkeys jumping tree to tree. Needless to say, that was the start to a fabulous 3 days. Tons of wildlife. Cruising through these low wetlands is incredible. Tons of birds, tons of monkeys, tons of caimans, turtles and of course, Pink dolphins! I loved hearing them breach all the time. We caught piranhas for dinner one night.Best of all, we learned so much about the area.I HIGHLY recommend this trip while in Bolivia and believe it to be one of the Worlds top adventures.I will be publishing an article on my time there soon... at www.LiveLimitless.net
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586lukec
My experience is one I will never forget and one I was changed for doing. I cannot recommend anyone else more than Norman. I had never thought a guide would take time out of their personal life to take me places tourists don't go and do things that aren't on any brochure. Norman not only did this, He did it several times for me and loved doing it. The passion he has for the plants, animals, the world and the people in it, is inspiring to say the least. It was contagious. Every plant had a story and the knowledge of the surroundings makes it easy to immerse yourself in when you are in Norman's presence. He is genuine and leads from the heart which is what makes the tours so good. I was there with nothing, then did the tour, and then I was there with a friend. It was surreal when my time in Rurrenabaque ended. I know Norman and the tour are the reason of why it felt that way. If you are looking for a guide and you are in the area, you would be missing out greatly not to do a tour with Norman at Madidi Expeditions. ESSO MOI BEIN
