Clear Amazon foothill river in Bolivia with a guide poling a dugout canoe

Bolivia

Amazon Headwaters & Beni Province, Bolivia

Overview

About This Destination

Bolivia occupies one of the most productive freshwater fishing ecosystems on the planet — the upper Amazon. The rivers of the Beni and Cochabamba departments host the golden dorado, a ferocious ambush predator that attacks large streamers with explosive violence and fights with the strength of a barracuda. This is not trout fishing; it is pure adrenaline — sight-casting to cruising dorado in clear lowland rivers is one of fly fishing's most intense experiences.

Tropical lowland forest, crystal-clear boulder-strewn rivers of the Amazon foothills, cloud forest, and the dramatic transition from Andean highlands to Amazon basin.

What to Expect

  • Golden dorado — one of fly fishing's most ferocious quarry
  • Crystal-clear rivers with high fish visibility for sight-casting
  • Extraordinarily remote and uncrowded fisheries
  • Stunning Amazon foothill scenery
  • Potential for 20+ lb dorado on streamer flies

Destination Details

Target Species
  • Golden Dorado
  • Pacu
  • Surubí (Tiger Shovelnose Catfish)
Season
June – October (dry season)
Skill Level
Intermediate
Travel Notes
Fly into Santa Cruz Viru Viru (VVI) or Cochabamba (CBB). Access to the best rivers requires a combination of vehicle and boat travel. Remote lodge accommodations are rustic but comfortable. Vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis recommended.

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