— Department · Llanos de Moxos · Amazon · Bolivia few people know

Department of Beni

Bolivia's second largest department and its least visited. Home of the Llanos de Moxos (10,000+ pre-Columbian geoglyphs), the Yacuma Pampas with pink dolphins, and the UNESCO-listed Baroque music of San Ignacio de Moxos.

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Capital

Trinidad

Area

213,564 km²

Population

~470,000

Capital alt.

236m above sea level

Alt. range

100 – 400m

Languages

Spanish · Mojeño · Yuracaré · Tsimane'

— The Department

What is Beni?

213,564 km²

Bolivia's 2nd largest department

10,000+ geoglyphs

Llanos de Moxos — South America's largest ancient engineering

Pink dolphins

Yacuma Pampas — near-guaranteed sightings

UNESCO 2012

San Ignacio de Moxos music — Intangible Heritage

The Department of Beni is Bolivia's second largest (213,564 km²) and one of the least visited by international travellers — making it a destination of genuine authenticity. Located in the northern lowlands, it concentrates some of the planet's most exceptional ecosystems.

The Llanos de Moxos are South America's largest floodplain and the continent's most extensive prehispanic hydraulic engineering site: over 10,000 geoglyphs, artificial canals hundreds of kilometres long, raised fields and mounds built by Moxos civilisations over 6,000 years. UNESCO World Heritage candidate.

The capital, Trinidad, is a river city at 236m on the Mamoré River. From here, tours go to the Yacuma Pampas — where you can swim with pink river dolphins (bufeo), observe anacondas from canoe, and photograph caimans at arm's length — and to San Ignacio de Moxos, Beni's most important Mojeño cultural centre.

San Ignacio de Moxos inherited a tradition of Baroque music from 17th-century Jesuit missions unique in the Amazonian world. Its Festival of the Lord of Miracles (August) — with machete dances, the Ichapekene Piesta, violin and harp ensembles — was declared UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2012.

— Ecosystems

Beni's ecosystems

Flooded savannahs · 150–400m

Llanos de Moxos

Geoglyphs · Trinidad · San Ignacio · Mojeño

Rainforest · 100–400m

Beni Amazon

TIPNIS · Beni and Mamoré rivers · Primary forest

Pampas · Wildlife · 200–300m

Yacuma Pampas

Pink dolphins · Anacondas · Caimans · Giant otters

— Destinations

What to see in Beni

236m

Trinidad

Beni capital · Mamoré river port · Birding

Beni

Pampas del Yacuma

Pink dolphins · Anacondas · Caimans · Giant otters

UNESCO candidato

Llanos de Moxos

10,000+ geoglyphs · South America's largest ancient engineering

UNESCO 2012

San Ignacio de Moxos

Baroque music · Machete dances · Jesuit missions

230m

Rurrenabaque (gateway)

Gateway to northern Beni · Jungle and pampas

1.090.645 ha

TIPNIS

Indigenous territory and national park · Virgin rainforest

Beni norte

San Borja

Northern TIPNIS gateway · Rivers and rainforest

Madidi

Chalalan Ecolodge

Indigenous community ecolodge in Madidi

— Love Bolivia Routes

Routes through Beni

El BufeoAmazon

Beni and Mamoré rivers · Pink dolphins · 7–10 days

7–10 days · from $1,766

La CapibaraBeni Pampas

Llanos de Moxos · Trinidad · Wildlife · 6–9 days

6–9 days · from $1,573

El SurubíMamoré River

Trinidad · Mamoré River · San Ignacio · 8–12 days

8–12 days · from $1,870

See all 19 Bolivia routes →

— Getting there

How to reach Beni

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By air

Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport, Trinidad (TDD): daily direct flights from La Paz (1h, Amaszonas/BoA) and Santa Cruz (1h). Small planes also fly to San Ignacio de Moxos and San Borja.

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By bus

Bus Trinidad–La Paz: 14–18h (dry season only, dirt road). Bus Trinidad–Santa Cruz: 12–16h. Most travellers fly given variable road conditions. In wet season roads can be impassable.

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By road

Trinidad–San Ignacio de Moxos: 3h dirt road. Trinidad–Rurrenabaque (Madidi access): 7–8h in dry season. Few paved roads in Beni — rivers and air are the main internal transport.

— When to visit

Best time for Beni

Beni has a tropical humid climate. The dry season (May–October) is better for roads and organised tours. The wet season (November–April) floods the llanos and activates aquatic wildlife.

May – OctDry season — ideal for travel

Roads passable, temperature 26–33°C. Yacuma Pampas most accessible. Wildlife concentrated around water bodies. Best for Trinidad and San Ignacio de Moxos tours.

Nov – AprWet season — aquatic wildlife

Llanos de Moxos flood — South America's largest floodplain at its peak. Pink dolphins range widely. Amazon at maximum biodiversity. Roads difficult or impassable.

AugSan Ignacio de Moxos festival

The Lord of Miracles Festival (August) is extraordinary: Baroque music, machete dances and the UNESCO-listed Ichapekene Piesta. One of Bolivia's most unique celebrations.

Jul – SepBest for wildlife

Wildlife concentrates around lakes and rivers in dry season. Ideal for jaguars, caimans, anacondas and the continent's highest bird density.

— People & culture

Identity & traditions

Indigenous people

Mojeño (Moxeño) people

The Mojeño are Beni's most numerous indigenous nation. Their history is deeply linked to 17th-century Jesuit missions. The Mojeños inherited Baroque music (violin, harp, polyphonic chant) and have kept it alive — San Ignacio de Moxos music is UNESCO Intangible Heritage. Machete dances and feather costumes are active expressions of living culture.

Indigenous people

Tsimane' (Chimane)

The Tsimane' are one of the world's most scientifically studied Amazonian peoples: their cardiovascular health studies (the healthiest hearts ever recorded) have generated dozens of papers in top medical journals. They live along the Maniqui river and in the TIPNIS area, maintaining a subsistence economy of hunting, fishing and gathering.

Pre-Columbian heritage

Llanos de Moxos civilisation

The Llanos de Moxos represent South America's most complex and least-known prehispanic civilisation. Over 10,000 geoglyphs, artificial canals, raised fields and mounds built over 6,000 years to control floods and create agricultural land in flooded savannahs. A UNESCO World Heritage candidate — what some researchers call South America's Atlantis.

— Gastronomy

What to eat in Beni

Beni's food is tropical and river-centred. Fish is the core protein — surubí and pacú as the stars. Dishes are simple, fresh and genuinely tropical.

Majadito

Rice cooked with dried charque beef, ripe plantain and fried egg. The most popular breakfast in Trinidad and Beni. Simple, filling and uniquely tropical in flavour.

Masaco

Roasted and pounded plantain or yuca with pork chicharrón or charque. The most popular snack in Beni. Made over an open fire, served hot.

Surubí al horno

Surubí (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) is the king of the Mamoré — a catfish up to 90cm and 25kg. Baked with plantain, lemon and tropical spices. Trinidad's most celebrated dish.

Pacú frito

Pacú (Colossoma macropomum) — herbivore, sweet flesh, few bones. Fried whole with fried plantain and yuca. Pure river food at every Trinidad pension.

Somó

Fermented yuca chicha, traditional drink of Beni's indigenous communities. Sweet-sour, slightly alcoholic. Served in gourds. The ceremonial version is stronger.

Plátano in all forms

Plantain is the staple of Beni cuisine: fried, boiled, roasted, in soup, as masaco. The backbone of every meal from breakfast to dinner in the department.

— Gallery