Southern Horned Curassow Lodge (Cajones del Ichilo)

by A. Bennett Hennessey and Claudia Coca

This is a new lodge that has just opened that we have not visited. I have been told that from this site you can see the Southern Horned Curassow. Claudia Coca sent me some notes on the site which I have translated and written here. Contact Bird Bolivia (birdbolivia@unete.com.bo) if interested.

The tourism company “Cajones del Ichilo” began in 2002 with support from World Concern. This January they inaugurated the lodge which has 4 rooms, dining area, a small bathroom and a reception room.

The lodge is based in a tall tropical forest near a foothill forest habitat. The area should be interesting for its bird community, though this is the furthest southern extension of Amazonian tall forest habitat, hence species richness and abundances will be lower than sites such as Serrania Sadiri and Alto Madidi found near the Rurrenabaque hub. The key feature of the site is the possibility of seeing the rare, possibly endemic Bolivian species of Southern Horned Curassow. Other interests in the area are rivers, bat caves, and the large mammal salt colpas. From the lodge it is possible to conduct a four hour hike to a Guacharo Tunnel (Oilbird cave). If visiting the area, this could make an excellent day trip, as the Oilbirds are active through-out the day, meaning you could arrive in midday heat, observe the birds have lunch and birdwatch back. Note, frequently in Bolivia, the Oilbird caves (see Carrasco National Park Road, Mapajo Lodge for other Oilbird caves, and Apa apa for flying birds) are only occupied during the breeding season, and could be empty between May to early September. If you are there, I recommend trying to see the Oilbirds, as they put on a great show, and are truly odd birds.

Logistics: From Santa Cruz travel to the village of Yapacani- approximately 2.5 hrs drive. From Yapacani you need to continue driving to a small community of San German (15 minutes). Near the market you will see the taxi stop, which is locally known as Kilometre 27. This could mean that there is a trufi taxi available to this area from Buena Vista or Santa Cruz. From San German you need to travel on the dirt road south for 30 minutes. At San German there are two motorbike taxi companies which can take you to the community of Ichilo- costing around 3-4 US$, 30 Bolivianos. The motorbike taxi can collect you when leaving.

Before arriving to the Moiller River, the dirt roads come to a fork from which you should take the left side to the bridge. A few kilometres later the road comes to another fork where you should take the rights side. Following this road to Ichilo, you will first pass the communities of El Condor and San Isidro and the river Condor and Colorado. There remains the possibility after a hard rain that the River Condor will be to high, and you will not be able to drive through the crossing. From the Ichilo community, the lodge is a 45 minute walk.

You can attempt to make a reservation phoning Lucas Rivero on the weekends when he is in Yapacani (cel. 71365846) or write to birdbolivia@unete.com.bo . It is also possible to call Ichilo through the radio, but we do not have their frequency. They ask for a few days notice.

Community leader: Juan Torres

Director of tourism company: Lucas Rivero

Recommended Guides: Cervando Colque, Lucas Rivera, and Esteban Castro

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