We had planned to stay in the tree house here for 2 nights, but ended up staying for one. The tree house was small and basic, exactly as expected, but we were disappointed at the lack of space to relax and unwind - the tranquil garden we had read about was a building site and the pool we had seen mentioned (in very old reviews) is now a monkey enclosure. We also found some of the staff were fairly unhelpful. No one seemed to pay attention when we arrived and finding someone to help us with getting around was difficult. That said, it is worth a stay if you are the right sort of person. The only reason to go is to enjoy the wildlife, and the refuge side of things is excellent. We enjoyed our tour and thought our guide did a good job. We loved meeting the monkeys in particular. Worth staying, on the understanding that the lodge is very much secondary to the refuge, and only for one night.

We stayed for a month in LSV as volunteers and we really enjoyed it. The work that Marcello and Vicky (and all the other guys) do is so valuable to... well, everyone, really. They really have devoted their lives to this project.
LSV isn't a petting zoo so visitors are restricted to follow a tour round. But as volunteers you'll have opportunity to work with monkeys and birds and do lots of other stuff. Would definitely recommend!

We decided to stay one night at La Senda Verde after we finished Death Road with Gravity. We opted for the cheapest accommodation in an Eco House with shared bathroom (£28 per night for 2 including breakfast & tour). This was double what we had paid for a private room with bathroom in Bolivia BUT we appreciated that this is so that a large proportion of the money goes towards the animals. So we were happy to pay.

The room itself was cosy, a double bed and plenty of blankets. Plus a veranda. There was a cage around the hut to stop monkeys & birds getting in. The noises of the insects/reptiles/birds were awesome and the thunderstorm added more ambience! Unfortunately there was no hot water in either shower block on the two days we were there and the showers by the hut were fairly dirty.

The restaurant area is nice enough. Lunch buffet was good, but dinner had no choice and was a cake like slice with cheese in it. Was very odd. The brownie that was extra for dessert was really nice and the beers were priced in line with prices in town.

We were there of course to see the animals and they were fantastic. We opted for the bear tour which was £3 extra each. It was definitely worth it as seeing the bears was fantastic!!!

All of the animals are very clearly well looked after and there is a very limited space for them to look after them in. The team are clearly trying to balance the demand to rescue versus the space that they have available. It's commendable what they are trying to do for these poor animals and for that I'd recommend everyone going to visit.

My criticism comes from the lack of information and mis-representation on the website. It is described as an idyllic retreat from La Paz, with hikes and natural pools for swimming nearby. The games/DVD room is currently undergoing major reconstruction and can't be used. None of this information was told to us at check in. Other than the restaurant there is no where for guests to go, as you can't wander amongst all the animals as access is restricted to employees and volunteers. Benches in the area outside guest accommodation could be good so you can sit and have the money's visit you it if they wish.

The centre is full to bursting with animals and it seems very geared towards volunteers and day tourists but if staying as a guest overnight I felt a little forgotten about. The information about where we could go, activities to do would have been great).

Overall it is well worth a visit to see the incredible animals and see the work they are trying to do and support whichever way you can. But if staying as a guest (non-volunteer) for more than a night just make sure you've had a full induction of everything you can and can't do.

Good luck La Senda Verde. I hope that it all goes well with your wonderful animals!