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Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado Bolivia — Catarata Federico Ahlfeld, Patrimonio Mundial UNESCO 2000. Foto: TripAdvisor
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— National Park · Santa Cruz, Bolivia · UNESCO 2000

Noel Kempff
Mercado.

15,234 km² of UNESCO World Heritage. 60m waterfalls in primary jungle. Virgin cerrado. Giant otters in crystal-clear rivers. Bolivia's most isolated and most spectacular park.

The waterfalls ↓How to get there ↓Gallery ↓
Surface area
15,234 km²
UNESCO
World Heritage 2000
El Encanto waterfall
60m
Ecosystems
Cerrado + Amazon
Access
Charter plane from SCZ
Visitors/year
<500 (exclusive)
— How long you need

Three expeditions. One unique park.

4 nights
  • Day 1: Santa Cruz → 2h charter flight → Flor de Oro (park north)
  • Days 2–3: El Encanto (Arco Iris) + Federico Ahlfeld Falls · cerrado walks
  • Day 4: Kayak on Río Paucerna (giant otters) · birdlife · overlook sunset
  • Day 5: Return flight to Santa Cruz

The standard itinerary. Covers the two main waterfalls and the park's most spectacular habitats.

6 nights
  • Days 1–4: Flor de Oro — waterfalls, rivers, cerrado, wildlife
  • Days 5–6: Los Fierros (park south) — different savanna habitat + birdlife
  • Day 7: Return flight

The complete itinerary. Explores both park access points — north and south — with very different habitats.

8 nights (expedition)
  • Days 1–4: Flor de Oro — waterfalls, rivers and deep cerrado
  • Days 5–7: Multi-day trekking into remote park zones
  • Days 8–9: Los Fierros + aerial photography of the plateau
  • Day 9: Return flight to Santa Cruz

For expeditioners, nature photographers or scientific groups. The park's core — inaccessible to most.

— Things to do in Noel Kempff Mercado

Six unmatched experiences.

💦
Flor de Oro sector · 2h walk

El Encanto Falls

60m into a jungle plunge pool — rainbow-generating

El Encanto (also called Arco Iris — Rainbow — for the permanent mist rainbow it generates) is a 60-metre waterfall on the Paucerna River, plunging over a sandstone cliff into a clear green pool surrounded by primary jungle on all sides. It is one of the most visually spectacular natural sites in Bolivia. The approach walk through cerrado and gallery forest takes 2 hours from Flor de Oro station.

Local tip
Arrive at El Encanto by 10am — the rainbow appears when the sun reaches the right angle for the spray, typically 9–11am. The plunge pool is safe to swim in. Bring your waterproof camera gear — the mist will reach you from 30 metres.
🌊
Paucerna River sector

Federico Ahlfeld Falls

40m multi-tier waterfall — crystal river

The Federico Ahlfeld Falls (named after the German-Bolivian geologist who first mapped the park) cascade 40 metres over multiple tiers on the Paucerna River. Accessed by river canoe from Flor de Oro, the approach along the Paucerna — one of Bolivia's most crystalline rivers — is half the spectacle. Giant otters are regularly seen from the canoe on this stretch.

Local tip
The Paucerna at this section is warm and crystal-clear — a swim here is one of Bolivia's great wild swims. Bring sandals for the river rocks. Giant otter sightings on this stretch are common in the early morning.
🌾
Park-wide · with guide

Cerrado Ecosystem Walks

South America's most threatened biome

The cerrado is a Brazilian-Bolivian tropical savanna ecosystem — characterised by twisted, fire-adapted trees, tall grass and explosive wildflower diversity. Noel Kempff protects one of the most intact and least visited cerrado areas in Bolivia, at the southern edge of the Amazon basin. Walking through cerrado at dawn — with the distinctive vegetation silhouetted against a crimson sky — is profoundly different from any jungle experience.

Local tip
Cerrado walks require a guide who knows the ecosystem — it looks uniform to uninitiated eyes but is extraordinarily rich. The wildflower season (September–October) transforms the cerrado into a spectacle of purple, yellow and pink. Giant anteaters are cerrado specialists — ask your guide for recent sightings.
🦦
Río Paucerna · canoe

Giant Otters on the Paucerna

Critically endangered — Noel Kempff population

The Paucerna River hosts one of the densest giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) populations in Bolivia. The crystal clarity of the water makes sightings particularly striking — you can watch them hunting fish underwater. At dawn, the otters are most vocal on the banks. Morning canoe excursions on the Paucerna consistently produce sightings of 5–12 individuals in a single trip.

Local tip
Giant otters are territorial and vocal. Stay silent on approach. Cut the motor 200m before known territory and paddle in. Family groups stand upright on the bank to assess the canoe — this is display behaviour, not aggression. Don't advance further once they display.
🦜
Flor de Oro + Los Fierros

Cerrado Birding

700+ species — rare cerrado endemics

Noel Kempff has 700+ bird species — including cerrado endemics almost impossible to find elsewhere in Bolivia. The interface between cerrado savanna, gallery forest and Amazon lowland produces extraordinary species diversity within a single day. Key species: Harpy Eagle (documented nesting pairs), Jabiru, Sunbittern, multiple macaw species, and cerrado specialists including the Campo Flicker and several grass-tyrant flycatchers.

Local tip
Bring a scope — cerrado birding involves long sightlines across open terrain. The gallery forest along the Paucerna produces understorey species; the open cerrado produces grassland raptors and endemics. A two-habitat day is a 200-species day. Book a specialist ornithological guide.
📖
Bolivia's conservation history

Noel Kempff Mercado: The story

Named after a botanist murdered in the park

Noel Kempff Mercado was a Bolivian botanist who dedicated his career to cataloguing the extraordinary biodiversity of this corner of eastern Bolivia. In 1986, during a field expedition to the park that now bears his name, he and two colleagues were murdered by drug traffickers who had established a landing strip in the remote plateau. His death sparked national outrage and led directly to the park's creation and the strengthening of protected area management in Bolivia.

Local tip
The plateau where Kempff was killed is called the Huanchaca Plateau. Its isolation made it a drug trafficking hub in the 1980s — the local legend inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World." Today it is one of the most pristine habitats in the park — a living legacy of Kempff's sacrifice.
— Why Noel Kempff is unique

UNESCO. Waterfalls. Cerrado. Everything.

Noel Kempff is the only park in Bolivia where you can walk from cerrado to jungle, swim under a 60m waterfall and watch giant otters in crystal water — in the same day.

🏛️
UNESCO World Heritage
Inscribed in 2000 for its "exceptional ecological integrity and irreplaceable biological diversity." One of the few natural World Heritage Sites in Bolivia and South America.
🌿
Cerrado
Brazilian-Bolivian tropical savanna with fire-adapted twisted trees, extraordinary wildflower diversity and specialist fauna. South America's most threatened biome — Noel Kempff is one of its most intact refuges.
🌳
Amazonian Forest
In the north and east of the park, transitional Amazonian forest with very high primate, bird and reptile diversity. The cerrado-jungle interface produces unique transitional biodiversity found nowhere else in Bolivia.
🏔️
Huanchaca Plateau
A 1,000m sandstone plateau above the plain — literally "The Lost World" (Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired by these mesas for the novel). Accessible only by charter plane or multi-day expedition.
🐾
Specialist wildlife
700+ birds. Giant otter on the Paucerna. Giant anteater in the cerrado. Maned wolf in the savannas. Jaguar in gallery forest. Amazon tapir at rivers. Black caiman in the Paucerna.
📊
<500 visitors per year
Noel Kempff's isolation — accessible only by charter plane — makes it one of the most exclusive national parks in South America. The absence of mass tourism is a fundamental part of its value.
— Expedition logistics

Getting there and what to bring.

✈️

How to get to Noel Kempff

  • Step 1: Fly to Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) — Bolivia's eastern hub
  • Step 2: Book a Noel Kempff specialist operator based in Santa Cruz
  • Step 3: Charter plane from Santa Cruz — ~2–2.5h flight to Flor de Oro (north) or Los Fierros (south)
  • No paved road access — charter plane is the only viable tourist access
  • The Flor de Oro airstrip lands on the edge of the Paucerna River — the arrival is spectacular
  • Book your charter flight at least 3–4 weeks ahead — very limited seats
🎒

What to bring to Noel Kempff

  • Hiking boots (cerrado trails) AND rubber boots (rivers and gallery forest trails)
  • DEET 30%+ repellent — essential. Humidity is high even in cerrado.
  • Waterproof photography gear — the waterfalls will soak you
  • Binoculars and scope for cerrado birding
  • Swimwear — El Encanto pool and the Paucerna river are for swimming
  • Antimalarial medication (consult your doctor) + yellow fever vaccine
— Climate and seasons

When to visit Noel Kempff.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
June – September
Dry season — ideal
The cerrado dries out and wildlife concentrates. The waterfalls carry maximum clean-water volume. Trails are in best condition. The Paucerna River is fully navigable. September adds cerrado wildflowers — the best month for photography.
October
Cerrado wildflowers
The wet-dry transition in October brings cerrado wildflowers at peak. Birding also benefits from austral migrant arrivals. Light rains add life to the landscape without making trails impassable.
November – May
Wet season
The waterfalls reach peak volume and spectacle (especially El Encanto in Feb–Mar). Cerrado trails become difficult. Charter plane access may have restrictions. The park operates but conditions are more demanding.
— Routes and ecosystems

Connected routes and ecosystems.

Ecosystems
tatu-carreta
Cerrado
Sabana tropical · Bolivia oriente
→
bufeo
Amazonia
Madidi · Pampas · Selva primaria
→
Love Bolivia Routes
jaguar
03 · Pantanal
El Jaguar
The eastern Bolivia wildlife circuit — Pantanal, Chaco, national parks. Noel Kempff as extension.
8–12 daysfrom €1,930
tatu-carreta
15 · Cerrado
El Tatú Carreta
Bolivia's cerrado circuit — the most threatened biome in South America, with giant anteaters and maned wolves.
6–10 daysfrom €1,780
FAQ

Questions about Noel Kempff.

Everything you need to know about Bolivia's most isolated park.

Plan your expedition →

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (15,234 km²) is a protected area in northeastern Santa Cruz department, on the Bolivian-Brazilian border. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000 for its "exceptional ecological integrity and irreplaceable biological diversity." It encompasses cerrado, savannas, Amazonian forest and crystal rivers. Access is exclusively by charter plane from Santa Cruz. Named after botanist Noel Kempff Mercado, murdered in the park in 1986 by drug traffickers.

Access is exclusively by charter plane from Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) — 2–2.5 hours of flight to Flor de Oro (north sector) or Los Fierros (south sector). There is no paved road access. All visits must be organised through a Santa Cruz specialist operator who arranges the charter flight, accommodation, guides and permits. Book at least 3–4 weeks ahead — charter seats are very limited.

El Encanto (also called Arco Iris) is a 60-metre waterfall on the Paucerna River, plunging over a sandstone cliff into a clear green pool surrounded by primary jungle. It generates a permanent rainbow in morning light — hence the name. Federico Ahlfeld Falls are a 40-metre tiered cascade on the same river. Both are accessible from Flor de Oro station on a 4-night programme. They are unique in Bolivia — no other national park has waterfalls of this volume and spectacle.

700+ bird species including cerrado endemics and Harpy Eagle. Giant river otters (resident family group on the Paucerna — sightings almost guaranteed on morning canoe). Giant anteater in the cerrado. Maned wolf in savannas. Jaguar in gallery forest. Amazon tapir at river crossings. Black caiman in the Paucerna. Cerrado wildflowers (September–October). The combination of cerrado and Amazonian habitats produces a species range found nowhere else in Bolivia.

June to September (dry season) is ideal: cerrado trails are accessible, Paucerna is fully navigable, wildlife is concentrated and skies are clear. September is the peak cerrado wildflower month — extraordinary for photography. October adds austral migrant birds in transition. November–May (wet season): waterfalls at maximum volume and spectacle, but trails become difficult and charter plane access may be restricted.

Noel Kempff Mercado was a Bolivian botanist who spent decades cataloguing the biodiversity of eastern Bolivia. In 1986, during a field expedition to the remote plateau that now bears his name, he and two colleagues were murdered by drug traffickers who had established a clandestine airstrip in the isolated mesa. His death sparked national outrage, led directly to the park's creation and strengthened Bolivia's protected area management. The Huanchaca Plateau where he died — said to have inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World" — is now one of the most pristine habitats in the park.

— Your Noel Kempff expedition

The Lost World
is waiting.

45 minutes. We design your Noel Kempff Mercado expedition with charter plane, specialist guides and full logistics from Santa Cruz.

$90 · €85 · Bs. 623

Book consultation → $90 · €85 · Bs. 623Cerrado ecosystem →