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Puerto Suárez Bolivia — puerta al Pantanal boliviano, triple frontera Bolivia-Brasil-Paraguay, Laguna Cáceres
bufeo
— Cities · Bolivia–Brazil–Paraguay triple border130m

Puerto Suárez
and Quijarro.

The gateway to Bolivia's Pantanal. Laguna Cáceres with its caimans and spoonbills. The historic train to Corumbá, Brazil. The triple border almost no traveller visits — and unlike anywhere else in Bolivia.

What to do ↓How to get there ↓Gallery ↓
Altitude
130 m
Laguna Cáceres
25 km²
Otuquis
1h by boat
Brazil border
Corumbá (5 km)
Flight from SCZ
~1h
Corumbá–SCZ train
2×/week
— Things to do in Puerto Suárez and Quijarro

Four border experiences.

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Puerto Suárez outskirts

Laguna Cáceres

Pantanal lake — caimans, spoonbills, dolphins

Laguna Cáceres is a natural Pantanal lake connected to the Paraguay River system, 5km from Puerto Suárez. At dawn, the lake is alive with waterbirds: roseate spoonbills, jabiru storks, herons, kingfishers, and ducks in enormous concentrations. Freshwater pink dolphins (bufeo) surface regularly. Caimans on every bank. A boat tour of 2–3 hours at dawn is the definitive Puerto Suárez experience.

Tip
The best boat tours depart at 5:30–6am. Book with a local operator in Puerto Suárez the evening before. Bring binoculars and a telephoto lens — the lake is open and sightlines are long. The dawn light on the water with jabiru silhouettes is extraordinary.
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1–2h by boat from Puerto Suárez

Parque Nacional Otuquis

Bolivia's pure Pantanal — jaguar and giant otter

Otuquis National Park is accessible by boat from Puerto Suárez — 1–2h depending on the destination zone within the park. This is the starting point for all Pantanal expeditions. Your Puerto Suárez or Santa Cruz operator organises boat access, guides and camping. Jaguar, giant otter, black caiman, marsh deer.

Tip
A minimum of 3 nights in Otuquis is recommended for a real Pantanal experience. The park has no internal hotel infrastructure — you camp on the riverbanks with your guide. The night sounds of the Pantanal — frogs, nightbirds, caimans — are extraordinary.
Full guide →
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Quijarro–Corumbá, Brazil

Historic Train to Corumbá

Bolivia's most atmospheric border crossing

The Quijarro–Corumbá train (also called "El Tren de la Muerte" historically — now fully operational) runs twice weekly from Santa Cruz via Quijarro to Corumbá, Brazil. The journey from Quijarro to Corumbá is just 8km across the border. The railway line, opened in 1955, crosses the dry forest and scrubland landscape of the Chiquitanía and Pantanal edge.

Tip
The full Santa Cruz–Corumbá train journey (~20h) is one of Bolivia's great rail experiences. It passes through the Chiquitanía dry forest, the Pantanal transition and arrives at the Brazilian Pantanal gateway city of Corumbá. Book in advance — seats sell out days ahead.
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Quijarro–Corumbá crossing

Bolivia–Brazil Border

The most unique border crossing in South America

The Quijarro–Corumbá border is unlike any other South American crossing: a narrow strip of land between two Pantanal cities, with the border marked by a simple gate and the two towns effectively blending into each other. Corumbá (Brazil) is larger and more developed — many Puerto Suárez residents cross daily for shopping, healthcare and banking.

Tip
The border crossing is simple and straightforward. Bolivian exit stamp from Migración in Quijarro, Brazilian entry stamp at Receita Federal in Corumbá. No visa required for most nationalities. A taxi from Quijarro to Corumbá costs ~$3–5 USD. Don't forget your passport.
— Travel logistics

Getting there and getting around.

✈️

How to get to Puerto Suárez

  • Flight Santa Cruz → Puerto Suárez: ~1h, BoA or Amaszonas, ~$70–120 USD. Daily flights.
  • Bus Santa Cruz → Puerto Suárez: ~4–5h by paved road. Comfortable and cheap.
  • Train Santa Cruz → Quijarro: ~20h (twice weekly). The railway experience.
  • From La Paz: flight to Santa Cruz + connection (~3h total air travel)
  • Puerto Suárez Airport (PSZ) is 5 min from the centre
  • Corumbá border crossing (Brazil) is 8km from Quijarro — border taxi ~$3 USD
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Getting around

  • Puerto Suárez: mototaxi and conventional taxis. Small city — everything walkable.
  • Quijarro–Corumbá: taxi ~$3–5 USD or walking (8km, not recommended with luggage)
  • Laguna Cáceres: taxi from Puerto Suárez or organised boat tour (~15–30 min)
  • Otuquis: boat organised by your operator from Puerto Suárez river port
  • Corumbá (Brazil): more accommodation and restaurant options. Currency: Brazilian real.
  • Data coverage: better in Brazil (Claro or TIM) than Bolivia in this remote zone
FAQ

Questions about Puerto Suárez.

Plan your trip →

Puerto Suárez and Puerto Quijarro are twin cities at the eastern tip of Bolivia's Santa Cruz department, on the triple border with Brazil and Paraguay. Puerto Suárez (airport, provincial capital) and Quijarro (border crossing point to Corumbá, Brazil) together serve as the gateway to Bolivia's Pantanal (Otuquis National Park) and an important border crossing. They are unlike anywhere else in Bolivia — tropical, flat, and shaped by proximity to the Brazilian Pantanal.

From Santa Cruz: flight (~1h, BoA or Amaszonas, ~$70–120 USD one way, daily), bus (~4–5h by paved road), or train (twice weekly, ~20h, the most atmospheric option). Puerto Suárez Airport (PSZ) is 5 minutes from the city centre. The Corumbá border (Brazil) is 8km from Quijarro by taxi (~$3 USD).

Laguna Cáceres is a natural Pantanal lake 5km from Puerto Suárez, connected to the Paraguay River system. It is an exceptional birdwatching site: roseate spoonbills, jabiru storks, hundreds of herons and egrets, kingfishers, ducks and freshwater dolphins (bufeo). Caimans on every bank. Dawn boat tours (2–3h) are the definitive Puerto Suárez experience — book with a local operator the evening before.

Yes — the Quijarro–Corumbá rail crossing connects Bolivia and Brazil. The full Santa Cruz–Corumbá train runs twice weekly (~20h total journey from Santa Cruz to the Brazilian border). The Quijarro–Corumbá stretch is just 8km across the border. The railway, opened in 1955, crosses the Chiquitanía dry forest and Pantanal edge — one of Bolivia's great rail journeys. Book seats in advance — they sell out.

— Your Bolivian Pantanal trip

The triple border.
It\'s waiting.

45 minutes. We design your Puerto Suárez, Otuquis and Bolivian Pantanal itinerary with flight, boat and full logistics.

$90 · €85 · Bs. 623

Book consultation → $90Otuquis Park →