Waterfalls Tour
5 Days / 4 Nights
Flor de Oro
The Flor de Oro lodge is the center of ecotourism in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Easily accessible from the lodge are large expanses of cerrado vegetation, periodically inundated savannahs, riverine forests, terra firme and igapo rainforests, oxbow lakes, and the semi-deciduous woodlands found on the climb up the Huanchaca Plateau en route to the Mirador de los Monos.
Los Fierros
Los Fierros are large expanses of endangered cerrado habitat, periodically inundated savannahs, terra firme and periodically flooded rainforests, semi-deciduous woodlands, the savannahs and gallery forests found on top of the Huanchaca Plateau, and the spectacular waterfall, El Encanto.
Day 1 - Santa
Cruz - Flor de Oro (Noel Kempff Mercado National Park)
In the morning, you will be transferred from your hotel to the Samaipata
airport for your charter flight
(2.5 hrs) to Flor de Oro, the center of ecotourism in Noel Kempff Mercado
National Park. Flor de Oro is located on the bank of Itenez River in the
extreme north-central section of the park. You will fly over hundreds
of miles of pristine rainforest, as well as the magnificent Huanchaca
Plateau with its red cliffs and two very impressive waterfalls, Ahlfeld
and Arco Iris. This plateau, along with the surrounding rainforests make
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park what it is: a large, diverse and well-protected
area encompassing more than 3.8 million acres of wilderness. The afternoon
will be spent exploring gallery forests found along the Itenez River and
the large expanse of savannah located close to Flor de Oro, offering the
opportunity to see toco toucan, white woodpecker, and a variety of insects
and mammal species, including South American coatimundis and the beautiful
silvery marmoset. An optional night hike will be offered. Overnight -
Flor de Oro
Day 2 - The
Waterfalls of the Paucerna River
Today will be dedicated entirely to getting to the Ahlfeld Waterfall,
the first of two magnificent waterfalls found along the Paucerna River.
The trip by motorized canoe will be long (sometimes up to 5 hours), but
the time spent on the river will increase your chances of getting excellent
views of some incredible wildlife. Along the way to the camp you can hope
to see capybaras, tapir, jaguar, and an unbelievable variety of birds,
including blue and yellow macaws, the rare zig-zag heron, and a variety
of kingfishers. We guarantee that the wildlife and wilderness scenery
during this trip will be spectacular. However, we want to make sure that
all interested persons understand that the accommodations are rustic and
may include camping (depending on the number of participants). Taking
into consideration the accessibility of the waterfalls and the logistics
of getting food and staff to them, we hope that all who contemplate this
trip will do so in a spirit of adventure and exploration. Following arrival
to the Ahlfeld Camp, you will spend the rest of the afternoon hiking along
the river to a breathtaking 35 meter high waterfall, Ahlfeld, where you
will be able to swim in the large pool of water that has formed around
the base of the waterfall. An optional night hike will be offered. Overnight:
Ahlfeld Camp.
Day 3 - Ahlfeld
Camp and the Arco Iris Waterfalls
You will leave early in the morning. Throughout the 4-hour hike to Arco
Iris you will be provided with great opportunities to see at least one
of the eleven species of monkeys that inhabit the park. Great views of
the waterfalls.
Day 4 - Ahlfeld
Camp - Flor de Oro; the Bays of the Itenez River
This day of travel will signify the end of the heart of your trip to Noel
Kempff; however, the wildlife which may present itself throughout the
day will undoubtedly provide you with the opportunity to view some of
the additional exciting bird and mammal species that make Noel Kempff
their home. The early morning and afternoon will be spent traveling back
to Flor de Oro, and you should be on the look-out for giant otters, black
howler monkeys, and spectacled caiman - all of which are often seen while
traveling along the Paucerna River. Then, following a late lunch and afternoon
siesta you will depart on a voyage to some of the bays located close to
Flor de Oro in search of the freshwater dolphins and caiman that inhabit
the bays found close to Flor de Oro. An optional night hike will be offered.
Overnight: Flor de Oro
Your final morning in Noel Kempff will take you in search of some of the species that may have eluded you during the previous four days. That means you could be visiting any of the bays or trails located around Flor de Oro before your flight back to Santa Cruz. Following a late breakfast, you will depart for the city of Santa Cruz with the balance of the day for relaxing or preparing for departures later in the evening or the following day. Transfer to your hotel.