Noel Kempff Mercado Park with Ahlfeld Waterfall

Arrive in Santa Cruz and overnight

This morning, board your charter flight to Flor de Oro, the center of ecotourism in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Flor de Oro is located right on the banks of the Itenez River in the extreme north-central section of the park. Therefore, en route to the park, you will fly over hundreds of kilometers (a 2.5 hour flight) of pristine rainforest, as well as the magnificent Caparu Plateau with its red cliffs and two very impressive waterfalls Ahlfed and Arco Iris. The entire plateau along with the majority of surrounding rainforests make Noel Kempff Mercado National Park exactly what it is – a large, 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 periodically savanna located close to Flor de Oro, offering the opportunity to see Toco Toucan, White Woodpecker, and a wide variety of insects and mammal species including South American Coati Mundi’s and the beautiful Silvery Marmoset. An optional night hike will be offered.

Today will be dedicated almost 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 view of some incredible wildlife. Along the way to the campamento you can hope to see Capybara, Tapir, Jaguar, and an unbelievable variety of birds including Blue and Yellow Macaws, the rare Zig-Zag Heron, and a variety of Kingfishers. It is guaranteed 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).

Following arrival to the campamento Ahlfeld, you will spend the rest of the afternoon hiking along the river to a breathtaking 35 meter high waterfall (40 minute hike), Ahlfeld, where you will be able to swim in the large pool of water at the base of the waterfall.

This morning, stroll through the forest (40 minute hike) to the upper section of the Ahlfeld Waterfall and enjoy the scenery. Return to camp for lunch and then return to Flor de Oro, and you should be on the look out for giant otters, black howler monkeys, spectacled caiman, and even jaguars – all of which are often seen while traveling along the Paucerna River. Return to Flor de Oro at dusk for dinner and the chance to enjoy the night sounds from the forest.

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 in the late morning. Charter flights between Santa Cruz and Flor de Oro can be delayed and postponed due to unfavorable weather. We recommend travelers schedule extra days in Santa Cruz at the end to accommodate any schedule modifications.