The Long Road into the Forgotten Frontier
Deep in the northeastern corner of Bolivia, along the remote frontier where the Amazon rainforest meets the cerrado savannas of central South America, lies one of the most extraordinary wilderness landscapes on the continent: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park.
Tucked along the Brazilian frontier, the park protects an immense wilderness of rainforest, rivers, waterfalls, and ancient plateau formations that rise unexpectedly from the Amazon basin. It is one of the most remarkable natural areas in South America—and one of the least visited. There are still places on this continent where reaching the landscape is part of the story.
Getting to Noel Kempff requires patience. It requires long drives on dusty roads, long hours traveling remote rivers, and a willingness to venture far beyond the comfortable reach of modern infrastructure. The journey itself gradually peels away the layers of the modern world. Paved highways fade into dirt roads. Towns become smaller. Villages appear occasionally along the roadside—clusters of wooden houses set among cattle pastures, forest islands, and pockets of cerrado vegetation where twisted trees grow above red soil.
Hours pass. The horizon stretches wide. This eastern frontier of Bolivia still carries the spirit of exploration that once defined much of South America.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the British explorer Percy Fawcett traveled extensively through these same regions while surveying the boundary between Bolivia and Brazil. Moving by mule, canoe, and foot through forests and rivers that had barely been mapped, he described landscapes of immense rivers, towering jungle, and isolated sandstone plateaus rising abruptly above the forest.
Those strange plateau formations would later inspire his friend Arthur Conan Doyle to imagine the hidden world described in The Lost World—a place where cliffs rose above unexplored jungle and anything seemed possible. Standing in Noel Kempff today, it is easy to see how such ideas took hold.
Unlike many parts of the Amazon basin that consist largely of flat rainforest, Noel Kempff sits at the intersection of several major ecological zones. To the west stretch the immense rainforests of the upper Amazon basin. To the south and east spreads the cerrado, one of South America’s great savanna ecosystems—an environment of open grasslands, twisted hardwood trees, seasonal wetlands, and sandy soils that support remarkable plant and bird diversity. Between these ecosystems rises one of the most distinctive geological formations in South America: the Huanchaca Plateau.
This immense sandstone formation, hundreds of millions of years old, rises abruptly above the surrounding forest like a colossal tableland. Along its edges, rivers plunge dramatically over cliffs, creating the waterfalls that define much of the park’s most spectacular scenery.
Among them are Ahlfeld Waterfall and Arco Iris Waterfall, where clear rivers tumble more than eighty meters through rainforest cliffs before continuing their journey through the jungle below.
Reaching these places is part of the adventure.
After two long days of travel the road finally ends at the frontier settlement of Piso Firme. From there the journey continues by boat along the broad waters of the Itenez River, a vast Amazonian river whose mirror-like surface reflects the sky and forest like polished glass. In quiet stretches the wake of a pink river dolphin sometimes breaks the water’s surface.
Gradually the expedition turns into the Pauserna River, a much narrower jungle corridor where the forest presses close to the water. Giant trees lean over the banks. Lianas hang like ropes between branches. Macaws pass overhead in pairs while kingfishers dart low across the water.
Wildlife reveals itself slowly in these places. A giant river otter surfaces briefly before diving again. Capybaras graze along muddy edges of the river. Tapirs move silently through the forest understory. High in the canopy, the immense silhouette of the Harpy Eagle sometimes appears above the river corridor.
Eventually the river delivers us deep into the heart of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, where jungle trails lead to viewpoints overlooking waterfalls plunging more than eighty five meters through rainforest cliffs. Here the forest closes in completely. There are no roads. No towns. No background noise of civilization.
There is no Wi-Fi. Thankfully.
The effort required to reach Noel Kempff is real—long drives, hours on the river, jungle trails, and the patience that true wilderness demands. But those who make the journey understand quickly why the place is worth it. Because landscapes like this—vast, wild, and largely unchanged—are becoming rare in the modern world. And Noel Kempff remains one of the few places where the feeling of exploration is still alive.
April to June
10 Guests
4x4 vehicles, motorized boats
Hotels, Jungle Lodges, basic huts, camping
Level 3 - Moderate
We, of course, would do whatever is necessary in case of medical emergency and evacuate to the closest hospital or clinic to make sure you receive medical care.
International flights into Bolivia arrive from early in the morning to late at night.
Once you clear Immigration (where your tourist visa is issued on arrival) and go through Customs, a Sergio Photo Tours representative will be waiting for you at the passenger meeting area with a clearly marked sign. We’ll handle your luggage and escort you to our private vehicle. From there, we head to our hotel in the Equipetrol neighborhood…a classic and well-established part of the city with plenty of services, restaurants and stores nearby.
Depending on your arrival time, once we drop you off at your hotel the rest of the day is free for you to settle in and relax.
We will have a welcome dinner tonight at 6 PM and talk about our plans for the next 9 days, and tomorrow’s early morning departure.
Hotel: Los Tajibos (5*) Meals included: D
Our journey begins in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia’s great lowland city and the natural gateway to the country’s eastern frontier. We depart at 7:30 AM, leaving behind the urban rhythm of Santa Cruz as the road opens eastward across broad plains that stretch toward Brazil. During the first hours, we pass through agricultural lands and expansive cattle country, but gradually the landscape begins to shift. Patches of forest rise from the savanna, and the vegetation starts to take on the character of the cerrado—a transitional ecosystem of grasses, twisted trees, scattered palms, and a surprising richness of birdlife.
After roughly 4½ hours on the road, we arrive in San Javier, the first of the Jesuit missions established in eastern Bolivia, founded in 1691. Its carved wooden church stands with quiet elegance beside the main plaza, reflecting the remarkable meeting of Jesuit tradition and the artistry of the Chiquitano people.
After lunch at Eco Resort San Javier, we continue for another two hours to Concepción, another historic mission town founded in 1709. By late afternoon, parrots and macaws often cross the sky on their way back to the forest, while the first calls of night birds begin to rise from the surrounding trees. Overnight at Gran Hotel Concepción, the last comfortable stop before we push deeper into far more remote country.
Hotel: Gran Hotel Concepcion (4*) Meals included: B, L, D
Drive time: approximately 6½ hours
After breakfast, served from 6:30 AM, we head north. For the first 90 kilometers, the road remains paved, but before long the asphalt ends, and the real overland approach begins along long stretches of dirt road penetrating Bolivia’s eastern frontier.
The scenery becomes rougher, hotter, and more remote. The cerrado gradually gives way to more humid conditions, and the transition toward Amazonian forest becomes unmistakable. You begin to feel it in the heat and humidity and hear it in the forest sounds. Beyond San Martín, the Amazonian character of the landscape becomes more obvious. The horizon is marked by reddish soils, low irregular trees, open country, and scattered wetlands alive with birdlife. Small frontier settlements appear from time to time—simple wooden houses, fields, cattle, and broken stretches of forest. After roughly 250 kilometers of dirt road, we finally reach Porvenir, a small community west of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park.
Life here revolves around the harvest of açaí, the Amazonian fruit that grows abundantly in the surrounding forests. The local processing facility runs on renewable energy, a small but impressive example of how remote communities can use natural resources without damaging the environment.
Tonight’s lodging is basic and authentic: a simple wooden guesthouse with no air conditioning, fully in keeping with the frontier nature of the region. Dinner and overnight in Porvenir.
Accommodations: simple posada in Piso Firme Meals included: B, L, D
Drive: 8–9 hours Distance: approximately 340 km
After breakfast, we continue the drive for another five hours to the small riverside settlement of Piso Firme. Here, the road quite literally ends.
In front of us flows the Río Paragua, which soon joins the Río Iténez, one of the great rivers of the southwestern Amazon basin and part of the natural frontier between Bolivia and Brazil. It is a broad, calm river whose surface often looks like polished glass, reflecting the sky, clouds, and forest with astonishing clarity. From this point onward, the expedition continues by water.
We board motorized boats with comfortable seats and begin a journey of roughly 160 kilometers, about four hours on the river. The forest presses closer to the banks, and wildlife starts to reveal itself more openly—herons standing watch along the shoreline, kingfishers flashing low over the water, and macaws crossing above us in pairs. From time to time, the smooth pink back of a river dolphin breaks the surface, a reminder that this forest still holds its old magic.
By late afternoon we arrive at Pousada de Renato, located in Brazilian territory, near the mouth of the Pauserna River, which will carry us into the heart of Noel Kempff tomorrow. Dinner and overnight at the posada, where there are double rooms, proper bathrooms, air conditioning, and a kitchen known for serving fresh fish from the Iténez River.
Accommodations: Pousada de Renato Meals included: B, L, D
Drive: 180 km / about 5 hours
Boat: 160 km / about 4 hours
Breakfast is served at 7:00 AM, and by 8:00 AM we are back on the river. About fifteen minutes later, we reach the park ranger station, where we formally register our entrance into Noel Kempff Mercado National Park.
The Pauserna River is completely different from the broad Iténez. Here the river narrows dramatically, winding through dense rainforest where giant trees arch over the channel and lianas hang from the canopy like long green ropes. This is a place where the forest closes in and the sense of entering true wilderness becomes immediate. We travel approximately 63 kilometers upriver, a journey that usually takes four to five hours, depending in part on water levels and whether fallen trees from the rainy season obstruct the passage.
Wildlife is often close at hand. Giant River Otters patrol the banks. Capybaras rest along muddy edges. At times you may glimpse the back of a tapir, or hear the movement of peccaries in the forest, which always raises the possibility that a jaguar is somewhere behind them. Above the canopy, with luck, the immense Harpy Eagle may appear—one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the Amazon, and in the world.
We arrive at Ahlfeld Camp in the early afternoon. After lunch, we walk to a viewpoint overlooking the lower section of Ahlfeld Waterfall. Our jungle camp lies roughly 60 kilometers from the nearest human settlement. This is not a place for carelessness. In country like this, you stay alert and you pay attention. The jungle has a way of teaching lessons to those who do not. Dinner and overnight camping in tents at Ahlfeld Camp.
Accommodations: Tent camping Meals included: B, L, D
Boat: 63 km / 4–5 hours Hike: 2-3 hours
The day begins early, with coffee ready at 6:00 AM while the jungle slowly wakes around us. After breakfast, we begin a 3-kilometer hike through dense rainforest, climbing two steep rises of roughly 60 meters each. The trail passes through lush, layered forest—giant trees, tangled vegetation, damp earth, and the close green density that defines this part of the Amazon. The sound of water builds steadily until the forest opens and reveals Arco Iris Waterfall, plunging 86 meters from jungle-clad cliffs.
In the morning, when sunlight cuts through the mist, a perfect rainbow often forms across the falling water – hence the name Cascada Arco Iris (Rainbow Waterfall). The views across the waterfall are unforgettable, and the clear, crystalline water only adds to its power.
After spending time at the falls, we continue onward to our next camp in the forest. On the banks of the Pauserna River, we establish a more improvised camp among the trees. It is a wild, beautiful place, and it is possible to swim in the clear waters of this magical river. Dinner and overnight at Camp #2 / Majadito.
Accommodations: Tent camping Meals included: B, L, D
Hike: 3 km each way through rainforest (2-3 hours)
This morning, we cross the river in inflatable boats and follow El Camino del Anta — the Tapir Trail, named for the tracks of tapir that once guided the earliest explorers through this forest. The trail climbs 3.5 kilometers, a hike of roughly two to three hours, through dense jungle where the canopy occasionally opens and the terrain hints at the ancient plateau country that defines Noel Kempff.
At the top we reach the Papi and Kitty viewpoints, where Arco Iris Waterfall reveals itself in full force and the Amazon forest stretches outward to the horizon. It is impossible to stand in a place like this without thinking of explorers such as Percy Fawcett, who moved through these same frontier landscapes while helping map the borders between Bolivia and Brazil in the early twentieth century.
After a picnic-style lunch, we begin our return around 2:00 PM, descending back through the forest toward camp for a well-earned dinner and rest. Dinner and overnight at Camp #2 / Majadito.
Accommodations: Tent camping Meals included: B, L, D
Hike: 3.5 km / 2–3 hours
Morning comes quietly in the forest. After breakfast, we break camp and begin descending along the Pauserna River, stopping briefly to visit the upper section of Ahlfeld Waterfall and say goodbye to one of the park’s great natural wonders.
We continue down to the boats and navigate the Pauserna for several hours until reaching its mouth, where we rejoin the Iténez River. The river journey offers new perspectives of the forest as sunlight filters through the canopy and birds move along the banks. Around 1:00 PM, we arrive once again at Pousada Renato for lunch. Afterward, we continue north by boat for another four hours down river to Piso Firme, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Our long navigation through the Amazonian rivers ends today.
Accommodations: Basic Posada in Piso Firme Meals included: B, L, D
Boat: 2-3 hours on the Pauserna plus 4 hours on the Itenez to Piso Firme
We leave Piso Firme at 7:00 AM, beginning the long drive back toward Concepción. This route takes us through remote country marked by logging areas, a small community called Picaflor, and long stretches of dense vegetation with towering trees and quebradas where açaí palms grow. In these zones, wildlife presence is significant, and the forest still feels alive and full of movement, even when little is immediately visible from the road. We stop for lunch around 2:00 PM at Cerro Pelón, then continue south.
We arrive in Concepción between 7:00 and 8:00 PM, where a comfortable room with private bathroom and hot shower feels especially welcome after the days spent deep in the field. In the evening, we head to a nice restaurant by the plaza for a delicious dinner. Overnight at Gran Hotel Concepción.
Hotel: Gran Hotel Concepcion (4*) Meals included: B, L, D
Drive Time: approximately 11-12 hours
After breakfast (served between 7:00 – 9:00 AM) we depart Concepción around 10:00 AM. The drive back to Santa Cruz de la Sierra takes roughly six hours, with lunch along the way in San Ramón or San Javier. Arrival in Santa Cruz is expected between 4:00 and 5:00 PM, bringing this expedition to a close in one of the most remote, demanding, and unforgettable wilderness regions in the Bolivian Amazon. Final dinner together to celebrate an expedition to the heart of the amazon!
Hotel: Los Tajibos (5*) Meals included: B, L, D
Drive Time : approximately 6 hours
**Airport shuttle is included tonight or next morning for those departing out of Viru-Viru Int’l airport.
End of our services.
Our tour prices are based on a tiered pricing model. More guests = lower price, per person. That means the prices go down on a per-person basis as more people book onto a specific tour departure. Prices are based on double occupancy / twin share basis. All prices are in U$ Dollars.
Contact us for guidance on a quote for your group or private trip.
| Lowest Price | 7-10 travelers | $ 6,385 / per person |
| Average Price | 4-6 travelers | $ 6,995 / per person |
| Optimum Price | 2-3 travelers | $ 7,555 / per person |
| Highest Price | 1 solo traveler (= private trip) | $ 10,485 / for 1 solo traveler |
| Single Supplement Fee | Per Person / Per Tour | $ 475 / for a single room (if available) |
Deposit & Terms (universal — identical on every tour. Custom tours have special terms, please contact us. ): A 30% deposit (minimum $1,000 per person) reserves your space. Of that, $1,000 per person is a non-refundable administrative fee — but it’s never lost: it’s always credited toward your trip, even if you change trips or dates, and it’s part of the total price, not an extra charge. Balance due 90 days before departure. Trip insurance (with a “cancel for any reason” rider) is required. See our Terms & Conditions for full details, or contact us for a custom or private quote.
Start Date: April 17, 2027
End Date: April 25, 2027
Start Date: May 8, 2027
End Date: May 16, 2027
Start Date: May 22, 2027
End Date: May 30, 2027
Start Date: June 5, 2027
End Date: June 13, 2027
Start Date: June 19, 2027
End Date: June 27, 2027
