PARQUE NACIONAL NOEL KEMPFF MERCADO
The miraculous Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado is situated hundreds of miles away from the nearest big city and therefore is completely unspoilt and one of the most pristine rainforests on the planet. The forest is so green and just teeming with wildlife. We can’t recall seeing more wildlife in any jungle. It gets really interesting when we tell you that this jungle landscape is interrupted by a table top mountain with….. plain savannah when you get to the top. It gets even better because of the various waterfalls falling down about 200 meters from the top of the table top mountain into idyllic natural swimming pools. From the top of this table top mountain you have an unforgettable view of the sunset over a seemingly endless Amazon Jungle. Wow. This expedition is hardcore.
You can only do this as part of an organized trip. You can organize your trip in Santa Cruz or Concepción. In either way the first lap of the trip includes a trip to Concepción. From there a 4x4 jeep will bring you to the park. This is a hardcore wobbly ride which takes about 10 hours through dense, dense jungle.
Given the effort to make it here try to stay as long as possible. This trip is amazing. You need 1 day to get from Concepción to the park. Then you need 1 day to go to see the waterfalls of Catarata El Encanto and camp there. This waterfall is probably the closest to the paradise of Eden that you’ll ever be. Another day is needed to get from the camp to the table top mountain and climb half way and stay overnight there (and don’t forget to catch the sunset over the Amazon). Add another day for wildlife spotting. You could take another day to for example stay on the top of the table top mountain or another 2 days to include a visit to Laguna Chaplin (Bahia). We’re not sure if it is possible to visit the Lagoon as the jungle always takes back the paths which are cut. Keep in mind that this trip really takes you into the wild so it could happen that it takes 1 or 2 days longer to get back. Your trip will drop you off in Santa Rosa from where you can take a bus back to Santa Cruz.
You’re going to be exhausted but satisfied after this trip, but it will be a memory to cherish forever. If time is on your side take a day or 2 in Santa Cruz to relax. From Santa Cruz there is the option to enter the Pantanal in Brazil by the way.
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