Parque Nacional Otuquis

Carved out of the southern Pantanal in 1997, this 1,005,950 sq-km park is, along with 'nearby' Kaa-Iya, and Manuripi at the country's other geographical extreme, Bolivia's most remote habitat. Until recently, Otuquis had no guides, no tours, and no infrastructure. It was virgin wilderness at every turn except for a small enclave near Puerto Suárez (the Zona Río Pimiento, which is easily reached from the city).

Otuquis potentially offers everything a trip to the Brazilian Pantanal does, only without any of its better-known counterpart's amenities. Wildlife abounds, especially aquatic mammals and reptiles, and the species count is said to rival that of Amboró in some areas. Caimans, tigers, jaguars, otters, egrets, even rare river dolphins have been spotted, along with some of the world's largest flocks of toucans and parrots. Perhaps less attractive but every bit as prevalent are the schools of pirañha: bathers be warned!