Surroundings

PIRAÍ COTTAGES

They are located on the best area of the capital. They are perfect for enjoying a sunny afternoon with a great view.

In the cottages they offer delicious local meals and snacks. It is the favourite site for locals mostly in summer when temperatures raise as much as 40ºC.

MONTERO

This was a major cattle rising and farming area, where important mills for the production of rice, cotton and fine woods are settled.

It is 53 Km. away from Santa Cruz and has become the fastest growing area and one of the prettiest as well.

COTOCA SANCTUARY

This church is the center where locals gather not only on December 8th, when it is the celebration of the Virgen of Cotoca, patron of the area, but also every Sunday and even everyday. It is 20 Km. from the city. It was built in 1902.

LOMAS DE ARENA DE “EL  PALMAR “

They are formed by the wind erosion on rock or sandy sediments.

ESPEJILLOS

It is a beautiful site located 40 kms. west from Santa Cruz, on the road to Cochabamba.

It shows several waterfalls forming small ponds where reflection is outstanding. This is what has given the site its name.

SAMAIPATA

Samaipata is located 120 Km. from Santa Cruz on the foot ot the Andes at 1640 meters, therefore, the weather is cooler than Santa Cruz.

Samaipata is a very charming town, with cottages of an European style that have given it the nickname of “Small Switzerland”

About 9 Km. before arriving to Samaipata stands “El Fuerte”, the biggest carved pre-hispanic stone in South America, declared Human Heritage by UNESCO.

This site displays carvings of ancient designas such as the puma and the snake and shows amazing water drains.

The origin and exact dates of this site are still a question. Andean designs have been added to the original structure.

In Samaipata itself, it is posible to visit their Archaeological and Anthropological Museum where different elements discovered on the excavations of El Fuerte were found.

AMBORÓ NATIONAL PARK

This national park is located at 40 kilometers east of Santa Cruz, covering 1.09 million acres (442,500 hectares) of pristine forest, covering a spur of the Andes that juts into the eastern plains. Amboro’s steep, densely forested slopes support an astonishing biodiversity, including over 830 different types of birds. Among them large numbers of endemic species and such rarities as the Andean Cock-of-the- Rock, red fronted and military macaws, and the Blue Horned Curassow or unicorn bird, which was thought to have been extinct until it was rediscovered here. The park is also home to jaguars, giant anteaters, tapirs and several species of monkey, while its enormous range of plant and insect species is still largely unexplored. This park protects a splendid and largely intact rainforest, and the chances of seeing some wildlife on even a short visit are fairly high, this preserve includes some beautiful cloud forests, which can only be visited from Samaipata.

BERMEJO

On route to Samaipata there is the town of Bermejo, well known for its sugar mills. In this area it is possible to visit the Serranía Volcanes, a mountain range of volcanic origin with natural waterfalls and swiming ponds.

YAPACANI RIVER

120 Kms. north from Santa Cruz, there is a very pictoresque site, called the port of Yapacaní, on the shore of the river of the same name.

It offers some fishing and a beautiful landscape.

VALLE GRANDE

This town still shows the big Spanish influence in the clothing and house building.

People have a market here where locals sell their products (corn, sugar without refining, fruits, mudd handcrafts, leather as well as animals).

This town was made famous by the well know Che Guevara, who has some of his last days in this area.

PUERTO SUAREZ

This town, with a wonderful jungle is known for its Lagoon and Caves that offer a magnificent scenary.

It is the main communication between Bolivia and Brazil.