Samaipata, El Fuerte and Amboro National Park
Discover Samaipata, congenial the mountain resort 2-3 hours from Santa Cruz, the archaeological site El Fuerte and the dense cloudforest of Amboró National Park.
Just a couple of hours’ scenic drive up a forested valley into the cool mountains above sultry Santa Cruz, you’ll reach the pretty little colonial-style town of Samaipata, popular among Cruceños as a retreat from the heat of the big city as well as adventurous international visitors. It has a completely different vibe, with a covered market bulging with the kaleidoscopic colours of tropical fruit and vegetables, literary cafés, congenial bars and streets lines with red-tiled houses with wooden doors featuring street art.
Spend a couple of days here, during which you can choose from a selection of relaxed guided excursions into the delightful surrounding countryside. Visit el Fuerte, a hilltop archaeological site where pre Inca peoples carved animals and birds in the sandstone, subsequently occupied by the Inca and Spanish Empires: vestiges of all eras remain.
Don’t miss Amboró National Park, accessible by a bumpy dirt road. This park extends over a range of altitudes, from 300m to 3,300m, and embraces habitats for a huge variety of highland and lowland plants, over 700 species of birds and many mammals, including jaguar, puma and spectacled bear though you are unlikely to spot these on your short incursion into the cloud forest section park. You will see, however, giant fern trees some of which are hundreds of years old.
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Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.
