Much is written about the great Amboro National Park, at the western side of the eastern lowlands of Bolivia. No doubt most travelers will make their way to Samaipata, the most popular and easily accessed entrance to the park. What few people will know is that of the few trails that enter the park there exists one trail from the city of Santa Cruz that you can hike easily without the services of a guide (who normally hold the keys to the gates).
To get to the start of the hike, take the ´Angostura´bus from the Terminal Bimodal, get off at a little town called San Jose (about 30 minutes), then cross the Pirai River (on foot) and keep walking for 5 hours. You´ll know you´re there when you see the sign marking ´Espejillos´. The trail that continues for 14km after crossing the river in the cities north, winds through flat and easily walkable scrub the trail is kept clear by locals 4×4 vehicles and Quad Bikes who are often around on weekends (tip if your tired and want to hitch a lift!)
Hikers will be rewarded with beautiful waterfalls, natural swimming pools and jacuzzis in the middle of the rain forest. Espejillos is Spanish for little mirrors, a lovely name for the waterfalls that cascade one after another, each creating its own fresh water swimming pool there are over a dozen which means you´ll easily have your own private swimming pool.
There are 2 access points to the waterfalls, one is run by an Indigenous Community, you can visit and camp here (5 Boliviano entry, camping extra), from here there is a 200m access point to the main natural monument.
The other is Hotel Espejillos where you can sleep comfortably each night after exploring the area. Behind the hotel is a 150m access point to a private waterfall and natural pool. You must call the hotel a day prior to let them know you are coming.
Jodanga Hostel in Santa Cruz has designed a special trekking map for independent travelers, available to all guests from reception.
Hidden just outside the city center , if you head along Avenida Velarde, around the 6th ring you will see an un obtrusive sign reading “Parque Nacional Las Lomas de Arena”. Translated – the national park is literally the dunes of sand. This amazing misplaced desert is an extremely popular spot for locals on weekends, replacing Bolivia´s distinct lack of beaches and especially during the baking hot summer months of November through to January.
You need to go there in a 4WD – or be prepared to walk. While taxis and normal vehicles (even micros head there) make it to the park entrance – the fun starts about 2 kms further in where you are met with a series of lakes and small dunes. If you have the stamina to walk a further 2 hours through the dunes, you will arrive at the largest dunes in the park for sandboarding.
Las Lomas natural beauty is a changing work of art – each year when wet season (Jan to March) makes trips to Las Lomas impossible (an undesirable!) even by 4×4, the rain clears in April to reveal the new lakes formed by the water – the location changes every year. Las Lomas makes not only for some cool photos, it is a fantastic active day trip for swimming, sandboarding and kiting or just sunbaking if you prefer, and hunting for snakes and frogs if your game! It’s so close to the city – you must make an effort to see something different when you visit Santa Cruz.
As you can see things have been a bit slow on the posting front recently (i.e. it has grond to a halt). Ive been sooooo busy Ive put this blog on the back burner but certainly never planned to abandon it. Luckily fate has a funny way of kick starting things again and for this blog it arrived in the form of an email from another expat living in Bolivia called Lauren who, after reading the site, liked the idea of helping create a resource about Bolivia that provided some things a little bit different to the guide books and typical travel sites and offered to do some guest posts. Even better is that Lauren lives in Santa Cruz so is knowledgeable about that area in particular - something I am far from an expert on. So here is the first of (hopefully) many posts from lauren about the Santa Cruz area - i’ve already learnt some stuff and have plans to visit these places later this year if I can. Hope you like the posts and thanks Lauren.
Ps - if any wants to guest blog on here, just a one off or a series of post, please let me know - if you can write about interestings places around Bolivia,from off the beaten track attractions to simply just a good restaurant youve found - anything that a visitor to Bolivia might find useful - then I might find it helpful. Send me an email to let me know.q
Introduction by Lauren - Hidden Gems of Santa Cruz
There are far more attractions to Bolivia than just those written about on the Gringo Trail, and for those of us who really like to discover something new the ones least written about are the far more appealing! The axe in everyones stone however, is a time limit for their trip well in this series of blog entries I am going to tell you a few little secrets from a gringa who´s been living in Sunny Santa Cruz for a year and has discovered many of the locals secrets. But Shhhhh…. The guidebooks haven´t found out yet!!! For more information on independent travel through the region of Santa Cruz visit my website www.backpackingbolivia.com, my Squidoo lensmaster profile or come and visit me in our hostel in the city of Santa Cruz www.jodanga.com
This small privately owned museum is most likely frequented by foreign tourists more than locals as the cover charge is quite pricey at 15 Bolivianos for such a small collection. The collection displayed in this small basement is well worth a visit though if you are interested in photography or simply wish to see how La Paz looked before all the high rises appeared.
The museum consists of two small rooms containing a collection of old photographs mostly taken by explorers at the beginning of the 1900s. In addition to historic photographs there are old business cards from photographers and an excellent collection of antique cameras and accessories.
Explorers such as A. Posnansky and A. Stubel took such interesting images of Tiwanaku, Isla del Sol & Isla del Luna and the Chipaya before they much was known about them and you can see them on display here. The photos of La Paz in the 1930s show a quiet peaceful place with the mountains visible from Prado above the colonial buildings. There are also slightly cruel pictures of tiny pygmy men from the amazon they have been stood next to a ruler or placed on toy horses
Whilst only 20 minutes is required to browse this museum it offers an interesting window into the past of Bolivia highlighting how dramatically things have changed but also how many things remain the same.
Museo Nuñez de Arco
El Prado 1615 - Downstairs below Cafe La Terraza
Bolivia, Museum, Bolivia Info,photography,La Paz, Museum Nuñez de Arco
There is nothing like a chifa (Chinese Restaurant) for good cheap filling food and there are plenty to choose from in La Paz. The most famous in La Paz is Chifa Emy which has a few restaurants around the city but in my experience whilst the decor and ambiance is passable, the food is quite tasteless.
For a no thrills, down to earth dining experience complete with arguments in harsh sounding manderin right next to your table, but most importantly, with good tasting chinese food I always head to Chifa Yu Mei (not sure if that is spelt right!).
This small family run place is close is just one block off El Prado near the main Cinema next to Dumbos (directions below). Popular with locals at lunch time they offer the usual chinese fare plus a few bolivian favourites such as huge portions of fried chicken and chips. For veggies there are meatless dishes and tofu options and if they understand your spanish (the staff are recent chinese immigrants) they will make any dish on the menu minus the meat if you ask. Number 121 - fried tofu and veg in a spicy sauce - is always a good choice.
Mains cost around 12 to 15 bolivianos and the portions more than enough. Those with lesser appetites (or budgets) could easily share a main.
Directions
Chifa Yu Mei (selling may not be right for this but it is pronounced as ‘You - Mee’)
It is on the corner of Calle Bueno & Calle Federico Zuarzo. To get there from Prado turn down Ca
, if you head along Avenida Velarde, around the 6th ring you will see an un obtrusive sign reading “Parque Nacional Las Lomas de Arena”. Translated – the national park is literally the dunes of sand. This amazing misplaced desert is an extremely popular spot for locals on weekends, replacing Bolivia´s distinct lack of beaches and especially during the baking hot summer months of November through to January.
Las Lomas natural beauty is a changing work of art – each year when wet season (Jan to March) makes trips to Las Lomas impossible (an undesirable!) even by 4×4, the rain clears in April to reveal the new lakes formed by the water – the location changes every year. Las Lomas makes not only for some cool photos, it is a fantastic active day trip for swimming, sandboarding and kiting or just sunbaking if you prefer, and hunting for snakes and frogs if your game! It’s so close to the city – you must make an effort to see something different when you visit Santa Cruz.