Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
monkeys, while more than 800 species of birds have been documented. The park is the
stronghold of the endangered horned curassow, known as the unicorn bird.
AMBORÓ COMMUNITY PROJECTS
The location of Parque Nacional Amboró is a mixed blessing; although it's conveniently accessible to visitors, it
also lies practically within spitting distance of Santa Cruz and squarely between the old and new
Cochabamba-Santa Cruz highways. Considering that even the remote parks of the Amazon Basin are coming un-
der threat, Amboró feels 'people pressure' more than most.
When Parque Nacional Amboró was created in 1973, its charter included a clause forbidding settlement and re-
source exploitation. Unfortunately for naturalists and conservationists, hunters, loggers and
campesino
(subsisten-
ce farmer) settlers continued to pour in - many of them displaced from the Chapare region by the US Drug En-
forcement Agency. By 1996, with conflicts increasing over the park, it was redesignated as the Área de Uso Múl-
tiple Amboró, which effectively opened it up for settlement.
This reducing of the park's protection status necessitated a change in tactics by local NGOs and conservation
groups keen to avoid the complete destruction of the natural treasures of the region, but also fully aware of the
needs of the human population. As a result, a number of responsible and sustainable 'community projects' have
sprung up in the area, using tourism as a means of generating income for locals without them having to exploit
their natural resources. The following are some of the more interesting of these projects:
Candelaria Ecoalbergue
(
7100-6869; per person B$150)
In the community of Candelaria 3km south of
Buena Vista, this place manages comfortable four-person cabins and offers forest walks in the surrounding area.
Perhaps more interesting is the opportunity to observe local craftsmen practicing the arts of weaving
jipijapa
and
whittling
tacuara
(bamboo) into all manner of useful objects.
Hacienda El Cafetal
(
935-2067; s/d Mon-Fri B$150/200, s/d Sat & Sun B$250/300, 5-person cabañas
B$500;
) Set up to support Bolivian coffee growers and their families; the accommodations are good, with
stylish, self-catering
cabañas
(cabins) and suites, all with good views. You can go around the plantations and see
how coffee is produced, taste different types of the strong black stuff, and then, caffeine-pumped, ride horses and
go bird-watching.
Refugio Volcánes
(
337-2042;
www.refugiovolcanes.net
;
per person B$500)
Ecofriendly
cabañas
with hot
showers in the breathtaking Los Volcánes region 4km off the Santa Cruz-Samaipata road at Bermejo. Transporta-
tion from the road is offered, as well as guided hikes through the wonderfully wild landscapes.
BUENA VISTA AREA
Access to the eastern part of the reserve requires crossing over the Río Surutú, either in a
vehicle or on foot. Depending on the rainfall and weather, the river may be anywhere from
knee- to waist-deep. Inexperienced hikers should not attempt any of the treks in the park
without a guide.
