Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cruces and Santa Fé. This boundary provides access to several rough routes and tracks
that lead southwest into the interior, following tributaries of the Río Surutú. To really
probe into the park though you will need a 4WD vehicle and a good deal of previous ex-
perience in jungle trekking. Note that all access to the park along this road will require a
crossing of the Río Surutú.
Santa Cruz to Samaipata
The spectacular route from Santa Cruz to Samaipata passes a number of attractions that
are worth a brief stop. Any
micro
or
trufi
running this route passes by the places of in-
terest mentioned in this section.
Los Espejillos Community Project
(admission B$5)
has several waterfalls and natural
swimming pools, with lovely, clean and refreshing water sparkling over the polished black
rock that characterizes the area. It stands across the Río Pira'i 18km north of the highway.
Get off just beyond San José and walk or hitch north along the 4WD track, following the
signposts. Basic accommodation is available at the
Tacuaracú community
(per person
B$20)
, which oversees the project.
Bermejo, 85km southwest of Santa Cruz, is marked by a hulking slab of red rock
known as
El Portón del Diablo
, which is flaking and chipping into nascent natural
arches. A great place to stay here is the pleasant eco/agrotouristic organic farm
Ginger's
Paradise
(
6777-4772;
www.gingersparadise.com
;
r per person, volunteer/full board
B$70/100)
surrounded by virgin forest and run by an ex-rockstar. It's a hit with bird-
watchers, offers reductions for working volunteers and is famed for its home grown or-
ganic meals.
Laguna Volcán
is an intriguing crater lake 6km up the hill north of Bermejo. A lovely
walking track
climbs from the lake to the crater rim; it begins at the point directly across
the lake from the end of the road. The beautiful nearby region known as
Los Volcánes
features an otherworldly landscape of tropical sugarloaf hills.
A turnoff to the community of Bella Vista, 100km from Santa Cruz on the Samaipata
road leads to the
Codo de los Andes
. In this dramatically beautiful area famed for its gi-
ant ferns and monkey-tail cacti, there is great trekking to be had, as well as an excellent
community-run
lodge
(
944-6293; per person B$90, incl meals B$120)
.
Just 20km short of Samaipata lies
Las Cuevas
(admission B$10)
. If you walk upstream
on a clear path away from the road, you'll reach two lovely waterfalls that spill into emin-
