Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
East of the Altiplano, the Andes march gradually down towards the eastern lowlands
in a series of rugged north-south mountain ranges, scarred with long narrow valleys
formed by rivers draining to the east. Blessed with rich alluvial soils, and midway in
climate and altitude between the cold of the Altiplano and the tropical heat of the low-
lands, these central valleys have historically been among the most fertile and habitable
areas in Bolivia. In the fifteenth century the Incas established substantial agricultural
colonies in the region, which formed the easternmost frontier of their empire - to this
day the majority of the rural population still speak Quechua, the language the Incas
introduced. The Spanish were attracted by the same qualities, and the two main cities
they founded, Sucre and Cochabamba, remain the most important in the region, though
origins aside they could not be more different in character.
The administrative, political and religious centre of Bolivia during Spanish rule, and still of-
ficially the capital,
Sucre
is a masterpiece of immaculately preserved colonial architecture,
full of elegant churches, mansions and museums. It's also the market centre for the deeply
traditional Quechua-speaking communities of the surrounding mountains, whose fine weav-
ings are sold at the regional market town of
Tarabuco
.
The charms of
Cochabamba
, on the other hand, are much more prosaic. A bustling trading
hub for a rich agricultural hinterland, it has few conventional tourist attractions, and for most
travellers is no more than a place to break a journey between La Paz and Santa Cruz in the
eastern lowlands. Those who do spend some time here, however, find it to be one of Bolivia's
friendliest cities, and the surrounding Cochabamba Valley's mixture of Inca ruins and lively
rural market towns is worth exploring as well. It's also the jumping-off point for an adven-
turous journey south into the remote Northern Potosà province, where the diverse attractions
of
Parque Nacional Torotoro
include labyrinthine limestone caves, deep canyons and wa-
terfalls, dinosaur footprints and ancient ruins.
East of Cochabamba, meanwhile, the main road to Santa Cruz passes through the
Chapare
,
a beautiful region of rushing rivers and dense tropical forests, where the last foothills of the
Andes plunge down into the Amazon basin. The area has become notorious as the source
of most of Bolivia's coca crop, which is used to make a large proportion of the world's co-
caine supply, and conflicts continue between government drug-enforcement officers and loc-
al peasant farmers. As such, it's hardly an ideal area for travellers, though some areas remain
safe to visit.
