Santa Cruz de la Sierra(Spanish: Santa Cruz de la Sierra) or simply Santa Cruz- the largest city, the center of the eastern part of the country and the administrative center of the same name (Spanish: Departamento de Santa Cruz).
In terms of population (approximately 1.6 million people), the city is far ahead of the constitutional and actual capitals of Bolivia - (Spanish Sucre) and (Spanish La Paz).
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A bit of history
The city was founded on February 26, 1561. Initially, the Spanish conquistador Nuflo Chavez (Spanish: Ñuflo de Chávez) gave the settlement, located on the Pira River 220 km east of its current location, a new name, meaning "Holy Cross on the Hill", in honor of his hometown in Spain. After often erupting conflicts with local residents, the city was first moved closer to the banks of the Rio Grande, and at the end of the 16th century, in 1592, to its current place - on the banks of the Pirarin River. As in all their colonies, the Spaniards made great efforts to convert the native Indian population to the Catholic faith.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz prospered until the end of the 18th century, supplying the country with cotton, sugar, rice and vegetables, until cheap products from the country flooded into the country.
The middle of the 20th century was marked by the fact that Santa Cruz was connected by a network highways and railway tracks with other cities of the country and with. This gave an impetus to the economic and demographic growth and a powerful impetus to the development Agriculture. The city began a period of economic growth that continues to this day. The construction of the airport, the improvement of communications, the inexhaustible influx of emigrants - all this turned the city into an important industrial and commercial center of the country. And thanks to the mild foothill climate, many artifacts colonial era and the status of "Gateway to Brazil", today the metropolis is a major tourist center.
Economy
For a long time the city was associated with the center of the drug business, but gradually the situation changed. Today there is an agricultural boom. Over the past 40 years, a small town (25 thousand inhabitants) has grown to the second largest metropolis in Bolivia.
To date, the department of Santa Cruz is considered the largest economic and commercial center of the country, generating about 35% of Bolivia's GDP, with the attraction of 40% of all foreign investment entering the country.
The main sectors of the department's economy are as follows:
- oil refining industry and gas production;
- processing of agricultural products;
- construction;
- woodworking;
- leather industry.
- Health care, education and tourism are developing vigorously.
Population, religion
The population of the Santa Cruz agglomeration is about 2.1 million people, which makes it the second largest in the country after La Paz.
The vast majority of the population (about ¾ of the townspeople) are mestizos - the descendants of mixed marriages of immigrants from the Iberian Peninsula and native Indians. The rest consists of the descendants of the Spaniards, Flemings, Germans and Italians, who form the political and business urban elite.
The majority of the population professes Catholicism (95%), the remaining 5% are representatives of Protestant trends (Methodists, Lutherans, etc.)
Santa Cruz: Climate
Santa Cruz closes the top three most popular cities in Bolivia, after Sucre and La Paz. It attracts tourists with its comfortable climate. Especially travel agencies recommend a calm and warm city for pensioners.
The local climate can be classified as semi-tropical, with an average annual temperature of +26°C to +30°C. Although the weather here is warm all year round, cold winds called "Surazos" blowing from Argentina (June-August) can significantly reduce the air temperature during the day (up to +12°C).
The rainiest months of the year are January and February.
Best time to visit
The best time of the year to visit the city is September. Why? Firstly, on September 24, the day of its foundation is celebrated. Secondly, in the middle of the month, the world-famous Feria Exposición fair begins, which is accompanied by numerous entertainments for adults and children, free concerts, a variety of food, etc. Thirdly, in September the city is incredibly beautiful, because delicious tabebuias bloom ( lat. Tabebuia) - mighty trees covered with red, pink, purple, bright yellow and white flowers.
Attractions
Santa Cruz is very different from other famous Bolivian cities. Located on the hot plains, it is not very rich in interesting architectural sights. One or two days will be enough to wander around the historical center, taste dishes and visit local museums.
One of the city attractions is the central 24 September Square(Spanish: Plaza 24 de Septiembre). Car traffic near the square is prohibited, so compared to the rest of the bustling city, it is an oasis of calm.
The main decoration of the square is the main Catholic church (Spanish: Basílica Menor de San Lorenzo). Visitors are allowed to climb the beautiful belfries with old mechanical clocks to admire the panorama of the metropolis. Inside the Basilica is located Church Art Museum(Museo de Arte Sagrado), which presents interesting collections of icons, medallions and church chasubles. The most impressive exhibits are the unique relics of the Jesuit missions (Guarayo) made of gold and silver. The museum boasts one of the smallest books on the planet (the size of a fingernail) with the Lord's Prayer printed in several languages.
In a popular holiday destination among local residents, (Spanish: Parque El Arenal), there is Ethno-Folklore Museum(Spanish: Museo Etnofolklórico), where small collections are exhibited musical instruments, baskets and other interesting artistic handicrafts belonging to the cultures of the Indian peoples of the lowland Bolivian territories.
Travelers whose path lies through Santa Cruz should definitely visit (Spanish: Biocentro Guembe), which covers an area of 24 hectares, located in one of the most beautiful places in the tropical part of Bolivia, famous for the world's largest butterfly nursery. Guembe has a giant mesh butterfly dome. The park is famous for its richest collection of orchids (Bolivia has the largest number of varieties of orchids in the world) and an extensive aviary where scarlet macaws, colorful toucans, parrots, majestic peacocks and other bright representatives of tropical birds live.
For the convenience of visitors, there is a hotel, several bungalows, a tented campsite, picnic areas, as well as many restaurants and bars, there is even a conference room! There are several large bays where you can kayak or fish, 16 natural lakes, an extensive playground for children with shallow water. Here you can go mountain biking, horseback riding or hiking along the hiking trails, as well as visit the gift shop.
In the heat, there is no better place in the city than a water park. This is the ultra-modern, largest water park in Bolivia, which is designed for 5 thousand people. The park has 6 water slides, a wave pool, a playground with a pool and water slides, and several fast food cafes. The water park is open annually from September to May.
suburban attractions
Tourists come to Santa Cruz de la Sierra primarily to visit the ancient sites around the city and unique parks.
Amboro National Park
(Spanish: Parque National de Amboro) stretches on the territory of untouched nature. Located 150 km west of the city, occupying a vast territory (more than 600 thousand hectares), the park includes 4 natural zones: a basin, a temperate forest, a subtropical forest and a mountainous area of the Andes. The area is home to over 700 bird species and has one of the largest concentrations of birds per km² in the world. Amboro is home to jaguars, very rare spectacled bears and many species of Amazonian mammals, and is home to many valuable tree species, orchids and gigantic ferns.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Spanish: Santa Cruz de la Sierra) is one of major cities, which is the center of the Department of Santa Cruz. Literal translation of the city's name Spanish- "Holy Cross on the Hill." The original location of the city was somewhat different: the former Santa Cruz, founded in 1560, was located 220 km east of modern city, but after 3 decades it was moved to its current location.
History reference
Up to early XIX century Santa Cruz de la Sierra was the largest industrial center of Bolivia. He supplied the country with crops such as rice, cotton, sugarcane, and various types vegetables and fruits, but later local products were replaced by cheaper goods from Peru.
In the twentieth century, the development of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia received a new round: the city became a conductor in trade relations with Brazil, which gave a powerful impetus to the economy of Santa Cruz. At present, the city has a well-developed production of various food products, leather processing and the manufacture of products from it, and the oil refining industry. The latter accounts for more than 30% of Bolivia's total GDP.
Climate and weather
The city has a semi-tropical climate, and thanks to the landscape features in Santa Cruz in Bolivia, the weather is warm almost all year round. On average, in summer the air warms up to +25°C, and in winter to +10°C. Precipitation here is extremely rare and occurs in January and February. best time for in general and in the city of Santa Cruz in particular, spring and autumn are considered.
Landmarks of Santa Cruz in Bolivia
The most interesting sights of the city are:
- where vehicular traffic is completely prohibited;
- , which also includes a museum with a collection of silver and gold items from Jesuit missions;
- Museum of Natural History, which has collected valuable exhibits of the flora and fauna of the department of Santa Cruz;
- Museum of Church Art, where the smallest book is kept, many icons, church robes, relics of Jesuit missions;
- Ethno-folklore museum, which has collected a collection of baskets and various handicrafts of the ancient Indians.
The most interesting natural attraction of Santa Cruz in Bolivia is considered to be the largest collection of butterflies and, in addition, many types of orchids are grown.
Meals and accommodation
The menu of restaurants in Santa Cruz in Bolivia is dominated by dishes of meat, fish and vegetables seasoned with various sauces. Pique a lo macho and silpancho are considered specialties here, and for wine you can order local chicha vodka if you wish.
The most popular hotels in Santa Cruz are Camino Real, Yotau all Suites Hotel, Urbari Apartment Resort, offering their guests not only comfortable rooms, but also first-class service, as well as access to fitness rooms.
Transport
The most convenient way to get around the city is by rented car or taxi. Bus service is also well developed in the city of Santa Cruz. The cost of a trip around the city by public transport is about $ 2, and a taxi ride will cost up to $ 4.
Center of the Department of Santa Cruz. The name of the city is translated from Spanish as "Holy Cross on the Hill". This city was founded on February 26, 1560 on the banks of the Pira River (220 km east of its current location). But 30 years later, Santa Cruz was moved to the place where it stands today.
Until the early 19th century, Santa Cruz prospered, supplying the rest of Bolivia with rice, cotton, vegetables, and sugar. This continued until the country began to receive cheap food from Peru. In the 20th century, this city became a kind of gateway to Brazil, through which all trade relations with this country were conducted at that time. This gave a new impetus to the development of Santa Cruz.
The mild climate has made this city a major tourist center of the country. Today, Santa Cruz de La Sierra has become not only the largest city in Bolivia and throughout South America. Food, leather and oil refining industries are open on the territory of this city. Thus, it provides more than 30% of Bolivia's GDP.
Santa Cruz is located State University, many museums and Catholic cathedrals. When you come here with your family, enjoy walks in the national parks, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Climate and weather
The climate of Santa Cruz de La Sierra is semi-tropical. Due to the peculiarities of the relief, the weather here is warm all year round. At the same time, cold winds blowing from the Argentinean pampas can lower the air temperature in a fairly short time. The average daily temperature in summer does not exceed +25°C, and in winter period she is +10°C. Precipitation in Santa Cruz is quite rare. Basically, their fall occurs only in two months of the year - January and February.
The best periods to visit this city are late spring and early autumn, when the air warms up to a comfortable value for a person.
Nature
The surroundings of Santa Cruz will impress you with many interesting places. Almost the entire area around this city is a magnificent landscape that is part of several parks. 16 kilometers from Santa Cruz is the Lomas de Arena de El Palmar area, which is known for its beautiful lagoons with fresh water.
The national park, which is located 440 km northeast of this city, Noel-Kempf-Mercado, is famous for its picturesque waterfalls, as well as a huge variety of fauna and flora. This is the only attraction of natural origin that UNESCO has included in the List of World Heritage Sites. The park is guarded by five different types ecosystems - dry forest, jungle, wet forests and savannas. Over 4,000 species of plants grow on an area of 15,000 km2, about 600 species of birds and 150 species of mammals live.
Attractions
The main attractions of Santa Cruz de La Sierra are the magnificent banks of the river Pira and National Parks. The Municipal Zoo is considered to be the best zoo in South America, it is home to a large number of species of animals and birds from all over the world.
In the city itself, the most remarkable objects are the Central Square and the Cathedral, located on it. The cathedral houses the Museum, which contains silver and gold exhibits from the Jesuit missions. Many tourists in the cultural program include a visit to the Museum of Natural History, which contains a complete collection of exhibits of the fauna and flora of this region.
Not far from Santa Cruz is the small town of Samaipata, on whose territory the Inca city flourished in the 16th century. On its surviving ruins you can see the rock paintings of animals. This city is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Some tourists like to visit the village La Hiquera in which Ernesto Che Guevara was killed. Now this village has become a kind of museum dedicated to the legendary revolutionary.
Nutrition
The cuisine of Santa Cruz de La Sierra, as in all of Bolivia, is replete with various sauces that season meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Local restaurants are happy to offer their visitors multiple national dishes, including the famous pique a lo macho and silpancho. For dinner in Santa Cruz, the famous Bolivian chicha vodka is served.
The cost of dinner in this city is slightly higher than in La Paz, and is approximately $12 per person. Although lunch in a street cafe will cost no more than $ 8.
Accommodation
Hotels in Santa Cruz do not have an official classification, although many hotels that are part of major international hotel companies have the coveted "stars".
The prices for living in this city are noticeably overpriced. For a double room in a middle-class hotel, they ask up to $ 50 here. True, upon check-in, you can specify the complete set of the room and the services provided by the hotel. This can bring down the price significantly.
The most famous hotels in Santa Cruz are Hotel Camino Real, Yotau all Suites Hotel, Urbari Apartment Resort. In addition to comfortable rooms, these hotels offer their clients first-class relaxation in their gyms, swimming pools and spas. The average cost of living in these hotels is about $40.
Entertainment and recreation
Numerous tour companies in Santa Cruz organize interesting tours of the National Parks Amboro and Noel-Kempf-Mercado. In the parks you can see a large number of representatives of the local flora and fauna.
In the city itself, many tourists prefer to visit the magnificent museums of history and culture of Santa Cruz. Especially popular is the Cathedral, built during the colonization by the Spaniards. Its splendid façades and beautiful interiors set this cathedral apart from similar buildings in Bolivia.
A wonderful excursion for the whole family will be a visit to the gallery, which contains a magnificent collection of butterflies from around the world. The gallery with unique species orchids.
Purchases
You can shop in Santa Cruz de La Sierra at any street store or market stall. Here, most people prefer to buy dishes, souvenirs, various handicrafts, as well as the famous mate tea as souvenirs.
Well-known Bolivian, hand-knitted bags, as well as fabric products sewn by local representatives of Indian tribes, are well bought up by foreigners.
Transport
Transport in Santa Cruz is represented by two types: road and air transport. The bus service in this large city is also very well developed, so tourists have no problem getting around Santa Cruz. The cost of one trip in public transport will cost $ 2. When moving around the city, you can also use a taxi. Drivers usually charge up to $4 for a trip.
Near Santa Cruz is a major airport, which has international status. In addition, the city is connected by air with other cities in Bolivia. The cost of a flight within the country will cost the passenger $120.
Connection
Mobile communications in Santa Cruz have an extensive coverage area. Mobile operators support international roaming of most major global companies.
The cost of an international call on a landline connection will cost about $ 1 per minute of conversation.
Internet connection in Santa Cruz is developing very intensively. At the same time, almost all hotels and hotels offer customers to use WiFi. And in street cafeterias, you can easily join the users of the World Wide Web for only $ 1 (half an hour of using the service).
Security
Safety in Santa Cruz de La Sierra is quite high level. Only local crooks and pickpockets can pose a danger to foreigners. It is worth being extremely careful in places with a large crowd of people, where thieves can easily get lost in the crowd.
When deciding to make a trip to Santa Cruz de La Sierra, you need to be aware of the risk of contracting tropical infections, so it is best to get all the required preventive vaccinations before traveling.
If you decide on an independent trip around Santa Cruz in a rented car, do not forget that the traffic in this city is right-hand, but everything is very unclear with the rules here. One gets the impression that in Bolivia, in principle, they are not familiar with such a concept as the rules traffic, therefore, independent movement here can pose a serious threat to health.
Business climate
Santa Cruz, as the largest city in Bolivia, is very popular among the organizers of various thematic exhibitions and conferences. At least once a year, up to several thousand professionals in a particular industry gather here.
The property
Most foreigners who want to buy a home in Bolivia decide to opt for buying an apartment or house in Santa Cruz de La Sierra. Moreover, the range of prices here is quite large. In the most prestigious district of the city, where, by the way, housing is purchased by foreigners, the cost of an average apartment of 100 m2 will cost about $90,000. And a beautiful mansion with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a plot of about 800 m 2 in addition will cost only $60,000 if it is not located in the most prosperous area of the city.
There are no problems when making a purchase by foreign citizens in Bolivia. All Required documents prepared in about a few weeks. By the way, buying property in Bolivia can be the first step in obtaining a residence permit in this country.
When buying fruits and vegetables from local food stores, rinse them thoroughly under water. It is best if it is mineral, bottled. It is not recommended to use local tap water even when brushing your teeth and washing your face.
Do not take photographs of the local population, especially women, without permission. They don't like it very much. Moreover, this can be regarded as hooliganism - the local police have the right to detain you.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra - a city in the southeastern part of Bolivia, located on the right bank of the Piray River, the course of which is directed north, 50 km east of the Andes. Initially, it was built according to a radial-circular plan. Although the area of the city in its modern form It is very large, there are no skyscrapers in it, and even just a few multi-storey buildings: due to sandy moving soils and seismic hazard.
City `s history
The history of the emergence of the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra is similar to the beginning of an adventurous romance.
The state of Bolivia arose in 1825, and before that the territory belonging to it was called (since 1538, when the first Spanish conquistadors arrived here) the province of Chacras, later Upper Peru. In 1558, the conquistador Newflo Chavez, having heard that the city authorities planned an expedition to that part of Upper Peru where there were no Spanish outposts, played ahead of the curve, convincing the Viceroy of Peru that he would build a city in these places, the capital of the new province of Mojas . The conversation took place on February 15, 1560, which is sometimes considered the founding date of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. But this is not true: Chavez managed to get to the place only on February 26, 1561. He fulfilled his plan, laid the city, naming it the same as the name of the town where he was from, in the province of Extremadura in Spain. In translation, this name means "Holy Cross of the foothills." The first settlers here were the Spaniards of the Chavez detachment, the Germans, Flemings, Italians and Portuguese serving the Spanish crown, as well as the Guarani Indians, who came from the territory of present-day Paraguay. However, the local Guarani and other natives were not so loyal to the newcomers: attacks on the settlement followed one after another. In 1568, Chavez was killed by the Indians. The new governor, Lorenzo Suarez de Figueroa, decided to move the city to the west, and on September 13, 1590, the move to the banks of the Guapai Impero River took place, although some of the white inhabitants of the town did not leave it. At the new location, the city was renamed San Lorenzo de la Frontera. But there the attacks of the Indians became even more frequent, and the city once again moved on May 21, 1595, to the place where it is now, on the banks of the Pirai River. The colonial authorities persuaded the inhabitants of the first settlement to move to San Lorenzo, and they agreed to this. In 1622 the city was returned to its original name. It is 220 km away from the settlement founded by Chavez.
The Jesuits were able to establish a network of their missions in the provinces of Mojas and Chiquitas, which ultimately led to more success in pacifying the Indian tribes than all military operations. The citizens of the city of Santa Cruz, as it is called for short, were exempt from all taxes. Until the 18th century Santa Cruz was one big market, trading vegetables, cotton, sugar, rice, until more affordable food from Peru began to arrive in Upper Peru. But in 1813, anti-royalists undertook to liberate the city from imperial power, among whom the most striking figure was Ignacio Varnes, and they succeeded. But in 1816, in the battle of El Paris, a detachment of Francisco Aguilera killed Varnes, and the city again became Spanish.
Manuel Aramburu, the last Spanish governor of the city, was overthrown in February 1825 by Bolivian independence fighters. Further, until the middle of the 20th century, Santa Cruz was a typical provincial town with a small population. The role of a strategically important city returned to it in the middle of the 20th century with the construction of roads to other parts of the country and to Brazil and the beginning of the development of oil fields, which gave a new impetus to the development of the Bolivian economy, including agriculture, and the city took key positions in this new situation. . Today, Santa Cruz de la Sierra provides Bolivia with about 37% of GDP and receives about 50% of foreign investment in the state's economy. In the list of the fastest growing cities in the world, the Bolivian Santa Cruz is in 14th place, among the people moving here are many professional expats. The city is changing, but retains its atmosphere. The sights of Santa Cruz de la Sierra are located mainly not within its borders, but around it.
general information
A city in Bolivia, the administrative center of the Department of Santa Cruz and its province, Andre Ibanez.
Administrative-territorial division: 22 districts.
Languages: Spanish, Guarani and other Indian languages.
Ethnic composition: Indians - 47% (the largest group is Guarani), mestizos - 30%, whites - 23%.
Religion: Christianity: Catholicism - 95%, Protestantism (Evangelical Methodists) - 5%. Most Indians in parallel observe their traditional rites.
Currency unit: Boliviano.
Largest river: Piray.
Major airport: Viru-Viru (international).
Numbers
Area: 325.6 km 2, agglomeration - 535 km 2.Population: 1,765,926 (2010), agglomeration - 2,102,998 people (2010).
Population density: 5423.6 people / km 2, agglomeration - 3930.8 people / km 2.
Average height above sea level: 416 m.
Climate and weather
Subequatorial, soft.January average temperature: +28°С.
July average temperature: +20°С.
Average annual rainfall: 910 mm.
Precipitation falls mainly in January - February.
Economy
Financial, business, transport center of Bolivia.Industry: oil refining, food, leather.
Service sector: financial, transport and business services, trade, tourism.
Attractions
■ 24 September Square: around it - the Cathedral, the Basilica of Menor de San Lorenzo (originally Spanish baroque. 1605; restructuring in 1770 and 1838 gave the cathedral an eclectic look), Casa de la Culture (Palace of Culture), Raul- Otero-Reiche, City Hall, other administrative buildings.■ Museums: National Museum of History, National and Regional Museum, as well as museums: sacred art (in the Cathedral of San Lorenzo), Independence, contemporary art, ethnofolklore (the art of the Guarani Indians, Mahanos, Ayoreos, Chichitanos), stories of the Guarani Indians.
■ Municipal Zoo, municipal park, banks of the river Piray.
■ nearby: Jesuit missions of the 17th-18th centuries. San Ramon, San Javier, San Miguel, San Ignacio de Velasco, San Rafael, Concepción, San Jose de Chiquitos and Santa Ana, water park, butterfly bio-nursery (the largest in the world) Guembe and Guacil Ivaga Park, Lomas de Arena de El Palmar (16 km), the ruins of the Inca fortress of El Fuerte de Samaipata (120 km) - UNESCO World Heritage Site, national Amboro Park (150 km), Noel-Kempff-Mercado National Park (440 km) - a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Curious facts
An urban legend tells how one poor guy fell in love with a girl from a rich family and stood for hours in front of her house, but his beloved, due to a possible misalliance, was not allowed out of the house. In those days, wooden poles stood in front of each house, protecting them from accidental collisions with heavily loaded wagons. Then the young man carved a human face on a pillar. The pillar stood until 1947. But that girl still escaped from under the castle. And the lovers lived happily ever after.
In the small town of San Miguel de Velasco, one of the main attractions is the church of the same name. This is one of six Jesuit missions erected in Santa Cruz County. You will be fascinated by the sight of a church, no matter how many churches you have already seen.
The frescoes above the roof and altar are incredibly reminiscent of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. The interior is of breathtaking luxury. To finish the church in 1767, the master Antonio Rojas was given more than 450 kilograms of gold. The main altar is estimated to be worth several million dollars.
Fortunately, the church of San Miguel de Velasco has survived almost unchanged. Which allows us to enjoy the original look of objects and decorations. You just have to sit down in this church to feel like a time traveler.
Mission San José de Chiquitos
Mission San José de Chiquitos is a unique place. The building is made in the late Baroque style and today it is almost the only surviving representative of this type of architecture in the country. There are other similar churches in Paraguay and Argentina, but they look more like ruins.
The construction of the mission took place in four stages: in 1747 the construction of the main building was completed, in 1748 the bell tower was opened, in 1750 the crypt was opened, in 1754 the construction work was fully completed with the opening of the building of the judicial board. More than 5,000 people participated in the construction of the complex.
Unfortunately, as of early 2013, the mission buildings are in a deplorable state. The complex is in dire need of restoration work. The bell tower and the crypt are already closed to the public.
You can see the interior of the church. The carvings inside the church are simpler than in other Jesuit mission churches, but the gold decorations and stone facades are striking in their beauty.
Your walk through the complex will be accompanied by music that comes from the building of the Judicial Collegium, because a music school is located here. School students are happy to brag about their achievements.
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Lomas de Arena Regional Park
One of the most visited places in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz is the regional park Lomas de Arena, opened on September 25, 1991. It was created to protect forest plantations that play important role in the protection and strengthening of the dunes, which serve as a haven for many species of animals and plants. Currently, the management of Lomas de Arena is actively fighting fires and logging associated with the development of the territory.
The rainforests of Lomas de Arena are famous for their diversity of flora - rare species of animals such as opossums, anteaters and sloths live here. Also here you can find about 12 species of bats, as well as badgers, foxes and monkeys. It should be mentioned that about 256 species of birds are found on the territory of Lomas de Arena, and the park is also home to 50 species of reptiles, of which 27 are amphibians.
The Lomas de Arena Regional Park is famous for its many different tourist sites. Among them: Ecological trail, Archaeological sites - ceramic remains of the Bolivian Chane culture, as well as the Rural Tourism Zone and the Information Center. In the latter, you can find out more information about the history and development of Lomas de Arena.
The Caa Iya del Gran Chaco National Park in the south of the province of Santa Cruz in Bolivia was officially established in September 1995 at the initiative of the indigenous peoples living in this territory. It is the largest dry rainforest in South America and the most extensive forest region of the continent after the Amazon, its area is 34411 sq. km. There is very little precipitation here - only 500 millimeters of rain per year, and the temperature rises above 32 degrees Celsius.
Kaa-Iya in the ancient language of the Guarani Indians means "owners of the mountains", or the place where wealth is found, in the sense of abundance natural resources and the relationship between man and nature. AT national park more than 100 species of various animals live: jaguars. peccaries, giant armadillos, deer, cougars, tapirs, a variety of reptiles and many birds.
Archaeological site of Fuerte de Samaipata
The Department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia is known for the ancient archaeological site of Fuerte de Samaipata, located at an altitude of 1950 meters, which has no analogues in South America. It was declared a national monument of Bolivia in 1951, and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.
The site was known as the ritual and living center of the ancient Mojocoyas around 300 BC. The archaeological complex includes 2 sectors. Rock 250 m long and 60 m wide with numerous petroglyphs - images of animals and fish carved on stone, as well as geometric patterns. It is believed that this is a ritual stone of the XIV-XVI centuries, a unique monument of pre-Hispanic traditions and beliefs.
The second part south of the hill is a few hectares of the ruins of the Inca city. Here you can see a large central square with monumental public buildings around and agricultural terraces on the adjacent slopes, which is typical for Inca settlements.
Arkoiris waterfall
The Arkoiris waterfall (Spanish for "rainbow") is located on the territory of the Noel Kempf Mercado National Natural Park in the province of Santa Cruz. The waterfall is formed in the bed of the Pauserna River, which belongs to the Amazon River Basin. The height of the waterfall is about 90 meters, and the width of the water flow is 50 meters. After noon Sun rays fall so that a bright rainbow appears above the waterfall.
The waterfall is located on the edge of the huge plateau of Kaparu Maceta, which almost along the entire perimeter is limited by almost vertical cliffs up to 300 meters in height. The area of the plateau is about 3000 sq. km. Several types of rare ecosystems can be observed on the plateau. Around the Arkoiris waterfall are impenetrable jungles.
Bolivian travel agencies offer to organize a pirogue trip to the waterfall along the Pauserne River, which can take several days.
Noel-Kempf-Mercado National Park
The Noel-Kempf-Mercado National Park is located in the northeast of the province of Santa Cruz near the border with Brazil. In 2000, the park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park covers an area of 15,000 sq. km. This is one of the largest parks in the Amazon basin. There are many rivers, waterfalls and lakes. The largest river is the Itenez, one of the tributaries of the Amazon, two large lakes Chaplin and Bella Vista, Fawcett Falls and others.
The average temperature is 25°C and the average rainfall during the rainy season is 195 mm. The driest month of July receives only 18mm of rain.
The park has a huge variety of flora and fauna. It is home to about 4,000 plant species, 130 mammal species, 620 bird species and 70 reptile species.
The park has two camps for the development of ecotourism Flor de Oro in the north near the river Itenes and Los Fierros in the south. Visitors can book tours through the jungle to watch the many animals and birds, or down the river to see the pink river dolphins. You can book a trip to waterfalls or lakes.
The most popular attractions in Santa Cruz with descriptions and photos for every taste. choose best places to visit the famous places of Santa Cruz on our website.