Samaipata is a small town in the Santa Cruz Department Bolivia at an altitude of 1600m.

Get in

Samaipata street scene

By car

• From Santa Cruz it takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Shared taxis at : 30bs per person, whole taxi will cost 120bs or 130 with pick up, taking private option is recommended as Bolivians can fit incredible amount of people in to the small car
• Expresso Samaipata (Av. Omar Chavez Ortiz 1147 esquina Soliz de Olguin - Telf. 333-5067). From the terminal, take bus number 8 for 1.5B to get there, or a taxi for 10B. They leave with at least 4 passengers. Takes between 2 hours in most cases, but can be as much as 4 with a landslide or some road works.
• Cooperativa de Transporte "El Fuerte" (2do Anillo Av. Grgota esq. Aruma - Telf. 359-8958), Mini-Buses for 30 Bs per passenger, you can get there from the Nuevo Terminal in Santa Cruz taking the bus (2 Bs) to El Torno / La Guardia at the other end of the tunel under the terminal.

Get around

Walk The easiest way to get around the pueblo is on foot.

Taxi Most day excursions require a taxi. Agree fare before departing, local ride costs 10bs, Cuevas return with 2 wait will set you back for 80bs.

Motorbike Martin - the Dutch guy rents motorbikes, he lives in direction of Zoo, ask around for his number or pay him a visit. Easy to drive and fun for a day trip to Cuevas or El Fuerte.

See

Walk 2km out of town from near the mercado municipal to the animal refugio. (Signposted along the way). There are some birds and monkeys and other animals which like to play and say hello. 7 BOL.

Do

El Fuerte

• El Fuerte. This UNESCO World Heritage site is not really a fuerte but a holy place the pre-inca and Incas used to stand on ceremonies. If you can see the Incas in one's mind's eye, the place would be very impressive.
• Amboro Park. Offering hikes in the cloud forest. You can hire a guide from one of the agencies downtown. This is more of a must, because there are no trails and you won't be able to hike by yourself.

Other tourist attractions are the following areas:

• Bella Vista and Volcanes mountain ranges (Sandstone mountains with different types of forest, rivers and jungle in canyons and valleys)
• Cuevas - easy to visit waterfalls with a beautiful area to discover on your own.
• Condor Mountain, to visit on clear days. The hike will take a long day with 4 hours car driving and six hours spectacular hiking. A perfect alternative to the Colca Canyon in Peru. Condors almost always appear around midday.
• La Pajcha waterfall, close to the condor mountain, great for camping
• There´s some great but simple canyoning through spectaculair canyons, self guiding hikes but not in rainy season December-February
• Other destinations are Vallegrande, Pucará and La Higuera (where Che Guevara was killed) and Laguna Quirusillas. The highway from Santa Cruz city to Samaipata is very scenic.

Eat

• Descanso en las Alturas-Pizzeria, Calle Bolivar Final, ☏ +591 944-6072. 
• Tierra Libre (by the main square, just ask). Great, delicious and original bolivian dishes with a twist. Massive portions. Really friendly owner. Also has a beer garden. Perfect! Chicken Teriaki av. 40 BOB. 
• La Oveja Negra (two blocks from main square). 6pm+. Dutch owned gringo favourite bar/rest. Substantial portions of chicken/veg curry, chilli con carne, goulash. Plus sumptuous apple crumble. Kind owners. Board games and darts too av. 30 BOB. 
• Ranita (one block on the corner from the main square). 8-12pm and 4-6pm. Ridiculously good bread and pastries (everything else poor, esp the coffee!) at this French bakers. A must. 
• Posada del Sol restobar. Try newly open Restobar at Posada del Sol! Food is great and drinks are first class! 
• 1900, Main Square. After your big meal you could retreat to this cafe with a Wi-fi Connection (through 3G). Has some nice pasteles and hot chocolate. 

Drink

La Oveja Negra Owned by a Dutch couple and run by friendly youngsters, this bar has a pub feel to it.

Che Wilson Populated by teenagers and open only on the weekends, this place is still one of the only spots in the sleepy village for 'nightlife'.

• La Boheme, Central Plaza. Just in the corner of the central plaza, you can't miss it. It's the only real bar in Samaipata, and one of the few in Bolivia. Just check tripadvisor if you doubt it! 

Sleep

• Finca "La Víspera" An Unsurpassed Paradisiacal Retreat, where the owners welcome those visitors who long for silence and nature. [1] Guesthouses, Horses, Camping, Garden Café.

• La Posada del Sol. Three blocks from the main plaza on a hill with spectacular views. Boasts a great breakfast, and includes a made-to-order menu for guests available all day. Prices are a bargain and service is attentive. Owners can arrange tours, hikes, bus tickets, and assist with transportation. 

• El Pueblito Resort Hotel and Restaurant, ☏ +591-7-214-7994, info@elpueblitoresort.com. 

• Residencial Vargas - simple rooms from 20 Bs. Lovely owners.

• Andoriña Hostal, Art & Culture, Calle Campero (2 1/2 blocks before main square), ☏ +591 3 944 6333, noilenna@hotmail.com. Check-in: 24 hours, check-out: 24 hours. Great views from balconies and rooms, fresh breakfast included. Here you can meet other travelers. The owners focus on more sustainable tourism and have lots of tips for hiking and other activities. 40BOL inc breakfast. 

• El Jardin, Calle Arenales final s/n (2 cuadras del mercado), ☏ +591 73119461, eljardin22@hotmail.com. Rooms for 30B per person. Camping for 15B with oven and barbecue. Also some clay igloos for 35B per person. Independent shared kitchen. Cafe, library. You can sleep for free if you work in the garden. Hippies love the place, the owners are a friendly young couple. In the sunshine all day long. 
• Vivero Sarita, 2 blocks from the Village Plaza, ☏ +591 7-368-4035. Check-in: 11 AM, check-out: 12 Noon. For a truly cultural experience, stay with Dona Sarita in her rustic beautiful and peaceful guesthouse which is closest to the Village Plaza, Market and Restaurants. Her lush garden showcases over 400 species of plants, flowers and ferns. The fresh coffee made from the coffee beans in her garden, her delicious dishes and welcoming warmth gives a feeling as a home away from home for a very affordable price.

Hot water showers, dorm or private rooms are available and fresh breakfast is included. She also has a local contact named "Don Gilberto" who is the original hiker tour guide of the village. Call for reservations or just arrive. 

Go next

Bus to Sucre is 70 bolivanos. However, road is in really bad shape and journey can easily take whole day. Flight from Santa Cruz is very cheap (less than $50) and takes only 30min! Taking a bus is not really safe, either.

You can go to Mairana by Taxi/Truffi for 7 Bs and then get a Bus at 8 am to Cochabamba (40 bs). It will get there around 6.30 pm. The road is approx. 70 % not paved so expect a bumby ride.

Cope

There is a Banco Union on Campero with an ATM.

The Cooperativa la Merced will give cash advance on Visa or Mastercard during working hours, you can also get cash advance in nearby Mairana.