After spending several days in Santa Cruz investigating the possibility of visiting Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, I bought myself some camping supplies ready for weekly bus out to the jungle. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain, the bus was cancelled, so I had to wait a week for the next one. I caught a collective taxi to the peaceful countryside town of Samaipata, in order to visit the surrounding area, especially the nearby Amboro National Park, and to test my new camping equipment.
The main square in Santa Cruz.
The ruins at El Fuerte.
The first night it rained very heavily and I woke up slightly soggy. After hanging my things out to dry I joined a group and we hired a taxi for the day, allowing us to visit El Fuerte. El Fuerte is a hill top ruin dating back to the time of the Chané people. We explored the site by following a marked trail leading us past view points, over the surrounding mountains and the ruins themselves. Despite the ruins being quite basic, we enjoyed the walk around the site, and the views of the surrounding countryside. After the ruins we stopped at the Cuevas waterfalls, where a short path lead us past three waterfalls, set in a pretty valley. We went for a quick swim at the third waterfall, before checking out the viewpoint, which gave a nice aerial view of the waterfalls.
El Fuerte viewed from above.
One of the waterfalls at Cuevas.
The landscape around the Cuevas waterfalls.
Overnight there was significantly more rain than the night before, and I woke up very damp, hoping I wouldn’t have this problem in Noel Kempff Mercado. I went to negotiate with the mototaxi drivers, hoping to get a cheap ride to somewhere where I could hike into the national park. Due to the volume of rain overnight no-one was prepared to bike to Amboro, but I did manage to convince a young guy to take me up to Abras del Torres. After an entertaining and at times nerve-racking ride up the hill, I was happy to get off the bike, and opted to walk back to the main road. At Abras del Torres I found some interesting bird life, famous giant ferns and amazing panoramic views.
Two swallow tailed kites flying above Abras del Torres.
The views from Abras del Torres.
The next day I took a collective taxi to the junction closest the Los Volcanes area of Amboro National Park. I had seen pictures of this area and knew I had to visit, but I could tell the lodge there would be a little out of my price range, so I hiked in the general direction of the lodge with no plans and a leaky tent. The route to the lodge had some stunning views, including the classic view over the Los Volcanes rocks. By the time I arrived at the lodge it was almost dark. The owner greeted me with concern, and explained that the lodge was currently closed. I asked for permission to camp close to the lodge, but the owner kindly allowed me to stay in one of the empty staff rooms. The next morning I accompanied his friend on a walk to complete some chores, and his friend explained all about the history of the lodge, as well as pointing out many of the different plants in the area. I had a relaxing afternoon by the waterfall, enjoying the tranquility of the empty lodge in this beautiful setting. Later that afternoon I was dropped off back on the main road so I could flag a collective taxi back to Santa Cruz.
The Los Volcanes rocks, slightly shrouded in cloud.
The setting sun on the Los volcanes rocks.
The view from the lodge at Los Volcanes.
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