Skip to content
Étaperia

Bolivia in 11 days: Cochabamba, Torotoro and Samaipata, day by day

Eleven days in the central valleys: La Cancha and the Santa Teresa convent, the Cristo de la Concordia, the Palacio Portales, Tarata and the potters of Huayculi, Umajalanta cave, the Ciudad de Itas and the dinosaur footprints of Torotoro, Incallajta, El Fuerte de Samaipata and Refugio Los Volcanes.

Compiled by Kylian, updated on Oct 25, 2026

A canyon and its river in Torotoro National Park
  • 11 days
  • 30 places
  • 11 nights
  • moderate pace
Start
Rurrenabaque
End
Refugio Los Volcanes, Amboró park
Main transport
Two flights on day 23 (EcoJet from Rurrenabaque to La Paz, BoA from La Paz to Cochabamba), private transfers with a driver, the Cristo cable car, 4x4 at Torotoro with El Mundo Verde Travel and the refuge's 4x4 to reach Los Volcanes
Recommended season
Dry season, May to October: Cochabamba is mild and dry almost all year, but during the rains, from December to March, some Torotoro tracks and the descent to El Vergel may be closed; Samaipata and Amboró stay humid, with frequent mist

What you get

  • The complete itinerary: 11 days sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening / Hotel
  • The card of every hotel, with the address and a direct booking link
  • Quota tickets, fixed-date tickets and surcharges flagged in advance
  • The country quick guide: weather, transport, formalities, budget
  • A PDF file of 18 pages

What the price does not include

  • Flights
  • Hotel nights
  • Tickets and admission fees
  • Travel insurance
  • On-the-ground assistance during your trip

The itinerary preview

The free day in full, with its hotel card. This is the sample.

Day 4

Colonial Cochabamba and the Cristo

Morning

La Cancha

South of the center, this open-air market spreads over several dozen blocks. You can find everything here, from tropical fruit to fabrics, tools and medicinal herbs. It is one of the largest markets in South America and a plunge into the daily life of the valley.

Plaza 14 de Septiembre

The main square, lined with arcades and the cathedral, takes its name from the Cochabamba uprising of September 14, 1810, during the wars of independence.

Iglesia de Santo Domingo

On the corner of the square, this Baroque church stands out for its carved stone portal, framed by twisted columns.

Convento Museo Santa Teresa

Founded in the 18th century, this Carmelite convent is still home to a community of nuns. The guided tour takes in cloisters, cells and chapels, and climbs up to the rooftops.

Templo de El Hospicio

On the Plaza Colón, this 19th-century church with pale façades blends Baroque and neoclassical styles.

Afternoon

Cristo de la Concordia approx. 2,840 m

Completed in 1994 on the Cerro San Pedro, this 34 m (112 ft) statue overlooks the whole valley. It is taller than Rio's Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. You go up by cable car from the foot of the hill; on some days you can climb inside up to the arms.

Good to know

La Cancha: leave valuables at the hotel, as theft is common. Santa Teresa convent: guided tour compulsory, Monday to Saturday (departures from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM, last departure at 2:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays), closed on Sundays and public holidays. Entry is 25 Bs for foreigners, cash only, plus another 25 Bs to take photos. The Cristo is reached by cable car from the Parque de la Autonomía (San Pedro district): closed on Mondays and sometimes for maintenance, tickets in cash, variable hours to check on site. Take the cable car rather than the stairs, where thefts have been reported, and come back down before dark.

Hotel · Night 4

Hotel Catena

Four-star hotel in a residential district north of the center, a five-minute walk from the Palacio Portales. Garden with a fire pit, large terrace, gym, sauna, coworking space, buffet breakfast from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM and free parking. Reception open 24 hours a day.

Address
· Pedro Blanco #458, between Av. Potosí and C. Tomás Frías, Cochabamba
Website
· catenahotel.com (new tab)
Check-in
3:00 PM · Check-out 11:00 AM
Book this hotel (new tab) affiliate link

Buy this itinerary

€39 incl. tax

that is €3.55 per day of travel

Billed in euros. If your card is in another currency, your bank converts at its own rate.

  • Secure payment through Stripe, bank card, Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Available immediately in your customer account: online reading with clickable booking links, downloadable PDF for offline use
  • Method: what is checked, and when

A hotel in the itinerary closed or impossible to find, a place to visit permanently closed?

Within 12 months of purchase, email contact@etaperia.com

Itinerary corrected within 7 days, or refunded in full. Terms in article 12 of the terms of sale, on top of the legal warranty (new tab)

€39 incl. tax · 11 days

Buy

A question before buying? Email Kylian, reply within 2 business days.

The day-by-day rundown

10 stops, 450 km as the crow flies

  1. Day 1 From the jungle to Cochabamba Cochabamba 2,558 m Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  2. Day 2 Archaeological museum and El Prado Museo Arqueológico de la UMSS Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  3. Day 3 Tarata and the potters of Huayculi Laguna La Angostura Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  4. Day 4 Colonial Cochabamba and the Cristo La Cancha Free
  5. Day 5 Botanical garden and Palacio Portales Jardín Botánico Martín Cárdenas Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  6. Day 6 Torotoro, Umajalanta cave Parque Nacional Torotoro Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  7. Day 7 Ciudad de Itas and dinosaur trackways Ciudad de Itas 3,800 m Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  8. Day 8 The Torotoro canyon and El Vergel Cañón de Torotoro Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  9. Day 9 Incallajta and the old Santa Cruz road Incallajta Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  10. Day 10 Samaipata and El Fuerte Samaipata approx. 1,650 m Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF
  11. Day 11 The Refugio Los Volcanes Parque Nacional Amboró Day reserved for buyers, unlocked in the PDF

1 day is free to read above. The other 10 unlock when you buy. Buy the itinerary, €39

Found an error in this itinerary? Report an error

Country quick guide and logistics

The essentials of the country, scannable in ten seconds.

Weather and when to go

  • A stage written for the dry season. Cochabamba, at around 2,550 m (8,370 ft), is the city of eternal spring, mild and dry almost all year: a comfortable altitude after the Amazon. During the rains, from December to March, some Torotoro tracks and the descent to El Vergel may be closed.
  • At Torotoro the Ciudad de Itas rises to nearly 3,800 m (12,470 ft) on day 29, much higher than the village: bring a warm layer. The climb back up from El Vergel, on day 30, is steep: set off early, with water and a swimsuit.
  • Samaipata and Amboró, on days 31 to 33, are more humid, with frequent mist. The mountain road between Epizana and Comarapa is winding and sometimes misty: drive it in daylight.

Transport and permits

  • Day 23 links two flights, EcoJet from Rurrenabaque to La Paz and then BoA from La Paz to Cochabamba, with a long stopover at El Alto. Day 24 is a buffer day to absorb a delay on the Rurrenabaque flight; if all goes well, it is spent at the archaeological museum and on the Prado.
  • Cochabamba is the base: five nights at Hotel Catena, plus one on the way back from Torotoro. Tarata is 35 km (22 mi) away (day 25); Torotoro, 3 hrs by road (day 28), is visited on a three-day excursion with El Mundo Verde Travel, with the Ciudad de Itas about 1 hr from the village by 4x4.
  • Day 31 is the longest: 3 hrs to Incallajta, then the road to Samaipata via Epizana, Route 7 and Comarapa, 5 to 6 hrs on the road in all according to the guide. Refugio Los Volcanes is reached via Bermejo, 1 hr 30 from Samaipata, then in the refuge's 4x4 from the Mirador, at set times.

Formalities and safety

  • US and UK citizens need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days per 12-month period (US citizens since December 2025). Passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival, with two blank pages. Form 250 on entry and exit, and compulsory registration within 48 hours with the Dirección General de Migración (SIGEMIG portal), or a fine of about 300 Bs. Other nationalities should check with their foreign ministry.
  • Routine vaccinations up to date, yellow fever recommended for the Santa Cruz lowlands, dengue present in the Santa Cruz region: protect yourself from bites. Hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies depending on medical advice. Moderate altitudes on this stage, except the Ciudad de Itas at 3,800 m (12,470 ft).
  • Bookings to make: the EcoJet and BoA flights on day 23, booked together, the three-day Torotoro excursion with El Mundo Verde Travel (days 28 to 30), La Posada del Sol in Samaipata (days 31 and 32), which has few rooms, and Refugio Los Volcanes (day 33), which takes no day visitors and is paid in advance.

Budget and meals

  • Boliviano (Bs), cash essential outside the big hotels: markets, taxis, site entry fees, communities. There is no ATM at Torotoro: withdraw in Cochabamba. The currency market has been unstable in recent years: check rates and exchange conditions before you leave.
  • Allow 20 to 40 Bs for a neighborhood almuerzo and 60 to 150 Bs in a restaurant. Cochabamba is seen as the country's food capital, known for its hearty dishes and its maize chicha.
  • Entry fees, in cash: Torotoro park 100 Bs for a foreigner, valid four days, plus a compulsory local guide for each site, about 100 to 250 Bs per group; Santa Teresa convent 25 Bs; Palacio Portales about 20 Bs, guided tour included; El Fuerte de Samaipata 50 Bs, including the village's small museum.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly do I receive?

Your Étaperia itinerary, available immediately in your customer account after payment: readable online with clickable booking links, and downloadable as a PDF for the trip. Every day is sequenced Morning / Afternoon / Evening and says where you spend the night, with the address and booking link for each place to stay. Timed-entry tickets are flagged in advance.

How is this better than what an AI gives me?

A generative AI composes a plausible list in seconds, without saying what was checked or when. At Étaperia, every itinerary is compiled day by day, with the booking constraints spotted before it is too late to get them. The Method page says what is checked, against which source and on what date.

Can I adapt it to my dates and my pace?

Yes. The days are self-contained blocks: you can shift the departure, stretch a stage or skip a day without breaking what follows. Only timed-entry tickets require adjusting the dates accordingly, and they are all flagged.

What if a hotel or a place in the itinerary has closed?

Email contact@etaperia.com within 12 months of your purchase. If a hotel in the itinerary is closed or can no longer be found, or a place to visit has closed permanently, the itinerary is corrected in your customer account within 7 days, or you are refunded in full. A hotel fully booked on your dates, a seasonal closure or a change in opening hours or prices is not covered. This guarantee comes on top of the legal warranty of conformity; details in article 12 of the terms and conditions of sale.

Module, classic or complete itinerary: which one should I choose?

A classic is a short trip built to stand on its own, designed for a first visit to the country. A module covers one region in depth. The complete itinerary crosses the whole country, and buying it also unlocks each of its modules in your customer account.

Can I get a refund if the itinerary doesn't suit me?

No. It is digital content delivered right away, and you waive your right of withdrawal at checkout. To judge before you pay, every product page gives one full day for free and the list of every stop. After purchase, the guarantee applies: a closed hotel or a permanently closed place is corrected within 7 days, otherwise you get a refund.

Who is selling you this itinerary

  • Consumer mediator: ANM Consommation
  • Payment handled by Stripe: Étaperia never sees your card number
  • Publisher, not a travel agency: you book flights, hotels and tickets yourself

In the same country

This module is one leg of the full itinerary: Complete Bolivia itinerary: 69 days, hotels and bookings

The complete itinerary

Or take it one module at a time