Before you go

Your trip to Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra – Santa Cruz Destination Santa Cruz and Samaipata Capital

How to get there

Aeropuerto Internacional Viru Viru (VVI) Santa Cruz de la Sierra · 16 km
Terminal Bimodal de Santa Cruz 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before buying. Aeropuerto Internacional Viru Viru is 16 km from the center, about a 30-minute taxi ride. By land, from Corumbá you cross to Puerto Quijarro, from where the trem do Oriente and buses depart to the Terminal Bimodal of Santa Cruz; check schedules.

How many days

Two days: one for the center, the Cathedral and the museums; another for Biocentro Güembé or the Lomas de Arena. The city is a base for Samaipata, 3 hours away, and for the Missões de Chiquitos.

When to go

From May to September it is usually drier and less hot, with occasional cold fronts. From November to March it is very hot and rains more. Carnival, in February or March depending on the year, is the city's biggest festival, with parades and comparsas.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

Not for the center, which is done on foot, nor for city trips, which are made by taxi or app. For the Lomas de Arena, the last stretch is on sand: go with an agency or in a 4x4 vehicle. For Samaipata there are shared taxis and buses.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Morning
Plaza 24 de Septiembre
Start at Plaza 24 de Septiembre and climb the Cathedral tower to see the city from above.
Afternoon
Biocentro Güembé
Head to Biocentro Güembé, in Urubó, for the butterfly house, the orchids and the lagoons, with lunch in the park.
Late afternoon
Historic center
Return to the center and walk along the streets with verandas surrounding the square.
Evening
Dinner
Have dinner in the center or in Equipetrol: try the majadito and the cuñapé.

2 days in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Day 1

Morning
Square and Cathedral
Plaza 24 de Septiembre, Cathedral and the Museo de Arte Sacra.
Afternoon
Center
Lunch in the center and a walk along the streets with verandas.
Late afternoon
Equipetrol
Late afternoon in the Equipetrol neighbourhood.
Evening
Dinner
Dinner in Equipetrol.

Day 2

Morning
Lomas de Arena
Excursion with an agency to Parque Regional Lomas de Arena, with the dunes and the lagoons.
Afternoon
Biocentro Güembé
Afternoon at Biocentro Güembé, with the pools and the butterfly house.
Late afternoon
Return to the center
Return to the center and rest.
Evening
Departure for Samaipata
Dinner and preparation to head to Samaipata the next day.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What to eat in Santa Cruz?

Majadito (rice with charque and egg); cuñapé and pan de arroz, cheese breads and mandioca, relatives of the pão de queijo mineiro; and locro, a rice soup with chicken.

Is Santa Cruz the capital of Bolivia?

No. It is the largest city and the capital of the department of Santa Cruz. The constitutional capital is Sucre, and the seat of government is La Paz.

How to get to the Missões de Chiquitos?

By bus or car from Santa Cruz, with trips of 4 to 8 hours to the villages. Agency itineraries take three to five days to tour the missões.

Is it very hot in Santa Cruz?

Yes, mainly from November to March. From May to September the heat is usually less, and cold fronts coming from the south can lower the temperature for a few days.

Back to Santa Cruz de la Sierra