Jesús y Montes Claros de los Caballeros del Vallegrande conocida simplemente como Vallegrande es la capital de la provincia Vallegrande del Departamento de Santa Cruz en Bolivia.

La ciudad de Vallegrande fue fundada el 30 de marzo del año 1612 por mandato del Virrey del Perú Don Juan de Mendoza y Luna Marqués de Montes Claros el cual le fue encomendado a su sobrino, el Capitán Pedro Lucio Escalante de Mendoza para fundar una ciudad de blancos que sirva de nexo entre Charcas y Santa Cruz.

En el año 1612 el Capitán sale de Lima con treinta familias de españoles, las cuales van aumentando a medida que van pasando por Potosí y Chuquisaca los cuales llegan a sumarse unas doscientas familias, cada una de ellas llevaban su peonada de unos veinte o treinta mestizos e indígenas quechuaparlantes los cuales dejaron vestigios de esta lengua en el castellano de la región. Al llegar a su destino la ciudad ya contaba con pobladores españoles y mestizos guaraníes y chanés, y el 30 de marzo del mismo año se oficializa la fundación mediante el levantamiento del estandarte de España en la Plaza Principal.

El clima de la ciudad es templado con una temperatura anual media de 18.5°C, si bien la temperatura en verano llega a los 30°C y en invierno baja por debajo de 0°C. Los mejores meses para visitar Vallegrande son entre junio y septiembre (época seca).

Lugar de gran interés arqueológico e histórico, ya que en la zona existen pinturas rupestres. Además de ser el lugar donde se produjeron las acciones, combates y asesinato del Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara.

Es interesante visitar la lavandería, donde fue expuesto el cadáver del Che y la fosa en que fueron hallados sus restos junto a otros guerrilleros.

Entre las tradiciones folklóricas de la comunidad, está la famosa fiesta pagano religiosa "el carnaval vallegrandino".

Es interesante visitar los ríos Ciénaga, Santa Rosa, Piraimiri, La Pesca y Masicurí.

Samaipata es un municipio y capital de la Provincia Florida del Departamento de Santa Cruz, en Bolivia

El Fuerte de Samaipata es un sitio arqueológico localizado a pocos kilómetros de la población de Samaipata del Departamento de Santa Cruz, provincia Florida, Bolivia, a una altura de 1.950 msnm. Declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad por la Unesco el año 1998. Se cree que es la obra de la cultura guaraní, se han encontrado restos arqueológicos guarani en el Fuerte de Samaipata.

El centro ceremonial de Samaipata está ubicado en el centro de Bolivia, en las primeras estribaciones andinas. Colinda con el sector meridional de Parque Nacional Amboró y, según algunos investigadores, demarca la frontera del imperio incaico en su lado Este.

El sitio es conocido popularmente como fuerte debido a que se localiza en la parte superior de una colina. Aparentemente fue un centro ceremonial y, por ende, un lugar de comunicación del hombre con los dioses. Aparentemente su ubicación le permitía también cumplir una función astronómica y podría haber sido un lugar propiciatorio por los ciclos agrícolas.

No se sabe mucho sobre sus constructores, aunque casi todos los estudiosos concuerdan que se trata de poblaciones originarias de los llanos amazónicos. Solo en épocas posteriores el sitio fue ocupado por los incas, en su momento de máxima expansión, poco antes de la conquista española, fue cuando sobrepusieron decoraciones en sus estilos.

Parque Nacional Amboró, que es una de las mayores reservas ecológicas y naturales por su flora y fauna únicas en el mundo. Samaipata tiene varias entradas al Amboró: La Yunga, Abra de los Toros, Las Lauras, Comunidad Volcanes (en la comunidad de Bermejo). El Area Protegida Amboró (APA) abarca una superficie de 637.600 hectáreas, dividas en dos categorías: Parque Nacional con 442.500 hectáreas, y Area Natural de Manejo Integrado con 195.100 hectáreas. Presenta rangos altitudes que van desde los 300 hasta los 3.200 metros sobre el nivel del mar.

Cerca de la población existe un importante yacimiento arqueológico, conocido como el Centro Ceremonial y Administrativo de Samaipata, o popularmente como el Fuerte, nombre adquirido por un fortín de la época española que se encuentra en el lado sur de la roca. Se trata de una enorme cumbre de una montaña esculpidas con dos grandes ranuras, asientos, estanques y motivos zoomorfos con los cuales antiguas poblaciones de origen amazónicos (Chané) propiciaban sus ciclos agrícolas.

El Sajama es un volcán apagado que constituye el centro del Parque Nacional Sajama. Por lo que cuentan las leyendas, fue un cerro sagrado para los carangas. Su historia se remonta al pleistoceno inferior, época durante la cual se produce una intensa actividad geológica que da lugar a la formación de la Cordillera Occidental, en la que se destacan como picos más altos de Payachatas: Pomerape (6.222 metros) y Parinacota (6.132 metros), Quimsa Chatas (6.032 metros), Sajama (6.542 metros), Candelaria (5.995 metros), Tunupa (5.388 metros) y Tata Sabaya (5.385 metros).

Las faldas del nevado Sajama y sus inmediaciones están cubiertas por bosques de Keñua (Polilepys tarapacana) que le confieren un valor natural muy importante, ya que crecen hasta alturas de 5.200 metros, lo que los convierte en los más altos del mundo. A principios de siglo, la Keñua fue intensamente utilizada para las fundiciones y el ferrocarril, lo que afectó a estos bosques. Por ello se vio la necesidad del protegerlos y se creó el Parque Nacional Sajama en 1939.

Este parque fue el primero que se establecio en Bolivia, iniciando las acciones de conservacioón en el país. Desde ese entonces a la fecha se han creado más de treinta áreas protegidas en diferentes regiones, pero son muy pocas las que se han logrado desarrollar. Recién a partir de la década de los noventa se trabaja para el establecimiento de su Sistema Nacional de Areas Protegidas, dependiente de la Dirección Nacional de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, que impulsa la puesta en funcionamiento y desarrollo de las áreas prioritarias para el país.

Los valores naturales y culturales del Parque hacen de esta área una de las más importantes para la conservación en Bolivia. La extensión de los bosques de Keñua en el Sajama es la más importante para esta especie, que en otras regiones se encuentran muy disminuida o ha desaparecido. En estos bosques viven animales que no se encuentran en otros lugares porque su supervivencia depende de la Keñua, como es el caso de los colibríes (Sappho sparganura y Pategona gigas) y de un mamífero pequeño Thilamys pallidior.

A Great Tour to La Paz

As you fly in for your La Paz holiday you will understand why this high-altitude city is one of the world's most spectacular, set as it is inside a river canyon. Once on the ground visitors discover that this city has some bizarre attractions, from street markets selling dried frogs to a cocaine museum. It all adds up to a memorable destination full of life and colour.

When? No matter what time of year you choose to travel to La Paz you will be assured of mild, sunny days, thanks to the altitude of the city which moderates the temperatures. If you holiday in La Paz during summer, though, be prepared for afternoon rain showers.

Who for? A holiday in La Paz is for the fit, especially if you plan to explore the steep city streets on foot. The city is an experience for intelligent travellers who just enjoy watching it go about its business and soaking up the sights and sounds.

More Info: Before setting off to Bolivia for a holiday in La Paz, learn all there is to know about the city from our comprehensive La Paz travel guide, designed to answer all your questions and then some, with useful hints and tips besides basic information. The La Paz travel guide is updated regularly and can be printed or emailed.
The air is indeed rare in La Paz, the world's highest capital city, at two and a half miles (4km) above sea level, or 11,910ft (3,630m). Living in La Paz is a bit bizarre because it is akin to living in a giant bowl. Around the rim are brick buildings and workshops, the inside slopes are scattered with houses, and across the bottom is the dense city centre. Rising up in the background is the most well known of Bolivia's lofty peaks, Illimani, standing at 21,188ft (6,420m). The most pleasant way to explore the diminutive city centre is on foot; the alternative is to sit on a crowded bus in congested traffic. Expect your sightseeing to leave you breathless. Steep, narrow streets lead into an assortment of little alleyways while well-used staircases wind their way up between crooked houses and colourful hotels.

More than a million people live in La Paz, adding colour, culture and vibrancy to the otherwise dusty barrenness of a high altitude city. The most rewarding (and least exhausting) activity is to people-watch. Andean women dress in brightly coloured, multi-layered skirts and thick knee-length stockings with bowler hats perched jauntily over long, plaited strands of hair. There are also smartly dressed businessmen and scruffy street urchins wrapped in woven blankets, shoe shiners and fruit sellers, trinket vendors and alpaca wool weavers.

The city also has some interesting museums, modern and comfortable hotels and is an excellent place to purchase authentic local souvenirs. Beautiful hand-spun alpaca wool products, paintings, silver handcrafted jewellery, music and musical instruments are just some of the many things on offer.

A Special Tour to Salar of Uyuni

Uyuni is the name of a small town in south of Bolivia, which is the starting point for travelers who set out to explore Bolivia's high plains (Altiplanos). The town is situated at the end of a huge salt surface name the Salar de Uyuni. The city itself is nothing to write home about, but the trip to the Salar is unforgettable.

Getting to Salar de Uyuni

There are 3 main places from where you can get to Uyuni:
•    Oruro - from Oruro there is a train that goes to Uyuni. There are also buses
going from Oruro to Uyuni.
•    Potosi - from Potosi there is a bus that goes to Uyuni through beautiful sceneries.
Since Potosi is definitely a city worthwhile visiting, this is my favorite option.
•    Villazon - from Villazon (near the border with Argentina) there is a train that goes
to Uyuni. There are also buses that go from Villazon to Uyuni.

Jeep Trip to the Salar of Uyuni

The Salsr of Uyuni (salt desert) is the name travellers use for a 3-4 days tour of Bolivia's plateau area (Altiplanos). The tour is done using a jeep that goes through breathtaking sceneries. Make sure that you are acclimated to the heights before you venture on this ture, for the tour passed through high terrain (up to 5500 meters above sea level) and might be a bit difficult for those who did not get used to these altitudes.
It is possible to take a one day trip to the Salar (salt desert) of Uyuni, but this trip is just scratching the surface of this amazing place, and is therefore not recommended. The usual trip to the Salar should take 3 to 4 days.

The trip indludes (not in this order):

•    Salar de Uyuni - a tour through Uyuni's salt desert (salar), the biggest salt desert in the world.
•    Laguna Colorada - a red lagoon with a large flamingo population.
•    Laguna Verde - a green lagoon situated beneath a perfect shaped white-peeked volcano. Sometimes the
wind changes the water to an amazing turquoise color.
•    Sol de Manana - geyser and bubbling mud pools area.
•    Train cemetery - a place where old trains and engines rest after they retire from service.
•    More and more and more...
The route
•    Uyuni circle
This path starts in Uyuni and return to Uyuni in 4 days. This is the cheapest option.
•    Topiza - Uyuni
This path starts in Topiza and return to Uyuni after 4 days. The advantage of the track
is that you don't repeat the same section twice, however it is more expensive.
•    Uyuni - San Pedro de Atacama
This track starts in Uyuni and crosses the border to Chile to near the village of San Pedro
de Atacaman after 3 days. The tour can be done also in the opposite direction (from San Pedro
de Atacaman to Uyuni), but the prices of this direction are much higher.
Costs and Technical Issues
The tour costs about $55-$65, and it includes the vehicle, a driver, accommodation (not fancy places in an understatement) and meals (including mineral water). During the wet season, when the salar is flooded, the tour cost about $10-$15 more. Usually there is no price different between the 3 or 4 days tour.

The Crazy Death Road of La Paz

Or The North Yungas Road (alternatively known as Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, El Camino de la Muerte, Road of Death or Death Road) is a 61-kilometre (38 mi) or 69-kilometre (43 mi) road  leading from La Paz to Coroico, 56 kilometres (35 mi) northeast of La Paz in the Yungas region of Bolivia. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road".  One estimate is that 200 to 300 travellers were killed yearly along the road. The road includes crosses marking many of the spots where vehicles have fallen.

A South Yungas Road (Chulumani Road) exists that connects La Paz to Chulumani, 64 kilometres (40 mi) east of La Paz, and is considered to be nearly as dangerous as the north road.
Photographs of China's Guoliang Tunnel are often incorrectly identified as showing the Yungas Road.

The danger of the road ironically made it a popular tourist destination starting in the 1990s, drawing some 25,000 thrillseekers.[7] Mountain biking enthusiasts in particular have made it a favourite destination for downhill biking since there is a 64-kilometre (40 mi) stretch of continuous downhill riding with only one short uphill section. There are now many tour operators catering to this activity, providing information, guides, transport and equipment.
Nevertheless, the Yungas Road remains dangerous. At least 18 of these cyclists died on the ride since 1998.[8]
It is featured on the BBC show, Top Gear: Bolivia Special (Episode 6 of Top Gear series 14) where they travelled 1,610 kilometres (1,000 mi) from the Bolivian rainforest to the Pacific Ocean

What is the best time to go to the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia? How can I get there?

Best answer to How to get to the Uyuni Salt Flat and when to go?:

Answer by Andrea W
You might want to check out this article:

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1464359

It has some great info about the Uyuni salt desert.

Answer by Matias S
There is a great article about the best times to visit Uyuni and the ways to get there on:

http://www.boliviatravelsite.com/How_to_get_to_Uyuni_Salt_Flat.php

What do you think? Answer to How to get to the Uyuni Salt Flat and when to go? below!

I want to know cheap tickets from washington dc to la paz, Bolivia or Tarija, Bolivia. Tickets to there is so expensive and if you know a site or a place that they have super cheap ticket to Bolivia. that would be so good!

Best answer to Where do I buy the cheapest tickets to La Paz or Tarija Bolivia?:

Answer by I'm not that cool
I have been looking for good deals on plane tickets to EVERYWHERE (like 40 countries) and the best place i have looked is www.priceline.com...
Cheaptickets.com comes in close 2nd...

edit: Also, both of these websites have tabs at the top of the page for extra good deals, so you might check that out...I found some INCREDIBLY cheap plane tickets (like between $ 50 (!!!) to $ 200, round trip) and cruises from $ 199. You just have to be persistant in finding good deals.

Answer by olin228
It is all but impossible to get a cheap ticket to Bolivia, especially from the DC area (where I live much of the year). American Airlines has an effective monopoly on the route and exploits that position. You can fly to Miami and get Aerosur to Santa Cruz, but both time and money wise it offers no great benefit in comparison to American to La Paz and Santa Cruz. Aerosur can probably book you through directly to Tarija from either La Paz or Santa Cruz, but they have a really primitive reservations system for domestic flights inside Bolivia. The only service into Tarija is via Aerosur.

http://www.aa.com

http://www.aerosur.com

The sad bottom line, however, is there is virtually no chance of getting a cheap ticket to Bolivia because of the lack of competition.

If you have lots of time, some money saving possibilities to Tarija:
Fly Copa to Buenos Aires and then LAN or Aerolinas Argentinas to Jujuy in far northwest Argentina. There is good bus service from there to the Bolivian border and with a bus change on to Tarija. For the whole trip from IAD or DCA to Jujuy, LAN may offer a through fare to that is lower.

http://www.copaair.com

http://www.Lan.com

Fly Gol to Brasil and then connect to flight into Bolivia at Rio or Sao Paulo. The problem, this would leave you at Santa Cruz or La Paz, still a long way from Tarija. The best overland connection is going to take you 2 days from La Paz and more than a day from Santa Cruz.

http://www.voegol.com.br/

Bolivia is a wonderful country, but it is difficult and expensive to get to and offers slow travel once inside its borders!

What do you think? Answer to Where do I buy the cheapest tickets to La Paz or Tarija Bolivia? below!

I just moved to the san francisco east bay area...We're thinking of going to santa cruz on saturday...what's the water like there? I always see people in the water in pictures and commercials...Is it warm??
Thank You!

Best answer to santa cruz?:

Answer by tonalc2
It's definitely warmer than the SF Bay!

However, it's still not a temperature that you can stay in for a long time. You'll see most of the surfers there wearing wetsuits.

Answer by jennbunny
no the water is really uncomfortable to swim in! it is freezing. not as cold as san francisco but it is still freezing. once you become numb its not so bad though

Add your own answer to santa cruz? in the comments!

if you order anything from amazon do you have to use a creit card or can you just pay with money were if not were are some sites that do...??

Best answer to amazon?????:

Answer by Kobe > MJ
credit card

Answer by john b
Credit Card only.

Answer by I Missed a Good Buy
don't think u can

Answer by nathantheguitarist
credit card, or you might be able to mail in a money order/check on certain things.

Give your answer to amazon????? below!