Oruro

Introducing Oruro

By far the largest settlement of the southern Altiplano, palindromic Oruro is a miners’ city with a tough climate. In many ways it’s the most Bolivian of Bolivia’s nine provincial capitals. It’s an intriguing place where 90% of the inhabitants are of pure indigenous heri­tage. Locals refer to themselves as quirquinchos (armadillos), after the carapaces used in their charangos (traditional Bolivian ukulele-type instruments). Orureños are salty, hard-working­ and upfront people who have done it tough over the years with the decline of Bolivian mining and the extreme climate.

Oruro, whose name means ‘where the sun is born, ’ sits against a range of mineral-rich low hills at the northern end of the salty lakes Uru Uru and Poopó, linked by river to Titicaca. While many visitors slate Oruro, it’s got good museums and restaurants and there’s plenty to see in the surrounding area. It’s also culturally very colorful, with a rich dance and musical heritage that culminates in the riotous Carnaval celebrations, famous throughout South America for the lavish costumes and elaborate traditions on display.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009