Welcome to Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz may surprise you with its small-town feeling, colonial buildings and relaxed tropical atmosphere. Bolivia’s largest city oozes modernity yet clings stubbornly to tradition. The city center is vibrant and thriving, its narrow streets crowded with suited businesspeople sipping chicha (a fermented-corn drink) at street stalls. Locals still lounge on benches in the main square listening to camba (eastern lowlands) music, restaurants close for siesta and little stores line the porch-fronted houses selling cheap, local products.

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This is not the Bolivia that you see on postcards, but it is the place with the greatest population diversity in the country – from the overall-wearing Mennonites strolling past goth kids, to the Japanese community, altiplano immigrants, Cuban doctors, Brazilian settlers and fashionable cruceños (Santa Cruz locals) cruising the tight streets in their SUVs. It’s worth spending a few days here, eating at the international restaurants and checking out the nightlife.

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Top experiences in Santa Cruz

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Santa Cruz activities

Classic

Andes to the Atlantic Experience

From the heights of the Bolivian Andes to the sands of Ipanema, this incredible 25-day journey will introduce you to the diverse landscape and people of South America. Explore the wetlands of the Pantanal, the bizarre landscape of the Uyuni Salt Flats and revel in the mists of thundering Iguassu Falls. Gain greater insight into the culture on the region’s public buses and meet locals from the rural towns along the way for an immersive experience that few travellers get to know. Get off the beaten path and experience Bolivia and Brazil—a vibrant cross-section of South America.
$5999 Classic

Southern Cross Westbound - Rio to Lima

From the sands of Copacabana to the heights of the Bolivian Andes, this incredible 39-day journey will introduce you to the diverse landscape and people of South America. Explore the wetlands of the Pantanal and the bizarre landscape of the Uyuni Salt Flats, and revel in the mists of thundering Iguassu Falls. Gain greater insight into the culture on the region’s public buses and meet locals from the rural towns along the way for an immersive experience that few travellers have. Get off the beaten path and experience Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia — a vibrant cross-section of South America.
Classic

Southern Cross Eastbound - Lima to Rio

From the Nazca Lines and the heights of Incan archaeology to the beach at Ipanema, this 45-day long tour provides limitless opportunities for adventure. Explore the wetlands of the Pantanal, thundering Iguassu Falls, and the bizarre landscape of the Uyuni Salt Flats. In the thin air of the Andes, trek the challenging Inca Trail to legendary Machu Picchu. With local transportation and authentic accommodation, this one's got it all!
$3699 Classic

Atlantic to the Andes Experience

Dense rainforests, the towering peaks of the Andes, the seemingly endless and reflective salt flats — when we say the range of scenery on this 25-day tour is dizzying we’re not embellishing. Begin in Rio de Janeiro and head west where Iguassu Falls and an array of active activities you can do on your own during free time. Discover the wildlife of the Pantanal wetlands and climb aboard some local buses to see how to get from point A to B South American style. It’s not just where you stop that matters, it’s how many life-changing moments you’ll have along the way.
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