Santiago de Chiquitos

Santiago de Chiquitos is a small mission village in the Roboré municipality of eastern Santa Cruz, set at the foot of the Serranía de Santiago. It began as a Jesuit-era mission town and, while its church does not carry the UNESCO protection that the famous Chiquitos missions enjoy, its setting among forested hills, rock formations and viewpoints makes it one of the most appealing little towns in the region. The local community is notably active and protective of its environment, resisting efforts to exploit the surrounding land for minerals — an ethos that even attracted European Union funding to pave the road up from Roboré.

The big draw is the landscape and a comfortably cooler hilltop climate than the sweltering eastern lowlands below. Spectacular nature surrounds the village: marked viewpoints, forests, rock walls, the natural stone arch known as El Arco, the Valle de los Cóndores, caves, and remarkable stepped river pools (pozos) where a cascade has drilled a chain of interconnected basins, some metres deep, ideal for swimming. December brings the most water and greenery; the dry months are pleasant for hiking but the pools are lower.

The town itself is tiny and entirely walkable, arranged around its main square with the church on the plaza. Wildlife is active in the evenings, so hikes timed for dusk can turn up parrots, monkeys and condors.

By Train

Santiago de Chiquitos is reached via the railway town of Roboré on the eastern Santa Cruz line; you take the train (or bus) to Roboré, then continue by road up to the village. Note that passenger rail service on this line has had long suspensions, so verify current operation before planning around it.

By Car / Road

From Roboré there are daytime buses and taxis up to Santiago — for example Taxi Wilson (tel. 71044523) for around Bs 90 — on the EU-funded paved road. Roboré itself sits on the main route between Santa Cruz de la Sierra (to the west) and Puerto Quijarro/Brazil (to the east), with frequent buses; a night bus between Roboré and Santa Cruz costs around Bs 50.

Santiago de Chiquitos is a small town best explored on foot — everything in the village is within an easy walk of the main square. For the surrounding trails, viewpoints and pozos, the standard approach is to go with a guide rather than to find your own way (see the Do section), as trail markings exist but are infrequent.

• The church — on the main square, the heart of the old mission village.
• El Mirador — a marked viewpoint over the Serranía and surrounding plains.
• El Arco — a natural stone arch in the hills, a signature local landmark.
• Valle de los Cóndores — a valley where condors can be seen.
• The pozos — chains of stepped river pools where a cascade has bored interconnected basins (some up to about 7 m deep), superb for swimming.
• Caves in the Serranía de Santiago, part of the area's striking rock landscape.

Hiking with the local guides is what the village is known for. There is a local tourist-guide association, and going with a professional guide is strongly advised because the routes are only partly marked. Good guides charge around Bs 150 for a day, money that is well spent — they show the way, explain the local way of life and the nature (including medicinal plants), and point out wildlife. A walk into the protected Tucabaca valley on foot needs 2–3 days, or about a day if motorised (more than Bs 400). Swimming in or jumping into the pozos is the classic reward at the end of a hike.

Café Churapa, half a block from the main square, serves a large (if slightly pricey at around Bs 25) breakfast, plus lunch and dinner — the reliable go-to for visitors. Beyond it, eating options are simple and few, in keeping with the village's small size; expect home-style local cooking. It is wise to confirm meal availability with your guesthouse or guide, especially outside peak season.

Drinking options are limited to what the small village offers — simple cafés like Café Churapa and a few shops around the plaza rather than any nightlife scene. The cooler hilltop air makes this a place for an early night before a dawn hike. Carry plenty of water for the trails, and treat or stick to bottled/filtered water rather than drinking untreated from the streams and pools.

• Budget: The church convent on the main square doubles as a guesthouse, with singles around Bs 50 — a simple, central and characterful option.
• Mid-range: A handful of small eco-lodges and posadas have grown up around the village's hiking trade; ask in the plaza or arrange through your guide.

Santiago is a tiny village with limited shopping — expect basic provisions from small shops around the plaza rather than dedicated craft markets. Stock up on water, snacks and any supplies in Roboré before heading up, and budget cash for guide fees, as facilities in the village are minimal.

• Roboré (down the hill, ~Bs 90 by taxi) — the railway and road town and your transit hub.
• Tucabaca valley (2–3 days on foot from town) — protected wilderness for longer treks.
• Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos (west via Roboré/Santa Cruz) — the UNESCO-listed mission circuit.
• Puerto Quijarro / Brazil (east via Roboré) — the Brazilian border and the Pantanal beyond.
• Santa Cruz de la Sierra (west, night bus from Roboré ~Bs 50) — Bolivia's largest city and regional hub.