After the Missions circuit, we decided to spend a few days away from the heat of the lowlands, in the higher valleys around Samaipata. This is a small village, but has become popular with tourists recently, particularly the hippy crowd.
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| The square in El Pueblito |
We stayed in a small resort, as a bit of a treat to ourselves, outside the town on a hill with a wonderful view of the town and valley below. It's called El Pueblito, or Small Town, and is designed like a traditional village with themed rooms set around a central square. Our room was styled as a florist's, which meant fresh flowers and garden tools adorning the walls. Although slightly kitsch, it was something a bit different and a great place to relax.
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| Our room - the florist's - in El Pueblito |
The main draw in the area is a UNESCO world heritage archaeological site known as El Fuerte, The Fort. It consists of a large rock protruding from a hilltop, used by the Inca and earlier cultures for religious carvings and ceremonies, and the accompanying village ruins. When the Spanish arrived, it had already been abandoned for some time, and they presumed it had been a fort, hence the name. Later research into the carvings on the rock suggests that it was of more religious significance; carved jaguars and pumas were symbols of power, while several large niches in the rock are thought to have held idols or mummified ancestors.
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| El Fuerte de Samaipata |
We have now returned to Santa Cruz once again, before flying to Rurrenabaque in the remote north of the country for our first experience of the Amazon rainforest.
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