Samaipata is a small mountain town in the foothills of the Andes, about 120 km west of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, at an altitude of around 1,650 metres. Its agreeable climate — cooler and greener than the lowland heat — makes it a favourite escape for backpackers, and the town's growing community of cafes, guesthouses, and guides gives it an easy, sociable atmosphere.
The main draws are both exceptional. El Fuerte de Samaipata, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 9 km from town, is a vast sandstone outcrop carved over more than a thousand years by the Chané, the Inca, and possibly earlier cultures — Bolivia's largest pre-Inca monument and one of the most striking archaeological sites in South America. Amboró National Park, accessible from Samaipata's southern entrance, protects a stretch of cloud forest and lower Andean terrain at the point where three distinct ecosystems meet. Its bird list of over 820 species rivals anywhere on the continent.
The town itself — red-tiled houses, a covered market with tropical fruit, literary cafes and outdoor bars — repays an extra day. Most travellers come for two or three nights and find themselves staying longer.