Toro Toro National Park tour, Bolivia
Highlights
Toro Toro National Park | Dinosaur footprints | Colourful colonial towns | Umujalanta Cave system | Ancient rock paintings | Ciudad Itas natural 'city of stone' | Vergel CanyonDescription of Toro Toro National Park tour, Bolivia
The stunning Toro Toro National Park remains an off-the-beaten track destination that is a perfect add-on to any trip to Bolivia for anyone looking for a less strenuous South American adventure experience. Its highlights include some of the best preserved dinosaur footprints in South America, stunning geological formations plus pleasing colonial towns.Travelling from the atmospheric city of Cochabamba, private 4x4s cover the rugged road to Toro Toro. Pause en route at the colonial village of Tarata to admire its beautiful crumbling colonial facades. Then don torch helmets to explore the nearby Umajalanta Cave – a remarkable partly explored arena of giant stalagtites and stalagmites, blind fish and stunning rock formations.
Another day, climb to 4000m for stunning mountain views as you head for the unique Ciudad Itas – a natural 'city of stone' created by millennia of rock erosion. Here too are rock paintings estimated to be around 2000 years old. This is also your first encounter with the thousands of dinosaur footprints that are a highlight of the Park – including the mighty 36m long Titanosaurus.
You'll also explore the depths of the Vergel Canyon, overseen by soaring condors. At the bottom of the canyon, a wonderful natural pool formed by a waterfall provides a perfect swimming spot.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.comDeparture information
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
We ensure that packaging on our trip is kept to a minimum and litter is disposed of responsibly.The beauty of Toro Toro National Park lies partly in its remoteness and our guides strive to conserve its environment by keeping its sites clean, and treating its natural wonders with respect. We use local guides who have been trained to understand the importance of ethical business practise. Touching of stalactites and stalagmites in the caves is strictly forbidden and this practise is increasingly passed on to the locals, resulting in an increased preservation in this area.
We appreciate the local wildlife and enforce a strict policy of not approaching nesting birds or touching any wildlife. The canyons in Toro Toro are a wildlife haven for vultures and we educate our guides and locals to preserve their environment to enable them to breed without disruption.
We encourage our guests, guides and locals to consciously save water at hotels as water can be scarce in the National Park.
The Impacts of this Trip
The trip employs a local guide from the small village of Torotoro to join an English speaking guide, hence providing income to the local population. Wages and taxes are kept in country, creating a beneficial relationship between tourism and the local community.
Locals are gaining an additional source of income and are developing a sense of pride to protect the park. It means locals get great life skills, such as learning foreign languages so as to work in tourism, at home and abroad.
We use small local hotels in the village, run by locals. All lunches and dinners are bought and consumed at small, local restaurants rather than brought into the park from the outside.
We are committed to working with local charities in the countries we operate in.
Since 2006 we supported the Huchuy Yachaq community project in Cusco, with the help of everybody who has travelled with us. We donate USD $3000 a year to this community project, funding a full time teaching post.
And we are planting trees as part of a reforestation project in Peru.
We ensure that packaging on our trip is kept to a minimum and litter is disposed of responsibly.The beauty of Toro Toro National Park lies partly in its remoteness and our guides strive to conserve its environment by keeping its sites clean, and treating its natural wonders with respect. We use local guides who have been trained to understand the importance of ethical business practise. Touching of stalactites and stalagmites in the caves is strictly forbidden and this practise is increasingly passed on to the locals, resulting in an increased preservation in this area.
We appreciate the local wildlife and enforce a strict policy of not approaching nesting birds or touching any wildlife. The canyons in Toro Toro are a wildlife haven for vultures and we educate our guides and locals to preserve their environment to enable them to breed without disruption.
We encourage our guests, guides and locals to consciously save water at hotels as water can be scarce in the National Park.
The Impacts of this Trip
The trip employs a local guide from the small village of Torotoro to join an English speaking guide, hence providing income to the local population. Wages and taxes are kept in country, creating a beneficial relationship between tourism and the local community.
Locals are gaining an additional source of income and are developing a sense of pride to protect the park. It means locals get great life skills, such as learning foreign languages so as to work in tourism, at home and abroad.
We use small local hotels in the village, run by locals. All lunches and dinners are bought and consumed at small, local restaurants rather than brought into the park from the outside.
We are committed to working with local charities in the countries we operate in.
Since 2006 we supported the Huchuy Yachaq community project in Cusco, with the help of everybody who has travelled with us. We donate USD $3000 a year to this community project, funding a full time teaching post.
And we are planting trees as part of a reforestation project in Peru.
1 Reviews of Toro Toro National Park tour, Bolivia
Reviewed on 20 May 2018 by Agnieszka Opalska
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The absolute highlight was the private Salkantay trek. We loved the trekking through the beautiful mountain landscape far away from the crowds, with absolutely amazing crew of the local agency: our great guide Elvis who strived to provide us with the real Andean hiking experience, and our fabulous cook Cezar who spoiled us with fantastic 3-course vegetarian meals!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Our trip was tailor-made; for such a trip it's important to list your 'must see' places but also to be open for suggestions and tips from people who know the
destination - our agent Kat helped a lot to design a perfect itinerary for our trip.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - in each place we were supported by local agencies who often took us to places where we could meet and support local artisans & people from local
communities. We especially liked the visit at organic coffee farm run by the female cooperative in Peruvian cloud forest.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic!!! Peru & Bolivia were always on our bucket list and we’re very happy to finally make this dream come true. Landscapes with mountains & deserts,
great history, as well as contemporary local culture & food were absolutely amazing!
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