Bolivia

Amboro National Park

Where the Andes meet the Amazon

Bolivia

Why travel to Amboro National Park

At the Elbow of the Andes, where mountains bend toward Peru, lies a biological miracle. Amboró National Park is the only place on Earth where three ecosystems collide: the Amazon Basin, Andean foothills, and Gran Chaco. The result is more bird species than all of North America, giant ferns towering through cloud forests, and spectacled bears roaming slopes that shift from jungle to alpine scrubland in a single day. Here, flying air rivers create suspended waterfalls, and jaguars prowl forests so unexplored that new species are still discovered.

Tours

Tours that visit Amboro National Park

1 tour · from $435 per person

Featured expedition 11 days

Bolivia's Wild East: Jaguars, Cloud Forest and Lost Missions

Journey through Amboro Park, Gran Chaco, and Chiquitania's Jesuit mission sites Explore this journey From $4,200

Build a trip around Amboro National Park

Amboró's rugged terrain requires expert local knowledge, because distances between ecosystems are vast and trails unmarked.

  1. Tell us dates, group, budget and what matters most
  2. We draft a day-by-day itinerary with a price
  3. Refine it together, then book
Takes two minutes. No deposit until the plan is right.
Sheer red sandstone cliff face near Samaipata rises above dense green forest under a partly stormy sky in Amboro National Park, Bolivia

1

Where Three Worlds Collide

Amboró National Park occupies one of the most remarkable geographic positions on Earth. Located at the 'Elbow of the Andes', where South America's great mountain spine bends westward toward Peru, this 4,425-square-kilometer wilderness sits at the precise confluence of three distinct ecosystems: the Amazon Basin, the Andean foothills, and the Gran Chaco lowlands. Nowhere else on the planet do three such vast biomes converge, creating a mosaic of habitats that shifts from steaming tropical jungle to misty cloud forest to dry scrubland within a single day's trek.

The result is biodiversity almost beyond comprehension. With nearly 3,000 documented plant species, more than the entire British Isles in an area 65 times smaller, Amboró ranks among the most botanically rich protected areas on Earth. The park's vegetation types read like an encyclopedia: lowland rainforests, cloud forests, palm forests, tree-fern forests, cactus forests, tropical yungas, montane scrublands, and pampas. Due to the park's rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure, much remains unexplored, with scientists confident that many species await discovery in Amboró's remotest valleys.

Andean cock-of-the-rock with vivid red plumage and rounded crest perched on a mossy branch in Bolivian cloud forest

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The Greatest Bird Show on Earth

Giant tree ferns viewed from below, their fronds spreading against the sky in the cloud forest of Amboro National Park, Bolivia

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Giants of the Forest, Ferns and Bears

Things to do

Things to do around Amboro National Park

Plan your visit

Getting to Amboro National Park

Best time: June to September

  • Peak
  • Good
  • Wet
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

The optimal window for Amboró. Cool dry conditions ensure trails are passable and rivers safely crossable.

Fly to Santa Cruz

From $50-80 USD ground transfer

International flights + 2-3 hours to park

Santa Cruz's Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) serves as Bolivia's main gateway, with direct flights from Miami, Madrid, São Paulo, Lima, and major South American cities. The park lies 40-150 kilometers from Santa Cruz depending on entry point: the southern Refugio Los Volcanes sector is 2 hours, while Buena Vista in the north is 3 hours.

Our tip

Book international flights to arrive in Santa Cruz by early afternoon to allow same-day transfer to the park.

Drive to Samaipata

From $40-60 USD shared transport

3 hours from Santa Cruz

The charming mountain town of Samaipata serves as the main southern gateway to Amboró. Regular shared taxis (colectivos) depart from Santa Cruz throughout the day, climbing through scenic foothills to this traveler-friendly base at 1,650 meters elevation.

Our tip

Samaipata is ideal for acclimatization before cloud forest treks.

Internal Park Transfers

Included in tour packages

30 min - 2 hours to trailheads

Within Amboró, access to trailheads requires 4x4 vehicles navigating steep, unpaved mountain roads. The descent to Refugio Los Volcanes takes 20 minutes down a dramatic valley road.

Our tip

By law, all visitors must enter Amboró National Park with a certified guide, and solo trekking is prohibited.

Nearby

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From the journal

Stories from Amboro National Park

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