Amboró National Park Voyage Tips and guide

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Amboró National Park (or Parque Nacional Amboró in Spanish) is a protected natural area in the central Sub-Andean region of Bolivia. It is challenging terrain that is difficult to reach and explore. The park is in the transitional Yungas zone of foothills of the Andes mountains. It is an area that within a very short distance can change from highland cloud forests to lowland dry forests. Astounding biodiversity can be found throughout the park with thousands of plant species, more than 900 bird species, and almost 200 kinds of mammal.

The park covers an area of 4,425 km².

The park was originally established as a wildlife refuge called Reserva de Vida Silvestre German Busch. It became a national park in 1984.

The park includes areas of extreme elevation changes. The lowest point in the park is 300 metres (980 ft) while the highest point is 3,338 metres (10,951 ft).

The diversity of plant and animal life in this park cannot be overstated. With more than 3,000 species of plants, it has 50% more kinds of known plant life than the entire British isles in a 50% smaller area.

The plant life includes many endemic species and plants that botanists will want to seek out, including many kinds of orchid, a forest of giant ferns in a rainforest area, and various plants peculier to the Bolivian Andes.

More than 175 kinds of mammal live in the park including spectacled bears, pumas, ocelots and jaguars as well as more than 40 species of bat.

The park has a number of rivers and streams where endemic amphibians and fish live, including the pacu, a cousin of the infamous piranha. Fortunately for any intrepid explorers who slip and fall into the waterways, pacu don't attack in feeding frenzies. Although they are omnivores, they prefer a vegetarian diet (just like those annoying tree huggers you meet in hostels).

Birdwatchers will be interested to know that the park is home to more than 900 species of bird (so wear a hat), including colorful parrots like the military macaw and the helmeted currasow as well as soaring raptors like falcons, owls and the majestic Andean condor.

Weather conditions in the park vary dramatically by elevation. The highland rainforests get the most rain with annual rainfalls of up to 4,000 millimeters while the lowland "dry" forests get about 1,400 millimeters (still a fair number of rainy days).

From Santa Cruz, the park is 57 km northwest via the Carratera Las Cruces. The drive will take about 1-1/2 hour to reach the park administration office. Be aware that many of the park access roads from both the north and south sides of the park are rural dirt roads that are usually muddy and have more potholes than seem possible. A 4WD truck is recommended.

Park entry is free but regulations require you to have a guide with you to enter the park. The easiest way to meet this requirement is to arrange a guided tour with a travel agency in Santa Cruz.

4WD truck or hike.

• -17.54426-63.868641 Mataracu Tent Camp, Villa Yapacaní. (updated Mar 2025)

The park is prone to landslides and localized flooding.

• La Paz - Bolivia's beautiful capital city in the clouds
• Yungas Road - ride a mountain bike on Bolivia's Death Road, known as The World's Most Dangerous Road
• Santa Cruz - the closest city to the park is Bolivia's second-largest city
• Cochabamba - highland city with perpetual spring weather, between Santa Cruz and La Paz