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Samaipata

Publicado: 18.09.2024

I was greeted by a somewhat older gentleman who welcomed me in flawless German:

Hello – I am Thomas. Come in, I hope you had a relaxing journey.

Slightly surprised by the unusual welcome in this area, it turned out that Thomas has been living in Bolivia for 35 years and originally hails from Kiel. As the son of a diplomat, he spent almost his entire life abroad, and eventually decided to settle in Bolivia. The nice gentleman guided me to my cabin on the vast property and briefly instructed me on how to use the extremely cozy facilities. After the obligatory part was done, I shared the beer supply I had brought from Santa Cruz, and we chatted away for what felt like an eternity. The main focus of this dialogue was clearly the property owner, whose stories about the land and its people, past and present, left my ears ringing. I do enjoy such firsthand information, and so the evening turned out to be quite entertaining. Later, Thomas introduced me to two young compatriots, and since I found the two colleagues from Munich quite likable, we decided to set off as a trio to search for a guide in the village. Then off to bed and looking forward to the next day. Early in the morning, we started our adventure and were picked up by a pickup truck directly at Thomas's property. After two hours of driving and spectacular views, the vehicle stopped, and we began our hike. The name of the hiking route “Codo de los Andes” means “Elbow of the Andes” and refers to the distinctive bend of the Andean range in this region. The first few hours took us steadily uphill through a rocky landscape and green slopes, sometimes cross-country with magnificent panoramas. After constant climbing along the steep hills, we reached a viewpoint around mid-morning from which a breathtaking 360° panorama of the surrounding landscape was visible. The nearby hills with lush vegetation seemed endless, and due to the vastness, the human eye struggles to gauge the distance and height of the elevations. Definitely an extremely spectacular view and a suitable place for a snack. Together with Elias and Lennart, we prepared a hearty meal of cookies, bananas, and dry bread with dulce de leche. ;)</p><figure><img src='https://img1.vakantio.de/uploads/41237566bf1bcfa05cb64c40317d3e62_large.jpg' alt='Break with a view' /><figcaption>Break with a view</figcaption></figure><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Sufficient for the moment and after further marveling at the beauty of the landscape, we hiked back along a different route to the jeep to venture a little further into the wilderness of Samaipata. After a short drive, we began the second part of our hike. You dive deeper into the lush nature, and the landscape changes. The path meanders along a river, accompanied by the constant sound of water, which in the calm environment has almost a meditative effect. The river is surrounded by tropical vegetation, and at times plants and trees hang far into the path, while small and larger waterfalls repeatedly cross our route. We crossed the water multiple times, and the hike followed no fixed trail but rather went cross-country. Throughout the day, we had interesting conversations in our small travel group, and the two colleagues were truly delightful companions. Elias is doing a voluntary year in Santa Cruz and takes care of children and teenagers who have been rejected by their parents and often suffered from domestic violence. Hats off for this commitment and the courage to come to such an exotic country in his early twenties to provide a benefit to society. Lenni is visiting, and the two are certainly excited about the land and its people and will likely experience many more adventures together far from home in the future.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>With wet feet and fully immersed in the surrounding nature, we reached a rocky plateau around 2 PM and decided to take a short nap. Wonderful, closing my eyes, and the only thing surrounding me is the beauty of nature. No thoughts of everyday stress, no worries – just the peace of the landscape, the chirping of birds, and a few butterflies – that's how it can be endured.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>After the break, the hike continued through increasingly dense forest and gentle ascents. The path began to wind slightly back uphill and left the valley, and slowly the sound of water faded from our ears. Occasionally, the vegetation opened up again, and you can catch a few beautiful views of the surrounding hills once more. The path is varied, and the terrain shifts from soft forest floor to rocks and roots, which sometimes act like natural steps. The further course of the hike consists of a constant up and down and is accompanied by a pleasant silence. In the late afternoon, we reached the vehicle again, and on the truck bed, we headed back to the village. We were shaken quite thoroughly on the rough terrain before we reached Samaipata just before darkness fell.</p><figure><img src='https://img1.vakantio.de/uploads/73d798dda81ca0692078cbadd49e6c29_large.jpg' alt='On the way back ' /><figcaption>On the way back </figcaption></figure><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>As a trio, we gathered on the rooftop terrace of a small cozy bar that evening, reminiscing over a few beers about the impressions of this beautiful day.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Much of today’s hike led us along the “Ruta del Che,” following in the footsteps of a significant chapter in Bolivian history. The Ruta del Che is a historical hiking trail that deals with the last period of the combative revolutionary Che Guevara's life and runs through the mountains and villages that Che and his guerrilla group traversed during their journey through Bolivia in 1967 before he was captured and executed in La Higuera. Again and again, we stopped throughout the day, and our guide, a true Che fan and expert, shared interesting stories from the life of the revolutionary. One can feel the connection to the revolutionary past while walking through the same remote areas where Che operated with his troops.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>However, the Ruta del Che is more than just a historical route. It connects the political history of the revolution with the culture and everyday life of the Bolivian population. Many people living along the route experienced the dramatic events of that time themselves, and as an outsider, one gains an intense and very interesting insight into the conflicts and ideals that continue to shape the country and the region today.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>After a day filled with events, a relaxed and restful night followed. The next morning, with a rather late alarm clock ringing, Thomas treated me to an abundant breakfast, and I set off, well-strengthened, to the edge of the sleepy little town. The goal for the day was to visit El Fuerte de Samaipata, a ruin of the Inca culture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the surrounding mountains of the village. For a small fee, a motorcycle driver took me to the edge of the ruins, and after a brief look down into the valleys around the World Heritage Site, I began my little journey through Inca culture. The main attraction of the site is an impressive rock platform that is about 220 m long and 85 m wide, showcasing a variety of architectural and religious features of Inca culture. The Incas used the platform as a ceremonial center, and their skillful carving of the rock includes sculptures and engravings that depict symbols and religious motifs. Among the most striking features are a large ceremonial staircase, a water channel (possibly for ritual cleansing), and various geometric patterns and figures, including a jaguar.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Many of these symbols are still not fully deciphered and leave significant room for interpretation and research into this symbolism.</p><figure><img src='https://img1.vakantio.de/uploads/d07d96a796e49fe164a03dcb555a5927_large.jpg' alt='El Fuerte de Samaipata ' /><figcaption>El Fuerte de Samaipata </figcaption></figure><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Archaeological research has significantly contributed to deciphering the meaning and use of the site since the 1960s. It is believed that the site was significant not only for rituals but also for astronomical observations, as the alignments of some carvings and buildings suggest astronomical and cosmological beliefs of that culture.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Another fascinating element of the site is an ingenious water pipeline system. The system comprises channels and basins likely used for ritual washings and irrigation.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>El Fuerte is one of the largest human-altered rocks on Earth and definitely an impressive sight. As you walk over the site, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding valleys; a gentle breeze blows, and it is pleasantly quiet. You find yourself with a few other interested tourists wandering through the vast site, which I found quite enjoyable. Away from the rock platform, there are many more ruins to discover, providing a wonderful impression of the complexity of the construction styles and the integration of buildings and spaces into the natural surroundings.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>The entire complex is characterized by its size and complexity, the carved elements in the rock, making this place a unique example of Inca culture.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>However, there are also contrary opinions about Samaipata; Erich von Däniken claimed after visiting El Fuerte that it was a crashed UFO, later revising this in one of his works and merely referring to the rock as a landing strip for UFOs. Also interesting, but I will probably stick with science, whose explanations and research on this site seem much more plausible to me.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>After dedicating several hours to the detailed inspection of the site, I walked the 10 km back to the valley and enjoyed the beautiful landscape. Just before the connecting road to Samaipata, I passed a house with a large sign saying

I briefly rang the bell and saw what it was about. A lady opened the gate and granted me entrance to a beautiful garden. All kinds of flowers and wild plants create a paradise for the flying artists, and the lady has made it her life’s mission to create ideal conditions for hummingbirds in her garden. Various white, blue, black, green, and yellow hummingbirds flitted around the garden incessantly, a beautiful spectacle, especially considering their flight skills. I stayed for a while and listened to a bit about the history of her garden and some interesting facts about hummingbirds in general. The lady has created a lovely place here, and the colorful birds seem to feel very comfortable; in such a large population, I had never seen so many before.</p><figure><img src='https://img1.vakantio.de/uploads/df08a049b666c3cda047d7d7bae9f5bf_large.jpg' alt='Hummingbird ' /><figcaption>Hummingbird </figcaption></figure><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>Since I was too lazy to walk the rest of the way back to Samaipata, I stuck my hand out, and after a short while, a vehicle with a friendly older couple stopped and brought me back to the village while the woman from the back seat fed me cookies.</p><p style='color:rgb(0, 0, 0)'>To wrap up, I strolled around Samaipata and enjoyed the charming colonial atmosphere and the well-preserved historical buildings. A brief chat with Thomas – well wishes – and then packed my things, as early the next day I was set to head west.</p>

After a short visit to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, I decided to make a stop somewhere in nature on my way to western Bolivia. However, I couldn't really make up my mind due to the numerous possibilities, so I strolled past the terminals of various bus and transport companies in the morning, looking for a destination that suited me. After a short while, the offer of a ride in a colectivo to Samaipata caught my interest. It was on the way to Cochabamba and La Paz, and not even converted to 5 euros for the 3.5-hour route to a sleepy small town amidst national parks and some Inca ruins. Perfect - deal! I left my backpack at the company office, quickly grabbed something to eat, and then we were set to go. Cramped with 8 other passengers, the journey took us over hilly terrain and through impressive landscapes with numerous rock formations. Shortly before 6 PM, we arrived in Samaipata, and I walked to the pre-booked accommodation. Upon arriving at

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