The Travel Chica

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9 Beautiful Reasons To Get Out of Sucre

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Sucre is a beautiful city whether you are wandering the cobblestone streets, relaxing in one of the perfectly manicured plazas, or getting a view of the city from above.

Despite all of the bad things I have heard about travel in Bolivia, the same people always follow up their comments with…

But it’s the most beautiful country in South America.

I took a tour with a local agency Joy Ride to get outside of the city and see the surrounding mountains, including the Maragua Crater, the Inca Trail, and the tiny town Potolo.

The beauty of this area is absolutely stunning.

I have met a lot of travelers who stop in the city for a few days (or even weeks) and leave without seeing the incredible landscapes just a day trip away.

If you visit Sucre, plan time in your schedule to take a day tour.  I actually wish I had signed up for the 2-day tour to have more time in this area.

9 Favorite Photos

After a 1.5 hour drive, we arrived at the Inca Trail.  Most people think of Machu Picchu when you mention the Inca Trail, but there are actually multiple Inca Trails throughout this part of South America.  They were an active bunch.

 

From the Inca Trail, we could see the Maragua Crater.

There are multiple stories about how these shapes were formed, but I prefer the locals story that these are the thumbprints of God.  For the two-day tour, you hike all the way there and spend a night in the village.

Once we finished the easy hike, we drove to the tiny town of Potolo.  The great views kept coming.

Potolo was completely empty, except for these cows walking across the central plaza.

This is one of the poorest towns in the area.  They live off of agriculture, and some of the women make tejidos similar to what I saw at the Tarabuco market.

And more great landscapes on the way back with stops for photos.

Take a Tour!

Joy Ride offers a variety of tours to the areas around Sucre, as well as other travel agency services.  In addition to hiking and mountain biking, you can go paragliding, climbing, and motorbiking.  They are professional and provide quality guides, lunches, and transportation.

Check out more photos!

I am just getting started in Bolivia.  Have you traveled here?  Which part has your favorite landscapes?

Comments

  3. Stephanie those are the most awesome pictures I think you have ever taken. What a beautiful country. The colors & contrasts invite you in to explore the countryside. Hmm I know I want a nice pix for Christmas so maybe it will be one of these — I’ll have a hard time choosing. Seems your photography gets better with each picture you take.
    Love Mom

  7. Hey – are you in Bolivia now? I am heading there Aug. 30… starting in Santa Cruz. So, looking forward to your thoughts, sights, suggestions, etc.

    F

    • Hi, Fran! I will not still be in Bolivia in August. I will be putting together a Bolivia Travel Tips page with more travel details and my recommendations, so I’ll be sure to let you know when that is ready. And of course, you can always contact me if you have more questions.

      Not sure how long your trip is, but my first tip is to spend a week in Sucre, so you can enjoy the town and do some of the great tours of the surrounding area.
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Foto of the Week from … Tarabuco: Small Town Beauty

  10. Thanks! How much time did you spend in Santa Cruz? Did you do the Jesuit Mission tour? Or Sampatania? What about Postoni? And how was it navigating the buses in Bolivia from place to place? (I know you speak Spanish – I do not :) So, I anticipate some confusion on my end. But beyond that…

    Thanks!
    fran recently posted..Feeling Like a Toucan

    • I only spent 2 nights in Santa Cruz. There is not much to see or do in the city, and in my opinion, it is kind of bland. I did read that there are some good nature reserves or ecolodges around, but I didn’t really have the time so didn’t look into them.

      Buses between cities are not too difficult. The local buses are more challenging, but I rarely needed to take them because I could walk to most places in town. I suggest learning some basic phrases, numbers, dates, times for the buses. Not many people speak English.
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Foto of the Week from … Sucre: Savory Salteñas

  12. Amazing pictures! Such a unique landscape, too. I’ve been surprised by the posts on Bolivia- it’s not a place you hear a lot about.

  17. This part of Bolivia is stunning. I was also really nervous about traveling to Bolivia solo, but found it to be much less scary than anyone described. I didn’t get a chance to leave Sucre during my stay in the city, but I loved the views while I was in town and on the bus ride from Sucre to Samaipata. Great pictures!
    Ekua recently posted..Photo Essay: Street Art and Graffiti in Berlin

  19. This is great. I just announced plans for a South America trip last week. Only going to Peru & Bolivia.
    When in Bolivia, the stops will be La Paz, Copacabana, Amazon, Salar de Uyuni and definitely Sucre. Any other places you recommend?
    Looking forward to your upcoming Bolivia posts!
    Gerard ~ GQ trippin recently posted..Sushi to Dai For

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  23. Gorgeous! And it’s so nice to see some photos from outside Sucre. You’re right – so many people just spend their time in the cities and then talk about what a ‘beautiful’ country it is!
    Turtle recently posted..Healing of the gods

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