Bolivia Guide
Sucre, Cochabamba and the central valleys
Parque Nacional Torotoro
Some 130km south of Cochabamba, PARQUE NACIONAL TOROTORO protects a remote and sparsely inhabited stretch of the arid, scrubby landscape which is characteristic of the eastern foothills and valleys of the Andes. Covering just 164 square kilometres around the small town of the same name, Torotoro is Bolivia's smallest national park, but what it lacks in size it makes up for with its powerful scenery and varied attractions. The park encompasses a high, hanging valley and deep eroded canyons, ringed by low mountains whose twisted geological formations are strewn with fossils, dinosaur footprints and labyrinthine limestone cave complexes. In addition, the park's cactus and scrubby woodland supports considerable wildlife – including flocks of parakeets and the rare and beautiful red-fronted macaw, found only in this particular region of Bolivia – while ancient rock paintings and pre-Inca ruins reveal a long-standing human presence. The main attractions are the limestone caves of Umajallanta, the beautiful, waterfall-filled Torotoro Canyon, and hiking expeditions to the pre-Inca ruined fortress of Llama Chaqui.
Buses to Torotoro leave Cochabamba from the corner of Avenida 6 de Agosto and Avenida Republica at about 6am on Thursdays and Sundays, and return from Torotoro at 6am on Fridays and Mondays – two days are enough to see the main attractions (the Torotoro Canyon, Caverna de Umajallanta and the dinosaur footprints). There's usually only one place to stay, the Alojamiento Charcas ( 
04/4133927; Price: Under US$5), which has plenty of simple but clean rooms with shared toilet and shower, though there's no hot water and rarely any electricity (the only phone in town, an ENTEL public phone, is also here. Torotoro doesn't have any real restaurants, but a couple of women in the village prepare basic meals for about $1 if you order a few hours in advance – just ask around to find out who's cooking. Otherwise, there is a handful of basic shops where you can get bread, tins of sardines, crackers, oranges, soft drinks and other simple provisions, as well as tea and coffee, though it's worth bringing some supplies with you from Cochabamba.