Chochís: Art, Culture and Nature

Experiences around Chochís

Different themes come together around Chochís: art made from reused materials, religious woodcarving and natural attractions. When planning your trip, you can consider which of these interests you would like to prioritize. The places described in the surrounding area offer different points of interest.

The Sendero El Gorila Chiquitano, an ecotourism trail in the Chiquitano Dry Forest, is located in the municipality of Peniel near Chochís. It features sculptures made from recycled rubber, iron and other reused materials. The trail brings together art, recycling and environmental protection. Reuse is therefore not just a theme, but part of the sculptures there. Those interested in creative forms of recycling will find a different focus here than in the religious depictions at the Santuario Mariano de la Torre.

This sanctuary is also near Chochís. Its woodcarvings depict local flora and fauna alongside religious figures such as Jesus and the Apostles. Nature motifs and religious imagery appear side by side. A visit can therefore be viewed through a different cultural interest than the ecotourism trail in Peniel: there, reused materials define the sculptures; here, the carved depictions of plants, animals and religious figures take center stage.

The Torre de David is also near Chochís; climbing to the summit is possible. If you include it in your plans, check the current access conditions before visiting. A 12-meter-high waterfall is also located near Chochís. The two natural attractions already differ in character: a possible climb is the focus at the Torre de David, while the waterfall is described by its height.

What matters most is which themes appeal to you when choosing a destination. Check the details of a particular hotel against its individual listing.

Santa Cruz as a Regional Context

Chochís is part of the broader destination of Santa Cruz. The Valles Cruceños belong to this wider regional context: they cover about 13,000 km² and lie at elevations between 1,200 and 2,000 meters. The Valles Cruceños comprise the provinces of Florida, Vallegrande and Caballero in the Department of Santa Cruz. These details describe the region and should be distinguished from the individual places in the vicinity of Chochís.

The vegetation of the Valles Cruceños is also diverse. It includes inter-Andean dry forest, Bolivian-Tucuman forest, Serrano Chaco, subtropical humid forest and Puna vegetation. The different vegetation types give an impression of the landscape diversity within the broader destination of Santa Cruz; they should not be taken as a description of the immediate surroundings of Chochís.

Another natural area in Santa Cruz is Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. Its habitats include evergreen rainforests, palm forests, Cerrado, swamps, savannas, gallery forests and semi-evergreen dry forests. The park is home to viable populations of numerous globally endangered or threatened vertebrate species. This offers an additional connection to nature for a trip that looks beyond Chochís to the Department of Santa Cruz.

Birdlife is also part of the region’s natural context: 374 bird species are recorded for the Área Protegida de los Valles Cruceños, including the endemic red-fronted macaw and the Andean condor. The protected area and its biodiversity are a distinct regional point of interest, not a statement about wildlife directly in Chochís.

The Chiquitano culture is part of Santa Cruz’s cultural background. It developed mainly in the Chiquitanía in the Department of Santa Cruz and combines the traditions of the Indigenous Chiquitano people with Jesuit influence, introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries. For orientation, it helps to consider this broader cultural context alongside the specific motifs near Chochís: the woodcarvings at the Santuario Mariano de la Torre are a local art theme, while the development of Chiquitano culture describes the wider context of Santa Cruz.

If you are looking for a hotel in Chochís, you can first decide whether the experiences in the surrounding area or the broader cultural and landscape context of Santa Cruz should shape your stay. This keeps your choice aligned with your destination and interests.

Discover more destinations: San José De Chiquitos

Back to the broader travel overview: Chiquitos Province.