MISIONES JESUITICAS
Thanks to 25 years of painstaking restoration work, directed by the late architect Hans Roth, the centuries-old mission churches have been restored to their original splendor.
The Chiquitania region receives its name from the native inhabitants of this area, the Chiquitos or Chiquitanos. Here Jesuit reductions (mission towns) were settled during the second half of the 17th Century (between 1691 and 1760). They remain in time as an extraordinary legacy because they are the only Jesuit missions in South America which were not destroyed after the Jesuits were expelled from the Spanish colonies.
The growing interest in the unique synthesis of Jesuit and native Chiquitano culture in the South American interior resulted in Unesco declaring the region a World Heritage Site in 1991.
Today it is possible to appreciate the beauty of the religious architecturethanks to the German architect Hans Roth and his team of experts who restored the churches of these centuries-old Missions, recovering their ageless splendour.
This 6 days 5 nights tour provides a visit to the first Jesuits mission town, San Javier and the World Heritage Site, Concepción and so much more. This extended tour has perfectly included an additional 7 visits to unique churches such as; San Ignacio de Velasco, San Rafael and San José de Chiquitos, which all embody a depth of history, diversity and culture. In addition to this you will also have the opportunity to attend an evening mass in San Ignacio de Velasco, completing your churches experience. On the last day of this tour you will visit Aguas Calientes. This is the natural hot springs known to contain medicinal properties due to its concentrated minerals.
INCLUDED
Private tourist transportation
Bilingual local guide
Accommodation
Full board
Entrance fees
one bottle of water per day
NOT INCLUDED
Air tickets
Airport taxes
Extras not mentioned in the program
Drinks and tips
WHAT TO BRING
Sunglasses
Sunscreen and camera.
The growing interest in the unique synthesis of Jesuit and native Chiquitano culture in the South American interior resulted in Unesco declaring the region a World Heritage Site in 1991.
Today it is possible to appreciate the beauty of the religious architecturethanks to the German architect Hans Roth and his team of experts who restored the churches of these centuries-old Missions, recovering their ageless splendour.
This 6 days 5 nights tour provides a visit to the first Jesuits mission town, San Javier and the World Heritage Site, Concepción and so much more. This extended tour has perfectly included an additional 7 visits to unique churches such as; San Ignacio de Velasco, San Rafael and San José de Chiquitos, which all embody a depth of history, diversity and culture. In addition to this you will also have the opportunity to attend an evening mass in San Ignacio de Velasco, completing your churches experience. On the last day of this tour you will visit Aguas Calientes. This is the natural hot springs known to contain medicinal properties due to its concentrated minerals.
INCLUDED
Private tourist transportation
Bilingual local guide
Accommodation
Full board
Entrance fees
one bottle of water per day
NOT INCLUDED
Air tickets
Airport taxes
Extras not mentioned in the program
Drinks and tips
WHAT TO BRING
Sunglasses
Sunscreen and camera.
Day 1
Santa Cruz, San Javier & Concepción
Your day will begin with the crossing of Chiquitania, passing Rio Grande and San Ramón to the Jesuit Mission of San Javier. This is a nice colonial town with its historical church which was declared a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.
Traveling through savannas and forests you will arrive in the town of Concepcion; the largest centre of the Missions providing amazing views of the Jesuit church; a true gem from the eighteenth century.
You will then visit a Colonial church in Baroque style. This visit is complemented by the missionary museum where original scores of the Renaissance-Baroque music are preserved.
You will then be driven to the Gran Hotel Concepción where you’ll stay the night and dinner is served.
Included: Accommodation, lunch and dinner.
Traveling through savannas and forests you will arrive in the town of Concepcion; the largest centre of the Missions providing amazing views of the Jesuit church; a true gem from the eighteenth century.
You will then visit a Colonial church in Baroque style. This visit is complemented by the missionary museum where original scores of the Renaissance-Baroque music are preserved.
You will then be driven to the Gran Hotel Concepción where you’ll stay the night and dinner is served.
Included: Accommodation, lunch and dinner.
Day 1
Day 2
Concepción, San Ignacio de Velasco, Miguel & San Ignacio de Velasco
After breakfast, you will visit the community of Santa Rita. Here you will witness artisan women skillfully produce traditional textiles using cotton fiber and natural ochres.
Your tour will then continue onto San Ignacio de Velasco (3 hours) and then San Miguel (1 hour). Here you will visit the historical church, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and its rest
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Your tour will then continue onto San Ignacio de Velasco (3 hours) and then San Miguel (1 hour). Here you will visit the historical church, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and its rest
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3
San Ignacio de Velasco, Santa Ana, San Rafael & San José de Chiquitos
After breakfast, you will depart to Santa Ana (1 hour) and visit the only church to have been built by Indians and Mestizos despite having been initiated by the Jesuits. This church has a beautiful rustic appearance and is smaller than the other churches.
Your tour will then continue onto San Rafael (40 min.) with a visit to its churches. Both churches are also a World Heritage Site.
You are then driven to San José de Chiquitos (4 ½ Hours), crossing Chiquitos plains from north to the South.
You will then be driven to Villa Chiquitana Hotel where you’ll stay the night and dinner is served.
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Your tour will then continue onto San Rafael (40 min.) with a visit to its churches. Both churches are also a World Heritage Site.
You are then driven to San José de Chiquitos (4 ½ Hours), crossing Chiquitos plains from north to the South.
You will then be driven to Villa Chiquitana Hotel where you’ll stay the night and dinner is served.
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3
Day 4
San José de Chiquitos, Chochis Sanctuary & Santiago de Chiquitos
Visit San José de Chiquitos mission complex: church and museum, this is one of the oldest in the area, founded in 1696. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it’s different from the other churches by being the only one built of stone and lime.
Trip across the bioceanic road (1 hour), where the stunning scenery and a Catholic shrine are appreciated at the foot of Chochis Sacntuary. This shrine presents a collection of wood carvings showing the great legacy left by the Jesuits who taught art to evangelized locals. It was built in gratitude to Asunción Virgin and in memory of the missing people because the 1979 floods.
The journey continues to Santiago de Chiquitos (1 hour), which still retains its small and rustic church intact.
In the afternoon, we will drive until the starting point of a short hike (45 min) to the Municipal Reserve Tucabaca viewpoint, where you will be able to appreciate the vast Bolivian Chiquitania. This magical place is called in Spanish “La Antesala del Cielo” or Anteroom from Heaven. Don’t miss this excursion and you will find out why!
Overnight at hotel Beula
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Trip across the bioceanic road (1 hour), where the stunning scenery and a Catholic shrine are appreciated at the foot of Chochis Sacntuary. This shrine presents a collection of wood carvings showing the great legacy left by the Jesuits who taught art to evangelized locals. It was built in gratitude to Asunción Virgin and in memory of the missing people because the 1979 floods.
The journey continues to Santiago de Chiquitos (1 hour), which still retains its small and rustic church intact.
In the afternoon, we will drive until the starting point of a short hike (45 min) to the Municipal Reserve Tucabaca viewpoint, where you will be able to appreciate the vast Bolivian Chiquitania. This magical place is called in Spanish “La Antesala del Cielo” or Anteroom from Heaven. Don’t miss this excursion and you will find out why!
Overnight at hotel Beula
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5
Santiago de Chiquitos
Free day in Santiago to explore its beautiful surroundings!
Within the places you can visit this day: Pozas de Agua or El Manantial (Natural water pools), Los Arcos (The Arches, amazing stone figures sculpted by wind and water), Las Cuevas (The Caves)
Overnight at hotel Beula
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Within the places you can visit this day: Pozas de Agua or El Manantial (Natural water pools), Los Arcos (The Arches, amazing stone figures sculpted by wind and water), Las Cuevas (The Caves)
Overnight at hotel Beula
Included: Accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5
Day 6
Santiago de Chiquitos, Aguas Calientes & Santa Cruz
Departure to Aguas Calientes (30 min.), this is river of mineral hot water with medicinal properties because the minerals concentration. After a relaxing bath, return to Santa Cruz (5 ½ Hours), stopping in the middle of the way in San José de Chiquitos for lunch. The landscape returning to Santa Cruz is full with agricultural crops, depending on the periods, you will be able to see sunflowers, soya and even sorghum.
Included: Breakfast and lunch.
Included: Breakfast and lunch.
