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Jesuit Missions of La Gran Chiquitania
- Itineraries 5 Days 4 Nights (Private Transportation)
From The city of Santa Cruz
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1th Day
At 8:00 we pick you up to take you to the town of Concepcion located about 295 kilometros from Santa Cruz
 During this trip, and about 40 kilometers after leaving Santa Cruz, we passed through several small towns of people from the highlands of Bolivia (Altiplano) and also we pass close by some Mennonite colonies.
This trip is across a vast agricultural area, where the main production is the Soya, sunflower and other grains in smaller amounts.
Here, about 30 km from the city of Santa Cruz, you can see the relentless advance of the agricultural frontier.
During this tour we will stop in San Javier, a town with 12,000 inhabitants and 542 meters on sea level
In San Javier most people are or have large native background.
This town was founded in 1691 by the Jesuits. In this town we visit the mission church and museum in the company of a guide.
He or She will show us different parts of the church, telling us about contruccion of the missions  and the methodology used by the Jesuits to implement the changes in the Chiquitania and their area of influence.
The guide will give us also details of the restoration projects for the Jesuit Missions
Lunch at San Javier or perhaps earlier. Depending on how this trip has been developing.
After San Javier we go to the another missional town. Concepcion, which is located about 60 km more on the way. Its elevation is 534 meters. And has about 15,000 inhabitants most of whom also descendants of the Zamucos or others trbes that were brought here against their will, to found this jesuit reduction
Concepcion was founded in 1708, with the Zamucos and ten others different tribes. Each one of these tribes used to worship different gods all of them represented in the nature of the forest.
In Concepcion in company of a guide, we visit the church and the two museums which are larger than the one in San Javier. Here too, the guide will give you a detailed explanation of the exhibiting object. And also an explanation of the restoration work of the Jesuit churches. if possible we also visit the wooden work shop
Dinner and overnight in Concepción
2nd Day
After breakfast, we may stop at the church one more time for some more photos with a different sunshine angle
 Continuing our trip to San Ignacio de Velasco, still 171 km away, which means about 3 or 4 hours because the bad road conditions.
Lunch will be at a simple small restaurant on the road. With only one or two meals to choose from
Arriving at San Ignacio, and after being accommodated in your rooms, we visit the interior of church. Because the next part of the morning and afternoon it is closed. Or the visit to this church may be part of the activities the next day. Always depending on the time available in this 2nd day of travel.
San Ignacio´s church was redesigned and changed in its entirety in 1998. Although still keep some original wood work
San Ignacio de Velasco is the only church of the Jesuit Missions of Chiquitos that was not declared world heritage by UNESCO.
Dinner and overnight in San Ignacio.
3th Day
After breakfast and early in the morning, we start the tour of the Mission Circuit, by a dirt road. It may take about 4 hours
 This circuit has a distance of approximately 152 km. The missional towns that we visit today are; San Miguel, San Rafael and Santa Ana. These three churches may look smaller than those previously visited but contain much of the original work of the missionary era.
In San Miguel besides visting the church we may go to the wooden and craft shop of the village, so you can buy some souvenirs
During the course of the circuit, Lunch is in one of these small towns or in San Ignacio. This depends on the development of the trip so far.
Back to San Ignacio, and at the hotel. You may have 2 or more hours without a scheduled activity until the dinner time.
Overnight in San Ignacio
4th Day
This day after breakfast is for a trip over dirt roads and 226 kilometers, heading toward San Jose de Chiquitos.
 We will have to pass again through San Miguel and San Rafael because these towns are on the way to San Jose de Chiquitos.
On the road again lunch will have to adapt to travel. Stopping at small and simple restaurant with not much to choose from
The total time since leaving San Ignacio until getting to San Jose de Chiquitos can be 6 hours or more.
The visit to the church of San Jose would have to be done during this day.
The process of restoration of San Jose de Chiquitos takes years but has not been finished yet.In the buildings of this mission are some big rooms being still work on, and during these process they have discovered paintings or drawings on the walls.
The coordinator or driver of this trip will ask to the person in charge of restauration project for an authorization to visit these rooms. but it could be denied.
Dinner and overnight in San Jose
5th Day
This day after breakfast, we return to the city of Santa Cruz. This part of the tour takes approximately 6 hours.
 If the visitor wish it is possible this last day to spend a few minutes taking photographs that for some reason could not be done the day before
The high way to Santa Cruz being paved, so of the 265 km that we need to go, about 40 kms are on dirt roads, and the rest is paved
When it rains,the dirt parts of this route can turn muddy and hard to drive on
The return to the city of Santa Cruz is about an hour 16:00.
Arriving in Santa Cruz we will take you to your hotel.
End of our services. Thank you.
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Amboró Tours is the only original source of this itinerary
Amboró Tours also offers shorter or longer tours to this destination
Weather conditions and / or social upheaval may affect the schedule
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