Torotoro National Park
📍 Northern Potosí Department, Bolivia, about 140 km south of Cochabamba
A small national park of folded sedimentary rock in Bolivia's Andean valleys, with a 300-metre-deep canyon, a waterfall-filled gorge, one of the country's largest caves and thousands of dinosaur footprints left on Cretaceous shorelines.
What makes it marvelous
Torotoro National Park protects about 165 km² of rugged valley country in northern Potosí. Its centrepiece is the Torotoro Canyon, cut as deep as 300 m through layered sandstone; inside it lies El Vergel, a gorge some 250 m deep where a waterfall spills into a green pocket of mosses, and the canyon cliffs hold nests of the red-fronted macaw, an endangered parrot found only in Bolivia. Underground, the Umajalanta cave is one of the largest and deepest in the country, and the eroded rock of Ciudad de Itas forms a maze of strange formations. Above all, Torotoro is a dinosaur landscape: at Carreras Pampa, scientists have documented 16,600 theropod footprints in the Late Cretaceous El Molino Formation — described as the largest tracksite in the world — together with tail traces and 1,378 swim tracks. The park was created in 1989.
Why visit
Look down into a 300-metre canyon from its rim, scramble down to a waterfall at its foot, crawl through a cave river system and walk beside footprints left by dinosaurs — all within reach of one small village.
What to know before you go
🗓️ Best time
The dry season, roughly April to October, brings sunny days and easier road conditions. From November to March the rains can make the road and some trails difficult.
🧭 Getting there & access
Torotoro village, the park's base, is about 140 km south of Cochabamba. Minibuses and buses run from the south of Cochabamba, or you can join a tour from the city. Guides are required for most sites and are hired at the park office in the village.
Good to know
- Plan on at least two nights in Torotoro village — the canyon, the cave and Ciudad de Itas are each a separate outing.
- The descent to El Vergel is steep, and the climb back out in the midday sun is the hardest part.
- The Umajalanta cave involves crawling and squeezing through tight passages — wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
- Check road conditions and any blockades before setting out from Cochabamba, especially in the rainy season.
Plan your visit
Moderate🧭 Getting there
From Cochabamba (CBB), by road
- Travel to Cochabamba by air or long-distance bus
- Minibus or bus from the south of the city to Torotoro village (about 140 km)
- Hire a guide at the park office for each excursion
- Total travel
- Several hours by road from Cochabamba
- Time at site
- Two to three days to see the canyon, El Vergel, Umajalanta cave, the footprints and Ciudad de Itas
- Access
- Guides are required for most sites and are arranged at the park office in Torotoro village; park entry is paid separately. Sharing a guide and transport with other visitors reduces costs.
🎒 What to bring & consider
- Sturdy shoes with good grip for steps, boulders and cave floors
- Sun hat, sunscreen and plenty of water for the canyon
- A headlamp and old clothes for the cave
- Cash in bolivianos for the guide and park entry
👁️ What to expect
- Crowds
- Small groups with guides rather than mass tourism; sites can feel busier on weekends and holidays.
- Conditions
- Hot sun in the canyon, steep steps down to El Vergel, and tight, muddy passages in the cave.
- Facilities
- Simple hostels, restaurants and the park office in Torotoro village; nothing at the sites themselves.
- The view
- The banded walls of Torotoro Canyon from the rim viewpoint, best when the sun reaches down into the gorge.
Times and requirements are approximate and change with season, weather, and local rules — confirm permits, fares, and schedules with operators before you travel.
Natural riches of the area
- Torotoro Canyon, up to 300 m deep
- El Vergel gorge and waterfall
- Umajalanta, one of Bolivia's largest and deepest caves
- Carreras Pampa dinosaur tracksite, with 16,600 theropod footprints
- Nesting cliffs of the endemic, endangered red-fronted macaw
Local food
- Silpancho
- A Cochabamba favourite: thin breaded beef over rice and potatoes, topped with a fried egg and fresh salsa.
- Mote
- Boiled dried maize, a simple staple of the Andean valleys.
In the dry valleys of northern Potosí, about 140 kilometres south of Cochabamba, the land has been folded, lifted and cut open. Torotoro National Park, created in 1989, covers only about 165 square kilometres, but it packs in a canyon, a cave system, sculpted sandstone and one of the richest dinosaur track records on Earth.
The Torotoro Canyon drops as deep as 300 metres through banded layers of sandstone. Inside it, a steep path leads down into El Vergel, a gorge some 250 metres deep where a waterfall feeds a green pocket of mosses. The canyon cliffs are also a nesting site for the red-fronted macaw, an endangered parrot that lives only in Bolivia.
The rocks preserve a far older story. Along the Late Cretaceous shorelines recorded in the El Molino Formation, theropod dinosaurs walked, waded and swam, and at Carreras Pampa scientists have now counted 16,600 of their footprints, along with tail drags and swim traces — described as the largest tracksite in the world.
Below ground, the Umajalanta cave is one of the largest and deepest in Bolivia, while on the surface the eroded rock of Ciudad de Itas forms a labyrinth of strange formations. Base yourself in Torotoro village for two or three nights, hire a guide at the park office, and come in the dry season when the road is at its best.
Torotoro National Park: common questions
How do you get to Torotoro National Park?
From Cochabamba (CBB), by road: Travel to Cochabamba by air or long-distance bus; Minibus or bus from the south of the city to Torotoro village (about 140 km); Hire a guide at the park office for each excursion. Total travel time: Several hours by road from Cochabamba.
When is the best time to visit Torotoro National Park?
The dry season, roughly April to October, brings sunny days and easier road conditions. From November to March the rains can make the road and some trails difficult.
How long should you spend at Torotoro National Park?
Two to three days to see the canyon, El Vergel, Umajalanta cave, the footprints and Ciudad de Itas. Total travel time: Several hours by road from Cochabamba.
What should you bring to Torotoro National Park?
Sturdy shoes with good grip for steps, boulders and cave floors Sun hat, sunscreen and plenty of water for the canyon A headlamp and old clothes for the cave Cash in bolivianos for the guide and park entry
Do you need a permit or guide for Torotoro National Park?
Guides are required for most sites and are arranged at the park office in Torotoro village; park entry is paid separately. Sharing a guide and transport with other visitors reduces costs.
Is Torotoro National Park crowded, and what are conditions like?
Small groups with guides rather than mass tourism; sites can feel busier on weekends and holidays. Hot sun in the canyon, steep steps down to El Vergel, and tight, muddy passages in the cave. Facilities: Simple hostels, restaurants and the park office in Torotoro village; nothing at the sites themselves.
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