Skip to content
Parque Nacional Torotoro Bolivia — cañón de caliza, huellas de dinosaurios y cóndores en el departamento de Potosí
condor
— National Park · Potosí · 168 km²

National Park
Torotoro.

168 km² — Bolivia's smallest national park. In-situ dinosaur tracks. The 150m-deep Torotoro Canyon. The Ciudad de Itas cave with 3km of stalactites. Condors. Thousands of butterflies. Unlike anything.

The 5 highlights ↓How to get there ↓Gallery ↓
Surface area
168 km²
Altitude
1,800–3,650m
Canyon
150m deep
Ciudad de Itas
3km cave
Access
4h from Cochabamba
Minimum stay
2 nights
— The 5 highlights of Torotoro

168 km². Five distinct worlds.

🦕
Throughout the park

Dinosaur Tracks

In-situ tracks — titanosaur, brachiosaurid, theropod

Torotoro has multiple sites with in-situ dinosaur tracks preserved in the limestone beds: titanosaur footprints (sauropod — the largest land animals that ever lived), brachiosaurid tracks and theropod (carnivore) tracks. Unlike fossil museums, the tracks are embedded in the rock exactly where the dinosaurs walked, ~80–100 million years ago (Cretaceous).

Tip
A local guide is essential — without one, the tracks look like random rock formations. The guides can identify each species from track shape and stride. The main tracksite is 10 min walk from the village with a guide. The titanosaur tracks are extraordinary: each print is 1m in diameter.
🏔️
East of village · 3h circuit

Cañón del Torotoro

150m canyon — condors and cascades

The Cañón del Torotoro is a 150m-deep limestone canyon with vertical walls, a river at the bottom and a spectacular waterfall (Vergel waterfall) at its head. The canyon circuit takes 3 hours. Condors (Vultur gryphus) soar on the thermals above the canyon walls regularly. The geology is extraordinary: stacked limestone formations from multiple geological eras.

Tip
The canyon circuit goes down to the river level and back up — a total of 600m vertical. Take water (2L minimum), sun cream and good footwear (no flip-flops). Condors appear most frequently in the early morning (7–10am) and late afternoon (4–6pm) when thermals are strongest over the canyon rim.
🕳️
2km from village

Ciudad de Itas Cave

3km of stalactites — Bolivia's most spectacular cave

The Ciudad de Itas ("City of the Rocks") is a 3km-long cave system with extraordinary stalactite and stalagmite formations, underground rivers and what local guides call the "fossil cemetery" — a section with embedded marine fossils. The cave temperature is constant at ~14°C regardless of outside temperature. Headlamps provided but bring your own backup.

Tip
The cave circuit takes 2–3 hours with a guide. The deepest sections require crawling through narrow passages — not suitable for claustrophobia. The "Lake" section (an underground pool) and the "Organ Pipes" formation (stalactites that produce musical notes when tapped) are the highlights.
🦅
Canyon rim · early morning

Condor Sightings

Andean condor — 3.3m wingspan

The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus — the world's largest flying bird by wingspan at up to 3.3m) is frequently spotted soaring over Torotoro's canyon system. The thermals created by the deep canyon walls are perfect condor flight conditions. Early morning (7–10am) is consistently the best time. Torotoro is one of the most accessible condor-watching sites in Bolivia.

Tip
Position yourself on the canyon rim by 7am. Condors appear as large black specks rising on thermals — look for the distinctive 9-finger primary feathers spread like fingers. A good spotter scope adds significantly to the experience. Local guides know the most productive viewing points.
🦋
Wetland areas of the park

Butterfly Concentrations

Thousands of species in mineral lick aggregations

Torotoro has extraordinary butterfly concentrations at mineral lick sites and stream edges — hundreds of species aggregating simultaneously to absorb minerals from damp soil. The morpho butterfly (Morpho sp.) is frequently seen on forest paths. The park has been documented with over 300 butterfly species — extraordinary for its small area.

Tip
The best butterfly sites are the damp creek edges below the canyon in the late morning (10am–1pm). Butterfly concentrations can exceed 200 individuals of 20+ species in a single aggregation. A butterfly field guide for Bolivia (available in Cochabamba) adds enormously to the experience.
— How to get to Torotoro

4 hours from Cochabamba.

  • From Cochabamba: 4h by 4×4 — paved to Mizque, then dirt road.
  • Direct minibus Cochabamba–Torotoro: morning departures from Bimodal terminal (~30 Bs, 4–5h).
  • Private 4×4 tour from Cochabamba: most comfortable option (~$100–150 USD per group).
  • The last 60km of dirt road are difficult in wet season (January–March) — 4×4 essential.
  • Accommodation in Torotoro village: basic but adequate (~$15–30 USD/night).
  • Minimum 2 nights to see the 5 main highlights. 3 nights to do everything well.
FAQ

Questions about Torotoro.

Plan your trip →

Torotoro National Park (168 km²) is Bolivia's smallest national park but one of its most surprising: in-situ dinosaur tracks (titanosaur, brachiosaurid, theropod), the 150m-deep Torotoro Canyon, the Ciudad de Itas cave (3km of stalactites), frequent Andean condor sightings, and extraordinary butterfly concentrations. Located in the Potosí department, 4h from Cochabamba.

From Cochabamba: 4h by 4×4 — paved road to Mizque (2.5h), then 60km of dirt road to Torotoro. Direct minibus from the Bimodal terminal in Cochabamba: morning departures, ~30 Bs, 4–5h. Private 4×4 tour from Cochabamba is the most comfortable option (~$100–150 USD per group). The last 60km of dirt are difficult in wet season (January–March) — 4×4 essential.

Minimum 2 nights: day 1 (afternoon arrival + canyon at dusk), day 2 (dinosaur tracks + Ciudad de Itas cave), day 3 (dawn condors + butterfly wetlands + return). For a complete experience including all five highlights properly: 3 nights. Do not attempt Torotoro as a day trip from Cochabamba — the 4h journey each way plus 5 highlights require at least 2 nights on-site.

May to October (dry season) is best: the dirt road is accessible without 4×4 specialist driving, conditions for canyon descent are optimal, condors are more visible on clear days, and the cave visit is dry. November–April (wet season): the road becomes a mud track in places (4×4 and driver experience essential in January–March), but butterfly concentrations are at their peak and the waterfalls are spectacular.

— Your Torotoro expedition

The condors are waiting.
Start here.

45 minutes. We design your Torotoro expedition with 4×4 transport, local guides and full logistics from Cochabamba.

$90 · €85 · Bs. 623

Book consultation → $90 · €85 · Bs. 623Cochabamba →