El Che
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El Che La Higuera, Vallegrande
El Che Guevara left Cuba in 1965 to foster revolution abroad, first unsuccessfully in Congo-Kinshasa and later in Bolivia, where he was captured by the Bolivian army and a few hours later was executed.
Today, Che Guevara in Bolivia remains both a revered and vilified historical figure.
Che Guevara in Bolivia represents the end of an armed struggle that marked the end of a man who held onto his ideals for better or for worse, but he held onto them until his death.
The route of el Che in Bolivia is extensive and long, but almost all trips or tours head towards the towns of La Higuera and Vallegrande. La Higuera is a peaceful place with very few inhabitants, although during Che’s time, these towns were more populated.
On this tour, you visit the place where Che was taken prisoner, the place where he was executed, and subsequently where he was displayed to journalists, and finally where his remains were unearthed a few years ago.
El Che La Higuera Vallegrande Tours
Although the tour we offer to El Che Guevara route focuses on Vallegrande and La Higuera, the theme of Che Guevara in Bolivia goes hand in hand with the theme of Che Guevara’s mission in this country and how it unfolds from his arrival in the city of La Paz, his subsequent journey through the region of Santa Cruz, his training camp in Villamontes, his journey to reach the La Higuera area, and the subsequent events that led to the failure of Che Guevara’s mission in Bolivia.
Standard tours typically last for 2 days and 1 night to visit Vallegrande and La Higuera. The overnight stay is usually in Vallegrande, although it could also be in La Higuera, which is nestled amidst green mountains with a temperate climate and breathtaking panoramic views, making nature an added bonus for this tour of the Che Guevara route in Bolivia.
El Che Tours:
Important Details
Tours Itineraries;
El Che Vallegrande And La Higuera
El Che Guevara Route in Bolivia
Itinerary: 2 Days, 1 Night
La Higuera and Vallegrande
From the City of Santa Cruz
Day 1
To start this Che Guevara route tour in Bolivia, we will pick you up from your hotel or home at 08:00 AM to head towards Vallegrande, located at 2,030 meters above sea level. Vallegrande is a town with approximately 8,000 inhabitants in the urban area, and with surrounding communities, it totals about 27,000 inhabitants. The distance from Santa Cruz is about 240 kilometers, and the journey takes approximately 6 hours.
The tours we offer to this destination are by private vehicle. The road to Vallegrande is mostly paved, and in the early hours of the trip, it runs alongside the Piraí River, which can be seen from some parts of the road above. The landscape is mountainous and picturesque, and as we approach Vallegrande, the vegetation gradually changes.
Once in Vallegrande, we will meet with the person responsible for giving us the tour of the interesting sites. Beforehand, we will head to the hostel or hotel where you will spend the night.
Continuing with the Che Guevara route in Vallegrande, we will visit the former laundry of the Señor de Malta Hospital, which still retains its original structure, where Che was exposed to the press after being brought from La Higuera. We will also visit the location where Che was buried along with his combat comrades. During this tour, it is possible to visit the burial sites of other Che companions, such as Tania.
Dinner and overnight stay in Vallegrande.
Day 2
After breakfast, we will depart for the village of La Higuera via a dirt road. This road is similar to the one from Santa Cruz to Vallegrande, as it winds along the mountains, reaching an approximate maximum altitude of 2,800 meters above sea level. We will stop whenever the visitor wishes to take photos, admire the landscape, or perhaps catch a glimpse of the Andean Condor soaring in the area.
In winter, the road from Vallegrande to La Higuera can be covered in fog, and sometimes snow may fall, especially in the higher areas from Pucara to La Higuera.
The trip from Vallegrande to La Higuera takes about 2 hours by vehicle, plus the time we spend visiting the “Churo” ravine, where Che fought his last battle under severe disadvantages: poorly fed, without adequate clothing or boots (the boots he wore were self-made from unused leather), and with a damaged rifle. It is here that the guide will provide detailed information about this uneven battle and how Che was captured by military forces and taken to the school in the village of La Higuera.
At that time, the village had more inhabitants than it does today. It is located at an altitude of about 2,000 meters above sea level and is closest to the refuge Che had in the nearby forest.
It was in La Higuera where Che was executed under orders from outside Bolivia.
We will walk to the small village square, where we will appreciate the murals and legends painted on the walls of the houses and the monuments erected in honor of Che.
We will also visit the Che Guevara museum, where the guide will explain the photos and objects displayed. If time allows, we will visit other nearby places where Che was present.
After the visit to La Higuera, we will return by the same route. Depending on the time of day, lunch will be in Vallegrande or Samaipata.
We expect to return to the city of Santa Cruz around 18:00. We will drop you off at your hotel or home.
End of the Che Guevara Route Tour in Bolivia. Thank you.
Please read the Terms and Conditions of our services.
Amboro Tours is the sole original source of this itinerary.
Amboro Tours also offers longer tours to this destination.
Adverse weather conditions or social unrest may change the original itinerary.
El Che Guevara Route in Bolivia
Itinerary: 3 Days and 2 Nights
La Higuera and Vallegrande And Samaipta
From the City of Santa Cruz
1st Day
El Che La Higuera Vallegrande tour starts at 07:30 am or 08:00 we pick you up from your hotel or home to go to the town of Vallegrande, located at 6,660 feet (2030 meters) above sea-level, a population of approximately 8,000 inhabitants in the urban zone and approximately 27,000 if we include the bordering communities.
Vallegrande village is located about 300 km away from the city of Santa Cruz, and the trip to this population lasts approximately 6 hours. Including the time need to have lunch
Lunch in Samaipta or somewhere else down the road.
After Samaipta we still need about 1 1/2 hours to reach Vallegrande In Vallegrande , we will meet our local guide. He will take us to visit places relevant to Ernesto Che Guevara. Like the old laundry where his body was exposed to the press in the year 1967 after having killed and brought in a helicopter from La Higuera Village
In Vallegrande we will also visit the place where “ El Che” was buried next to some of his companions in battle. And also the place where some others comarades like were buried
In Vallegrande accommodation and dinner
(Some times it is convenience to go and stay overnight in La Higuera village)
2nd Day
After breakfast. The group starts the trip to La Higuera.
From Vallegrande to La Higuera village there are 60 kms and driving it takes about 2 or 3 hours.
The road from Vallegrand to La Higuera is a narrow and uphill on the skirts of the mountains
The peak altitude that we arrive is 3200 meters above sea level. The vehicle can stop whenever the visitor wishes to take some photos or to appreciate to the Andean Condor flying over the area. Please ask the driver to stop in a safe place.
Before arriving to La Higuera we will visit The Churo Creek, where “El Che” fought his last battle in total disadvantage, malnourished, without adequate clothing or boots (he made his own boots with some leather in disuse) and with his rifle was not working well. To get to this place some trekking down a hill for about 1 1/2 hours.
In this place the guide who accompanies us will tell us in details how this uneven battle took place and how “Che” was captured by the military and taken to the small village´s school of La Higuera, which at the time had more inhabitants than it does at the present time. Later the group continues to La Higuera
In La Higuera Village a walk around the plaza, where we will be able to appreciate the paintings on the house walls and monuments raised in honor of “Che”. We can ask the guide how many times a small monument was raised in middle of the town square and how many times the military came to destroy it.
We will visit the “El Che” museum, which is the place where El Che was killed. The guide will provide further explanation about the photos and objects in exhibition. Later, if time allows to, we will visit other places in the surroundings of where “El Che” was present.
After about 1 hour in La Higuera the group returns to Vallegrande using the same road. our guide stays in Vallegrande and the vehicle continues to Samaipata which is about 1 1/2 hours down the road to Santa Cruz
Dinner en Overnight in Samaipata.
3rd Day – El Che La Higuera Vallegrande
After breakfast, we will visit the museum, where we will be able to appreciate different objects and ceramics that remain as a testimony of the different cultures that settled in the surroundings or from sites of Bolivia.
The museum also has different pictures that explain the pass of the different cultures that left their signs on the famous carved rock known as “El Fuerte” (The Fortress) which is said to be the largest carved rock of the planet Earth. The museum has a small model of this rock.
After the museum, we go to El Fuerte, the entrance to the secondary road that leads to the fort is located 2.5 miles or 4 kilometers away from the town of Samaipata by the paved road to Santa Cruz. From this point we go up on a secondary road in the vehicle to the top of the mountain where El Fuerte is located and from where the footpath begins.
Once we are there, a specialized guide will accompany us during the long walk (about 2 hours of slow walking) around the big carved rock,
providing us with the explanations of the possible reasons for the carving made there, the strategic location that this place had in those days and the clash of different cultures that happened in this location for this reason.
During the hike it is fascinating to wonder about the experiences lived by the different cultures that passed through this magnificent place. (Take a sweater with you)
When the tour of El Fuerte is over, we return in the same vehicle to the highway that leads to Samaipata.
Lunch in Samaipata, and after a short rest we start our return to Santa Cruz.
On the way back, if still time is available it is possible to visit one more place called “Cuevas” Where after a a walk of about 15 minutes we encounter some nice waterfalls
We will arrive at the city in the afternoon hours or at evening and leave you in your hotel or address.
End of El Che La Higuera Vallegrande and Samaipata tour.
Please Read The Terms and Conditions of our Services
Amboró Tours is the only original source of this Itinerary
Amboró Tours also offers longer tours to this destination.
Adverse climatological conditions or social unrest can change the original itinerary.
“Take only photographs and leave only footprints
Important Details
El Che La Higuera Vallegrande Samaipata
The Price of the tour Includes;
Includes:
- Transport from the city of Santa Cruz – Che Guevara Route – Santa Cruz
- Hostel in Vallegrande
- Local guide (Spanish-speaking. Translator available for an additional cost)
- Entrance fee according to the itinerary
- Hotel or hostel
- Bottled water
- Meals
Does not include:
- Snacks
- Special medications
- Bilingual guide
- Any item not mentioned in “Includes”
- Alcoholic beverages
What to Bring
(DO NOT BRINGS THINGS YOU MAY DO NOT NEED)
- Sunscreen
- A Cap or a Hat ( No to be used under the trees or branches)
- Sun Glasses
- A Warm Sweater
- Raincoat
- Insect Repellents
- Long-sleeved shirt- Pants
- Passport (Original) Or identifications documents valid in Bolivia
- Plastic bags to protect whatever you do not want to get wet
- Trekking Shoes or others proper Shoes to hike to La Quebrada del Churo.
- Bring your own medication for your personal needs
- Personal items you may need
- Extra food, cookies or sweets of your choice
Recommendations
- It is prohibited to transport and/or use drugs according to Bolivian laws.
– Adverse weather conditions may change the original program.
– Convulsions may affect the original itinerary
– Read our Terms and Conditions for this tour
– Read the list of items to bring on this tour
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