Santa Cruz de la Sierra Botanical Garden — Attraction in Santa Cruz de la Sierra

I went on a Monday when they were supposed to be closed but they were open and there were other people there also, but not many. This is a great place to explore the local flora and fauna. I saw monkeys, turtles, even alligators! I also saw some big lizards but they like to hide from people and are difficult to see. I enjoyed a few hours here exploring the trails. It was hot and sunny and so I didn't need bug repellant, but I did need a LOT of sunblock, so if you go on a hot sunny day, ditch the repellent and slather on the sunblock. Unfortunately, a huge part of the park is closed due to "maintenance" and you're not permitted to enter, though there's also nothing to stop you. I erred on the side of caution however and didn't venture past the posted sign (see photos). There's a tall lookout tower you can climb that offers some views of the surrounding area. There are also some activities for kids. Overall, it was a nice place to pass a few hours. It's quite far from the center of Santa Cruz - $6 - $7 by Uber each way. Entry was $10Bs. I wish the rest of the park was open, but I'm happy I went. I think it's worth checking out if you have some time to spend...

Took the local bus (2BOB, takes 40-50 minutes, look out for Cotoca on the front of the bus from any of the buses going around) to the park after reading all the great reviews.

I enjoyed my visit and was able to see a couple of Caimans in the lake shortly after arriving. I also had a great ice cream and a good time relaxing in the recreational area. But unfortunately I didn't really know where I could go in the park. Some areas seemed to be closed off and the forest path got wild quite quickly and not seeing anyone else on the paths I decided to chicken out. I felt like I could've gotten lost fairly easily.

I would've liked to have seen a staff member somewhere for help in this and also maybe a tip on how to spot a sloth (although I'm sure it's just lucky if you spot one) but the only staff member I met was the one at the front gate for my ticket and who will give you a map if you ask. So either a few more signs for guidance or a member of staff somewhere to give you some info on the place would be useful. That said, I'd still recommend it as a trip out...

We caught a taxi from the bus station to the gardens as we had a few hours to wait for our overnight bus. Taxi cost 30-50 Bs (more expensive for AC) and entrance fee 10 Bs. The park is huge and mostly just dry dusty scrub that was nothing special. We lathered ourselves in Mossie spray but I guess the lack of rain has meant they aren’t such a problem at the moment. The cactus garden was terrible and the look out tower at the back of the park, falling down. That said, it was lovely to be away from the city. A storm came through and cooled things down a bit. In the final hour we saw monkeys, cayman, capybaras, turtles, squirrels and lots of birds. We all enjoyed the few hours we...