Plan on about 11 h 33 min of driving for the 471-mile (758 km) trip from Puerto Suárez to Samaipata, before any stops.
Full advisory: Bolivia. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
| Distance | 471 mi (758 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | F4 → F7 |
| Departments on the route | Santa Cruz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
The Puerto Suárez–Samaipata drive in a few lines
F4 (386 mi) and F7 (65 mi) carry about 96% of the 471 miles. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Puerto Suárez to Samaipata
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 2–224 | 222 | Santa Cruz |
| connecting roads | 224–226 | 2 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 226–229 | 3 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 229–393 | 164 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 393–406 | 13 | Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 406–471 | 65 | Santa Cruz |
Breaking up the drive: stops between Puerto Suárez and Samaipata
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario Mariano de la Torre (mile 169), Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 388)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 388), Curichi La Madre (mile 400)
- Museums and history: Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja (mile 226), Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence, Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 394), Museo Artecampo (mile 400)
- With kids: Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana (mile 393)
Santuario Mariano de la Torre
Also called the Chochís Sanctuary, this shrine to the Virgin of the Assumption stands 2 km from the village of Chochís in Roboré municipality, about 80 km east of San José de Chiquitos.
Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja
About 3 km south of San José de Chiquitos, Santa Cruz la Vieja is a historic national park protecting archaeological, historical, and natural features.
Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
The municipal botanical garden of Santa Cruz de la Sierra covers 217 hectares within the city.
Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana
Santa Cruz de la Sierra's municipal zoo, named for Noel Kempff Mercado, focuses on South American wildlife and is one of the city's tourist attractions, with many native species.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence, Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Also known as Santa Cruz de la Sierra Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence is the main Catholic church of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Curichi La Madre
Officially a municipal protected area, Curichi La Madre is a wetland within the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in eastern Bolivia.
Museo Artecampo
In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Museo Artecampo showcases Indigenous and folk art from Bolivia's lowlands. It is a project of a cooperative center for research, craft design and marketing.
Arriving in Samaipata
El Fuerte de Samaipata
El Fuerte de Samaipata is a pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Andean foothills of Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia.
More drives to Samaipata
- Quillacollo to Samaipata
- Villa Tunari to Samaipata
- Potosí to Samaipata
- Llallagua to Samaipata
- Trinidad, Bolivia to Samaipata
- Uyuni to Samaipata
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Suárez to Samaipata?
About 11 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 471 miles.
How far is Samaipata from Puerto Suárez by car?
About 471 miles (758 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Puerto Suárez to Samaipata drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Puerto Suárez to Samaipata use?
In order: F4 and F7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Suárez and Samaipata?
Closest to the road: Santuario Mariano de la Torre (shrine, mile 169, 0.9 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (botanical garden, mile 388, 0.4 mi from the route); Curichi La Madre (park, mile 400, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.