Plan on about 10 h 39 min of driving for the 411-mile (662 km) trip from Trinidad, Bolivia 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.”
| Total distance | 411 mi (662 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | F9 → F10 → F4 → F7 |
| Departments on the route | El Beni, Santa Cruz |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
On the road from Trinidad to Samaipata
F9 (264 mi) and F7 (65 mi) carry about 80% of the 411 miles. It runs through 2 departments: El Beni, Santa Cruz. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Trinidad to Samaipata, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | El Beni |
| F9 | 1–265 | 264 | El Beni, Santa Cruz |
| F10 | 265–293 | 28 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 293–318 | 25 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 318–334 | 16 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 334–346 | 12 | Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 346–411 | 65 | Santa Cruz |
- Mile 85 of this route: El Beni → Santa Cruz (department line)
Places worth a stop between Trinidad and Samaipata
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana (mile 334), Museo Artecampo (mile 338)
- Nature and outdoors: Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (mile 340)
- Museums and history: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 336), Museo Artecampo (mile 338), Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (mile 340)
- With kids: Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana (mile 334)
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.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Founded on March 14, 1991, Santa Cruz de la Sierra's contemporary art museum stands at Sucre and Potosí streets, four blocks from Plaza 24 de Septiembre.
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.
Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado
Part of the Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno in Santa Cruz, the Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum is a research center for biodiversity conservation in Bolivia.
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
- Uyuni to Samaipata
- La Paz, Bolivia to Samaipata
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Trinidad, Bolivia to Samaipata?
About 10 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 411 miles.
What is the driving distance from Trinidad, Bolivia to Samaipata?
About 411 miles (662 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 Trinidad 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 Trinidad to Samaipata use?
In order: F9, F10, F4 and F7. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Trinidad to Samaipata?
Closest to the road: Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana (zoo, mile 334, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Artecampo (art museum, mile 338, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (natural history museum, mile 340, 2 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.