    Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [name] => Bolivia
            [parent] => Array
                (
                    [name] => Americas
                )

        )

)

Jesuit Mission church in San Jose de Chiquitos, Bolivia

Church of the Jesuit Mission of Concepción, Bolivia

Wall paintings at San Jose de Chiquitos, Bolivia

Sucre, Bolivia – visited on our tour extension

Wall at Tiwanaku, once home to an impressive civilisation, established around 1200 bc

View of the colourful city centre of La Paz around the church of St. Francis

Photograph: San Javier, Jesuit Mission

Baroque Music in the Bolivian Missions - Santa Cruz, La Paz and a jungle journey

Add to wishlist Remove from wishlist

Overview Itinerary Practicalities

Section:

Tour highlights

Attend the International Festival of American Renaissance and Baroque Music held in the Jesuit Mission churches of north-east Bolivia.
World-renowned musicians perform alongside local school and university groups; repertoire is from Bolivia and beyond.
Exquisite colonial architecture in remote locations.
Further exploration of native instruments and Bolivian dance in La Paz.
Optional extension, including Uyuni, Potosí and Sucre.
This tour is particularly strenuous. Please read the advice under 'Practicalities'.

The six unesco world heritage-site Chiquitos Indian mission stations are one of Bolivia’s great cultural riches. Located north-east of Santa Cruz in Bolivia’s lowlands, part of the Amazon basin, these remote colonial churches are simple, barn-like constructions of wood and adobe, gloriously painted inside and out with swirling floral patterns, angels and saints in modest shades of ochre and tan. Spiralling columns are crafted from entire tree trunks, and exquisitely carved retables and confessionals abound. Every two years they provide an extraordinary backdrop and context for the performance of Baroque music.

The biennial festival of American Renaissance and Baroque Music is based in Santa Cruz but spreads through this precious chain of enchanting jungle churches and attracts performers and scholars from the Americas, Europe and the Far-East. All are eager to join the proud and friendly local musicians and communities who are passionate about their musical heritage, a legacy from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries which saw the fusion of European and Indian cultures. The inspiration flows in both directions, with concerts in these vast cathedrals full to capacity (the locals leave just a few rows at the front free for visitors such as ourselves) creating a magical and unique atmosphere, seemingly frozen in time and yet flourishing and alive.

Musical traditions in these settlements go back over four hundred years but much of the distinctive local Baroque sacred music was found in the 1990s during a restoration process which uncovered over twelve thousand manuscripts. The music, mostly anonymous, but written by European - notably Dominico Zipoli - and indigenous composers, is lively, energetic and colourful with the joy and freshness of a young Vivaldi. Instrumental accompaniments appear simple on the page but inventories show a lavish musical resource was available including many harps, woodwind of various kinds, harpsichord, organ and strings including tromba marinas. Texts are mostly liturgical and in Latin but also feature native languages.

Further evidence of the inherent rich musicality of Bolivians throughout the ages, as well as their great dance traditions that dominate regular festivals, can be witnessed in the museums of La Paz. Pre-hispanic instruments such as giant pan-pipes and bamboo violins sit alongside colourful masks and vivid textiles, brought to life with dramatic displays.

Itinerary

Early morning flight to Uyuni (3,656m above sea level). Excursion by jeep on Bolivia’s dramatic salt flats. See abandoned steam trains that once carried ore from the mines here, and visit one of the few families permitted to extract and process the salt. Lunch is on the flats, while a short uphill walk (and then downhill: c. 1 hour total) on the cactus-studded Incahuasi island provides more panoramic views. Overnight at a salt hotel on the edge of the flats.

Drive through the highlands (4 hours) to Potosí at 4,100m above sea level. The beautiful, 17th-cent. Carmelite convent of Santa María was occupied by the daughters of wealthy Spaniards and mine owners who paid handsomely for the privilege, donating an extraordinary collection of art and other treasures. Overnight in Potosí.

Morning visit to the Casa Real de la Moneda, the former royal mint, providing insight into coin production using the silver of the nearby Cerro Rico mines. Displays include machinery and a fine collection of art and archaeological finds. Drive in the afternoon to the miners’ market where the tragic consequences of the city’s prosperity live on. Continue to Sucre (4 hours) at 2,810m above sea level. First of two nights in Sucre.

The cathedral displays a range of architectural styles from Baroque to Neoclassical; see also the adjoining art museum. The Bolivian Act of Independence was signed in the Casa de la Libertad, which now houses a history museum. Continue to the treasury museum with an overview of the different metals, minerals and semi-precious stones and the mining process. The convent of La Recoleta documents the work of Franciscan missionaries with a substantial collection of art and artefacts, while the museum of indigenous art displays beautiful weavings.

Morning flight from Sucre back to Santa Cruz for your final night in Bolivia.

Make your own arrangements for returning home. We recommend the Air Europa flights to London Gatwick via Madrid, departing c. 12.30pm and arriving 3rd May at c. 9.00am. A transfer to Santa Cruz airport is provided to coincide with this flight.

Practicalities

Two sharing: US$10,840. Single occupancy: US$12,000.

Additional cost for extension: Two sharing: US$4,140. Single occupancy: US$4,700.

2 domestic flights with BOA (Boeing 737); travel by private coach or jeep; hotel accommodation as described below; breakfasts; 9 lunches and 8 dinners with wine (where available), water, coffee; all admissions; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer, tour manager and local guide.

An additional 2 lunches and 3 dinners are included with the extension.

Music: The full programme is announced in early 2026. We will endeavour to include as many concerts as possible by both international professionals and local amateurs. This may involve adjusting our itinerary for days 4–7.

International flights between London and Bolivia are not offered on the tour. The cost of an economy seat with Air Europa, via Madrid, at the time of publication is c. £1,100. Transfers will only be provided around the flights that we recommend.

We book the best available hotels in the mission towns, which are 2–3 star by European standards. Hotel los Tajibos, Santa Cruz: 5-star resort hotel with comfortable rooms, good restaurants and a pool. Hotel Villa Chiquitana, San José: friendly, family-run with simple rooms. Hotel la Misión, San Ignacio: an attractive hotel on the town’s main square. Gran Hotel Concepción: a converted colonial house, with well kept gardens and simple rooms. Suites Camino Real, La Paz: modern, reliable 5-star chain hotel with large rooms, located in an upscale area of La Paz. Single rooms throughout are doubles for sole use.

Extension only: Hotel Luna Salada, Uyuni: a hotel constructed entirely from salt. Comfortable rooms and a good restaurant. Hotel Coloso , Potosí: a traditional hotel with oxygen available in case of altitude sickness. Hotel Parador Santa María la Real, Sucre: an attractive hotel in a converted 18th-century mansion with traditional and antique décor.

This is a strenuous tour and a good level of fitness and stamina are essential. It begins with an overnight flight and has a number of hotel changes. There are some long drives, often on unpaved, bumpy roads with little opportunity for comfort stops. While there is not a huge amount of walking, uneven ground is standard. La Paz is 3,500m above sea level. It can take time to aclimatise and anyone with heart or respiratory problems should seek advice from their doctor before booking. Additional travel insurance cover may be required. Average distance by coach per day: 75 miles.

Are you fit enough to join the tour?

Between 10 and 22 participants.

For extension: Between 3 and 22 participants.

Before booking, please refer to Travel.State.Gov to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting. As a British company we follow the advice of the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Book online or enquire
9am-3pm EST 1-800-988-6168