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South Central & the

Why Go? Tarija ...... 221 Famed for its dances, wines and an almost Mediterranean San Jacinto Reservoir ...230 character, the isolated department of Tarija is a Bolivia that El Valle de la not many travelers know. Concepción ...... 230 The culture here gravitates towards neighboring Argentina Padcaya & Chaguaya ....232 and dreams of being closer to faraway Andalucía. The refer- Reserva Biológica ences to the region’s resemblance to the south of Spain were Cordillera de Sama ...... 232 started by Tarija’s founder, Luis de Fuentes, who was seem- Reserva Nacional de ingly anxious to lend a bit of home to a foreign land. He thus Flora y Fauna Tariquía ...233 named the river flowing past the city of Tarija the Guadalqui- Yacuiba ...... 234 vir (after Andalucía’s biggest river), and left the chapacos – as tarijeños (Tarija locals) are otherwise known – with a lilting Villamontes ...... 234 dialect of European Spanish. Parque Nacional y Área Tarija’s far eastern regions are full of petroleum-rich Natural de Manejo scrublands, backed by stark highlands and the red earth of Integrado Aguaragüe ....236 the . This is where you’ll find Bolivia’s hottest Camiri ...... 236 town, Villamontes, and a series of savage, impenetrable re- serves where wildlife abounds and few people dare to tread. Best Places to Eat » Pizza Pazza (p227 ) When to Go » Taberna Gattopardo (p227 ) Tarija » La Floresta (p 228 ) °C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 8/200 » Churrasquería El Rodeo 30/86 (p 228 ) 6/150 20/68 4/100 Best Places to 10/50 2/50 Stay 0/32 » -10/14 0 Resort Hotel Los Parrales J FDNOSAJJMAM (p 226 ) » Hostal del Sol (p227 ) Late Mar Rosil- Aug The coolest Sep Honor the » Victoria Plaza Hotel (p227 ) las goes cow time of year to lepers in Tarija’s crazy during the visit blistering colorful Fiesta » Hotel El Rancho Olivo (p235 ) Fiesta de Leche y Villamontes is de San Roque, on » Residencial Gran Chaco Queso. during the fishing the first Sunday (p 235 ) festival. in September.

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SOUTH CENTRAL BOLIVIA & THE CHACO SOUTH TARIJA CENTRAL BOLIVIA 3 2 : 2

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(distilled grape spirit). ights to La Paz, Sucre and other fl

singani Getting There & Around There’s not much else to do in Tarija, but not much else to do in Tarija, There’s 4 / POP 153,500 / ELEV 1905M Public transportation runs frequently between to the world´s highest wines and the throat- tingling SOUTH CENTRAL BOLIVIA Tarija % is the vineyards biggest drawcard Tarija’s a great makes on its doorstep, and the city base for visiting the surrounding wineries la Concepción (p de in El Valle 8 Most people visit Bolivia’s far south on the way to or from somewhere else. Overland con- nections from Argentina, and other regions within Bolivia involve long bus rides. Tarija has the biggest airport in the area and scheduled major towns go several times a week. towns, but you’ll need a 4WD to get almost any- where else. Few roads are paved so prepare your- self for hauls that take longer than they should. Climate Climate This most where you of Bolivia is the area to the equator proximity feel the country’s Medi- from the sea. Tarija’s and its distance as quickly disappears terranean climate it is re- head downhill, where soon as you a merciless and aridity placed by scorching sun. The dry in the region lasts from season April to November. National Parks & Reserves the beaten track, South Remote, wild and off parks and reserves are per- Central Bolivia’s fect Infra- for hardcore adventure seekers. structure is almost nonexistent, but a visit reserves of the to any a lasting will make impression. Those chapter covered in this include the Reservade Biológica Cordillera Sama, Reserva de Flora y Fauna Nacional y Área Natural Nacional Parque Tariquía, and the Aguaragüe Integrado de Manejo de Natural Reserva de Patrimonio Privada Corbalán. envy of the Paraguayans on the other side the other on Paraguayans the of envy border. of the it has some interesting colonial architec- a while ture and grows on those who stay to enjoy the pleasantly mild climate and in the chilled atmosphere; the little take 1 2 2

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o b - l a r t After losing the War of the Pacific in 1884, of the Pacific After losing the War didn’t go as planned. Things, however, As the war progressed the Bolivians were Though no decisive victory was reached n e c Bolivia was desperate to have the Chaco as have Bolivia was desperate to an outlet Río Para- to the Atlantic via the that physical possession would Hoping guay. the sovereignty, be interpreted as official setBolivian army up a fort at Piquirenda refused to and then on the Río Pilcomayo its Vanguardia, relinquish rights to Fuerte river (and not only port the Paraguay on re- in Bolivian territory). 1928 Paraguay In to seize the army sponded by sending its fort. Although things got heated, both sides maintained a conciliatory hoping attitude, that a peaceful solution might be possible. and talks in Washington During settlement Danielunder orders from Bolivian President tried to seizeSalamanca, the Bolivian army land without authorization, triggering full- scale warfare. Bolivia was widely seen as the aggressor circles and its case in diplomatic support.generated little driven back beyond their existing borders, though they continued to fight, with their in the town of Villa- most successful battle montes in 1934. The hot, dry climate made access to fresh water a decisive factor in the access to and keeping with capturing war, miser- Conditions were wells a key strategy. able, soldiers were ill-equipped and disease was rife. As a result, casualties on both sides were heavy. both nations had grown weary in the war, of fighting and peace negotiations held most of the dis- four years later awarded date, no oil To puted territory to Paraguay. has ever been found in the Chaco, though prospectors and ironi- are still searching tocally the smaller area of Chaco awarded the Bolivians harbors gas reserves that have are the and boosted the Bolivian economy Prior to the 1932–35 Chaco War, Bolivia had Bolivia 1932–35 to the Chaco Prior War, to the Chaco, rights long claimed an inhos- rich oil fields which region beneath pitable lie. Themooted to were ofdisputed area sq km stretched northeastabout 240,680 of Rivers in Para- and Pilcomayo the Paraguay sq km chunk included the 168,765 and guay, northof Argentina the Río Bermejo. With of dis- causing a in Paraguay political turmoil traction hardship in Bolivia and economic their stimulus, the Bolivians saw providing a opportunity and began to slowly advance territory. into Paraguayan History - h t u o s - 6 116-south-central-bol-bol8.indd 221