Cintis Valley - A secret natural wonder in Bolivia

In the south of Bolivia, there is a region called Cintis Valley, where some local wine, a guitar, a “bombo legüero,” and a group of friends are more than enough to make up a perfect day. However, today I will not talk about its amusing culture nor its tasty wine; today, I will talk about the natural wonders of this region, where the earth is tinted red- matching its delicious wine!

These two towns are considered to be the perfect starting points to explore the region: Camargo and Villa Abecia. While Camargo is bigger and has a farmers' market to buy fresh, local organic products straight from the producers, Villa Abecia keeps the charm of a typical small town of the region. Several accommodation options can be found in both cities, and along the way that connects them, there are plenty of vineyards and cellars.

The Dolmens of Palaca Grande are located between Camargo and Villa Abecia. Walking up the trail, while crossing some tunnels and caves, the view of this red and green landscape keeps getting better and better.

The trail is filled with marine fossils and huge rocks equilibrated in complicated positions as if they were whimsically put by a gigantic hand. The most intriguing of these rocks is called “El Dolmen”; it seems as if it was flying since it is only held by thin natural columns, that admirably support tons of weight. Experts concluded that it would remain in that position for only around a hundred years more.

Talking about impressive natural places, Pilaya Canyon is the 6th deepest canyon in the world with 3.030 meters of depth. Since it is not that popular as it should yet, it does not get crowded, which allows visitors to fully enjoy the sensation of immensity and peace that invades the soul while observing it from any of its viewpoints.

Ancient ethnicities and civilizations did settle in this area, leaving petroglyphs and rock paintings, together with other archeologic remains, as hunting and cooking tools. Currently, the Petroglyphs Valley constitutes the most significant petroglyph deposit known in Bolivia.

Around 2 kilometers away from Villa Abecia, small waterfalls feed natural pools; they are called Las Pozas of Villa Abecia. The way up there - that can be done by car or walking from the town -has a view that makes the journey worthwhile and, if you feel like, do not hesitate to take a dip in the pools!

In case you are an adventure seeker, keep yourself near this beautiful landscape because it is an excellent place for mountain biking, rappelling, and paragliding.

While many people know this region for its wine, singani, and the ratafia drink production, now you know that there are many other reasons that make the Cintis Valley worth visiting! Enjoy the incredible landscapes, fossils, archeological remains, and natural pools.