In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Bolivia
San Ignacio de Velasco
Spend 1–2 days in San Ignacio de Velasco; use a full day for the town and add a day for nearby Jesuit missions.
San Ignacio de Velasco is the regional hub of the Chiquitania, with a sizable colonial church, a market, and easy access to three nearby Jesuit missions and the San Juancito indigenous community. The town is walkable, and day trips can be done by taxi or bus.
- Country
- Bolivia
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BOB
- Money
- Currency is the boliviano (BOB, Bs). Cash rules outside larger hotels and restaurants in La Paz and Santa Cruz.
- Daily spend
- Budget Bs150–250 excl. bed · Mid Bs250–400 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Entel, Tigo and Viva sell SIMs with passport registration in their own shops.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Some La Paz buildings have 115 V — check.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Round up; about 10% in tourist restaurants.; Uyuni driver and cook: Bs 50–100 per traveller for 3 days, shared.; Guides: Bs 30–70 a day.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Pay a boliviano or two; bring paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus from Concepción | Bs50 |
| Taxi to San Juancito (round‑trip) | Bs200 |
| Meal at market (e.g., empanadas) | Bs30–50 |
| Wooden artwork (local workshop) | Bs100–300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SRZ · Santa Cruz El Trompillo Airport
- Domestic flights; about 300 km (186 mi) north, 4–5 h by busDomestic flights; about 186 mi (300 km) north, 4–5 h by bus
Typical fares
- Concepción → San Ignacio (bus)
- about Bs50, 5 h (check schedule)
- Taxi San Ignacio → San Juancito
- about Bs200 round‑trip (check)
- Taxi to nearby missions
- about Bs400 total (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk in the town centre; mototaxis are common; taxis for day trips; bus from Concepción (5 h, Bs50).
See and do
Known for
- Jesuit mission church
- San Juancito indigenous community
- Wooden artisan workshops
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| San Miguel mission | Taxi from San Ignacio, about Bs400 round‑trip | ≈2 h total |
| San Rafael mission | Taxi or daily bus via Santa Ana, Bs400 | ≈2.5 h total |
| Santa Ana mission | Taxi or bus, Bs400 | ≈3 h total |
| San Juancito indigenous community | Taxi (4 h round‑trip) Bs200; trufi cheaper Bs140‑160 | ≈4 h total |
| San José de Chiquitos | Bus via San Miguel/San Rafael, Bs50 | ≈5 h total |
| Noel Kempff Mercado National Park | Local arrangement, likely no regular bus | check |
Sleep
- Casa Suiza
- Single room Bs50 (2017); breakfast extra Bs20; can arrange mission day trips for Bs400.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedis‑kul‑pe |
| Thank you | Graciasgra‑see‑as |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwan‑to kwes‑ta |
| Where is the bus stop? | ¿Dónde está la parada del bus?don‑de es‑ta la pa‑ra‑da del bus |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?pwe‑do pa‑gar con tar‑he‑ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'buenos días'; avoid: Rushing into business
- Photos: Ask, and accept a no; avoid: Photographing rituals uninvited
- Sea question: Listen; avoid: Joking about Bolivia's lost coast
- Queues and blockades: Patience; avoid: Arguing with protesters
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads to the town are bumpy; bus rides can be uncomfortable.
- Mission church is reconstructed, not UNESCO‑protected – expect basic facilities.
- Night buses may charge a half‑day fee; confirm schedule in advance.
Generally safe during daylight; watch for rough road conditions and keep valuables on you in buses.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Ignacio de Velasco yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jesuit mission church
- San Juancito indigenous community
- Wooden artisan workshops
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – San Ignacio de Velasco: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: San Ignacio de Velasco, revision 3508152 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3508152
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/san-ignacio-de-velasco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.