Oruro

About Oruro

Oruro is a city in Bolivia with a population of about 248 000 (census of 2001), located 200 Km. from La Paz at approx. 3710 meters above sea level. It is the capital of the department of Oruro. The city was first founded in 1606 as a silver-mining-center in the Urus region. At the time, it was named Real Villa de Don Felipe de Austria after the Spanish monarch Philip III. It was eventually abandoned as the mines became exhausted, but was reestablished in the late nineteenth century, this time as a tin-mining-center. For a time, the La Salvadora tin-mine was the most important source of tin in the world. Gradually, this resource was also exhausted, and Oruro again went into a decline.

  The city attracts thousands of tourists to its carnival (mardi grass), the Carnaval de Oruro, considered one of the great folkloric events in South America for its masked Danza de los Diablos or Diablada "The Devil dance" and other Bolivian dances like Morenada , Caporales, etc.

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Climate

The city is well-known for its cold weather and sometimes freezing temperatures, with an average temperature of 12 C degrees (or around 70 F degrees). Be prepared for the cold! The combination of low temperatures and cool winds make for cold nights, and a number of hotels and restaurants are not heated.

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How to get here

By air

There are no commercial flights to Oruro only private jets can take you there.

By land

You can get to Oruro by bus there are many bus companies that depart from La Paz as well as from other cities in Bolivia and neighboring countries. You can also get to the city of Oruro by train on the route that covers La Paz - Oruro - Uyuni – Tupiza - Villazon (close to the Argentinean border, where the line now ends).

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Getting around in Oruro

It's easy to get around in Oruro people are very friendly and eager to help tourist, just remember that due to the high altitude a simple walk could take a little more effort than at sea level, just remember to take it easy as your body adjusts to it.

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Where to stay

Oruro has a small number of hotels and affordable places to stay, most of them are located in near the main plaza allowing the visitor to be close to everything the city has to offer, find information on hotels and reservations by clicking here.

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What to see while in Oruro

Oruro has a lot to see here are some suggestions:

The biggest tourist attraction is the annual Carnival when thousands of the faithful people parade through the city streets on the way to the Sanctuary of El Socavón. Along the way, dances such as the Diablada, the Morenada, the Tobas, the Llamerada and the Phujllay are performed by folkloric groups, costumed and masked groups dressed as archangels, devils, Incas, Spanish conquistadors and others.

Museo Nacional Antropológico Eduardo Lopez Rivas displays tools and information on the Chipayas and Urus tribes as well as a collection of masks belonging to the different dancing groups.

Museo Patiño: The Casa de Culture, also called the Museo Patiño, the former residence of Simon Patiño displays possessions, including colonial art paintings, Louis XV and XVI style

  Museo Mineralógico: (Mining Museum) Exhibits of precious stones, minerals, and fossils.

  Museo Etnográfico Minero: Housed in a mine tunnel, depicts methods of Bolivian mining

Churches: Main plaza cathedral, Santuary of the Virgen del Socavón The Chiripujio chapel draws crowds on every Friday of every month to worship the Lord of Chiripujio and Santa Vera Cruz.

Find tours or tourist guides

Where to Eat

There are many restaurants, pizzerias, karaoke's, hotel restaurants, and discotheques offering great service and food so you have a good culinary experience. Click here to find more information about restaurants. Even though things have improved a lot lately, be careful to select a proper place to get your next meal because not all the vendors are known for keeping the highest standards for cleanness and hygiene.  

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Do's and Don't in Oruro

The cost of living in Bolivia is very affordable so don't be afraid of going out and splurge there's a lot to see in town or out of it be as adventurous as you can, taking always some precautions. In crowded areas be careful for pickpockets and bags lashers. A common trick is that one person spills something on your clothes, and while you or he wipes it off another person lifts your wallet or slashes your bag.

Be vigilant when checking into a hotel or hostel. Keep a hand on all your bags/belongings at all times. Acting as if they work for the hotel, opportunist thieves will create a diversion and snatch the nearest unattended bag.

If you are approached by police in civilian clothes don't show any valuables or your passport. And certainly don't get in a taxi with them. Undercover police are strictly ordered not to hassle tourists. There have been several cases of muggings and things going missing from bags or luggage after "drug searches". Insist on being taken to the police station before giving them access to your things. If you can, call the 110, which is the Bolivian emergency number.

And the most important there have been several cases of violent muggings in taxis. Don't take unregistered taxis. Lock the doors and don't allow other people to share the journey with you.

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Places near Oruro worth to visit

Lake Poopó, south of Oruro. The main attraction is Panza Island for hunting and fishing.

Uru Uru Lake, also south of Oruro. The main attractions are the islands of like Huariala, Chamarra, Chacaloma and Ayero for wildlife viewing, hunting and fishing.

Warm water spas of Capachos, Urmiri Estalza, Pazea and Obrajes. The latter has individual pools, and is reputed to have medicinal benefits.

The Curahuara of Carangas Church known as "Sistine Chapel of the Highlands.”, near the frontier with Chile, dates from 1606 contains some of the best examples of colonial art in America.

Iglesia de Yarvicoya in Caracollo is an example of baroque art. Declared a national monument the church dates from the 16th century.

Chipaya town is considered one of the most important archeological sites from the Uru Chipaya culture, Chullpares (Andean mummies), art and ceramic belonging to this civilization was discovered last century; many scholars believed this culture occupied this region around 2500 BC.

Paria was the first Bolivian town founded in 1535 by Diego de Almagro and Captain Juan de Saavedra. Foundations of the colonial church still exist after the church was rebuilt during the 1960s. The church with its spledid altarpiece is a national monument.

You can also visit the San Jose Mine and Huanuni mines are two long producing mines in the region.

See ancient paintings at Cala Cala Caves including paintings of llamas, flamingos, condors and shepherds.

Also the Señor de Lagunas Chapel draw visitors, particularly on September 14, when daylong festivities take place, include many folkloric dances.

Ceramics dating from 1800 BC were found in the prehistoric ruins at Uru Uru, an important site in the Uru culture of the region. Many of these pieces are on display in the Casa de Cultura.

The tunnel of San Pedro Mountain is thought to be the route the Incas used to transport precious metals from the mines around Oruro to Cuzco, capital of the Inca Empire.

Many visitors use Oruro as a base for expeditions to the salt lakes at Coipasa and Salinas de Garcia Mendoza, or trekking through the region, as well as climbing Andean peaks, such as Sajama, in the park of the same name, one of Bolivia's National Parks Whenever you go to Oruro.

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