This park is a protected area within the department of Santa Cruz. Located 17 km in the southwest of the city centre of Santa Cruz, the park covers almost 14,000 hectares. The park was created in 1990 to protect the spectacular sand dunes which rise over 12 meters into the sky.
The park also encompasses tropical plains, jungles, and a central lagoon, which are habitat of a rich diversity of fauna and flora. As of the writing of this guide there were 259 species of birds registered within the park as well as numerous mammals, and native flora.

The Bolivian organisation Armonia (www.armonia-bo.org) and BirdLife International, which dedicate themselves to the conservation of birds in their natural habitats in Bolivia, with the help of the Foundation Simon I. Patiño were building a bird look out in 2007. Armonia also organizes bird watching tours to the public.

The Hotel Sol y Arena Resort, located within the park (see accommodation section), offers its high quality accommodation service to whom likes to stay a night in the park and wants to get up early the next morning for bird watching.

The best way to experience the park is through booking a tour from Santa Cruz as there is no public transit to the park. In the dry season taxis can make the trip to the park.

The park is administered by the Simón Patiño Foundation, for more information please call 322-3737.

For information about tours to the "Lomas de Arena", please visit our tours section.