Back

Visit the historic Jesuit missions

BOL11_JesuitMissionCircuit_CJ_free (6)

Visit the opulent, restored jesuit mission churches hidden away in the villages of the remote Bolivian interior.

In the early days of the colonisation of the steamy forests and rugged mountains of the remote Bolivian interior the conquistadores failed to subjugate the fierce indigenous tribes.  Jesuit missionaries were invited in. They managed to beguile the indians to congregate in settlements (reducciones) clustered around grandiose churches.  The opulence of the wooden places of worship, with their intricate carvings and gold leaf, contrasted markedly with the humble homes of the worshippers. The Jesuits also taught the local populations to write and play religious music, some manuscripts of which have only recently been uncovered.  A festival of baroque music is held in Concepción biennially, (even number years).

The Jesuits were expelled and the churches fell into disrepair until the 20th century when many of the churches were meticulously restored by the local populations and are now protected by UNESCO World Heritage Site status. 

Now you can visit the small, isolated rural towns and villages, where most homes are still constructed from adobe and thatch, and the population is predominantly indian. The pitched roofed churches, the bell towers and the cross surrounded by four palms dominate the large grassy main squares, a public space much used by the community for relaxation and even for grazing animals.

Once inside you will be overwhelmed by the richness and intricacy of the interior, the delicate, detailed artwork, often referring to the history of the missions, interweaving their story with that of Christ. Marvel at the gold leaf, the graceful carvings, the sacred ornaments. Each church is distinct from the next; some are simple, others more elaborate. Visit the workshops and see the local people at work, the craft shops, and even maybe a rehearsal for the music festival.

Bolivia
Santa Cruz and the Oriente

Holidays Visit the historic Jesuit missions

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Uyuni Salt Flats

Private Journeys

Bolivia

Signature Bolivia: The final frontier

14 days from £4,380pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

0 1 2 3 4 5