Dinosaurs are not what first come to mind when you think of Bolivia. But it’s where you can find the world’s largest collection of dinosaur footprints!
Cal Orck’o, the site of these dinosaur tracks, is near Sucre, Bolivia’s capital city. Cal Orck’o means lime hill in Quechua, the local indigenous language. It’s an apt name for the impressive cliff face, which measures 100 metres high.
There are over 5000 dinosaur footprints here, with about 15 different species identified.
Discovery of the Dinosaur Footprints
Cal Orck’o is located on land owned by the Fancesa cement factory. Dinosaur footprints were first seen in the area in 1985 during limestone quarrying. But it wasn’t until 1994 that local workers discovered the main site of Cal Orck’o.
Thankfully, it is now a protected palaeontological site. But the nearby cement factory is unfortunately still operational, causing ongoing conservation issues.
A section of rock collapsed in 2010, leaving a large triangular gap on the cliff face. This revealed a new layer of footprints. Palaeontologists believe there could be many more hidden layers underneath.
Rewind Back in Time
How did dinosaur footprints end up on an almost-vertical cliff face? No, dinosaurs did not, in fact, have the ability to walk up walls…
Let’s rewind back 68 million years to the Cretaceous Period. This was the age of dinosaurs, and the landscape of the world looked very different. South America’s famous Andean Mountains had not yet formed.
It is thought that there was once a shallow lake here at Cal Orck’o. Dinosaurs walking along its shores left imprints in the soft, muddy ground. Periods of drought later dried and preserved the footprints. Cycles of wet and dry weather formed many layers of footprints. Over time, the soft sediment changed into fossilised limestone.
Tectonic plate collision and movement over millions of years completely re-shaped the land. What was once flat ground became the vertical Cal Orck’o cliff we know today.
Visiting the Footprints
The only way to see the dinosaur footprints up close is through a guided tour. These are run by Parque Cretácico (Cretaceous Park), Cal Orcko’s dinosaur park/museum.
Whilst the park is open all day, the footprints tour is only available at certain times. This is because the adjacent cement factory is very much still in use. It is only safe to visit the footprints at midday, when the factory workers are having their siesta!
Before embarking on the tour we sat down to watch a video on the history of the dinosaur footprints. We were then given bright red helmets to wear for protection.
Access to the footprints is via a sloping stone walkway. I was unlucky to visit on a rainy day, and the path was very slippery! Thankfully there was a solid handrail, or I may not have made it down in one piece. At ground level, a loose dirt path leads round the back of the cement factory to the foot of Cal Orck’o cliff.
Walking with Dinosaurs
The footprints are spectacular, weaving their way across the stone face. Many of the dinosaur footprints are only hazy imprints, worn away by time. But a few are still etched deep in the stone, as clear as the day they were made.
Cal Orck’o seems to have been particularly popular with sauropods back in the day. These were a species of giant four-legged plant-eaters. They had extremely long necks (and tails), which would put a giraffe to shame!
The longer sets of tracks, with rounded footprints, all belong to sauropods. The sauropod footprints come in varying sizes – the smaller ones are from baby sauropods. Yay for baby dinosaurs!
There is also an array of three-toed dinosaur footprints. They look similar but belong to two distinct species. The narrow claw-like ones belong to theropods, a species of bi-pedal carnivores. The softer, rounder footprints belong to ornithopods – also bi-pedal, but plant-eaters.
Can you tell the difference?
Of course, trying to imagine dinosaurs based only on footprints is too mind-boggling. Luckily, the dinosaur park has a collection of life-sized sculptures to help you out. They’re nothing to write home about, but it’s worth a quick wander after your footprints tour. The museum also has a collection of dinosaur skeletons – although the most impressive one, the carnotaurus, is a replica.
Tips for Visiting the Dinosaur Footprints
- Don’t make the same mistake I did and turn up on a Monday! The park is closed on Mondays, but open all other days of the week.
- The footprints tour is only runs twice a day at 12:00 and 13:00. Time your visit carefully so you don’t miss out.
- Avoid visiting on rainy days, as the paths become quite slippery. Tours may also get cancelled in extreme weather if the paths are unsafe.
- Wear sensible footwear (trainers or hiking shoes)
- Wear sunscreen – you’ll be standing under the midday sun for an hour on the tour.
Essential Information
Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00. Footprints tour 12:00 and 13:00
Cost: 30Bs entry, 5Bs photography permit
Getting There: Dinobus from Plaza 25 de Mayo (15Bs return, leaves 9:30, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00). Taxi (15Bs one way, there are usually taxis waiting outside the park to return). Number 4 bus (1.5Bs single, get off at Fancesa Cement Fatory).
Read more what to do in Sucre.
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Fascinating. What a place; I’d never heard of it, so found the article thoroughly interesting. This sort of thing — footprints 68 million years old — boggles the mind.
Thanks for reading! I’m glad you were as mind-boggled as I was 🤯
Yay for baby dinosaurs indeed! 🙂
❤️