Cerro Santa Rosa, Itá Balanza y las piedras de Santa Rosa
Hills around the Jesuit town with reddish rocks in odd shapes, medicinal plants and a rocking boulder.
What it is
Santa Rosa de Lima is usually visited for its bell tower and Jesuit chapel, but it also has hills around it that almost nobody explores. Climbing Cerro Alto brings a rich variety of medicinal plants and shrubs, along with large reddish rocks eroded into peculiar shapes. From the heights you can see farmland and forested landscapes. Near the 3 de Mayo district there are two stone curiosities: the "Pombero Pyporé", a block that miraculously stays upright and bears a footprint said by locals to be the pombero's, and the "Itá Balanza", a large rocking boulder on one side of the hill, regarded as a natural monument.
What to see and do
- Climb up Cerro Alto among medicinal plants
- Reddish rocks of unusual shapes
- Pombero Pyporé and Itá Balanza (3 de Mayo district)
- Views of farmland and forest
Did you know…?
The pombero is a spirit from Guaraní mythology; the "footprint" in the stone feeds the local legend.
The Itá Balanza rocking stone is a large boulder that sways on its base.
History
The hills of Santa Rosa are part of the natural landscape of the former Jesuit reduction founded in the area; local sources describe them as spaces still little discovered by tourism.
Tips
- Ask at the municipality for local guides: trails are not always marked.
- Wear closed shoes and bring water and a hat; rock can be slippery after rain.
Natural site, free access. Check opening hours before you go.
Best time: Autumn and spring, in the morning.
Activities
Festivals and events here
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 4 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.