Bolivia Amazon Motorcycle Trip

Pickup at the airport in Viru Viru, Santa Cruz. We will pick you up at the airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. From there, we will drive to the small town of Samaipata (120 km, 3 hours travel time). We will check into a comfortable hotel and relax to end the day. If your flight arrives later, we will spend a night in Santa Cruz. In that case, day 1 starts the following day.

Samaipata. Today we start with a briefing where we learn more about our route, the local 'traffic rules', and get to know each other better. Afterwards, we will head out on a drive to 'El Fuerte', a small, ancient Inca city built around the oldest and largest stone sculptures in America.

Totora / 260km, 30% offroad. We start off easy, but the asphalt gradually disappears on the roads until it is completely gone. The landscape becomes rugged and colorful mountains are visible. The roads become quite challenging. After our lunch, we continue on a rocky road leading us to breathtaking landscapes. In the afternoon, we arrive in Totora, a small colonial town built like a labyrinth of alleys.

Cochabamba / 145 km, 0% offroad. The road to Cochabamba consists of very good asphalt and winds through valleys with farms and fields. Our lunch today is by the shores of a large lake, with a menu featuring fresh fish, a delight! Afterwards, we have a somewhat chaotic drive. A good practice for the traffic in El Alto the next day.

La Paz / 375 km, 0% offroad. We leave Cochabamba and begin our ascent. Through isolated yet beautiful mountainous landscapes, we reach Altiplano (the highlands). With the adapted roads, we quickly reach La Paz, the seat of the Bolivian government. If all goes according to plan, we will arrive in time to see the 'Relief' at the presidential palace.

To Caranavi via the Death Road / 165km, 60% offroad. We leave the overcrowded streets of La Paz behind and climb to 4,700 meters above sea level. Then, we almost literally dive into the Amazon basin. First, we have to navigate the famous 'Death Road', officially the most dangerous road in the world. If we survive, you will have the chance to prove your bravery on a 1.5 km long zip line. After all that, we will take the real Death Road from Coroico to Caranavi. This time, there are no tourists on mountain bikes; instead, it's filled with cars, trucks, and buses.

Rurrenabaque / 250 km, 50% offroad. The narrow mountain road slowly comes to an end as we reach the edge of the Amazon basin. Today we continue our journey towards Rurrenabaque, the jungle trekking capital of Bolivia. Here, it seems there are more Gringos than Indians on the dusty streets.

Santa Rosa / 105 km, 100% offroad. The road to Santa Rosa de Yacuma is very dusty and hot, but before it gets too much, we reach our lodge on the banks of the Yacuma River. After lunch, we start exploring the natural center, which is full of wildlife such as crocodiles (caimans and alligators), capybaras, dolphins, turtles, and various species of monkeys and birds.

Anacondas and Piranhas. Today we will try to find the world's largest water snake, the anaconda. After lunch and siesta, we will try our luck at piranha fishing. At night, we will do something very exciting, 'hunting' for crocodiles (all in an environmentally friendly way, of course).

Swimming with dolphins, San Borja / 95 km, 100%. The first part of the road to San Borja is well-known and not problematic. However, the second part runs 100% straight and gives us an idea of what awaits us tomorrow: potholes.

San Ignacio de Moxos / 140 km, 100% offroad. As expected, today's road is again 100% straight, has endless potholes, and is very hot. Due to the many potholes that we constantly have to avoid while driving, we will be very exhausted upon reaching San Ignacio de Moxos.

Trinidad / 95 km, 90 % offroad. Trinidad, the capital of the Beni department, is a large city on the Amazon where boa constrictors can swim in open sewer canals. It is a fantastic place with the best milkshakes of all time and a 7-meter-long 'anaconda'. A special attraction is a Boeing 727 that crashed in the jungle near the city.

San Javier / 415 km, 0% offroad (more holes than asphalt). Today we can once again enjoy asphalt. But let's not celebrate too soon since we will have to avoid potholes the size of minivans. At the end of the day, we reach San Javier, one of the missionary towns of Chiquitania. Before we go to bed, we take a look at the huge wooden church.

Via Concepcion to San Ignacio / 230 km, 50% offroad. We travel through the capital of the missions, Concepcion, where we will visit the cathedral and then head to San Ignacio. Here we can enjoy the swimming pool of our mini-resort hotel or take a walk to the huge artificial lake to watch the fishermen at work.

To Santiago de Chiquitos / 360 km, 50% Offroad. In the morning we leave San Ignacio on good motorcycle roads. After lunch at a Mennonite hangout, we reach the 'Santa Cruz / Puerto Quijaro' highway. On this smooth asphalt, we continue to Robore, a military outpost where we will turn toward our destination Santiago de Chiquitos. You are welcome to visit the mission church, but the highlights are the spectacular natural sites Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes / 80 km, 0% Offroad. Aguas Calientes is a lake with hot springs, so the water is about 35 to 40 degrees. We will spend the morning swimming in and around the water, which is said to have healing properties, so our 'saddle sore' should be completely gone by the end of the morning. In the afternoon, we will hike up a mountain with breathtaking views and mysterious rock formations.

To San Jose de Chiquitos / 160 km, 0% Offroad. We leave Santiago in the morning and reach San Jose, the last of our missionary towns. We will visit the church, the original site of Santa Cruz, and walk around some spectacular moon landscapes outside the city.

Buena Vista / 385 km. Mostly on busy asphalt, we drive to the beautiful city of Buena Vista, a small oasis in the bustling Santa Cruz trade center of Bolivia. Our hotel, of course with a pool, is located in the square, where you can sit on the terrace, sip a cappuccino, and watch the hustle and bustle of daily city life.

Samaipata / 185 km, 60% Offroad. Today we cross the Amboro National Park on narrow roads and winding trails. A half dozen river crossings make this a very exciting morning. After lunch, we enjoy the majestic views of a crumbling asphalt road winding into the foothills of the Andes toward our destination, Samaipata.

Santa Cruz. We leave our motorcycles behind and make our way to Santa Cruz, where we can do some souvenir shopping and enjoy Brazilian Churrasco as well as oriental cuisine.

Back to the airport. Our journey ends here and it is time to say goodbye. But who knows, maybe you'll come back. You won't be the first! The tour operator OVERCROSS will miss you!