Motorcycle trip in Bolivia's extreme landscapes

You are about to embark on one of the most interesting motorcycle journeys in South America! We will pick you up at the airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. From there, we will drive to the small town of Samaipata (120km, 3 hours travel time). There we will check into a comfortable hotel and relax as the day winds down. If your flight arrives later, we will spend one night in Santa Cruz. In that case, Day 1 will begin the following day.

Our motorcycle journey through Bolivia begins today! Today we start with a briefing, where we learn more about our route, about the local "traffic rules," and get to know each other. To get accustomed to the motorcycles, we are taking a trip to the archaeological site El Fuerte, a small Inca town designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was built around the older and largest stone sculpture in America.

In the morning we stop in Villagrande to see the laundry of the hospital where the lifeless body of Ernesto Ché Guevara was presented to the world in 1967. After lunch, we continue our journey towards the small mountain village of La Higuera, the place where Ché was captured and executed. On the way, we might see condors, the largest birds in the world. Before we reach our hotel, we have the opportunity to take a detour to a breathtaking view. In the evening, we listen to Don Juan's stories around the campfire from the time of the guerrilla war. 175 km, 50% off-road

We leave Villa Serrano early in the morning to visit the Tarabuco Sunday market. This is the only place where we can take pictures of traditionally dressed locals without them turning away. After lunch, we continue our journey towards the capital of Bolivia, Sucre. For the rest of the day, you can explore the city. The entire city center of the colonial city is painted white and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 190km, 30% Offroad.

We leave Sucre in the early morning. On smooth asphalt, we ascend towards the Altiplano (high plateaus) until we reach Potosí, the highest city in the world at 4,100 meters above sea level. During the ascent, we will receive instructions from the guides on how to handle the altitude. In the afternoon, we visit the Miner’s Market, where you can purchase everything from coca leaves to dynamite.

Here we can buy some interesting souvenirs. We then continue to the mines, where we are equipped to descend into the belly of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) to visit the 500-year-old, still operational silver mine. Not recommended for people with claustrophobia: Of course, on this motorcycle trip, we do not shy away from adventures. 155km, 0% off-road.

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We drive through an incredible landscape and stop at a spectacular canyon. After passing some small villages, we stop and look out for vicuñas (a type of camel), emus, and thousands of llamas.

Finally, we reach the small mining village of Pulacayo, where we stroll around the old train station, past the mine entrance, and board the train cars that the American outlaws Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid traveled to Bolivia in 110 years ago.

Our next stop is in Uyuni, where we visit the train graveyard, a fantastic collection of decommissioned railroad machines from the 19th century. 205 km, 5% off-road.

The Salar de Uyuni is a dry salt flat larger than Lower Bavaria. There are no trees, houses, or mountains, and because there are only 2 colors (blue sky and white salt) you have no sense of scale at all.

You can therefore take insane photos. On the way to the Incahuasi cactus island, we visit the salt market, the flag monument, the salt hotel, and of course the Dakar monument. This motorcycle trip is designed to give you the complete picture of Bolivia, and for motorsport fans, the Dakar monument absolutely cannot be missed. 195 km, 90% off-road, mostly salt.

We take our motorcycle and in the morning we leave Salar de Uyuni behind us. Passing picturesque desert landscapes of the Altiplano and several small villages, we head to Oruro, famous for its markets and grill restaurants. The grilling in the evening will be a delight, but first we observe a peculiar phenomenon, about which nothing will be revealed here yet. 320km, 0% Offroad.

To avoid the chaotic traffic in El Alto, we take the newly built highway as a shortcut to Lake Titicaca. We cross the crystal blue water on a pontoon to the Copacabana peninsula and enjoy the view of the snow-capped mountains above the clear blue lake. 360 km, 20% off-road.

Today we swap our motorcycles for a boat and visit two legendary islands from Inca times. On the Island of the Sun, we take a short hike with fantastic views of the snow-capped mountains bordering Lake Titicaca. On the Island of the Moon, we visit the ruins of the Temple of the Moon Maiden.

This morning we leave Lake Titicaca and arrive in La Paz by afternoon. There it is possible to visit the witch market, where you can buy everything from potions, amulets to mummified llama embryos. In the evening, we can observe the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. 145 km, 0% off-road.

From La Paz, we ride to Coroico on a road that was once considered the most dangerous road in the world. The descent into the tropical Yungas region offers magnificent views, and if we reduce our motorcycle speed, we also have a good chance of arriving safely in Coroico. For the truly brave, we end the day with a 500m long zipline adventure.

Afterwards, it's only a 45-minute drive to the hotel pool. Don't worry, our motorcycle trip is always accompanied by the best guides who are trained to ensure safety at the highest level. 85km, 80% offroad.

We leave Coroico and follow narrow, unpaved mountain roads through Yungas, known for the coca plantation. Passing by small picturesque mountain villages, we arrive in Chulumani around noon. Now we have time to swim in the pool, explore the chaotic trading center of Yungas. Now it’s time to relax, but not too much, it’s just a break in your motorcycle adventures! 78km, 100% Offroad.

Today another day with narrow, unpaved roads awaits, with gorges, intersecting rivers, and passing small settlements. The last hour before our arrival in Quime, we drive on a small, winding gorge road with a magnificent view. Quime is a mining town located between massive mountains. Our hotel and dinner are very simple but also very Bolivian. A great experience for every motorcyclist. 195km, 100% Offroad.

After a traditional breakfast, we leave Quime. At a sacred site, we sacrifice cigarettes, alcohol, and of course coca leaves to the local patron saint. On winding roads with magnificent views, we drive up to 4,400m in height before descending into the Cochabamba valley. After we have managed the traffic, we dive into the hustle and bustle of the plaza and go to Café Cortado. For dinner, we treat ourselves to the traditional dish Pique Macho. 315km, 10% off-road.

In the morning we will visit, in Cochabamba, the largest Christo sculpture in South America. At almost 40m, it is slightly taller than the famous Christo statue in Rio de Janeiro. Afterwards, we will leave the city to enjoy fresh fish for lunch and head towards Totora, a small colonial town in the mountains where time seems to have stood still for 100 years. 145 km, 0% Offroad.

The last day with the motorcycle is upon us today and we will start off on an 80km long stony road. After passing the valley of the Rio Mizque, the landscape becomes vast and colorful, while the road is challenging. In the afternoon, we reach Samaipata again via a beautiful road through the mountains. We park the motorcycles and look forward to a swim in the pool. 265km, 40% off-road.

In the late afternoon, we make our way to Santa Cruz, where we can still buy some souvenirs. We spend the evening at a cozy farewell dinner and reflect on the past days.

Our journey ends here and we say goodbye. Be happy, you have experienced one of the most beautiful motorcycle trips in South America! But who knows, maybe you will come back. You wouldn't be the first! The team at OVERCROSS tour operator will miss you!