Motorcycle trip through Bolivia's extreme landscapes

You are about to start one of the most interesting motorcycle trips 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 let the day wind down in a relaxed manner. If your flight should arrive later, we will spend a night in Santa Cruz. In that case, Day 1 will begin the following day.

Our motorcycle trip 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 used to the motorcycles, we take a trip to the archaeological site El Fuerte, a small Inca town, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This 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 Che 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 Che was captured and executed. Along the way, we may see condors, the largest birds in the world. Before we reach our hotel, we have the opportunity to make a detour to a breathtaking viewpoint. In the evening, we listen to Don Juan's experiences from the time of the guerrilla war around the campfire. 175 km, 50% off-road

We leave Villa Serrano in the early 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. You can explore the city for the rest of the day. The entire city center of the colonial city is painted white and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 190km, 30% off-road.

We leave Sucre in the early morning. On smooth asphalt, we ascend towards the Altiplano (high plains) 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 deal with 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. Then we 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% Offroad.

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 walk around the old train station, past the mine entrance, and climb into the train carriages 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 retired railway 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), one has no sense of scale at all.

You can therefore take insane photos. On the way to 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 must not 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 barbecue restaurants. The barbecue in the evening becomes a delight, but first we observe a strange phenomenon, about which nothing will be revealed here. 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 by 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 exchange our motorcycles for a boat and visit two legendary islands from the Inca era. On the Island of the Sun, we take a short hike with fantastic views of the snow-covered mountains that border 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 in the 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 watch the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. 145 km, 0% off-road.

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

After that, it's just a 45-minute drive to the hotel pool. Don't worry, our motorcycle trip is always accompanied by the best guides trained to ensure safety at the highest level. 85km, 80% off-road.

We leave Coroico and follow narrow, unpaved mountain roads through Yungas, known for the cocoa plantation. Passing by small picturesque mountain villages, we arrive in Chulumani around noon. Now we have time to swim in the pool, to 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% off-road.

Today we have another day with narrow, unpaved roads with gorges, intersecting rivers, and passing by 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% off-road.

After a traditional breakfast, we leave Quime. At a place of worship, we offer the local patron cigarettes, alcohol, and of course coca leaves. We drive along winding roads with magnificent views up to 4,400m altitude before descending into the valley of Cochabamba. After navigating 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 nearly 40m, it is a little 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% off-road.

The last day with the motorcycle is upon us today and we will start right away on an 80km long gravel road. After passing through 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 head to Santa Cruz, where we can still shop for some souvenirs. We spend the evening with a cozy farewell dinner and reflect on the past days.

Our journey ends here and we say Adiós. 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!