Amazonia motorcycle trip through Bolivia

Today we start with a briefing, where we learn more about our route, about the local 'traffic rules', and get to know each other better. Then we set off on a ride to 'El Fuerte', a small, ancient Inca city and UNESCO World Heritage site. This was built around the older and larger stone sculptures in America. Some people believe this to be an ancient former alien landing pad.

The road to Cochabamba consists of very good asphalt and winds through picturesque valleys with farms and fields. Our lunch today takes place on the shore of a large lake, and the menu consists of fresh fish. After that follows a rather chaotic ride. A good practice for the traffic in El Alto the next day.

We leave the crowded 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 need to ride the famous 'Death Road', the officially most dangerous road in the world. If we survive that, you’ll have the chance to prove your bravery on a 1.5 km long zip line. After all that, we 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 all wanting to get to their destination the fastest way possible.

The road to Santa Rosa is very dusty and hot, but before it becomes too much, we reach our lodge on the banks of the Yacuma River. After lunch, we start exploring the natural center, which is filled with wild animals like crocodiles, capybaras, dolphins, turtles, and various species of monkeys and birds. After lunch, we try our luck at piranha fishing and crocodile hunting (all environmentally friendly, of course).

Trinidad, the capital of the Beni department, is a large city on the Amazon, where boa constrictors could swim in open sewage canals. A special attraction is a Boeing 727 (a large airplane) that crashed in the jungle near the city.

Today we can look forward to some asphalt again. But we shouldn't get too excited, as we have to avoid minivan-sized potholes. At the end of the day, we reach San Javier, one of the mission towns in Chiquitania. Before we go to bed, we take a look at the impressive wooden church from 1752.

In the late morning, we make our way to Santa Cruz. There we can relax, linger at the plaza, and buy some souvenirs. In the evening, there is a farewell dinner.