Bolivia Adventure

Day 1 - Home - Departure

Day 2 - Arrival - Santa Cruz - Samaitapa
You will be picked up from the airport in Santa Cruz and we drive in about 3 hours to the beautiful city of Samaipata. At an altitude of 1600 meters it is a pleasant climate. There we check into a comfortable hotel and we can the rest of the day to recover from the long journey. If your flight is late, you'll stay in Santa Cruz tonight and we'll pick you up tomorrow morning.

Day 3 - Samaitapa - stay  
Today we will meet each other and introduce the grou and our team. We will provide an explanation about the motorcycles, the traffic rules and we will make a day trip to the ruins of the old Inca city of El Fuerte, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The heart of El Fuerte is the largest carved rock in the world with a size of 220 meters by 60 meters, which mainly served for rituals. 

Day 4 - Samaitapa - La Higuera
Today we drive at a slow pace 175 kilometers to the mountain village of La Higuera at an altitude of 1900 meters. Half of this route is off-road. There is much to see today.

We will make a stop in Valle Grande to visit the laundry of the Senor de Malta hospital. Here Che's body was shown to the world press and to the people after his execution. In addition, here is also the mausoleum where his body was secretly buried for more than 30 years. After lunch we drive to La Higuera to the school where Che Guevara was arrested and later executed. If we are lucky we will see Condors, the largest birds in the world, high in the sky. At the end of this beautiful ride we arrive in La Higuera. This city is located at an altitude of 1900 meters,

Day 5 - La Higuera - Villa Serrano
Today we drive to Villa Serrano, this village is at an altitude of 2100 meters. We drive off-road all day, the Rio Grande is on our left. We start with a visit to the old school building where Che was executed. Now this is a small museum. We will have lunch in the middle of the bridge over the Rio Grande and will probably also be able to swim here. Then we drive to Villa Serrano. The largest charango in the world can be seen here. This instrument is a small five-string double guitar. The charango is a small South American brother of the Spanish guitar. It is difficult to learn to play on this.

Day 6 - Villa Serrano - Sucre
Today we go to Sucre which is at an altitude of 2700 meters. A third of the 190 kilometers on this long day trip is off-road. We leave Villa Serrano early to be in time to visit the Sunday market in Tarabuco. This is the only place in Bolivia where we don't get the traditionally dressed indigenous people angry when they are photographed. After lunch we go to the capital of Bolivia Sucre, which is located at an altitude of 2700 meters. The rest of the day we take the time to discover this beautiful colonial city. The white painted center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Sucre is in a hat factory, a large traditional market the Mercado Campesino, a textile museum and a monastery with a beautiful viewpoint La Recoleta.

Day 7 - Sucre - Potosi 
The 155 kilometers from Sucre to Potosi is entirely of asphalt. Potosi is at an altitude of 4100 meters. The tour guide will pay attention here again to the sick. After lunch we make the climb to the Altiplano, the plateau. the high plateau of Bolivia. It is the second largest plateau in the world, only the Tibetan Plateau is larger. The Altiplano stretches from Chile to Bolivia and Peru.

The mining town of Potosi is the highest city in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Potosí is the 2nd colonial city of Bolivia and has a beautiful center. This city was once the largest and richest city in the South American continent due to the presence of the silver vein in the mine of the Cerro Rico, the Rich Mountain. It was the silver from this mine that Piet Hein captured from the Spaniards when he intercepted the Silver Fleet. Casa de la Moneda is a musuem. The coins used to be designed here,  were used in the western world. The Spaniards robbed the city completely at the time. The people of Potosi are trying to get some leftover resources from the Cerro Rico under medieval conditions. We are going to visit the mines down to the belly of mother earth "Pacha Mama". If you are afraid of small spaces, it is better not to go. Dynamite is a normal commodity in this city. You can just see it on the market and in the shops, between the bananas and the milk.

Tip: You can try Kalaphurka soup at the local market. A glowing volcanic stone is placed in this soup with vegetables and meat, which ensures that the soup continues to cook after serving.

Day 8 - Potosi - Uyuni
Today we go to Uyuni, This city is at an altitude of 3700 meters. We drive the 205 kilometers almost completely on paved roads past gorges and picturesque villages. In the fields vicunas (Art Camel) we probably see emus (art Strauss) and thousands of llamas. We pause in the mining village of Pulacayo where we visit the old train station and the entrance to the mine. Both are industrial heritage, the locomotive was robbed by the duo Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Legend has it that their bodies are buried in the desolate mining town of San Vicente, west of Tupiza. There they lie to this day, although their identity has never been 100% established.

The next destination is Uyuni where we visit the train cemetery, where the skeletons of discarded steam locomotives and wagons are partly sprayed with graffiti. The abandoned train wagons surrealistically contrast with the azure blue sky. It is a photogenic place! You can climb in and on the wagons.

Day 9 - Uyuni - stay, day trip to the Salt Lake 
Salar de Uyuni, a tour of 195 kilometers, here you can only see salt, salt and salt again. Salar Uyuni is an ultra white plain created by 11,000 square kilometers of dried sea salt. Only the Makgadigadi in Botsawa is bigger. The view is unreal especially when there is water on the surface, the air is projected onto the water and this creates a special effect. On the way to our hotel we visit Cactus Island, Incahuasi, where it is full of cacti that are often 10 meters high! The combination of the cacti with the white salt flat creates a spectacular picture. Then the salt market, the flag monument, the salt hotel and the Dakar monument.

Day 10 - Uyuni - Oruro
Today we drive north along the Poopó lake. This lake has a remarkably high salt content. Once upon a time millions of fish swam and dozens of flamingos bathed here. But now Lake Poopó is cited as the prime example of global warming. However, shifting all problems to the weather conditions is a bit too short. People carelessly deal with the water supply of the lake. Dozens of mines are located in the area, which drain water from tributaries for their own use. In addition, the mining companies would dump their waste near Lake Poopó, resulting in high concentrations of pollutants in the water. The lake has since been officially declared 'dried up' since 2016 and may be forever.

Oruro is a mining town at an altitude of 3,800 meters. Most of the 235,000 inhabitants live in poverty. It is often very cold here, because it is so high. The city is also known for its many markets and quirky restaurants. Tonight we will of course also enjoy a delicious grill dish!

Today we get to see a special phenomenon, We are not yet going to reveal what this is.

Day 11 - Oruro - Copacabana
To avoid the chaotic traffic in the city of El Alto as much as possible we will leave early this morning. It depends on what time we are in El Alto which route we will take next. In any case, we cross the crystal clear water with a ferry. We have a beautiful view of the snow-covered mountains. Finally we arrive in the attractive town of Copacabana. Here are plenty of nice streets and a beach that is very popular with locals. In addition, the beautiful 16th century cathedral is a pure white structure, a place of pilgrimage for local believers. Our hotel has a beautiful view of the lake. It's an idea to have dinner here too.

Day 12 - Copacabana - stay, day trip Lake Titicaca
Copacabana is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The lake is dotted with numerous mysterious islands and it played an important role in the culture of the Incas and the Quechuas and Uros Indians. The floating islands are made of reed and strong enough to build entire villages. In total, the Islas Flotantes consist of about 40 islands and were originally inhabited by the Urus. Now, however, it is one of the most famous tourist attractions in South America, and you will not come across the truly authentic Bolivia. It's all a bit commercial, but if you look through that, you have a nice day trip.  It remains of course special to see how they made these reed islands.

We go to Isla del Sol this is a real island and one of the most beautiful places in the area. The island is about a two-hour boat ride from Copacabana and it feels like traveling back in time. For example, there are no cars on the island and almost everything is transported by donkey. Then we go to Isla de Luna to visit the temple ruin from the Inca era.

Day 13 - Copacabana - La Paz 
Today we pass a beautiful viewpoint and proceed to la Paz the highest capital in the world. This city is more than 4000 meters above sea level. Altitude sickness is very common here and therefore take it easy. La Paz is a nice place. We go to the colorful Mercado de Hechiceria or the witch market. Here you can buy the most bizarre items, such as dried frogs and llama fetuses that are attributed a medicinal effect. Fortunately, there are also regular souvenirs such as alpaca wool sweaters, beautiful colored cloths, hats, mittens and trinkets. You can also go to Plaza Murillo, this is an impressive square with lots of greenery, government buildings and a beautiful cathedral. Calle Jean has many old buildings and cobbled streets enclosed on both sides by beautiful colored houses. In addition, there are museums and cozy cafes and restaurants.

In the evening we go to the palace to watch the changing of the guard.

Day 14 - La Paz - stay, day trip
Today we can choose from three day trips:

• Valle de la Luna is a moonscape. The bone-dry environment has little vegetation and consists of a surreal landscape with deep gorges and pointed rocks created for rainfall and floods.
• Chacaltaya is located at 5,270 meters here is a ski hut and base for alpinists to acclimatize. This was the former highest sky station in the world, 20% of the world's tropical glaciers are located in Bolivia. Due to global warming, much of it is disappearing. A ski lift was built at 5,300 meters in 1939. This was the highest ski area ever! Since 2009 there has been no snow and the lift is no longer used.
• We can also go to the Telerifico cable car and choose from different routes (red, yellow and green). It's a fun way to see the city. The cable car is made by Doppelmayr from Austria,

Day 15 - La Paz - Coroico
Today our motorcycle ride is only 85 km, most of it is off-road, but on one of the most dangerous roads in the world. So we drive slowly. The Death Road was built in the 1930s by Paraguayan prisoners of war and until recently was the only road connecting the North Bolivian Amazon to La Paz. Enjoy the breathtaking surroundings while driving. The last 500 meters to our hotel in Coroico we can take a steep slope down or make a detour. you can decide for yourself what you want to do, Coroico is a small cozy place. It is located in a beautiful mountainous, green area that invites you to explore the area on foot or by motorbike.

Day 16 - Coroico - Chulumani  
Today we will drive off-road all day. We leave Coroico and follow narrow dirt roads through the Yungas, known for its coca leaf plantations. We pass small picturesque mountain villages and at the end we arrive in Chulumani following a beautiful road. At the hotel we can enjoy the pool, relax or explore the bustling agronomic commercial center of the Yungas.

Day 17 - Chulumani - Quime  
Today again a full day off-road driving, around 195 km on narrow, unpaved roads through deep ravines. We regularly cross rivers and drive past all kinds of small settlements. In the afternoon we finally arrive in Quime along the edge of a small winding gorge with a beautiful view. This small mining town is located between massive mountains. Our hotel and evening meals are simple but authentic Bolivian.

Day 18 - Quime - Cochabamba
After a Bolivian breakfast we leave Quime. Today we drive almost all day on asphalt roads. At a traditional holy place we offer cigarettes, alcohol and of course coca leaves to the patron saint of this place. On the winding roads with beautiful views, we climb to an altitude of 4,400 m before descending into the valley of Cochabamba, which is surrounded by huge mountains. We drive through the busy traffic and finally arrive at the square, here we drink the famous coffee “Cortado”. Tonight we eat a traditional dish “Pique Macho”. There are many variations of this local dish depending on the ingredients used (chicken, pork, chorizo) and cooking technique. The onions, tomatoes and peppers are sometimes served raw, in the form of salad, over the meat. The beer in the recipe can be replaced with some broth.

Day 19 - Cochabamba - Totora
Today we will first visit the largest “Christo” sculpture in South America. At almost 40 meters, it is a bit higher than the famous "Christo de Rio de Janeiro". Then we leave the big city for lunch with fresh fish and we will pass beautiful valleys. We drive 145 kilometers mainly on paved roads to Totora, a small colonial town in the mountains, where time has stood still for 100 years. Another paradise for photographers.

Day 20 - Totora - Samaipata  
On our last day we drive around 265 km. We start with a ride of 80 km on a (Roman!) Stone road, it feels like Ben Hur. We drive along the valley of Rio Mizque. The landscape consists of rugged and colorful mountains. The road is a challenge. In the afternoon we are back in Samaipata, after a great ride we say goodbye to the mountains. We hand in our motorbike and can then jump into the hotel pool.

Day 21 - Samaipata - Santa Cruz
We can sleep in today. We leave for Santa Cruz, where we can relax around the square and or by buying souvenirs. In the evening we have a farewell dinner.

Day 22 - Santa Cruz, departure - Home