Riding a motorcycle in Bolivia is like travelling through another world – the high Altiplano, vast deserts, gargantuan mountains… it offers some of the most remote and adventurous riding in the world. If you’re heading that way, here’s a selection of the best biking routes you can’t miss in Bolivia…
This motorcycle guide is based on our ride through Bolivia during our round the world trip. The guides on this website are constantly updated to keep them up-to-date.
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Bolivia’s Best Motorcycle Routes
By Andy Davidson
Mad or Nomad: Round the World Motorcycle Traveller
Bolivia is an adventure rider’s dream. Filled with high-altitude deserts and the epic Altiplano, rugged tracks, vast expanses expanses and towering snow capped mountains, the legendary Lagunas route, infamous Death Road, otherworldly Salt Flats… It’s a proper overlanding destination and if you’re making your way through South America, you’re going to want to visit.
In this guide, we’ve listed a selection of our favourite must-do motorcycle rides in Bolivia with links to our dedicated guides on each.
Huayna Potosí Mountain Route
Hidden away in the north of Bolivia is one of the best rides in South America. But it’s not well known, travelled or documented anywhere. But here it is… the Huayna Potosí route.
This is a beautiful off-road ride into the northern mountains of Bolivia. You’ll be riding towards Huayna Potosí (Young Mountain) which sits at around 6100 metres above sea level.
The route is all off-road and can be tricky in sections with pockets of sand and ruts, but for the most part it’s gravel.
We recommend stopping at Albergue Tuni and tackling the remainder of the ride the next day. We stayed here and then rode the second half of the route and also the entire Death Road ride in one day. So, it’s not a particularly long ride at all.
Accommodation – There are no amenities along the way, which is why we recommend breaking it up into two days and staying at the homestead Albergue Tuni, they can prepare dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch for your next day. WhatsApp them in advance to reserve a room on +59173728914.
Weather – Avoid the route if you’ve got serious rain and thunder. The road can be very slippery and muddy if wet and that makes this one rather dangerous. Use the Windy app to check the weather in advance because you won’t have signal up there.
Altitude – The route will take you to 5,000 metres altitude, so be careful about altitude sickness and take your time.
Navigation – There’s a section of track missing on Google Maps, but it is there. The best way to navigate this route is to use Maps.Me. It’s a free app and works offline and shows all of the track. Download the app and the Bolivia map and use our coordinates from Google Maps to follow the exact track.
The Death Road
Bolivia’s infamous Death Road is legendary amongst motorcycle travellers. It’s an off-road ride connecting the La Paz region to the Yungas region. It starts at 4,650m altitude and by the end you’ll be down in the hot jungle of Coroico at 1,200m. What makes it so enticing for riders is its treacherous conditions with hugely steep drops down cliff edges and narrow trail mixed with its beautiful backdrops and stunning scenery.
We have a dedicated guide explaining everything you need to know about riding it on a motorcycle. Have a read of that next if you fancy this one.
READ MORE: The Death Road, Bolivia Motorcycle Guide
Uyuni Salt Flats
The Uyuni Salt Flats are the world’s largest salt flat at over 12,000 square kilometres and one of Bolivia’s biggest attractions. For motorcycle travellers, it’s a must in South America. It’s a vast, endless, silent, flat white desert.
You’ve got two weather options here: dry and wet season. Wet season is when the entire desert turns into one huge beautiful mirror. The horizon is lost and the sky is mirrored in the water that’s collected on the surface. And in dry season you’ve got a hard-packed expansive white desert to ride over. The salt on the flats is extremely corrosive for motorcycles and the wet season will no doubt damage your bike, so think carefully about riding it. We’ve got some alternative suggestions for you and how to ride it if you do decide to take your own bike in our dedicated guide on Uyuni.
READ MORE: The Uyuni Salt Flats Guide for Motorcycle Travellers
Ruta de las Lagunas
This is the big one. The mythical Ruta de las Lagunas is an extremely high-altitude four day, 400km off-road ride through the ends of the world. It’s incredibly remote and will feel like you’re riding on another planet, but it’s a hard ride and you need off-road and motorcycle travel experience to tackle it.
We highly recommend having a good read of our packed and detailed Lagunas route guide before going.
READ MORE: How to Ride the Ruta de las Lagunas on a Motorcycle
Read more on motorcycle travel in Bolivia
Thanks for checking out the Best Motorcycle Routes in Bolivia Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in Bolivia and South America that we recommend you read next.
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Are you planning a motorcycle trip in Bolivia? Do you have any questions, tips or great route suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.