Bolivia & Peru: Trans Andes

On day one you arrive at the international airport of La Paz – Bolivia. The rest of the day is at leisure. In the afternoon your tour guide will do the briefing about the tour. And he will arrange all the necessary paperwork with you.
It is a good suggestion to arrive a day earlier to acclimatize to the high altitude.

• Altitude: 3.600 meters (7,500 feet)

In the morning we will pick up the motorcycles. Through the city we ride to a high mountain pass on 4.700 meters. Then the spectacular descend into the Amazon highland jungle. In the tropical town of Coroico we will have lunch. Then we ride the old unpaved ‘Death Road’ uphill, back to our hotel in La Paz.

• Distance: 200 km. (120 mi.)
• Altitude: From 3.600 meter (11,800 feet) to 1.700 meter (5,600 feet), and back
• Road Surface: Mainly pavement, and about 40 km gravel road

We leave the un-official capital of Bolivia behind us, and we ride for about 300 km. over the ‘Altiplano’ to the town Challapata. From there we ride to the highest city in the world. Once this city was bigger than Paris and London combined, and it was the richest city in the world. Today you can still visit the old silver mine, which is still in use under medieval circumstances. Potosí has also one of the oldest mints in the world, which is today an interesting museum.

• Distance: 450 km. (237 mi.)
• Altitude: From 3.600 meters (11,800 feet) to 4.100 meters (13,450 feet)
• Road Surface: All pavement

A beautiful road, made for motorcycles (!), brings us to the largest salt flats in the world; The Uyuni salt flats. In the afternoon we will ride the flats for about 150 km. For dinner we go to ‘Minute man’ pizzeria, which happens to be located in our hotel. Chris & Sussy serve you the best pizzas on the southern hemisphere !

• Distance: 350 km. (210 mi.)
• Altitude: From 3.800 meters (12,500 feet)
• Road Surface: All pavement and salt

Today a connection day over the ‘Altiplano’ on our way to Oruro, famous for the second largest carnaval celebrations in South America, after Rio de Janeiro.

• Distance: 320 km. (190 mi.)
• Altitude: 3.800 meters (12,500 feet)
• Road Surface: All pavement

From Oruro the road takes us to Lake Titicaca. If time permits, we will visit Tiahuanaco and Puma Punku along the way. At the border between Bolivia and Peru, we surrender our Bolivian bikes and walk (!) across the border-bridge into Peru. After all the border formalities private transportation will bring us to our hotel in Puno, on the shore of the lake.
The next day we can do a boat ride on the lake. The rest of the day is at leisure. At the hotel in Puno our Peruvian motorcycles will be waiting for us.

• Distance: 300 km. (180 mi.)
• Altitude: 3.800 meters (12,500 ft.)
• Road Surface: All pavement

Back on the bikes again. Today we ride north over the ‘Altiplano’. When we get closer to Cusco the road is getting more winding. The last 60 Km. we ride through the beautiful ‘Sacred Valley of the Incas’.

• Distance: 450 km. (280 mi.)
• Altitude: 3.800 meters (12,500 ft.) to 2.800 meters (9,200 feet)
• Road Surface: All pavement

THE absolute touristic highlight of South America: Machu Picchu. And, of course, one of the highlights of this tour. Because there is (still) no existing road to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), we go by train. Early in the morning the train will bring us, along the Urubamba river, in about 2 hours to Aguas Calientes. Then in about half an hour by bus to the entrance. In the afternoon you’ll return to Ollantaytambo by train.

• Distance: 30 km. (18 mi.), by train and bus
• Altitude: 2.360 meters / (7,750 ft.)

In two days we cross the mighty Andes from east to west. The first day we ride via the city of Abancay to Chalhuanca. A magnificent ride! We stay in the best hotel in town.

• Distance: 310 km. (190 mi.)
• Altitude: From 3.500 meters (11,500 ft.) to 2.900 meters (9,500 ft.)
• Road Surface: All pavement

Still we are crossing the Andes from east to west, mostly on high altitude. Lunch in Puquio and the last 80 kilometers is the more than spectacular descend to Nasca. Just a beautiful ride, today!

• Distance: 345 km. (210 mi.)
• Altitude: from 2.900 meters (9,500 ft.) to 500 meters (1,650 ft.)
• Road Surface: All pavement

In the morning the optional flight over the Nasca lines and geoglyphs. After lunch we ride through the driest desert in the world to a hotel at a beautiful spot on the Pacific Coast.

• Distance: About 160 Km. (100 Mi.) by motorcycle
• Altitude: 500 meters (1,650 ft.) to sea level

The last riding day of the tour leads us south bound along the Pacific Coast with beautiful views. The last 160 Km. the ascend to the ‘White City’ Arequipa, our home town. At the hotel we surrender the motorcycles. We’ll enjoy the farewell dinner in one of the good restaurants in the center of the city.

• Distance: 410 Km. (250 Mi.) by motorcycle
• Altitude: From sea level to 2.300 meters (7,500 ft.)

Time to say goodbye.
The airport transfers are arranged. This is the end of an unforgettable motorcycle challenge.