8 Day 5 Wonders of Santa Cruz Guided Adventure Motorcycle Adventure Tour in Bolivia
Best of Santa Cruz Motorcycle Tour Bolivia
Staying true to its name, on this tour we set out to see 5 of the best sites that this region of Santa Cruz has to offer. You'll spend the first couple of days riding dirt roads and crossing numerous streams and rivers near our base in Santa Cruz, not to mention exploring some breathtaking waterfalls. From there, you'll venture out even further as we ascend into the mountains via the old highway, as we go we’ll stop to check out an old (inactive) volcano as well some impressive indigenous ruins. In Santa Cruz’s backcountry we’ll reach elevations of more than 2,400 meters (8,000 feet). We then pick up the trail of famous rebel, Ernesto “El Che” Guevara and visit the school house where he breathed his last breath. Then we’ll loop back around towards our staring point via some of nicest (read curviest) roads that Bolivia has to offer.
Key information
- Bike: rental bike (Kawasaki KLR650)
- Mileage: 540 kilometers / 335 miles
- Daily rides: 50 - 205 kilometers / 30 - 128 miles
- Riding gear: not included: helmet, gloves, boots (minimum)
- Meals: all meals
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
- Go on a roundtrip journey to Espellijos in the region of Santa Cruz
- Ride up to El Fuerte and take the backroads to the town of Vallegrande
- Visit the Jardin de las Delicias, a waterfall on the edge of Amboró National Park
- Visit the memorial room in the schoolhouse where el Che was executed
- Ride up some curvy new slab to the mountain village of Samaipata
- Make the trek to the village of La Higuera
- 7 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
Accommodation
You will be accommodated in various places along the route. Lodging is typically based on double occupancy. Participants that come alone will usually need to share a room with someone else.
Program
Day 1: Sunday - Welcome to Santa Cruz!
Bolivia Motorcycle Tours will personally pick everyone up at the airport and settle you into a hotel in El Torno. After dinner you will have an informal orientation and prep session and a good night's sleep.
Day 2: Monday - To the Garden of Eden (140 kilometers / 90 miles)
You will take the bikes on a 70-kilometer (43 miles) round-trip practice run up to the “Jardin de las Delicias,” where we’ll encounter a series of breathtaking waterfalls on the edge of Amboró National Park. Hanging bridge, dirt roads, stream crossings, hiking, swimming, and a picnic lunch are just part of today’s adventure as you shake off what’s left of the jet lag.
Day 3: Tuesday - Espejillos Nature Reserve (110 kilometers / 70 miles)
More dirt today, you will take the bikes on a 50-kilometer (30 mile) roundtrip journey to one of the most unique attractions in this region of Santa Cruz, a place known to locals as “Espellijos.” After fording the Pirai River, it’s all off-road as we weave our way through the countryside to our destination. The main attraction is a beautiful waterfall followed by numerous natural pools that are perfect for swimming or just relaxing. We’ll cap off the riding portion of the day with a ride up some curvy new slab to the mountain village of Samaipata where you will spend the night.
Day 4: Wednesday - Landscapes galore - Samaipata to Vallegrande (140 kilometers / 85 miles)
Departing Samaipata, the adventure continues as soon as the kickstands are up. You will start with a leisurely ride up to El Fuerte, the site of Bolivia’s second most important ruins. After touring the ruins you're back on the bikes this time fixing your sights on the town of Vallegrande.
After an early lunch you'll take the backroads to the town of Vallegrande, passing through a few quaint villages tucked away in the valleys along with an incredible waterfall. You'll arrive in Vallegrande in the late afternoon, in time to freshen up and take a walk around the town before dinner.
Day 5: Thursday - La Ruta del Che - Vallegrande to La Higuera (60 kilometers / 40 miles)
After only a couple of kilometers of riding on the pavement today, you'll transition to off-road riding as you make the trek to La Higuera, the lonely village where the Cuban revolutionary war hero Che Guevara was executed in 1967.
The road to La Higuera is a pilgrimage of sorts for the more adventuresome historians. Before setting out, you'll spend a couple hours in the morning on a guided tour of Vallegrande, getting to know the historical sites made famous by El Che’s time in Bolivia.
Reaching La Higuera in the late afternoon, stay at the rustic Casa del Telegrafista, once home to the telegraph operator that informed the authorities of el Che’s presence in the area. The village of La Higuera only consists of a few houses and a small school, however the peace and tranquility that this place offers is second to none, not to mention the incredible dinner that the inn’s owner will prepare you.
Day 6: Friday - The Twisties: La Higuera to El Torno (290 kilometers / 180 miles)
After a wonderful breakfast, visit the memorial room in the schoolhouse where el Che was executed. The days route takes you through the mountains of Vallegrande and down the old highway. By late afternoon you'll arrive once again back to your base in El Torno where your journey began.
After a short trip to your hotel in Santa Cruz you'll cap off the day and the tour with a farewell dinner in the evening.
Day 7: Saturday - City streets of Santa Cruz and departure day
Today’s a decompress day before returning to life as usual, so you'll relax the pace as yoiu do some site seeing around the city - last minute souvenir shopping, open markets, and good food are a few of the options.
Day 8: Sunday - Departure Day
Bolivia Motorcycle Tours will take you from the hotel to catch your flight home at the airport. You’ll want to stretch out your sore backside before you board your flight and flip through your pics as you grin (and groan) thinking of all the fun that was had. From here, it’s time to start planning your next adventure!
Bike rental information
- Bike model: Kawasaki KLR650
- Engine: Four-stroke, DOHC, four-valve single
- Displacement: 651cc
- Cooling: Liquid
- Carburetion: Keihin CVK40
- Ignition: Electronic CDI
- Transmission: Five-speed
- Final drive: Chain
- Frame: Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel
- Rake / trail: 28 degrees / 11 cm
- Front suspension / wheel travel: 38 mm leading axle, air-adjustable preload / 23 cm
- Rear suspension / wheel travel: UNI-TRAK single-shock system with 5-way preload and 4-way rebound damping / 23 cm
- Front tire: 90 / 90 x 21
- Rear tire: 130 / 80 x 17
- Front brake / rear brake: Hydraulic disc
- Overall length: 220 cm
- Overall width: 94 cm
- Overall height: 134.5 cm
- Ground clearance: 23.5 cm
- Seat height: 88 cm (approximately)
- Dry weight: 153 kg
- Fuel capacity: 29 liters with aftermarket oversized fuel tank (approximately)
- Wheelbase: 149.6 cm
- Equipped with crashbars, aluminum skid plate, aluminum-reinforced handguards, oversized rear rack with storage box
Bike rental deposit
Bolivia Motorcycle Tours don’t require a security deposit for the motorcycles. Bolivia Motorcycle Tours do however offer an optional “insurance agreement” at a cost of 15 USD per riding day, which covers the bike for up to 3,500 USD worth of accidental damage.
Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate
Intermediate:
- can ride for 3-4 hours
- average riding experience
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- average experience with unsurfaced roads
- steep ascents and descents
Location
You will spend the first couple of days riding dirt roads and crossing numerous streams and rivers near the base in the town of El Torno, not to mention exploring some breathtaking waterfalls. From there you will venture out even further as you ascend into the mountains via the old highway, as you go you will stop to check out an old (read inactive) volcano as well some impressive indigenous ruins.
In Santa Cruz’s backcountry you will reach elevations of more than 2,400 meters (8,000 feet). You will then pick up the trail of famous rebel, Ernesto “El Che” Guevara and visit the school house where he breathed his last breath. Then you will loop back around towards your staring point via some of nicest (read curviest) roads that Bolivia has to offer.
Food
All meals are included in your package. Please also let Bolivia Motorcycle Tours know about your particular diet in advance and most likely they will be able to meet your needs.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- 7 nights accommodation
- All meals
- Kawasaki KLR650 motorcycle rental
- Fuel
- Entrance fees for activities during the tour
- Tolls
- Ferry crossings
- Bi-lingual guide
- Airport transfers
- Support-truck with parts
- First aid kit and an auxiliary bike
What's not included
- Visas (for participants that would need one)
- Round-trip tickets to and from Bolivia
- Drinks of the alcoholic variety
- Snacks (both food and drink)
- Riding gear
- Vaccinations
- Traffic citations
- Souvenirs and the like
- Bike insurance (15 USD per day)
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Viru Viru International Airport
46 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Viru Viru International Airport (VVI). Transfer from and to the airport is included in the price. Bolivia Motorcycle Tours will pick you up from the airport.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.