Highlander 1: Bolivia Highlights by Motorcycle

Thirteen days across the Bolivian highlands, guided, on a supplied Suzuki DR650SE, rated Easy and covering 1,750 km.

Highlander 1 is written for riders who cannot take a long holiday, or who are unsure their skills are up to a lot of dirt road, but still want to see most of what Bolivia offers by bike. Only 15 percent of the route is unpaved, mostly well-kept gravel with little traffic, and on dirt days the distance is kept short. The highest riding point is 4,486 metres, so the guides brief the group on altitude before the climb to Potosi.

The tour starts on the Ruta del Che, then crosses the mountains to Sucre and the indigenous market at Tarabuco. Potosi comes next, with a visit to a 500 year old silver mine, followed by Pulacayo and the train graveyard at Uyuni. A full day rides the Salar de Uyuni, with stops at Inca Huasi, the flags monument and the Dakar monument. The route then turns north through Oruro to Cochabamba and its 40 metre Cristo statue, and on to Totora, a colonial town the operator describes as unchanged for a century, before returning to Samaipata.

Each price is per rider and covers the Suzuki DR650SE, tourist-class hotels, three meals a day, entrances, local guides, road tolls and fuel, with airport pickup at Viru-Viru in Santa Cruz and a 4WD support vehicle following the group. Scheduled groups are capped at six. Riders bring their own helmet and riding gear, book their own flights, and need travel insurance with adrenaline cover. Single room supplement and the lower passenger rate are listed on the operator’s dates page.