Favorite Cycling Routes: South Yungas (Bolivia)

Posted on January 14, 2016 by The Wandering Nomads

This green and very hilly route will take you up and over two 4,700m passes as well as over smaller ones in the almost jungle-like vegetation for a total of 10,000m of elevation gain. The people are friendly and welcoming, and the villages are picturesque as they sit atop hills for as far as the eye can see all over the various valleys. We found this route to be difficult due to the heat and humidity, though it was a nice change from the high altitude cold nights.

A cyclists nightmare; tunnels.

Little villages in the middle of nowhere!

One of the towns we stayed in.

These guys were not happy to see us on their road! Most aggressive Turkey we have ever met.

Switchbacks anyone!?

Typical farming house.

Typical green hills which make up this region.

Some of the towns throughout this area were deserted as many people are headed to the cities.

A lady and her son walking down the road.

Cycling through a stream, great way to cool down!

This patchwork farming was everywhere, which really reminded us of northern India.

A typically dressed lady walking with her son.

Switchbacks anyone!?

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Favorite Cycling Routes: Double Salars (Bolivian Altiplano)

Posted on January 8, 2016 by The Wandering Nomads

Though I visited the Salar de Uyuni by jeep on a trip years ago, cycling across was a whole different incredible expedience. The first eighty kilometers were busy with tourists, but after that, we had the other half and the whole other Salar completely to ourselves. It’s really easy cycling across the salars as its flat and hard-packed, though the forty kilometers of sand in between was much slower going. This is definitely a must do route for anyone cycling Bolivia as its just so unique to spend days cycling across pure white salt.

We met an awesome Swiss duo (father and son) going the other way. We were surprised they were the only cyclists we met since we know its a popular route.

This was one of many mostly deserted villages we have passed throughout our time in Bolivia. Most of the people have left for the cities where there are more job opportunities.

Finally a cycling photo of both of us!

Dance party on the Salar!

Kevin far off in the distance. The Salar de Uyuni (though not the smaller one I’ll talk about next time) has this hexagon shaped natural marks all over the whole thing.

Us, our bikes, and our home! Salt flats, May 2015.

No hands!

We ate lunch on the island on our second day.

Typically when we stop cycling for the day I start cooking as Kevin sets up the tent.

It’s never good when you can see your own tracks in the sand.

My four dollar Chilean cowboy hat has been a savior out here! The sun reflected off the salt and burned any exposed skin.

This, for us, is a road. Little jeep paths such as these are what makes Bolivia so fun!

The hexagons of salt were so defined, we assume it has something to do with how the water evaporates because every rainy season the salt flats turn into a lake.

Beautiful sunset in solitude.

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Favorite Cycling Routes: Extended Lagunas Route (Bolivian Altiplano)

Posted on January 4, 2016 by The Wandering Nomads

Contemplating the ride.

This tough but extremely rewarding route took us through the first hundred kilometers of the typical lagunas route (past Laguna verde) before taking us away from the main jeep route and onto a much less used beautiful jeep track which led us up and over multiple 4,700m+ high passes. This was my favorite route in Bolivia (and one of my favorites in all of the world), and I would highly suggest it to anyone up for a bit of a challenge!