Table of contents
- Route SummaryRoute Summary
- Detailed Route DescriptionDetailed Route Description
- Lake Titicaca: Discovering the Magic of Copacabana & PunoLake Titicaca: Discovering the Magic of Copacabana & Puno
- Arequipa: The Base for Challenging Mountain HikesArequipa: The Base for Challenging Mountain Hikes
- Colca Canyon: Charming Villages, a Hike to an Oasis, and the Epic Road Less TraveledColca Canyon: Charming Villages, a Hike to an Oasis, and the Epic Road Less Traveled
- Riding on Fumes: Returning a Broken Motorbike to BoliviaRiding on Fumes: Returning a Broken Motorbike to Bolivia
- Back in La Paz: More Hiking, More Mountain PeaksBack in La Paz: More Hiking, More Mountain Peaks
- Was this trip a failure?Was this trip a failure?
Route Summary
We can divide the one-month journey into two parts: first with the motorbike, and second without it.
Starting in the late afternoon on the first day, I set out with the goal of reaching Lake Titicaca and the Peruvian border as quickly as possible. It took me four days to reach Copacabana, where I crossed the border the following morning. After exploring Puno and the islands on Lake Titicaca for a few days, I continued my journey through mountainous landscapes to Arequipa. From the white city as a base, I completed two major hikes, one to a 5,600-meter peak and the other to 6,000 meters, before heading into Colca Valley.
After riding through small villages and tackling a few more trails, I drove south along tough gravel roads to exit the valley. However, upon arriving in Majes, I discovered an oil leak under my motorbike. The rear suspension had failed, and it seemed that its life had come to an end.
Due to time constraints and the lack of mechanical support in Majes, I decided it was best to send the motorbike back to Bolivia. With the bike on a truck and myself on a bus, we headed back to the border. Once I crossed the border, I drove the damaged motorbike back to La Paz at a very slow pace. After getting the motorbike onto a new truck, I took on two more mountain hikes before flying back to Santa Cruz, 29 days after starting my adventure.
Total distance covered with the motorbike about 2000 km over 17 days meant an avarage 120 km / a day.
Detailed Route Description
| # | Date 2024 | From | To | What |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.05 | Santa Cruz | Buena Vista | Hotel 100 bs |
| 2 | 3.05 | Buena Vista | Cochabamba | Hotel 70 bs |
| 3 | 4.05 | Cochabamba | La Paz | Hotel 150 bs |
| 4 | 5.05 | La Paz | Copacabana, Titicaca | Hotel 120 bs |
| 5 | 6.05 | Copacabana, Titicaca | Puno, Peru | Hostel Mirador Korichaska 42 Sol |
| 6 | 7.05 | Puno | Puno City Tour | Hostel Mirador Korichaska 42 Sol |
| 7 | 8.05 | Puno | Tour de Islas | Hostel Mirador Korichaska 42 Sol |
| 8 | 9.05 | Puno | Arequipa | Hostel La Casa de Chamo 49 Sol |
| 9 | 10.05 | Arequipa | City Tour | Hostel La Casa de Chamo 49 Sol |
| 10 | 11.05 | Arequipa | Hike Pichu Pichu 5660 m | |
| 11 | 12.05 | Arequipa | Hike Chachani 6050 m | |
| 12 | 13.05 | Arequipa | Hike Chachani 6050 m | |
| 13 | 14.05 | Arequipa | Yanque | Le Foyer Colca 89 Sol |
| 14 | 15.05 | Yanque | Explore waterfall, Inca ruins and hot springs | Le Foyer Colca 89 Sol |
| 15 | 16.05 | Yanque | Cabanaconde | Mirkos House 30 Sol |
| 16 | 17.05 | Cabanaconde | Hike to the valley - Sangalle | Mirkos House 30 Sol |
| 17 | 18.05 | Cabanaconde | Majes | Long gravel road, rear shock broken at the end |
| 18 | 19.05 | Majes | ||
| 19 | 20.05 | Majes | ||
| 20 | 21.05 | Majes | ||
| 21 | 22.05 | Majes | Arequipa | Motorbike on a truck to Desaguadero, myself by bus to Arequipa |
| 22 | 23.05 | Arequipa | Desaguadero | Bus to Desaguadero |
| 23 | 24.05 | Desaguadero | Moto arrival, cross to Bolivia with motorbike | |
| 24 | 25.05 | Desaguadero | La Paz | Drive to La Paz with a broken motorbike. Put moto on a truck to Santa Cruz. |
| 25 | 26.05 | La Paz | Hike Pico Austria 5320 m | |
| 26 | 27.05 | La Paz | Hike Huayna Potosi 6080 m | moto arrives to SC |
| 27 | 28.05 | La Paz | Hike Huayna Potosi 6080 m | |
| 28 | 29.05 | La Paz | Hike Huayna Potosi 6080 m | |
| 29 | 30.05 | La Paz | Santa Cruz | Fly to Santa Cruz |
Lake Titicaca: Discovering the Magic of Copacabana & Puno
Lake Titicaca, situated at 3,800 meters above sea level, is the highest navigable lake in the world. The lake stretches about 190 kilometers in length and varies in width, with the widest point being approximately 80 kilometers across, making it the largest lake in South America by surface area. The Lake Titicaca area has been inhabited for thousands of years and is home to fascinating historic cultures to this day.
I stayed in Copacabana, Bolivia, for a night before continuing my journey. I chose a place called Hostel Sol y Lago, which has gorgeous views of the lake. It also had safe parking in the yard.
Arequipa: The Base for Challenging Mountain Hikes
For Chachani, I decided to hire a guide. The climb is a two-day trip, starting with a drive to the mountainside in a 4×4 truck. From there, it’s a two-hour hike to Basecamp, where we rested and ate before an early night.
At midnight, we began the ascent under the stars. Reaching the summit of Chachani, above 6,000 meters, a little after sunrise was an unforgettable experience.
Thanks to the volcanic sand, descending was much quicker, and we returned to Arequipa by mid-afternoon. I used the services of Quechua Explorer Andean Mountains, and I can wholeheartedly recommend them. The only drawback was that they assigned just one guide for a group of five people, which might be a bit risky considering that some people might get altitude sickness and would need to return mid-climb.
Colca Canyon: Charming Villages, a Hike to an Oasis, and the Epic Road Less Traveled
From Arequipa, I backtracked a little bit and then entered Colca Canyon. The road went over impressive pampa landscapes at a staggering altitude of 4,500 meters above sea level, after which the curvy mountain roads took me down into the canyon and to a small, quaint village called Yanque. I stayed in that local village for two nights.
Yanque turned out to be one of the most beautiful stops in Peru. I was lucky to witness local traditional dances with bulls and took on a half-day walk to ancient pre-Inca Uyo Uyo ruins and to a waterfall just above them.
From Yanque, I continued the exploration of Colca Canyon even further and drove to the next town. Cabanaconde is traditionally a starting point for visitors wishing to take on hikes in the canyon. It is possible to do multi-day hikes around the area but I decided to hike down into the canyon and out the same way in one day.
The hike from Cabanaconde to Sangalle, or the Oasis, took me through the stunning landscapes of the Colca Canyon. Starting at 3200 meters, I descended about 1200 meters to reach the Oasis at 2100 meters, a lush and peaceful spot surrounded by palm trees and small pools. The trail was steep and challenging, especially the climb back up. It took me around 6 hours round trip, but the refreshing vibe of the Oasis made the effort more than worthwhile.
From Cabanaconde, the real adventure on the motorbike began. Looking at the map, it seemed obvious that to continue my route through Peru and exit Colca Canyon, I needed to take the road southwards. Little did I know that the road conditions would be very different from the well-paved route from Arequipa.
The journey started with almost zero traffic and absolutely stunning views. The first 50 kilometers offered smooth asphalt and winding roads that were a joy to ride. However, after passing through the small village of Huambo, the road turned into gravel for the next 120 kilometers, all the way to Majes. But what an epic route it was!
The landscape transformed as I rode, revealing orange-tinged lagoons, herds of vicuñas (or perhaps guanacos—it’s hard to tell them apart), and endless, lonely roads. The final stretch, with its corrugated gravel surface, proved challenging on the motorbike, but it was all part of the adventure.
Riding on Fumes: Returning a Broken Motorbike to Bolivia
The last ride was epic but also back-breaking. After checking into a hotel in Majes, I noticed an oil leak under the motorbike. It turned out the leak was coming from the rear suspension, leaving the bike undrivable in that condition. I searched for a mechanic in Majes, but the places I visited told me they couldn’t help. After much consideration, I decided the best option was to send the motorbike back to Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Getting the necessary repairs done in Majes seemed impossible, and sourcing a replacement part would likely take ages.
I managed to arrange transport for the motorbike from Majes to the Bolivian border at Desaguadero with Transportes Josy. I travelled there myself using public buses.
At the border, we unloaded the motorbike, and I rode it slowly across, hoping to find another truck on the Bolivian side. I asked around with my beginner-level Spanish but couldn’t find anyone able to transport the bike further. With no other options, I decided to spend the night and then cautiously ride to La Paz. While the rear suspension wasn’t functional, it wasn’t physically broken, allowing me to ride at a slow and bumpy 30–40 km/h.
The first challenge was finding fuel, as I was nearly running on fumes. At that time, Bolivia was experiencing a fuel shortage, and many gas stations were completely empty. Since I was near the Peruvian border, I left my motorbike, crossed the border on foot, took a taxi to a nearby gas station, and filled two Soda bottles with fuel before returning the same way.
The 120 kilometers to La Paz, luckily, went smoothly. Once I arrived, I loaded the motorbike onto another transport I had prearranged. This truck would take the motorbike all the way to Santa Cruz in two days, where I had arranged for it to be taken directly to a workshop.
Back in La Paz: More Hiking, More Mountain Peaks
Back in La Paz, I found myself a motorbike traveler without a motorbike. I had been eyeing a few hikes in the area for some time, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity to tackle them. Especially since I had a long acclimatization period behind me by that point. I reached out to the mountaineering and trekking tour operator Jiwaki and booked two guided hikes: Pico Austria (5320 meters) and Huayna Potosí (6080 meters) back-to-back.
Hiking Pico Austria turned out to be more of a challenge than I had expected. By the time I reached the summit, I was completely out of breath. But the views from the top were nothing short of spectacular. I was rewarded with a direct view of the next challenge—Huayna Potosí—as well as Lake Titicaca and even Bolivia’s highest peak, Nevado Sajama, visible in the distance.
The day after hiking Pico Austria, I returned to the agency to begin a three-day adventure to summit Huayna Potosí. The first day was dedicated to gathering equipment, glacier training, and settling into the base camp. On the second day, we hiked to the high camp at 5,100 meters, carrying all our gear in preparation for the summit attempt. The ascent to the peak was scheduled to begin shortly after midnight.
It was my first experience being roped up and hiking on a glacier. We climbed through the night, reaching the summit just in time to witness the sunrise breaking over the horizon—a truly unforgettable moment. I thoroughly enjoyed both the ascent and descent of Huayna Potosí. This mountain is undoubtedly one of the most scenic hikes I’ve had the privilege of climbing in my “career” in the mountains.
Was this trip a failure?
Absolutely not! In fact, I didn’t feel very disappointed when the motorbike broke down. Stuff happens, and it opens the door to new adventures and opportunities. I’m very satisfied with this experience, and I’m already bound to return to Peru very soon!
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