Bolivian Roads - Current Condition?
 

Hi all

We`re in Sucre at the moment having worked on a hacienda for the last 3 weeks waiting for the rainy season to wind down.

We`re hoping to start back driving this weekend firstly going to Tarija, then Tupiza, then Uyuni, then Oruro, then Cochabamba over the next couple of weeks.

Has anyone driven any of these routes recently or can tell me whether any of it is paved (I know from Tupiza to Sucre is paved). At this moment I have no idea what the road conditions are like.

Cheers

Reece

Here in Tarija, we ve experienced draught for the last 3 weeks in the middle of the supposed rainy season.

Hello Sunshine...:palm:

going to ride these roads in about a week
 

Hi there - you have news already?
We're in Salta right now, on sunday heading north, San Pedro de Atacama, then Uyuni, Potosí, Sucre, La Paz and then Peru ...
Heard Uyuni is under water and it rained a lot around Potosí for the last 10days...

.k.

Hey folks, I'm a couple of weeks behind you. Please keep the thread updated; I'm going to need it :)

Hi,

I was in Bolivia last month. Sala de Uyuni was fille with water, high up in La Paz i had snow and everywhere else lots of rain but the main roads are all good:

Bolivia: from Uyuni to the road of death part 2

Have fun, Tobi

If you guys are willing to join, there is a group of motoqueros from Tarija that will head to the Salar around April 15. You guys are welcome to join.

Hi Vorteks,
That sounds great. I'll hopefully be there around that time. I'm still waiting on bike repairs though, hopefully should be sorted out in a couple of days.
I'll be in touch closer to that time and I look forwards to meeting you all.

Dunc.

Just come that way, san pedro, uyuni, potosi, Sucre, and about to head to cochabamba. bit of rain in potosi, but nothing major. road from uyuni to potosi 75% paved, potosi to Sucre all paved, road to Cochabamba mud and cobblestones apparently, but will know by this evening.
had no rain in uyuni, water on salt flats was still shallow enough to take bike out on it, though I now have a myriad of bike issues. worth it though :-)

Vorteks
I would love to join you but I don't think my bike will be ready in time. Will look forwards to hearing what you found to be good, bad & indifferent as I will head up there when i can.
Cheers

For anyone who is driving Bolivia I thought I would update on the roads travelled.

La Quica (Argentina) to Sucre (through Potosi) - Paved

Potosi to Uyuni - 90% paved, last 30km are a little tricky but its all getting paved

Uyuni to Oruro - First 150km dirt, can be tricky with lots of washboard roads, paved from Huari onwards.

La Quiaca to Tarija: First 10 or 20km paved, then turn right onto a dirt track at the sign.
Slow windy descent to a river valley, follow the river, slow windy ascent and then a humungous dirt straight through some of the biggest scenery I've ever seen. A couple of km of tarmac through Iscayachi and onto another twisty mountain track. Incredible views, an ascent to over 4000m and steep drops over the side. Watch out for the dust and wear eye protection. I wouldn't like to do this road in the wet but then my off road skills are somewhat limited.
About 200km, it took me about 6 hours.

Oh yeah, no petrol stations and maybe 2 or 3 hotels/hospitages along the way. Also, nowhere to buy water, food or cigarettes so stock up before you leave.

you can check my webpage... the route can be found (tab-Route) and a movie of it ('movies South America)... think it might give you some info!
(wasthere about 2 months ago)

Tarija to Potosi (RN1), about 50% paved. Some very good surfaces and some very bad. The last 60km before RN1 joins RN14 to Potosi are currently being surfaced and diversions are in place all around the tarmac. I had to do this bit after dark which isn´t recommended.
Potosi to Uyuni (RN5 but Google maps says RN701) nearly all paved with quality twisties and a surface so good they make you wish you´d brought a FireBlade. Mind you, the 20km or so left to do makes me glad for my XT. All apart from about 2km of this road has a pristine new surface apart from between Uyuni and Pulacayo. By the time you read this, they will have probably finished.

Hi Duncan
I am still here in Santi, was hoping to get bike back today (thats what they told me last week.
today they tell me they still haven't got the part & it iwll be 2 more weeks!
Do I believe them? i don't know!

Glad your bike is till going strong & thanks for the info regarding the conditions, I hope to get there soon!!!

cheers
Delb

Hey Delb,
I'm actually back in Chile at the moment, a town called Tocopilla on the Pacific coast. It's taken two days to ride from Uyuni, I couldn't cope with the altitude any more and the bike liked it even less.

Uyuni to Ollague: I followed the only route on my "GeoCentre World Maps South America Southern Region 1:4M" .
Uyuni to Ro Grande: I took the wrong road out of town and had to turn off 30km before San Cristobel. Good fast dirt.
Rio Grande to Julaca: Good fast dirt.
Julaca to San Juan: Good fast dirt and a detour on a causeway over the salar.
San Juan to Chiguana to Olllague: I took a wrong turn and ended up on the wrong side of the Salar De Ciguana. Too soft to ride across so I kept going. Didn't see another human being for about 2 hours. The track went from to worse and I fell off several times in soft mud. Scary to be so far away from people but exciting at the same time. Eventually got to the Chillean border and stayed overnight. Forgot to get a Bolivian exit stamp btw.
Ollague to Calama: Mostly dirt, some good, some bad, some scary. Last 50km are blacktop.
There is no petrol anywhere between Uyuni and Calama. That's 450km or so. I managed to persuade a nice lady in Ollague to part with 8 litres from a jerry can.

Good luck with your shock, you must be pretty bored of Santiago by now. Give me a shout when you're back on the road.

Dunc.