Bolivia: Puerto Villaroel -> Trinidad -> La Paz
 

Hi,

I am in Cochabamba with my KLR 650 at the moment. I read on this page a suggestion that one could take a boat from Puerto Villaroel to Trinidad. Is that possible with a motorbike?

Furthermore, when getting to Trinidad (actually La Santísima Trinidad) my plan was to head back to La Paz / Coroico via ruta 3. Does anybody have information on that road? Is it drivable? Is it worth it?

People (here on Hubb) have mentioned ruta 25 from Cochabamba to La Paz as a beautiful road... Anybody got any advice on what to pick?

BR
Jørn

Ps.: Anybody in the neighbourhood that wants to join such a round-trip, let me know :-)

A boat or barge that travels this kind of river is sure to accept all manner of cargo. There wll be a charge for you and another for the motorcycle. Are you really are interested in spending several days floating on a barge. Its pretty boring stuff. I took a slow barge across the Amazon from Macapá to Belem, which was pretty cool, but mostly because I was across a legendary river.

I searched Google with the term 'puerto villarroel to trinidad' and found lots of results. This one mentions 4-5 days on a barge and mosquitoes.

https://laaventuraproject.com/tag/puerto-villarroel/

If you decide to take boat, buy a hammock (with mosquito netting a) or some kind of sleeping pad. Barges sometimes have sleeping cabins, but most passengers hang a hammock. Keep your valuables secure as you can. Remember that those that take a barge can't afford airfare. Also clarify if meals are included. Pick up supplies as needed. My provisions included a six pack of beer, which I gave one beer to the cook in return for keeping the beer cold. bier

My advice, take the roads, not a ferry, unless you really want a river story.

Google you say??? :-D
 

Hehe... thanks for doing my research... I should have done my googling better :-o I'll buy you a (cold) beer if we ever meet :-)

Anyway... 4 days on the boat - yes, that was actually the kind of thing I was looking for. Ok - perhaps only 2 or 3 days, but still. I got a (mosquito safe) tent, water filter, stove, etc. - So all I would need would be to stock up on food. That said, I found another link which describes that during the dry season (May to December) the trip may last up to 10 days. That is a bit too long for me.

For reference:
Southern Beni

Hehe... my original intention with my question was actually regarding the roads from Trinidad back to La Paz. But thanks for enlightening a rookie on tour :-D

I'll think a bit more about it - it does sound like I should just drive north from where I am.

~Jørn

I have a plan to one day return to SA and ride eastern Bolivia, so I am keen to hear your experiences. I mostly stayed on the major highways and even there finding gas could be a problem. Taking the 'back roads' are clearly possible, but the challenges for finding gas remain. If you haven't figured it out already, gas can usually be found in even small villages. It won't look like a classic gas station. Maybe is a dusty store or shack next to a restaurant and it has just what you need. All you have to do is ask (in spanish) 'who is selling gas' and you'll probably get pointed in the right direction. That's when haggling begins, but you don't have much leverage. The price is usually somewhere between what locals pay and the higher price that tourist pay at gas stations.

Before heading down one of the long Bolivian stretches between villages, when you are filling up your tank, fill up a few large soda bottles at a gas station with spare fuel. Then stop and refill at your first opportunity...until you are back in an area where it's easy to find gas...perhaps that easy to find gas place is Peru. =)


:scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter: :scooter:

Hi Peter (and others),

Just to follow up on this, now I have "safely returned to Peru" ;-)

Yes... I did know about the trick with bottles - well... more or less... I had bought myself 2 x 4L canisters that would fit on my bike. Turns out, though, as you say, most places you can get gasoline if you ask around so they were not necessarily essential for surviving. But they did safe me a couple of times from paying national price - either by postponing my need for gasoline, or by going to the gas station with canisters only, facilitating a local price.

About the routes... I took Ruta 25 from Cochabamba to Coroico. That was an interesting adventure. Mostly because I did not realise how long it would take. I had calculated with a day and a half, but ended up spending 2½ days on the route - and the last day should really have been split into two. I was really exhausted when I arrived at Coroico. I had decided to stay on Sol y Luna (very good place) but was very disappointed to find out the restaurant had closed half past 7, and I arrived there at 7.45pm. So I had to do with a emergency rice-and-canned-tuna for dinner :-/

Anyway... the road on Ruta 25 is in good condition. It gets a bit more rough at the northern parts, but nothing much. The main hassle is the bends and curves. On many stretches the road itself is in a condition where you would normally drive 60-70km/h - but because of all the bends (and on-coming traffic) you find yourself at an average speed of 30km/h. Or at least I did.

The largest issue would be the water crossing. There is a bridge which has been removed. Instead the locals cross the river directly - which is doable in the dry season, but in the wet season ymmv. I got in knee-deep on my moto but got through without problems otherwise. At another river (further north), Maps.Me told me to cross the river directly, but a few friendly locals advised me about a (newly build?) bridge that were not on the maps. It made it a lot easier :-)

Information about the river crossing can be found on the iOverlander app.


I also took the Death Road - just because it is a legend. Verdict? Meh... don't do it. It has been sanitised and tolls have been set up to scoop money from tourist. Apparently to improve safety on the road - but I am not sure if one or all are scams. Take the new road on a day with no clouds - the views are amazing and the especially the last stretch (from the Death Road to La Paz) is really fun to drive on by moto. Good asphalt, lots of curves. Your moto may loose a bit of breath, though, due to the altitude ;-)


Ruta 3 - Coroico to Yucuma. Fun road... More exposed and more rough than Ruta 25, but a bit faster to drive because of fewer bends. The road is more varied here... asphalt stretches mixed with dirt road. Some parts gravel, some parts sand, some parts rubble / loose cobbles. The last part (near Yucuma) is officially closed Monday to Saturday, 6am to 5pm, but motos can pass by. Perhaps also cars, if you sweet talk them a bit - at least locals seems to be driving on the stretch during "closing hours".


Anyway... just wanted to give a small update. iOverlander is a good resource (if you don't already know it). Also, if you care to see a few photos, take a look at my blog posts from Ruta 25 and 3:

Ruta 25 – Tall Dane's Tale
The Madidi Jungle experience – Tall Dane's Tale

Hi Jørn,

I read a few of your blog posts. Looks like you are having a lot of fun.

Its tricky crossing rivers. I got soaking wet boots twice. Once on a very rainy day in Venezuela when I refused to stop early and put on proper rain gear. The damp boots led to athlete's foot, quickly treatable with over the counter, but a hassle all the same. The second soaking was on the way to Machu Picchu, following a truck through a stream that crossed the road. Lost control of the bike at low speed, dropped and picked the bike out of water in record time...but not before one pannier was flooded. I had left some luggage back in Cusco, including a pair of dry sneakers. With luck I found a pair of cheap rubber sandals in Santa Teresa and used them to walk the 22 km to and from Aguas Calientes.

I have heard of the iOverlander app and will use it on the next trip.

The twists and turns in mountain road will surely slow you speed. Like everyone, I would look at two points on Google Maps and think I could estimate my travel time as if I was on a major highway. Ha! AS a rule of thumb, double the time you are used to taking to get from point A to B. Just about the time you start to speed up coming out of a turn, then the next curve starts. People that haven't done it think curves are fun, peg scratching good times, but they forget you are on gravel roads, pot holes are just around the bend and there could be any manner of large object blocking the road just around the turn. =) Take it slow. Arrive alive. No need to set a land speed record. Cover few miles each day and spend more time hanging out with locals.

A piece of advice, the backpacker hostels are full of people that you will see back home. Sure, hang out a bit, then get out and see the sights. I spent a few too many hours in hostel bars, when I should have been balancing the time in bars where everyone speaks Spanish. bier

Enjoy Peru. There is a lot to see in that country and they are happy to sell you gas. :D

Yeah, the thing about refusing to stop early... it sometimes comes right back at you :-/

Yes, the locals often like to talk :-) Unfortunately my Spanish is still very basic. So going to a (noisy) bar to talk to (non-sober) locals... perhaps next trip ;-)

I am currently in Cusco. I enjoyed Lake Titicaca (stayed in Llachon - great place) and so far Cusco is really amazing. I am looking forward to the next couple days.

~Jørn