Bolivia by bike
15 June 2018 | By Marieke |
After 2430km by bike in Perù, Bertrand gets to Bolivia.
The first day in Bolivia drives Bertrand at the outskirts of La Paz. He will avoid the city and cycle in the direction of Uyuni. Good weather enables a beautiful view of the mountains Huay Huayna Potosi and Illimani, 6000m high. Betrand plans to climb those mountains later on.
The road is quite flat and Bertrand cycles quickly in the Bolivian wilderness. At this point, he will celebrate his 10 000km by bike in South America after 18 months cycling. Bertrand started his trip in Mexico in Decembre 2016 and plans to reach Ushuaïa.
On the road to Uyuni, Bertrand will meet a Colombian guy, Luis. They decide to cycle together for a few days. It will break the monotony of these long straight roads that never end.
One of the noticeable changes between Perù and Bolivia is the food. There aren’t more than 2 different dishes to choose from, either served with rice or with French fries.
After a few days, the two travellers arrive at the famous Salar de Uyuni, under the waters in this season.
“This salt desert is located 3 658m high. With a surface area of 10 582km2, it’s the largest salt desert in the world and represents a third of the exploitable Lithium stock of the planet. Its dimensions are 150km x 100.”
Bertrand than plans to take 3 weeks to discover the area, to climb the two mountains he saw upon his arrival in Bolivia. His bike and STD 100 trailer will stay at Uyuni for the moment. He will then cross the Lipez desert for 10 days in total autonomy before reaching the Chilean frontier.
