Bolivia Mountain Biking: 10 Trails You Should Check Out!

The Bolivia mountain biking scene is one you should definitely check out! Tourism agencies offer amazing bike tours across the country.  

The trails and roads of beautiful Bolivia are some of the favorites for mountain biking lovers, experts, and beginners alike.

La Paz, capital city of Bolivia, sits at 12,693 ft above sea level, making it the highest city in the world. There, the air may be thinner, and exercising is an adventure on its own. But don’t let that scare you, there are enough mountain biking trails in Bolivia for you to enjoy while visiting the place.

So, if you are planning on visiting Bolivia to do some mountain biking, let’s explore 10 of the best trails for you to enjoy!

Let’s begin! 

Best Trails to Mountain Biking in Bolivia 

1. The Death Road – La carretera de la muerte

• Location: La Paz 
• Length: 38.82 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Hard
• Best for: A lot of different landscapes and terrains in just one route.

Just by the name alone we already know this is going to be one of the most dangerous roads to practice mountain biking in Bolivia. 

This trail is also known as the World’s Most Dangerous Road, because tourists and locals alike have lost their lives there, or have been severely injured. Still, la carretera de la muerte (the Death Road) is one of the most popular destinations for those who like adventure and sports. 

You will begin your adventure in La Cumbre (the Summit) at 15,000 feet of height, where the cold and snow add to the brutal start of this adventure. From there, the descent is not easy, but is highly enjoyable with more enjoyable weather and beautiful sights.

After 12 hours of biking, you will end your adventure in Yolosa, where you can rest, take a good meal, and brag (with much reason) about surviving while mountain biking in Bolivia Death Road.

2. Choro Inca Road – El camino inca del Choro

• Location: La Paz 
• Length: 31.5 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Hard
• Best for: One of the best Bolivian trails to enjoy biking.

La caminata del Choro—which is another name for el camino inca del Choro (Choro Inca Road)—is one of the oldest routes you can trek and practice mountain biking in Bolivia. 

When you start this trail, you begin on a wide, anciently paved road that the Inca built hundreds of years ago. From there you start to descend to the Yungas Valley, finding beautiful landscapes of snowy peaks, Inca walls, rivers, lagoons, and even waterfalls. 

The whole route can be completed in three days, and tourism agencies offer camping places for you to stay and guides.

3. The Devil’s Tooth – La muela del diablo

• Location: La Paz 
• Length: 5.4 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Easy
• Best for: Perfect for beginners.

La muela del Diablo (The Devil’s Tooth) is a volcanic formation that is one of the most iconic landscape features in La Paz, Bolivia, and a popular spot for mountain biking. 

You can reach this place through public transportation, and you might find people there doing trekking, mountain biking, and dirt biking. This route is fairly easy to follow and rated as easy, perfect for a relaxing adventure near the city. 

From this high point, you can enjoy the beautiful sights of La Paz and the surrounding mountains, enjoy nature, and learn a little bit more about the story of this volcanic formation, the lore that surrounds it, and Bolivian culture. 

4. Route Faro Murillo Aranjuez – Ruta Faro Murillo Aranjuez

• Location: La Paz
• Length: 28.06 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
• Best for: A great biking route without going out of La Paz.

This is a route you can do without going out or far from La Paz. 

Although it is a fairly easy route, it can be very demanding, and it can take a total of 10 hours to complete. 

Through this route, you can enjoy the urban landscape and natural spots of La Paz. There are resting spots where you can relax for a while before continuing your trip, and restaurants to take your meals. 

It may not be one of the most popular or recognized trails but is one you may enjoy if you don’t want to go out of the city to enjoy some biking. 

5. Pairumani Eco Touristic Park – Parque ecoturístico Molinos de Pairumani

• Location: Cochabamba 
• Length: 32.07 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
• Best for: Excellent place to spend a day between nature.

Located in the department of Cochabamba, this Ecoturistic Park has the perfect area for you to practice mountain biking in Bolivia.

Cochabamba is 235.06 miles from La Paz, roughly 7 hours away by car or bus. The Pairumani Eco Tourist Park is just 9 miles away from the city of Cochabamba and it offers you a place to practice some mountain biking through one of its several trails. 

The mountain biking trail is a loop and it takes around 3 hours to complete. The surrounding nature makes this trail something refreshing and relaxing, but there are points where your experience biking will shine, especially in the uphill sections. 

Read more about this beautiful park here.

6. Tunari Park – El Parque Tunari

• Location: Cochabamba
• Length: 26.94 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Hard
• Best for: Beautiful trail inside a protected area.

This beautiful national park is one of the perfect spots to practice mountain biking in Bolivia for experienced cyclists.

Tunari National Park is a protected area in Cochabamba and is around two and a half hours away from Cochabamba city by car, bus or taxi. 

In the park, you can enjoy nature, practice ecotourism, and of course, mountain biking. 

The mountain biking trail can be demanding, especially uphill, and for that reason, it is recommended only for seasoned cyclists. 

The shape of the trail is a loop, so after you get to the summit, the descent is going to be a breeze, with beautiful sights of nature and the city to enjoy while biking and resting.

Take into consideration that the route takes around 6 hours to complete. 

7. Religious Circuit – Circuito religioso

• Location: Cochabamba 
• Length: 31.5 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Easy
• Best for: A relaxing ride through the city.

I know this is a “mountain biking in Bolivia” guide, but you can’t deny that an easy, relaxing ride through Cochabamba isn’t tempting.

This trail is designed so you can visit all the different churches and religious temples that are in this beautiful city. Is a highly cultural activity and at the same time, you are able to travel through the place while enjoying a relaxing bicycle ride. 

You can take your sweet time traveling through the city and learning about the rich culture of the place. Perfect to enjoy a good time in the city without all the traffic and agglomerations.

8. Santa Cruz – Portachuelo Circular Route – Ruta circular Santa Cruz – Portachuelo

• Location: Santa Cruz
• Length: 96.49 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Hard
• Best for: Perfect for sightseeing Bolivian rural areas.

This is one of the most complete trails you can do while mountain biking in Bolivia.

The natural beauty of the trail is one of its most positive points. You can enjoy it while riding this circular trail that goes through Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Portachuelo.

You can expect an easy start in Santa Cruz, where the descent is easy and enjoyable, but the uphill part to reach Portachuelo is the one that will make you sweat. 

It can be really demanding, so be sure you are experienced enough for it, and while you visit it you can also enjoy other different activities on the trail. You can camp and do some trekking in the area. You can also see the Rio Moreno (Moreno River) and el Rio Cuchi (Cuchi River).

9. Santa Cruz Municipal Botanical Garden – Jardín Botánico Municipal de Santa Cruz

• Location: Santa Cruz 
• Length: 8.01 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Easy 
• Best for: A perfect route to learn about Bolivian nature.

This is one of the easiest and enjoyable routes to practice mountain biking in Bolivia. 

The Santa Cruz Municipal Botanical Garden is a circular trail that extends for 8 miles where you can enjoy a bicycle ride while basking in the freshness and beauty of the plants that live there.

It is perfect for any level of expertise, especially for those who are beginners in this sport. 

After you end the route, you can enjoy different activities in the botanical garden, where you can see more than 500 species of flowers, and different kinds of birds and small mammals. 

Definitely, a place for all to enjoy.

10. Chacatila Inca Road – El Camino inca de Chacatila

• Location: Chuquisaca 
• Length: 2.67 mi
• Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
• Best for: Short but unforgettable.

Chacatila is a short but unforgettable trail that you have to visit if you plan to do some mountain biking in Bolivia.

You can find it near the city of Sucre, in the department of Chuquisaca, 16 hours away from La Paz by car or bus. 

Is the perfect trail for moderately experienced cyclists, where you can coexist and enjoy nature while experiencing the adrenaline of mountain biking.

The trail is also a vestige of the Spanish conquest in Bolivia, so the natural and cultural richness of the place is a huge plus, especially for those who enjoy learning all about it. You can visit the dinosaur prints in Niñu Mayu or the Maragua Crater. 

Take into consideration that the Sun can be brutal in some sections of the trail and if there is fog, it can make it a little bit more difficult to traverse. But don’t give up, the experience is totally worth it. 

Excited for More?

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So what are you waiting for? Sign up today for a free 1-to-1 class with a certified native Spanish-speaking teacher at Homeschool Spanish Academy and begin to build up your knowledge! Check out our programs, take a peek at our affordable prices, and begin this new adventure with us! 

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