Michael and Lauren had already spent two months in Bolivia, riding south from La Paz to San Pedro de Atacama via the Uyuni Salt Flats, when they crossed back into a country grinding to a halt. Nationwide protests had blockades choking the roads, cutting off La Paz from food and medical supplies — so the pair set their sights on the mountains instead, hoping to ride around the chaos entirely.
Michael was aboard a Curve Uprock V2 in XL, Lauren on a Steel GMX+ in XS, both custom builds from Sam at Goat Cycles in Christchurch, put together specifically for six months chasing the hardest bikepacking routes across Bolivia and Peru. Light, low-maintenance, flat bars, full mechanical XT drivetrains and big brakes for the long Andean descents — everything built for exactly the kind of trip they were about to have.
Here's how it went.
We had already been in Bolivia for 2 months, riding from La Paz south to the town of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, via the Uyuni Salt Flats. We had just re-entered the country, in the midst of nationwide protests blocking the streets, and preventing food and medical supplies reaching La Paz. We hoped by taking mountain roads we would be able to bypass the blockades.
We set out from the village of Tablachaca, nestled at the base of the Cordilleras Quimsa Cruz and Tres Cruces in the Bolivian Andes. The town joined the Altiplano - a large, high elevation plateau averaging just over 4000m above sea level - to the mountains. Typical of most Bolivian villages, it was a mixture of half-finished red brick buildings and dilapidated mud-brick buildings with thatched roofs in various states of repair; those with no roof being used as llama pens. The only accommodation in town did not have a working toilet, but did have a bucket in the room…
After a breakfast of llama steak and rice in the town plaza (served with just a spoon, as is the Bolivian way), we began to climb. For the most part this first day was a steady climb on good dirt roads. It seemed we weren’t the only ones trying to bypass the blockades, as a steady stream of lorries passed us, straw hats belonging to Bolivian Cholitas just visible through the slats. By sunset we had reached the high point of our route, an unnamed pass between two high mountain lakes that reached 5135m. Mostly acclimated to the altitude, we still struggled beyond 5000m, and pushed the last of the way as the sun set behind the mountains. Despite being winter, daytime temperatures are generally near 20ºc, but the temperatures quickly drop once the sun is gone, usually around -10ºc. We reached our campsite at the bottom of the pass with painfully numb fingers, as we put the tent up under torch light.
Up here, miners work as collectives, digging into the mountains by hand, small tunnel entrances dotting the hillsides. Our campsite was overlooked by innumerable of these, some abandoned, others clearly still being worked.
After crossing another two passes just under 5000m in the morning, we entered the valley of the Rio La Paz. Whilst we were standing under glaciers and amongst snow at 4950m, the river coursed through dust and cacti over 3000m below us. Over the next 2 days we wound downhill, initially past llamas and potato fields, the traditional farming of the Andean peoples. As we descended, this gave way to fields of leafy green vegetables, more numerous villages, and scores of smiling people. We stayed in a local homestay with a family and their animals - dogs, geese, cows, donkeys, and chickens shared the yard, as we had a fantastic view over the valley. Continuing down, the lush farmland suddenly gave way as we crested a small rise - from now on there were no people, no water, no farms; just cacti. Due to the mining activity around, none of the few water sources this low are potable - it’s a minimum 1000m climb on either side in 30+ºc heat to the closest.
We ascended dusty, desert-like switchbacks, dripping sweat, looking for somewhere to pitch our tent for the night. After nearly 1000m of climbing, we entered farmland, and before long the town of Cotaña. I sat outside a tienda in town, as a group of concerned women gathered and tried to take me to a doctor; apparently I was so exhausted I looked severely unwell. Luckily Lauren managed to convince them all I needed was a coke and a sit down. We took this as a sign though, and checked into the alojamiento next door. These are very basic accommodations, with shared toilets, and often without a shower. Our room had only a thin sheet half covering a large window-gap into the foyer, and a stray dog staying in one of the rooms that emerged at 5am when I did.
We continued climbing for the next two days, up and over the opposite side of the valley from where we had entered. We were now directly underneath Illimani, a glacier-covered, 6462m high mountain that looms over La Paz and all the surrounding area. Over the pass the road became a disused mining road, a double track at best, crumbling rock at its worst. Mostly shaded, we passed by multiple frozen waterfalls until the biggest hurdle so far: a frozen stretch of road, fed by a frozen waterfall. About 20m long of slippery off-camber ice, ending in a 50m drop into the valley below. We tentatively slid our way over the ice, using the bikes as a crutch (Lauren more successfully than myself). Rounding the corner after this, we came to the basecamp for climbing Illimani, a broad, open plain with unobstructed views of the mountain. This was too good to pass up, so we pitched our tent and enjoyed the afternoon sun, and a double dinner of dehydrated meals we had brought back from Chile.
We had a 6km descent winding around ridges to start the next day, only complicated by the frequent icy patches from streams running down the road, which had returned to smooth gravel. Given the heat of the daytime, these quickly melted, and we were able to pass up and down stunning valleys, with farm plots dug into the side of near-vertical faces, and farm houses of wildly varying ages, from Pre-Incan Aymaran stone buildings to modern brick. The road remained in good condition, with the altitude (around 4500m) being the biggest constraint to our efforts; although if you have a fear of heights, the precipitous drop-off into the valleys could be a hindrance.
We briefly rejoined a major highway leading from the Amazon over the Andes - this was in much worse condition, and we were glad for our 2.6” tires on the descent, as it took 90minutes to cover the 20km due to the rough surface. We could have continued directly into La Paz on this road, but we wanted one more challenge before a rest - one more pass. We made it half way up the valley before sunset, camping next to an isolated lake, a few llamas being our only company whilst surrounded by 5000m peaks. The next day brought our biggest challenge, a 5km hike-a-bike up to the pass. After loading as much weight into our backpacks as we could, we set off. A steep tussocky gully to start off quickly gave way to more open fields, full of llamas, cows, and even a few horses. There were no farms or signs of habitation up here, only a single waist-high circular stone wall, about a metre across - these are used by shepherds to sit and watch the herd whilst being protected from prevailing winds, and are ubiquitous in the mountains.
When we finally saw the pass we were meant to cross, we didn’t believe it. This was the first real hike-a-bike either of us had done, and it didn’t seem possible. We had a GPS trail to follow, even if we didn’t have an actual trail, so took it slowly, winding first up the true right of the valley, across the basin at the top, and up towards the pass on the true left. At this altitude, the going was slow, even if we were well acclimatised after over 2 months here. It was 5-10 steps forward, then stop and catch your breath. As we got higher, the tussock gave way to steep scree, and then for the last 200m snow. Looking at our mountain bike shoes, we knew we were not appropriately dressed, but using the bike to steady us we made slow but steady progress. Winds were roaring at the top, enough I was worried they would blow my bike over the edge as I left it to take some photos.
The descent was much the same, but fortunately without snow - a steep scree slope before hitting the basin at the head of the valley. The bikes came into their own on this section, as we were able to follow a network of llama trails almost the whole way down the valley, over small ravines and rock. Only when the slopes became near-vertical did we decide to play it safe and walk. Eventually we joined a dirt road, which led to a larger valley, full of villages and farms. This would let us roll downhill all the way into downtown La Paz, where we would use the Teleferico system to reach our hostel. These are a gondola system serving as a public transport network, and for little more than $1, you and a bike get a whole cabin to yourself, to relax and enjoy the views of the city, and Illimani looking over you, whilst thinking about the 400m+ climb you’ve avoided by doing so.
The Setups
I’m on a Curve Uprock V2 in XL, and Lauren is on a GMX+ Steel in XS, both custom builds built by Sam at Goat Cycles in Christchurch. Both bikes were built specifically for our trip, 6 months attempting the most difficult bikepacking routes we could find in Bolivia and Peru, so we have aimed for light-weight, low-maintenance, and flat bars. We have full mechanical Shimano XT drivetrains and 4-piston brakes. I opted to increase the size of the rotors to help with my 90kg weight, a loaded bike, and the long Andean Descents. We wanted the power of hydraulic brakes more than the hypothetical ease of repair of mechanical discs. Lauren is running a flatbar on her steel GMX+ for comfort (a discarded stock bar from another mountain bike [Commencal Alpha 27]). I have a Terravail Lytho bar; these are a 20mm rise with 11º backsweep, for just a little more comfort compared to standard mountain bike bars whilst maintaining a natural ride feel offroad. I have 29” Dirt Hoops, and Lauren has 27.5” Aluminium Dirt Hoops, and we both run 2.6” Vittoria Mezcals. Apart from a broken spoke on my rear wheel following some rough handling to get the bike on the bus, we haven’t had any issues with the wheels or tyres at all.
Bag-wise, we both have Bags By Bird Goldbacks up front (Lauren’s supported by a Jack the Rack), which we have found very useful for access to clothing with the changeable weather, from 20c to freezing in minutes. We both run Paper Roads Aotearoa custom frame bags and top tube bags, and I have two treat bags for water bottles. Out back, I have a Tailfin Cargopack with two 10L panniers, which works well on the Uprock as you don’t need frame mounts. Lauren runs an Old Man Mountain Divide rack, with Old Man Mountain Ponderosa Panniers. These are great as they are sturdy, can strap down to be small for hike a bikes, but also open up when we need to carry a weeks worth of food. On top she has a Paper Roads Aotearoa Ultra Drybag. We both have dual King Cage Manything mounts on the forks, for various items like jars of peanut butter, or extra water for desert stretches.
