Frequent asked questions

Q:  I would like to discover Bolivia by motorcycle with Bolivia Motorcycle Adventures but I don’t have a lot of dirt-road experience.                                                    A: We start slowly and on asphalt. The first day is your adapting learning day.
If you arrive earlier in Samaipata, we could ride some days together to improve your dirt-road skills quickly. We are used to this situation.

Q:  What do I have to know about riding in Bolivia?
A:  In Bolivia only few roads are maintained regularly. They could be politically blocked or washed away and bridges could collapse. This means we need to be flexible and prepared to adjust our plans or route.
Adventure discovering riding and safely riding at all times is our main concern. At Day 2 during the Pre-Tour briefing we will inform you about our safety policies, -protocols for Bolivia and its special, sometimes funny traffic rules.

Q:  What happens, if I fell ill in remote areas, like get altitude sickness, digestive problems or even a serious health problem?
A:  Some people (10-20%) may experience symptoms of altitude sickness when going into hight altitude. This varies from mild headache to nausea and sleeplessness.
The assistance vehicle driver has First-Aid knowledge and the lead guide is medically trained and titular of PHTLS and ACLS certificates (Pre-Hospital Trauma/ Cardiac management). During the tour the guides give recommendations about clean alimentation and how to reduce/ avoid altitude sickness.
We carry stabilizing medical equipment: Venous access, oxygen saturation, arterial pressure, spine board, stiff-neck, basic and live saving medicine, like cardio vascular and snake bite serums…
We will travel in areas like the high plateau desert with difficult access to medical services. That’s the reason why the tour leader carries a PLB (Personal Location Beacon) registered at the “IERCC” (“International Emergency Response Coordination Centre”).

Q:  What happens if I want to take a break from riding during a tour?
A:  You can rest on demand in the support vehicle where we will also load your bike.

Q:  I understood the spoken language during a planned/ non-custom tour is English. Unfortunately my English knowledge is not very good.
A:  The lead guide speaks five languages: English, Français, Deutsch, Español…

Q:  I’m very small, tall, overweight or want to bring my partner as a pillion. Will I be able to ride one of your motorbikes?
A:  There are some body size and weight limits, but we have special versions of Suzuki DR650SE bikes for small, tall, overweight riders or lightweight pillion duos. Please contact us.

Q:  My group likes to ride on a tour with Bolivia Motorcycle Adventures. But unfortunately the dates of the planned tours don’t fit our possibilities?
A:  Contact us and let us know which dates work best for you and we will try to organize a custom tour.

Q:  What about security in Bolivia?
A:  Bolivia is a developing country but compared to many other South American countries, it still is the Wild West. Bolivians are a quite friendly people. But when in Rome, do as Romans do. Don’t cross the law and always try to avoid conflicts.

Q:  Will I be able to stay in touch with my family and friends during the tour?
A:  Most of our hotels have Wi-Fi. Your family and friends can follow your adventure per BMA-Facebook or BMA-Instagram. We will post regularly pictures with a small comment from the tour.

Q:  What could the temperature be like? Will it rain?
A:  The weather in Bolivia can be quite unpredictable, but we only tour in the dry season from April to November. The best month for motor biking in the high plateau desert (4,200 – 5,800m altitude) is November.