Once we leave Uyuni, the road winds up through multiple hairpin bends. We ride away from the salt flats and ride into the mountains. A new asphalt road brings us in no time in Potosi, our destination for the day, where we arrive around lunchtime. The town lies at the foot of the ’Cerro de Potosi’, which is also called ’the rich mountain’ because of the silver that is found here. The Spaniards were the first who took out the silver on a large scale. Potosi grew into an important trading town, with beautiful cathedrals and big mansions that were built during the colonial era. Now, several hundred years later, the mine is still in use. Although the city has lost some of its luster and glory, it is still very vibrant. We park the bikes at a hostel in the center of town and use the rest of the day to wander through the maze of streets in the historical center. Lees meer (Read more)

We reach Uyuni in the afternoon and park our bikes at Hostel Merith. We’re back in civilization and also back in a tourist hub. Uyuni is the northern starting point for the Lagunas route and the best place for visiting the “Salar de Uyuni”, the second largest salt flat in the world. With ​​over 10,500 square kilometers, the Salar is 100 times larger than the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US. From Uyuni you can make a multi-day trip across the salt flat and stay overnight at one of the many islands. You can do this with an organized tour in a 4×4, but you can also go without a guide on your own motorbike!

We have had a day to relax after the Lagunas Route and are ready for some new adventures! After seeing shots of the Dakar Rally riders racing across the salt flats and the filmclip by motorcycle traveller Sjaak Lucassen, who tries to set a speed record on the Salar on his Yamaha R1, we can’t wait to go to the Salar. Lots of inspiration! Lees meer (Read more)