We booked our tour the day before for 380 BOB1 each. The pick up was from our hotel at around 6 AM but they ended up coming at 7 AM due to heavy traffic. It was a small tour group with only 4 people plus the guide and the minivan driver. From La Paz, it was about an hour and a half to the starting point of the bike ride which is at a magnificent viewpoint. We stopped at a toll station on the way where there were stalls to buy drinks and snacks. If you didn’t buy any snacks beforehand, I’d recommend picking some up here. Once at the starting point, we’re given full gear to put on and get some time to try out the bikes. Then when everyone is ready, we follow the guide down the road which is initially a tarmac road.
The minivan follows behind us which makes us feel safer when cars overtake. It’s a tarmac road for the first 30 minutes before reaching the start of the Yungas Road. At the entrance, everyone has to pay the 50 BOB entrance fee. Before the new highway was built, all vehicles traveled via the Yungas Road which has narrow winding roads with many blind corners. This is why it was so dangerous but now nearly all vehicles use the new safer highway and you’ll mainly just see bikes on the Yungas Road. The Yungas entrance has a viewpoint and seating area to rest/get ready before setting out. The guide handed out breakfast which was a sandwich, a banana, and a drink which was included with the tour.
After finishing breakfast and taking some pictures, we set out with the guide. Once again, the guide went first and the minivan followed behind. It’s a bumpy ride down on the dirt road and there are several U-turns. The guide doesn’t go too fast and if you feel you can go faster, he lets you go ahead and tells you where to stop to wait for the group. We made several stops at some viewpoints to rest and take pictures. One of the main stops was at a U-turn to take a picture sitting over the edge. There are always tour groups here taking turns for the picture. There is also a section where you go under a small waterfall so you’ll be getting wet. Weather-wise, the first part of the descent is a little chilly, but it quickly starts to get hotter and more humid.
There are several rest stops along the way and also signs. The best sign though is quite far down the trail where we stopped for about 20 minutes. There is also a zip lining place which we stopped at and the guide said we could do it, but we preferred to get down sooner. Overall, it was about 5 hours of downhill biking to reach the final rest stop at La Senda Verde. Here, we are allowed to use the shower facilities to get changed. There is also a pool to relax in while waiting for the buffet lunch to be served. There’s also a bar if to buy beers and drinks. After about an hour, we get back in the minivan to drive back up to La Paz. On the drive up, you’ll be able to appreciate the views more since riding down you’re only really looking at the road ahead. The drive back takes about 2-hours 30-minutes arriving in La Paz around 8 PM.
