Bogotá to Buenos Aires.
My first-ever bike adventure began in 2019 in Colombia. Before that, I had discovered road cycling and triathlon during my university years in Göttingen, Germany, and quickly fell in love with the sport and the sense of freedom it gave me. After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I wanted to travel through South America—but I couldn’t imagine leaving my bike at home.
At the same time, I needed to complete a few internships for my degree. I decided to do one at a bike shop in Berlin: 8bar bikes. There, I not only learned about gravel riding, the mechanics of bikes, and cycling communities but also got my first taste of marketing in the bike industry.
Instead of earning money, I worked for a bike—my very first adventure bike, the 8bar Mitte. I flew to Mexico first to visit my cousin, and after a few weeks, I took my next flight to Bogotá, Colombia, to start my first bike adventure.
When I arrived in Bogotá, I connected with local cyclists, stayed with my first-ever Warmshowers (a couchsurfing network for cyclists) host, and made a rough plan of where I wanted to go. Together with my host, Rafael, I decided to do a loop in Colombia before heading further south.
On my very first solo day on the bike, I met Marcos, a Colombian runner and cyclist. He was out running when he started a conversation with me during a long climb. He jokingly asked if he could join me, and I said, "Of course, the road is big enough!" A couple of hours later, someone rode up behind me. It was Marcos, on a bike this time. He ended up traveling with me for almost 10 weeks. Thanks to him I picked up Spanish swiftly, learned how to find the cheapest hotels, eat the best street food and see some stunning sights along the way.
Challenges
The toughest challenge for me came early in Colombia when I got my first-ever food poisoning. I contracted an E. coli infection, which left me with severe stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. I had to stop in a small village for a few days to recover.
A local Colombian family took me in, cared for me, and helped me get the right medicine from the hospital. Their hospitality and kindness were overwhelming, and thanks to their support, I was able to recover and continue my journey northward.
The beauty of the journey
During my time in Colombia, I learned Spanish and discovered the essentials of bikepacking: eat, bike, sleep, repeat. I felt like I was flying. The high mountains of the Andes amazed me with their beauty, and I was constantly in awe of the strength of my body, the kindness of strangers, and the ever-changing landscapes. From the Andean peaks to white beaches, from beautiful towns to wild camping spots, the simplicity of living day by day on a bike was transformative.
Traveling with others
After wrapping up my time in Colombia, I took a bus to Lima, Peru, where I met my twin sister Rebekka. She joined me for a month as we cycled together through Peru and into Bolivia, finishing our adventure together at Lake Titicaca. Unfortunately, she faced the big challenge in the beginning. She developed altitude sickness, which forced us to slow down, rest, and even visit a hospital for extra oxygen. This period taught us to trust each other deeply, find a travel rhythm that worked for both of us, and become a true team instead of rushing through. When she left, I continued with Cynthia, a cyclist from Ecuador whom I got along with very well. We traveled for three months in total. For the last two weeks of my trip, I crossed parts of Brazil by bike and bus before reaching my final destination: Buenos Aires.
The final leg
At Foz do Iguaçu, the stunning waterfalls at the border of Brazil and Argentina, I decided to continue solo and discover a new country by myself. Riding through the endless streets felt like pure freedom. By that point in my trip, I had gained confidence in my ability to handle new situations, ask for help, and navigate unfamiliar places. All alone out there, I had time to reflect on how far I had come. Once again, I experienced great hospitality and beautiful nature. Lastly, I took a bus from Florianópolis to make it to the airport Argentina on time.
To avoid a massive culture shock when returning home, I decided to fly to Barcelona instead of Germany and cycle the last 1,000 kilometers back to Freiburg. Just before the next semester started, I arrived home to start all over again and move to a new city.
The Adventure of a Lifetime
This trip was so much more than just a bike ride. I became part of the global cycling family and experienced firsthand the joy of crossing countries by bike. The highlight of the journey? Crossing the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia’s breathtaking salt flats. It was a surreal, freeing experience that I’ll never forget.
Check out this talk I gave a year after the trip (German only). In it, I share anecdotes and some of my favorite photos: