All 5 Challenge Families in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

San Andreas challenges test marksmanship, cycling control, motorcycle stunts, lowrider rhythm, and downhill racing outside the main mission chain. Some are required for 100% completion, while others are repeatable side activities with their own cash or skill benefits.

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Ammu-Nation Challenge

Visit a participating Ammu-Nation range. Weapon challenges unlock with story progress and improve shooting skill.

Category

Challenge

Objectives

Clear the Pistol, Micro SMG, Shotgun and AK-47 rounds.

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NRG-500 Challenge

This San Fierro bike challenge opens after The Green Sabre; each collected marker adds time to the clock.

Category

Challenge

Objectives

Ride the parked NRG-500 through every floating corona before time runs out.

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Lowrider Challenge

Bring a compatible lowrider after Cesar Vialpando. This challenge is optional and does not count toward 100% completion.

Category

Challenge

Objectives

Time the lowrider’s hops to the on-screen directions and beat the opponent’s score.

Chiliad Challenge

Start at the summit between 07:00 and 18:00 with sufficient cycling skill; all three routes count toward 100%.

Category

Challenge

Objectives

Win Scotch Bonnet Yellow Route, Birdseye Winder and Cobra Run.

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BMX Challenge

The challenge requires at least 20% cycling skill and contributes to 100% completion.

Category

Challenge

Objectives

Ride the parked BMX through every floating corona before the timer expires.

Separate required challenges from optional play

Ammu-Nation, BMX, NRG-500, and Mount Chiliad all matter for 100% completion. The repeatable Lowrider Challenge does not. That distinction is important because simply participating in every activity is not the same as finishing the required objective inside it.

Save before the longer attempts and build the relevant skill first. Higher cycling skill improves jumping and bike control, while better weapon skill makes the shooting range more manageable. The challenges remain available after the story, so there is no need to force a difficult run before CJ is ready.

Complete the Ammu-Nation weapon sequence

The Ammu-Nation Challenge runs at shooting ranges inside selected stores. Its weapon stages unlock with story progress: Pistol and Micro SMG after Doberman, Shotgun after The Green Sabre, and AK-47 after Yay Ka-Boom-Boom. Wait until the AK-47 stage is available if you want the full 100% result.

CJ competes against two shooters through three rounds for each weapon. The targets change from separate stationary boards to moving targets and then a shared target where fast, accurate hits matter. Complete the Pistol, Micro SMG, Shotgun, and AK-47 stages in one range session. A failed round can be retried without losing the sequence, but leaving the range before the full run is finished means starting again.

Short controlled bursts help with the Micro SMG and AK-47, while the Shotgun rewards timing more than frantic firing. Reload between targets when the round allows it, keep the aim near the next target position, and avoid wasting the magazine after an opponent has nearly finished the board. Completing the full challenge awards cash and weapon-skill increases alongside 100% progress.

Build cycling skill before BMX and Chiliad

The BMX Challenge starts by mounting the BMX at the Glen Park skate park in Los Santos. CJ needs at least 20% cycling skill before it activates. The goal is to collect the floating checkpoints around the park before time expires, with difficult markers placed above ramps, bowls, and raised structures. Each pickup extends the timer, so begin with reliable ground-level checkpoints and use the added time for jumps that need several attempts.

Approach a high checkpoint in a straight line, build speed before the ramp, and use the bunny hop near the lip rather than too early. If CJ repeatedly falls short, improve cycling skill elsewhere and return. More skill makes the jumps and landings less temperamental, which is a polite way of saying the bicycle stops behaving like it has a personal grievance.

The Chiliad Challenge starts from the Mountain Bike at the summit between 07:00 and 18:00, once cycling skill is above 40%. It consists of three downhill races that unlock in sequence. All three must be won for 100%, and attacking a rival fails the event.

Brake before the sharp dirt turns instead of during them, keep the bike upright over rough ground, and prioritize staying on the mountain. The shortest line is not useful if it launches CJ down a cliff without the bicycle. Later routes add narrower trails and harder jumps, so learn the shared final section during the earlier race rather than treating each course as unrelated.

Treat the NRG-500 route as a stunt puzzle

The NRG-500 Challenge begins by mounting the parked bike at the Easter Basin dry dock in San Fierro. The objective is to collect every checkpoint before the timer expires. Some are placed high around the dry dock and require using the ramps, so this is not a normal flat checkpoint route.

Take the easier checkpoints first to build time and learn how the bike accelerates across the basin. For the elevated markers, line up from farther away, keep the approach straight, and adjust the bike gently in the air. Repeatedly attacking the same jump from a crooked start usually produces the same crash with admirable consistency. Strong bike skill helps, and Bike School practice can make the NRG-500 easier to control.

Use the Lowrider Challenge for rhythm and wagers

The Lowrider Challenge becomes available through the Los Santos lowrider activity introduced around Cesar Vialpando. It uses the hydraulic rhythm controls: match the directional prompts in time with the music to outscore the opponent. It can be replayed and wagered on, but it does not contribute to 100% completion outside the required story event.

Watch the prompt timing rather than the car animation, use clean single inputs, and avoid pressing early when two directions appear close together. The vehicle needs working hydraulics, so bring an appropriate lowrider rather than an ordinary car with confidence.

Verify completion by the actual finish condition

For Ammu-Nation, finish the full weapon run through the AK-47 stage. For BMX and NRG-500, every checkpoint must be collected within the timer. For Mount Chiliad, win each downhill course rather than merely starting it. Lowrider participation is optional for the completion percentage.

When a save stalls below 100%, these challenges are easy to overlook because their markers and start vehicles do not behave like normal mission icons. Revisit the shooting range, Glen Park skate park, Easter Basin dry dock, and Mount Chiliad summit, then confirm that the final success message appeared for each required activity.

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