Avec 2 amis, nous comptons descendre l'Amérique du sud par la côte ouest l'automne prochain, du 30 septembre à fin novembre.
Le projet est d'envoyer les motos en container à Cartagène en Colombie et descendre jusqu'à Ushuaia en suivant les Andes, donc via Equateur, Pérou, Bolivie et Chili/Argentine.
Je cherche des infos ou retours d'expérience sur cet itinéraire, mais aussi surtout sur les questions de douanes, en particulier le dédouanement au port de Cartagène en Colombie (Un tour opérateur local nous a laissé entendre que cela peut prendre plusieurs jours) et sur les question d'assurance (SOAT) notamment sur les bonnes adresses pour les trouver.
J’ai fait une bonne partie de votre itinéraire en moto il y a quatre ans.
Pour les questions d’assurance, je ne sais pas s’il y a eu du changement, mais à l’époque, concernant l’Equateur et le Pérou, il fallait prendre un contrat pour chaque pays, et je crois que c’était pareil pour la Colombie.
En Equateur, j’étais arrivé par le sud, donc je n’ai pas de plan du côté de la frontière colombienne. Comme il n’y avait personne qui s’assurait, cela ne se trouvait que dans les grandes villes : j’avais pris mon assurance à Loja, dans une banque, genre 3 dollars pour un mois ! Pour vous, il vous faudra sans doute chercher du côté de Tulcan ou Ibarra.
Au Pérou, le SOAT se trouve facilement dans les grandes villes, il y a plein de compagnies d’assurance. Ne pas hésiter à comparer les prix, c’est une aubaine pour un assureur de s’occuper de bécanes européennes (j’avais pris chez « La Positiva »)! Mais de toutes les façons, ce sera plus cher qu’en Equateur !
Pour le Chili et l’Argentine, je me suis assuré à Jujuy en Argentine (compagnie d’assurance classique « Seguros Rivadavia », contrat valable aussi pour le Chili et la Bolivie).
Concernant les itinéraires, vous allez être embêtés en Equateur, il vous faudra choisir entre les Andes et le Pacifique. Mais il y a quand même plus de beaux paysages dans les montagnes, avec quelques superbes pistes ou petites routes vers un volcan enneigé ou une laguna cachée.
Je me suis régalé sur la route au sud allant de Loja en Equateur jusqu’au Pérou, en passant par Vilcabamba, Zumbia, San Ignacio, Jaén (ça ne sert à rien d’y trainer…), Chachapoyas (un coin super et tranquille!), Balsas et Cajamarca.
J’ai fait cet itinéraire du sud au nord, mais c’est pareil dans l’autre sens : un bonheur de pilotage sur des pistes ou des routes vertigineuses en bordure de ravins, avec des changements de paysages incroyables (montagne, aride, tropical).
La Panam au nord de Lima est horrible et ennuyeuse, si vous pouvez, passez par Huaraz, secteur magnifique.
La Panam au sud de Lima est plus sympa, voir très belle à partir de San Juan jusqu’à Camana (ah le ceviche dans le petit restau sur la place centrale!).
Si vous avez le temps, poussez jusqu’au canyon de Cotahuasi, une vraie « aventure » en bécane, mais il faut trois ou quatre jours pour faire l’aller retour depuis Aplan.
J’ai beaucoup aimé le nord chilien, même les villes comme Arica et Iquique (Attention à l’essence dans le secteur, il n’y a pas beaucoup de stations en dehors des villes…).
Après, il vous faudra choisir entre descendre côté chilien ou côté argentin. Pour ma part, le noreste argentin m’a emballé, tant pour les paysages que le pilotage sur les routes aux virages sans fin…
Beaucoup d’autres souvenirs me remontent à l’esprit, comme la frontière somptueuse entre la Bolivie et le Chili, au nord de Putre, mais j’arrête là, je pourrais en écrire des tartines…
Salut Alain et merci pour ton retour, ça met l'eau à la bouche. J'ai tout noté ! Nous ne pourrons pas tout voir car nous n'avons que 2 mois.
Actuellement, nous nous questionnons sur le sens de la traversée, de Cartagène à Ushuaia ou l'inverse. D'un point de vue purement il est plus sympa de descendre, d'aller "au bout", mais d'un point de vue pratique, il est plus facile de dédouaner au Chili.
Nous partons normalement fin septembre pour voyager sur octobre et novembre. Ca nous a paru être la meilleure période pour traverser le continent.
Tu as traversé la Bolivie ? Quel est l'état des pistes là-bas ?
La Bolivie est le pays où j'ai eu le moins de temps de trainer, j'étais sur une aventure retour conditionnée par une date d'avion et la volonté de vendre la moto à Lima : j'ai fait Buenos Aires - Lima en 15 jours, et j'ai traversé la Bolivie en une huitaine de jours.
Sur ce que j'en ai vu, les routes sont excellentes.
Mais bien sûr, tout dépend de ce que vous voulez y faire.
Si c'est pour relier les villes, il n'y a aucun souci, même si en Am Sud, il faut toujours se méfier et s'attendre à une part d'impondérable.
Les travaux sont incessants, en raison des intempéries.
Même sur les belles routes, un nid de poule, un banc de sable, un tas de gravillons peut toujours surprendre.
Et sur ma carte, des axes qui me semblaient importants n'étaient parfois que des pistes : si c'est un mélange de terre et de petites pierres, c'est bon, on roule toujours à 90 ou 100, mais parfois c'est boue ou ornières. Je me suis fait avoir entre Sucre et Cochabamba, je me suis trompé de route et me suis tapé 200 bornes d'une méchante piste, et même une fois rejoint l'axe Santa Cruz-Cochabamba, c'était sur une bonne partie de la gadouille (sans doute ça a été goudronné depuis...).
Après, si vous sortez des grands axes, il y a de tout, spécialement vers Uyuni et le Lipez. Mais c'est ce que je recherchais partout, dans tous les pays, ces pistes sans trafic vers des lieux improbables...
D'ailleurs, si ça te chante, je te laisse ce lien vers le blog que je tenais à l'époque pour les copains : il n'y a quasiment pas d'informations pratiques, c'est plus pour l'ambiance et les paysages.
Le lien ouvre directement sur les pages avant la Bolivie, ça sent la fin, mais le blog couvre toute la balade :
http://chichiturbo.blogspot.fr/2013/04/au-taquet.html
PS : les cartes en fin d'articles sont cliquables et zoomables, ça peut aider pour voir l'itinéraire en détail...
Nous sommes de retour d'un séjour de 6 mois en Amérique du Sud à moto.
Nous vous laissons prendre connaissance de notre page internet concernant les assurances, nous avons obtenu une assurance MercoSur auprès de l'Allianz à Buenos Aires (toutes les démarches via internet). http://nouslabas.com/Assurances/
Pour ce qui est de l'itinéraire, nous avons opté pour un maximum de pistes, ce qui ne semble pas correspondre à votre projet.
Bon voyage, bonne route
Estelle & Adrien
Estelle
- 6 mois à moto en Amérique du Sud
- Groenland en kayak -
- Namibie et Botswana en 4x4 -
- Islande à moto -
Hello everyone.
I'm looking for campsites around BOLZANO (South Tyrol) for early September.
I'll be on my motorcycle with a small tent.
I've noticed that some campsites have exorbitant prices.
If you've traveled through the Dolomites by motorcycle or otherwise and camped there, I'd love any tips on places and prices where I can stay for one night or several.
Thanks to all of you, and happy travels.
I’m starting to think about a trip that’s really close to my heart: Algeria by motorcycle, specifically the southern part of the country. It’d be for January 2025, and I’ve got two main questions:
Is it possible for an individual on a motorcycle to travel freely, outside of any organized tour, or does the regulation require some kind of supervision in the Algerian Sahara region?
Is the Hoggar massif accessible by road or by (rideable) tracks?
Beyond the official recommendations, I’m really looking for your firsthand experiences.
Thanks so much for your answers, and sorry if my questions are a bit newbie!
I just realized I’ve been registered on VoyageForum since... March 28, 2012 😊. Yet, I’ve barely participated until now.
August 1, 2026, will mark a somewhat special milestone: 5 years on the road.
We left Switzerland on August 1, 2021 with a simple idea: let chance decide our direction. We placed a bottle of wine on a world map, spun it... and it chose our first destination.
A year later, when we arrived in Morocco, we faced a new choice: continue toward Africa or head to Asia. This time, a tarot card game made the decision. Since then, we’ve tried to keep this journey as open to the unexpected as possible.
Today, that adds up to about 120,000 km, 46 countries, and over 1,800 days on the road—mostly by motorcycle, but also by sailboat, train, bus, hitchhiking, or on foot when adventure calls.
Our guiding thread isn’t just the motorcycle, but service exchanges. Instead of simply passing through countries, we try to stop regularly to lend a hand to the people we meet. So far, that’s about 600 days of volunteering.
Over the years, we’ve:
renovated a house in Croatia
made earth bricks in the Moroccan desert
helped sail a boat through the Greek islands
looked after houses, dogs, horses, a camel... and lots of other animals
worked at a street art festival in Morocco
created videos for local associations and projects
worked the grape harvest on the Tibetan plateau
been accredited as "media" for the World Nomad Games in Central Asia
Some of the moments that have stuck with us the most include six months in China, a night spent on the Great Wall, the Pamir Highway, the Silk Road, three months in Taiwan, and the incredible encounters in the mountains of Central Asia.
We travel on Falkor, our lucky dragon—a 2014 BMW F800GS that’s been with us since the start and is starting to have some great stories of its own.
While we share our adventure on Instagram, Polarsteps, and YouTube, that’s not why we’re here. The forum’s rules about promotion are clear, and I totally get them. If I’m finally taking the time to write, it’s mostly because after five years on the road, I thought our experience might be useful to other travelers.
Happy to chat about:
preparing for a long motorcycle trip
visas and borders
the Silk Road and Central Asia
riding in China (with or without a motorcycle)
volunteering and service exchanges while traveling
gear, daily life on the road... or just the unexpected moments that make long-term travel so special
Looking forward to swapping stories and hearing about your adventures too! 😊 Greetings from Thailand, and happy to chat! ✌️
Hi there! My daughter and I are heading to Malta and I’d love to rent a scooter. Does anyone know any good places to rent from and what the budget would be for a week?
Hello, I’m retired and planning a roughly 3-week motorcycle trip (1200gs). The dates aren’t set in stone yet, and everything’s open to discussion—I’m pretty flexible with the planning.
I’d like to ride from Mahajanga to Morondava, sticking as close to the coast as possible—using roads and tracks—in September 2026. If you’ve got any suggestions, let me know! 😉
hi
planning to ride through Rajasthan on a motorcycle in January 2027 and I’d love to hear about the road conditions.
I’ll be riding with a buddy on a Royal Enfield that I’ll rent in Delhi.
Thanks for your tips!
hi there
I’d like to ride the RN 12 by motorcycle in September.
I’d love to know the main challenges—I ride a 300cc and do enduro in France.
Thanks for your tips!
I’m planning a motorcycle road trip to Armenia and Georgia in September 2026 or May 2027. I’m looking for one or more riders (male or female) who’d like to explore these countries with me.
Along the way, we’ll visit Cappadocia, the capitals Yerevan, Tbilisi, Sofia, Skopje, and other cities—we can finalize the route and roadbook later.
This trip requires experience with long motorcycle journeys, as we’ll cover around 7,000 km over 5 or 6 weeks (or more, depending on sightseeing and time spent).
I don’t expect dozens of applicants, since motorcycle riders are few and far between on this forum, but I’m putting this out there anyway.
Hi, I’d like to take a 15-day "break" to get away from the surrounding hustle and bustle.
Why not explore the Peloponnese!
I’m not particularly drawn to museums, ruins, or monuments.
I want to experience local life—small villages, seaside spots, beaches, and the interior if the landscapes are extraordinary.
Ideally, coming from Athens, I’d take a bus or train to get as close as possible to a starting point, then rent a scooter (125cc) to explore by taking secondary roads or even coastal paths. I’d stay in 2-3 places for a few days each to discover their surroundings.
Do a loop.
What do you think would be the ideal itinerary?
From Athens, the best option would be to take either a flight or a bus to Kalamata. Rent a scooter and head either west or east. Is there a tertiary road (very lightly trafficked) or a path where I can ride slowly, take it easy, and enjoy the scenery without being bothered by traffic? I’d like to go all the way to Monemvasia, still hugging the coast. I need to find a way to avoid returning to Kalamata to drop off the scooter and catch a flight—maybe a small town where the train stops so I can head back to Athens.
Thanks in advance for your tips.
I want to rent an off-road style motorcycle to get around the coast during my trip to Ecuador. I’m only finding options in Quito. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Hi there,
I’m planning a sidecar trip to South America for 4 or 5 months at the end of this year.
I’m looking for info on shipping my vehicle by sea—possibly to Uruguay or another destination, as I haven’t finalized anything yet.
How do you get visas for the countries I’ll be crossing: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile? Are they e-Visas, obtained at the border, or through embassies?
Where can I get vehicle insurance?
Lastly, if any bikers want to join us (my partner and me), we’re open to that possibility too.
Patrick
I’ve got 15 days off in June and I’m pretty undecided about where to go for a motorcycle road trip. Two strong desires are pulling me in different directions: Corsica or Norway.
Corsica has been a dream of mine for a long time: legendary roads, stunning landscapes, a unique vibe, and the perfect mix of sea and mountains. At the same time, I’m wondering if 2 weeks might be *too much* for Corsica—risking feeling like I’ve seen it all too quickly, especially on a bike.
Since I also have an extra week free in May, I could use that specifically for Corsica. Maybe splitting it into two trips would make more sense? If so, which routes or regions would be the most interesting to plan for a 7-day trip?
On the other hand, Norway is *super* appealing. The landscapes look incredible, totally different from anything I’ve experienced, and it’d be a real “wow” trip. I know 15 days is still short for such a vast country. Getting all the way to the North Cape seems pretty much impossible in that time, but I’m curious about what realistic routes could be planned.
So I’m wondering:
Is it better to save Norway for next year, take 3 weeks off, and do it *properly*?
Or are 15 days enough for a first amazing taste of the country?
I’d love to hear about your experiences—whether it’s Corsica (ideal duration, routes) or Norway (what’s realistic in 2 weeks on a bike).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Hello,
I'm thinking of buying a used small motorcycle to travel around the country for a month and a half.
I've done this in other countries without putting the registration in my name—is that possible in Guinea given the apparently frequent checks, or do I have to go through the paperwork?
Thanks.
Hello,
My dream is to ride Route 66 by motorcycle. I have a disability—while I’m not in a wheelchair, my walking mobility is reduced.
The ideal scenario would be to have a motorcycle driver and ride as their passenger on an organized trip.
Are there any guides or services like this offered by travel agencies?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hello,
I’ve got a plan with a friend to go on a motorcycle road trip in 2028 or 2029, starting in Santiago de Chile and ending in Ushuaia, for about a month.
Has anyone done a trip like this before, and what’s the best time of year?
I’ve heard there can be quite a bit of wind depending on the season.
Thanks for any tips!
Cheers,
PA
I'm seriously considering heading to Nepal to do some nice motorcycle loops... my goal is also to do the Kailash Yatra round trip from Kathmandu, in a small group with a guide, in May '26... but here's the thing—I'm solo! So if you're up for sharing a similar adventure, hit me up... Cheers, Frankoys
It's all in the title: I'm heading to Krabi soon and want to rent a scooter for a few weeks, but after reading comments about all kinds of scams, I'm reaching out to ask where and how (read: *the right way*) to rent one.
Thanks for your tips and advice.
Hello everyone! Like every year, a winter migration is on the horizon (revised plan): this time, it’ll be Dakar, or even Abidjan, via Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Looking for an experienced motorcyclist or pillion rider—small build preferred—on a GSA 1250 with a comfy seat and luggage setup, available from early November to late December 2025. I’d like to plan the trip together (important to me) to make sure we’re on the same wavelength.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Didier
Looking for travel companions to ride from France to Senegal by motorcycle.
I’m Paul, 37, and I’ve already done a bit of riding in Morocco.
For now, I’m solo, riding a 1998 SUZUKI DR 650 with some basic gear to keep things smooth. I’ll have a tent so we can do a few nights under the stars.
We’ll need to coordinate departure dates—"ideally in November."
I’m currently checking out routes to take. Any tips would be welcome! :)
I’m heading to Vietnam and Laos with a buddy next week for a month.
We’re thinking of renting motorbikes, especially to do the Ha Giang Loop. We don’t have an international license, just our Belgian one. Is that enough? If not, is it risky?
In November, we’re planning to do the Ha Giang loop and the RC4 by motorbike without a guide. 😎
We’re looking for a decent place to stay/rent in Ha Giang.
If anyone has any info, we’d be really interested.
Hello! We’re planning a motorcycle trip that will include a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau in June 2026.
We’re unsure (still debating) whether we should stay at a hotel on-site and get to the memorial with an Uber (leaving our bikes at the hotel) and book a guided tour, or base ourselves in Kraków and take a tour that includes transport.
One thing’s for sure—we’d prefer a guide in French since we don’t speak English 😅.
Could you share your experiences or advice?
I understand we need to book online rather than on-site.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Hello,
Next October we’re planning to ride the Ruta de la Plata by motorcycle—a historic Spanish route that runs from Gijón to Seville, also known as the N630.
Has anyone here already ridden it?
Unfortunately, I’m worried that parts of the N630 may have disappeared or merged with the A66 motorway, forcing us to ride long stretches of highway, which we’d rather avoid.
Thanks in advance for any tips or details about this route!
Hi there!
I’m currently planning a 9-day route starting from Marrakech with my husband. We land on the morning of June 13th—so soon! 😊
And we’re flying back to France on June 21st at 9 PM!
We’ve rented two Royal Enfield 450s.
This is our first motorcycle trip in Morocco. I got my license two years ago with the dream of taking this kind of trip, and here we are! ✌️😍
In France, we usually ride between 300 to 400 km per day on roadsters. We’re not used to off-road tracks, so we’re looking for easy ones 😅—especially for me 😅.
For Morocco, I’ve planned stages of 200 to 300 km per day.
Here’s the idea:
Day 1 (departure at noon): Marrakech - Tizi n Test - Tafingoult (165 km - 4h15)
Day 2: Tafingoult - Amzarkou - Telouet (200 km - 4h34)
Day 3: Telouet - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate - Boumalne (200 km - 3h30) (+ Vallée des Roses maybe)
Day 4: Boumalne - Dades Gorges - Agoudal - Todra Gorges - Tinghir - Goulmima (291 km - 6h)
Day 5: Goulmima - Midelt - Cirque Jaffar - Agoudim (280 km - 4h45)
Day 6: Agoudim - Imilchil - Aghbala - El Ksiba (280 km - 4h45)
Day 7: El Ksiba - La Cathédrale - Zaouiat Ahansal (212 km - 4h20)
Day 8: Ahansal - Ouzoud Waterfalls via R 302 (188 km - 4h22)
Day 9: Ouzoud - Marrakech (160 km - 2h43)
End of the trip 😮.
What do you think?
We haven’t booked any hotels—is that a problem? We were thinking of deciding day by day based on our progress.
Can we take our helmets with us in the cabin, or should we pack them in the checked luggage surrounded by clothes to avoid damage?
Hey there, fellow riders,
I’m really keen on a motorcycle trip to Morocco, specifically the Middle Atlas. Does anyone have any info or tips on this idea? Planning to go in September or October...
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Christine