Northern Andes - Bogota to Santiago

This incredible motorcycle tour of the Andes runs for 50 days.  It starts in Bogota, Colombia and finishes in Santiago, Chile

Week 1 – COLOMBIA

We spend enough time in Bogota for you to collect the bikes, have them serviced and also see some of the city itself. The Gold Museum is a must!  We head north to Villa de Leyva and Bucaramanga through the Chicamocha Canyon, turning across the flat plains to the UNESCO Listed town of Mompox on the banks of the Magdalena River.  Ride  through coffee plantations and sugar cane fields and through lush green mountains. Your first experience of riding in the Andes will never be forgotten!

Week 2 – COLOMBIA

Our furthest point north in South America will be a two night stop over in Cartagena, on the Caribbean Coast, arguably the best preserved and most picturesque colonial town in South America.  We turn back south and into the mountains for a two night stay in Medellin, former stomping ground of Pablo Escobar.  The road twists and turns the whole way south, where we’ll stay in Salento in the coffee plantation area, and in an] 16th century converted monastery in Popoyan.  The biggest danger in Colombia will be wanting to stay!

Week 3 – ECUADOR

Crossing into Ecuador, we head towards the quaint Indian market town of Otovalo, staying at an historic hacienda. Then it’s a major milestone – The Equator! We can park one wheel in the north and one in the south as we straddle the line with our bikes. Time to explore Quito where we have a two night stay.  This is followed by a cracking ride through the heart of the Andes to UNESCO listed Cuenca.  We take a small mountain road towards a quiet border and our entry to Peru.

Week 4 – PERU

Peru is a contrast to what has gone before and you’ll encounter desert!  We head through the Sechura Desert to the city of Trujillo, where you have a day off to head out to the surf beaches at Huanchaco or explore the adobe ruins of Chan Chan. Travel the superb mountain road of Canyon del Pato, back into the high Andes.  We drop back to the coast to visit Chincha in the pisco making region, before heading up into the Andes again, and maybe some of the best roads you’ve ridden to the highland towns of Ayacucho and Abancay.

Week 5 – PERU

It’s a short ride to the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where you can spend your afternoon exploring the great Inca fortress. We spend two nights here and you have the option take a sight-seeing tour to the ancient Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu.  After, we ride to Cusco, with a free day to explore the city and where we can enjoy a beer at the famous motorcycle adventurers bar, The Norton Rats!

It’s a high altitude ride across the altiplano to Puno on the edge of Lake Titicaca.  You have a free day so you can take a boat out to the reed islands of Uros,  before we take more uncongested roads (well, ok, watch out for llama and alpaca!), to the White City of Arequipa & El Misti Volcano.

Week 6 NORTHERN CHILE & ARGENTINA

Then over the border into Northern Chile, to Arica, the magnificent Atacama Desert and the stunning and deserted Pacific Coast Road south – superb!  From here, it’s inland to San Pedro de Atacama for a two night stay, with options to ride into the Valley of the Moon, head up to the Tatio Geysers or even do a bit of star gazing at night in the world’s clearest skies!  Ahead waits the mighty Paso de Jama, 4200m high crossing into Argentina, where you can also get to ride on the shimmering salt flats of Salinas Grandes.

Our first night Argentina is at Tilcara, where you can enjoy your first juicy Argentine steak with a glass of Malbec. Our journey south takes us to Cafayate for two nights, at the heart of the high altitude wine region – sipping cold Torrentes wine in the town plaza and watch life go by is a great way to relax on your day off.

Week 7  NORTHERN ARGENTINA & SANTIAGO, CHILE

A fantastic ride through the Valle del Tafi, with twisty roads through the cloud forest to Catamarca.  A dramatic change in scenery to red rocks and canyons to Villa Union.  Our penultimate night is in Lujan de Cuyo at a small wine lodge, before our ride the next day in the shadow of Aconcagua, South America’s highest peak. Crossing the Andes, we reach Chile’s modern, bustling, cosmopolitan capital, Santiago.  We take our bikes to the freight depot and then enjoy a farewell meal together.

We use 100% hotel accommodation, which is booked in advance. We primarily use good quality 4* and some 3* hotels. In bigger cities, this tends to be 4* hotels, sometimes belonging to an international chain; in smaller or more remote places, hotels can be more independent, characterful hotels.

Hacienda Pinsaqui, near Otavalo Ecuador

In some more remote locations, we try and use the best available.  Most riders are surprised at the quality of the accommodation included.  Almost all hotels we use as standard will have rooms with en suite bathrooms, satellite TV, free wifi, bar and restaurant.  In warmer climates, hotels generally have swimming pools.

We like to favour independent hotels with character where we can and in this part of the world, it can mean hotels with colonial character, like old haciendas, converted monasteries or those that typify the places where we stay, such as wine lodges or adobe built rooms. Some of our favourite places to stay are:

Its great to soak up the history in a converted 17th century colonial mansion in Cusco, just a few minutes walk from the buzz of the main plaza.

We love to relax at the lakeside hotel in Puno, with a view over Lake Titicaca, and its own private jetty if you wish to take a boat trip to the Uros Islands.

We have great fun sipping wine at Villa Mansa, a small wine lodge in the foothills of the Andes.

Another firm favourite is Patios de Cafayate, amidst the vineyards of the winery El Esteco, the original farmstead of this estate founded in 1892.

We don’t promise you that we stop at the top hotel in every town we pull into.  This is not billed as a luxury tour, but we do ensure that you are comfortable, have a clean bed, can get a cold beer and a hot shower.  Many times we go above and beyond, and sometimes “best in the location” may end up being fairly basic, but this is only on a few destinations.

Most riders are delighted at the quality of the accommodation included, the favourable locations and importantly the vast majority have secure on site parking.

Before you go

• GlobeBusters Guidance Handbook with all pre-trip information
• Pre-departure expedition briefing and ongoing access to the GlobeBusters team for any questions you may have, via additional one-to-one meetings
• Assistance with the procurement of visas for each country and provision of Letters of Invitation, if required.
• Daily hard copy route notes with GPS co-ordinates and information about the hotels, the roads and the sights
• Loan SD Card with open source GPS mapping for the region, suitable for Garmin units.

En-Route

• Normally 4* (sometimes 3*) hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis, or in remote regions, the best available. Your price includes your room on a shared basis, unless you have booked a single room (not available for two nights)
• 7 group evening meals (drinks excluded)
• Local overnight hotel parking charges.

Motorcycle Freight

• Group freight of your motorcycle (including crating, where required, and Customs Clearance) from our UK freight agent to Bogota, Colombia and from the official finish point, Santiago Chile back to our UK freight agent.
• In transit insurance for your motorcycle, during freight, subject to an excess of £500.

Support Crew

• Motorcycle Expedition Manager on a motorcycle to accompany the group.
• Assistant Expedition Manager, where the group is more than 12 riders
• Support Vehicle, equipped with satellite phone, spare fuel, water, tools, selected spare parts and emergency first aid kit, acting as a sweeper vehicle
• Support Driver, with motorcycle mechanical experience and first aid qualifications

Not Included

• Return passenger airline flights or any other travel costs to get to the start and from the finish point for each motorcycle expedition or any internal flights or other travel costs required during the expedition.
• Personal travel, accident and medical insurance (covering matters such as medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment, loss or damage to property)
• Third party liability or any other motorcycle insurance cover, motorcycle breakdown cover or recovery costs
• Entrance fees to sights and parks, optional local excursions or local activities, (except where stated)
• Lunches, snacks or evening meals (except where stated). Any meals whilst on board ferries.
• Personal spending money, tips, souvenirs or other extras.
• Personal documentation (eg visas, passport), vaccinations, personal taxes, border crossing fees, motorcycle documentation (including carnet de passage)
• We do not supply riding gear; you must bring a minimum of your own helmet, jacket, trousers, boots and gloves.
• Costs of motorcycle servicing, motorcycle repair (parts, labour or other related costs), spares, transportation of your bike to the workshop
• Fuel, oil & other motorcycle consumables, toll road fees, traffic fines or other charges relating to breach of the law
• Any travel, subsistence & hotel costs to and from the freight depot when you drop off or collect your motorcycle, and to and from any UK briefing meetings.
• Freight of the Participant’s motorcycle back to their home county from a place that is not the official end point.
• Additional transportation of you or your motorcycle en route where you or your motorcycle cannot continue beyond the short and temporary assistance offered by GlobeBusters Support Vehicle.
• Transfers to / from the airport at the start and end of the expedition.
• Any other item not specifically included in the price.

Please also refer to our Booking Conditions.

Flights

For clarity, we do not include your passenger flights.  Once we have confirmed that this tour is a guaranteed departure, it is your responsibility to organise your own flights to and from the start and end point.

You need to book an outward flight to our start point, Bogota to arrive no later than 10am on 4 October 2023.  The earliest leave date is any time on 22 November 2023 from Santiago, Chile.

Only book your flights once we have confirmed that your motorcycle expedition is a guaranteed departure.  We do not refund flight costs if you have booked flights for a tour that has not been notified as a guaranteed departure.

Should you wish to arrive before the official date or stay after the official end date, please simply request extra nights at the time of booking and we can make the reservation at our group hotel.

We understand that booking a motorcycle expedition is a big commitment both financially and in terms of time and preparation.  Here are some of the most common questions we are asked before riders make a booking.  If you wish to meet with us prior to booking to ask more questions, do not hesitate to contact us and we can set up a one-to-one meeting.  In addition, we hold a Pre-Expedition Meeting for the group at our premises between 3 – 6 months prior to the start of the expedition.

What type of bike do I need?
Our expeditions are designed so that you can use your own motorcycle.  We recommend that you use a dual purpose / adventure style bike.  We support any make and model.  Our Support Crew ride the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro or  Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer.  We also have extensive experience with the BMW GS motorcycle range, having ridden them for over 15 years.  What is important is that you have a reliable and robust bike that you are comfortable riding and has been fully serviced prior to the start and has new tyres.

What riding experience do I need?
This motorcycle expedition is not suitable for novice riders.  We generally recommend that you are an experienced motorcyclist, who has ridden overseas before and is used to touring. You will enjoy the experience more if your riding is of an advanced standard and by that we mean you have a good command of slow control (eg you don’t dangle your feet or paddle at slow speeds and can U-turn your bike), you are assertive on the road and have good forward planning and hazard perception, you are able to perform safe and precise overtakes and are able ride to the legal speed limits.

Riding in South America can make for a challenging ride.  Unpredictable road conditions, such as broken asphalt, potholes, homemade speed bumps, lack of road markings or properly marked junctions,  worn cobbled surfaces, or objects and animals in the road are just some of the things to contend with.

You also need to have some experience of riding your motorcycle on unpaved surfaces such as gravel, and dirt as some of the expedition routes are on these types of roads. In addition, if there any roadworks on our route, normally diversions will be on temporary dirt roads.  Please note that our route covers around 10% of dirt and gravel roads (up to 700 miles), although as the infrastructure develops, this may reduce in future years.

If you need to improve your off road riding skills, attending a training school such as Adventure Bike Training www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk, Triumph Adventure Experience https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/adventure-experience or BMW Off Road Skills is highly recommended.

It is your responsibility to ensure your motorcycling skills are up to the requirements for this Expedition.

How does motorcycle freight work?
Included in your price is freight to and from the UK, but no matter where you are based in the world, we can facilitate freight of your motorcycle.  Freight outside of the UK may incur additional costs – please ask us for a quote, or you are at liberty to organise your own freight and we will provide you with a price that excludes any motorcycle freight costs.

You must take your motorcycle to the appointed freight depot.  Our freight agent will crate your motorcycle and do all the necessary documents.  Your bike is air freighted to Bogota, Colombia.  At the other end, the GlobeBusters Team facilitate the Customs clearance of your motorcycle.  You must be physically present for customs clearance to sign documentation in person; we cannot do this on your behalf.  When the trip finishes, you will ride your bike to our freight agent, who will sea freight your motorcycle back to the original leave point,  unless you have made alternative arrangements.

What about servicing & tyres?
This ride is approximately 7,000 miles and so we do not organise any service points for the bikes or to pick up new tyres.  You must ensure that your motorcycle has had a full service prior to arriving and has new tyres. Tyre choice is your responsibility but we do discuss what some of the options available at our Pre-Expedition Meeting.

Is it difficult to get fuel?
We have never had any issue with finding fuel. In certain regions, once en route, we will warn you in advance of any possible fuel shortages or if there is a route with a key fuel stop, where everyone must fill up with fuel to get to the next destination. It is not necessary to fit any after-market large fuel tank or carry fuel bottles, although some riders chose to do so. Our support vehicle also carries spare fuel for emergencies.

What is the average group size?
Stage 3 of Trans Americas tends to be the most popular.  Our motorcycle groups are normally between 15 -20 riders (some have passengers).  Our groups are often very international and whilst the majority of riders come from the UK, we also get riders from USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and so on.  Groups are predominantly solo male riders, but every expedition normally has between one to four couples travelling.

Is this ride suitable for a passenger?
We have had other riders successfully complete this ride with a pillion passenger.  Your passenger needs to also be an experienced tourer, used to long distance riding and riding on unpaved roads. Your passenger must ride the motorcycle each touring day – there is no option to sit in the support vehicle as this is only for participants who are ill or injured, or unless the road conditions are too difficult for a rider and passenger to attempt two-up.

Is there a support vehicle?
All our expeditions have a dedicated GlobeBusters Support Vehicle, driven by a GlobeBusters Support Driver. It is capable of carrying two motorcycle and two passengers. Our support vehicles carry a satellite phone, mobile phone, medical bag and spinal board, spare fuel, water, tools, some spare parts, some spare tyres. Our support vehicle provides temporary assistance to you if you have a mechanical problem or an accident and are injured.

This is not a general luggage vehicle – you must carry your own luggage on your motorcycle, although for passengers we will carry one small pannier size bag. For more information, please see our Support Vehicle section.

Do I have to ride in a group?
No! We do not make you ride in convoy. We offer you the freedom to decide how you would like to ride. We give you a road book, GPS co-ordinates and hotel information. You can use this to self-navigate. If you prefer to ride with our Motorcycle Expedition Leader, then you can do this. Occasionally we will ask you to ride in a group when we are crossing a border or if there is a security issue.

What documents do I need?
You will need your original documents as follows:  Passport (valid for more than 6 months after the end of your Tour), Motorcycle Registration Document or Title, Driving Licence, International Driving Permits (1968 & 1949), minimum Third Party Motorcycle Liability Insurance (where available) and  Travel Insurance Certificate (see below), COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate.

You should note that we need to request copies of the above documentation, which we have to send to suppliers who are outside the EU and who do not have the safeguards in place with regard to data protection as we have within the EU. These suppliers are for services such as motorcycle freight, hotels, customs clearance, ferry services.  Please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Do I need visas for travel?
UK / EU / US / Canadian citizens do not require visas in advance for this Tour.  However, as visa requirements are dependent on your nationality and are complex with constantly changing requirements, we would direct you to a specialist visa agency, such as CIBT Visas.

The above information is general information and provided in good faith.  It is your responsibility to have the correct visas in place prior to travel.  Other nationalities should check as to the visa requirements.

Are these countries safe?

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) monitors overseas destinations and provides destination travel advice for UK nationals. GlobeBusters monitors the advice from the FCDO and any decisions taken regarding a Tour’s safety and security will use the vast experience of the company’s 17 years of operating as well as the FCDO advice. In the interests of your safety and security, changes may be made to your trip based on any FCDO warnings given.

We strongly recommend that you read the information about the country you are planning to visit to be fully informed – each country has a summary and general information as well as advice on safety & security, local laws & customs, entry requirements and health, and road conditions.

Currently all countries on this itinerary will allow travel by overseas visitors to the countries listed in the itinerary, but you should expect to comply with additional entry requirements such as presenting a valid COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate, completing a Health Form in advance of Travel, random PCR tests on arrival.

If you are not a UK national please make sure you have checked your own country’s travel advice for your destination/s: The US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov Canadian Foreign Affairs: www.voyage.gc.ca Australian Government Travel Advice: www.smartraveller.gov.au NZ Government Travel Advice: www.safetravel.govt.nz.

What will the weather be like?
In the far north of Colombia, when we are no longer in the mountain regions, it can be hot and humid.  However for most of this itinerary, we are travelling in the Andes at the end of the dry season. Rainy season traditionally runs from November to March.  We expect it to be mainly dry in the mountains, but there may be some rain on occasional days, especially if the rains do come early.  When we are at altitude, it will also be chilly in the evenings.

What about my health when I am abroad?
You need to be physically fit and healthy and also take the necessary health precautions.  It is essential for you to consult your doctor or travel clinic for up-to-date medical travel information prior of travel, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. For up-to-date medical advice you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad “MASTA”  https://www.masta-travel-health.com/, the NHS website  http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx  or NaTHNaC https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/.

You will be obliged to disclose any medical condition or medication that you are taking to GlobeBusters in advance and to your Expedition Manager at the start of your trip, for health and safety purposes. We provide you with our Emergency Details Form for this purpose and to collect information about who to contact for you back home in the event of an emergency.

Please note that many countries on this route do not have the same level of medical infrastructure nor consistent medical standards that you may be used to.  In particular, emergency services often may be a long distance away, with no co-ordinated response, or sometimes no medical response available within reasonable times.  Please do not book this trip if this unduly concerns you.

First Aid Training
It is not a requirement to be first aid trained to participate in this expedition. However, we do strongly recommend that you consider doing a motorcycle first aid course.  Some sections of this trip are remote and hundreds of miles away from medical treatment.  If you, or a rider you are with, are involved in any accident, whilst not riding with or not close to the support team, having first aid skills may make a significant difference to an injured party.

Altitude
When we ride in South America, you will be in areas of high altitude of up to 3,800m (sleeping and 4,500m (riding).  You must think carefully about how fit you are and whether altitude may be an issue. Some pre-existing medical conditions are known to severely worsen at high altitude and be difficult to adequately treat on the ground, leading to more serious consequences.

Disease from Mosquitos
In many tropical regions, mosquitoes can spread diseases such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever and Zika virus.  Whilst travelling there are several simple measures you can take to reduce your risk of infections spread by mosquitoes: wear suitable clothing and cover up at times of day when mosquitoes are active, use insect repellent on exposed skin.

Travel / Medical Insurance
It is a condition of you travelling with us that you are adequately insured.  Your insurance policy must cover you for the costs of any medical expenses, medical treatment or repatriation needed, due to injury or illness on this trip, including those that occur whilst motorcycle touring, either as the rider or a passenger.  It is important that your insurance company understands that the MAIN PURPOSE of your trip is motorcycle touring, using your own large capacity cc motorcycle or a rental motorcycle.  Your insurance must cover you for the full duration of the trip and for all countries we travel through.

In addition, we strongly recommend that your insurance policy has cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation and curtailment.

You must also have at least US$30,000 medical insurance cover for medical treatment or repatriation relating to COVID-19.

We also strongly recommend that you take out your travel insurance at the time of paying a deposit your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious injury. We do not refund your deposit simply because you failed to take out insurance in sufficient time.

What about local currency?
The base currency for this trip is the US Dollar. The US Dollar is readily exchangeable for the local currencies. When you bring US Dollars, it must be in MINT condition or locals will not readily exchange the notes. The websites below will give you the current rates of exchange.

http://www.oanda.com/
http://www.travelex.co.uk/

Minimum Numbers
We require a minimum number of 8 riders on this tour.  If we do not have this number of bookings, then we reserve the right to cancel the tour.