ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 52-DAY TRANS AMAZONIAN CHALLENGE
The 52-Day Trans Amazonian Challenge is a Motorcycle Adventure expedition traversing the South American Continent. Circumnavigating the great Amazonian basin in its entirety. Visiting 8 countries Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela in the northern parts of South America.
Bucket-list items include Machu Picchu, Cusco, Nazca, Lima, Quito, Angel Falls, Colombian coffee region, Amazon river basin and 8,000 miles of incredible adventure…
BRING YOUR OWN BIKE OR RENT ONE FROM US!
POI: AMAZON HIGHWAY
The Trans Amazonian highway BR230 is almost 5000 km coast to coast of incredible varied terrain over the Andes, though the Amazon.
POI: KAIETEUR FALLS
The world’s largest single drop waterfall by the volume of water flowing over it. Located in Guyana and accessible only by plane.
POI: MACHU PICCHU
This tour include a visit to one of the worlds absolute wonders – Machu Picchu. An incredible site that you must see at least once.
INCLUDED
Price Match Guarantee
Professional Multilingual Tour Leader
Small group sizes (Min 5 / Max 10)
51 Nights accommodation in shared room (Upgrades available)
All Breakfasts
Group Activities and Entry Fees (including day trip Machu Picchu, Nazca lines fly-over etc.)
Pre-tour Preparation Guide and Briefing
Transfers to/from Cali International Airport (CLO)
Support Vehicle & Driver
MotoDreamer Apparel Gift
All taxes
WITH RENTAL MOTORCYCLE
Rental Motorcycle of choice
Authorisation to cross borders with Rental Motorcycle
All shipping of Rental Motorcycle (Amazon crossing)
Fuel and Road Tolls
Mandatory 3rd Party Liability Insurance
Motorcycle Damage and Theft Liability Reduction Insurance
NOT INCLUDED
Rental Motorcycle
Airfare
Upgrades
Lunches, Dinners and Drinks
Personal paperwork, permits and visas
All cost involved with using personal motorcycle including fuel, maintenance, shipping, permits and insurances
Additional costs as a result of unforeseen events that force major disruption of itinerary such as weather, political issues etc.
Travel and Evacuation insurance with cancellation coverage (Available from Global Rescue)
Tips to staff
Any inclusion not specified
52-DAY TRANS AMAZONIAN CHALLENGE DETAILS
The 52-Day Trans Amazonian Challenge is only possible to complete a specific time a year due to massive rainfall in some of the areas throughout the rest of the year. Everything from dirt, mud, rain, forest tracks, mountain passes, boat crossings and beautiful paved roads will be mixed in with interesting historic and cultural destinations, wildlife, Unesco World Heritage sites, incredible scenery and awesome experiences with both locals, team and crew members. There will be plenty to write home about. This is a demanding journey and riders need to be prepared for anything.
Experienced Riders
The trip is intended only for adventure touring enthusiasts who can demonstrate off road riding experience, the physical condition as well as social qualities conducive to teamwork and required flexibility for the success of the journey. We will be going up to high altitudes around 5,000 meters where it can become quite cold. While most of the expedition will be in humid and warm tropical conditions. The 52-Day Trans Amazonian Challenge will be fully supported with a 4×4 support truck, on-bike guides and a very experienced crew from MotoDreamer. You can choose to ride either your own bike or rent a fully equipped dual sport bike from MotoDreamer in Colombia.
We stay in mid- to top-range hotels. We always opt for the best option available – clean, safe and practical location. Temperatures can vary between 12 to 40°C (53.6 F to 104°F). Temperatures can drop for a short period going over the mountains passes. It is recommended to ride with ventilated riding gear. A pull over rain suite is a good idea to carry against mountain temperatures and possible short rain showers that can occur year round..
65%
DIFFICULTY
50%
OFF-ROAD
50%
COMFORT
100%
FUN FACTOR
52-DAY TRANS AMAZONIAN CHALLENGE
ITINERARY
Colombia
Starting in and ending in Colombia the 52-Day Trans Amazonian Challenge will mean we get to see two distinct parts of the country. The first part riding south from Cali consist of paved roads through incredible gorges and canyons in the southern part of the country.
Highlights include the salsa capital of the world Santiago de Cali, the white walled colonial city of Popayan, Pasto’s historic center and the famous Las Lajas cathedral. Super scenic views and thousands of tight curves.
Day 1: Fly-in to Cali, day 2: Cali to Popayan, day 3: Popayan to Pasto, day 4: Pasto to Otavalo.
Ecuador
We continue through the high Andes mountains in Ecuador as we cross the Equator. Highlights include the handicraft market in Otavalo, Devils waterfall in Baños, the avenue of volcanoes with the majestic Cotopaxi and world heritage city Cuenca. The good pavement continues through the mountains and the views of the Andes mountains are equally stunning in Ecuador.
Day 5: Otavalo to Baños, day 6: Activities in Baños, day 7: Banos to Cuenca, day 8: Cuenca to Mancora.
Peru
As we enter Peru we reach the Pacific coast and the landscapes turn to desert with high sand dunes and rugged stoney terrain. Midway through the country we head to the east to ride more of the Andes mountains only to return to the coast near the capital Lima.
In the south we again cut east and cross the Andes mountain range near Machu Picchu to reach the Amazon.
Highlights include surfer beach town Mancora, the Chan Chan ancient city site in Trujillo, the Duck canyon’s cliffhanger roads and tunnels, ceviche and Pisco Sour, Nazca Lines fly-over, historic Cusco and Machu Picchu. The terrain is mostly paved and extremely varied from high mountains with thousands of twisties to straight flat desert roads.
Day 9: Mancora to Trujillo, day 10: Trujillo to Huaraz, day 11: Huaraz to Lima, day 12: Activities in Lima, day 13: Lima to Nazca, day 14: Nazca to Abancay, day 15: Abancay to Cusco, day 16: Activities in Cusco, day 17: Day-trip to Machu Picchu, day 18: Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, day 19: Puerto Maldonado to Assis Brazil.
Brazil
One of the main tasks in the TAC is to cross the South American continent coast to coast trans Amazonas. The real Amazon starts as we enter Brazil in Puerto Maldonado. from here we will encounter all types of terrain. The Trans Amazonian highway is being built, but that on some sections still means tire tracks through the jungle. If wet we will have our works cut out for us.
Of course the tour is planned to run during the dry season, but this is no guarantee we won’t encounter slippery mud. Many of the villages are truck stop type cities and accommodation is in places basic though always in hotels. Highlights include the trans amazonian “highway”, the wild life, the jungle, the riding, the people and the challenge of crossing the continent.
We end our crossing in Belem a big modern city before taking a day boat trip crossing the now huge Amazon river. From Macapa we have more offered to reach the border river between Brazil and French Guiana.
Day 20: Assis Brazil to Rio Branco, day 21: Rio Branco to Porto Velho, day 22: Porto Velho to Humaitá, day 23:Humaita to Apui, day 24: Apui to Jacareacanga, day 25: Jacareacanga to Itaituba, day 26: Itaituba to Altamira, day 27: Altamira to Tucurui, day 28: Tucurui to Belem, day 29: Activities in Belem, day 30: Amazon Ferry, day 31: Amazon Ferry to Macapa, day 32: Macapa to Oiapoque, day 33: Oiapoque to Cayenne.
French Guiana
Our short visit to French Guiana brings us through the capital Cayenne. We will include a visit to the French European space center and devil’s island Kourou. French Guiana is part of the EU and you will find young French police officers out an a year of practice and french supermarkets, a welcome chance to fill up all deposits.
Day 34: Activities in Cayenne, day 35: Cayenne to Paramaribo.
Suriname
The visit in Suriname is even shorter, but an interesting look at just how different the different colonial powers left the colonies. Suriname have many architectural references to the Dutch colonists with small waterways and dams and agricultural lands.
Day 36: Paramaribo to Georgetown
Guyana
Entering Guyana, an old British colony the architecture and infrastructure once again completely changes. We have more time in Guyana and will have a day to fly out to the Kaieteur Falls and check out capital city Georgetown, before heading back into the jungle.
Day 37: Activities in Georgetown (Kaieteur Falls), day 38: Georgetown to Iwokrama River Lodge, day 39: Iwokrama River Lodge to Lethem, day 40: Lethem to Boa Vista.
Brazil
We return to Brazil in order to reach Venezuela as there are no direct connection from Guyana. This part of Brazil is quite outback and far from the main power, meaning dirt road and run down infrastructure.
Day 41: Uairen to Boa Vista to Santa Elena.
Venezuela
Venezuela is a country that have been in political turmoil the for years now and the situation is very fluid. This could affect our plans to cross the country by motorcycle. The borders have been opened and closed several time during the last 5 years and it is uncertain whether the situation will stabilize enough for the authorities to allow us passage by the time we reach the border from Brazil.
If as expected they do allow us to pass the plan is to stay in the southern parts of the country which is the least affected by the corruption and instability. We spend a day extra halfway in Ciudad Bolivar and fly out to see the worlds tallest waterfall – Angel falls on a day trip. The southern plains of Venezuela are spectacular and full of wildlife.
There are many cattle farms and agriculture areas and everyday life is really slow pace. Should the crossing of Venezuela be made impossible by the political situation then Plan B is to re-route our itinerary and spend more time in Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana and then fly back to Colombia from Georgetown.
Some MotoDreamer staff will stay behind and organize shipping of the motorcycles back to Colombia by container. This means in all cases that the tour will be the same length and we will make sure you return to Cali in time for you return flight.
Day 42: Santa Elena de Uairen to El Callao, day 43: El Callao to Ciudad Bolivar, day 44: Activities in Ciudad Bolivar (Angel Falls), day 45: Ciudad Bolívar to Caicara del Orinoco, day 46: Cascara del Orinoco to Mantecal, day 47: Mantecal to San Cristobal, day 48: San Cristobal to Bucaramanga.
Colombia
Returning to Colombia we ride from the Eastern border town of Cucuta back to Cali. First we visit Bucaramanga and Medellin to big cities, the latter being Pablo Escobar’s stronghold up through the 80’s and early 90’s until he was shot dead by police in ’93.
We also go through the wonderful coffee region and visit a working coffee farm before returning to Cali for our grand final farewell dinner and celebration of an incredible trip to what is surely one of the worlds last adventure riding frontiers.
Day 49: Bucaramanga to Medellin, day 50: Medellin to Salento, day 51: Salento to Cali, day 52: Fly-out from Cali.
OBS
Itinerary may change without further notice due to weather, road- or any other condition that the operator or its guides feel will jeopardize the safety of the group or material.
