Driving motorbike around South America 2023

SOUTH AMERICA 2023

Motorcycle: Royal Enfield Himalayan

Where: : From Medellin, Colombia to Santiago de Chile

When, how long and how far: 24 July to 14 September, six and a half weeks, 9,500km

Comments: Brought a brand new RE Himalayan in Medellin for $US5,000, added two lockable aluminium side panniers, hot grips, and a tank bag. New helmet, gloves boots, jacket and pants. After running the bike in and a 500km service, left Medellin and travelled through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina to Santiago de Chile as per the map and route given below. Bike went well, with a cruising speed was 80km/h on the flat, but in South America that is fast enough. Uphill generally needed lower gear, but handled the rough sections ok. Had one puncture to the front tyre. The side stand was a problem as the bike was prone to topple over if surface was not flat. Delayed at the Bolivia / Argentina and Argentina / Chile borders due to insurance and snowfall respectively. 5,000km service done in La Paz. Avoided the big cities and Ecuador coast (unsafe). Parked bike overnight off the street. Stayed in hotels and hostels of variable quality. Never felt threatened or unsafe. Food was mostly basic, got fed up with fried chicken and chips. Temperatures varied from hot (Amazonas regions) to cold (Altiplano) depending on altitude and how far south.

Route map: COLOMBIA: Jardin, Salento (2 nights), Gigante, Villavieja, Mocoa, Ipiales, ECUADOR: San Gabriel, Cotacachi, Baeza, Puyo, Macas, Gualaquiza, PERU: La Balza, Jaen, Moyobamba, Tarapoto (2 nights), Tocache, Huanuco, La Oroya, Huancayo, Izcuchaca, Ayacucho, Chincheros, Cusco (2 nights), Santa Rosa, Moho, BOLIVIA: La Paz (3 nights), Oruro, Potosi, Camargo, Bermejo (3 nights), ARGENTINA: General Guemes, Cafayate, Belen, Guandacol, Mendoza, Uspallata (5 nights), CHILE: Santiago

Departure day Floresta 24 July

The road between Jericho and Jardin

Hitching a ride on a truck

Tatacoa desert, Colombia

The “Devil’s Trampoline” R10 road and Colombian check point at the pass

Panorama of laguna de Cuicocha, part of the volcano Cotacachi, Ecuador

High altitude pass over Andes on E20

Rivers and rainforest in Amazonas

Road E45 subsidence

Kick boxing Gualaquiza

Road 5N to Tarapoto Peru

Pollo tienda moyobamba

Rio Huallaga bananas at Chazuta

The end of the road at Chazuta

Football team at hotel in Tocache

Rio Hualllago upstream from Tocache

Truck off the 18A road near Carpish

Rainforest miist on the road at Carpish pass

The Altiplano landscape near Colquijirca (very different to the Amazonas)

Interesting rock formations at La Oroya

Looking back at La Oroya

View from hotel of Plaza Mayor Huancayo

Izcuchaca with railway line

Oncoming truck Mantaro river canyon

R35 road Mantaro river canyon

Multiple memorials Mantaro canyon road

Funeral procession near Ayacucho

Panorama of the Plaza Mayor at Ayacucho

Landscapes on the scenic route between Ayacucho and Cusco

Panorama at dusk of the Plaza de Armes in Cusco

The Inca ruins of Saqsaywaman above Cusco with the massive inlaid stones

Indigenous women street stall and contrasting fashion show at Santa Rosa

Cuy (guinea pig) is a local delicacy

Bowler hatted woman waiting for bus

Lake Titicaca Sth America’s largest at 3,500m

View of the snow capped Andes near La Paz

Traditional dancers La Paz

Aerial tramway La Paz, Mt Illamani backdrop

EVO between La Paz and Oruro

Protest in Oruro (note masks)

Highway leaving Oruro for Potosi

llamas roaming by road to Potosi

Naval marching band Potosi

Road leaving Potosi 4,000m altitude

Road near Camargo heading to Tarija

Informal entry to Argentina from Bolivia

Rock formations RN68 near Alemania

Cactus and vineyard at Cafayate

Falklands (Malvinas) monument at Belen

RN 40 landscape south of Belen

Argentinian roadside memorials (water bottles for the victims)

The road from Mendoza to Uspallata

Road from Uspallata to Paso de Redentor

Queue of trucks and bikes for Aduana Chile

Finally Welcome to Chile