2 Week Motorcycle Tour -- S America, Patagonia, Chile, Argentina, etc...

[mcullinan]

Hi all,

I'm looking to plan a 2 week motorcycle tour in SA for Jan 2013 (rapidly approaching!). Ideally, I'd love to find something down into Patagonia, though I'm pretty flexible and open to other potential routes spanning Chile, Peru, Bolivia, other parts of Argentina... All depends on the dates, prices, and tour operators.

Thus far, everything I've found has been extremely expensive. Places like [Compass Expeditions|www.compassexpeditions.com/] look great, but I definitely can't swing $7,000+ on the tour itself (let alone flights, visas, insurance, etc). That'd put the entire trip somewhere around ~$10K.

I feel like everything I'm seeing online is tailored toward older retirees looking for 3/4 star accommodation and food throughout (hence the $10K cost). However, I'm just really interested in a reliable guide and bike. Beyond that, I don't mind guesthouses and camping the entire time.

Anyone know of any more reasonable ($$$) and reputable operators in the region? Something geared more towards folks in their mid-20's that can compromise a bit of comfort for the sake of cost?

Or have any other suggestions / tips on going about planning such a trip?


Many thanks!

[RTLover]

I toured parts of Chile, the Atacama Desert, Torres del Paine Park and Ushuaia in a 4x4 and I was gob smacked by the beauty of the whole area. Can't recommend it too highly.

You might check Horizons Unlimited. I searched their site and found this company at random. I know nothing about it but at least the site looks professional. They do guided and self-guided options. http://www.ride-chile.com/en/adventures

However/wherever you go down there will be a fantastic adventure.

[FotoTEX]

Seems like I read about a company in Santiago, Chile renting bikes. I was in Patagonia last year but not on a bike. Looked like great DS roads. The wind can be very windy. The scenery will make up for it though. Check the South America forum for more info.