Home > South America Tours > Patagonia Explorer
Patagonia Explorer
Duration
19 Days
Ride Grade
4
Ride / Rest day
14 / 5
Sealed / Dirt
85% / 15%
Distance
4,140 km / 2,570 mi
Chile & Argentina: Ride Patagonia, a world of vast blue skies, deep blue glaciers and towering snow capped peaks
Motorcycling through Chile and Argentina will be some of the greatest biking moments of your life. This adventure is a scenic overload; beginning in the Chilean Lakes district town of Pucon we ride into Argentina and onto Bariloche, via the famous seven lakes ride, every inch is a scenic splendour. Further south we enter the vast and remote Patagonia stopping overnight at a, still working, Estancia before riding into more sensational scenery as we hit the Andes at El Chalten. No motorbike tour to this region should miss the incredible Moreno Glacier, we ride our bikes out to this staggeringly beautiful part of Patagonia before riding into Torres Del Paine National Park with it’s deep blue glaciers and lakes. This place will leave you awe struck and we dare to say that it is possibly the most scenic motorcycle ride in the world. This is an incredible motorcycle tour through some of the most amazing, remote and mythical regions in the world, no wonder it’s our top selling tour.
This ride also runs in reverse: Northbound
Patagonia Explorer was voted by National Geographic Traveler in their 2011 “Top 50 Tours of a Lifetime”
Dates and Pricing
Tour Highlights
Seen better days on the Straits of Magellan
Penguins of Patagonia
Torres National park
The end of the road
Breathtaking Moreno Glacier
Stunning Torres del Paine
Argentine gaucho
In Torre del Paine National Park
Riding into El Chalten
Itinerary
SOUTHBOUND (January departure)
Day 1: Your Santiago airport transfer will take you directly to our joining hotel, ready for an early start tomorrow. Today you will meet your crew for your tour briefing and welcome dinner.
Day 2: A morning flight and group transfer to Pucón.
Day 3: Today we jump on our bikes to explore the wonderful Pucón region beautifully located in the renown Chilean Lakes District
Day 4: An incredibly scenic ride through emerald forests as we ascend to Paso Mamuil Malal and your first border crossing into Argentina. From here its a superb ride on the famous Seven Lakes Drive to our overnight stay is stunning San Carlos de Bariloche.
Day 5: A free day for you to explore San Carlos de Bariloche spectacularly located on the shore of Lago Nahuel Huapi and surrounded by snow-capped peaks
Day 6: Out of the mountains and onto the Patagonia Steppe today’s ride will take you towards the sparsely forested foothills of the Western Chubut province, arriving for a restful night at Esquel, a village made famous by Paul Theroux Patagonia Express novel
Day 7: Riding through some stunning Patagonian wilderness, you will stop for the night in the remote settlement of Perito Moreno.
Day 8: The horizon seems to stretch on forever as you ride the legendary Ruta 40 to a beautiful and remote estancia (Argentinean farm). Prepare yourself for a fantastic traditional Argentinean meal.
Day 9 & 10: You’ll ride across the steppe to the peaceful village of El Chalten in the shadow of the Fitzroy Range. Two nights in El Chalten will give you a chance to take some walks into the utterly spectacular Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, a breathtaking landscape of glaciers, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and crystalline lakes.
Day 11: Today we will ride further south hugging the shoreline of the stunning Lago Argentino to the town of El Calafate for a two-night stay.
Day 12: We ride out to the spectacular Moreno Glacier and enjoy a boat trip getting up close to the wall of this incredible glacier.
Day 13: Today’s ride will take us back into Chile and into the beautiful, world renown and absolutely breathtaking, Torres del Paine National Park, famous for its granite towers that rise above the Patagonia steppe.
Day 14: You will have a full day to hike the rugged trails throughout the park or ride among the many winding roads that cover this awe-inspiring region. The choice is yours.
Day 15: Leaving Torres National Park, you’ll ride out to beautiful Puerto Natales and then cross the Magellan Straits to our overnight accommodation in Cerro Sombrero.
Day 16: Crossing back into Argentina we ride onto Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world spectacularly sandwiched between the beagle Channel and the Martial Mountains.
Day 17: Enjoy a morning Beagle Channel cruise (optional) or ride through the Tierra del Fuego National Park to the end of the world. We will leave after lunch for a short ride to Rio Grande where we will overnight.
Day 18: We travel north back into Chile, and again cross the Magellan Straits, turning left and riding alongside the Magellan Straits to the port town of Punta Arenas where we will return the motorcycles.
Day 19: Your included flight will take you to Santiago for your final night of the tour.
Departure day: Spend some time in Santiago or fly home, the choice is yours.
NORTHBOUND (February departure)
Day 1: Your Santiago airport transfer will take you directly to our joining hotel, ready for an early start tomorrow.
Day 2: Today you’ll take a flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas, where you’ll meet your crew for your tour briefing and welcome dinner.
Day 3: We cross the renown Magellan Straits and then cross into Argentina via the wonderfully remote San Sebastian border. Once in Argentina we continue on to our overnight accommodation in Rio Grande.
Day 4: We ride to the southernmost city in the world, the beautiful Ushuaia. Enjoy an afternoon Beagle Channel cruise (optional) or ride through the Tierra del Fuego National Park where you’ll truly come to the end of the world.
Day 5: A little backtracking through spectacular southern forests and mountains will see us return to Chile and onto our overnight stay at a wonderful hosteria at Cerro Sombrero.
Day 6: Crossing the Magellan Straights, we will ride onto one of the most magnificent national park on earth, Torres Del, a postcard perfect scene of towering granite peaks, iceberg filled lakes, rushing rivers and unique wildlife.
Day 7: You will have a full day to hike amongst the impossibly scenic trails throughout the park or ride among the many winding roads that cover this awe-inspiring region. The choice is yours.
Day 8: Today’s ride is yet another spectacularly scenic route that crosses the Andes and re-enters Argentina. Our overnight stay is El Calafate, a village located at the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice-field
Day 9: We ride out to the incredible Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the most spectacular glaciers in the world and enjoy an amazing boat trip that offers breathtaking views of this unbelievable sight.
Day 10 & 11: Today we head north to the town of El Chalten, nestled in the shadow of the Fitzroy Range. Two nights are spent in El Chalten giving us a chance to take any number of treks into the spectacular Fitzroy Range, part of the Parc Nacional los Glaciares, a region of glaciers, waterfalls, forests and lofty peaks.
Day 12: We ride north on the legendary Ruta 40 and into the vast empty Patagonian Steppe. The horizon seems to stretch on forever as we ride to a beautiful and remote estancia. Prepare yourself for a fantastic traditional Argentinean meal.
Day 13: Leaving the estancia we continue north on Ruta 40 and stop for the night in the remote settlement of Perito Moreno.
Day 14: Today’s ride will take you towards the sparsely forested foothills of the Western Chubut province, arriving for a restful night at Esquel, a village made famous by the novel "In Patagonia".
Day 15: Continuing on Ruta 40 we leave the steppe behind as we ride into a fairy-tale landscape of forested mountains, crystalline lakes and towering snow-capped peaks, with the wonderful San Carlos de Bariloche our home for the next two nights.
Day 16: A free day for you to explore San Carlos de Bariloche, take a cable car to the nearby Cerro Otto Mountain, for utterly brathtakign views all around or ride the magnificent Circuito Chico.
Day 17: We ride north along the shores of the stunning Lago Nahuel Huapi then onto the famous Seven Lakes Drive before crossing back into Chile and riding onto Pucón, with its magnificent lakeside setting under the smoking Volcan Villarica.
Day 18: The ride north today is toward the wonderful Salto de Laja, a magnificent waterfall that cascades into four horseshoe shaped canyons 35m / 115ft below.
Day 19: Today will see you continue north and onto the vibrant capital of Chile, Santiago for your final night of the tour.
Departure day: Spend some time exploring Santiago or fly home, the choice is yours.
Included
- Airport Transfers
- Motorcycle rental as per your selection.
- Flight Punta Arenas to Santiago or reverse, depending on direction of travel
- Flight from Santiago to Temuco (Southbound tour)
- Fuel
- Tolls
- Support vehicle with passenger carrying ability
- 19 nights accommodation in excellent small hotels
- 19 breakfasts
- 10 Lunches
- 7 Dinners
- Services of ride leader and support vehicle driver
- Pre-departure material and route maps
- Access to satellite phone, pay per minute
- Compass Expeditions polo shirt
- Entrances to all national parks mentioned in the itinerary
- Moreno Glacier boat cruise
Not Included
- International Flights
- Visas (if required)
- Personal Health/Travel Insurance
- Tips and gratuities
Upgrades
All accommodation is twin or double share, if you would like a single room there will be a single supplement: US$ 1,309
(please note, you may be required to share a bathroom at least once on this trip).
Our motorcycles are insured and have a damage excess of US$ 4000, you can reduce the excess by taking advantage of our Excess Reduction Policy: US$ 25 per day
Ride Details
Ride Profile
On the more difficult sections pillions can travel in the support vehicle.
Tour Start/End
Climate
Important Information
- All riders must have a valid motorcycle license and at least two years riding experience.
- It is a requirement that all clients have appropriate insurance for this type of expedition.
Ride Distance
4,140 km / 2,570 mi
Sealed / Dirt
85% / 15%
Accommodation
- 19 nights of accommodation.
- Our accommodations range from small family run hotels through to 4 star hotels.
- A flexible attitude is needed as standards are not always what we are accustomed to.
- All accommodation is on a twin share basis. If you are traveling alone we will pair you up with another solo traveler. However, if you prefer single accommodation a single supplement is available: US$ 1,309.00 (please note that you may be required to share a bathroom at least once on this trip)
Dining
- On every day of the tour we include breakfast: 19 Breakfasts
- On mentioned ride days we provide a picnic lunch that we prepare ourselves from our mobile kitchen: 10 Lunches
- We include mentioned dinners in reliable restaurants we have used many times before: 7 Dinners
Bikes
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BMW R1200GS
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BMW F800GS
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BMW F700GS
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Honda Africa Twin 1100
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Insurance
Accidents happen, luggage is lost and tour or flight cancellations can occur, so it is our policy that all participants of Compass Expeditions tours have an appropriate level of travel insurance to cover the unforeseen. This is not only compulsory when joining our tours, but it makes sense.
If choosing your own insurance – for motorcycle tours it is crucial the insurance policy you choose will offer a policy for riding a motorcycle OVER 250cc (including our bikes). This is a critical point to ensure when purchasing a policy.
Our experienced In-house travel team are happy to help with getting you the right insurance for your tour and for any other travel you might be doing before or after. Contact our in-house travel team.