Find out more about motorcycle touring in South America. The geography and cultures as hugely diverse and the paperwork for riding and taking your own bike is fairly straight forward. It is a huge continent though and if you are limited in time it is best to focus on a country or two at a time to get the most out of your riding there. More information to come on each of these destinations, however here are the highlights for now.

Top Countries for Motorcycle Touring in South America

  • Ecuador
  • Bolivia
  • Argentina
  • Chile
  • Colombia

Top Adventure Riding Routes/Destinations in South America

Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway in South America is one of the most popular ways to traverse the continent when motorcycle touring in South America, taking in a huge range of countries, climates and ecologies along the way.

Ruta 40 (RN-40) – Argentina
Running much of the length of Argentina, skirting along the foothills of the Andes, this mostly unpaved road is one of the longest in the world and takes the rider through some of the world’s most remote and rugged scenery.

Death Road (North Yungas Road) – Bolivia
This infamous road, not far from La Paz, is no longer as daunting as it used to be, now that the majority of traffic has been diverted to a new highway, but that makes it all the more fun to ride (and only slightly less scary).

Carretera Austral – Chile
Chile’s Carratera Austral (CH-7) runs 1,240 km through Chilean Patagonia. It is superb ride taking in forests, glaciers, fjords and mountains.

Tierra Del Fuego – Argentina & Chile
Situated at the bottom of the world, Tierra Del Fuego consists of an archipelago owned by Argentina and Chile, and is home to the end point of the Pan-American Highway, Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world.

Torres Del Paine – Chile
Famous for is trekking, the Torres Del Paine National Park also offers some great riding, amongst a backdrop of the granite peaks of the Paine Massif.

Duck Canyon – Peru
This narrow mountain dirt road skirts along the edge of the ‘Canyon del Pato’, with tunnels, overhangs and trucks that take up the whole road, making for some exciting riding.

Cotopaxi Volcan Road – Ecuador
Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and the 25 mile Cotopaxi Volcan Road takes you right up to it. Make no mistake this is one of the most dangerous roads branching off the Pan-American Highway.

Advice & Inspiration for Riding in South America

Check out our blog for articles on our experiences in adventure riding in South America or read our general Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide.

Motorcycle Rentals in South America

Argentina

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Peru