Hi All- I am looking at making this crossing for my trip. Sadly though , I am having difficulty finding others who have experienced this route. Perhaps you have?

Cheers!
BK

I don't mean to presume, but have you tried inserting the word "Guiana" into the search box in the upper right of your screen? Or "Suriname?" Or "Guyana?"

Mark

Hi All -

I was wondering if anyone knew of other possibilities than paying 800 EU for a year long insurance for your bike in French Guiana!

Thanks!

some times you need to be creative with a computer and not get into wrecks maybe...

A couple riders I know went through in the last year or two. Vincent aka Crashmaster on ADVrider and Adam Lewis aka Jedimaster on here and ADV both have good ride reports posted on ADV.

It's just a road with very few options, enter and exit from Brazil on each side, tougher in the rainy season they say.

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You are right, there are not a lot of posts about it. Those countries are firmly on my itinerary for a rtw trip starting 2014. Have a more general look on the web - there's been people in those funny four wheeled vehicles go through there, and in my research there is a lot of info particularly in Guyana which is trying to promote itself as an adventure capital. With 1500 waterfalls plus eco retreats, white water rafting etc in virgin Amazon Jungle, it is a worthy destination.

French Guyana has the largest tracks of fully protected Amazon Rainforest in Sth America, and access is mostly by boat along the rivers. No doubt some adventures to be had if you're willing to park up for a couple of weeks and go exploring.

These are the roads less travelled and you have to dig a little deeper to get info, but I for one will be keen to read your ride report!!

PN

Just saw the date of your first post LOL. I haven't got much to offer re insurance, but as above interested in hearing about the solution you find.

We're not bikers and I know this is an older post, but you have asked the question recently -
We travelled through the guiana's last year and have posted insurance costs and where to purchase on our webpage along with other useful info about road conditions etc.

Hope it's helpful....
BTW - met a Argentine guy on a very loaded 250cc Honda - great guy having a good time on a smaller bike.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe that the only way to enter Brazil going trough Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana is the BR 156, and this isn't a very easy route, specially for heavy bikes, because of the lack of fuel stations and a big part of the road still unpaved and the road conditions are usually very poor. Usually a lot of travelers prefer taking the BR 174 from Venezuela's border until Manaus and then take the river boat to Belem.

I just passed through so thought I could give back a little and post some updates on what I found, in particular Insurance for FG.

Entering French Guiana at St George. I didn't have insurance and hoped to be able to sort it out in Cayenne. Before this I tried to procure it in Macapa with the help of some very welcoming locals. The place we tried said yes it is possible, but when the paperwork was laid out and calls were made they changed their minds to "not possible" for a foreigner. Maybe a Brazilian but I'm not sure. They rang the other insurance place for me but no joy there either.

So I entered FG and tried to buy insurance in Cayenne to try and be legal. I speak French so achievable? No. Not even the 1 year policies were actually possible. Once you say "yes i want the policy... exactly how much" (just to see) and then sit down with them and show your paperwork, then they eventually do some calls, ask you for more paperwork then say no not possible. So in my humble French speaking opinion after 3 days running around Cayenne and Kourou... not even mega expensive 1 year policies are actually available to foreigners. Maybe they were but not now. Has anyone actually bought a 1 year policy to see if it can be done? I am skeptical anyone has.

In French Guiana you can buy insurance for Suriname very easily and cheap, and in Suriname you can buy for Guyana very easily and cheap.

The BB Boys in Suriname are a bike club. They have trouble with the FG insurance thing so are unable to ride in FG, and have been trying to get this issue sorted out with representation to ministers and embassys etc. Some riders in FG are trying to have things happen at the FG end too. There is an insurance available apparently from an insurance agent in Paramaribo that is from a Caribbean company but it is about $200 for a month. Too much for most but still an option. Contact the BB Boys in Paramaribo (great bunch and sure to help travelers coming through) and see what the latest info is for this. No one is expecting movement any time soon, so best to roll your own.

I am very glad I went through the Guianas. Interesting area and a very different feel to the rest of the continent.

Thanks for the update Snatchy and the info on the BB Boys. Are they listed as a HU club? If not do you have a contact for them?

Hi
It is actually BB Boyz, sorry about the spelling error.
I found their facebook page easily. I will send you a PM with some emails of members.

Thanks for posting the information guys. I'm in Colombia now and plan on riding through Guyana, Suriname, FG and appreciate any information / advice you can share.

Safe journey,

Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' Stories - Gail Baillargeon

Hi Gail
Well first things first...

You might not get into Venezuela from Colombia by land. They have been stopping Brits, US, Canadians and Australians coming in via the two main land crossings (West of Maracaibo and west of San Cristobal) for a few months apparently. Bribes don't help - it seems to be an official directive.
I heard this from an Aussie that didn't get in after repeated attempts, then came in via the amazon into Brazil then up to Boa Vista then into Venezuela via Santa Elena. He had heard about this from other travelers with the same problem.
You can go out of Venezuela through these routes, but not in.

I tried searching on the net of other similar experiences but didn't find much.

If you have any specific questions about the Guyanas fire away! Well worth a look in my opinion, if you can get there.

Snatchy,
Thanks for all the great information. I really appreciate it.

The HUBB search engine is much improved since several years ago, so I'll repeat: lots of information is right at hand just by doing a site search using any of the obvious search terms. I just tried "Guiana" to confirm.

The up to date information is also helpful--for example, the current closure of the Colombia/Venezuela border. Any up to date reports on the roads Macapa/Cayenne and Georgetown/Lethem would also help. But anyone wanting to scope out the route would best start by reading the ten or fifteen top threads the search calls up.

Definitely worth going, IMHO.

Mark

Hi,

i'm adding my twopenn'th mainly to keep in this topic.

I joined Mrs S in guyana when she was studying the geography there back in '97.

We spent several month 'living' on a project site between Georgetown and New Amsterdam.

It's good to know that Guyana is progressing with the eco-tourism thing. It's certainly worth staying and going into the rainforest - loads of operators there and an very serious adventure for the determined off roader!

I'd go back tomorrow, but have to face facts, age, income, etc. and so i certainly won't - a big shame as if a VSO project I devised there at the time had come to anything (VSO is not an organisation I'd recommend!) maybe we'd still be there!

Regs

Simon

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