Northern South America & Amazon
 

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Planning to see the coast of northern South America, catch a barge in Macapa, 900 mile float to Manuas, 400 mile of dirt and buying gas from farmers down BR 319, ride the Trans-Oceania for a stretch, see Brasilia, wander down the east coast of Brazil. That is how I want to traverse the beautiful leviathan known as Brasil.

Anyone know the cost of a barge from Macapa to Manuas?

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Hi!

Just finished the BR319. That road has everything you can ask for :scooter:

As long it is dry i recon it's allright. Totally diffrent story with rain.
We had 30 years old tarmac in all kind of destruction, sand, red dirt, gravel, clay and MUD! I forgot... STICKY MUD :innocent:

At the time (mid july 2012) all bridges were functional. That may change over the year ( or wet saison)
Some have been a bit dodgy! If not sure walk them FIRST!!

We could have get petrol in
-Humaita,
- 100km north of Humaita in a small village (there was a new petrol station not sure if in use )
- 430Km north of Humaita at the first ferry (the restaurant sell's a L for 6 Reais)
-after 580km's in careiro petrol station.

We got told it was dry and it was untill it started raining.....
Still good fun!!!beer

Werner+Claudia from sunny Manaus

Fairly overpriced indeed! We went last april with a Ford Ranger + camperunit and 2 pax, paid R$1500 all in. a 9 m motorhome paid 2500. Just go to the port and ask around. Just in case if you meet a truckdriver called Guido who hangs around there, do NOT beleive his stories of paved roads to Manaus and Santarem-Belem!

a question - is it all cash or do they take credit cards? just want to know if i have to stock up on cash before getting to Manaus.

thanks

i am thinking of taking my bike on the boat from macapa to santarem. anyone got ideas on the price of this ?
thanks kito

I doubt that they accept creditcards, it all is a bit informal unless you go with the passengerboats. Even if they do it will be a lot cheaper paying cash.

Br 319
 

I am detailing the day to day logistics, NYC to TDF via Brazil, and I am coming to grips with mud. It is looking like I can't get to Manaus until deep into October. Per annual rain table, this looks like ~400 miles of slippery hell. Thinking of skipping the Amazon and riding the coast of northern Brazil instead. This is breaking my adventure heart...

I wouldn't detail your day to day ride, I'd just go down and see what the weather does as BR 319 is totally dependent on weather and if it's bad just take a boat from Manaus to PV. You can easily ride down from VZ to Manaus in any weather, I just went down and back at the end of June in a lot of heavy rain with no problems in the North of Brazil.

The other areas of concern in your Northern beach route are the Lethem Road through Southern Guyana and the road from the FG border down to Macapa again weather dependent but not a trip stopper. The weather seasons for these three areas are all a little different, just go and ride what you can and truck/boat what you can't and if you get a little luck you can ride them all. It's not so badbeer

John

the Letham road is hard pack bauxite so shouldnt be to much of a problem . I came through that way 2 years ago ( things might be better/worse now ) on some half worn sahara enduro 3 tyres . the was a small shop with a couple of MX tyres in stock in the border town but i never felt the need.

We drove that road 4 years ago in the rain and indeed no problem, but last year it was a different story and decided to turn back. Even a 4x4 Bedford truck did not make it and another one had tipped over.
And the most difficult part was still to come if I remember well, the last 130 km or so (coming from Georgetown towards Lethem that is) were still pure clay.

Amazon-Brazil
 

Hi Peter, I just finish my 11th face trip America 2010-2012. Today I park my bike for 45 days until the 26th Set in Belem. As they say just go, do not try to plan ahead to much all change in one day or less. From Boa Vista to Manaus all brand new paved. Manaus - Santarem ferry 28 hours 200 USD GS1200adv plus cabin+air+toilet, if you can try to see "ALTER DO CHAO" - Santarem my god it's one those places that is difficult to get out afther you get there because of the atraccion in every way... Santarem - Belem 400 USD Bike and Suite 55 hours.
The DNIT, is a plublic brasilian organization that tells you about the conditions of the roads but the best is to ask the truck drivers. I talk to then and some motorcycle ones. They say from Manaus to Santarem with a small, light bike you can do it but you have many wooden brigdes in very bad shape and they are fixing some of the roads and you have to go on louse gravel, if is not raining the dust is a killer because the big trucks can not see you and you have to go fast into the side sholder and when rains the best think is to wait to dry out at least 2-3 hours before you try. From Santarem to Belem the 163 is great!! But after that heel 210 to Altamira is under construction. The best time is in the end of Sep but look that at that moment the problem is that you are going to deal with big holes of dust that you don't know what is inside, and usualy is alot of rocks from the raining season. As I am a solo rider I dicided to plan this part in the future if dirt bikes and have alot fun insted alot maybe sufer and finish my jorney there. My 12 fase will be to go to all the way coasting to Argentina.
Sorry if is to long the reply.
Take care all.
?c?
:smiliex:

Some things you can't plan, like a 3 week strike in Lethem, Guyana, that connects the coast to Manaus. It is getting worse by the day as yesterday the protesters almost burned the bridge. We were lucky to have bypassed it through the jungle towns.

Making it to Manaus, this week! Then hopefully the 319 to Puerto Velho and then the TransAmazônica to Santarem.

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

I plan on going on the BR 319 at the end of september .At that time will a DS 50/50 (mitas E07) tyres be ok or would I be needing to buy some more offroad tyres ?

Is that Lethem did you mean Linden?

Thanks for any clarification.

Mark

Mark, I am very sorry, I meant Linden. And I heard from my friends in Georgetown, it is still a sad mess. No vehicles in either direction.

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

We spend a week in Manaus, serious maintenance on the car. Now some sightseeing and then it's on southwards on the BR319! :clap: