Hi,

I am wondering if anyone is looking for a support truck / 4x4 driver, or even a whole support vehicle + driver as a package in South America over the next couple of years. If so, Please PM.


Thanks!
Merv.

Haha and if someone does for africa i get a truck and take the job too

Hello Mate,
I am from the UK and thinking of riding a bike from Alaska to Argentina. I was wondering if you managed to do the trip? I am considering paying for a tour to assist me and my girlfriend through the journey but its really expensive and I don't want to loose the wildness of the adventure with everything being too clinical (i.e. I want to camp not just hotels all the time). If you have done the trip then I would love to hear how you got on. If you haven't done the trip, maybe we could do something together. Look forward to hearing back from you.
Kind regards,
Charles

Hey Charlie,

Most commercial tours are regional, usually operate in one country, maybe two. There are several around S. America. Not sure you'll find a company to guide you from AK to Argie, but there are a few BIG outfits that combine several countries in one tour. As you found; very expensive. $$$$$

If I had to pick a tour leader, Jay would be the guy!
http://jamminglobal.com/peru

But you can certainly pick up smaller tours as you go, shorter and more reasonable in cost. Use your bike or theirs. Or join other travelers heading in same direction ... but they won't treat you as paying customers.

If you need help and want to save money, probably best to hire a single individual guide who would ride with you and handle details.

Would have to be a special person: fluent Spanish (Portuguese if including Brazil), good mechanic, know border issues, cover insurance, find camping and hotels and of course know all the spectacular areas to explore suited to your riding level.

Most tours maintain a FAST paced schedule, cover a lot of ground in short order. This is OK for some, not for all. Many horror stories about tours.

Also, in a tour group LOTS multiple screw ups are COMMON and can change the whole plot of your tour, NOT giving you what you've paid for.

With a ONE ON ONE guide it's all about YOU and what you want to do.
A big plus, IMHO.

But no one can ride the bike for you, nor make you well if you fall ill. So in the end, you still have to do a lot for yourself. Perhaps consider a smaller trip to start off, covering smaller area, shorter term?

I would break-up an Americas tour into 4 separate trips:
1st: AK and USA (allow 2 months, Summer)
2nd.: Mexico, Cent. America (2 months, Fall)
3rd: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru' Bolivia (2 months)
4th: Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay ect. ect. (2 months)

Good planning!

OK mOlly said everything
I have a little experience as I made the 2 kind of things
On BIG one on my own with 2 others, then one , then alone , very useful, full of adventures, meetings and so . IN 80 with a XT

one little one this november . Did not find riders OK for me in time . next I get some on HUBB .
SO I took a very good operator and start for the pistes ,a lot of pistes . BUT the others were younger, much more trained, and ths days were too long . FOR ME. I quit after 3 days !
But I learn a lot, re-gain confidence on trails , enjoyed the view , the mood the trip , also the part I made alone ;
There is anoter thing .
You said you gonna make this on duo ! this is another thing .
In all cases, train
yourself , any level will not be enough
with the bike
Increase your experience .
I will say make a little trip first , full luggage, and then reconsider everything .
And also it is gonna be very expensive in any case

Hi Guys,
Firstly, thank you very much for taking the time to reply. Very sound advice indeed! What I may do is find a Spanish speaking guide or buddy up with someone here who can ride with me. I might also choose to go via a tour company for parts of the adventure! My big map is on its way so when it arrives, its going on the wall and the planning can start! Thanks again and I look forward to updating you all.
Cheers,
Charles

Charles,
My .wife and I did the trip the other way (Bottom to top) and met up with Merv, he's back in Ireland now (I think)
You don't need guides, learn some basic Spanish and get on the road, other travellers will help you and give you advice as you go.
I'm based in Scotland, happy to help with advice although its now 2 years out of date. PM me and we can exchange E mails if you like

Gino

Good advice there Gino.
On the road I always made a point to seek out and question other travelers ... especially those who'd just come from where I wanted to go. I learned SO MUCH.
Nothing like current info.

But one piece of advice .... always consider the SOURCE. There are a fair number of "nut jobs" out there travelling who's advice should be taken with a grain of Salt and vetted before acting upon.

This is rare, but incorrect or ill considered advice can really RUIN your whole day. If the person depensing advice does not speak local language ... use caution. Most likely they're full of crap.

But most times it's all good. Talk to locals as well. After all, it's their country.
But if they don't drive ... then could be they've rarely ventured beyond their local village. Truck drivers are good and bicyclists very good.

Go slow, little by little. Stay on the forums when you can. Ask questions!

Some more things /
1) if you have support or tour, there gonna be a window between you and the country . The people the way time passes here and there.
It might be boring sometimes and you lean 100 % on the "team"
2) Learn some words anyway, and some matter about the country . very useful
3) slower is better

__________________
"In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV." R. Pirsig

When you get close to Bolivia give me a shout. I'm always up for a ride ... if Im in country when you roll through.

Agreed , slower is better and cheaper, spend more time, learn about the people, so much more satisfying.