UK to South America - Chile/BA
 

Hi!

Looking for freight options for one motorbike to South America from UK ideally to San Antonia, Chile or Montevideo, Uruguay between Christmas 2023 and New Years 2024. The plan is to start riding early January 2024, exploring South America for 6 months.

I am open to other ports too if more cost effective and/or easier customs and am more than happy to share crate space/cost if there are others heading that way.

I would really appreciate any advice and suggestions on good companies that can support both the freight and customs process.

TYIA!
Dani

Hi Dani. I'm using Moto Freight to fly my bike from the UK to Bogota in November and then back from Buenos Aires (via Ushuaia) when I've finished. Moto Freight only air freight to SA to/from those two locations and also Santiago. I looked at shipping but there didn't seem to be a lot of difference in price after the port/custom charges were added to the shipping cost. I'll be a solo traveller so don't have the luxury of packing a few bikes into a container.

Hey Dani
guess we are in touch already, but I am not sure. In any case we invite you to join ouir containerservice from Hamburg to Valparaiso

best regards
Olaf

Hi Olaf, yes we have been in contact and I’ve replied to your last email, pending your response.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Hi! Thanks for responding with your plan and advice. I’m still waiting on a few more customs quotes to compare air vs sea myself. It’s a shame we seem to be doing the opposite to your plan - we’re intending to start south and work our way north. Could have maybe found a bunch to share a container.

How long are you intending to be travelling for?

Be interesting to hear how you've found the air vs sea prices. Yes, it is a shame we can't share a container, anything to keep the costs down would be good. Unfortunately I'm only travelling for just under 4 months. Would love to do longer but that's the time I have so I'll make it work.

While air freight would have guaranteed arrival and quicker clearance in BA for me, the total costs were coming up double the price compared to sea freight.

Olaf from In-Time offers a good service that includes loss in and all fees on arrival to Valparaiso. It comes up cheaper even after including cost to travel to Hamburg and back to UK.

PM me if you want to chat more.

That's great news. Not sure of the timescales with the shipping but I will have to stick with the air-freight now. My plans have also changed and I'm now starting in Santiago, heading north to Cusco then turning south to Bolivia and eventually Ushuaia. Will be arriving in 6 weeks time.

Oh that’s exciting and about the opposite for us.
We’re arriving in Chile, heading south to Ushuaia through Patagonia then current plan is back up north via the Atlantic coast towards Brazil. Then work our way round to finish in Colombia.

Are you on social media? Would be great to follow your journey.

Good morning,
as you look for an economic solution to Chile I am wondering why you will use airfreight now, we get you bike to and from Chile for at same costs or even less than what you pay for the oneway by air....
PM me if you like to get more info

Cheers
Olaf