Why is Chile such a paradise for motorcycle riding? It’s long and skinny with the driest desert in the world to the north and one of the largest ice fields outside of Antarctica to the south. Chile has something for all who venture this far south in the world, such as hiking, mountain biking, skiing, climbing - you name it, it’s here.
We often get asked about off bike activities. Getting off the bike allows us to see what we are riding past. It’s sometimes hard to go for a hike while on a motorcycle trip but lucky for us here in Chile there are short hikes that can be done in moto gear and we still get to see the environment we are in. You can also add in strategic rest days in locations like Futaleufú Chile to raft the Futaleufú River, a world class whitewater river. In Villa O’Higgins, at the end of the Carretera Austral you can take a full day boat ride to see the O’Higgins Glacier. Chile has something for everyone and a LOT for motorcycle riders.
Once you leave the cities and towns most roads turn to dirt, the services become further apart, and the riding becomes more remote and interesting. From the Andes to the Pacific there is so much to ride it can be overwhelming to plan a moto trip. Luckily, you can’t go wrong with what ever direction or route you plan to ride. Even the paved road routes are spectacular and fun. Chile has riding that can be great for a day of riding to add to a larger itinerary or weeks’ worth of riding for as a stand-alone destination.
Here in Patagonia you can break down what can be seen in time frames.
If you have less than 14 days, I recommend you try to create a route in the Lakes Regions of both Chile and Argentina. With endless roads and route options its some of the best riding without adding difficult trip logistics to your shorter time frame. We can provide the correct paperwork to cross the border with the motorcycle and you can link together roads to build a fun and interesting route.
If you have more than 14 days, I’d say add the big trip logistics into your itinerary and head south down the Carretera Austral or even go ahead and ride to Ushuaia. When thinking of heading further south from our base in Puerto Varas try to keep in mind the riding will not be as fast as you may think, the KM per day do not give a good indication of hours of riding per day based on speed. When wanting to head south you must factor in ferries and rough roads and almost always, we recommend more than 14 days to conquer anything in the far south. However, it is worth the investment in time and budget to see all of Patagonia.
I have always tried to open routes for Moto Patagonia that are unique and different to offer something more interesting to our riders. With so much to see and do, there is also so much that can get skipped over. A little trip planning before hand can go a long way to getting the most our of your time riding here in Patagonia.
We often get asked about off bike activities. Getting off the bike allows us to see what we are riding past. It’s sometimes hard to go for a hike while on a motorcycle trip but lucky for us here in Chile there are short hikes that can be done in moto gear and we still get to see the environment we are in. You can also add in strategic rest days in locations like Futaleufú Chile to raft the Futaleufú River, a world class whitewater river. In Villa O’Higgins, at the end of the Carretera Austral you can take a full day boat ride to see the O’Higgins Glacier. Chile has something for everyone and a LOT for motorcycle riders.
Once you leave the cities and towns most roads turn to dirt, the services become further apart, and the riding becomes more remote and interesting. From the Andes to the Pacific there is so much to ride it can be overwhelming to plan a moto trip. Luckily, you can’t go wrong with what ever direction or route you plan to ride. Even the paved road routes are spectacular and fun. Chile has riding that can be great for a day of riding to add to a larger itinerary or weeks’ worth of riding for as a stand-alone destination.
Here in Patagonia you can break down what can be seen in time frames.
- 1 to 14 days
- 14 days or more
If you have less than 14 days, I recommend you try to create a route in the Lakes Regions of both Chile and Argentina. With endless roads and route options its some of the best riding without adding difficult trip logistics to your shorter time frame. We can provide the correct paperwork to cross the border with the motorcycle and you can link together roads to build a fun and interesting route.
If you have more than 14 days, I’d say add the big trip logistics into your itinerary and head south down the Carretera Austral or even go ahead and ride to Ushuaia. When thinking of heading further south from our base in Puerto Varas try to keep in mind the riding will not be as fast as you may think, the KM per day do not give a good indication of hours of riding per day based on speed. When wanting to head south you must factor in ferries and rough roads and almost always, we recommend more than 14 days to conquer anything in the far south. However, it is worth the investment in time and budget to see all of Patagonia.
I have always tried to open routes for Moto Patagonia that are unique and different to offer something more interesting to our riders. With so much to see and do, there is also so much that can get skipped over. A little trip planning before hand can go a long way to getting the most our of your time riding here in Patagonia.
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