Patagonia and Ushuaia Map

 

This 14-day South American Adventure leads riders from Chile’s Puerto Varas to Argentina’s Tierra Del Fuego, the southernmost tip of the continent, before ending in Ushuaia. This tour is designed to allow time to explore the most interesting and spectacular regions of Chile and Argentina.

Although the name Patagonia often conjures up images of a rugged expedition, this tour offers a different kind of experience. Over 95% of the route consists of well-paved roads, with the remainder being hard-packed gravel in good condition. This trip is suitable for individuals with limited off-pavement experience, as well as for two-up riding.

Highlights of this Adventure include:

  • Puerto Varas, the “City of Roses,” known for its distinctive German-inspired architecture and breathtaking views of the towering Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes overlooking the lake
  • A two-night stay in the scenic region of Bariloche, Argentina, with the option to take a loop ride to explore the surrounding area of lakes and volcanoes
  • The historic town of Puerto San Julian, where Magellan and his crew spent the winter in the town’s harbor in 1520
  • El Calafate, including a boat cruise for an up-close look at the famous Perito Mereno Glacier
  • Puerto Natales, situated on the border of the Torres del Paine National Park, known as one of the most stunning national parks in South America
  • A ferry ride across the Straits of Magellan to the island of Tierra del Fuego
  • Ushuaia! The world’s southernmost city and bucket list destination for many motorcycle adventure enthusiasts
  • Tierra del Fuego National Park.

At a Glance Your Patagonia and Ushuaia Adventure

Welcome to Puerto Varas, Chile!

The tour leaders will organize your transfer from El Tepual, Puerto Montt’s airport, to the hotel in Puerto Varas. If you arrive early, you’ll have the opportunity to explore this wonderful city situated on the banks of Lake Llanquihue.

In the late afternoon we will meet for the motorcycle handover followed by a brief kickoff meeting. After that, we will head to a nearby local restaurant to enjoy our first dinner together.

A very scenic first day’s ride will be along the eastern shore of Lago Llanquihue and three other lakes. These beautiful lakes and surrounding volcanoes are characteristic of this region. As we make our way towards the Argentinean border, we will pass through Puyehue National Park. Once we enter Argentina, we’ll travel along the famous Ruta 40 and ride along the banks of Lake Nahuel Huapi until we reach the wonderful town of San Carlos de Bariloche. We’ll spend two nights here and enjoy the numerous attractions of this breathtaking part of the world.

The tour leaders will lead an optional ride on the “Seven Lakes Road’ in Nahuel Huapi National Park, with its incredible views of forests and lakes. This is an unforgettable ride!

For those who prefer to remain in town, Bariloche has a lot to offer, including boutique shops, restaurants, and bars. With Bariloche being known for its chocolate, it’s an absolute must to visit one of the city’s many well-known chocolate shops.

Today’s ride will take us through the famous “Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid” region. As we make our way towards Esquel, which is situated in the Andes foothills, we’ll travel along serene country roads surrounded by mountains. Compared to Bariloche, Esquel is a more tranquil and relaxed area.

From Esquel, we will follow the infamous Ruta 40 for about two-thirds of the day’s distance before splitting off onto Route 26. Although desolate, the ride through this region of Patagonia is strikingly beautiful and features several interesting stops along the way. We will spend the night in Comodoro Rivadavia, which is the largest city located south of the 45th parallel.

It’s a beautiful ride along the coast south of Comodoro Rivadavia, with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean to your left. At this point, we’ll likely begin to experience the strong Patagonian winds. Puerto San Julian, a quaint fishing village, is known for the many famous explorers who have spent time in this area. Ferdinand Magellan spent the winter here in 1520, while Sir Francis Drake and Charles Darwin also spent time in the area. Additionally, the harbor features a replica of one of Magellan’s ships.

We’ll leave the Atlantic coast behind as we head inland to El Calafate, a charming little town with numerous shops, cafés, and restaurants. Our hotel is only a few blocks from downtown and we’ll arrive early enough to explore our surroundings. By the time we reach El Calafate, you will have enjoyed many fine dining experiences but you should get ready to experience one of the trip’s culinary highlights. We have a very special restaurant planned for dining this evening.

We’ll have a free day to explore El Calafate and visit one of South America’s most popular attractions, the Perito Moreno Glacier, which is just an hour’s ride from El Calafate. We’ll ride our bikes to Los Glaciares National Park, where we’ll embark on a cruise along the face of the glacier. There is no better way to witness the glacier calving and observe huge chunks of ice fall into the lake below!

We will be crossing the border back into Chile today where we’ll visit Torres del Paine, one of the most popular National Parks in South America. Get ready to be amazed by the stunning views of the mountains and glacier lakes with guanacos dotting the grasslands.

The park offers spectacular riding in every direction, with shimmering lakes around every corner, so be sure to take your camera and be prepared for a relaxing ride through stunning scenery. Alternatively, you can spend a leisurely day at the hotel, enjoying the breathtaking views of the mountains and glacier-fed lakes.

We’ll have another enjoyable day of riding through Patagonia, heading towards Punta Arenas, the largest city south of the 46th parallel. Along the way, we’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the “Monument to the Wind.” Created in 2000 by Chilean sculptor Alejandra Ruddoff, this monument serves as a tribute to the strong Patagonian winds that are prevalent in this region.

We’ll ride along the Straits of Magellan to Punta Delgada, where we’ll board a ferry for a 20-minute ride across the straits, and onto the island of Tierra del Fuego island. Once we are on the island, the gravel roads will transition to pavement as we re-enter Argentina. Our destination is Rio Grande, where our hotel offers the conveniences we need for a pleasant stay.

It’s a short ride from Rio Grande to Ushuaia allowing for a leisurely departure and plenty of time along the way to capture photos of the scenic route. We will arrive in Ushuaia early enough to do some last-minute souvenir shopping and to explore this fascinating “southernmost city in the world”. We will also have the opportunity to ride to Tierra del Fuego National Park to capture a memorable photo at the iconic sign.

After a relaxing breakfast, the tour leaders will arrange a transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Total – 2,400 miles.

The roads in Patagonia are predominantly paved and maintained in good condition. Although there are around 200 miles of gravel roads, they are hard-packed and well maintained. The paved roads vary from straight and level, to wide mountain sweepers. While high winds are often prevalent in the region, the windy sections of the trip mostly occur on straight paved roads.

This tour is suitable for riders with limited gravel road riding experience. Two-up riders should have off-road riding experience.
60% Tame
30% Challenging (White sign)
10% Gravel (White sign)
High winds

 


65%

30%

5%

Please contact us about low frame and/or low seat options for our bikes.

  • Includes BMW F750GS
  • Additional charge of $1,050 for a BMW R1250 GS
  • Additional charge of $1,200 for a BMW R1250 GS Adv
  • Personal motorcycle: deduct $2,300 from the rider price.
Standard Inclusions
  • Unlimited use of a BMW motorcycle
  • Upscale accommodations
  • A’ la carte dining
  • Two professional Ayres Adventures tour leaders
  • Airport arrival/departure transfers
  • Luggage handling
  • Comfortable support vehicle for non-riding companions
  • Comprehensive pre-trip planning and assistance
  • Customized trip booklet with day-by-day itinerary and attractions
  • Commemorative shirt
  • Adventurer Club travel award credit
Meals
  • All breakfasts
  • 10 dinners
Special Inclusions
  • Boat excursion to view Perito Moreno Glacier
  • Entry fee to Torres del Paine National Park
  • Entry fee to Los Alerces National Park
  • Cave entry fee in Torres del Paine National Park
  • Ferry across Straits of Magellan
  • Entry fee to Tierra del Fuego National Park

Deposit per person: $800

Single room supplement: $1200

2024 Schedule
Dates2024 AdventuresLengthRider
Price
(USD)
Co-Rider
Price
(USD)
Note
January 13 - 26Patagonia and Ushuaia Adventure14 days$10,550$7,800Waitlist only (Add Name)
2025 Schedule
Dates2025 AdventuresLengthRider
Price
(USD)
Co-Rider
Price
(USD)
Note
January 11 - 24Patagonia and Ushuaia Adventure14 days$10,550$7,800
Cancellation fee and refunds
FROM DATE OF
SCHEDULED COMMENCEMENT
AMOUNT FORFEITED
More than 60 days50% of deposit
60 days or fewer but more than 45 days100% of deposit
45 days or fewer but more than 30 days50% of full tour payment
30 days or fewer100% of full tour payment

Well done, Ayres Adventures!

Once again Ayres Adventures came up trumps for our Father / Daughter private tour in South America. The booking and arrangements were made with the minimum of fuss. Jason Kilian and Chris Gladstone are two of the most friendly and professional tour leaders anyone could wish to travel with. Well done, Ayres Adventures!

Richard and Paula's Adventures include:
New Zealand Top Down Adventure
Machu Picchu Excursion (Empire of the Incas)
Switchback Challenge The Alps
Private Bariloche to Ushuaia tour

Richard and Paula Maxwell
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom

What a Ride!

What a ride! The IBA (Iron Butt Association) Ushuaia trip attracted me because of the opportunity to ride with like minded individuals who like doing the miles, and I was not disappointed. Challenging conditions like the Patagonian winds and the gravel roads of Chile were taken in stride by this bunch, and we all looked forward to great accommodations and good company at the end of every day.

My personal highlights were chasing Mike Kneebone and Nuno Leotte on the twisty pavement to the Perito Moreno glacier and the 1100 km day riding from Ushuaia to Torres del Paine through some of the finest scenery in the world.

I'll be back for more.

Rick's Adventures include:
IBA (Iron Butt Association) Ushuaia Tour
African Call of the Wild
African Southern Cross
Portugal, Spain and Morocco
Machu Picchu Excursion

Rick Sauter
Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

It was my first group motorcycle tour, but it will not be my last

It was an exciting, quick paced ride with an entertaining group. The leaders were always available offering encouragement, riding tips or just reliving the day over dinner.

And then of course there are the bragging rights of riding the world with Mike Kneebone and Ron Ayres.

It was my first group motorcycle tour but will not be my last!

Beverly's Adventures include:
IBA (Iron Butt Association) Ushuaia Tour
Africa Panorama Tour

Beverly Ruffin
Houston, Texas

START CITY: Puerto Varas

  • Nearest international airport: El Tepual International Airport
  • Airport code: PMC
  • Approximate distance from city centre: 12 miles/20 kms

END CITY: Ushuaia

  • Nearest international airport: Malvinas Argentinas Ushuaia International Airport
  • Airport code: USH
  • Approximate distance from city centre: 8 miles/12 kms
Private Tour Inquiry

We are happy to book any of our motorcycle tour as a private tour. For most tours, we require a minimum of 8 bikes, or 12 participants (riders plus co-riders). We can provide a private motorcycle tour for smaller groups, but a surcharge may apply. We can also customize any of our regular tours for a private group.

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