Ship Your Motorcycle From Australia to Chile
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Brisbane to Valparaíso
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16 Nov 2026 → 29 Jan 2027
AU$2,500
Melbourne to Valparaíso
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23 Nov 2026 → 29 Jan 2027
AU$2,500
Season Stuff
Read Article South America Season for shipment timing justification. The two primary considerations are: 1) provide enough time to clear the subarctic before too cold; and 2) arrive Amazonian Andes post peak wet season ... and enjoy prime Autumn months before winter sets in!
Due to the new import rule, the Motorcycle Owners must now be present to process Temporary Import Permit (TIP). Therefore we have to commit to an import timing that we believe will 'best fit' the majority. If we get enough demand for a mid-December launch (six weeks earlier) then we will run another shipment to meet that demand. If you would prefer a December launch then please make that comment when you REGISTER INTEREST in this shipment.
Picture: DR650s @ 5,567m up the side of Uturuncu Volcano (6,028m), Bolivia.
OBO Return Shipments to Australia
ValparaIso, Chile
ETD second week of June 2027
Allows for prime riding months of Apr + May
Chile TIP is 3 months and resets upon re-entry.
TIP MUST STILL BE VALID at time of export.
Ride window is 2 to 4 months for Valparaiso loop.
Timings are estimates and TBC.
View the Chile to Australia shipment page.
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is an OBO gateway where a shipment can be arranged with a minimum of six motorcycles.
Good container share options from USA detailed below.
Photo: Port of Cartagena is the most connected port in Latin America and the Caribbean with a specialty in trans-shipment operations.
Other shipping options for South America
If you are considering other shipping options for South America then your best bets are via:
Santiago, Chile - air
Valparaiso, Chile - sea
Montevideo, Uruguay - sea
Buenos Aires, Argentina - air & sea
Bogota, Colombia - air
Cartagena, Colombia - sea
Break Up Your Trip
Chile Temporary Import Permit (TIP) is 3 months and resets every time you re-enter Chile.
As of recently (Jan 2024), Argentina have been issuing 8 month TIPs at various border crossings. Keep in mind that nowadays Argentina is computerised when it comes to tracking foreign registered motorcycles entering and exiting land borders - so make sure you exit (to reset the clock) in accordance with TIP.
Uruguay has generous 12 month TIP making it a popular long-term storage or base option for overlanders.
Panama TIP is only 30 days but there is a good option to air freight your bike from Bogota to Panama City and leave your bike in Customs Bonded storage @ US$100 per month. You can fly home from Bogota and resume your journey from Panama City when you're ready, which for most will be when their ride window lines up for Great Divide USA + Rockies Canada.
Picture: ECargo Logistics, Tocumen Cargo Airport
Darién Gap
Air Freight Bogota to Panama City
Cargo Rider is agent in Bogota, Colombia
E-Cargo Logistics is agent in Panama City, Panama
All inclusive cost vicinity US$1,340 (AU$1,900)
Sea Freight Cartagena to Colón
Overlander vehicles (cars, vans, trucks) use this option. For motorcycles this can be cheaper option than air freight if they get into a container share with other overlander vehicles.
North America & Onward
Season
Central America wet season roughly May to Dec. First few months can often just be late afternoon showers. Rain increases through Jun Jul. Oct into Nov not great for Panama and Costa Rica with key parks closed.
USA SW deserts too hot from late Jun to early Sep
Great Divide Ride (GDR) best Jul to Sep when the worst conditions of snow and mud have melted and dried out.
Little Gold Creek Border Crossing (Top of The World Highway) operates mid-May to mid Sep.
Return to Australia
High volume of container traffic to Australia from the Ports of Oakland (San Francisco) and Long Beach (Los Angeles). There are great options for motorcycles to container share with classic cars from these ports on a regular basis. Contact West Coast Shipping and Schumacher Cargo Logistics for quotes.
Onward to Europe
WestJet Cargo's Bike Air program is specifically designed for motorcycle tourism with seasonal (Apr to Oct) air freight from Canada (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax) to Europe destinations (Heathrow, Edinburgh, Dublin, Paris, Rome, Barcelona). This is very good value air freight. Contact Air Marine Cargo (AMC) for a quote.
West Coast Shipping also operate out of New Jersey with good container share options to Europe.
Own Bike Odyssey will run North America shipments in the future TBC.
Pic: Great Divide Ride route by GPS Kevin