THE CARRIBEAN EXPLORER TOUR

A 9-DAY MIXED TERRAIN MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE

Come ride with us on an epic adventure through thick jungle mountains,

pristine, carribbean beaches and out-of-this-world desert landscapes.
In nine days you will experience the absolute best and most varied scenery and
riding that northern Colombia has to offer.

The tour is divided into three different sections.

The coastal days, with river tubing, single track
off-road riding, beaches, and cliff diving at a
secret waterfall.
The jungle journey visits a wildlife sanctuary,
tours a coffee farm, rides to the highest point of
the Sierra Nevada, and stays overnight with an
infinity pool nestled deep in the jungle.
Then, the desert scramble. We charge across
desert plains “Mad Max” style and test our
technique on rocks and soft sands, amidst some
of the most unique and untouched landscape in
Colombia.
WELCOME TO
COLOMBIA

A 21st Century Colombia

In the 80’s and 90’s Colombia was in the midst of a devastating and complicated internal war
that bought pain into the lives of millions, and left the country with a reputation far from an
ideal tourism destination. Now, however, decades after the death of Pablo Escobar in 93', the
country is much safer for foreigners, and is being “rediscovered” by a new generation of
adventure-seeking travelers.

The northern, Caribbean region of Colombia is home to the largest coastal mountain range on
the planet. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta stands at 5,730 meters above sea level at its
tallest point, and consists of five distinct eco regions, as well as being home to four different
indigenous peoples, descedent from one major native American group, the Tairona.

The northeastern part of the country is the Guajira peninsula, with arid scrub and dry, desert
plains throughout. The landscape changes almost instantly and dramatically as soon as you
move out of the shelter of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This region is breathtakingly beautiful,
and is home to the indigenous Wayuu people, which number around 400,000 throughout
Venezuela and Colombia.

Official Language: Spanish

Currency: Colombian Peso (COP)
(5.000 COP : €1 EURO)
Weather: 22°c - 32°c (75% humidity)
Capital City: Bogotá
Population: 51 million
President: Gustavo Petro
Famous Colombians:
Shakira
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Juan Pablo Montoya
Sofia Vergara
Accomodation
After a long day’s riding you want to be able to
clean up, unwind and relax with a drink in a
comfortable location and get well rested for
the following day. We have put years of
thought, trial & error into the select few lodging
options we include on our tours, and pride
ourselves on working with some of the best
accomodation options in northern Colombia

Standard sleeping arrangement for this tour is

private rooms shared between 2-3 riders.
Single room upgrades are available on request.

Please note that lodging on nights (2 & 3) will

be relatively basic compared to the rest, as we
will be out in la Guajira desert. Running water
& basic amenities are always available,
however electricty for the entire region is only
turned on at sunset until the early morning.

Some examples of lodgings are listed below

Casas Viejas Guesthouse, Minca

El Rio Hostel, Buritaca
Cayena Beach Villa
Laguna Salá, Riohacha
Hostal Analauli, Cabo de la Vela

Food
We know that good or bad food will make or
break your experience while overseas, which is
why we’ve gone and done all the hard work for
you, trying just about every restaurant, eatery
(and bar) imaginable along our routes, leaving
your group with simply the best. After all, we
do this for a living and we want to be eating
well too!

During these nine days you will experience a

mix of fine dining experiences, international
flavors and traditional Colombian cuisine, all of
which are of the highest quality. Vegetarian
options are available at every meal, however,
deep in the desert options will be limited.

Please advise us of any dietary restrictions at

least two weeks prior to your arrival so we can
make any necessary arrangements.
PACKING LIST

Driver's license
Passport
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Long pants (riding)
Long pants (evening time)
Boots or closed-toed shoes
Crocs/Flip flops or similar
Light-weight sweater
Swimsuit
Towel
Camelback
Battery pack
Extra money for alcohol &/or souvenirs

ROUTE OVERVIEW
 DETAILED
ITINERARY
Day 1
Santa Marta - Mayapo Beach
Riding hours: 4.5
Mileage: 200km
Paved/Unpaved: 90:10
Highlights:
Cruising down the troncal del caribe seaside,
coastal highway
Coffee & snack stop on Palomino beach
Dramatic landscape changing jungle to desert
Lunch on the beach in little-known Dibulla
Spend the night at a beach resort at the
gateway to the desert

Day 2
Mayapo Beach - Punta Gallinas
Riding hours: 5
Mileage: 190km
Paved/Unpaved: 40:60
Highlights:
Visit to the indigenous salt mines of Manaure
First taste of offroading into the desert across hard desert plains
Crossing the Hondita bay with bikes on canoes
Optional bioluminescent plankton boat tour
Campfire under the stars at the most northern point of south
America

Day 3
Punta Gallinas - Cabo de la Vela
Riding hours: 5 (or 3)
Mileage: 110km
Paved/Unpaved: 0:100
Highlights:
Manoeuvre rocky climbs and sandy sections leaving Punta
A visit to the towering Taroa sand dunes
Watch world class kite-surfing on the beach at el Cabo
Sunset from the Pilón de Azúcar lookout
Fresh fish & lobster on the beach for dinner
 DETAILED
ITINERARY
Day 4
Cabo de la Vela - Riohacha
Riding hours: 4
Mileage: 200km
Paved/Unpaved: 80:20
Highlights:
Lazy morning on the beach in Cabo
Try some goat for lunch in Uribia, the indigenous
capital of la Guajira
Blast back to civilization in time for sunset at a
waterfront beach bar
Nice night out a a hidden food-truck eatery in Riohacha
OR dial in for pizza delivery. It's your call

Day 5
Riohacha - Mendihuaca
Riding hours: 1.5 ("Rest Day")
Mileage: 80km
Paved/Unpaved: 100:0
Highlights:
Visit to the impressive indigenous market for artesanal shopping
Quick cruise down the coast to our luxury resort
Spending the afternoon drinking cocktails, surfing, playing
volleyball or just generally hanging out on the beach
Exquisite 3 course dinner at Cayena Beach Villa

Day 6
Mendihuaca - Buritaca
Riding hours: 4
Mileage: 80km
Paved/Unpaved: 25:75
Highlights:
Ride the Quebrada del Sol goat trail. A 3 hour enduro
feast
Tubing the Buritaca river. Beers and rum are on us
Spend the night deep in the heart of the jungle at the
world-class Rio Hostel
 DETAILED
ITINERARY
Day 7
Buritaca - Paso del Mango
Riding hours: 4.5
Mileage: 100km
Paved/Unpaved: 30:70
Highlights:
Wake up to the sounds of howler monkeys overhead
Hidden backroad enduro trails to a secret waterfall
lunch stop
Tour of a local, handmade chocolate farm
Overnight at a guesthouse deep in the jungle

Day 8
Paso del Mango - Minca
Riding hours: 5
Mileage: 80km
Paved/Unpaved: 40:60
Highlights:
Hours of twisty mountain riding up to La Tagua town
Visit to the towering Marinka waterfall
Carve up back trails around the picturesque Minca
Cocktails from an infinity pool over the jungle valley

Day 9
Minca - Santa Marta
Riding hours: 5
Mileage: 80km
Paved/Unpaved: 30:70
Highlights:
Enduro riding to 2,800m to see snow-capped mountains
Tour of La Victoria coffee farm. Oldest in north Colombia
Traditional Colombia BBQ at Camaritas Smoke Shack
Relaxed cruise back to our Santa Marta HQ
 Vehicle Options
& Info

Included in tour price

Standard Moto 5-Speed Manual Transmission
Honda XR150 Kerb weight ~130kg
Awesome little dual sport 83cm Seat Height
motorcycle, capable of getting you 150cc / 12Hp
anywhere. Max Speed 110km/h
16 available

$135 Upgrade
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Light Upgrade Kerb weight ~133kg
Honda XR190L 84cm Seat Height
Essentially the same bike as the 190cc / 16Hp
XR150, just with a bigger engine. Max Speed 120km/h
8 available

$270 Upgrade
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Advanced Upgrade Rear disc brake
Honda XRE300 Kerb weight 152kg
Bigger frame, wider seat, longer 87cm Seat Height
suspension travel, more power. 300cc / 26Hp
12 available Max Speed 145km/h

Support Truck Included in tour price (1 per 15 riders)

The support truck carries luggage, tools, wheels & parts to fix any
damaged bikes during our adventure. For larger tours, it will carry a
trailer and spare bike too.

Some days the truck cannot follow the same route as the bikes, or not
as fast. Riders will be informed & encouraged to day-pack accordingly.

Riders will be asked to limit their support truck luggage to a 40-50L soft
Toyota Hilux or similar travel/duffel bag. Larger bags can be left, secure at our headquarters.

The support truck also carries a variety of snacks and drinks (alcoholic
and not). Please let us know any snack/drink requests!
 Extra Gear
Rental OPtions

Helmet & gloves Included in tour price ECE 22.05 standard helmet. Full face,
dualsport/adventure style.
Gloves are basic, but will save your
skin in a small fall.

Body Armor $40 Lightweight, mesh + hard plastic

padding option OR full coverage,
breathable motorcycle jacket.

Knee + Elbow pads $30 Hard plastic/metal pads. One-size

fits all. Worn over clothing.

MotoX Pants $20 Bright, colorful motoX style pants.

Some padding, but not full armor
style.

Motorcycle Boots $50 Mostly high boots, motocross style.

Some road-style boots available on
request. Advise sizes early, please!

Includes Jacket/body armor, motoX

FULL gear set $100
pants, motorcycle boots & knee pads

Other extras
Phone Mount $20 QUADLOCK available, or generic.

Phone Charger $20 USB charger wired into battery

Adrenaline Addicts $30 Custom made, Adrenaline Addicts

Jersey jerseys. Order in advance for
personalized names/nicknames.
SAFETY / EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS

Traveling Safe in Colombia

In general, Colombia is the safest for foreign tourism that it has been in modern history. In 2016 Juan
Manuel Santos, the president at the time, was the sole recipient of the nobel peace prize for his
ongoing work negotiating a peace treaty with the FARC-guerilla. Despite an initial referendum vetoing
the peace deal, a second one with revised terms passed several months after the initial refusal.

This marked a twenty-year reduction in violence and instability throughout Colombia, and while
guerillas, paramilitary factions and narco traffickers still exist, their influence and area of operation
has been pushed into the periphery, and certainly not anywhere near where we visit on our tours.

One area we do advise a higher level of situational awareness, is the upper guajira. This beautiful part
of the country is also home to the Wayuu, who are an indigneous people with a rich and long-
standing culture. They are also some of the poorest people in Colombia.

Most Wayuu are impartial/ambivalent at worst, and quite often friendly and welcoming to foreigners,
but there is some dissatisfaction in areas with tourists passing through their land without "paying". In
the deeper parts of the desert we will find makeshift toll points where children and adults stop
vehicles to ask for candy or small amounts of money.

Your guides & support truck will carry gifts to give out at these checkpoints. Snacks, coffee, water,
pencils, books etc all make for great gifts to hand out to those in need as we pass through their land.
We encourage groups to bring small gifts from home to hand out during the days of desert riding.

We have never in our history had a dangerous or untoward encounter at any checkpoint, but it is still
wise to remain vigilent and listen to our indigenous guide at all times.

In the unlikely event of a life-threatening or

Important Phone Numbers:
otherwise serious injury during the tour, the
AA Office: +57 311 364 2134
immediate priority will be to get the injured party/s
Brayden: +57 312 269 0257
to a hospital as soon as possible.
Christian: +57 311 695 6885
Sam: +57 312 611 0729
Depending on our location at the time, and the
Ambulance: 717033
nature of the injury, that will either be by helicopter
Police: 123
evacuation, the support truck, or a combination of
Heli evac: +57 322 392 3130
the two.
Medical Insurance
Obligatory SOAT insurance is included in the
tour price for all riders. This insurance covers
hospital and medical expenses for riders,
passengers and third parties injured during an
accident up to 30.000.000 COP (~$7,000 USD)

30.000.000 COP will cover an extensive list of

hospital expenses, including surgeries,
medications, imaging, and stays of around 1
week if necessary, and is what 99% of
Colombians are covered by.

However, it is also recommended that you

secure an international travel health insurance
policy from a reputable provider, in the unlikely
event of a serious injury that requires a very high
level or extended length of care.

Vehicle Insurance

In general, replacement motorcycle parts in

Colombia are reasonably cheap. For example a
broken mirror is $5, handlebars $25, brake
levers $5, indicators $10 etc.

We never charge or put a hold on any credit

cards as a "security" deposit. Instead we just
trust in our customers to cover any damages
resulting from falls to our vehicles if they occur
during the tour. We are not trying to make
money on repairs, and charge just the cost of
the replacement part +10% to cover our
mechanic's labor.

We also offer an optional Collision Damage

Waiver on our bikes. The Honda XR150 and
XR190 costs $10 USD/Day and has a deductible
of $100. The XRE300 is $20 USD/Day and has a
$200 deductible. In the case of damage to the
bike, the rider will pay any damages up to the
deductible.

Mechanical failure is of course never the fault

of the rider, with the only exception being any
damage that results from obvious
mistreatment of our vehicle.
Tour Pricing
All-inclusive price of $2,199 USD per person.

What's Included
Honda XR150 dual sport motorcycle
8 Nights accommodation (2-3 Pax shared)
All breakfast, lunch, & dinners
Gasoline + tolls
English/Spanish speaking guides
Entrance fees to all attractions/activities
Helmet, riding gloves
Medical insurance (SOAT)
Support Truck (One every 15 riders)
Includes snacks & drinks
Carries medical kit and stretcher
Hotel - AA HQ transport
Airport pickup/drop off (Santa Marta)

What's Not Included

Accomodation pre & post tour (can be
arranged on request)
Airport pickup/drop off (BAQ/CTG). Can be
arranged on request.
Flights
Tips to guides
Alcoholic drinks
Souvenirs

Optional Extras
XR190 Upgrade: $135
XRE300 Upgrade: $270
Single occupancy room: $499
Airport pickup/dropoff (BAQ): $25/pp
Airport pickup/dropoff (CTG): $40/pp
Full protective gear set: $100
Personalized MotoX jersey: $30
Damage insurance: $10-20/bike/day

Payment
A deposit of 20% of the tour price paid by
bank transfer or PayPal is required to
reserve tour dates.
This deposit is fully refundable until 2
months prior to departure, and
transferable until 15 days prior.