Big Adventure Bike tours

Because of the very nature of adventure motorcycling, just about any country or continent can be a fantastic destination for a tour. However, it’s hard to argue that the most iconic adventure motorcycle destinations are South America, Africa, and Asia. Out there, you truly leave the Western world behind and travel places so different from the familiar and boasting so many awe-inspiring landscapes you’re guaranteed to get your fill of freedom and adventure.

Southern Africa is one of our favourite adventure bike destinations for several reasons. In South Africa, you go from the cheerful buzz of Cape Town to complete wilderness in a matter of a couple hundred miles, ride the stunning coastal roads, and sample the best braai and South African wine on Earth. Namibia and Botswana offer breath-taking desert scenery and incredible wildlife sightings, while in Zimbabwe, you get to see the majestic Victoria Falls. Finally, our Cape to Cairo expeditions make for the ultimate adventure motorcycle trip: covering thousands of miles and several different countries, this is a ride of a lifetime.

In South America, guided adventure motorcycle tours focus on Patagonia, the land of vast open spaces, snow-capped Andes Mountains, turquoise-blue lagoons, pristine nature, and ancient glaciers covering the southern lakes. The mysterious Tierra del Fuego, the epic bucket list destination Ushuaia – the southernmost city of the world and the end of all roads – and the extraordinary gaucho culture complete the tour, and we’ve witnessed riders getting seriously addicted to riding Patagonia and coming back for more.

In Asia, the mighty Himalayan Mountains await. Riding some of the highest mountain passes in the world, catching a glimpse of Mount Everest, getting close to the Tibetan Plateau, and exploring millennia-old Buddhist temples and monasteries along the way make adventure motorcycle tours in Asia one of a kind. Riding India and Nepal, you’ll discover a world so ancient, so extraordinary, and so mind-blowingly scenic you’ll feel like you’d just completed a Marco Polo expedition on your bike.

By design, adventure motorcycle tours are aimed at covering long distances, riding tarmac roads, and getting off the road every once in a while. The length of off-road sections will vary on every individual tour: some tours will have 50-50 off-road/on road ratio, some may have more or less of dirt miles, but in general, expect to ride everything: smooth pavement, rough sections, some dirt here and there, and just about everything in between.

For this, you need a comfortable, large-capacity motorcycle capable of longer distances and varying road conditions, and the undisputed king of adventure touring is the BMW GS. Depending on the destination and your personal preference, pick something like the BMW F750, F850, or the R1250 GS: these bikes are well-built, high-quality machines designed to take on any road and any terrain, and cater to any skill level. If you’re riding two-up, either of these BMW models will work great as these bikes have excellent suspension and your pillion passenger will be comfortable throughout the entire tour.

If you’re headed to India, however, Royal Enfield Himalayan is easily the most iconic bike for an adventure tour in the Himalayas. Smaller than the mighty GS but equally capable of tackling any terrain, Royal Enfields are fantastic for Indian roads and mountain passes, and they have long become a staple motorcycle for expeditions to the Everest Base Camp, Nepal, and Northern India.