Bike Transport Options from UK to Brazil and across the Darien Gap
 

I'm planning a trip from Dubai to the UK and then over to the Americas next year. I will be riding from Dubai to the UK and then transporting the bike to Brazil. Eventually, I will be looking to cross the Darien Gap to continue through Central and North America. I have a number of questions about transporting my bike and would really appreciate any advice, experiences and information that anyone can share on this, more specifically:

1. What is the cheapest / quickest / most secure option between Sea and Air Freight?
2. What are the wrinkles I need to be most aware of when dealing with customs / freight forwarders?
3. When circumventing the Darien Gap, I have 2 route options - either from Ecuador to Panama or from Colombia to Panama. Has anyone done anything similar and / or have any recommendations.

Cheers and thanks in advance for your assistance!

do not freight the bike to Brasil. Bureaucracy is a nightmare and will cost you some extra pennies to get the bike out of port/customs. Ship the bike to Argentinia or Uruguay instead. If you go on board of the ship as well (like Grimaldi), the bike is seen as handluggage and upon arrival in Buenos Aires customs comes onboard of the ship to arrange the temporary import permit (no carnet needed).Costs=0,00
Regarding the South America-PAnama shipping. I flew with the bike from Medellin to Panama (TAM) and also from Costa Rica via San Andres to Cartagena (Avianca), but that was many years ago. Sure someone will have a more up-to-date info.

Tons of info on shipping on the Planning menu on the left under Shipping, air and sea.

There's basic tips and tricks and suggestions, and hundreds of shipments made by travellers, loads of them over the Darien. Everything you need is there! :)

Do not ship the bike to Brasil, it is much easyer to Buenos Aires, Argentina!
To ship to Brasil is a mass and costs a lot of money!

I posted my shipment to Brasil on Horizonsunlimited (Austria to Brasil), look it up!

Good luck, Appie