Manaus to Peru by ferry
 

We are looking at travelling from Manaus to either Pucallpa or Yurimaguas in Peru by ferry approx August 2009 and wondered if anyone had done this trip before and could offer any information or advice.

Thanks
Carol and Ken Duval
BMW R80g/s

Hello Ken and Carol!

Why you don't go riding?

I think Chris Bright did it the other way a few years ago and may have even written about it in the AMH? Keep me posted, i was seriously considering doing the trip the same way about the same time, but i'm wondering now if it will chew up too much of my 6 short months. Apparently it takes 3-4 weeks, slowing down with more boat changes as you head upstream.
Are you coming down from North America? I'm starting from Canada next week, maybe i'll bump into you en route.
Sean

amazonas
 

Hola,

we have done it in 2002, but coming from Peru. No big problems, but take your own water and food on boats in Peru. Dont eat the food prepared for you on this boats, because it is made with river water.

First boat will go for you from Manaus to Leticia (Colombia), the port next to Leticia in Brazil (sorry forgot the name). This is the best boat.

Second boat goes from the other side of Leticia, which is Peru, to Iquitos. To get to the port you will have to cross over by canoe. This is the worst boat.

Third boat is from Iquitos to Pucalpa.

Its a very nice journey, just relax and take your time (two to three weeks is good).

Enjoy

Mika

Nice trip Mika... :thumbup1:

Thankyou everyone for your information.

Ola Robson. Ride!!! Just completed 50,000 kms in South America. Possibly another 30,000 to go. Just want to see the Amazon from another perspective. Call it a short holiday from the saddle.!!

We are in Porto Alegre now and head north soon (with many inland detours) to Fr. Guyane, Suriname, Br. Guyana returning to Manaus to do the boat(s) ride to Peru. Eventually we will return to Buenos Aires to follow the Dakar Rally again in January 2010. We hope to also make it to the HU meeting in Viedma this year.

Ola Sean. The above is a very loose plan as we change frequently. End of June we hope to be in Belem to head into the little three countries. July is a bad time as it is wet season but we always have another plan if all looks too hard. BTW what is the AMH???

Ola Mika. We forgot you had done this route. Think we read about it back in Aus before we left. We are looking at a couple of variations but will play it by ear when we get there.

Once again many thanks.

Carol and Ken

I started this thread many moons ago: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-amazon-12037
It covers West to East, but it's the same but slower E >>>W

Here's some words and pics from that leg of the trip: Chapter 25 The Big Trip

Enjoy
Chris

PS. Sean: Have a good trip. Are you still on the Beemer?

= Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, by my less handsome half-brother Mr C Scott

HTH
Mr C Bright Sh*te

:clap::clap:
Very good,
What route will you get to go north?
I'm 450 km from Porto Alegre... :D

How's things Chris? Yep, still on the Beemer, haven't snapped it in half yet. I just rode into London today, will be flying the bike to Toronto manana. What is a Super Moderator? Do you have special powers?

Have a good trip Sean. Being a Super Mod allows me to wear my underpants outside my trousers like Batman/Superman etc. Basically I'm now a real life action hero.:donatello:

cheers
Chris

Route help..
 

Hi,

I am new to the HUBB and this is my first post!
We (husband and wife team on 2 Tenere's) are planning a trans South American trip starting and ending in Santiago in Chile.
I (wife) am planning the itinerary however, so far I have gotten us to Manaus but I am unsure the best way to get from Manuas to Quito in Ecaudor. I have read you can catch a ferry from Manaus to Yurimaguas and ride by road from there. Otherwise we could ride from Manuas to Porto Velho, down to Cusco then up to Quito. Has anyone does this trip by rode? Any suggestions?

Thank you.
Ainsleigh and Ben

If you can spare the time, I highly recommend that you go to VZ and Colombia then to Ecuador. It's easy. From Manaus take the excellent highway north to Venezuela, then head West to Colombia. Hotels are very very cheap in VZ. And fuel is free. If you cross into Colombia near Merida, it will save some time.

There is a lot of beauty in VZ and Colombia that is worth seeing. I loved them both A LOT more than Ecuador or Peru.

I took a barge from Manaus to Belem last year (downstream) and it took 5 days. So figure probably 10 days from Manaus to Yurimaguas. The road from Yurimaguas to the coast of Peru is nice pavement. It has a lot of curves obviously.

By the way, driving in the Andes (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) can be an overload of curves. And dangerous curves where the oncoming trucks are in your lane. Be careful.

Thank you! We are trying to avoid VZ and Columbia not because we don't want to go there but have read that VZ has closed its land borders to Columbia and it's all just a bit sketchy.
Thank you for the advice on riding in the Andes. Is it very cold? What are the road conditions like?

Yes, i've heard that also about the CO/VZ crossings. I'd suggest that you assume it will be open, and then when you get to Manaus - double check. CO and VZ are not friendly with each other, but there is still business to conduct - lots of smuggling over that border.

The Andes are always cold because of the elevation. Second highest after the Himalayas. Can snow, freezing rain, etc in the middle of 'summer'. Very windy. Main roads are paved and good condition except for curves, overflowing rivers across the road, and falling boulders. Secondary roads are gravel and have all of that +++++.