How to Motorcycle from Peru to French Guiana using Amazon Cargo Boats

Singara travelled with his motorcycle from Peru to French Guiana using cargo boats across Brazil and the Amazon. It took 18 days and 6 boats crossing 3 countries with 4,000km on the Amazon River and 2,000km riding through the Andean foothills and Amazon rainforest. This guide explains the entire process with a detailed day-by-day motorcycle ride report.

How to Transport a Motorcycle from Peru to French Guiana via Brazil on Amazon Cargo Boats

By Singara Vadivel

Round the World Motorcycle Traveller

The French Guiana plan

Reaching French Guiana from Peru was a mammoth effort. Entering via Venezuela from Colombia would have been a lot easier, however, with the current political situation, getting a visa wasn’t possible. So, I had two options…

First, I could go all the way to Cusco, Peru (Machu Picchu), and then ride over 700 km to Manaus, Brazil, which would include 400km of off-road terrain (impossible to navigate in the rain). Or second, I could take multiple cargo boats from Peru to Brazil, which is what I went with.

The cargo boat route would take me from Peru to Manaus. And to reach the last rideable city in Peru, I had to cover nearly 700km through mixed terrain, including the majestic foothills of the Andes, alongside a beautiful river that later becomes the Marañón River and eventually the Amazon, fed by tributary rivers. The journey through the mountains and Amazon rainforest would be marked by drastic weather changes—from hot to cold, with heavy rain at times, but it seemed my best option.

For detailed videos about the entire crossing, you can check out my YouTube channel: Global Motor Rider

Getting started in Peru

After visiting a few historic places in Peru, I reached the last city connected by road, Yurimaguas. Finding the port where cargo boats depart for Iquitos (the world’s largest city without road access) was a unique experience.

The boat ride was very basic, carrying all types of cargo, including live animals. After five days—due to delays and low water levels in the river, which made navigation difficult—I reached Manaus.

Loading the heavy motorcycle onto the cargo boat in Peru was the biggest challenge, as there were no proper loading ramps or facilities. Everything was done manually, with steep, rough slopes making the process incredibly difficult. Dealing with port workers, especially without knowing the language, was a real hassle, and sometimes very expensive. Unloading the bike posed similar challenges.

Crossing to Brazil

I spent a few days in Iquitos to rest and recover. Then, I took the next boat from Iquitos to Santa Rosa, a small town on the Amazon River on the Peru side. My motorcycle, however, needed to cross the river to the Brazilian town of Tabatinga.

Understanding the logistics of this, including where to exit Peru and enter Brazil, was a battle, especially without speaking the local language. I hired a private boat to take my bike from Santa Rosa to Tabatinga, Brazil. Tabatinga (Brazil), Santa Rosa (Peru), and Leticia (Colombia) are three cities with open borders. Moving the heavy motorcycle from the cargo boat to a small boat for the one-kilometer river crossing was nerve-wracking and extremely challenging.

Formalities in Colombia

Once I reached Tabatinga (Brazil), I went to Leticia (Colombia) to find a hotel and stayed there for two days to complete the immigration formalities for Peru and Brazil. So far, Brazil has had the friendliest and simplest immigration process. I got my passport stamped and the bike permit from Tabatinga.

My boat to Manaus from Tabatinga was scheduled for the next evening. This section of the journey was more than 1,000 km and took four nights and three days. The boat was much larger and more organized than in Peru. The Amazon River became noticeably wider, and the difference between Peru and Brazil was clear.

To Macapa

Once I reached Manaus, my plan was to ride the bike toward the Brazil-Guyana border, to a town called Lethem. However, I learned from some bikers who had recently crossed the route from Lethem to Linden in Guyana that there was a 400 km section of extreme off-road, which becomes impossible to ride if it rains. Riding solo on a heavy bike made it even more complicated.

So, I decided on a different plan: to take two more cargo boats on the Amazon, all the way to the city of Macapá. This long boat ride was tiring, sleeping on cargo boats, but it was a unique experience. After nearly 18 days of traveling along the Amazon River, covering around 4,000 km across six boats, I finally reached Macapá, Brazil.

Border town of Oiapoque

My BMW 1250GSA was eagerly waiting to roar on Brazilian roads. The next leg was a 600 km ride toward the border town of Oiapoque, Brazil. In this 600 km stretch, there was a 100 km section of off-road (which is manageable unless it rains). Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on my side, and I encountered a 1 km section of roadwork that had completely destroyed the road. While four-wheelers could pass through the construction zone, riding a motorcycle was nearly impossible. It took over an hour, with a lot of manpower to cross this section.

French Guiana

Finally, we reached the border crossing. The Brazilian side was simple and friendly—the whole process was a breeze. But after crossing the bridge over the Oyapock River, we reached French immigration (yes, it’s technically France). My visa wasn’t an issue, but I had to buy a 15-day insurance policy for the bike, which cost €95 (seriously!). Unfortunately, there was no internet in the area that day, and I had to pay in cash, in euros, which I didn’t have. I had to return to Brazil to find a money exchange. The Brazilian immigration officers kindly let me go into the city without any paperwork. After getting the money and paying for the bike insurance, the whole process took over three hours, and by then it was dark.

I had to ride toward Cayenne at night. The road was in good condition but very twisty, cutting through the jungle. To my surprise, there was nothing along this 200 km stretch—no highway stops or settlements, just a total jungle ride. Finally, I reached Cayenne at 10 PM.

Detailed Break Down: How to Travel with a Motorcycle on the Amazon River Using Cargo Boats

Boat 1: Yurimaguas to Iquitos – Peru

Travel Time: 500km, 3-5 days (depending on river conditions and other factors).

This journey takes place on the Marañón River. There are several ports serving the local community, so be sure to find the one where boats depart for Iquitos. As soon as you ask locals for directions, you’ll likely be surrounded by many people offering suggestions. Moto-taxi drivers may offer to take you there for a fee. Traveling with a backpack is relatively easy, but transporting a motorcycle alone adds complexity. Knowing Spanish will help a lot; if you don’t speak the language, it adds another layer of challenge.

Keep in mind that these are cargo boats with no fixed schedule. They depart only when the boat is fully loaded with cargo, which can include live animals like cows, pigs, and chickens. The boats typically have 3 to 5 decks, with a couple of decks designated for passengers, where they can hang hammocks and sleep during the trip. There are a few bathrooms, but don’t expect much cleanliness. The boat’s kitchen prepares basic meals for passengers, which are included in the ticket.

Ticket

Passenger: 100 sol
Motorcycle: 300 sol
Loading cost: 100 sol.
Unloading cost: 100 sol
Total: $180

Meals

Morning: A couple of dry bread rolls and a hot oatmeal drink.
Lunch: Rice and pasta, usually served with chicken.
Dinner: Soup with some meat.

Important note: You must bring your own hammock, bowl, spoon, and toilet paper. Prepare enough water and supplemental food (biscuits, fruits, etc.) for the entire trip, as there will be no drinking water available on the boat. Also, pack enough clothes to handle the cold nights and the very hot days. You won’t find much mobile phone signal either. There are power outlets available on the boat, and it’s a good idea to bring an extension. Everyone keeps their luggage on the floor near where they sleep in hammocks. I ended up spending two extra nights sleeping in the boat at the port because of cargo loading delays and other river issues so pack and prepare accordingly.

Report

Make sure you have straps to tie down your motorcycle. Since these boats are old and in poor condition, there is no designated area for motorcycles or cars. If possible, load your motorcycle as late as possible to ensure it’s parked at the front. Otherwise, it may be placed deep inside the boat, and you could end up waiting for hours to unload it. I had to wait 6 hours in the boat after reaching Iquitos, as they unloaded other cargo before I could get my motorcycle out. Additionally, the ports don’t have proper ramps; they are extremely steep, and loading the motorcycle may require a lot of manpower.

Watch the water and jungle, enjoy sunrises and sunsets, and chat with locals if you know the language. You may occasionally spot dolphins and birds.

The boat will stop at various points along the way. Sometimes, locals will approach in small boats to bring their produce, mostly bananas and other fruits, and load them in the middle of the river. Other times, the boat will go to the shore for loading and unloading. There is no fixed schedule—everything is dynamic. Unless you’re open to a unique and unpredictable experience, this journey can be quite difficult.

Boat 2: Iquitos to Santa Rosa – Peru

Travel time: 800km, 3 days and 3 nights.

Ticket

Passenger: 80 sol
Motorcycle: 100 sol
Loading Cost: 100 sol.
Unloading: 100 sol
Total: $110

The boats go to Santa Rosa (border town of Peru). If you check online and speak to people, they’ll talk about a town called Tabatinga, which is in Brazil. But no boat goes to the Port of Tabatinga from the Peru side. So, you’ll need to get to Santa Rosa and then will have to cross the river with another small boat to reach Tabatinga (Boat 3).

It was a challenge for me to figure these details out. Luckily there was one guy at the port who spoke English who helped me plan my trip. These boats are slightly larger and cleaner than the pervious one, but the rest is same. On this boat, they serve their meals on a plate. But for everything else you’ll have to bring your own, including water and toilet paper. The rest of the routine is pretty much same as the Boat 1.

In the middle of the night our boat got stuck in the sand due to low water levels and it took over five hours to move the boat. During the time I was travelling, (September 2024) the Amazon River experienced a historically low water level.

Boat 3: Santa Rosa to Tabatinga – Cross the Amazon – Peru – Brazil

Travel time: 1km

Costs

Boat: 250 sol
Unloading: 100 sol
Total: $130

Once I reached the port of Santa Rosa, I had to arrange a small boat to carry my motorcycle to the opposite shore. It was a big challenge due to the very low water level in the river. Our boat almost got stranded in the middle of the river. Reaching the shore in Santa Rosa requires a 1km ride on sand, which was nearly impossible with my heavy motorcycle. I decided to go to Tabatinga instead (Leticia was another option, but the ramp there is worse). It’s possible for passengers, but not for a motorcycle.

I had to negotiate with the boat operators, and they charged separately for each task. There was one price for unloading the bike from the boat and another for transporting it to the shore in Tabatinga and another price for unloading the motorcycle again from the small boat to the shore.

The whole process involved three different crews, making it very complicated to understand and negotiate. Without knowing the language, the process became a real nightmare with lots of misunderstandings. I used a translator, but in such a chaotic situation, it was still extremely stressful. Finally, the bike was transported to the Brazilian side of the river in a small boat using pure manpower.

Boat 4: Tabatinga to Manaus – Brazil

Travel time: 1,000km 4 nights and 3 days

Ticket

Motorcycle: R$500
Passenger ticket: R$290 (Cabin: R$1800)
Port fee for motorcycle loading: R$50
Total: $170 (regular) / $479 (cabin)

Tabatinga and Leticia are essentially the same city, divided between two countries (Brazil and Colombia) with an open border, so there are no border checkpoints. People and vehicles move freely between the two sides, but there are immigration and customs offices in all three cities for their respective countries:

Santa Rosa – Peru
Tabatinga – Brazil
Leticia – Colombia

The next day, I took a passenger boat to Santa Rosa. Due to the low water level, I had to take a motor taxi to cross part of the river (a boat from Leticia to cross the water, then a motor taxi over the sandy part of the river to the immigration office). The ticket for both the boat and motor taxi was 5 soles, and most places accept both Peruvian and Brazilian money, though they have different values.

Leticia is a very lively city with lots of hotels and restaurants. In one of the market streets, there are many money changers. I finished the exit formalities for Peru, which were very simple and straightforward.

I then returned to Leticia, took an auto for 20 Colombian pesos to the immigration office, which is like a police station on the main road, just a few kilometers from Leticia. I got my passport stamped for a 90-day stay in Brazil. It was a simple process, and the officers were very friendly. Less than 500 meters away is the customs office, where I brought my motorcycle and got the paperwork done without any fees. The officer spoke English and was very helpful, even giving me directions to the office where I could get details and tickets for the boat to Manaus, which was another 500 meters away.

The boat to Manaus was leaving the next day at 3pm. I had to book the ticket for myself and deal directly with the crew for the motorcycle. It was more organized than in Peru. When I went to the port, I saw the boat – it was very large and modern. The cost for the motorcycle was R$500 (Brazilian real). I had to bring the motorcycle to the port and hand it over, then go to the passenger terminal for check-in. Everything was much more organized compared to the process in Peru.

That night, it rained heavily and I was a bit concerned about the condition of the port ramp. It continued to rain the next morning, but I checked out of my hotel and went to the port to load the motorcycle. I met a few Colombian riders there. After the motorcycle was loaded onto the boat, we returned to the passenger terminal and waited several hours for the boarding process. The boat was a couple of hours late.

Due to continuous travel on boats, I felt a bit uncomfortable, so I booked a cabin, which had a bed, air conditioning, an attached bathroom, and a private deck area to watch the scenery. However, it came with a hefty price tag—almost six times more than the regular ticket.

This boat was very modern and clean with a nice dining area. There was also a store where they sold essentials like food, drinks, and even paid Wi-Fi. Drinking water was available and bathrooms were much cleaner with toilet paper provided. There was a drastic difference between this boat and the Peruvian boats.

The journey took 4 nights and 3 days to reach Manaus.

Boat 5: Manaus to Santarém – Brazil

Travel time: 6,00km, 2 days and 1 night

Since I decided to follow the Colombian riders to French Guiana, instead of taking the road route to Guyana due to the complexities of the Lethem to Linden section (400km without a proper road), we headed to the next port terminal where there was an evening boat to Santarém (Brazil).

We bought a port entrance ticket for R$50, then purchased our passenger tickets and settled in the passenger area. This boat was slightly smaller than the one from Manaus. On this boat, no food was provided, so we had to buy food from the boat’s cafeteria. As usual, we had to bring our own water and other essentials.

The ports are very organized, and the ramp made it easy to load motorcycles. The boats in Brazil have designated areas for loading motorcycles and cars. I haven’t seen any live animals on these Brazilian boats, unlike those in Peru.

Boat 6: Santarém to Macapá – Brazil

Travel time: 8,00km, 2 nights and 1 day

Costs

Motorcycle: R$500
Passenger ticket: R$290 (Cabin: R$1800)
Port fee for motorcycle loading: R$50
Total: $170 (regular) / $479 (cabin)

We reached the city of Santarém at 2am, but unfortunately, there was no boat to our next destination, Macapá, for two days. Instead of finding a hotel with our motorcycles, we asked the boat manager if we could stay on the boat, and they agreed for a small fee. At 3am, we loaded our motorcycles onto the boat and set up our hammocks on the passenger deck. We were the only three passengers, and they opened one of the bathrooms for us.

For the next two days and one night, we waited on the boat, occasionally going into the city to get food. Santarém is a small port city.

The boat left after two days and took 2 nights and one full day to reach Macapá. We arrived at the port early in the morning, at 6am. This boat stopped in a couple of cities and loaded lots of fish, lemon, watermelon and grains.

This boat was similar to the previous one; food was not included in the ticket, and we had to buy it from the cafeteria. The journey was much like the previous boat trip, but this boat had faster WiFi. For R$30, you could have internet access for the entire trip, and I finally enjoyed high-speed internet after a long time, allowing me to catch up online.

Macapá (Brazil) to Cayenne (French Guiana)

Travel time: 800km ride

After several boat rides and sleeping on boats, it was time to hit the Brazilian roads. We reached the port at 6am, unloaded the motorcycles, finished the port formalities, and filled up the tanks. We then started the ride toward the French Guiana border.

The first 100km was flat land, similar to what you’d see in some Asian countries, but then the landscape changed. We passed a few beautiful lakes and crossed several rivers. The road conditions were excellent, and there wasn’t much traffic. After 200km, we stopped for breakfast. There weren’t many towns along the way, just a few small villages and lots of grazing land. As we continued, we could see the Amazon forest transitioning around us.

At around the 450km mark, we reached the last stop with a gas station. There aren’t many gas stations on this road, so it’s important to fill up wherever you can. After this, the off-road section began. It was unpaved but still manageable, although a bit bumpy.

Unfortunately, about 10km into the off-road section, we encountered maintenance work that had completely dug up the road, making it undrivable. While four-wheel vehicles could pass, it was almost impossible with a heavy motorcycle. It took us more than an hour and several people to help cross a 1km section. The last 50km was paved again.

During the off-road section, there were small wooden bridges for water crossings almost every kilometer, and we had to be very careful riding across them. It’s not a good idea to plan on crossing this section at night. Also, if it rains, this part of the road becomes very difficult, if not impossible, for motorcycles.

Finally, we reached the border city of Oiapoque (Brazil). The Brazilian side was simple and friendly. The whole process was a breeze. After crossing the bridge over the Oyapock River, we arrived at French immigration (yes, it’s technically France). While my visa wasn’t an issue, I had to buy 15-day insurance for the bike, which cost €95 (seriously!). Unfortunately, there was no internet in the area that day, and I had to pay in cash—euros, which I didn’t have. I had to return to Brazil to find a money exchange. The Brazilian immigration officers kindly allowed me back into the city without any paperwork.

After exchanging money and paying for the bike insurance, the whole process took over three hours, and by the time I was done, it was dark. I had to ride toward Cayenne at night. The road was in good condition but very twisty, cutting through the jungle. To my surprise, there was nothing along this 200km stretch—no highway stops or settlements, just a total jungle ride. Finally, I reached Cayenne at 10pm.

Note: Keep in mind that in this part of the South America, everything is very expensive.

Amazon trip summary

Finally, I reached Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, after 18 days on 6 different boats across two countries (Peru and Brazil), covering nearly 4,000km on the Amazon River, and over 2,000km riding through the Andean foothills and Amazon rainforest, including 100km of extreme off-road terrain. Next, I plan to explore Suriname and Guyana before returning to Brazil

About the author

Singara Vadivel

Singara set off from Texas, USA in May 2024 to ride around the world. His route will take him from the US through Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Australia before returning back to the US over a number of years. You can follow his awesome adventures on YouTube, where you can also find detailed videos of this entire crossing process…

YouTube: Global Motor Rider

Read more from Singara: Syria Motorcycle Trip Report

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