If you’re an overland motorcycle traveller and looking to ship your motorcycle from Panama to Colombia, then this packed guide explains everything you need to know about the process…
This guide is based on our shipping experience from Panama to Colombia during our round the world trip. The guides on this website are constantly updated by us and with info from contributors to keep them current, up-to-date and as helpful as possible.
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How to Fly a Motorcycle from Panama to Colombia Across the Darien Gap
By Andy Davidson
Mad or Nomad - RTW motorcycle travellers
Panama marks the end of the road for North America. The infamous Darien Gap separates Panama and Colombia and also separates the continents of North and South America. It’s an impassable jungle, so, for motorcycle travellers looking to ride the Americas, there’s only one choice and that’s to fly your motorcycle between the two countries.
In the past, overlanders would send their bikes on boats, but this has recently been stopped by Colombia and is not worth trying. The only option now is to fly your bike.
So, we wrote this in-depth guide to explain the shipping process, share our experiences and detail everything you need to know on how to ship your motorcycle between Panama and Colombia.
Why ship your motorcycle from Panama City?
Panama is the end of the road for Central America (or start of the road for North America if you’re riding up from South America). You can’t ride the section of jungle (called the Darien Gap) separating Panama and Colombia (North and South America) and your only option is to fly your motorcycle across the jungle.
Shipping from Panama makes sense. It’s relatively easy to do and is the most well used option for motorcycle travellers. The shipping companies based in Panama know the process well and make life easy.
Another big reason to ship from Panama is motorcycle storage. You can easily store your motorcycle there if you want to have a break before starting your South America ride.
The company we recommend in this article can also safely store your motorcycle. So you can rock up, store your bike with them for anything from one day to one year or more. Fly home or to wherever you like and then when you’re ready to start your ride in Colombia, simply send a WhatsApp message and your bike will arrive in Bogota a couple of days later.
A big draw for overland motorcycle travellers is that you do not need to return to Panama in order to ship the bike. Your storage company can help you cancel the TIP once they have charge of your bike and sort your paperwork in a way that they can then send the bike whenever you’re ready to wherever you need it sending to. You do not need to return to Panama to arrange this.
For more info on storing a motorcycle in Panama, have a read of this guide.
READ MORE: How to Store a Motorcycle in Panama
What is the Darien Gap?
The Darien Gap is a dense jungle separating North and South America. It spans the border between Panama and Colombia and is vast, has no roads and is very dangerous. It’s used by criminals including drug cartels, human traffickers and guerrilla groups.
It’s not 100% impassable as some intrepid adventurers have crossed it including Ed Culberson, Robert Webb and Helge Pedersen. It’s more of a case of carrying your bike through rather than riding. For more info, have a read of our feature below. All in all, unless you’re a little mad, it’s easier to fly.
READ MORE: Crossing the Darien Gap
Why do I have to fly my motorcycle between Panama and Colombia instead of using the boat?
In the past, overlanders paid boat captains to ship their bikes around the Darien Gap. This was obviously a seriously cool option because you would go alongside your bike on small boats.
There’s a number of reasons we can’t take the boats anymore. But primarily, both the Panamanian and Colombian governments implemented a bunch of maritime regulations to make it far stricter and harder for these companies. That stopped a lot of small scale boat operators from running this service. And over time air cargo became the preferred method.
Now it’s near impossible to legally take a motorcycle across on a boat. We do not advise even attempting it. Air cargo is easier, safer, quicker – and legal.
Panama to Colombia Motorcycle Shipping Process
Paperwork in Panama
The paperwork process is a doddle on the Panama side because the country makes it easy to cancel your motorcycle’s temporary import. The company you are shipping your motorcycle with should include this in the price and will help you to cancel your TIP so your bike can leave the country. Your TIP must be in date and you will need original copies of your passport, vehicle registration document (title if applicable).
For more info on the paperwork needed to ride in Panama, have a read of our Panama Travel Guide, and for extra info on motorcycle paperwork in general, have a read of these guides.
READ MORE:
Paperwork in Colombia
To receive your motorcycle in Colombia, you will need an agent. The company we used (E-Cargo) did not charge us for an agent to help release the bike in Colombia. But bear in mind that most other companies do charge an additional fee for this service.
We’re very used to receiving our bikes ourselves and dealing with customs, but in Colombia it would have been a minefield and you would need to be fluent in Spanish. So we highly recommend using an agent.
You’ll need your original passport and vehicle registration document to release your bike. You will meet the agent at Bogota airport and will be taken between offices to complete the customs paperwork. It’s all simple and straightforward as the agent handles everything for you. Note that it is a lengthy process with a lot of waiting around (anywhere from 3-6 hours) so take water and snacks.
We also advise staying at a hotel close to the airport in Bogota so you’re ready to get to the airport as soon as the bike arrives. We recommend Hotel Natural Sevgi because it’s close to the airport, is well priced, there’s lots of restaurants close by and, importantly, it has secure motorcycle parking.
Motorcycle insurance: You will need motorcycle insurance to ride in Colombia. Your shipping agent in Colombia can help you arrange this. We personally used Caroline Perez +57 313 4416000 as she can arrange insurance over WhatsApp for Colombia (and all of South America if needed) at competitive prices. It’s all done over text and she emails your certificate through.
Proof of onward travel for Colombia
This is an important one. When flying to Colombia, you will need to show the airline check-in desk that you have proof of onward travel to leave Colombia.
This isn’t something you will be asked for in Colombia at immigration (although you may be), but is something the airline check-in desk asks and needs proof of, because they will be responsible for sending you back if you’re refused entry.
But because you are shipping a motorcycle there and exiting overland, this can sometimes be confusing for airline staff who really just want to see an onward flight, but it should be sufficient enough. Some airlines will be more strict than others and some might not even ask.
So we recommend getting an Air Waybill and an invoice from your shipping company before you get to the airport and being prepared to explain that it is proof enough. They will likely ask you to email it to them once you’re there or will take photos of the documents on your phone.
If all else fails, you can buy an onward ticket with a free cancellation or use an onward ticket website.
How long does shipment take?
On average, your shipping company will require up to four days’ notice before they can ship your bike. And the actual shipment itself takes only one day as it is on a flight. Once it arrives you can collect the bike the same day.
Note that once your bike arrives in Colombia, you will have one day of free storage before you are then charged. So make sure that when you ask for it to be sent, you are going to be there to collect it immediately.
Typically, the motorcycle will arrive at Bogota airport, unless you have specified otherwise.
Prices
To ship a motorcycle between Panama and Colombia you are looking at between 990USD – 1200USD. It depends on the company, the time of year and the current prices. Note that some companies will charge you an additional agent fee to help you release the bike from customs when in Colombia. The company we used didn’t charge for this service. More on that in the Our Experience section below.
Shipping insurance: The shipping companies do not insure the bikes themselves, but if damage is caused to your bike they are able to claim this back through the airline.
What about shipping to Panama?
Have a read of our Motorcycle Travel Guide for Panama as it explains all the necessary info for riding a bike in Panama and what paperwork you need to get your motorcycle into the country.
If you want to send a motorcycle from Colombia to Panama, then we suggest contacting the Panama company we recommend in this article (E-Cargo) and they will arrange it with their partners in Colombia so the bike is sent to them.
But if you want to ship from elsewhere in the world, we suggest contacting E-Cargo to see if they have partners in the country you want to ship from. If not, take a look at our shipping companies finder page, click the country you want to ship from and get in touch with them directly. E-Cargo will still be able to receive your bike in Panama and help with customs and storage and the company you select to ship with can liaise with them directly.
READ MORE: The Motorcycle Shipping Companies Finder
Our experience shipping motorcycles from Panama to Colombia
We used E-Cargo based in Panama City to store our motorcycles for one month while we flew home to the UK and to then ship the bikes onto Colombia once we were ready to continue our travels. We did not have to return to Panama to do this, so we just flew straight to Colombia, sent E-Cargo a WhatsApp saying we’re ready and they sent the bikes within a day and they were ready to collect from the airport the next.
We can’t recommend E-Cargo enough. Their services in both storage and shipping were perfect from start to finish. They were originally recommended to us by fellow motorcycle travellers, but we still asked around and checked out other companies. However, Mr Teo (the owner of E-Cargo) was fast to respond to every question we had (and we had a lot) and had the most competitive prices. He also provided an agent in Colombia free of charge to release our bikes from customs for us and get our Colombian TIP. This is something most other Panama shipping companies charge an additional price for.
Overall, it was an excellent service and we highly recommend them.
Our recommended motorcycle shipping company for Panama
We recommend E-Cargo based in Panama City. As mentioned above, they were impeccable. They handle both storage and shipping, can ship your bike from Panama to Colombia or vice versa or to anywhere in the world, have very competitive prices and Mr Teo is professional and very helpful. He’s been in the shipping game for 18 years and knows what he’s doing. You’re in good hands with them.
E-Cargo contact info
Here’s how to get in touch with E-Cargo for motorcycle storage and shipping from Panama. We recommend getting in touch with Mr Teofilo using the below details:
- Website: ecargologistics.com
- Email: t.guerra@ecargologistics.com
- Phone: (507) 303-8958 / (507) 6902-8242
- Facebook: E-Cargo
- Instagram: ecargologistics
Tips for shipping between Panama and Colombia
Your motorcycle can be shipped with all your luggage and riding gear. We tied our jackets and boots to the seats and the storage company used plastic wrap to keep it all safe while in transit.
You do not need to disconnect the battery, but the fuel tank must be near empty. It’s fine to leave a bit of fuel in there though so you can get to a petrol station once you land in Colombia.
You can’t ship any aerosol cans (brake cleaner, WD40, deodorant etc), or containers of petrol/fuel. You also can not ship any food or alcohol and must notify the shipping company if you want to ship electronics like computers or drones.
Read more on motorcycle travel in Panama
Thanks for checking out the How to Ship a Motorcycle from Panama to Colombia Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel in Panama and North America that we recommend you read next.
Try these next…
Are you planning a motorcycle trip in Panama? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
Wow thanks for the info. I wanted to duplicate a ride friends took 15 years ago. Flying the bike makes the trip for me cost prohibitive. I made it to Honduras and will have to do something else. I appreciate the info but you destroyed my dream. I was planning to come back. On my bike
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment!
I’m not sure I fully understand your predicament? Where were you planning on going? I assume to Colombia? If so, how were you planning on getting there and what was your friends ride?
It’s a real shame the boats don’t run anymore as that would have been cheaper.
Ride safe and hope you’re enjoying Honduras!
Cheers,
Andy
Andy I presented my money issue of getting my bike to and from Columbia on my dream ride down the side of South America to Tierra del Fuego to some other riders. They said don’t throw away that kind of money to go around the Darien straights and the 4 borders are crazy with paperwork. I may fly to Chile, rent an 650 and do as much as I can. The costs are similar. I will go from Jacksonville to prude bay to complete the route. Any suggestions are appreciated. My friends went on a sail boat from Panama City to Cali, Columbia with ease. I guess times have changed.
Freedom is two wheels and a full tank of gas!
Hi Paul,
Ah I see. Yes, it is a lot of money to ship your bike, but it completely depends on what you want from your trip. Some people like the idea of riding the same bike from top to bottom, but of course there are a lot more costs involved with this, such as shipping over the Darien AND shipping your bike back home from Argentina.
So, yes, to save money it would make a lot more sense to buy a bike in Argentina or Chile. All depends on what you want to do!
And yeah, the boats stopped running now and the only option is to fly.
Let us know how you get on and what you decide on doing.
Cheers and best of luck
Andy
Thank you .. I am currently waiting on my Desert X to title in NM. Then I will ride down through Mexico . This information is very valuable to me and greatly appreciated. I feel I leaving a bit late as I want to be in Chile for summer . Wish me luck
Hi Sean,
Thanks for your comment, great to hear you’re heading down to Chile. Good luck on sorting the Ducati and give us a shout if you need a hand with anything.
And good luck on getting to Chile haha!
Cheers,
Andy
Good luck , I will go all the way back to Saint Mary’s and fly to Chile, rent a bike for half of what it costs to get past the Darien gap. Wish me luck.
Best of luck Paul! Have a good ride back to SM and hope the rental goes well in Chile.
Cheers,
Andy
Thank you SO MUCH for posting the info about E-Cargo! I tried to ship my bike from the California to Panama six years ago, but it never got beyond Miami because the Panamanian freight forwarder did not actually know what he was doing. Teo at E-Cargo, on the other hand, knew exactly what was necessary and made it happen precisely on schedule. I fly down to Panama three days from now, where my Kawasaki Versys is waiting for me at his warehouse at the Tocumen cargo terminal.
If you ever find yourself in the San Francisco bay area, please get in touch – I owe you a meal and a beer! Hope you’re enjoying your travels.
For readers, this comment was originally posted (and replied to) in the Panama Shipping Companies page, but has also been added here for reference.
Cheers,
Andy
I used these guys and were fantastic. Fair price and bike was soon cleared in Bogota.
Hi Seanee, sorry for the late reply, must have missed your comment. Glad to hear you used them and all went well. Cheers!
Andy