Motorcycling around South America...
We did not go to the Galapagos, and prices for Antarctica where ridiculous! So we decided against it! We still saw plenty of whales, penguins, sea lions and glaciers without having to pay a Kings's ramson for it!
Total spent: £16,000
of which:
- Living expenses: £10,000
- Shipping/flying: £6,000
Living expenses include all expenses for both: food, accommodation, drinks, any spares parts and repairs to the bikes, entrance to sites, fuel, ferries... everything (of which £1,000 was a result of my motorbike being stolen, transporting and repairing it, and replacing stolen camping goods)
Shipping/flying: cost of flying our bikes and ourselves both ways
All this was funded by our savings.
We did not rough up, we could have cut costs considerably by camping more often, choosing cheapest hotel in town (although we often did in Argentina and Chile!) cooking more often our own food and cutting on beer/wine! But after a tough long day ride how can you resist a cold beer or a superb Argentinian/chilean wine?!
Going 2-up on 1 bike would considerably cut costs too (shipping, fuel, road tolls, spare parts and repairs).
If you start your trip in the USA, it makes sense to buy a bike overthere, considering all fuel surcharges and rising costs of flying from Europe.
Make sure you have contingency money. You WILL need it soon or later!