South Tour
Five days into the deep south, the tour with the best adventure-to-price ratio: 60 % road, 40 % dirt, from the legendary Cerro de la Muerte pass to the wild biodiversity of the Osa peninsula.
The deep south, between the cordillera and the Pacific
Ideal solo or in a group for anyone who wants to mix riding and holiday, this tour heads straight south to the least visited regions of the country: the Cerro de la Muerte pass and the cloud forest, the Valle del General, the coffee farms of Coto Brus a stone's throw from the Panamanian border, then the wild Osa peninsula before riding back up the southern Pacific beaches.
The route at a glance
The real route takes shape in front of you, leg after leg. Click a number to see it in photos.
Real route: 701 km and about 15 h of riding spread over 5 days. The detailed roadbook (viewpoints, stops and good addresses) is handed to you at the start.
Day-by-day itinerary
Indicative route, adaptable to the weather, your level and what you feel like (private tours). Some days are deliberately short: Rincón de Osa (96 km) and Ojochal (85 km). You arrive early because there is something to see there.
Cerro de la Muerte, 157 km
Out of the central valley through Cartago and El Empalme, then the big climb: the road crosses Cerro de la Muerte at 3 335 m, the highest point of the Panamericana, through the cloud forest of Los Quetzales park. We ride it in the morning, before the clouds come up, then drop down into the Valle del General.
Valle del General and Coto Brus, 133 km
Down the Panamericana through Buenos Aires and Paso Real, between pineapple fields and rivers, then up again to San Vito. The town was founded by Italian settlers in the 1950s: Italian is still spoken there, and the coffee of Coto Brus is among the finest in the country.
The Golfo Dulce, 96 km
Down to the southern plain and Ciudad Neily, then along the Golfo Dulce to Rincón, at the gateway to the Osa peninsula. A short, twisty leg, with the night facing the gulf, on the doorstep of Corcovado national park.
Across the Osa, 85 km
The wildest leg: we cut across the peninsula through its interior, then load the bikes onto the barge to cross the río Sierpe, on the edge of the largest mangrove in the country. Then Palmar and the Costanera to Ojochal and its well-known restaurants.
The Costanera, 229 km
The longest leg, and the easiest riding: the Costanera Sur runs up the Pacific, the whale tail of Uvita, Dominical, Quepos, then the Tárcoles bridge and its crocodiles, before the last hills up to the central valley.
The bikes for this tour
The whole fleet rides this tour. You pick yours when you book: tell us your height and your experience and we will advise you.
Honda CRF 250L
Light adventure bike
Royal Enfield Himalayan
Rough and ready
KTM 390 Adventure
Adventure · A2
Kawasaki KLR 650
Road adventure bike
BMW F 700 GS
Road adventure
Honda CRF 300L
Light adventure bike
CFMoto 450 MT
Adventure · A2
Honda XR 650
Pure enduro
BMW F 750 GS
Comfort adventure bike
Honda Transalp 750
Adventure
BMW F 800 GS
Dirt-ready adventure bike
CFMoto 800 MT-X
All-terrain adventure bike
Voge 800 Rally
Big adventure bike
Yamaha Ténéré 700
Big adventure bike
BMW R 1250 GS
Flagship adventure bike
Indicative rental rates, per day outside a tour; on a tour, the bike is included in the price.
This tour, but your way
This route is a starting point, not a constraint. Duration, legs, pace, level of accommodation, activities, off-road / on-road balance: every one of our tours can be adapted to what you want. Tick the CUSTOMISE THIS TOUR box in the form below, or start from a blank page with the FREE RIDE, our 100 % tailor-made option.
What's included
Included in your trip, self-guided
- Airport transfers (arrival & departure)
- 1st hotel night included (a gentle arrival)
- Rental of the bike of your choice
- Motorcycle insurance
- Full riding gear: helmet, gloves, jacket and rain gear
- 5 nights' accommodation
- Local SIM card
- 24/7 roadside support
- Detailed roadbook & local tips
- Guide-mechanic, first-aid certified
- All meals
- Activities & ferry costs
- Fuel & tolls
Guided, plus…
- Guide-mechanic, first-aid certified
- All meals
- Activities & ferry costs
- Fuel & tolls
Not included
- Optional activities: national parks, canopy, camping, water sports, diving, helicopter flights.
Start and finish at the PVM agency. Bikes are not delivered during a tour: we meet at the workshop on the morning of departure, and the tour ends there.
In pictures
Request your booking
Fill in the form: we come back to you with availability and the details needed to confirm your South Tour. Quick reply, no commitment.
This total is an estimate: the final price varies a little with the number of riders and the bikes chosen, but it stays close to the one shown. We confirm the exact amount in our reply.
Our guides to plan this trip
Cerro de la Muerte, the pass that sounds scarier than it is
3,300 meters, a name that inspires no confidence and a reputation as purgatory. In truth, it's one of the finest roads in the country, as long as you leave early.
The most beautiful roads in Costa Rica by motorcycle
A pass at 3,335 meters, dirt tracks above the Pacific, a lake at the foot of a volcano: our favorite roads, and how to link them up.
Guided or self-guided: how to choose your motorcycle tour
Same route, same hotels, same bike: two ways to experience the trip. What really changes, and at what price.
Along this route, our stories: Coto Brus Canton, Costa Rica
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