Frequently asked questions

Fill in the booking form for the trip you want. You will then receive an email repeating what you entered and explaining how to pay.

Your booking is confirmed once we receive the deposit of €500 per person. You can also pay in full straight away. The balance is due at the latest 40 days before departure, and 60 days for Bhutan, Tibet and private groups, where visas and hotels have to be arranged earlier.

You can pay by card, by PayPal or by bank transfer. All our prices include tax.

You need a valid national motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit. Both are required: the international permit translates your licence, it does not replace it. Carry both documents.

When you book, you confirm that you hold both and that they are valid in the country you are travelling to.

In France the application is made online and the document is free. In Spain it is handled by the Dirección General de Tráfico.

It depends on when you tell us, and on the type of trip.

For a catalogue tour: more than 40 days before departure you are refunded in full, less €70 per person in fees and less whatever our suppliers do not return to us. Between 30 and 40 days, half is refunded, with the same deductions. Under 30 days, there is no refund.

For Bhutan and Tibet these become 60, 45 and 45 days. For a private or tailor-made tour, also 60, 45 and 45 days.

The full detail, including cancellation by us, is in our terms and conditions.

Yes, provided you tell us more than 30 days before departure. The change then costs €70 per person in handling fees.

Less than 30 days before, changing dates counts as a cancellation and the cancellation terms apply.

You can also transfer your place to someone else. If you do, both of you remain responsible for the outstanding balance and for the costs the transfer creates; we tell you what those actually are.

Four documents travel with you throughout: your passport, your visa or entry authorisation, your national motorcycle licence and your international permit.

Also bring your travel assistance insurance certificate, with the number to call from abroad.

Each traveller is responsible for their own paperwork. We cannot obtain it for you, and costs caused by a missing or incomplete document at the border are not refundable.

Most of the countries we ride in ask for a passport valid for at least six months from your date of entry. Several also require blank pages for the visa.

The exact rule belongs to each country and can change. Check it before booking your flight, on your destination's page.

That check is yours to make: a passport refused at the border gives no right to a refund.

Your traveller area has a checklist, matched to the destination on your booking. You can go through it at home, tick as you go and come back later: your ticks are kept.

The essentials are the same everywhere: full riding gear, clothes that layer because temperatures swing a lot within a day, enough of your own medication, and copies of your documents kept separately from the originals.

Most of our destinations are three to eight hours ahead of Western Europe. The body takes roughly a day per hour of difference to settle; the first days on the road are therefore the ones where you are least sharp, and that is exactly when you discover a new way of riding.

• On the plane, set your watch to arrival time and sleep or stay awake accordingly.
• On arrival, get out into daylight, walk, eat at local hours, and avoid a long nap.
• The first riding stages are short in most programmes, and that is no accident.

Bed linen is provided in hotels and guesthouses; towels almost everywhere, but not always in the simplest places or under canvas. A light, quick-drying microfibre towel settles the matter.

Laundry can be done at the hotel when you stay two nights in the same place, or at a city laundrette; in remote areas you wash in the basin. Bring clothes for four or five days, in quick-drying fabrics, and a small pouch of detergent.

India holds very different climates within one country. A single trip can go from humid foothills to dry, cold high-altitude valleys, and the swings happen within a day as much as across seasons.

The practical consequence is simple: dress in layers rather than one warm garment, and bring protection from both sun and rain.

Your trip page states the season chosen for that route.

Also applies to: India

India does not have one climate but several. Two regions matter for a motorcycle trip.

Ladakh and the Himalaya

A high-altitude desert, dry and very sunny. The riding season runs from June to September, when the passes are clear. Days can be mild in the valleys and nights are cold everywhere; on the passes it is cold and windy even in high summer. June and September are the least settled months.

Rajasthan and the plains

Desert or tropical climate depending on the area. The good period runs from October to March: warm days, cool nights in winter. The monsoon hits the plains from June to September, with heavy rain and humid heat; that is the time to avoid.

Also applies to: India

Morocco's climate is pleasant during our travel season, but it changes a great deal with altitude. A single day can start cool in the Atlas and end hot on the plain.

Bring clothes that layer, a windproof jacket, and sun protection: on a bike the exposure is constant even when the temperature stays mild.

Nights at altitude are properly cold outside high summer.

Also applies to: Morocco

Morocco packs three climates into a few hundred kilometres. The coast is mild all year. The Atlas is a real mountain range: passes exceed 2,000 m, it snows in winter and nights are cool even in summer. The south and the desert gateways are scorching from June to August, above 40 °C in the daytime.

The best riding periods are spring, March to May, and autumn, September to November: warm days, cool nights, sharp light. Winter stays pleasant in the south and on the coast but cold at altitude; summer is for early mornings.

Also applies to: Morocco

Indonesia's climate alternates a dry season and a rainy season, with dates that vary from island to island. Even in the dry season, a late-afternoon downpour is common.

Bring rain gear you can pull on quickly over your riding kit, and a way to protect your things inside your luggage: a dry bag beats a cover laid on top.

Footwear takes a long time to dry in this climate. A light second pair is useful in the evening.

Also applies to: Indonesia

Equatorial climate: hot and humid all year, around 30 °C in the lowlands. Two seasons shape the archipelago. The dry season, May to September, is the best for riding: clear skies, dry roads, bearable heat. The rainy season, November to March, brings heavy but often brief showers late in the day.

Volcanoes and highlands change everything: on the ridges of Java or Bali, nights can drop to 5 or 10 °C, and dawn viewpoints are visited well wrapped up.

Also applies to: Indonesia

Nepal is best visited outside the monsoon. The monsoon arrives from June to September: daily rain, muddy tracks, landslides on mountain roads. The two good windows are autumn, October to November, clear skies and pleasant temperatures, and spring, March to May, warmer with haze late in the season.

Temperatures depend on altitude far more than on the month. In Kathmandu, at around 1,400 m, days are mild; as soon as you climb, evenings turn cold. Mustang, in the north, is a high-altitude desert with strong afternoon winds and fast-changing weather.

Also applies to: Nepal

Bhutan rises from the subtropical south to the high Himalayan valleys; in one day on the road you change climate. The two favourable seasons are spring, March to May, with rhododendrons in bloom, and autumn, October to November, the clearest and driest. The monsoon, June to September, brings rain and haze; winter is cold at altitude and passes may close.

In the central valleys, at roughly 2,000 to 2,800 m, days are mild and evenings cool in every season. The passes on the main road approach or exceed 3,000 m: bring warm clothing even in May.

Also applies to: Bhutan

The Tibetan plateau is one of the highest inhabited places on earth: Lhasa sits at about 3,650 m and the road passes exceed 5,000 m. The climate is that of a high desert: dry, very sunny, with a huge gap between day and night.

The motorcycling season runs from May to October. July and August are the mildest months but also the wettest; May, June, September and October offer the clearest skies, with sub-zero nights at altitude. Outside that window, cold and snow close the passes.

Also applies to: Tibet

Turkey is large and its climates contrast. The Aegean and Mediterranean coast is hot and dry in summer, mild in winter. Central Anatolia, with Cappadocia at around 1,000 m, has hot dry summers and cold snowy winters, with cool nights even in July. The Black Sea coast is wetter and greener.

The best riding periods are May-June and September-October: bearable heat everywhere, fine light, clear roads. July and August are hard on the southern coast and inland.

Also applies to: Turkey

The seasons are reversed: the Argentine summer runs from December to February, winter from June to August. The country is huge and the climate depends on the region.

The Andean North-West, around Salta and Jujuy, is a high desert: dry, sunny, with passes above 4,000 m. It rides well from April to November; the southern summer brings afternoon storms. Patagonia is the land of wind: cool, windy summers, harsh winters; the comfortable window runs from November to March. The central plains are temperate.

Also applies to: Argentina

The Mongolian climate is extreme continental: winters at −30 °C, a short bright summer. The riding season runs from June to early September. In high summer days are warm, often between 20 and 30 °C on the steppe, with showers and storms in the late afternoon in July and August. Nights stay cool, and in May as in September they drop towards zero.

The country is high: the steppe sits between 1,200 and 1,800 m, and the western passes climb higher. The sun is strong and the air dry.

Also applies to: Mongolia

Three seasons. The cool dry season, November to February, is the best for motorcycling: days around 25 to 30 °C, nights dropping to 10 or 15 °C in the northern mountains. The hot season, March to May, exceeds 35 °C with hazy air. The rainy season, May to October, brings showers often late in the day, with slippery mountain roads and possible landslides.

Also applies to: Thailand

Vietnam stretches 1,600 km from north to south and has not one season but three.

The North and its mountains

Cool, humid winter from November to February, with fog and temperatures dropping to 5 or 10 °C at altitude; hot, rainy summer. The good windows are September-November and March-May.

The Centre

Hot and dry from January to August; typhoons and heavy rain from September to November.

The South

Hot all year; dry season December to April, afternoon rain May to October.

Also applies to: Vietnam

The island is tropical, around 30 °C on the coasts all year, and gets two monsoons that do not hit the same regions. From May to September the south-west monsoon soaks the west coast, the south and the mountains; the east and north are dry then. From October to January it is the reverse. December to March is the best period for the west, the south and the hill country; May to September for the east coast.

The mountainous centre, around Kandy and the tea plantations, sits between 500 and 2,000 m: mild temperatures, frequent fog and showers, cool nights at altitude.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

Tanzania lives to the rhythm of two rainy seasons. The long rains, mid-March to May, make the tracks impassable: that is the period to avoid. The short rains, in November and December, are brief and little trouble. The dry season, June to October, is the best for riding: clear skies, firm tracks, wildlife gathered near water.

Altitude governs temperatures. Around Arusha, at about 1,400 m, days are mild and evenings cool; on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, above 2,000 m, nights are cold. The coast and Zanzibar are hot and humid all year.

Also applies to: Tanzania

The dry season, April to October, is the only one truly rideable: tracks are firm and skies clear. On the high plateaus, at around 1,200 to 1,500 m, the southern winter from May to August gives mild days, about 20 to 25 °C, and cold nights, sometimes below 10 °C. The coasts stay hot, around 30 °C.

The rainy season, November to March, cuts whole roads and brings cyclones to the east coast from January to March: it is not a travelling season.

Also applies to: Madagascar

Almost always, yes. The form it takes varies: an e-visa to apply for before you leave, an online travel authorisation, or a visa issued on arrival. The conditions also depend on your nationality.

Each destination has its own entry on this page: open it for the procedure in the country you are travelling to.

Apply on the country's official site. Many paid sites rank above official portals in search engines and charge for something you can do yourself.

In France the application is made online on the official public service site. The permit is free, but production takes a long time: allow several weeks and apply as soon as you book.

In Spain it is issued by the Dirección General de Tráfico, by appointment.

The international permit is only an official translation of your licence. On its own it is worth nothing: the two documents travel together.

India issues an electronic visa that you apply for before you travel, on its official portal. The application is made online and the document arrives by email; print it and keep it with your passport.

Your passport must remain valid for several months after entry and have blank pages. The exact period is set by the Indian authorities and can change: check it on the portal before booking your flight.

Also bring your travel assistance certificate: you may be asked for it.

Also applies to: India

In India, your home driving licence is not enough on its own: it must be accompanied by the International Driving Permit, which is its official translation. Both documents are shown together; one does not replace the other.

The international permit is obtained in your country of residence before departure. Lead times and procedures change from year to year: the current process is on the official site linked below.

Also applies to: India

For a short tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Morocco on their passport, without a visa. The passport must cover the whole stay.

Other nationalities should check their own situation before booking: the rule depends on the country that issued the passport.

Bring your travel assistance certificate and a copy of your return ticket, sometimes asked for on arrival.

Also applies to: Morocco

For a tourist stay, a European driving licence is recognised in Morocco and is enough to ride a motorcycle of the matching category. The international permit is not required; having one has never hurt at a checkpoint, but it is not an obligation. The official list of countries where it is required is on the site linked below.

Also applies to: Morocco

For a tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Argentina on their passport, without a visa. The passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Bring your travel assistance certificate and a copy of your return ticket: both can be asked for at the border.

Other nationalities should check their own situation before booking.

Also applies to: Argentina

For a tourist stay, your home driving licence is recognised in Argentina. The international permit, its translation, is strongly advised: it avoids any argument at a check, and it becomes mandatory if the route crosses into Chile. It is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Argentina

For a short tourist stay, Indonesia issues a visa on arrival, which can also be applied for online before departure on the official immigration portal. The online version avoids the queue at the airport.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry and have blank pages. The exact period is set by the Indonesian authorities: check it before booking your flight.

You may be asked for an onward ticket at the border.

Also applies to: Indonesia

The International Driving Permit is required in Indonesia, shown with the national licence. Road checks often target foreigners on two wheels, and missing either document is settled on the spot at your expense. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Indonesia

Bhutan does not issue tourist visas on open application: they go through the tour operator. We prepare the file.

That is why full payment is due 60 days before departure rather than 40 as elsewhere: the visa and the hotels must be secured within that window, under the rules of the Bhutanese government.

We will ask you for a digital passport photo and a copy of your passport. Answer quickly: the whole schedule depends on it.

Also applies to: Bhutan

The International Driving Permit is requested in Bhutan, shown with the national licence. It is obtained before departure in your country of residence: the current process is on the official site linked below.

If your trip goes through India to reach Bhutan, the same two documents serve on both sides of the border.

Also applies to: Bhutan

Bhutan strictly regulates some items that are ordinary elsewhere. Tobacco is heavily regulated, e-cigarettes are banned, and drones as well as satellite phones cannot enter without authorisation. Rules change: the official page linked below is the reference at the time of your departure.

Also applies to: Bhutan

Madagascar issues a short-stay tourist visa, obtained on arrival or applied for online before departure. Your passport must stay valid for several months after the arrival date.

An insurance certificate and an onward ticket may be requested.

Check the current procedure before you travel: Madagascar has changed its entry requirements several times in recent years.

Also applies to: Madagascar

For a short stay, your home driving licence is recognised in Madagascar. The international permit, its translation, remains advisable: it simplifies any check and settles any argument about the category. It is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Madagascar

Mongolia offers an electronic visa that you apply for before departure on its official portal. Depending on your nationality and the length of stay, an exemption may apply: the portal says so.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Do not leave the application to the last minute: a badly framed document or an incomplete form is enough to send the process back to the start.

Also applies to: Mongolia

The International Driving Permit is required in Mongolia, in addition to the national licence; both are shown together. It is obtained before departure in your country of residence, with a variable lead time: the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Mongolia

Nepal issues a tourist visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport. A form can be filled in online beforehand to speed things up at the desk.

Bring a passport photo and a way to pay the visa fee there. Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

The exact conditions are set by Nepal's immigration service and can change: check them before you leave.

Also applies to: Nepal

The International Driving Permit is required in Nepal, in addition to your national licence. Both are shown together at a check. The international permit is obtained before departure in your country of residence, with a variable lead time: the current process is on the official site linked below.

Also applies to: Nepal

Sri Lanka requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation, the ETA, obtained before departure on the official portal. You apply online and receive it by email.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Apply on the official Sri Lankan government site. Many paid intermediaries rank above it in search results.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka requires the International Driving Permit with the national licence, and adds a particularity: the local authorities require a foreign licence to be recognised on the spot through a temporary certificate, issued on arrival. Without it you are not in order, whatever your international permit. Your trip programme explains how that step is handled.

The international permit itself is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

Tanzania issues an electronic visa applied for before departure on the official immigration portal, and a visa on arrival remains available.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country where the disease is present, or if you transited through one. A stopover can therefore trigger the requirement: look at your whole itinerary, not just your departure point.

Also applies to: Tanzania

The International Driving Permit is required in Tanzania, with the national licence. Road checks are frequent and thorough; both documents stay on you. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Tanzania

Plastic bags are banned in Tanzania, including in luggage: they are confiscated on arrival and can cost a fine. Pack your things in cloth bags or reusable pouches. Drones do not fly without a permit obtained in advance, nearly impossible for a passing traveller. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

Also applies to: Tanzania

For a short tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Thailand without a visa. Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

An online arrival declaration may be required before your flight, depending on the rules in force when you travel.

An onward ticket is regularly checked both at boarding and on arrival.

Also applies to: Thailand

The International Driving Permit is required in Thailand, with the national licence. Road checks are frequent, especially in the touristy north, and insurers may refuse to cover an accident if the licence is not in order. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Thailand

E-cigarettes are banned in Thailand: import, possession and use expose you to confiscation and a fine, sometimes more. Do not bring one. Drones must be registered before any flight, and flying without authorisation is costly. Smoking is banned on many beaches. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

Also applies to: Thailand

Depending on your nationality, Turkey either requires an electronic visa obtained before departure, or waives it for a short tourist stay. French and Spanish nationals fall under different rules: check your own.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

If an e-visa is needed, apply on the official Turkish portal rather than through an intermediary site.

Also applies to: Turkey

A European driving licence is recognised in Turkey for a tourist stay; the international permit is not required for a short duration. Entry and stay rules change: the official page linked below is the reference at departure time.

On the road, checks are common and you will be asked for licence and passport together. Keep them on you, with the bike's papers.

Also applies to: Turkey

Satellite phones are banned on entry to Turkey and confiscated at customs. Drones are subject to registration and strict flight rules; without completing them before departure, better leave the device at home. Vaping is regulated in public places and often banned in hotel rooms. These rules change: the official page linked is the reference.

Also applies to: Turkey

Vietnam issues an electronic visa that you apply for before departure on the official immigration portal. It arrives by email: print it and show it on arrival.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Pay attention to the entry point you declare on the form: it must match the airport or land border you actually arrive through.

Also applies to: Vietnam

Vietnam recognises the International Driving Permit shown with the national licence; it is the only combination that puts you in order at a check and with your insurer. The international permit is obtained before departure in your country of residence; the current process is on the official site linked.

Also applies to: Vietnam

E-cigarettes are banned in Vietnam: do not bring one, it is confiscated and penalised. Drones require prior authorisation, rarely granted to a passing traveller. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

Also applies to: Vietnam

Tibet is a region of China: you first need the Chinese visa, applied for before departure at the consular services. Then a specific permit is required to enter and travel in Tibet; it is not applied for individually, it goes through an authorised organiser, and its lead time weighs on the trip calendar. Some areas require additional authorisations.

Conditions change often and sometimes quickly: the official page linked below is the reference at the time of your departure.

Also applies to: Tibet

Spain is the trip's starting point. For an EU national, a valid identity card or passport is enough. For other nationalities, Schengen entry rules apply and should be checked before departure on the official page linked.

An EU driving licence is valid as it is. The international permit is not needed here, but it becomes necessary further along the route: apply for it before leaving, it cannot be issued on the way.

Also applies to: Spain

The same area as Spain: for an EU national an identity card or passport is enough, and there is no systematic border check. An EU licence is valid.

Italy is crossed here in transit, often with a ferry crossing. Keep your papers to hand: at boarding you show identity and vehicle documents.

Also applies to: Italy

Still the same area: identity card or passport for an EU national, EU licence valid. Greece is the last stage before leaving the Union, and it is the moment to check one last time that the international permit is in your bag.

Also applies to: Greece

Georgia admits nationals of many countries without a visa for a tourist stay, with a valid passport. Conditions change and the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence. It is the first country on the route where it becomes essential.

Also applies to: Georgia

Kazakhstan waives visas for nationals of many countries for a short tourist stay, with a valid passport. A registration on arrival may be required depending on the length and place of stay. Rules change: the official page linked is the reference.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence, and vehicle insurance is taken out on entry.

Also applies to: Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan waives visas for nationals of many countries for a tourist stay, with a valid passport. The official page linked gives the current rule at departure time.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence.

Also applies to: Uzbekistan

Tajikistan requires a visa from most travellers, obtained before departure. The Pamir Highway also crosses a region that requires a specific permit, separate from the visa. Both take time: they are prepared well in advance, and the official page linked gives the current rule.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence.

Also applies to: Tajikistan

China requires a visa obtained before departure from the consular services. The route enters the country through the Xinjiang region then reaches the Tibetan plateau: the Tibetan part also requires a specific permit, which is not applied for individually and goes through an authorised organiser.

Riding your own vehicle in China requires additional formalities, including a temporary Chinese driving licence and provisional registration of the vehicle. These take time and are prepared well in advance.

Also applies to: China

The deposit is €500, and €800 in Turkey and Thailand. It goes through the Swikly service: the amount is held during the trip, not charged.

It is released automatically twenty days after the trip ends if the bike is undamaged.

This deposit covers minor damage. It does not cover a major repair.

Minor damage is covered by the deposit.

If an accident destroys the bike entirely, your liability is capped. The cap depends on the model: €1,700 for the Royal Enfields used in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Tibet, €5,000 for the CB 500X in Thailand, €7,000 for other destinations.

If you have to break off the trip and leave the bike on the road, moving the vehicle to the planned point is at your expense. This is one reason we insist on insurance that covers vehicle transport.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

Also applies to: BhutanIndiaNepalSri LankaTanzaniaThailand

You ride on the left. Traffic is the calmest in the region: few vehicles, careful drivers, tiny towns. The difficulty comes from the road itself.

The main road crosses the country west to east through a chain of passes and valleys: endless tight bends, narrow surface, sections under work or damaged by the monsoon, possible fog at altitude. Distances are short on the map and long in hours. You ride unhurried and stop often.

Also applies to: Bhutan

You ride on the left. The reflex comes within a day, but the first kilometres demand care at junctions and when overtaking.

Indian traffic has its own logic: the horn announces your presence, it is not a sign of anger; the biggest vehicle has right of way in practice; cows, dogs and carts share the road. Ride slowly, look far ahead, and never overtake without visibility.

In the mountains, Ladakh roads alternate decent tarmac, broken sections and water crossings; passes are narrow and busy with trucks. In Rajasthan the network is better but traffic is denser.

Also applies to: India

You ride on the left, as in India. Kathmandu is dense, noisy and slow; you leave it with patience. Past the valley, traffic thins out and the road itself becomes the real subject.

The Nepali network mixes tarmac, dirt track and rocky stretches, with sections damaged by the previous monsoon. In the mountains the road is often cut into the hillside, without barriers, shared with buses and trucks that sound their horn before every bend. You ride at their pace, not your own.

Also applies to: Nepal

You ride on the right, as everywhere in China. The plateau's main roads are tarmac and often in good condition; secondary roads to the valleys and monasteries mix tarmac, track and gravel. Traffic is light outside Lhasa; you meet trucks, herds of yaks and pilgrims on foot.

What tires you is not the road, it is the altitude: you get tired faster, think slower, feel the cold sooner. The stages shorten themselves.

Also applies to: Tibet

You ride on the right, as in Europe. Main roads are good, often recent; mountain roads are narrow and winding, with gravel patches after rain; in the south, dirt and sand tracks link villages off the tarmac.

In cities traffic is dense and unpredictable: two-wheelers, carts, pedestrians crossing without looking. On the open road, overtaking trucks and shared taxis needs margin. Speed cameras and checks are frequent; limits are enforced closely.

Also applies to: Morocco

You ride on the right. The main national roads are tarmac and often dead straight for tens of kilometres; secondary roads, especially in the North-West and Patagonia, are ripio, loose gravel that demands a relaxed style and moderate speed. Traffic is light outside cities; you share the road with trucks and, in Patagonia, with crosswinds.

Distances are long and fuel stations far apart, sometimes more than two hundred kilometres: fill up as soon as you see one, and keep an eye on the odometer.

Also applies to: Argentina

You ride on the right. The road network is among the best in the region: wide, well-surfaced main roads, expressways between cities, clear signage. Smaller inland and coastal roads are narrower but generally in good condition.

The driving style is brisk: decisive overtaking, sustained speed, frequent horn use in town. Keep your distance and be surprised by nothing. Speed checks are numerous. Motorways use electronic tolling, with no barrier or cash payment; the programme explains how your bike is registered for it.

Also applies to: Turkey

You ride on the right, but the question hardly arises: away from the tarmac axes linking the main cities, Mongolia is crossed on tracks. They split into parallel braids, change with the rain, ford rivers, alternate dirt, sand, stones and grass. There are no signs; you navigate by the terrain, a bearing and GPS.

Traffic is almost non-existent. The dangers lie elsewhere: herds crossing, ruts hidden in the grass, marmots, and the temptation to go fast on a track that looks easy.

Also applies to: Mongolia

You ride on the left. Traffic is made of scooters, thousands of them, weaving and crossing by implicit rules: you move with the flow, signal your intentions, never brake sharply. The horn is a presence signal.

Main roads are tarmac; secondary ones alternate good asphalt, potholes and concrete sections. In the mountains, slopes are steep and bends tight; in the rain everything turns slippery. Between islands, bikes go by ferry.

Also applies to: Indonesia

You ride on the left. The roads are among the best in South-East Asia: well-kept surface, clear signage, and in the north mountain roads that string hundreds of bends together on clean tarmac. Traffic is dense in cities, fluid elsewhere. Thais drive calmly; undertaking happens, and scooters appear from everywhere.

Also applies to: Thailand

You ride on the right. Vietnamese traffic is a river of scooters that never stops and never jostles: you enter gently, keep a steady speed, make no sudden move, and the flow organises itself around you. The horn warns, it does not insult. At junctions you edge forward step by step; you never stop dead.

In the northern mountains, roads are narrow, cut into the hillside, with hairpin passes and sections damaged after rain; trucks and buses drive fast. The main lowland roads are good and busy.

Also applies to: Vietnam

You ride on the left. Roads are narrow, lined with villages without a break, and shared with buses that overtake without slowing, tuk-tuks, bicycles, dogs and occasionally an elephant. You ride carefully and give way to the buses: they will not give way to you.

The surface is fair on the main roads, more uneven in the mountains, where the tea-plantation roads string together hairpins, fog and wet tarmac. Distances are short, journey times long.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

You ride on the left. Main roads are tarmac and decent; as soon as you leave them you are on track: corrugations, dust, sand in places, fords in the wet season. Traffic is moderate, made of slow trucks, hurried minibuses and loaded bicycles. Animals cross, domestic and wild alike.

Police checks are very frequent, with speed cameras on the main roads; limits, low through villages, are enforced to the letter.

Also applies to: Tanzania

You ride on the right. The road network is the country's real challenge: a few tarmac national roads, often degraded, and for the rest laterite, sand or stone tracks, with makeshift bridges, ferries to cross rivers and deep ruts. You move slowly; days are long for modest distances.

Traffic is light outside the capital: loaded bush taxis, zebu carts, pedestrians and herds. Villages are crossed at walking pace.

Also applies to: Madagascar

You ride on the right. The network is dense and good quality, with toll motorways and narrow mountain roads in the Apennines and the Alps. Urban traffic is lively and scooters are numerous.

Speed limits are enforced by fixed cameras, and some city centres are closed to traffic without a permit. You go round them rather than through.

Also applies to: Italy

You ride on the right. Main roads are good; mountain and island roads are narrow, winding and sometimes gravelly. Road markings turn slippery in the rain, which is frequent outside summer.

Drivers overtake readily and the custom is to move right to let them through. Watch for flocks on northern roads and narrow passages through villages.

Also applies to: Greece

You ride on the right. Main roads are decent; the Greater Caucasus mountain roads are narrow, twisting, sometimes unsurfaced, and the weather changes fast. The Georgian Military Road climbs high and can be closed by snow out of season.

The local driving style is brisk: decisive overtaking, short gaps. Keep a margin and be surprised by nothing.

Also applies to: Georgia

You ride on the right. The main roads between the major cities are decent and dead straight for hundreds of kilometres; elsewhere the surface degrades and alternates with track. The desert crossing is monotonous and demanding: crosswind, heat, no shade.

Traffic is light outside the cities, but trucks are numerous on the main roads. Police checks are frequent and papers are shown often.

Also applies to: Kazakhstan

You ride on the right. The roads between the major cities are decent; secondary roads and desert crossings alternate good surface, potholes and sections of track. Sand wind cuts visibility at times.

Traffic is dense approaching the cities and calm between them. Police checks are frequent.

Also applies to: Uzbekistan

You ride on the right. The Pamir Highway is one of the highest roads in the world and one of the most demanding: tired tarmac, long stretches of stone and dirt, fords, possible rockfalls, and very little traffic. Days are long for short distances.

The weather changes within an hour and snow can close a pass even in summer.

Also applies to: Tajikistan

You ride on the right. China's main roads are recent and in very good condition, including on the plateau; secondary roads to the valleys and sites alternate tarmac, track and gravel. Traffic is dense around the cities and very light on the plateau.

Checks are numerous, papers are shown often, and some posts have fixed opening hours. What tires you, on the Tibetan part, is not the road but the altitude.

Also applies to: China

Yes. Travel assistance insurance is required to travel with us. If your bank card or your car or motorcycle policy already includes one, it may be enough: check what it actually covers.

It must cover medical costs abroad and repatriation by air in case of illness or accident.

We also recommend cover for trip interruption and motorcycle transport, because those costs fall to you.

Our motorcycles carry third-party insurance.

Comprehensive cover is not available for a motorcycle in the Asian countries where we run our trips. That is why a deposit is taken and your liability is capped by contract.

None of our trips requires a vaccination.

Some countries ask for a yellow fever certificate, but only from travellers arriving from an area where the disease is present. This mainly concerns people coming from South America or Africa.

Beyond that requirement there are recommended vaccinations, which depend on the country, the season and your own health. Discuss it with your doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before departure: some courses need several doses.

Vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free, serious allergy: say so when you sign up, so the agency knows before arranging meals. In cities, everything can be found. In remote villages the food is that of the house hosting you, and tracing an ingredient is impossible: you explain simply, show a card written in the local language, and accept that the choice is limited.

No, not everywhere. In city hotels, yes. In remote lodges, ger camps, mountain homestays or bivouacs, power comes from a generator or a solar panel, a few hours a day, and is cut at night. If your device is vital, you need a dedicated battery with at least one night's autonomy, and an adapter for the country.

The Ladakh routes cross very high passes. Above 3,000 metres, acute mountain sickness can affect anyone, whatever their age or fitness.

It shows up as headaches, nausea and broken sleep. The response is always the same: climb gradually, drink plenty, and say how you feel rather than pushing through.

Talk to your doctor about this trip before you leave, especially if you are treated for your heart or blood pressure. Some medication is decided beforehand, not on the road.

Also applies to: India

See a doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before departure: they adapt the vaccines to your route and your record. The source linked below gives the up-to-date recommendations by country.

• Vaccines: routine vaccines up to date and, on medical advice, those linked to food and water. A yellow fever certificate may be required on entry if you arrive from an area where the disease circulates.
• Malaria: absent at altitude in Ladakh; low, seasonal risk in the plains. Dengue, carried by daytime mosquitoes, exists in cities and plains: repellent and long sleeves in the evening.
• Water and food: sealed bottled or filtered water, never tap water; be wary of ice and raw vegetables washed in mains water.

Also applies to: India

No vaccination is required to enter, unless you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present.

The climate is hot and humid, and mosquitoes carry several diseases depending on the island and the season. Protecting yourself from bites, day and night, is the most useful precaution.

Review it with your doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before leaving: the recommendations depend on which islands you cross and when.

Also applies to: Indonesia

See your doctor before departure; the linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations. Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food, and rabies vaccination are to be discussed depending on the islands visited.

• Dengue: present everywhere, transmitted by day. Effective repellent, long sleeves at sunrise and sunset.
• Malaria: low or absent in Bali and Java, present in the eastern islands; your doctor decides according to the route.
• Dogs and monkeys: rabies circulates; touch neither, and a bite or scratch is seen to the same day.
• Water: never tap water, sealed bottles; caution with ice and raw vegetables.

Also applies to: Indonesia

An appointment with a doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before departure settles the vaccine question for your route. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Vaccines: routine ones and, on medical advice, those linked to water and food. A yellow fever certificate may be requested if you arrive from an area where the disease circulates.
• Malaria: absent in the mountains, low risk in the southern lowlands. Repellent and long sleeves in the evening are usually enough; your doctor decides.
• Water: never tap water, including in Kathmandu. Sealed bottles or filtered water; watch out for ice.

Also applies to: Nepal

See a doctor or a travel clinic before departure; the linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations for Bhutan.

• Vaccines: routine vaccines up to date and, on medical advice, those linked to water and food. A yellow fever certificate may be required if you arrive from an affected area.
• Malaria: absent in the high valleys where you ride; present in the southern lowlands on the Indian border.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water.

Also applies to: Bhutan

In Tibet, altitude is not a stretch of road: it is the setting of the whole trip. You sleep and ride permanently above 3,500 m. What to settle before leaving is not the first-aid kit, it is your doctor's opinion.

• Acute mountain sickness: headache, nausea, breathlessness at the slightest effort, broken sleep. Almost everyone feels something in the first days. What helps: arriving gradually when the route allows it, drinking a lot, avoiding alcohol and exertion at first, resting at the first signs.
• Warning signs: persistent cough, breathlessness at rest, confusion. These are reasons to descend and seek care, not to wait.
• Vaccines and water: routine vaccines, bottled or boiled water, and the linked source for up-to-date recommendations.

Also applies to: Tibet

Morocco requires no particular vaccine; routine vaccines up to date are enough, and your doctor may add those linked to water and food. No malaria. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Water: sealed bottles outside the big cities; caution with ice and street-pressed juices.
• Sun and heat: the real risk in the south. Drink before you are thirsty, cover the neck, stop in the shade in the hot hours.
• Dogs: many in the villages; you do not approach them, and a bite is seen to without delay.

Also applies to: Morocco

No particular vaccine is required; routine vaccines up to date are enough, your doctor adjusting the rest. No malaria. Tap water is not recommended for drinking: sealed bottles, easy to find everywhere. Healthcare is good in cities; insurance covering medical costs and repatriation remains essential. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

Also applies to: Turkey

No mandatory vaccine for the regions where you ride; routine vaccines up to date are enough, and your doctor adjusts to the route. Yellow fever only concerns the far north-east, far from the Andes. No malaria in the riding regions. Tap water is fine in cities; in rural areas, prefer bottled. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

Also applies to: Argentina

Routine vaccines up to date are enough; your doctor may add those linked to water and food, and the rabies vaccine for a stay in contact with steppe dogs. No malaria. Water is drunk bottled or boiled; the fermented dairy offered in a ger is a rite of hospitality, to be tasted in moderation.

Also applies to: Mongolia

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss: stray dogs are numerous. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: present all year, more in the rainy season. Repellent and long sleeves morning and evening.
• Malaria: limited to a few forested border areas; absent from cities and most roads.
• Water: sealed bottles, easy to find; restaurant ice is generally factory-made and safe.

Also applies to: Thailand

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss for a stay in rural areas. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: present across the country, especially in the rainy season. Repellent and long sleeves.
• Malaria: low, confined to a few rural and forested areas; cities and main roads are free of it.
• Water and food: bottled water; street food is one of the country's joys, provided you pick the stalls where things boil and locals queue.

Also applies to: Vietnam

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss, stray dogs being numerous. A yellow fever certificate may be required if you arrive from an affected area. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: the island's real issue, present all year and especially after rain. Repellent morning and evening, long sleeves, a mosquito net if the room is not sealed.
• Malaria: the country is declared free of it.
• Water: sealed bottles; caution with ice outside hotels.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

Here the pre-departure consultation is not optional. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Yellow fever: the vaccination certificate is required on entry if you arrive from a country where the disease circulates, or after a long transit there. Check your flight route with your doctor.
• Malaria: present in almost the whole country below 1,800 m, including the coast and Zanzibar. Preventive treatment is discussed with your doctor; repellent, long sleeves and a mosquito net in the evening on top.
• Vaccines: routine ones, those linked to water and food, and rabies to discuss.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water.

Also applies to: Tanzania

The pre-departure consultation is essential. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Malaria: present across the country, strong on the coasts, weaker on the high plateaus. Preventive treatment is decided with your doctor; repellent, long sleeves and a mosquito net in the evening on top.
• Vaccines: routine ones, those linked to water and food, and rabies to discuss. A yellow fever certificate is requested if you arrive from an affected area.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water, ice included.

Also applies to: Madagascar

Routine vaccines up to date are enough; your doctor adjusts to the route. No malaria. Tap water is drinkable in the cities, but bottled is preferred in the mountains.

Medical facilities are decent in Tbilisi and limited in the Caucasus. Insurance with repatriation is essential from here to the end of the route.

Also applies to: Georgia

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts. No malaria. Water is drunk bottled. Distances between towns are vast and hospitals rare outside them: insurance with repatriation is essential, and your medication must cover the whole stay with a margin.

Also applies to: Kazakhstan

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. No malaria. Tap water is not drunk: sealed bottles, easy to find. Summer heat is dry and intense in the Kyzylkum desert: drink before you are thirsty.

Also applies to: Uzbekistan

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. Water is drunk bottled or boiled. Medical facilities are very limited in the Pamir, several days' ride from an equipped hospital: insurance with repatriation is essential.

Also applies to: Tajikistan

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. Water is drunk bottled or boiled. Hospitals in the big cities are decent, those in the regions crossed far less so: insurance with repatriation is essential.

Also applies to: China

Cash machines are common in most towns in the countries we visit. Euros and dollars are easy to change, including in many hotels and shops.

Even so, carry cash for stages away from towns, where neither a cash machine nor a card terminal is guaranteed.

Tell your bank your dates and destination before you leave: an unusual payment abroad is often blocked as a precaution.

On all our tours we stay in hotels. On some tours (Crossing the Himalaya) we spend one night in comfortable cottage-style tents with beds and private facilities.

On the Mongolia tour most nights are spent in traditional yurts or gers.

Do we need vaccinations for any of the tours?

There is no requirement to get vaccinated for any of our trips. Some countries ask for a yellow fever certificate from travellers from the Americas and Africa. To be sure, check the requirements with the consulate of the country you plan to visit.

What insurance do the motorcycles have?

Third-party liability only. Fully comprehensive cover is not available for motorcycles in the Asian countries where we run our tours.

Do I need travel assistance insurance?

Travel assistance insurance is mandatory if you do not already have cover through a credit card or a car/motorbike policy. This cover includes medical costs abroad and air repatriation in case of illness or accident. You can compare examples on insurance comparison sites.

Electricity and Internet

Asia has many cybercafés and Wi‑Fi. Mobile 3G works well in all the countries we visit. Power is 220V/230V and most sockets match European plugs. Check compatibility for your devices here.

Mains power is 220 or 230 volts in most of the countries we ride in, as in Europe. Sockets vary, though: check which type your destination uses and bring an adapter if needed.

WiFi is common in hotels and restaurants, and mobile coverage works across most inhabited areas. On mountain or desert stages, expect days without a signal.

Bring a way to charge on the road, a power bank for instance: riding days are long and sockets are scarce before the evening stop.

The rule fits in one sentence: what is cooked, peeled or boiled you eat; the rest you think about. It holds in all our countries, with more or less rigour depending on the destination.

• Water: never tap water, ice included, unless the country page says otherwise. Sealed bottles, or filtered and purified water. A bottle with a filter saves buying dozens of plastic ones.
• Raw vegetables and fruit: washed in tap water, they carry what the water carries. Fruit you peel yourself is no problem.
• Street food: often excellent. Pick the stalls where things are cooked in front of you, with high turnover and where locals eat.
• Hands: washed or sanitised before every meal. The most effective measure of all.

In most of our destinations, tipping is part of the income of the people who accompany you, serve you and help you on the road. It is not compulsory; it is expected, and appreciated. Custom is to hand it over at the end of the trip for the team, and day by day to waiters, porters and car-park attendants.

• Have small notes in local currency from day one.
• A tip handed over in person, with a word, is worth more than a note left on the table.
• In some countries tipping is not practised or can cause embarrassment: your destination page and your trip programme say so.

India tightly regulates certain devices. Satellite phones are banned without prior authorisation, and simply carrying one can lead to prosecution. Drones and some standalone GPS receivers also require authorisation.

A phone or watch that uses GPS to locate itself is not a problem. The restriction targets dedicated navigation or communication devices.

Check the current rule before you pack: it changes, and both fines and confiscation are real.

Also applies to: India

The currency is the Indian rupee. You cannot get it before departure: you obtain it there, at the airport or in town, or by withdrawing at an ATM.

• ATMs are plentiful in cities and tourist areas, rare in the mountains. Before heading up to Ladakh, withdraw what you need: beyond Leh there is little left.
• Cards work in hotels and larger shops; the rest is paid in cash. Keep small notes for stalls, tea and tips.
• Tell your bank your travel dates and check your withdrawal limits abroad.

Also applies to: India

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. Sockets are types C, D and M; two-pin European plugs often fit, but a universal adapter avoids surprises. In the mountains power cuts are frequent and some villages only have electricity in the evening: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: good in cities and tourist areas, absent over long stretches of the Himalaya. Hotel wifi is fine in town, patchy elsewhere. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with a passport; SIM cards from some regions do not work in Ladakh, check before heading up.
• Time difference: India is UTC+5:30 all year, that is 4 h 30 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 30 in winter.
• Language: Hindi and English are the official languages; English is enough in hotels and tourist areas. In Ladakh, Ladakhi is also spoken.

Also applies to: India

In Mongolia the stages stay far from any town for long stretches. Mobile coverage disappears for whole days, and there is neither a cash machine nor a card terminal between inhabited points.

Tell your family before you leave that you will be out of reach at times: this is normal, not an incident.

Bring enough cash for the whole crossing and a charged power bank. Not all the gers we sleep in have electricity.

Also applies to: Mongolia

The currency is the tugrik. You can only get it in Mongolia: exchange euros or dollars in Ulaanbaatar, at the airport or a bank, and withdraw what you need for the whole trip before leaving the capital.

• ATMs exist in Ulaanbaatar and the provincial capitals; they are absent or unreliable elsewhere.
• Cards work in hotels and large shops in the capital; on the steppe everything is paid in cash, in small notes.
• The tugrik cannot be exchanged abroad: change any surplus before leaving.

Also applies to: Mongolia

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. On the steppe there is no grid: ger camps draw power from a solar panel or a generator, a few hours a day. A high-capacity power bank, charged at every socket you find.
• Network: good in Ulaanbaatar and the towns, present on the main axes, absent on the steppe for whole days. Wifi exists only in town. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+8, that is 7 h ahead of the UK in summer and 8 h in winter.
• Language: Mongolian, written in Cyrillic. English is limited to the capital and tourist camps; Russian is still understood by older people.

Also applies to: Mongolia

Yes, in both cases. The voltage is close to ours, around 230 volts, but the sockets are not all European.

In Tanzania the usual socket is the British three flat-pin type. In Madagascar both formats exist, depending on the property.

A universal adapter settles it for both countries. Choose one with USB ports too: wall sockets are scarce in the rooms.

Also applies to: MadagascarTanzania

The currency is the ariary. You exchange on arrival, at the airport or at a bank. ATMs exist in the main cities and mostly take Visa, with low limits; they are absent elsewhere. Cards work in a few hotels in the capital and the big cities, almost nowhere beyond: cash is the rule.

Also applies to: Madagascar

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. Outside cities, power often comes from a generator, a few hours in the evening: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: fair in cities and along the main roads, absent over long stretches of track. Slow wifi in city hotels. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Malagasy and French, both official; French is understood almost everywhere.

Also applies to: Madagascar

The currency is the Nepalese rupee. You get it there, at the airport exchange or in town, or at an ATM. ATMs are common in Kathmandu and the valley towns; they become rare in the mountains and are practically absent in Mustang.

• Cards work in hotels and restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara; elsewhere it is cash.
• Withdraw before heading up: what you carry into the high valleys is what you will have.
• Tell your bank and check your withdrawal limits.

Also applies to: Nepal

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C, D and M. Two-pin European plugs generally fit without an adapter. Power cuts are common, more so in the mountains: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: good in Kathmandu and the towns, fair along the main roads, absent in Mustang and the high valleys. Hotel wifi follows the same curve. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: Nepal is UTC+5:45, one of the few quarter-hour time zones. That is 4 h 45 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 45 in winter.
• Language: Nepali is the official language; English is widespread in tourism.

Also applies to: Nepal

The currency is the ngultrum, pegged to the Indian rupee; the Indian rupee is accepted almost everywhere, which simplifies a trip combined with India. Exchange is done at the airport or at a bank; you cannot get ngultrums before departure.

• ATMs exist in the main towns and take the major international cards; elsewhere it is cash.
• Cards work in hotels and a few craft shops, rarely beyond.
• Change any surplus before leaving the country: the ngultrum cannot be exchanged outside Bhutan.

Also applies to: Bhutan

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C, D and G. A universal adapter is useful. Power is stable in the towns, with possible cuts in rural areas.
• Network: fair coverage in the inhabited valleys, absent on part of the passes. Hotel wifi is slow but present. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+6, that is 5 h ahead of the UK in summer and 6 h in winter.
• Language: Dzongkha is the national language; English is taught at school and spoken throughout tourism.

Also applies to: Bhutan

• Currency: the Chinese yuan. Cash to withdraw or exchange in Lhasa; international cards work in the large hotels and little elsewhere. Phone payment dominates in China but is hard to access for a passing visitor: keep cash.
• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types A, C and I; universal adapter recommended. Possible cuts outside Lhasa.
• Network: good coverage in the towns, absent over long stretches. Many Western online services are unreachable from China without preparation: plan for it before departure.
• Time difference: all of China is UTC+8, that is 7 h ahead of the UK in summer and 8 h in winter. The sun rises and sets late in Tibet relative to official time.
• Language: Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese; English is rare outside tourist hotels.

Also applies to: Tibet

The currency is the dirham. It cannot be taken out of the country: you exchange on arrival, at the airport, a bank or a bureau de change, and change back any surplus before leaving.

• ATMs are everywhere in cities and take international cards; they thin out in the Atlas and the south.
• Cards work in hotels, city restaurants and larger shops. Souks, village cafés, fuel in remote areas: cash.
• Never change money in the street. Official rates are the same everywhere.

Also applies to: Morocco

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, the same as in France. No adapter needed for continental European plugs; UK plugs need one.
• Network: very good on the coast and in cities, fair on the main roads, absent in some Atlas valleys and on the southern tracks. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with your passport; hotel wifi is common.
• Time difference: Morocco runs on UTC+1 most of the year, that is the same as the UK in summer and one hour ahead in winter. During Ramadan the country temporarily moves back to UTC+0.
• Language: Arabic and Amazigh are the official languages; French is spoken everywhere in cities and tourism, English increasingly.
• Restricted devices: drones and satellite phones may be refused entry. Check before packing them.

Also applies to: Morocco

The currency is the Turkish lira. Its rate moves fast: displayed prices change from one season to the next, which is not a sign of a scam. Exchange is done at the airport, at a bank or at the exchange offices in town, at similar rates.

• Cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for small amounts; ATMs are plentiful.
• Keep cash for markets, village cafés and small tips.
• In very touristy areas euros are sometimes accepted, but the rate applied is rarely in your favour.

Also applies to: Turkey

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and F, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
• Network: excellent across the country, wifi in almost every hotel and café. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3 all year, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Turkish. English is common in tourism, German too on the coast; a few words of Turkish open many doors.

Also applies to: Turkey

The currency is the Argentine peso. Inflation is high: prices change often and the rate against the euro moves from week to week. Do not change large sums at once.

• Bring euros or dollars in cash, in clean notes: they are easy to exchange at the bureaux in town and are sometimes accepted directly.
• ATMs exist in cities but impose low limits and high fees; cards work well in hotels, restaurants and fuel stations on the main roads.
• Outside cities, rely on cash.

Also applies to: Argentina

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets of type C and mostly type I, with three angled flat pins: an adapter is needed.
• Network: good in cities, absent over long road stretches in the North-West and Patagonia. Hotel wifi is common. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC−3 all year, that is 4 h behind the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Spanish, with the country's own accent and idioms. English is limited outside the big cities.

Also applies to: Argentina

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah, with big numbers: you soon count in tens of thousands. ATMs are everywhere in Bali and Java, rarer in the eastern islands; they dispense capped amounts in large notes that need breaking.

• Cards work in hotels, city restaurants and main fuel stations; warungs and markets are cash.
• Exchange only at a licensed office, counting at the counter; street booths with too-good rates are to be avoided.
• Tell your bank and watch your limits.

Also applies to: Indonesia

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and F, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. Possible cuts outside cities.
• Network: good in Bali and Java, uneven in the eastern islands. Hotel wifi is common. A local SIM can be bought at the airport, with passport registration.
• Time difference: the archipelago spans three zones. Java is UTC+7 (6 h ahead of the UK in summer), Bali and the Sunda islands UTC+8 (7 h).
• Language: Indonesian, easy to pronounce and quickly useful; English is widespread in tourism, rare elsewhere.

Also applies to: Indonesia

The currency is the baht. ATMs are everywhere and take international cards, with a fixed fee per withdrawal: better to withdraw larger sums less often. Cards work in hotels, shopping centres and city restaurants; markets, stalls and small country hotels are cash. Exchange is easy at the airport and in town, at similar rates.

Also applies to: Thailand

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets most often accept flat American pins and round two-pin European plugs; a universal adapter removes any doubt.
• Network: excellent, wifi almost everywhere, cheap local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+7, that is 6 h ahead of the UK in summer and 7 h in winter.
• Language: Thai. English is common in tourism and cities, rare in northern villages.

Also applies to: Thailand

The currency is the dong, with banknotes full of zeros: you pay in thousands and hundreds of thousands. ATMs are common in cities and towns; cards work in hotels and city restaurants, cash everywhere else. Exchange is done at banks or at licensed jewellers in the cities; dollars are sometimes accepted, but the dong is the rule.

Also applies to: Vietnam

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets accepting flat pins and round two-pin European plugs; an adapter is rarely needed except for UK plugs.
• Network: excellent and cheap, wifi in almost every café. Local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+7, that is 6 h ahead of the UK in summer and 7 h in winter.
• Language: Vietnamese, tonal, hard to pronounce. English is widespread among the young and in tourism, rare in the mountains.

Also applies to: Vietnam

The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee. Exchange is done at the airport or at a bank; ATMs are common in cities and towns, take international cards, and become rarer in the mountains. Cards work in hotels and tourist restaurants; markets, stalls and small guesthouses are cash.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. Three-pin sockets of types D and G dominate; some accept round European plugs. A universal adapter is a must.
• Network: good in cities and on the coast, uneven in the mountains. Wifi in most hotels. Local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+5:30, that is 4 h 30 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 30 in winter.
• Language: Sinhala and Tamil; English is widely spoken.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

The currency is the Tanzanian shilling. ATMs exist in the cities and mostly take Visa, with a cap per withdrawal; they are absent from rural areas. Cards work in lodges and upmarket hotels, rarely elsewhere. The US dollar is widely accepted for hotels, parks and tips, provided the notes are recent and in good condition; older notes are refused.

Also applies to: Tanzania

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types D and G, British three-pin: continental plugs need an adapter. Frequent cuts; remote lodges run on generators or solar, a few hours a day.
• Network: good in cities and along the main roads, absent in the parks and remote areas. Wifi in city hotels, patchy elsewhere. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Swahili and English; a few words of Swahili are very well received.

Also applies to: Tanzania

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted everywhere, ATMs on every corner.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: excellent, with EU roaming for European plans.
• Time difference: none with continental Europe.
• Language: Spanish, plus regional languages depending on the area.

Also applies to: Spain

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted everywhere.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C, F and L; the third is specific to Italy, a universal adapter saves searching.
• Network: excellent, EU roaming.
• Time difference: none with continental Europe.
• Language: Italian; English is common in tourism.

Also applies to: Italy

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted in towns; keep cash for villages and small ports.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: good, EU roaming; patchy coverage in the northern mountains.
• Time difference: one hour ahead of continental Europe.
• Language: Greek, with its own alphabet; English is widespread in tourism.

Also applies to: Greece

• Currency: the lari. Easy exchange in Tbilisi and the cities; ATMs common, cards accepted in town.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: good in the inhabited valleys, absent on the passes. Cheap local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+4, three hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Georgian, with its own alphabet; Russian is understood, English less so.

Also applies to: Georgia

• Currency: the tenge. ATMs in the cities, absent between them. Cards accepted in cities only.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: fair in cities and along the main roads, absent in the desert for hours at a time.
• Time difference: the country spans two zones, between UTC+5 and UTC+6.
• Language: Kazakh and Russian, both in Cyrillic script; English is rare.

Also applies to: Kazakhstan

• Currency: the sum, in large denominations. Exchange at a bank or licensed office; never in the street.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F. Possible cuts outside the cities.
• Network: fair in the cities, weak in the desert. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+5, four hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Uzbek, with Russian widely spoken; English is rare outside tourist sites.

Also applies to: Uzbekistan

• Currency: the somoni. Exchange in Dushanbe; ATMs rare and unreliable outside the capital.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F. In the Pamir, power is intermittent and often limited to the evening.
• Network: present in Dushanbe, very weak or absent on the Pamir Highway for days.
• Time difference: UTC+5, four hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Tajik; Russian is widespread, English rare.

Also applies to: Tajikistan

• Currency: the yuan. Phone payment dominates and is hard to access for a passing visitor: keep cash. International cards work in large hotels, little elsewhere.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types A, C and I; a universal adapter is needed.
• Network: good in the cities, absent over long stretches. Many Western online services are unreachable from China without preparation: sort that before departure, not on arrival.
• Time difference: the whole country is UTC+8, seven hours ahead of the UK in summer. In the west, the sun rises and sets very late relative to official time.
• Language: Mandarin, plus local languages depending on the region; English is rare outside tourist hotels.

Also applies to: China

In hotels, for most of the route.

A few stages differ. On the Himalaya Crossing, one night is spent under canvas: cottage-style tents with proper beds and private facilities. In Mongolia, most nights are spent in a ger, the traditional local dwelling.

Each trip page lists its accommodation.

The standard of accommodation follows the geography. In cities and in Rajasthan you find hotels of every category and old mansions turned into guesthouses. In Ladakh it is mostly family guesthouses and simple hotels: clean room, sometimes lukewarm shower, limited heating, intermittent electricity in the hamlets.

Bed linen is provided everywhere; a light microfibre towel and a sleeping-bag liner are never wasted at altitude. Laundry can be done at the hotel when you stay two nights in the same place.

Also applies to: India

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, hotels of every category. On the road and in the mountains, family-run lodges and guesthouses: simple, clean room, sometimes a shared bathroom, hot water depending on the hour and the sun, heating rare. In Mustang comfort is rustic and nights are cold.

Bed linen is provided; a sleeping-bag liner and a microfibre towel help at altitude. The exact addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Nepal

Lhasa and Shigatse have good hotels. On the road, accommodation is simple: guesthouses and small-town hotels, clean room, unpredictable heating, hot water at set hours, sometimes shared bathrooms. At this altitude the night cold is felt even in summer; a warm sleeping-bag liner and a microfibre towel are useful.

The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Tibet

Morocco offers a rare range: riads in the medinas, classic hotels in cities, inns and gîtes in the Atlas, restored kasbahs in the southern valleys, and tented bivouacs at the desert gateways. Comfort follows the place: very good in town, simple and warm in the mountains, rustic under canvas, where hot water is not guaranteed.

The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Morocco

Good hotels in the cities; on the road, hosterías and estancias, the cattle farms that take in travellers, with simple comfort and a generous table. In Patagonia and on the Puna, stages are sometimes far from everything and the choice is small: you sleep where there is a roof, and that is the charm of the route. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Argentina

In Ulaanbaatar, hotels of every standard. As soon as you leave the city, the usual accommodation is the ger camp: felt gers, a stove in the middle, simple beds, and a separate block for showers and toilets, sometimes shared. Hot water depends on the hour and the generator; electricity on the solar panel. Some nights you stay with a family in their own ger, with less comfort and more hospitality.

A sleeping-bag liner, a head torch and earplugs make the night better. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Mongolia

Bali and Java offer everything, from boutique hotels to family guesthouses. In the eastern islands and on the volcano slopes, accommodation is simpler: homestays and small hotels, a fan more often than air conditioning, hot water sometimes absent. Linen is provided; a microfibre towel and a dry bag protect your things from the damp. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Indonesia

Comfortable, inexpensive hotels in the cities. In the northern mountains the usual accommodation is the homestay: a stilt house with a family, mattress on the floor under a mosquito net, dormitory or simple room, shared bathroom, meals taken together. It is simple and often the best memory of the trip. A sleeping-bag liner and earplugs are useful. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Vietnam

A fine variety: seaside hotels, family guesthouses in the towns, and in the mountains old planters' bungalows among the tea, with the comfort of another era. The standard is good almost everywhere; linen is provided, hot water usual except in the simplest places. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Sri Lanka

Three worlds: city hotels, lodges and tented camps at the edge of the parks, with real comfort under canvas, and simple village guesthouses, where hot water and electricity depend on the hour. Linen is provided; a head torch and a travel mosquito net are handy. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Tanzania

Decent hotels in the capital and the towns you pass through; elsewhere, bungalows and small simple hotels, often wooden, with a mosquito net, a lukewarm or cold shower, and electricity limited to generator hours. Comfort is modest and the welcome warm. A sleeping-bag liner, a head torch and a travel mosquito net are useful. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Also applies to: Madagascar

Write to us first, through the message page in your traveller area or by email. Most situations are settled directly.

If we cannot agree, you may take the matter to a mediation body. Rakatanga Tour Europe SL is a Spanish company: you can apply to the consumer arbitration boards of Galicia, or to the European online dispute resolution platform.

Failing that, Spanish law applies and the competent court is the one where you live.

The seasons are reversed: the Argentine summer runs from December to February, winter from June to August. The country is huge and the climate depends on the region.

The Andean North-West, around Salta and Jujuy, is a high desert: dry, sunny, with passes above 4,000 m. It rides well from April to November; the southern summer brings afternoon storms. Patagonia is the land of wind: cool, windy summers, harsh winters; the comfortable window runs from November to March. The central plains are temperate.

For a tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Argentina on their passport, without a visa. The passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Bring your travel assistance certificate and a copy of your return ticket: both can be asked for at the border.

Other nationalities should check their own situation before booking.

For a tourist stay, your home driving licence is recognised in Argentina. The international permit, its translation, is strongly advised: it avoids any argument at a check, and it becomes mandatory if the route crosses into Chile. It is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

You ride on the right. The main national roads are tarmac and often dead straight for tens of kilometres; secondary roads, especially in the North-West and Patagonia, are ripio, loose gravel that demands a relaxed style and moderate speed. Traffic is light outside cities; you share the road with trucks and, in Patagonia, with crosswinds.

Distances are long and fuel stations far apart, sometimes more than two hundred kilometres: fill up as soon as you see one, and keep an eye on the odometer.

No mandatory vaccine for the regions where you ride; routine vaccines up to date are enough, and your doctor adjusts to the route. Yellow fever only concerns the far north-east, far from the Andes. No malaria in the riding regions. Tap water is fine in cities; in rural areas, prefer bottled. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

The currency is the Argentine peso. Inflation is high: prices change often and the rate against the euro moves from week to week. Do not change large sums at once.

• Bring euros or dollars in cash, in clean notes: they are easy to exchange at the bureaux in town and are sometimes accepted directly.
• ATMs exist in cities but impose low limits and high fees; cards work well in hotels, restaurants and fuel stations on the main roads.
• Outside cities, rely on cash.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets of type C and mostly type I, with three angled flat pins: an adapter is needed.
• Network: good in cities, absent over long road stretches in the North-West and Patagonia. Hotel wifi is common. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC−3 all year, that is 4 h behind the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Spanish, with the country's own accent and idioms. English is limited outside the big cities.

Good hotels in the cities; on the road, hosterías and estancias, the cattle farms that take in travellers, with simple comfort and a generous table. In Patagonia and on the Puna, stages are sometimes far from everything and the choice is small: you sleep where there is a roof, and that is the charm of the route. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Bhutan rises from the subtropical south to the high Himalayan valleys; in one day on the road you change climate. The two favourable seasons are spring, March to May, with rhododendrons in bloom, and autumn, October to November, the clearest and driest. The monsoon, June to September, brings rain and haze; winter is cold at altitude and passes may close.

In the central valleys, at roughly 2,000 to 2,800 m, days are mild and evenings cool in every season. The passes on the main road approach or exceed 3,000 m: bring warm clothing even in May.

Bhutan does not issue tourist visas on open application: they go through the tour operator. We prepare the file.

That is why full payment is due 60 days before departure rather than 40 as elsewhere: the visa and the hotels must be secured within that window, under the rules of the Bhutanese government.

We will ask you for a digital passport photo and a copy of your passport. Answer quickly: the whole schedule depends on it.

The International Driving Permit is requested in Bhutan, shown with the national licence. It is obtained before departure in your country of residence: the current process is on the official site linked below.

If your trip goes through India to reach Bhutan, the same two documents serve on both sides of the border.

Bhutan strictly regulates some items that are ordinary elsewhere. Tobacco is heavily regulated, e-cigarettes are banned, and drones as well as satellite phones cannot enter without authorisation. Rules change: the official page linked below is the reference at the time of your departure.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left. Traffic is the calmest in the region: few vehicles, careful drivers, tiny towns. The difficulty comes from the road itself.

The main road crosses the country west to east through a chain of passes and valleys: endless tight bends, narrow surface, sections under work or damaged by the monsoon, possible fog at altitude. Distances are short on the map and long in hours. You ride unhurried and stop often.

See a doctor or a travel clinic before departure; the linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations for Bhutan.

• Vaccines: routine vaccines up to date and, on medical advice, those linked to water and food. A yellow fever certificate may be required if you arrive from an affected area.
• Malaria: absent in the high valleys where you ride; present in the southern lowlands on the Indian border.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water.

The currency is the ngultrum, pegged to the Indian rupee; the Indian rupee is accepted almost everywhere, which simplifies a trip combined with India. Exchange is done at the airport or at a bank; you cannot get ngultrums before departure.

• ATMs exist in the main towns and take the major international cards; elsewhere it is cash.
• Cards work in hotels and a few craft shops, rarely beyond.
• Change any surplus before leaving the country: the ngultrum cannot be exchanged outside Bhutan.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C, D and G. A universal adapter is useful. Power is stable in the towns, with possible cuts in rural areas.
• Network: fair coverage in the inhabited valleys, absent on part of the passes. Hotel wifi is slow but present. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+6, that is 5 h ahead of the UK in summer and 6 h in winter.
• Language: Dzongkha is the national language; English is taught at school and spoken throughout tourism.

China requires a visa obtained before departure from the consular services. The route enters the country through the Xinjiang region then reaches the Tibetan plateau: the Tibetan part also requires a specific permit, which is not applied for individually and goes through an authorised organiser.

Riding your own vehicle in China requires additional formalities, including a temporary Chinese driving licence and provisional registration of the vehicle. These take time and are prepared well in advance.

You ride on the right. China's main roads are recent and in very good condition, including on the plateau; secondary roads to the valleys and sites alternate tarmac, track and gravel. Traffic is dense around the cities and very light on the plateau.

Checks are numerous, papers are shown often, and some posts have fixed opening hours. What tires you, on the Tibetan part, is not the road but the altitude.

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. Water is drunk bottled or boiled. Hospitals in the big cities are decent, those in the regions crossed far less so: insurance with repatriation is essential.

• Currency: the yuan. Phone payment dominates and is hard to access for a passing visitor: keep cash. International cards work in large hotels, little elsewhere.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types A, C and I; a universal adapter is needed.
• Network: good in the cities, absent over long stretches. Many Western online services are unreachable from China without preparation: sort that before departure, not on arrival.
• Time difference: the whole country is UTC+8, seven hours ahead of the UK in summer. In the west, the sun rises and sets very late relative to official time.
• Language: Mandarin, plus local languages depending on the region; English is rare outside tourist hotels.

Georgia admits nationals of many countries without a visa for a tourist stay, with a valid passport. Conditions change and the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence. It is the first country on the route where it becomes essential.

You ride on the right. Main roads are decent; the Greater Caucasus mountain roads are narrow, twisting, sometimes unsurfaced, and the weather changes fast. The Georgian Military Road climbs high and can be closed by snow out of season.

The local driving style is brisk: decisive overtaking, short gaps. Keep a margin and be surprised by nothing.

Routine vaccines up to date are enough; your doctor adjusts to the route. No malaria. Tap water is drinkable in the cities, but bottled is preferred in the mountains.

Medical facilities are decent in Tbilisi and limited in the Caucasus. Insurance with repatriation is essential from here to the end of the route.

• Currency: the lari. Easy exchange in Tbilisi and the cities; ATMs common, cards accepted in town.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: good in the inhabited valleys, absent on the passes. Cheap local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+4, three hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Georgian, with its own alphabet; Russian is understood, English less so.

Still the same area: identity card or passport for an EU national, EU licence valid. Greece is the last stage before leaving the Union, and it is the moment to check one last time that the international permit is in your bag.

You ride on the right. Main roads are good; mountain and island roads are narrow, winding and sometimes gravelly. Road markings turn slippery in the rain, which is frequent outside summer.

Drivers overtake readily and the custom is to move right to let them through. Watch for flocks on northern roads and narrow passages through villages.

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted in towns; keep cash for villages and small ports.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: good, EU roaming; patchy coverage in the northern mountains.
• Time difference: one hour ahead of continental Europe.
• Language: Greek, with its own alphabet; English is widespread in tourism.

India holds very different climates within one country. A single trip can go from humid foothills to dry, cold high-altitude valleys, and the swings happen within a day as much as across seasons.

The practical consequence is simple: dress in layers rather than one warm garment, and bring protection from both sun and rain.

Your trip page states the season chosen for that route.

India does not have one climate but several. Two regions matter for a motorcycle trip.

Ladakh and the Himalaya

A high-altitude desert, dry and very sunny. The riding season runs from June to September, when the passes are clear. Days can be mild in the valleys and nights are cold everywhere; on the passes it is cold and windy even in high summer. June and September are the least settled months.

Rajasthan and the plains

Desert or tropical climate depending on the area. The good period runs from October to March: warm days, cool nights in winter. The monsoon hits the plains from June to September, with heavy rain and humid heat; that is the time to avoid.

India issues an electronic visa that you apply for before you travel, on its official portal. The application is made online and the document arrives by email; print it and keep it with your passport.

Your passport must remain valid for several months after entry and have blank pages. The exact period is set by the Indian authorities and can change: check it on the portal before booking your flight.

Also bring your travel assistance certificate: you may be asked for it.

In India, your home driving licence is not enough on its own: it must be accompanied by the International Driving Permit, which is its official translation. Both documents are shown together; one does not replace the other.

The international permit is obtained in your country of residence before departure. Lead times and procedures change from year to year: the current process is on the official site linked below.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left. The reflex comes within a day, but the first kilometres demand care at junctions and when overtaking.

Indian traffic has its own logic: the horn announces your presence, it is not a sign of anger; the biggest vehicle has right of way in practice; cows, dogs and carts share the road. Ride slowly, look far ahead, and never overtake without visibility.

In the mountains, Ladakh roads alternate decent tarmac, broken sections and water crossings; passes are narrow and busy with trucks. In Rajasthan the network is better but traffic is denser.

The Ladakh routes cross very high passes. Above 3,000 metres, acute mountain sickness can affect anyone, whatever their age or fitness.

It shows up as headaches, nausea and broken sleep. The response is always the same: climb gradually, drink plenty, and say how you feel rather than pushing through.

Talk to your doctor about this trip before you leave, especially if you are treated for your heart or blood pressure. Some medication is decided beforehand, not on the road.

See a doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before departure: they adapt the vaccines to your route and your record. The source linked below gives the up-to-date recommendations by country.

• Vaccines: routine vaccines up to date and, on medical advice, those linked to food and water. A yellow fever certificate may be required on entry if you arrive from an area where the disease circulates.
• Malaria: absent at altitude in Ladakh; low, seasonal risk in the plains. Dengue, carried by daytime mosquitoes, exists in cities and plains: repellent and long sleeves in the evening.
• Water and food: sealed bottled or filtered water, never tap water; be wary of ice and raw vegetables washed in mains water.

India tightly regulates certain devices. Satellite phones are banned without prior authorisation, and simply carrying one can lead to prosecution. Drones and some standalone GPS receivers also require authorisation.

A phone or watch that uses GPS to locate itself is not a problem. The restriction targets dedicated navigation or communication devices.

Check the current rule before you pack: it changes, and both fines and confiscation are real.

The currency is the Indian rupee. You cannot get it before departure: you obtain it there, at the airport or in town, or by withdrawing at an ATM.

• ATMs are plentiful in cities and tourist areas, rare in the mountains. Before heading up to Ladakh, withdraw what you need: beyond Leh there is little left.
• Cards work in hotels and larger shops; the rest is paid in cash. Keep small notes for stalls, tea and tips.
• Tell your bank your travel dates and check your withdrawal limits abroad.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. Sockets are types C, D and M; two-pin European plugs often fit, but a universal adapter avoids surprises. In the mountains power cuts are frequent and some villages only have electricity in the evening: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: good in cities and tourist areas, absent over long stretches of the Himalaya. Hotel wifi is fine in town, patchy elsewhere. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with a passport; SIM cards from some regions do not work in Ladakh, check before heading up.
• Time difference: India is UTC+5:30 all year, that is 4 h 30 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 30 in winter.
• Language: Hindi and English are the official languages; English is enough in hotels and tourist areas. In Ladakh, Ladakhi is also spoken.

The standard of accommodation follows the geography. In cities and in Rajasthan you find hotels of every category and old mansions turned into guesthouses. In Ladakh it is mostly family guesthouses and simple hotels: clean room, sometimes lukewarm shower, limited heating, intermittent electricity in the hamlets.

Bed linen is provided everywhere; a light microfibre towel and a sleeping-bag liner are never wasted at altitude. Laundry can be done at the hotel when you stay two nights in the same place.

Indonesia's climate alternates a dry season and a rainy season, with dates that vary from island to island. Even in the dry season, a late-afternoon downpour is common.

Bring rain gear you can pull on quickly over your riding kit, and a way to protect your things inside your luggage: a dry bag beats a cover laid on top.

Footwear takes a long time to dry in this climate. A light second pair is useful in the evening.

Equatorial climate: hot and humid all year, around 30 °C in the lowlands. Two seasons shape the archipelago. The dry season, May to September, is the best for riding: clear skies, dry roads, bearable heat. The rainy season, November to March, brings heavy but often brief showers late in the day.

Volcanoes and highlands change everything: on the ridges of Java or Bali, nights can drop to 5 or 10 °C, and dawn viewpoints are visited well wrapped up.

For a short tourist stay, Indonesia issues a visa on arrival, which can also be applied for online before departure on the official immigration portal. The online version avoids the queue at the airport.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry and have blank pages. The exact period is set by the Indonesian authorities: check it before booking your flight.

You may be asked for an onward ticket at the border.

The International Driving Permit is required in Indonesia, shown with the national licence. Road checks often target foreigners on two wheels, and missing either document is settled on the spot at your expense. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

You ride on the left. Traffic is made of scooters, thousands of them, weaving and crossing by implicit rules: you move with the flow, signal your intentions, never brake sharply. The horn is a presence signal.

Main roads are tarmac; secondary ones alternate good asphalt, potholes and concrete sections. In the mountains, slopes are steep and bends tight; in the rain everything turns slippery. Between islands, bikes go by ferry.

No vaccination is required to enter, unless you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present.

The climate is hot and humid, and mosquitoes carry several diseases depending on the island and the season. Protecting yourself from bites, day and night, is the most useful precaution.

Review it with your doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before leaving: the recommendations depend on which islands you cross and when.

See your doctor before departure; the linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations. Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food, and rabies vaccination are to be discussed depending on the islands visited.

• Dengue: present everywhere, transmitted by day. Effective repellent, long sleeves at sunrise and sunset.
• Malaria: low or absent in Bali and Java, present in the eastern islands; your doctor decides according to the route.
• Dogs and monkeys: rabies circulates; touch neither, and a bite or scratch is seen to the same day.
• Water: never tap water, sealed bottles; caution with ice and raw vegetables.

The currency is the Indonesian rupiah, with big numbers: you soon count in tens of thousands. ATMs are everywhere in Bali and Java, rarer in the eastern islands; they dispense capped amounts in large notes that need breaking.

• Cards work in hotels, city restaurants and main fuel stations; warungs and markets are cash.
• Exchange only at a licensed office, counting at the counter; street booths with too-good rates are to be avoided.
• Tell your bank and watch your limits.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and F, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. Possible cuts outside cities.
• Network: good in Bali and Java, uneven in the eastern islands. Hotel wifi is common. A local SIM can be bought at the airport, with passport registration.
• Time difference: the archipelago spans three zones. Java is UTC+7 (6 h ahead of the UK in summer), Bali and the Sunda islands UTC+8 (7 h).
• Language: Indonesian, easy to pronounce and quickly useful; English is widespread in tourism, rare elsewhere.

Bali and Java offer everything, from boutique hotels to family guesthouses. In the eastern islands and on the volcano slopes, accommodation is simpler: homestays and small hotels, a fan more often than air conditioning, hot water sometimes absent. Linen is provided; a microfibre towel and a dry bag protect your things from the damp. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

The same area as Spain: for an EU national an identity card or passport is enough, and there is no systematic border check. An EU licence is valid.

Italy is crossed here in transit, often with a ferry crossing. Keep your papers to hand: at boarding you show identity and vehicle documents.

You ride on the right. The network is dense and good quality, with toll motorways and narrow mountain roads in the Apennines and the Alps. Urban traffic is lively and scooters are numerous.

Speed limits are enforced by fixed cameras, and some city centres are closed to traffic without a permit. You go round them rather than through.

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted everywhere.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C, F and L; the third is specific to Italy, a universal adapter saves searching.
• Network: excellent, EU roaming.
• Time difference: none with continental Europe.
• Language: Italian; English is common in tourism.

Kazakhstan waives visas for nationals of many countries for a short tourist stay, with a valid passport. A registration on arrival may be required depending on the length and place of stay. Rules change: the official page linked is the reference.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence, and vehicle insurance is taken out on entry.

You ride on the right. The main roads between the major cities are decent and dead straight for hundreds of kilometres; elsewhere the surface degrades and alternates with track. The desert crossing is monotonous and demanding: crosswind, heat, no shade.

Traffic is light outside the cities, but trucks are numerous on the main roads. Police checks are frequent and papers are shown often.

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts. No malaria. Water is drunk bottled. Distances between towns are vast and hospitals rare outside them: insurance with repatriation is essential, and your medication must cover the whole stay with a margin.

• Currency: the tenge. ATMs in the cities, absent between them. Cards accepted in cities only.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: fair in cities and along the main roads, absent in the desert for hours at a time.
• Time difference: the country spans two zones, between UTC+5 and UTC+6.
• Language: Kazakh and Russian, both in Cyrillic script; English is rare.

The dry season, April to October, is the only one truly rideable: tracks are firm and skies clear. On the high plateaus, at around 1,200 to 1,500 m, the southern winter from May to August gives mild days, about 20 to 25 °C, and cold nights, sometimes below 10 °C. The coasts stay hot, around 30 °C.

The rainy season, November to March, cuts whole roads and brings cyclones to the east coast from January to March: it is not a travelling season.

Madagascar issues a short-stay tourist visa, obtained on arrival or applied for online before departure. Your passport must stay valid for several months after the arrival date.

An insurance certificate and an onward ticket may be requested.

Check the current procedure before you travel: Madagascar has changed its entry requirements several times in recent years.

For a short stay, your home driving licence is recognised in Madagascar. The international permit, its translation, remains advisable: it simplifies any check and settles any argument about the category. It is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

You ride on the right. The road network is the country's real challenge: a few tarmac national roads, often degraded, and for the rest laterite, sand or stone tracks, with makeshift bridges, ferries to cross rivers and deep ruts. You move slowly; days are long for modest distances.

Traffic is light outside the capital: loaded bush taxis, zebu carts, pedestrians and herds. Villages are crossed at walking pace.

The pre-departure consultation is essential. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Malaria: present across the country, strong on the coasts, weaker on the high plateaus. Preventive treatment is decided with your doctor; repellent, long sleeves and a mosquito net in the evening on top.
• Vaccines: routine ones, those linked to water and food, and rabies to discuss. A yellow fever certificate is requested if you arrive from an affected area.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water, ice included.

Yes, in both cases. The voltage is close to ours, around 230 volts, but the sockets are not all European.

In Tanzania the usual socket is the British three flat-pin type. In Madagascar both formats exist, depending on the property.

A universal adapter settles it for both countries. Choose one with USB ports too: wall sockets are scarce in the rooms.

The currency is the ariary. You exchange on arrival, at the airport or at a bank. ATMs exist in the main cities and mostly take Visa, with low limits; they are absent elsewhere. Cards work in a few hotels in the capital and the big cities, almost nowhere beyond: cash is the rule.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. Outside cities, power often comes from a generator, a few hours in the evening: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: fair in cities and along the main roads, absent over long stretches of track. Slow wifi in city hotels. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Malagasy and French, both official; French is understood almost everywhere.

Decent hotels in the capital and the towns you pass through; elsewhere, bungalows and small simple hotels, often wooden, with a mosquito net, a lukewarm or cold shower, and electricity limited to generator hours. Comfort is modest and the welcome warm. A sleeping-bag liner, a head torch and a travel mosquito net are useful. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

The Mongolian climate is extreme continental: winters at −30 °C, a short bright summer. The riding season runs from June to early September. In high summer days are warm, often between 20 and 30 °C on the steppe, with showers and storms in the late afternoon in July and August. Nights stay cool, and in May as in September they drop towards zero.

The country is high: the steppe sits between 1,200 and 1,800 m, and the western passes climb higher. The sun is strong and the air dry.

Mongolia offers an electronic visa that you apply for before departure on its official portal. Depending on your nationality and the length of stay, an exemption may apply: the portal says so.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Do not leave the application to the last minute: a badly framed document or an incomplete form is enough to send the process back to the start.

The International Driving Permit is required in Mongolia, in addition to the national licence; both are shown together. It is obtained before departure in your country of residence, with a variable lead time: the current process is on the official site linked.

You ride on the right, but the question hardly arises: away from the tarmac axes linking the main cities, Mongolia is crossed on tracks. They split into parallel braids, change with the rain, ford rivers, alternate dirt, sand, stones and grass. There are no signs; you navigate by the terrain, a bearing and GPS.

Traffic is almost non-existent. The dangers lie elsewhere: herds crossing, ruts hidden in the grass, marmots, and the temptation to go fast on a track that looks easy.

Routine vaccines up to date are enough; your doctor may add those linked to water and food, and the rabies vaccine for a stay in contact with steppe dogs. No malaria. Water is drunk bottled or boiled; the fermented dairy offered in a ger is a rite of hospitality, to be tasted in moderation.

In Mongolia the stages stay far from any town for long stretches. Mobile coverage disappears for whole days, and there is neither a cash machine nor a card terminal between inhabited points.

Tell your family before you leave that you will be out of reach at times: this is normal, not an incident.

Bring enough cash for the whole crossing and a charged power bank. Not all the gers we sleep in have electricity.

The currency is the tugrik. You can only get it in Mongolia: exchange euros or dollars in Ulaanbaatar, at the airport or a bank, and withdraw what you need for the whole trip before leaving the capital.

• ATMs exist in Ulaanbaatar and the provincial capitals; they are absent or unreliable elsewhere.
• Cards work in hotels and large shops in the capital; on the steppe everything is paid in cash, in small notes.
• The tugrik cannot be exchanged abroad: change any surplus before leaving.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter. On the steppe there is no grid: ger camps draw power from a solar panel or a generator, a few hours a day. A high-capacity power bank, charged at every socket you find.
• Network: good in Ulaanbaatar and the towns, present on the main axes, absent on the steppe for whole days. Wifi exists only in town. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+8, that is 7 h ahead of the UK in summer and 8 h in winter.
• Language: Mongolian, written in Cyrillic. English is limited to the capital and tourist camps; Russian is still understood by older people.

In Ulaanbaatar, hotels of every standard. As soon as you leave the city, the usual accommodation is the ger camp: felt gers, a stove in the middle, simple beds, and a separate block for showers and toilets, sometimes shared. Hot water depends on the hour and the generator; electricity on the solar panel. Some nights you stay with a family in their own ger, with less comfort and more hospitality.

A sleeping-bag liner, a head torch and earplugs make the night better. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Morocco's climate is pleasant during our travel season, but it changes a great deal with altitude. A single day can start cool in the Atlas and end hot on the plain.

Bring clothes that layer, a windproof jacket, and sun protection: on a bike the exposure is constant even when the temperature stays mild.

Nights at altitude are properly cold outside high summer.

Morocco packs three climates into a few hundred kilometres. The coast is mild all year. The Atlas is a real mountain range: passes exceed 2,000 m, it snows in winter and nights are cool even in summer. The south and the desert gateways are scorching from June to August, above 40 °C in the daytime.

The best riding periods are spring, March to May, and autumn, September to November: warm days, cool nights, sharp light. Winter stays pleasant in the south and on the coast but cold at altitude; summer is for early mornings.

For a short tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Morocco on their passport, without a visa. The passport must cover the whole stay.

Other nationalities should check their own situation before booking: the rule depends on the country that issued the passport.

Bring your travel assistance certificate and a copy of your return ticket, sometimes asked for on arrival.

For a tourist stay, a European driving licence is recognised in Morocco and is enough to ride a motorcycle of the matching category. The international permit is not required; having one has never hurt at a checkpoint, but it is not an obligation. The official list of countries where it is required is on the site linked below.

You ride on the right, as in Europe. Main roads are good, often recent; mountain roads are narrow and winding, with gravel patches after rain; in the south, dirt and sand tracks link villages off the tarmac.

In cities traffic is dense and unpredictable: two-wheelers, carts, pedestrians crossing without looking. On the open road, overtaking trucks and shared taxis needs margin. Speed cameras and checks are frequent; limits are enforced closely.

Morocco requires no particular vaccine; routine vaccines up to date are enough, and your doctor may add those linked to water and food. No malaria. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Water: sealed bottles outside the big cities; caution with ice and street-pressed juices.
• Sun and heat: the real risk in the south. Drink before you are thirsty, cover the neck, stop in the shade in the hot hours.
• Dogs: many in the villages; you do not approach them, and a bite is seen to without delay.

The currency is the dirham. It cannot be taken out of the country: you exchange on arrival, at the airport, a bank or a bureau de change, and change back any surplus before leaving.

• ATMs are everywhere in cities and take international cards; they thin out in the Atlas and the south.
• Cards work in hotels, city restaurants and larger shops. Souks, village cafés, fuel in remote areas: cash.
• Never change money in the street. Official rates are the same everywhere.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and E, the same as in France. No adapter needed for continental European plugs; UK plugs need one.
• Network: very good on the coast and in cities, fair on the main roads, absent in some Atlas valleys and on the southern tracks. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with your passport; hotel wifi is common.
• Time difference: Morocco runs on UTC+1 most of the year, that is the same as the UK in summer and one hour ahead in winter. During Ramadan the country temporarily moves back to UTC+0.
• Language: Arabic and Amazigh are the official languages; French is spoken everywhere in cities and tourism, English increasingly.
• Restricted devices: drones and satellite phones may be refused entry. Check before packing them.

Morocco offers a rare range: riads in the medinas, classic hotels in cities, inns and gîtes in the Atlas, restored kasbahs in the southern valleys, and tented bivouacs at the desert gateways. Comfort follows the place: very good in town, simple and warm in the mountains, rustic under canvas, where hot water is not guaranteed.

The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Nepal is best visited outside the monsoon. The monsoon arrives from June to September: daily rain, muddy tracks, landslides on mountain roads. The two good windows are autumn, October to November, clear skies and pleasant temperatures, and spring, March to May, warmer with haze late in the season.

Temperatures depend on altitude far more than on the month. In Kathmandu, at around 1,400 m, days are mild; as soon as you climb, evenings turn cold. Mustang, in the north, is a high-altitude desert with strong afternoon winds and fast-changing weather.

Nepal issues a tourist visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport. A form can be filled in online beforehand to speed things up at the desk.

Bring a passport photo and a way to pay the visa fee there. Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

The exact conditions are set by Nepal's immigration service and can change: check them before you leave.

The International Driving Permit is required in Nepal, in addition to your national licence. Both are shown together at a check. The international permit is obtained before departure in your country of residence, with a variable lead time: the current process is on the official site linked below.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left, as in India. Kathmandu is dense, noisy and slow; you leave it with patience. Past the valley, traffic thins out and the road itself becomes the real subject.

The Nepali network mixes tarmac, dirt track and rocky stretches, with sections damaged by the previous monsoon. In the mountains the road is often cut into the hillside, without barriers, shared with buses and trucks that sound their horn before every bend. You ride at their pace, not your own.

An appointment with a doctor or a travel clinic a few weeks before departure settles the vaccine question for your route. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Vaccines: routine ones and, on medical advice, those linked to water and food. A yellow fever certificate may be requested if you arrive from an area where the disease circulates.
• Malaria: absent in the mountains, low risk in the southern lowlands. Repellent and long sleeves in the evening are usually enough; your doctor decides.
• Water: never tap water, including in Kathmandu. Sealed bottles or filtered water; watch out for ice.

The currency is the Nepalese rupee. You get it there, at the airport exchange or in town, or at an ATM. ATMs are common in Kathmandu and the valley towns; they become rare in the mountains and are practically absent in Mustang.

• Cards work in hotels and restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara; elsewhere it is cash.
• Withdraw before heading up: what you carry into the high valleys is what you will have.
• Tell your bank and check your withdrawal limits.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C, D and M. Two-pin European plugs generally fit without an adapter. Power cuts are common, more so in the mountains: keep a power bank charged whenever you can.
• Network: good in Kathmandu and the towns, fair along the main roads, absent in Mustang and the high valleys. Hotel wifi follows the same curve. A local SIM can be bought at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: Nepal is UTC+5:45, one of the few quarter-hour time zones. That is 4 h 45 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 45 in winter.
• Language: Nepali is the official language; English is widespread in tourism.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, hotels of every category. On the road and in the mountains, family-run lodges and guesthouses: simple, clean room, sometimes a shared bathroom, hot water depending on the hour and the sun, heating rare. In Mustang comfort is rustic and nights are cold.

Bed linen is provided; a sleeping-bag liner and a microfibre towel help at altitude. The exact addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Spain is the trip's starting point. For an EU national, a valid identity card or passport is enough. For other nationalities, Schengen entry rules apply and should be checked before departure on the official page linked.

An EU driving licence is valid as it is. The international permit is not needed here, but it becomes necessary further along the route: apply for it before leaving, it cannot be issued on the way.

• Currency: the euro. Cards accepted everywhere, ATMs on every corner.
• Electricity: 230 V, sockets of types C and F.
• Network: excellent, with EU roaming for European plans.
• Time difference: none with continental Europe.
• Language: Spanish, plus regional languages depending on the area.

The island is tropical, around 30 °C on the coasts all year, and gets two monsoons that do not hit the same regions. From May to September the south-west monsoon soaks the west coast, the south and the mountains; the east and north are dry then. From October to January it is the reverse. December to March is the best period for the west, the south and the hill country; May to September for the east coast.

The mountainous centre, around Kandy and the tea plantations, sits between 500 and 2,000 m: mild temperatures, frequent fog and showers, cool nights at altitude.

Sri Lanka requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation, the ETA, obtained before departure on the official portal. You apply online and receive it by email.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Apply on the official Sri Lankan government site. Many paid intermediaries rank above it in search results.

Sri Lanka requires the International Driving Permit with the national licence, and adds a particularity: the local authorities require a foreign licence to be recognised on the spot through a temporary certificate, issued on arrival. Without it you are not in order, whatever your international permit. Your trip programme explains how that step is handled.

The international permit itself is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left. Roads are narrow, lined with villages without a break, and shared with buses that overtake without slowing, tuk-tuks, bicycles, dogs and occasionally an elephant. You ride carefully and give way to the buses: they will not give way to you.

The surface is fair on the main roads, more uneven in the mountains, where the tea-plantation roads string together hairpins, fog and wet tarmac. Distances are short, journey times long.

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss, stray dogs being numerous. A yellow fever certificate may be required if you arrive from an affected area. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: the island's real issue, present all year and especially after rain. Repellent morning and evening, long sleeves, a mosquito net if the room is not sealed.
• Malaria: the country is declared free of it.
• Water: sealed bottles; caution with ice outside hotels.

The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee. Exchange is done at the airport or at a bank; ATMs are common in cities and towns, take international cards, and become rarer in the mountains. Cards work in hotels and tourist restaurants; markets, stalls and small guesthouses are cash.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz. Three-pin sockets of types D and G dominate; some accept round European plugs. A universal adapter is a must.
• Network: good in cities and on the coast, uneven in the mountains. Wifi in most hotels. Local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+5:30, that is 4 h 30 ahead of the UK in summer and 5 h 30 in winter.
• Language: Sinhala and Tamil; English is widely spoken.

A fine variety: seaside hotels, family guesthouses in the towns, and in the mountains old planters' bungalows among the tea, with the comfort of another era. The standard is good almost everywhere; linen is provided, hot water usual except in the simplest places. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Tajikistan requires a visa from most travellers, obtained before departure. The Pamir Highway also crosses a region that requires a specific permit, separate from the visa. Both take time: they are prepared well in advance, and the official page linked gives the current rule.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence.

You ride on the right. The Pamir Highway is one of the highest roads in the world and one of the most demanding: tired tarmac, long stretches of stone and dirt, fords, possible rockfalls, and very little traffic. Days are long for short distances.

The weather changes within an hour and snow can close a pass even in summer.

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. Water is drunk bottled or boiled. Medical facilities are very limited in the Pamir, several days' ride from an equipped hospital: insurance with repatriation is essential.

• Currency: the somoni. Exchange in Dushanbe; ATMs rare and unreliable outside the capital.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F. In the Pamir, power is intermittent and often limited to the evening.
• Network: present in Dushanbe, very weak or absent on the Pamir Highway for days.
• Time difference: UTC+5, four hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Tajik; Russian is widespread, English rare.

Tanzania lives to the rhythm of two rainy seasons. The long rains, mid-March to May, make the tracks impassable: that is the period to avoid. The short rains, in November and December, are brief and little trouble. The dry season, June to October, is the best for riding: clear skies, firm tracks, wildlife gathered near water.

Altitude governs temperatures. Around Arusha, at about 1,400 m, days are mild and evenings cool; on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, above 2,000 m, nights are cold. The coast and Zanzibar are hot and humid all year.

Tanzania issues an electronic visa applied for before departure on the official immigration portal, and a visa on arrival remains available.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

A yellow fever certificate is required if you arrive from a country where the disease is present, or if you transited through one. A stopover can therefore trigger the requirement: look at your whole itinerary, not just your departure point.

The International Driving Permit is required in Tanzania, with the national licence. Road checks are frequent and thorough; both documents stay on you. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

Plastic bags are banned in Tanzania, including in luggage: they are confiscated on arrival and can cost a fine. Pack your things in cloth bags or reusable pouches. Drones do not fly without a permit obtained in advance, nearly impossible for a passing traveller. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left. Main roads are tarmac and decent; as soon as you leave them you are on track: corrugations, dust, sand in places, fords in the wet season. Traffic is moderate, made of slow trucks, hurried minibuses and loaded bicycles. Animals cross, domestic and wild alike.

Police checks are very frequent, with speed cameras on the main roads; limits, low through villages, are enforced to the letter.

Here the pre-departure consultation is not optional. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Yellow fever: the vaccination certificate is required on entry if you arrive from a country where the disease circulates, or after a long transit there. Check your flight route with your doctor.
• Malaria: present in almost the whole country below 1,800 m, including the coast and Zanzibar. Preventive treatment is discussed with your doctor; repellent, long sleeves and a mosquito net in the evening on top.
• Vaccines: routine ones, those linked to water and food, and rabies to discuss.
• Water: sealed bottles or filtered water, never tap water.

Yes, in both cases. The voltage is close to ours, around 230 volts, but the sockets are not all European.

In Tanzania the usual socket is the British three flat-pin type. In Madagascar both formats exist, depending on the property.

A universal adapter settles it for both countries. Choose one with USB ports too: wall sockets are scarce in the rooms.

The currency is the Tanzanian shilling. ATMs exist in the cities and mostly take Visa, with a cap per withdrawal; they are absent from rural areas. Cards work in lodges and upmarket hotels, rarely elsewhere. The US dollar is widely accepted for hotels, parks and tips, provided the notes are recent and in good condition; older notes are refused.

• Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types D and G, British three-pin: continental plugs need an adapter. Frequent cuts; remote lodges run on generators or solar, a few hours a day.
• Network: good in cities and along the main roads, absent in the parks and remote areas. Wifi in city hotels, patchy elsewhere. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Swahili and English; a few words of Swahili are very well received.

Three worlds: city hotels, lodges and tented camps at the edge of the parks, with real comfort under canvas, and simple village guesthouses, where hot water and electricity depend on the hour. Linen is provided; a head torch and a travel mosquito net are handy. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Three seasons. The cool dry season, November to February, is the best for motorcycling: days around 25 to 30 °C, nights dropping to 10 or 15 °C in the northern mountains. The hot season, March to May, exceeds 35 °C with hazy air. The rainy season, May to October, brings showers often late in the day, with slippery mountain roads and possible landslides.

For a short tourist stay, French and Spanish nationals enter Thailand without a visa. Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

An online arrival declaration may be required before your flight, depending on the rules in force when you travel.

An onward ticket is regularly checked both at boarding and on arrival.

The International Driving Permit is required in Thailand, with the national licence. Road checks are frequent, especially in the touristy north, and insurers may refuse to cover an accident if the licence is not in order. The international permit is obtained before departure; the current process is on the official site linked.

E-cigarettes are banned in Thailand: import, possession and use expose you to confiscation and a fine, sometimes more. Do not bring one. Drones must be registered before any flight, and flying without authorisation is costly. Smoking is banned on many beaches. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

Several of our destinations drive on the left. For a rider used to the right, adapting takes half a day, provided you take it seriously.

Three moments call for attention: junctions, where the reflex is to look the wrong way; pulling out of a fuel station or a hotel, where you rejoin on your usual side without thinking; and overtaking.

Stay behind the guide for the first few hours. It is the simplest way to let the reflex settle in.

You ride on the left. The roads are among the best in South-East Asia: well-kept surface, clear signage, and in the north mountain roads that string hundreds of bends together on clean tarmac. Traffic is dense in cities, fluid elsewhere. Thais drive calmly; undertaking happens, and scooters appear from everywhere.

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss: stray dogs are numerous. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: present all year, more in the rainy season. Repellent and long sleeves morning and evening.
• Malaria: limited to a few forested border areas; absent from cities and most roads.
• Water: sealed bottles, easy to find; restaurant ice is generally factory-made and safe.

The currency is the baht. ATMs are everywhere and take international cards, with a fixed fee per withdrawal: better to withdraw larger sums less often. Cards work in hotels, shopping centres and city restaurants; markets, stalls and small country hotels are cash. Exchange is easy at the airport and in town, at similar rates.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz. Sockets most often accept flat American pins and round two-pin European plugs; a universal adapter removes any doubt.
• Network: excellent, wifi almost everywhere, cheap local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+7, that is 6 h ahead of the UK in summer and 7 h in winter.
• Language: Thai. English is common in tourism and cities, rare in northern villages.

The Tibetan plateau is one of the highest inhabited places on earth: Lhasa sits at about 3,650 m and the road passes exceed 5,000 m. The climate is that of a high desert: dry, very sunny, with a huge gap between day and night.

The motorcycling season runs from May to October. July and August are the mildest months but also the wettest; May, June, September and October offer the clearest skies, with sub-zero nights at altitude. Outside that window, cold and snow close the passes.

Tibet is a region of China: you first need the Chinese visa, applied for before departure at the consular services. Then a specific permit is required to enter and travel in Tibet; it is not applied for individually, it goes through an authorised organiser, and its lead time weighs on the trip calendar. Some areas require additional authorisations.

Conditions change often and sometimes quickly: the official page linked below is the reference at the time of your departure.

You ride on the right, as everywhere in China. The plateau's main roads are tarmac and often in good condition; secondary roads to the valleys and monasteries mix tarmac, track and gravel. Traffic is light outside Lhasa; you meet trucks, herds of yaks and pilgrims on foot.

What tires you is not the road, it is the altitude: you get tired faster, think slower, feel the cold sooner. The stages shorten themselves.

In Tibet, altitude is not a stretch of road: it is the setting of the whole trip. You sleep and ride permanently above 3,500 m. What to settle before leaving is not the first-aid kit, it is your doctor's opinion.

• Acute mountain sickness: headache, nausea, breathlessness at the slightest effort, broken sleep. Almost everyone feels something in the first days. What helps: arriving gradually when the route allows it, drinking a lot, avoiding alcohol and exertion at first, resting at the first signs.
• Warning signs: persistent cough, breathlessness at rest, confusion. These are reasons to descend and seek care, not to wait.
• Vaccines and water: routine vaccines, bottled or boiled water, and the linked source for up-to-date recommendations.

• Currency: the Chinese yuan. Cash to withdraw or exchange in Lhasa; international cards work in the large hotels and little elsewhere. Phone payment dominates in China but is hard to access for a passing visitor: keep cash.
• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types A, C and I; universal adapter recommended. Possible cuts outside Lhasa.
• Network: good coverage in the towns, absent over long stretches. Many Western online services are unreachable from China without preparation: plan for it before departure.
• Time difference: all of China is UTC+8, that is 7 h ahead of the UK in summer and 8 h in winter. The sun rises and sets late in Tibet relative to official time.
• Language: Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese; English is rare outside tourist hotels.

Lhasa and Shigatse have good hotels. On the road, accommodation is simple: guesthouses and small-town hotels, clean room, unpredictable heating, hot water at set hours, sometimes shared bathrooms. At this altitude the night cold is felt even in summer; a warm sleeping-bag liner and a microfibre towel are useful.

The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.

Turkey is large and its climates contrast. The Aegean and Mediterranean coast is hot and dry in summer, mild in winter. Central Anatolia, with Cappadocia at around 1,000 m, has hot dry summers and cold snowy winters, with cool nights even in July. The Black Sea coast is wetter and greener.

The best riding periods are May-June and September-October: bearable heat everywhere, fine light, clear roads. July and August are hard on the southern coast and inland.

Depending on your nationality, Turkey either requires an electronic visa obtained before departure, or waives it for a short tourist stay. French and Spanish nationals fall under different rules: check your own.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

If an e-visa is needed, apply on the official Turkish portal rather than through an intermediary site.

A European driving licence is recognised in Turkey for a tourist stay; the international permit is not required for a short duration. Entry and stay rules change: the official page linked below is the reference at departure time.

On the road, checks are common and you will be asked for licence and passport together. Keep them on you, with the bike's papers.

Satellite phones are banned on entry to Turkey and confiscated at customs. Drones are subject to registration and strict flight rules; without completing them before departure, better leave the device at home. Vaping is regulated in public places and often banned in hotel rooms. These rules change: the official page linked is the reference.

You ride on the right. The road network is among the best in the region: wide, well-surfaced main roads, expressways between cities, clear signage. Smaller inland and coastal roads are narrower but generally in good condition.

The driving style is brisk: decisive overtaking, sustained speed, frequent horn use in town. Keep your distance and be surprised by nothing. Speed checks are numerous. Motorways use electronic tolling, with no barrier or cash payment; the programme explains how your bike is registered for it.

No particular vaccine is required; routine vaccines up to date are enough, your doctor adjusting the rest. No malaria. Tap water is not recommended for drinking: sealed bottles, easy to find everywhere. Healthcare is good in cities; insurance covering medical costs and repatriation remains essential. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

The currency is the Turkish lira. Its rate moves fast: displayed prices change from one season to the next, which is not a sign of a scam. Exchange is done at the airport, at a bank or at the exchange offices in town, at similar rates.

• Cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for small amounts; ATMs are plentiful.
• Keep cash for markets, village cafés and small tips.
• In very touristy areas euros are sometimes accepted, but the rate applied is rarely in your favour.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets of types C and F, compatible with continental European plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
• Network: excellent across the country, wifi in almost every hotel and café. A local SIM can be bought with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+3 all year, that is 2 h ahead of the UK in summer and 3 h in winter.
• Language: Turkish. English is common in tourism, German too on the coast; a few words of Turkish open many doors.

Uzbekistan waives visas for nationals of many countries for a tourist stay, with a valid passport. The official page linked gives the current rule at departure time.

The International Driving Permit is required with the national licence.

You ride on the right. The roads between the major cities are decent; secondary roads and desert crossings alternate good surface, potholes and sections of track. Sand wind cuts visibility at times.

Traffic is dense approaching the cities and calm between them. Police checks are frequent.

Routine vaccines up to date; your doctor adjusts to the route. No malaria. Tap water is not drunk: sealed bottles, easy to find. Summer heat is dry and intense in the Kyzylkum desert: drink before you are thirsty.

• Currency: the sum, in large denominations. Exchange at a bank or licensed office; never in the street.
• Electricity: 220 V, sockets of types C and F. Possible cuts outside the cities.
• Network: fair in the cities, weak in the desert. Local SIM with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+5, four hours ahead of the UK in summer.
• Language: Uzbek, with Russian widely spoken; English is rare outside tourist sites.

Vietnam stretches 1,600 km from north to south and has not one season but three.

The North and its mountains

Cool, humid winter from November to February, with fog and temperatures dropping to 5 or 10 °C at altitude; hot, rainy summer. The good windows are September-November and March-May.

The Centre

Hot and dry from January to August; typhoons and heavy rain from September to November.

The South

Hot all year; dry season December to April, afternoon rain May to October.

Vietnam issues an electronic visa that you apply for before departure on the official immigration portal. It arrives by email: print it and show it on arrival.

Your passport must stay valid for several months after entry.

Pay attention to the entry point you declare on the form: it must match the airport or land border you actually arrive through.

Vietnam recognises the International Driving Permit shown with the national licence; it is the only combination that puts you in order at a check and with your insurer. The international permit is obtained before departure in your country of residence; the current process is on the official site linked.

E-cigarettes are banned in Vietnam: do not bring one, it is confiscated and penalised. Drones require prior authorisation, rarely granted to a passing traveller. These rules change; the official page linked is the reference at departure time.

You ride on the right. Vietnamese traffic is a river of scooters that never stops and never jostles: you enter gently, keep a steady speed, make no sudden move, and the flow organises itself around you. The horn warns, it does not insult. At junctions you edge forward step by step; you never stop dead.

In the northern mountains, roads are narrow, cut into the hillside, with hairpin passes and sections damaged after rain; trucks and buses drive fast. The main lowland roads are good and busy.

Routine vaccines up to date, those linked to water and food on your doctor's advice, and rabies to discuss for a stay in rural areas. The linked source gives the up-to-date recommendations.

• Dengue: present across the country, especially in the rainy season. Repellent and long sleeves.
• Malaria: low, confined to a few rural and forested areas; cities and main roads are free of it.
• Water and food: bottled water; street food is one of the country's joys, provided you pick the stalls where things boil and locals queue.

The currency is the dong, with banknotes full of zeros: you pay in thousands and hundreds of thousands. ATMs are common in cities and towns; cards work in hotels and city restaurants, cash everywhere else. Exchange is done at banks or at licensed jewellers in the cities; dollars are sometimes accepted, but the dong is the rule.

• Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, sockets accepting flat pins and round two-pin European plugs; an adapter is rarely needed except for UK plugs.
• Network: excellent and cheap, wifi in almost every café. Local SIM at the airport with your passport.
• Time difference: UTC+7, that is 6 h ahead of the UK in summer and 7 h in winter.
• Language: Vietnamese, tonal, hard to pronounce. English is widespread among the young and in tourism, rare in the mountains.

Comfortable, inexpensive hotels in the cities. In the northern mountains the usual accommodation is the homestay: a stilt house with a family, mattress on the floor under a mosquito net, dormitory or simple room, shared bathroom, meals taken together. It is simple and often the best memory of the trip. A sleeping-bag liner and earplugs are useful. The addresses of your nights are in your trip programme.