Frequently Asked Questions

To confirm your place on a trip, we ask for a 50% deposit of the total trip cost to be paid in advance. This allows us to book hotels and purchase any necessary local flights on your behalf.

We also require every rider to read and sign a motorcycle rental contract and perform an inspection on their motorcycle for existing damage.

We understand that sometimes unexpected things happen and you may no longer be able to go on the trip you’ve booked. In this instance, your options are…

[a] Defer your deposit to a future trip
[b] Apply for a full or partial refund

If you want to defer your deposit to a future trip instead of getting a refund, we will look at any amount we’ve already used from your deposit in preparation for the trip, as well as any cost to us for running the trip without you, and subtract that amount from your deposit. Then we will credit the balance of the deposit to an upcoming trip of your choice.

If you want to apply for a full or partial refund, our policy for returning deposits is as follows:

– Cancellation more than 30 days before Day 1 of the trip = refund of full deposit
– Cancellation up to 30 days before Day 1 of the trip = refund of 50% of deposit
– Cancellation up to 15 days before Day 1 of the trip = refund of 25% of deposit
– Cancellation within 14 days before Day 1 of the trip = no refund

The reason for this policy is we use the deposit to pay for hotels, flights, and any other aspects of the trip up-front. The closer to the start date of the trip, the more we will have used from your deposit

We require a minimum of three people in order to go ahead with a scheduled trip. If you’ve paid a deposit on a trip and we haven’t gotten enough other people confirmed, we’ll refund the deposit in full, or we can reschedule your trip to another date. However, if you would prefer a private trip, let us know and we can arrange a custom price to go ahead with a smaller tour.

We are fully transparent with our costs for trips. To join us on a trip, you are expected to pay:

– The full cost of the trip as displayed on the website
– A one-off $750 damage deposit per motorcycle at the beginning of a trip. This covers the deductible on our insurance and will be refunded in full provided there is no damage or breakages to the motorcycle or equipment. Any costs incurred due to negligence or vehicle mishandling will be paid for from this damage deposit, up to a maximum of $750.

Usually, we require a minimum of three people to go ahead with a scheduled trip, but the total number on any given trip can be up to 10.

In the unlikely instance that you’ve paid a deposit on a trip but we haven’t gotten enough other people confirmed, we’ll refund the deposit in full, or we can reschedule your trip to another date.

Alternatively, if you would prefer a private group trip, let us know and we can arrange a custom price to go ahead with a smaller tour.

Novo has two kinds of insurance: SOATs (the government mandated 3rd party liability insurance for vehicles in Bolivia), and private insurance for all its motorcycles (for collisions, accidents, damage to the bike, hospitalisation, etc. above the minimal SOAT coverage).

We ask each client to purchase their own private travel insurance covering motorcycle usage, before the start of the tour. We also ask for contact details of a family member or friend in case of an incident.

We ask each client to purchase their own private travel insurance covering motorcycling before the start of the tour, along with contact details for a family member or friend, so in case of an incident we have all the relevant information on hand.

Our motorcycles are inspected to the highest standard before the start of every tour. While on the trip, every night we carefully check for any possible problems to ensure the motorcycles are safe to ride for the next leg of the trip.

On every trip, we come equipped with two first aid kits – one in the support truck and one carried on the guide bike. We maintain a strict formation so that the guide is always at the front of the group and the support truck is always behind, ensuring staff are ready on either side of the group to aid when needed.

The support truck always has at least one passenger seat available, as well as the ability to carry a motorcycle in the unlikely event a rider is injured or is no longer able to ride that day.

We also always carry a Garmin GPS device with SOS capability, which will dispatch emergency services to our location in the event of an emergency. You can learn more about Garmin’s SOS services.

Unless stated otherwise, the trip includes all food and water from day 2 (the day after ‘arrival day’), to the day before ‘leaving day’. It covers gasoline, accommodation and any necessary flights within Bolivia. It also covers the motorcycle rental, access to the support truck & mechanic, and the trip guide.

We do not cover the cost of any extra, optional activities – for example a mine tour, ziplining, horseback riding. This is because not everyone on the trip would like to take part. In most cases, these extra activities are available at a minimal cost. See the details of your trip to find out what activities are available to you.

We do not cover the cost of any alcohol because different clients will drink different amounts over the course of the trip. However, some trips choose to create a ‘drinks pool’, where everyone contributes an agreed amount at the beginning of the trip to cover any alcohol purchases throughout the tour.

We do not cover your flights to or from Bolivia, but we’re happy to help you find the best deals.

We do not cover any food or drink on or before the ‘arrival day’ or on or after the ‘leaving day’ as specified in your trip itinerary. This is because the logistics are simply too difficult, with people arriving and leaving at different times.

Our tours are designed for our clients to see the most of Bolivia’s highlights possible, experiencing a great deal in just a couple of weeks. Therefore, to rent one of our motorcycles, you must be on a pre-arranged tour.

However, if you have any ideas on where you’d like to explore, please let us know and we’ll do our best to create a custom tour!

All your luggage will be transported in our support truck, keeping it locked, safe, and dry at all times. You can relax on your motorcycle without worrying about strapping anything down.

However, if you want to carry a few odds & ends on your bike, we can provide bungee straps as required. We do not allow the use of tank bags, as they tend to scratch up the motorcycle tanks.

As an absolute minimum, you will need to bring your own helmet (preferably ECE rated). However, we strongly recommend you also bring the following: riding boots (preferably with ankle & shin protection), riding gloves, reinforced jeans or riding trousers, and a motorcycle jacket. This is to ensure your safety throughout the tour.

In addition, it’s worth knowing that our trips cover a massive variety of terrains and climates, so having waterproof gear, warm layers, and the ability to strip down into breathable layers will be very beneficial.

Bolivia is a challenging country to traverse by motorcycle, but don’t let that put you off! We have had people with very little motorcycle experience come and successfully do tours with us.

The Royal Enfield Himalayans are a great bike for both beginners and experienced riders, as they sit fairly low and have great stability, as well as a smaller engine that won’t run away from you with an accidental twist of the throttle.

We recommend, if you’ve done little to no motorcycling before joining us, to try and get out a couple of times to get the feel of the bike before your trip. We’re also happy for you to come a day early and use the extra time to practice with us before the trip begins.

But we feel confident our tours can be done and enjoyed by riders of all skill levels.