Argentina
Arrived at Buenos Aires airport, and was stamped in with a 90 day tourist visa, no cost, amidst smiley and efficient staff. One of the advantages of starting off in a pretty well developed country. Scanning my luggage gave rise to some questions about the bike parts I´m carrying, with the (again) very nice chap being more interested in my plans than the items. I didn´t even need to open the bag!
I needed a copy of my passport Visa stamp to pick up the bike, and Argentinian bike insurance for customs purposes (plus copies and originals of title (registration), international driving licence and passport). I was walked through the process by Sandra at Dakar Motos, so was pretty easy for me really. And early start to get the 37 kms to the airport in time for the freight office to open at 9. Processed paperwork there, and handed over 82 pounds in local currency. They prepared my file, which we then walked over to the customs building on the other side of the car park. Had to show passport and file to get in, and was given a security slip.
Argentina to Chile - Ruta 3 South
A short run after you pass the exit for the Lago Azul on Ruta 3 you will come across a police stop - it wasn´t manned, but did look a bit like a border post. It isn´t. You just pass round it and on a couple of kms more.
This crossing is a combined affair, with both Argentine and Chilean officials working in the same building. Park your bike in the dirt car parking area and make your way with papers to the square-ish building. On entering the three sides to your left, front and right mark the three stages you need to follow - and they are numbered 1, 2, 3 - how easy is that! You will need passport, your temp import paper for Argentina, insurance (I wasn´t asked for mine), your bike registration document (I use a laminated good colour copy - but have the original tucked away safe).
Stage 1 is signing you out of Argentina, for which you´ll also have to fill in a small squarish form (with various carbon copies behind). The Argentinian desk will stamp this, stamp out your passport, and check your other papers, following which you are passed to the next desk under stage 1 which is Chilean immigration (they have different uniforms). You´ll also get another slip of paper with a stamp on it to evidence you have passed this stage. You´re stamped in to Chile, along with the little form (which you keep carbon copies of), and then directed to stage 2.
Stage 2 sees you signing the bike out of Argentina, and into Chile - and is pretty much the same idea as stage 1. All the forms you are asked to fill in are in Spanish and English. You´ll get your temp import paper for Argentina cancelled, then be passed to the Chilean Aduana sat at the next desk to get your bike registered for Chile. You´ll get a temp import paper for the bike. And they´ll both stamp that little bit of paper to show you have passed that stage.
Stage 3 is the Chilean food (and other stuff) declaration to say you are not carrying any fresh fruit, veg or meat (best not to anyway, as there are so many checks on this point). There is a form on the desk in front of the stage 3 desks. Take one, fill it in, and hand it to the staff of the desk - who will check it through and stamp your little slip of paper.
Make a quick check of your passport and your new temp import document before you leave. You should have a stamp out of Argentina and into Chile in the passport, and the details of your temp import document shoudl match you and your bike (at later crossings I was glad to do this, as errors occur!).
You then return to the bike, someone may check your gear (they didn´t with me), and you´re clear to go - with your little slip of paper being your passport out of there. Pretty easy, and keep all the other paperwork you collected. I got there early, and it was all done in 20 mins with no additional photocopies needed, and at no cost.
Chile to Argentina - Tierra del Fuego
Not surprisingly the process is pretty much the same as above, but in reverse at this border crossing, except the layout is different, and you don´t need to do the Stage 3 (above) as you are not entering Chile. The Chile and Argentina posts are some 12 kms (I think) apart - with poor ripio in between.
You reach the Chilean boder post and park up on the verge on the right hand side. This is where Idris got blown over while I was inside, so park safe. The office is down a little corridor on the right - passed a snack shop. Again the stages are marked 1, 2, 3. You sign out of Chile (you´ll need the papers you collected at the past crossing) and then cancel the temp import document. 10 mins. Then back on the bike and head for Argentina.
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| Argentinian post, looking towards Chile |
The creation of a new temp import document takes a little longer - I think this was about 15 mins in total. Staff outside may ask to see your papers and check your gear (I didn´t have to open anything, just answer a few basic questions about food), and you are away.
There is a YPF petrol station inside Argentina at this border.
Argentina to Chile - Tierra del Fuego
By the time you do this, you´ll be so familiar with the process that it will take very little effort. Remember to fill out the customs declaration (stage 3), and to check your documents (passport and temp import) to ensure they are correct.
Chile to Argentina - Dorotea
Riding from Puerto Natales into Argentina you will probably go through the border crossing at Dorotea, which is paved right through. There is another border further up the valley closer to Torres del Paine, but on ripio and difficult (and often closed) in poor weather. The border I took is not signposted from Puerto Natales, but you head back towards Punta Arenas for a few kms, and take the road signed Dorotea. The Chilean exit is a few kms after the town up a bit of a mountain pass.
Not much room to park at this one, just at the side of the road, with the entering and exiting travellers all using the same desks (windows) in the small office even through there are other desks marked separately for inward and outward traffic. Perhaps the place is fully staffed in high season, when travellers in each direction are separated out. The process is the same as above.
About 3 kms to the Argentinian entry post. Poor parking which was a bit muddy the day I was there, so had to be careful with the side stand. The layout of the office is pretty similar to the Chilean side, with immigration at the window on your left as you enter, and aduana (customs) on your right. This is the border post where the Argentinan system threw out on my new temp import document that I was from Afghanistan - which caused a bit of a stir. Good job I checked my documents - though it took them a while to cancel the entry from the system and get it to produce a correct version. Very nice people at this post.
Argentina to Chile - Puente del Inca
This is the main crossing between Mendoza and Santiago, consequently it is much busier. From Argentina you get to it about 7 kms after the toll booth (free for bikes) before the tunnel. From Chile, it is right after the really steep climb with all those u-bends. It was also closed for three days prior to my crossing, so there was an hour delay before getting to the office. Trucks and buses are directed into separate lanes, with cars and bikes (I did try to skip to the front, but no luck!) having their own. Argentinian and Chilean officers are in the same building - but it is a bit confusing with thier 1, 2, 3 numbers all over the place, separate lines for bus passengers, and separate lines for incoming and outgoing traffic. Unlike the other crossings, there are money changing facilities here, but I saw no banks.
Chile to Peru - nr Arica
Some 20 kms north of Arica on the PanAm you get to the Chilean border post. A modern building with good parking areas right by the immigration and aduana windows (which are on the outside of the building - it doesn´t rain here much!).
You will be directed to a line for Chilean immigration departures, and an electronic number system will call you in turn to a window. Passport stamped out, and the Relacion de Pasajeros form stamped. You then walk down the left hand side (looking towards Peru) of the same building, and you´ll find a couple of Aduana windows, where you get your temp import document cancelled.
Aduana is in the same building in a small room down the left hand side (still looking at Peru). It is signed CIF. There you´ll sign a declaration, and get a temp import document, half of which is kept by the staff. This was the first time I was asked for my drivers licence. They make copies of your passport etc for you.
Back to Aduanas, collect the papers - check them (got my nationality wrong again!) - and collection the bike, ride around the barriers to the last barrier on the way out, show your Relacion de Pasajeros form with the stamps, they keep one - you get the other carbon - and you are away.
I understand that there are slight charges for vehicles crossing on weekends and holidays - something like 2$ US. The post is open from 8 to 24 - I arrived at the first post at 8:20, and was cleared through both by 9:15 (including the faff to find a spare form). There are no money changing facilities that I saw, and no banks. You might want to change spare cash in Arica before heading out, as I got a poor rate in Araquipa off-loading my remaining Chilean Pesos.
Staff on both sides were very nice, helpful and professional, with no hint of anything out of order going on. In fact, I would say they were being particularly robust when it came to well loaded medium sized vehicles.
Peru to Ecudaor - Macara
I didn´t get any shots of the border post
this time - so you´ll have to put up with the plain narrative I´m afraid. First thing I should say is that I highly
recommend this border crossing. Not only
because of the roads that lead to and from it, but because it was very quiet,
relaxed and with no issues. I spent a
little longer at the crossing than I needed to as I was chatting to some of the
officials! It took me an hour from
pulling up to driving off, but you could do it in 30 minutes I would
imagine. No photocopies needed, and no
costs involved.
The Puente International (international
bridge) is being rebuilt right alongside the old one – which is not a very impressive
bridge at all. So this information
relates to the current situation, which may change when the new bridge is in
operation (I imagine they will build new buildings alongside the new bridge?).
Coming from Peru you will see Aduana
clearly signed on the right hand side of the road about 3 buildings from the
bridge and police checkpoint. You can
park your bike outside here, and the officials on the porch will keep an eye on
things. The first building on the right
before the bridge is a police office, and you need to pick up a stamp on the
bottom half of the immigration card you have been carrying through Peru. Take this and your passport directly
opposite, up a few steps, to the window to get you stamped out of Peru. Then back to the Aduana office to cancel your
temp import paper. They´ll record it on
the system and in a ledger. As it is such
a small post, the police at the checkpoint will probably have seen you doing
your business, and will just wave you and the bike through.
Cross the 50m or so of bridge and park
where instructed, most likely on the right hand side. The immigration office is a window on your
left, about the third building in from the bridge. Fill in your new immigration
card – top and bottom – which looks pretty similar to the one you used in
Peru. They stamp that and your passport,
and you retain the bottom bit. The
Aduana office is right next to the checkpoint as you crossed the bridge. At that window they´ll issue your temp import
paper. I was asked for the bike
documents, drivers licence, and passport with immigration card. No mention of insurance and, as noted above,
no costs at all. You´ll then be clear to
get underway with a wave – to be greeted by the welcome to Macara
sign!
Ecuador to Colombia
I crossed
into Colombia at the border just before Ipiales, as I imagine most people would
do. Just before arriving at the border,
there was a police stop, where they wanted to have a look inside my panniers
etc – but they were friendly enough.
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| View looking at the border from the car park where I stopped for food beore crossing |
Arriving at
the border before the small bridge (which is hardly noticible), there is a car
park on the right with a taxi rank and places to buy food etc; and another on
the left, with an official looking single storey building in front of it. I stopped for something to eat on the right
first, but otherwise you can park up on the left. Passport control to get you stamped out of
Ecuador is inside this building, and pretty easy to find, it being in the first
room you walk into from the car park.
Aduanas is in the same building complex, but you have to walk through
and out the other side. Don´t be tempted
to check the windows on the right – it seems that is where aduanas used to
be. Walk around the building to the
left, and as you turn the corner, you´ll come across the entrance to the small
aduanas office, where they´ll cancel the temp import of the bike. All pretty easy.
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| The view from the bridge |
Back on the
bike, through the police checkpoint (which just waved me though), over the
small bride, and you´ll see the Colombian side is on a slight hill. On the left there is the border complex, the
large car park for which you´ll reach before te building itself. Less than 50 metres from the bridge. Park up and walk up the flight of steps to
the building complex, and you´ll see the window where you´ll need to get your
passport stamped into Colombia on the left.
Before you return to the bike, see if you can get your photocopies done
at a booth at the top of the steps – you´ll need the usual bike title, but also
one of your passport with your Colombian stamp on it (their machine wasn´t
working when I was there, and I had to walk back into Ecuador to find a place
to do the copies – no problems doing that, but a bit of a hassle).
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| Colombia - the car park and offices are behind those trees on the left |
Aduana to
do the temp import of the bike is a little further up the hill round the back
of the same buildings, and still on the left of the road, and they´ll want you
to ride the bike up so they can inspect VIN numbers etc. So it is back to the bike, ride it up the
hill 20-30 metres until just before the police checkpoint, and you´ll see a
little turn in on the left. You can stop
you bike there, next to the small flight of steps up to the aduanas
office. Sorting the paperwork is routine
and painless, and following a quick check of the bike, you´ll get the necessary
paperwork and a very friendly welcome to Colombia. The police wave you through the checkpoint
and you´re away.
Including
stopping for food at the outset, and having to wander round for 20 mins looking
for a place with a functioning photocopier, and changing money in the Colombian
car park, I made it though in less than 2 hours. No costs, other than for photocopying. Nice.
Colombia to Panama
Bogotá
I flew
Idris from Bogota to Panama with Girag at a cost of $750 US – in cash (so
remember to draw out the readies beforehand).
Also remember to have the fuel running on reserve, to take what you need
for a couple of days out of the luggage (including your paperwork), and not
have any other flammable stuff on board.
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| The green/blue building - part of the Cargo Terminal seen on the right |
The ride
out to the airport from the city was pretty easy, with busy traffic but clear
signs. At the airport finding the cargo
terminal is equally easy. It is the large newish building on the left, just before you arrive at the (smaller) passenger
terminal at the end of the road from the city.
The cargo buildings also include a modern green/blue office block which
is on the side of the road. You´ll need
that later – but not for now.
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| Plenty of parking outside the door |
After doing
a little about turn near the passenger terminal, to ride back to the entrance
of the cargo building (for traffic, that is the gate at the city end of the
compound, after you pass the green/blue building). Just say to the guard that you are looking
for Girag, and you´ll be waved through into the car park area and told to pitch
up at door 500 (the long building is split into different sections, with each
entrance having a well displayed number).
You could either park up directly in front of the paved entrance area –
or actually on the pavement in front of the door – it is plenty big enough.
When you go
into the building don´t worry about the door on the right that has a Girag sign
– or let yourself be directed there.
You´ll need that office later, but first you need to ascend the flight
of stairs, turning left on the next floor, past the coffee area, and down the corridor
to the Girag Reception (it is signposted).
There the lovely ladies will start your paperwork, building the file
necessary to get your machine on its way.
You´ll need copies of all your papers, of course.
After some
admin, and following the instruction given, the first major task was to take
the bike around to one of the loading bay areas – mine was bay 102. There the handlers built a ramp to ride the
bike up into the warehouse (which has its loading bay at the same height as a
truck for ease). The ramp looked a
little shaky – but these guys do this a lot – and Idris skipped up without
missing a beat. Just remember to brake
quickly after you get into the warehouse. Then we put the bike onto a scale and took the
total weight (260kgs for me). Then back
upstairs to do some more paperwork.
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| Idris in the bonded warehouse |
The next
step was to visit the police, to arrange for them to inspect the bike before it
could be cleared for loading. Armed with
the necessary papers, you walk out of the cargo terminal compound, and up the road a bit to
the left (away from the city), across the front of other slightly older
buildings, across a car park, and you´ll see the reasonably large police
station (red brick), with a fence around.
The place you are looking for is a window looking out towards the cargo
terminal, and covered by a plastic canopy to protect against the rain. Hand over your papers, sign where they tell
you, and they´ll give you a time when they will send someone around to see the
bike. They said 2:30 for me (it was
still only around 10ish I think).
Then with
further papers furnished by the lovely Girag staff, I needed to visit the green/blue
office building that sits in front of the cargo terminal. On the
third floor you will find the DIAN (aduana) office, where you get your temp
import papers cancelled, and where they prepare the bike´s export paper.
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| Girag Reception area on 1st floor |
Then back
to Girag again – by which time (11:00) the police were already waiting to
inspect the bike (so don´t get too stressed if the police give you a really
late time – you never know when they will turn up). As the bike is now in the bonded area of the
warehouse, you have to go through bits of security and wear a pass to enter
(which is through the door on the right of the Girag building I mentioned
towards the start). My (two) police were
waiting. They wanted me to ride the bike
up onto the rollers that fed quite a large x-ray machine. The machine was certainly large enough to x-ray
the bike, but it was getting the thing up onto the rollers that concerned
me. The ramp they had in mind would have
needed a bit of throttle to ascend, with no hope of stopping the bike at the
top, as it and I would have been carried forward out of control on the roller
bed of the x-ray machine. Luckily the
police saw the problem straight away – and agreed to do a manual
inspection. I had to unpack the bike,
open up all bags, and take the seat off.
It took about an hour in total, including repacking, but they were
really nice people just doing an pretty important job in that neck of the
woods. Unfortunately the bike was pretty
dirty, and so were their hands by the end of the process. Having wet wipes to hand went down well with
the female officer – but both the chap and I also made good use of them.
Thumbs up,
and bike signed off saw me back upstairs.
Next the payment. Girag won´t
accept payment direct, you need to take your cash with their bank details
(which they´ll give you) to pay in at the Banco Popular office in the
green/blue office building. The entrance
to the bank is from the street on the road side of the building, so you walk
straight through and out the other side and turn right. Paying in the money, after filling out the
payment slip, is just like paying in cash in a UK bank – just hang on to the
stamped receipt.
Back to the
Girag office and they´ll issue you with a receipt for the whole process, and a
copy of the export document. It is a
good idea that you also get details of where you need to go in Panama to pick
up the bike in a couple of days.
All this
took me 5 hours – and by 1:30 I was back at my hotel planning an afternoon
sightseeing.
Panama
Despite the
Panama skyline looking impressively modern, don´t expect the same efficiency
and surroundings at the airport that you found in Bogota. Firstly the cargo terminal is nowhere near
the passenger terminal, and will require you to travel right around the other
side of the airport complex to find that.
Make sure your taxi driver knows you want the cargo terminal, and knows
where it is before you head off. I would
not want to walk that one!
On final
arrival at the checkpoint to the cargo terminal area (it is more a collection
of buildings than a terminal), you´ll find the Girag office on the building
towards the right hand side of the complex (not the main looking building in the middle/front). It has a small office hosting
the Girag sign. Taking my papers, and the
bike´s export document, I was checked in against shipments pending collection –
and after a little bit of digging around, mine were found. I suggest you don´t expect the same levels of
smiles and efficiency in Panama – staff seemed noticibly grumpy - but perhaps it was just me, or the sticky heat!
After that,
I was directed to the second door on the left as you look at the same smallish
building, where I needed to get paper stamped and pay a small handling
fee. I then had to walk back to a
building (aduana) near the main complex entrance checkpoint – though it was easy to find
as it was the only one with truck drivers waiting around outside to get their
papers sorted too. You get a stamp at
one window, then another at the next, then another at the next… I did think at one stage they were having a
laugh at me! It was around 11 by now and
very toasty!
Then back
to the Girag office where I paid the handling charge for, yep, another stamp
and the preparation of another paper, which was passed to the next desk in the
same office to be checked. I was then
told I could go around the outside of the building to the loading bay, up the
steps into the bay, and hand papers to the chap at the desk near the loading
area. This was sufficient to get the
guys working, and before long I was being directed towards Idris – looking just
as it had been left.
20 minutes
of re-jigging clothing and re-packing in the baking heat, and I was ready to
go. Within the papers I had collected in
the process was my temp import paper.
You´ll need to show your papers at a couple of checkpoints on your way
out of the cargo area – so keep them handy until you are completely clear - and
watch out for potholes as you head away from the airport area, there are some
corkers there!
Took a couple of hours in total - so not too bad.
Panama to Costa Rica - coming soon!
