Border crossing at Colombia - Cucuta/San Antonio - Venezuela.

When we were looking for border crossing info to Venezuela, we could not find recent, so thought this may help anyone coming this way. This info is relevant as of May/June 2014 - we are in a large vehicle, bike travelers can ride easier to different locations.

(NB. In this note I used GPS in - h ddd.ddddd° as I got the points off MapsWithMe. Most people use Garmins preferred - h ddd° mm.mmm' - so will need to "select format" in Garmin to change)

Start early, a number of recent vehicle travelers have taken 2 days to cross.

In essence, Venezuela has no specific systems set up for tourists with their own vehicles, so the process is a pickle.

First, you must get black market fuel in Colombia for reasons explained later - don't head into Venezuela on fumes expecting to fill on the cheap.

Current price is CoP5800 for diesel, not so cheap, in Maicao it was CoP3750 per gallon in April - all this changes fast.

On the Colombian side, suggest parking where money changers are located - approaching the border: 7.819551, -72.454868. Change money here at black market rate, dollars of course, as the rate is possibly as good as you will get, harder to change money across the border and you will need BsF for crossing;

We changed $300 @ BsF64 = BsF19200 (now June 8 and the rate is BsF70)

Suggest you familiarize yourself with the notes: banknotes.ws. It has been known that the old notes (Bs - of no value) have been substituted.

Then take a taxibike or (better) walk to Colombian immigration/aduana: 7.818697, -72.453160. If you try to drive there, you will have to turn your vehicle into a helicopter to park, unless you are on a motorbike. Very quick stamp out. Then drive, very slowly, as the traffic is choking across border bridge.

Park behind Aduana, just over border river bridge at mini round about, right through gate: 7.817147, -72.447957. Can then take a taxibike but possibly best to walk to immigration in town: 7.814187, -72.444173 (5 min walk), quick passport stamp.

Then to buy insurance: 7.815370, -72.443177 (at black market rate of 64BvF/$1) our insurance cost BsF650 = $10 - far less for motorbike. Get the absolute minimum insurance, you need it just for SEN/Aduana, you may be offered much more expensive insurance, unnecessary, buy a year.

Get copies of every document. Two copy shops here: 7.814144, -72.444031, they may not have toner-ink, at worst, have to walk back across bridge to Column side to photocopy place on right. Get copies of;

Vehicle registration.
Passport, photo page.
Passport, immigration stamp.
Drivers license.
Insurance document.
Temp import dock (when you get it).

Take extra copies of documents so as not to hand over originals at the many check points along your way. Try and do this all before 12:00 (Venezuela time advance half hour).

Walk back to where you parked. Then buy a stamp, just up from Aduana, they need it to put on their form (BsF50). Then hand over your documents to the pleasant people of SEN, right where you have parked. They will fill out a form with the stamp you purchased on in, you then walk across the road to: 7.817611, -72.447913.

They will add an ink stamp, then you go back to SEN and hand the documents over again. All this with us at least was unhurried and without cues/lines - because few ever temporarily import vehicles.

After dropping the documents, walk to the plaza and have lunch in one of the many restaurants as it seems to take many hours to type up your temporary import document (a single page).

With your issued document drive to the Transit Police: 7.813583, -72.444368 (its tight as its in town but fine for large vehicles) so they can stamp and authorize the temporary document. This motivated group of pointless individuals seem solely concerned with our 2x triangles and 2x extinguishers - make it clear your extinguishers pass all international vehicle regulations (possibly not appropriate for bikes).

All this ends up with the return of all your documents along with a single temporary vehicle import document, stamped by the police (suggest you get this copied - needed for leaving Venezuela).

We then drove up a small road above San Cristobal where we camped at the side of the road. Our focus was to get some height for a cool night, about: 7.867664, -72.265577.

Migration 7.814187, -72.444173
Seguro 7.815370, -72.443177
Seguro (option) 7.815643, -72.444134
SEN Aduana 7.817147, -72.447957
SEN Stamp 7.817611, -72.447913
Police 7.813583, -72.444368

General comments;

It took us 5.5 hours for the crossing, partly because we were late and missed the Venezuela international border crossing that close for lunch from loosely 12:00 till 13:30.

If you are coming south and have experienced Central American crossings, then this one is just a tiny bit slower. If you are heading for central America, this will prep you for the utter silliness to come.

There are endless check points every day you drive. We were asked a few times for and had to produce personal medical/travel insurance. We cooked ours up in Photoshop, if you don't have travel medical insurance, suggest you do the same - can send a template if needed - we checked, it absolutely is not required by law, but at a remote check post its a difficult point to argue.

Constantly asked for passport, prefer show photocopies and if needed say passport with your embassy or something like that. We never produce originals of anything else.

Unlike most reports, we found most authority: police, army etc to be polite and professional (except one check point where they searched us and tried to steal everything they could - very intimidating - always keep every item of value well hidden - especially cash and phones).

Fuel. Sure its cheap - 600 liters for under $1. However within 200km of the border you need a chip (barcode) to buy fuel - they really would not sell us fuel. This is to stop fuel smuggling, in reality it only stops you buying fuel, does not stop smuggling. Much easier to find petroleum/gas than diesel/gas-oil. Cross the border with at least 250km of fuel is the safe solution - same for exit to Brazil.

There are loads of excellent, remote and beautiful places to wild camp, some of our best camps to date - burtway.com for GPS. We don't ask any more if it is a safe area to stay the night as always, without exception if we do ask they say it is unsafe - we make our own decision on how it feels when it comes to safety - we never have had a problem.

For a country in a bit of a meltdown, the infrastructure seems OK aside from shops. Roads are far better then many Central America, especially Guatemala and Honduras.

There has been a 15 year government sponsored dislike for the 'west' - that is the USA and anyone who looks like a North American. Of course there are notable exceptions but generally, Venezuelans are suspicious and not exactly gushingly friendly towards us. In time and a bit of effort, they open up.

We took some food stuff with us. Financially not a great move as Colombia is so expensive. Supermarket lines in Venezuela are hours long and often not much there. Flour and liquid milk seem impossible and many non fresh items such as tuna cans etc. However, fruit and veg are no problem, buy at side of road inc great honey.

There are toll stations, few are manned. For what is a $4 toll distance in Columbia is $0.05 in Venezuela.

Idea of costs; lunch restaurant - soup, rice and chicken + drink BsF100 ($1.30). Small , Polar BsF10. Prices much higher in the South.