Hola todos,

i have just crossed Venezuela on my Suzuki DR650 from Brazil to Colombia. And I did it 95 percent with legal documents, so I can say Venezuela is open to foreign motorcycle travellers again.

Entry: Santa Elena in the South from Brazil (30/05/2022) ... tourist visa for 90 days issued at the border (German passport) .... tip for the motorcycle issued at the border (paid 80 reais for insurance, about 15 dollars) in five hours.

Exit: San Antonio to Colombia (10/06/2022) .... not a good border to cross at the moment, as it is not open to vehicles. I crossed anyway (the 5 percent not legal bit) .... but everybody told me its better to cross in the North (Maicao) into Colombia to be completely legal ... so go there to cross 100 legal.

Still Venezuela is not an easy or safe country to travel in at the moment, but it can be done and maybe even enjoyed.


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Update 07/2022:

Two Swiss riders did not enter Venezuela at Maicao (Northern border crossing) because the Colombian customs (DIAN) did not stamp them out of Colombia. So, dealing with Colombian customs is/could still be a problem if you want to cross Venezuela.

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mika

One thing to note is if the Vehicle has not legally exited the country it will still be in the (computer) system. If it ever returns it is likely to be impounded and a very high fine to be paid for release.

Unfortunately I had this situation at Santa Elena in 2018, the vehicle had previously crossed exactly as you described and was showing as having overstayed the TIP (there was no customs as border was closed)

No amount of proof or evidence that the vehicle had physically been out of the country made any difference whatsoever.


Sent from my CPH2069 using Tapatalk

Thank you for pointing this out. But this is not only in Venezuela, this can happen in most South American countries.

Venezuelan customs stamp the bike into your passport (one page), so if you cancel the tip properly your passport is stamped as well .... and if you use the same passport next time around, there is prove .... if you canceled your tip ;-)

In San Antonio I managed (seven hours waiting and arguing) to get the tip for Venezuela canceled properly and the head of customs gave me authorisation to leave over the bridge (be the first vehicle since 2015) .... but the Venezuelan military (that runs the whole shit show at the border) didn't accept the authorisation and refused to let me cross the bridge. And there was no way for me to play their game any given them money, and I had argued enough for the day. So I crossed the river somewhere else.

I will not return to Venezuela.

mika

Hallo Mika!

Sprichst du Deutsch, da du etwas vom 'German Passport' geschrieben hattest? Ich würde auch mal wieder gerne nach SA. Wie bist du von Brasilien aus nach Venezuela gekommen? Gibt's dort einigermaßen vernünftige Straßen? Ich würde gerne den Norden Brasiliens bereisen, denn dort war ich noch nicht und ist sicher traumhaft. Ich fahre auch eine Suzuki dr 650 sp46. Kannst du etwas zur Ersatzteilversorgung in SA für die DR sagen? Wie hast du das Bike dort hin transportiert?

Eine Antwort wäre cool

Grüße
Alex

--------------------
Update 07/2022:

Two Swiss riders did not enter Venezuela at Maicao (Northern border crossing) because the Colombian customs (DIAN) did not stamp them out of Colombia. So, dealing with Colombian customs is/could still be a problem if you want to cross Venezuela.

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Hallo Alex,

ja ich spreche Deutsch. Habe deine Nachricht erst jetzt gesehen. Ich antworte dir über eine Private Nachricht.

Mika

Thanks for sharing all this information.Super helpful.

I think it is really important to point out what a bad idea it is to travel to Venezuela right now. Once you cross the border you should expect to have a target on your back the whole time. There are still shortages on most basic food essentials and regular scheduled power outages. Desparate people do desperate things. Don't be the next Otto Wambler

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)

Hola Gatogato,

I had to search the internet for this name and his story, I think you are mixing up North Korea and Venezuela.

Venezuela is not a safe place to travel at the moment, but the worst I encountered were military, police and secret service ... so the typical government mafia thugs. All normal people I met tried to help me out with the daily things a traveler needs and I had no problems with them. There is food if you have money, I ate in lots of restaurants and on the street, its not cheap and its not good food. I am sure some people are starving, and for most its difficult to survive, but I didnt see anyone starving .... like I did e.g. in Central or West Africa.

So you are only thinking (repeating) without actually having been there recently.

I have been to far more dangerous places than Venezuela is at the moment. But Venezuela is not for the novice traveler that doesn't speak Spanish, so I agree with your statement for those kind of travelers.

But I myself listen only to advise from people who have been, but thank you for your input anyway.

Saludos
mika

Hey Mika, I like you, but I respectfully disagree with you. Just because you traveled there and nothing happened does not mean it was a wise decision to go there or that it is a safe place right now.

We both have heard of motorcycle travelers who have disappeared in South America.

I am writing this from Colombia right now. Over 25% of Venezuela's population has fled the country.

Venezuela's inflation has been so bad, that the local merchants had to switch to accepting other countries currencies instead.

I have always really wanted to go to Venezuela, but even in 2007 when the country was much more stable I did not think the risk was worth it. The most dangerous place I have been to was Colon, Panama and I have no desire to return to a place like that where you are playing Russian Roulette with your safety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOScCHtNWYM

The guy in the above video is a popular youtuber who tries to go to places he thinks are dangerous. In this video he is on the outskirts of Caracas. He meets a lot of really nice Venezuelans in the video, but I can tell by his mannerisms that the guy is genuinely scared. None of these dumb youtubers are posting about when they got robbed, etc.

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)

I crossed Venezuela in 2010, using a route similar to Mika's above--Santa Elena to San Antonio, with some poking around and a few side trips like Salto Ángel. At that time things were awkward but perfectly reasonable and totally worthwhile (IMO). For example, the obvious threats and corruption were relatively mild by African overland standards, accommodation and food were not difficult to find, and currency controls could be circumvented.

I can't say I was ever scared in Venezuela, although it's true I was uncomfortable at times, or annoyed, or perplexed. I didn't go to Caracas because it sounded significantly more difficult--and I don't like big cities anyway. Besides I was trying to make a scheduled Stahlratte sailing on my trip homeward, so I had to hurry a bit.

We each assess danger and difficulty by our own standards, based largely on our interpretations of more and less informed secondhand speculation. Gatogato decided not to go based on secondhand reports in 2007; I thought it great fun in 2010; Mika describes it as "not easy or safe," but says it "can be done and maybe even enjoyed" in 2022. Decisions should be made on the basis of multiple data points, not just one report--even if there is fear in the eyes of someone filming for Youtube.

My personal standards include a real reluctance to travel during times of famine or other food shortages, since under those circumstances I'm competing with locals for scarce, life-sustaining resources--in fact, driving up prices by my ability to pay whatever it takes to keep myself fed. I'm not in a position to tour thru Venezuela at the moment, but if I were this would weigh heavily in any decision.

Glibly speaking, mileage varies.

Mark

Some fresh news on this, I guess.

Colombia/Venezuela borders to reopen as of Sept 27th. Check DW:

https://www.dw.com/en/colombia-and-v...ars/a-63247718

Is there any recent input from locals?

Tks!

AD

Enviado de meu SM-N970F usando o Tapatalk

We talked about a brief trip into Tachira later this year, and decided against it for now. Things have improved in terms of the border's being open (officially), however it's still a tough situation. We had dinner with our cousin and his wife recently (amazingly we met them at the airport hotel in FRA when we were en route to Prague and they were heading home to Venezuela) and it seems that although travel is possible you need to know the ropes.

It sounds like conditions are slowly improving in Venezuela. I talked to a Venezuelan recently and he was telling me about it. He said that it is more expensive to vacation in Venezuela than Colombia. He was joking that all the Venezuelan robbers have made their way to Colombia and Peru. He said that not that many Venezuelans go out at night because it is still dangerous.

He mentioned a couple of stories about the police trying to get money out of foreigners.

If you go to Venezuela, I would try to avoid the big cities.

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)

the news is that the border will be open for light vehicles Jan 1
for foreigners with light vehicles im not to sure
Im thinking Colombian and Brazilian plated vehicles

In the news today - all border crossings will be open for all vehicles from January 1st (I will not hold my breath though).