Carnet de Passage for Peru

[moderationmike]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me if it necessary to have a carnet de passage when entering Peru from Bolivia. My research tells me you don't need one but I have had more than one traveller tell me it is definitely needed. In La Paz at the moment trying to work out our next move.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

[Smellybiker]

You dont need one, customs will give you a temporary import document when you cross the border.

[brennan]

You do not need a carnet in South America or Central America. I am in Colombia.

[moderationmike]

Guys,

Huge thanks for the information. I thought as much but passed a few travellers who told me I needed one. Safe travels.

Mike

[burnout1]

Hello,you will not need the Carnet. Even if they ask you, do as you would not unserstand what they are speaking about. BUT: You offizially not need it! I passes several times the borders, never needed it!

Greets
Burnou1

[brennan]

If you are heading in either direction on the Pan Am between Lima and Chimbote you will get pulled over by the Police constantly.

When I was travelling South I was pulled over 3 times. Heading North... 4 times. This was in a 40km section, it made for a pretty low mileage day and I had to stay in a seedy town because of it.

Don't pay them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told them that what they are doing is bad for tourism and thier country and that bikers are not ATM machines. Please don't pay them. I had to work pretty hard to get them off my back to hopefully make it easier for the next guy! Pay it forward man! I want them to think of us as pains in the asses that aren't worth pulling over.

Mostly they claimed that I was speeding through towns and another officer saw me. At which point they would produce a phone so you could speak to the officer somehow proving that you were speeding. That was the most common method of attempted money extraction. 100 USD or there abouts is what they look for initially. The other was that I needed insurance for Peru which is not true. To be fair, in my experience, they were all pretty nice and respectful. Not aggressive at all.

Good luck if you are going that way. I would suggest heading into the Andes on that section anyway. It will be much nicer, dirtier, but nicer! You could head to Huarez via Chimbote and Canon del Pato (excellent but unpaved) if your are headed South. If headed North you can pick up a road, with signs for Huarez, into the mountains a few hundred Km outside of Lima. Just North of the border to Ecuador is a great surf town, Mancora, stay at hotel del Wawa for $15 USD a night right on the beach.

[moderationmike]

Hey thanks for all this great information... just to confirm as I initially asked about Peru... can I get into Equador without a carnet as well.

Sorry for the endless questions.

Mike

[erik350]

the folks here are right, no need for carnet in all South America. Brennan is right, the a beautifull but nasty dirt road from Huaraz up north, is called "El Cañoñ del Pato" it`s a must do, more 20 tunnels and pretty bad dirt surface. But please do it anyway, you won`t regret. I did it last year on a Jawa 350, so I guess everybody can ride through.
Also it`s true the information about police, in that special pan American Highway strech.They like to rip-off bikers. I was stopped more than once, but after seeing my old bike, and realizing I was Argentinian ,they let me go, but I met many travellers that has been asked for money,do ride VERY slow in that places.Good luck and happy travels.erik

america en jawa 350