Guatemala rules and regulations - Horizons Unlimited

**John B** · #1 24 Jul 2001

Five of us are going to ride from USA to South America in stages. The first leg is to Guatemala. We will leave our motorcycles with a friend and fly back to the US and return in three months to continue our journey south to Costa Rica.

Will we have a problem leaving the country without our motorcycles? We intend to do the same in Costa Rica, returning in approximately eight months to continue our trip.

**Susan Johnson** · #2 19 Aug 2001

John

I'd suggest you have a Plan B. Central America doesn't require a carnet de passage, but most countries stamp the vehicle details directly into the driver's passport, to ensure the driver doesn't leave the country without the vehicle. Hard to get around that one, unless you have two passports!

Good luck, and let us know how you do.

------------------
Susan Johnson
Share the Dream at <A HREF="http://www.HorizonsUnlimited.com/index.shtml" TARGET=_blank>www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
</A>

**Israel** · #3 12 Mar 2002

You will have to leave the bikes in deposit
at the Aurora Intnl Arprt customs warehouse.
Outdoors, if I remember correctly...
You can pick them up on your return.
Israel

**t0by** · #4 3 Apr 2002

You can leave a bike at the Aduana in Zona 1, Guatemala City. They will give you a bit of paper that says your bike is being held by them.

BUT. And it´s a big but, you can only leave your bike with them while Permisio is still valid. You get a 30 day permisio when you enter the country. It can not be extended without leaving the country.

Fine for overstaying a permisio is 30 Qetzales a day. approx 3.75 US$.

You can leave through any land border and return through a different border on the same day. If you want to return through the same border, you have to wait 3 days.

I couldn´t get the bike out of the country cause of an accident, so had to pay the taxes and get the plates. There is a plus side, though. I don´t have to pay for any border crossings in Central America.

Good Luck