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

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Brennan Dates

www.brennandates.com

Guys,

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

Mike

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

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www.moto-adventure.ch - just THE page about touring Europe and South america by bike!

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.

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Brennan Dates

www.brennandates.com