To carnet or not to carnet?
 

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF MAKING IT ALONG THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY, STARTING FROM CALIFORNIA AND ENDING IN BUENOS AIRES, WITHOUT A CARNET. I WOULD LIKE TO FLY THE BIKE FROM PANAMA INTO ECUADOR BUT I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. HAS ANYONE RECENTLY HAD SIMILAR SUCCES ALONG THE SAME LINES? IF NOT, CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND A DIFFERENT OPTION OR IDEA? (IE: FLYING INTO A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, OR SHIPPING THE BIKE)

THANKS IN ADVANCE
ADRIAN

Adrian,

You don't need a carnet for North, Central or South America - unless you are flying it into Ecuador. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/frown.gif

Much better to fly into Venezuela or Peru.

It IS possible to fly into Ecuador without a carnet - but you need fluent Spanish, a finely tuned sense of how and when to offer the appropriate inducement to the right person, etc.... Not recommended.

BTW, ALL CAPS is considered shouting on the 'net - it's also hard to read. Please use proper casing.

Search the website and HUBB, the newsletters, travellers stories, trip planning/transport section etc - there are plenty of reports on crossing the Darien and how to do it.

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Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Thanks Grant, for the reply, sorry for the Caps.

One more question. Do you or anyone else know any contact information for bike shipment, preferably by air, from Panama to Venezula or Peru. I've been looking on the site and can't seem to find any.

Again thanks in advance

Adrian

All we have on shipping is on the Shipping page at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...shipping.shtml

Currently nothing on the exact route you asked - but we will soon I hope - (that's a hint http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

Take a look at the Panama onwards shippers, most of them should also ship to Venezuela and Peru both. Let us know how you do!

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Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hello,

Last year we drove from Houston to Buenos Aires. We shipped the car with Nedloyd (check the yellow pages in Panama) to Venezulea in 20 ft container. For this container expect to pay approx. $1200 including all paperwork. In Venezuela go to the Marine cutom office at the port (next to Caracas airport)and hire ($100) an official (hundreds of them waiting for you in the hall,-wearing badges-)to do your paperwork. Hold your temper for 4 days, pay some more left and right and off you go. Though venezuela is a member not even the head of the automobile association had ever seen a carnet.

Enjoy.

P&O Nedlloyd website has contact details for all their offices worldwide, if you don't want to wait until you get to Panama to contact them.
http://www.ponl.com

Note that recent reports suggest that Nedlloyd doesn't offer less than a full container load service, which is okay if you're shipping a car.

But, you can fly a bike for much less than the $1,200 Erik mentions below, using Aeroservicios (US$ 463 for KLR-650 from Panama to Quito) or Girag Air Cargo (US$ 250. from Panama to Bogota). See the links on the shipping page for contact details.


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Good luck and safe travels!

Susan Johnson
Share the Dream at <A HREF="http://www.HorizonsUnlimited.com


" TARGET=_blank>www.HorizonsUnlimited.com


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