It also didnt help that one of the passengers had some stanky-ass feet. There are four border crossings between Ecuador and Peru. The Peru-Chile border is the shortest at 106 miles followed by the Peru-Bolivia border at 668 miles. Yeah, you could say crossing the border at La Balsa border was a bit of a mess . Post pandemic, things will be different I and sure but we had to ask locally and go in search of bus company offices. Your email address will not be published. new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], We may not be fluent in Spanish, but youre going to kill us, please slow down, I have children at home is easy to translate in any language. Its a better rate here than on the Ecuador side, but more expensive than exchanging it in San Ignacio, so dont exchange all of your money yet. I think it cost about $10 USD. Every few farms we would pass a burnt field. The last leg of our trip from Ecuador to Peru was underway! Instead, you will need to physically purchase your ticket from one of the cluster of travel agencies the day before you intend to travel; you can find them on the main street in Mancora, near the municipal mercado (they all have a banner stand outside promoting bus companies). In 2016 we quit our jobs, put our stuff in storage, and took off on a (disastrous) year-long honeymoon. Not sure what to do? Peru Ecuador Border: Choices for Crossing | Travel Peru This is a spectacular journey, with lots of hairpin bends and steep climbs up and down the mountains but the road quality deteriorated after a while and became gravel surface and very narrow. Heres the thing: after 4 months of backpacking through South America, were very used to being the only Gringos on a bus. You've got a few options when it comes to crossing the border from Peru to Ecuador by bus. The prices were the same you wrote on the ecuadorian side and almost on the peruvian: 15S/$5 from La Balsa to San Ignacio (we only had some soles I changed at home so the driver accepted the usd on this rate); 14-20S (what we found) from SI. We had survived our first overland border crossing in South America. 4.5 hours to Zumba. Do note that there is a slightly cheaper way to cross this border, involving a number of buses, but due to the practicalities of crossing this border at night, and the lack of significant financial savings in doing so, we would recommend opting for the route outlined below - and thats coming from two backpackers who have crossed dozens of borders in South America and usually do it the cheapest way possible. As always, things change. We were told to get to the border in the middle of the night. Border Crossing: Ecuador to Peru | Two Wandering Soles Machu Picchu Tickets All You Need To Know! Take one for Chachapoyas. We were joined by our new friend, Stephen, from Northern Ireland, who would be our travel buddy for the first day of our La Balsa border crossing. Cheers, Rusty. Safety // There were a handful of Venezuelan migrants in the vicinity of the immigration office, a couple begging for money. Not really the case anymore. We arrived 3 hours before our next bus, so we had to kill time in the extremely dodgy Loja bus station. In this guide, you will learn about the border crossing from Cuenca to Mancora by night bus, what time the buses depart, the whole immigration process, and what to do once you arrive in Mancora! It would also be a good idea to consider whether youre travelling alone or in a group. As you have said, the La Balsa route isnt exactly a pre-bought bus exit, so can anyone tell me if I am being having a lend of. Its incredibly scenic, safe in terms of theft, not daredevil collectivo drivers and cheap. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Huaquillas: This is the most popular border town. This border crossing is also the cheaper option, as well as the safest. If youre a solo traveler its a good idea to tell another passenger sitting next to you or close to you on the bus your name. The border and the landslide were the only stops. Is it safe? This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. You can reserve a choice of four daily departures from Loja as far as Zumba, the last major town that is about 1 hour from the border. There is a 20 minutes stop in a small village for breakfast and a stop of around an hour at the Zumba bus terminal until it departs again to La Balsa around 12 pm, arriving at the border around 1.30pm. The bus ride was comfortable enough, though the roads are bumpy so dont expect to get a great nights sleep. We were running low on cash, so this was a huge relief. We had so, so much trouble finding any information about the Aguas Verdes border crossing online, let alone anything up-to-date. La Balsa. The only way that it *could* be dangerous would be if you tried to bus to Ecuadorian border town, find your way around it, then cross on foot to Peru, then find your way around the Peruvian border town. That journey is detailed below, which should make things much easier. I thought the crossising from Arica, Chile to Arequipa, Peru was a struggle but this puts it to shame! An hour into our ride, we caught sight of some Peruvian flags across a river below us. Of course we had also lost our Andean immigration cards at some point, but luckily, that wasnt a big deal, and they just issued us new ones. Peru Schedules is a wholly owned brand of AndesTransit LLC. We really appreciate your help keeping our information up to date and accurate Fantastic photos, too! We are taking a bus from Cuenca to Huaquillas to cross the border to Peru. In the past, in order to pass out of Peru and into Ecuador, you needed to stop at two separate immigration offices at the border. Macar. We didnt even have to break a sweat!! We found two counters selling tickets, but there may be more or less at your time of departure. But of course, thats just heresay, and we havent done it ourselves so we cant speak to it. If we were in any doubt that there was a commission associated with this booking, this was it! The kicker was when this dude PULLED OUT HIS CELL PHONE and started TEXTING. From Cuenca, you can find onward connections to almost anywhere in Ecuador, but wed highly recommend spending a couple of days in the city first. Hey Rusty, we do have some experience with this as US travelers. Basic services in the Tumbes district have become increasingly difficult to access due to an increased number of migrants entering Peru from the North land border with Ecuador. Just an FYIPeruvian immigration is refusing to give US and Canadian citizens 6 months on your passport. After arriving in Jaen, we grabbed another mototaxi and made our way across town. It cost 15 soles for a seat in a collectivo leaving immediately, although this price is definitely up for offer. Its half of a motorcycle attached to a bench with two wheels. The same companies that sell busses to Mncora also sell busses to Huaquillas. I kid you not, we went FASTER through this section. 23 Dislike Share 1,833 views Jul 20, 2020 How to Cross Border from Ecuador to Peru | Bus from Cuenca, Ecuador to Chiclayo, Peru Comments 9 Click here to read comments while watching the. All the buses stop at the new border post shared by both countries immigration services. Stay the night in San Ignacio. Some emigration officials might ask you to have proof of exit from the country, others dont even talk to you! Dont be surprised if theres someone in your designated seat - its not uncommon for people to try and sit in what they consider a free seat until someone tells them otherwise. The bus was quite comfortable and clean. Slowly the ranchero began to empty as the school kids piled out at various houses along the road. Your email address will not be published. Low key stalk us here and on social media. Border Crossing - Ecuador to Peru - The Only Peru Guide Peru Travel Guide Lima Paracas Huacachina Arequipa Puno Cusco Machu Picchu Bus Travel Lima Lima to Paracas Lima to Ica Lima to Huacachina Lima to Nazca Lima to Arequipa Lima to Puno Lima to Cusco Lima to La Paz Ica Ica to Lima Ica to Nazca Ica to Arequipa Ica to Puno Ica to Cusco Nazca Ecuador to Peru Border Crossing at Aguas Verdes - Eastward Bounds Our ride was an actual four-door car instead of a van, but I was still cramped in the back between Lia and some stranger I was sweating on. When it arrives, place your main luggage under the bus, and you will be given a tag by the driver or his assistant. Bring some bottled water and some snacks, the journey took us roughly 7 hours to reach Mncora from Cuenca. We didnt have too much trouble because it was so late at night, but I have hear some horror stories. Here comes the confusing part. Anything could happen in that desert: robbery, bad money exchanges and worse. This article details the crossing from Ecuador to Peru via Aguas Verdes. Border Crossing. Hey Alex, we went from Chachapoyas to Machu Picchu, but we took our time (it took us about two months!) Access from your IP address has been temporarily restricted. Be aware that landslides (especially December-April) can cause delays. Indigenous Americans have long controlled their landscape by fire, a practice which was not fully understood by invading Europeans, but can still be found commonly in South America. The bus winds through the orchid-draped cloud forest, and offers an experience with more nature and less people than the other two. Thats impossible. Weve made it! She is Jewish and openly gay she's married to a rabbi and lives in Upper Manhattan. In this part of the country, burn and turn farming is very prevalent. Youre looking for the Terminal Terrestre, which is located to the north east of the city center, close to the airport. The immigration office is relatively small, and as mentioned above you will find both Peruvian and Ecuadorian immigration in the same building - Peru is on the right, and Ecuador is on the left. Thank god for Dramamine! *Reader update:Our reader got a cheaper rate than us, $1.50 per person! *Reader update: Expect 14 20 soles ($4-$6). It took around 4.5 hours to Zumba, making a 20 minutes stop in some small village for breakfast. 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); Subscribe below and we'll send you the FREE Lima Walking Tour printable directions & map! The most they would give me was 3 months which is unfortunate as Im biking through Peru en route to Chile and wanted to take my time. I didnt think much of the rooster at the time. We finally crossed the border between Peru and Ecuador and were en route to Chachapoyas in Peru. Cuenca Ecuador to Mancora Peru: Crossing the Border with Night Bus At 3 in the morning, we had to get out of the bus, get stamped on the Ecuadorian side, and walk across the bridge to the Peru. We couldnt very well lug all our bags around town, so we spent the day passing time in the tiny, un-air-conditioned terminal and taking naps in the extremely uncomfortable chairs. (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': You literally jump in one queue with your passport and paper work. We had little success bargaining (but its always worth a shot) and payed $8 per person for this first leg. Crossing the Border from Ecuador to Peru 17 Jan 2023, 4:36 am Save Does anyone have any current advice on crossing into Peru from Ecuador by bus? This included transport, hostel, gas waters, meals, snacks, and of course ice cream. We paid using soles for the first time here. daily departures from Loja as far as Zumba, From San Ignacio, you can reserve tickets online to Chiclayo, From Zumba, you can reserve seats in advance to Loja. We received our official stamps and that was that! This is a spectacular journey, with lots of hairpin bends and steep climbs up and down the mountains but the road quality deteriorated after a while and became gravel surface and very narrow. This is a guide for those backpackers looking to cross the border between Peru and Ecuador at the Aguas Verdes border crossing, between the towns of Tumbes and Haquillas. But we first had to get to San Ignacio which was our overnight stop. This route is especially easy as there is a direct bus service between Guayaquil or Cuenca in Ecuador and the coastal town of Mancora in Peru and beyond. Get your new entrance stamp and tourist card stamped and youre done! Going north to Ecuador, however, you can board in Tumbes, Mancora, Trujillo, or Lima, but can only have a destination of Guayaquil. Finally, FINALLY, we arrived in Lima after two nights spent on buses. No direct buses operated between the two countries. The three hour trip costs $15 per person and takes you through stunning Cajas National Park. Maybe I was lucky but I didnt have a single hassle and to be honest it was actually a nice break from sitting on the bus! Sadly, airport immigration wasnt a reality for the rest of our trip from Ecuador to Peru as we chose to take the route less traveled! Ecuador Border Crossing - Life-in-Ecuador.com Another reader comment: Take the Sur Oriente from Vilcabamba and direct to La Balsa, this departs at 6:15am and crosses the border around 1:30pm. So, we set our backpacks against the terminal wall, and sat down on the ground waiting for our bus. From Sullana, you can reserve tickets online to anywhere in Peru. The bus company we used was Azuay. If we would have had more info, like you now do, it would have made the journey much less stressful! There are no doors, no handles, no seatbelts, and no hope for a comfortable ride. To start, crossing from Peru to Ecuador was significantly easier than crossing from Chile to Peru and even back and forth between Chile and Argentina. We changed a few dollars and got a pretty good rate. Great article about it. It promotes sustainable and responsible travel for the curious modern day explorer. There are some conflicting accounts out there. After months of buses and cheap hotels, Mncora's seediness has pushed you over the edge. This is both more expensive and much easier. If you drive from Machala to Tumbes, that is a distance of 97 km, which ideally should take 1h30. Step-by-step instructions for crossing the border from Huaquillas, Ecuador to Tumbes, Peru, beginning in Cuenca: From Cuenca, take an SUV to Guayaquil with the company EcuaVan. At the border crossing we didnt have to carry our bags but we did have to walk across the bridge. Another full day of travels awaited us on the next leg of our journey from Ecuador to Peru! It picked us up at 8.25am. But we knew we were in trouble when the locals in the van started loudly praying and begging the driver to slow down. Please take a moment to review your options below. We had to buy our ticket from The Coconut Shop cafe in the village the day before. Crossing border to Peru from Loja 5 years ago Save If you plan to go to Peru by bus from Loja or Vilcabamba, avoid Loja Internacioal at all costs. If youve decided you want to save some cash (or are just curious about the journey), read on! Hey guys! The main Ecuador-Peru border crossings have all re-opened after almost two years of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.. The man who was supposed to give us stamps on the Peruvian side was sleeping, so a guard had to wake him up before we could go about our business. There are also at least 2-3 direct buses to La Balsa or between Loja and Jaen. Youll like arrive into Cuenca in the early morning, but the bus station will already be a hive of activity. We won't send you spam. Once in Bagua Grande, the collectivos are in the same station. After spending a month backpacking through Ecuador it was time for us to make our way to Peru. We showed up to the bus station 30 mins before our 10:00 PM bus, paid the 10 cent terminal fee (make sure to check this, as sometimes there are student discounts! We didnt realize that star fruit was a major Peruvian crop. Wow, thank you for all these helpful updates! At first we were in a valley on a highway, so it was sketch but not so bad. Crossing the Border from Ecuador to Peru - Ecuador Forum Signup for our newsletter and we'll send you helpful travel tips! j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'? *Reader update:There is now a busSur Oriente that departs at 6.15am from Vilcabamba and goes direct to La Balsa. The taxi driver stopped right in front of the Ecuador immigration office. If you're trying to make it from Ecuador straight to the Peruvian beach town of Mancora, then the Aguas Verdes border crossing further north makes more sense. There was no line, as we were the only Gringos doing the border crossing (and the only gringos we saw for several days). The problem was finding them. There are more mototaxis on the street than cars. The guidebooks were of course, way out of date and recent info online was limited. Immigration at the border crossing was painless, and I joined other travelers in acolectivotaxi toSan Ignacio(2 hours, $7). Bear in mind, however, that it has limited working hours: Mon - Fri, 8 - 20. Get your exit and entry stamps on both sides of the bridge, then catch the waiting rancheras to Zumba. According to some guide books the border crossingfrom Ecuador into Peru (and vice versa) at Aguas Verdes is dubious and the worst border crossing in the world. Somehow, we made it out on time and walked miserably down the hill to await our 6AM bus. How to cross the Huaquillas - Tumbes border between Ecuador and Peru Oooh that is promising and very helpful information! Great to hear that it may not be as bad as we were told! Usually this would be cause for celebration. Crossing Borders | Bus From Mancora to Cuenca (or Peru to Ecuador) ALONG DUSTY ROADS Updated 2022 This is a guide for those backpackers looking to cross the border between Peru and Ecuador at the Aguas Verdes border crossing, between the towns of Tumbes and Haquillas. Crossing borders in South America: Peru to Ecuador by bus If so, then you should read this guide which has step-by-step information on the that route. If you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Bear in mind thatall border crossingsare operational between7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday to Sunday, but may be closed on national holidays. Other differences: our peruvian drivers were more moderated, I guess, except the one from the border; he also made some detour to deliver letters/packages but in the end he drove us down for free from their SI-terminal to the center, to the only place (opens on Sunday at least) where we could change $/S in an acceptable rate. Its only a five minute walk, and tickets might even be a few soles cheaper (but this depends on your bargaining skills). Right out of the gate, this van was doing the most. The weather was bad and the bus late. Theyll stop at the CEBAF (which stands for Centro Binacional de Atencin Fronteriza), a facility located along the border in the middle of nowhere housing immigration and customs officials from both countries. We picked up our bus from the main Bus Terminal in Cuenca, Terminal Terrestre. Yes, as long as we were ready to give up a night of sleep. Exchange the rest of your cash here. She is the longtime president of the American . This is the coastal route, and the closest border towns on each side are Tumbes, Peru and Huaquillas, Ecuador. Hi Krystal, Thanks for commenting! I have heard the main one at Huaquillas can be sketchy or even outright dangerous. We paid $5.00 for the whole taxi, which we split with our new friends. The Aguas Verdes crossing between Huaquillas, Ecuador, and Tumbes, Peru is close to the coast and the most convenient method of crossing the border at the time of writing the post. Try your best to keep them on your person for safety. Pre-pandemic we crossed the border by land from Loja via La Bolsa in the highlands and on to Chachapoyas. Its fine to take one of their offers of a collectivo, as long as you ensure youre paying a fair price. San Ignacio is actually kind of quaint. So it would be worth popping down to the bus station earlier that day or the day before to buy your ticket in advance and make sure to take your passport. We slept the entire 2 hour journey. Get your Visa and passport stamps. Is it easy? But have any additional paperwork like flight or bus details handy. Stupid South American buses. 10 Outstanding Things to do in Ollantaytambo, Peru, Copyright 2023, Practical Wanderlust. How to Cross Border from Ecuador to Peru - YouTube It says on the front it just goes to Zumba but it actually goes all the way.
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