Difference between revisions of "Bolivia"

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Revision as of 10:57, 14 October 2011


At the border

Correct as of: November 8 2010

Required Paperwork

Process at border

  • The owner of the vehicle gains entry at Immigration (Migración), usually with a tourist card, including a stamp in their Passport.
  • The owner must show the new passport stamp and original vehicle registration to Customs (Aduana).
  • The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.

Cost of entry

Free.

Permitted length of stay

Usually the same as the owner, which is 30 days for most Nationalities.

Extension of stay

Unknown.
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country

Unknown.
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle

  • The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs.
  • The registered owner is stamped out of Bolivia at immigration.

Overland Essentials

Vehicle Insurance

Insurance requirements

Insurance is mandatory in Bolivia, however it's difficult to purchase because the vehicle will not be in the Bolivian computer system. Most people simply show the police insurance from another country (i.e. Ecuador or Argentina)

Cost of insurance

See above.

Where to purchase insurance

Most people are told it's possible to purchase insurance in La Paz.

Driving license

Technically an International Driving Permit is required.
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.

Driving side of road

Right,
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.

Mandatory items in vehicle

A safety triangle, first aid kit and fire extinguisher are mandatory and a good idea.
If you do not have these items with you, the Police will have an extra excuse to bribe you.

Roads

General Road quality

Roads in Bolivia are typically very poor quality. Only a few major highways are paved, everything else is gravel that ranges is commonly rutted, full of pot holes and extremely dusty. Be prepared for some very, very difficult driving conditions.

Road signs

Road signs do exist, but are far from common. Most towns have at least one sign stating the name of the town and distances to the next towns.

Toll roads

List the frequency and approximate price of toll roads.

Bribery

Police bribery is extremely common in Bolivia. The Police will try many different tactics to get money from you, often mentioning a "voluntary donation".
See the bribery tips page for general advice.

Checkpoints

Police checkpoints are very common in Bolivia, where the Police are trying to stop the spread of stolen vehicles. Where a barrier blocks the road you will be asked to go inside and present your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border. They may also ask if you have the #Mandatory items in vehicle. Often the Police will record these details in a binder and stamp the back of the import permit.
It is extremely common to encounter bribery at these checkpoints. Once the Police are satisfied you may proceed, they will ask for money in a variety of ways. See the bribery tips page for general advice.

Traveling with pets

List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gasoline / Petrol / Diesel

Last updated: (Put the date the gasoline price section was last confirmed accurate)

Price

Modify the table below as required. List the octane rating of gasoline and the sulfur content of diesel if known

Gasoline Grade Price
Regular (87) x.x
Super (88) y.y
Premium (90) z.z
Ultra (95) a.a
Diesel b.b

Gasoline Availability / Frequency

Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.

Gasoline Quality

Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.

External information about gasoline

Link to external websites with price & quality information, if available.

Safety / Security Considerations

Driving at night

Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.

Vehicle parking

Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.

Special driving considerations

A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.

Security advisories and information

Navigation

Paper maps

Description of the best paper maps and where to purchase them.

GPS

Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).

Camping

Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.

Camping guide books

List and link to books specifically for camping.

Links for camping sites

Link to sites with a list of GPS co-ordinates for camping, including "wild" campsites.

Propane filling

Links to sites with a list of GPS co-ordinates for propane filling stations.

Drinking water

Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.

Overland Travel Interest

Special Overland interests

List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders

Guide Books

Lonely Planet Bolivia (travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Bolivia (travel Guide)
by Lonely Planet, Michael Grosberg, Brian Kluepfel, P...
From $16.14 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
by LifeRemotely.com
From $click on Amazon
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
by Donald Greene
From $29.95 on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador Footprint Handbook (footprint H...
Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador Footprint Handbook (footprint H...
by Ben Box, Robert Kunstaetter, Daisy Kunstaetter
From $14.30 on Amazon

Vehicle Maintenance

List Garages &/or dealerships for major vehicle manufacturers (including motorbikes).
Trusted mechanics can also be listed here.

Buying and selling vehicles

Buying a vehicle as a foreigner

Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle. List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.

Selling a foreign-plated vehicle

Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

References

Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.


Helpful External links

Add any helpful external links here.