A very real obstacle to continuing south....

[JustCewsnSouth]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently in Nicaragua with my 2009 Honda Ridgeline after spending the last 8 months on the road south from California. It's been an awesome trip so far, but i think I've just met my first challenge that can't be overcome with a few bucks and/or a covid test.

Turns out the costa ricans have closed the land borders to all tourists. So, I'm now searching for a way to send my truck south without me in the next month or so and just pick up the trip south of the border. Panama just decided to reopen it's land border a couple days ago, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that CR will follow suit, but I'm not terribly hopeful.

Anyone have any suggestions for transportation companies that might be able to ship a vehicle across a land border? Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[SHIfTHEAD]

Sorry to reply with no help, but I'm curious if you ever figured this out?

 

[JustCewsnSouth]

Sorry to reply with no help, but I'm curious if you ever figured this out?

Yes and no. I've been able to get 1 response from the aduana office at Peñas Blancas, but it was unclear whether or not i would be able to actually send my truck across the border. However, If i can get it there, they will allow me to stay with a temporary import permit.

The problem has been getting a response from anyone in Nicaragua regarding shipping. I think it's a real pain at the moment. So, as the surf season is rapidly approaching in Nicaragua, I'm just going to stay here indefinitely. The DGA office in Managua has informed me that they will be extending my temporary import permit indefinitely because of the pandemic, so the problem i had of having to leave with my truck within 60 days of entry is no longer an issue. All is right in the world again.

If i do ever get a response regarding shipping logistics, I'll be sure to update the info here.

 

[Herbie]

You were going to have to ship your vehicle from Panama to Colombia anyhow, right? (assuming you were continuing into South America). I'd say your best course is to research shipping out of Managua to Baranquilla or Cartagena...

 

[JustCewsnSouth]

You were going to have to ship your vehicle from Panama to Colombia anyhow, right? (assuming you were continuing into South America). I'd say your best course is to research shipping out of Managua to Baranquilla or Cartagena...

Shipping from Panama to Cartagena was part of the tentative plan. I've considered shipping straight from Managua as well, but I'd hate to miss Costa Rica and Panama for the reasons stated above. I'll be heading into Managua again in a couple weeks, so I'll probably just try to pop in to a couple transportation companies and check out what my options are.

 

[Morgan Weafer]

I can't offer any advice on the matter of getting across. However I wish you all the best as you continue south. If you're documenting your trip, I'd definitely be interested in reading more about it. I think driving the pan-am in a Ridgeline is awesome. Cheers.

 

[JustCewsnSouth]

I can't offer any advice on the matter of getting across. However I wish you all the best as you continue south. If you're documenting your trip, I'd definitely be interested in reading more about it. I think driving the pan-am in a Ridgeline is awesome. Cheers.

It's been a great journey so far, and the truck is holding up really well and performing better than expected. I actually initially had plans just to go to baja for a few months, but here i am.

I haven't been digitally documenting anything besides taking some pics and videos, but maybe that's something i should consider.

 

[Rovertrader]

Surf and wait sounds like a good solution with the extended permit...

 

[Morgan Weafer]

It's been a great journey so far, and the truck is holding up really well and performing better than expected. I actually initially had plans just to go to baja for a few months, but here i am. I haven't been digitally documenting anything besides taking some pics and videos, but maybe that's something i should consider.

Happy to hear your adventure is evolving from your original vision. The best ones always do. It's your journey. Whether you wish to share it or not is entire up to you. Have you sorted out your border crossing/ shipping dilemma?

 

[JustCewsnSouth]

Happy to hear your adventure is evolving from your original vision. The best ones always do. It's your journey. Whether you wish to share it or not is entire up to you. Have you sorted out your border crossing/ shipping dilemma?

Still not sorted re shipping my truck, but I'm set up with someone running a catamaran from San Juan del Sur into Costa Rica. So I'll take the boat to cross and spend some time in Costa Rica and then up to Belize by air for an event before returning via the land border north from Costa Rica back into Nicaragua.

I'll be sure to update with any info I'm able to acquire.

 

[Hourless Life]

Any update @JustCewsnSouth ? Would love to hear the latest news for you on your journey. ~ Eric

 

[JustCewsnSouth]

Any update @JustCewsnSouth ? Would love to hear the latest news for you on your journey. ~ Eric

Hey Eric!

After trying for about a week, I never found anyone that would reply or offer any help for shipping my truck across the border. This was a great gift in disguise. I ended up taking an over night catamaran trip across from san juan del sur to papagayo at the end of March and then flew out for about a week to do some diving in belize and take care of a few things in the states.

Costa Rica opened the land border on April 5, and i ended up crossing into Costa Rica on the 28th eventually making my way down through to Panama city. Had some great times up on both the Caribbean and pacific sides. We turned it around in Panama City and started heading back to the north due to frustrations with covid restrictions and knowing Nicaragua was mostly wide open and the surf was pumping (hindsight tells me i would've been happier just staying in Nica). After much thought and consideration i decided now was not my time to head down to south America and opted to spend more time in central America and Mexico for the surf season. Panama had always been the main goal with south America a possibility depending on morale and less controllable variables like politics and pandemics.

We just crossed the border into El Sal today and will be making it back to Mexico in the next 10 days or so. It's been an epic trip with plenty of highs and lows, and even more lessons learned (I'll definitely be looking at land cruisers in the near future).

I've still got a long way to go and I'm looking forward to visiting some new spots as well as revisiting some favorites on my way back to baja.

 

[Hourless Life]

Hey Eric!

After trying for about a week, I never found anyone that would reply or offer any help for shipping my truck across the border. This was a great gift in disguise. I ended up taking an over night catamaran trip across from san juan del sur to papagayo at the end of March and then flew out for about a week to do some diving in belize and take care of a few things in the states.

Costa Rica opened the land border on April 5, and i ended up crossing into Costa Rica on the 28th eventually making my way down through to Panama city. Had some great times up on both the Caribbean and pacific sides. We turned it around in Panama City and started heading back to the north due to frustrations with covid restrictions and knowing Nicaragua was mostly wide open and the surf was pumping (hindsight tells me i would've been happier just staying in Nica). After much thought and consideration i decided now was not my time to head down to south America and opted to spend more time in central America and Mexico for the surf season. Panama had always been the main goal with south America a possibility depending on morale and less controllable variables like politics and pandemics.

We just crossed the border into El Sal today and will be making it back to Mexico in the next 10 days or so. It's been an epic trip with plenty of highs and lows, and even more lessons learned (I'll definitely be looking at land cruisers in the near future).

I've still got a long way to go and I'm looking forward to visiting some new spots as well as revisiting some favorites on my way back to baja.

Sounds like an amazing trip Just. Would love to sit by a campfire with you and hear your stories. Funny how life throws curveballs and sometimes they are in our favor.

Since you are heading back north, any chance you may be at Overland Expo Mountain West or Overland Expo West later this year? ~ Eric

 

[bj46]

Hey Eric!

After trying for about a week, I never found anyone that would reply or offer any help for shipping my truck across the border. This was a great gift in disguise. I ended up taking an over night catamaran trip across from san juan del sur to papagayo at the end of March and then flew out for about a week to do some diving in belize and take care of a few things in the states.

Costa Rica opened the land border on April 5, and i ended up crossing into Costa Rica on the 28th eventually making my way down through to Panama city. Had some great times up on both the Caribbean and pacific sides. We turned it around in Panama City and started heading back to the north due to frustrations with covid restrictions and knowing Nicaragua was mostly wide open and the surf was pumping (hindsight tells me i would've been happier just staying in Nica). After much thought and consideration i decided now was not my time to head down to south America and opted to spend more time in central America and Mexico for the surf season. Panama had always been the main goal with south America a possibility depending on morale and less controllable variables like politics and pandemics.

We just crossed the border into El Sal today and will be making it back to Mexico in the next 10 days or so. It's been an epic trip with plenty of highs and lows, and even more lessons learned (I'll definitely be looking at land cruisers in the near future).

I've still got a long way to go and I'm looking forward to visiting some new spots as well as revisiting some favorites on my way back to baja.

The best too travel around the world. a Toyota !