Crossing from Ecuador to Peru via Zumba and La Balsa

Crossing from Ecuador to Peru via Zumba and La Balsa (south of Vilcabamba)? Well, I´ve just done it, let me share my knowledge!

From Vilcabamba your best bet is to catch the 0630 bus that goes to Zumba. This leaves from halfway between the plaza and the highway (roughly). It´s pretty easy to find, especially if you ask the day before.

From here you have quite a long ride until you get to Zumba. The best views are on the left hand side. There´s a couple of nice towns along the way, in fact they´re probably nicer than Vilcabamba since they´re not full of stinking hippies trying to sell you jewellery!

From Zumba the bus deposits you in a muddy bus park. There´s some little restaurants here. Wait around for a bit and a collectivo/ranchero (truck with seats in the back) will show up. The ride takes maybe 2 hours and is VERY uncomfortable. If you´ve got money to burn, take a taxi instead (4wd twin cab ute), more expensive but much more comfortable. The rancheros go all day not twice a day as listed in some guidebooks.

On the way to the border the police checked our documents, have your passport ready.

Once at the border, the immigration office is on your left, it´s extremely obvious. The official was helpful, quick and spoke no english at all. There´s a couple of places you can swap dollars for soles (rate was 2.8 soles per dollar, while the actual rate is more like 3.08 soles per dollar, so not too bad).

For here, you now walk across to Peru.

As you walk along the bridge, directly in front and very slightly to your left is a restaurant. Very slightly to your right are some government offices. The last door to the right is the one you want, it has a sign saying ¨Migraciones¨.

The first thing you need to do is get a swine flu form filled out by a doctor. If you are in luck she´ll be in the migration office, otherwise you´ll have to walk further down to your right and look for the post office.

If she is there proffer your passport and deny all knowledge of any flu like symptoms. Then give your passport to the migration guy. After he´s finished you have to see the police. Their office is to the left of the bridge (the left as you walked over it from Ecuador) and down a slope. Go round a corner where there is an office and a computer. Once the cops have looked at your paperwork and given you a stamp go back to the migration office where your passport will be stamped. You´re now free to go.

From here you need to escape.

Taxis will be parked next to the bridge. When negotiating, find out how many passengers will be travelling. For 5 to 6 passengers you will probably pay 10-12 soles per person to get to San Ignacio. If you´re paying more and they try and squash you in than jack up and refuse (that´s what I did!) It would be much more comfortable with less people. You could also hire a motor trike (tuk tuk) but they are slow, open and poorly suspended, not much of a ride.

From San Ignacio you can get a collectivo (mini van) to Jaen. We payed 10 soles each. They squeeze them in, so don´t expect too much comfort.

From Jaen normally you could then catch a bus to Chachapoyas.



Unfortunately, the road is currently blocked by local indigenous people unhappy about it´s existence (or something).

We took a taxi to Bellavista (6 soles each), a trike from Bellavista to the river (2 soles each), a boat across the river (2 soles each and very dodgy!) and then a taxi to Bagua Grande (6 soles each).

Normally there should be buses from Bagua Grande, but they were running taxis instead (set price of 22 soles to Chachapoyas). If you can negotiate at the river to get to Chachapoyas for less than 25 soles each I´d take that. Also, the suspension on a lot of these vehicles is shot and they´re VERY uncomfortable. Look around for a good one.

A friend told me (after meeting very coincidentally in Chachapoyas) that they simply walked through the blockade and then took a trike to Bagua Grande and then a taxi to Chachapoyas. That would be easier, although a similar price.


Also, but incidentally, I managed to miss the 0630 bus from Vilcabamba (I can´t work out how to make my alarm go on my watch) and so took the 1030 bus instead. This was fine except that the Peruvian immigration didn´t want anything to do with us and told us to come back in the morning (he was cock deep and rooting when we walked past his window). Luckily another official was more helpful and put us up in an official building with nice beds (used my sleeping bag) and cable TV! The only downside was the complete absence of toilet paper anywhere in the building :(

There is also a sign for a hostal in La Balsa, but no indications if it´s actually open.

If going back the other way the collectivos run from the border through to Zumba for most of the day, so you should have no worries finding one.

Hope someone finds this useful, I found it very hard to find info on the subject!

cheers

Harry

EDIT

As of 05 June, the police have moved in and broken up the blockade. Possibly shooting protestors. In response the protestors have been rioting through Bagua, destroying buildings and killing and kidnapping a number of police. As such, I would not recommend the Zumba crossing, as it´s necessary to get through Bagua Grande to use it. Also, any travel in the area is probably not recommended, as thousands of fired up Indians with spears and lots of angry cops with machine guns looking for retribution do not make a good combination for those in the middle!