Palenque to Tikal via moto; possible? - Page 6

alpiner84 · 06-14-2011, 06:55 PM

Hey all,
Didn't read the last page too thoroughly, but I wanted to verify the rumor that the El Ceibo border is closed Mondays. In fact, it's open every day off the week, EXCEPT THE MEXICO VEHICLE IMPORT/EXPORT DESK IS CLOSED MONDAYS. Everything else is fully operational, though.

El Mago · 07-14-2011, 10:28 AM

I just took the El Ceibo crossing the day before yesterday (July 12, 2011)... The Banjercito (Mexico TVIP) office is still closed Mondays and does not have credit card capabilities - so if your coming in from Guatemala you'll need cash.

Model year deposit: 2000 and older = US$200
2001 - 2006 = US$300
2007 and newer = US$400

plus about US$45 for nonrefundable fees.

I left Palenque at 8:30 and arrived in El Remate (NE of Flores) at about 2:00. That's with almost two hours spent at the border - Leaving Mexico took about 20 minutes, but once in Guatemala things slowed down. You'll still need a tuk-tuk ride to get photocopies and the import desk guy chose to have a 20 minute telephone conversation while I waited in the middle of the process.

There's pavement the whole way, or you can choose to take a couple of dirt shortcuts, as I did...

From Palenque head South on Mex-199, take the turn off for Mex-307 (Carretera Fronteriza), about 10 miles after that turn off take a left heading ENE from the town of Jose Castillo Tielmans - a dirt road in great shape that will hook you up to the pavement to Tenosique in about 10 miles.

Once in Guatemala, about 8 minutes NE of La Libertad, there's a fork - straight NE for dirt and staright into Flores, or right (turning East) for San Francisco and then North to Flores on pavement.

There's plenty of gas in Palenque, Tenosique, La Libertad (Guat.), Flores, and many signs for it in the villages along the road.

kantuckid · 07-17-2011, 02:59 PM

Why not just hang onto Mexico papers, go to GT, then re-enter like you never left? I have never mounted the Mexico sticker, just keep it to show and have never done that either...

Willson · 04-13-2012, 03:41 PM

I left Mexico through the El Ceibo border crossing last January.
Easy to find, paved all the way, all the services needed are on site.
Only had problems getting my passport stamped to exit Mexico, the agent wanted some extra money I think (said I had to pay taxes if I stayed more than 7 days)... a 100 pesos solved the problem. I was still pissed off.
Completely different when I entered Guatemala, the guys were super nice and helpful. I even chatted for 30 mins with the chief at the first military check-point and we exchanged e-mails.

Anyway, good border crossing and you can easily get from Pelenque to Tikal in a day.

alpiner84 · 04-13-2012, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Mago

Model year deposit: 2000 and older = US$200
2001 - 2006 = US$300
2007 and newer = US$400

plus about US$45 for nonrefundable fees.

Which country was that deposit for?

For me:
US -->Mexico (Calexico border): $36 to import the bike and $150 for 6 months insurance
Mexico -->Guatemala (El Ceibo border): $13 to import, no insurance, ~$2 in copy fees

jimmex · 04-13-2012, 09:53 PM

The $200 to $400 is for the bond on the TVIP in Mexico.

alpiner84 · 04-14-2012, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmex

The $200 to $400 is for the bond on the TVIP in Mexico.

I'd completely forgotten about that by the time I left Mexico, and never checked to make sure they didn't charge my card. Whoops...

jimmex · 04-14-2012, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpiner84

I'd completely forgotten about that by the time I left Mexico, and never checked to make sure they didn't charge my card. Whoops...

I hope that you remembered to cancel your TVIP upon leaving Mexico...

Sjoerd Bakker · 04-14-2012, 10:49 AM

Looks like Alpiner did NOT cancel the TVIP Which means he gave away the deposit they took off his credit card

.Maybe if there are still a few months of the 6 remaining on the TVIP it might pay for itself to take a long weekend run down to the nearest border crossing to cancel it and get your refund .But more important it should be cancelled to avoid any problems about illegal import of a bike next time Alpiner goes into Mexico ,

alpiner84 · 04-14-2012, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

Looks like Alpiner did NOT cancel the TVIP Which means he gave away the deposit they took off his credit card

Just checked my nasty ziplock bag of border paperwork from last year, and I DID cancel TVIP and my card was NOT charged, so you can stop crying ;-)

Sjoerd Bakker · 04-16-2012, 02:04 PM

for Alpiner

Lone Rider · 04-16-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kantuckid

Why not just hang onto Mexico papers, go to GT, then re-enter like you never left? I have never mounted the Mexico sticker, just keep it to show and have never done that either...

If the GT officials do not require a Mex exit stamp, you righter than rain.
This would be the way to go.
In my experiences, this varies with the border officials.

If you really don't need to cancel a vehicle (and even tourist) permit, and will be returning to Mex within the given time, then try to do so.

tricepilot · 04-16-2012, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kantuckid

Why not just hang onto Mexico papers, go to GT, then re-enter like you never left? I have never mounted the Mexico sticker, just keep it to show and have never done that either...

You can keep your Mexico TVIP when entering Guatemala.

To enter Guatemala, you must have a Mexico exit stamp. To get a Mexico exit stamp, you have to surrender your tourist card, and to do that, the tourist card must have the payment receipt attached.

On the Guatemala side, they will also ask to see your Mexico TVIP and they will make a copy of it.

alpiner84 · 04-16-2012, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kantuckid

Why not just hang onto Mexico papers, go to GT, then re-enter like you never left? I have never mounted the Mexico sticker, just keep it to show and have never done that either...

I entered Guatemala with every intention of returning to Mexico...and then I somehow ended up in Panama, selling my bike many months later... It would suck to lose that deposit, and it's only $36 to get back into Mexico.

AnjinSan · 10-21-2012, 06:00 PM

Hi guys,

we are currently in Palenque and we were thinking to cross tomorrow into Guatemala via El Ciebo crossing. Is the Banjercito office still closed on Mondays or now it is open all week?

If it is still closed, what do you suggest? Stay in Palenque 1 more day or just go to Tenosique?

Thanks,
Alex

06-14-2011, 06:55 PM	#76
alpiner84 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Oddometer: 198	Closed Mondays Hey all, Didn't read the last page too thoroughly, but I wanted to verify the rumor that the El Ceibo border is closed Mondays. In fact, it's open every day off the week, EXCEPT THE MEXICO VEHICLE IMPORT/EXPORT DESK IS CLOSED MONDAYS. Everything else is fully operational, though. __________________ 2006 KLX 250s Albuquerque to Panama on an XT225 (and other adventures)

07-14-2011, 10:28 AM	#77
El Mago Adventurer Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Telluride Oddometer: 33	Route Info... I just took the El Ceibo crossing the day before yesterday (July 12, 2011)... The Banjercito (Mexico TVIP) office is still closed Mondays and does not have credit card capabilities - so if your coming in from Guatemala you'll need cash. Model year deposit: 2000 and older = US$200 2001 - 2006 = US$300 2007 and newer = US$400 plus about US$45 for nonrefundable fees. I left Palenque at 8:30 and arrived in El Remate (NE of Flores) at about 2:00. That's with almost two hours spent at the border - Leaving Mexico took about 20 minutes, but once in Guatemala things slowed down. You'll still need a tuk-tuk ride to get photocopies and the import desk guy chose to have a 20 minute telephone conversation while I waited in the middle of the process. There's pavement the whole way, or you can choose to take a couple of dirt shortcuts, as I did... From Palenque head South on Mex-199, take the turn off for Mex-307 (Carretera Fronteriza), about 10 miles after that turn off take a left heading ENE from the town of Jose Castillo Tielmans - a dirt road in great shape that will hook you up to the pavement to Tenosique in about 10 miles. Once in Guatemala, about 8 minutes NE of La Libertad, there's a fork - straight NE for dirt and staright into Flores, or right (turning East) for San Francisco and then North to Flores on pavement. There's plenty of gas in Palenque, Tenosique, La Libertad (Guat.), Flores, and many signs for it in the villages along the road. __________________ www.elmagoandcolibri.com '10 KTM 990 R

10-21-2012, 06:00 PM	#90
AnjinSan Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Bucharest Oddometer: 231	Hi guys, we are currently in Palenque and we were thinking to cross tomorrow into Guatemala via El Ciebo crossing. Is the Banjercito office still closed on Mondays or now it is open all week? If it is still closed, what do you suggest? Stay in Palenque 1 more day or just go to Tenosique? Thanks, Alex __________________ We are exploring the New World Track and like us on Facebook

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07-17-2011, 02:59 PM	#78
kantuckid Beastly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Kentucky-Eastern that is! Oddometer: 1,660	Why not just hang onto Mexico papers, go to GT, then re-enter like you never left? I have never mounted the Mexico sticker, just keep it to show and have never done that either...

04-13-2012, 03:41 PM	#79
Willson Adventurer Joined: Apr 2010 Oddometer: 30	I left Mexico through the El Ceibo border crossing last January. Easy to find, paved all the way, all the services needed are on site. Only had problems getting my passport stamped to exit Mexico, the agent wanted some extra money I think (said I had to pay taxes if I stayed more than 7 days)... a 100 pesos solved the problem. I was still pissed off. Completely different when I entered Guatemala, the guys were super nice and helpful. I even chatted for 30 mins with the chief at the first military check-point and we exchanged e-mails. Anyway, good border crossing and you can easily get from Pelenque to Tikal in a day.

04-13-2012, 09:53 PM	#81
jimmex Guero from SanAngelo Joined: Jan 2003 Location: West Texas Oddometer: 1,432	The $200 to $400 is for the bond on the TVIP in Mexico.

04-14-2012, 10:49 AM	#84
Sjoerd Bakker Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2008 Oddometer: 880	Looks like Alpiner did NOT cancel the TVIP Which means he gave away the deposit they took off his credit card .Maybe if there are still a few months of the 6 remaining on the TVIP it might pay for itself to take a long weekend run down to the nearest border crossing to cancel it and get your refund .But more important it should be cancelled to avoid any problems about illegal import of a bike next time Alpiner goes into Mexico ,

04-16-2012, 02:04 PM	#86
Sjoerd Bakker Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2008 Oddometer: 880	for Alpiner