Border Crossing from Venezuela to Brazil:
The only Venezuela to Brazil border crossing is at Santa Elena at the end of the Grand Sabana road.
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1.There is free internet outside Hotel Gaubaldi in Santa Elena
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2.Fill your fuel tanks before leaving Santa Elena. You are allowed a maximum of 100Lts, no auxiliary tanks or containers. You can buy fuel in ‘No-Mans- land at around US$0.60/lt however the line up can be 150+ vehicles long.
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3.There are also plenty of duty free shops before the border. Rum is good buying !
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4. At the Venezuela border point as in picture. present your Temporary Vehicle Documents for cancellation inside the building on the left
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5. Drive past the No-Mans-Land fuel station into Brazil.
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6.
Park up at the Brazil ‘Police check point’
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7. Here there is a sign as per the photograph.
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8. There is a policeman outside at a desk, he will give you an immigration form.
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9. He will then allow one or two at a time to go inside. Turn right for the immigration procedure. We got 60 days no questions.
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10. For Australian citizens we needed a Visa that we got in Bogota at the Brazil embassy - took one week
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11.100metres on is the Customs /ADUADA building.
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12.Since January 2013 you no longer need a temporary Import for your vehicle and 3rd party Insurance is optional.
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13.This made it the easiest border crossing ever.
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14.A little further on is Banco do Brazil, that has an ATM.
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15.There is good road side eating places but little else - no food shopping available.
Travel in Brazil:
Portuguese the is spoken language so put away the spanish books for a while.
In late 2013 the rate was R2.39 = US$1.00
Brazil Driving:
Brazil is big, very big. There are many highlights with vast distances between them.
In Western Brazil from Porto velho to Cuiaba and then south to Igauzu, we drove for many days over flat undulating land that was once rainforest and now cattle or crop country.
The BR 174 from Venezuela south is firstly 50 km of broken bitumen, then good highway to all the way to Manaus
Brazil is one of the few places where you can do an Equator drive by.
In Brazil the trucks indicate with the Right Hand indicator when it is ‘safe’ to pass.
Generally the trucks are better drivers and more polite than the smaller cars.
They need to be, there are so many on the roads - many more trucks than cars.
Plan Brazil according to the wet season. If you wish to drive the BR319 and the Pantanal then these roads are impossible during and just after the wet season.
Camping:
Free camping was easy and safe.
Note that most large service stations on major roads have showers and South of the Amazon, Brazil has a network of truck stops callers Postos providing free places to camp.
Food:
Everywhere are the local Mecardos (markets) and the Super Mecardos are more like our supermarkets many quite large with everything needed.
In the small villages are small family butcher shops and for R18 (US$9) a piece of nearly 2Kg great looking fillet steak.
You have to try the BBQ meals on the road side. Generally a set price for all you can eat salads, vegetables and the BBQ meats of all varieties just keep coming. About US10/person
For the best food markets do not miss the ones in Manaus.
Never tried it before; Caju Juice, from the Cashew Plant
Fuel:
Fuel stations are PB petrobras.
Diesel fuel prices at Bona Vista was R 2.60/Lt and at Porto Velo R2.55/Lt (US$1.08/Lt)
Water:
From Service stations
Internet:
Most places we found free internet. Shopping Centres, or if in doubt ask a teenager.
For our actual Travel Diary through Brazil see: 2013 GoannaTracks Across Brazil
Return to: DIY Kit For Overland Travel