Traveling to Pasto and Ipiales

Morrongo says on Aug 27, 2007, 11:44:

Pasto to Ipiales, piece of cake, enjoy of scenery.You can go by bus or car from the terminal at Pasto. I would go by day to enjoy the view.

If you want to cross the frontier of Colombia and Ecuador this is also a simple process. A 6,000 pesos taxi from Ipiales to border, passport stamped to leave Colombia ,walk across the bridge and you are in Ecuador, go to Immigration on the Ecuador side for entry stamp .Do not make the same mistake as i did while passing Customs in Ecuador,they called me and I ignored them as I ought they were just shouting to sell something,they were dress in normal clothes without any badge whatsoever, that really pissed them off and gave me a very close inspection!
Once you pass immigration it is a 2 dollar taxi to Tulcan,where there are lots of Hotels. There are flights and buses from Tulcan.Not so many flights per day.Make sure your girlfriend has passport or Pasado Judicial

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Robert697 says on Aug 27, 2007, 12:48:

Morrongo, thanks for the response and all the information.

Is it easy to get a hotel in Pasto once we're there? Or should I try to get a reservation? When we went to Melgar in December, getting off the bus, there were a couple of guys trying to entice us to go to some hotels they recommended. It actually worked out nicely.

My girlfriend has a passport from when she traveled to Spain and other EU countries a few years ago.

I am not happy because I am rich. I am rich because I am happy.

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Robert697 says on Aug 27, 2007, 12:48:

Double-click ups.

I am not happy because I am rich. I am rich because I am happy.

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Morrongo says on Aug 27, 2007, 13:17:

Lots of good hotels in Pasto,especially near the main Plaza.No need to reserve. From the terminal at Pasto just ask the taxi driver for the hotel of your type.Beware of money changers in Ecuador..have some dollars handy so you do not have to relie on them.

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 15:57:

Robert, I don't know what Morrongo's orientation is, as for traveling safety in and around Pasto. You get down further south in general, it's getting dangerous around the 'border towns'. Not just for tourist, but for colombians as well.

My gf lives in Pasto, and although I visited there and 'felt' secure, that was 1 1/2 years ago. Most recently - the past two weeks - upon questioning... she has implied to me, that it may not be secure right this moment.... for me a gringo to be there for too much time. There's been some recent turmoil around Pasto lately. And, Uribe hasn't done JACK SHIT the past year to continue the improvements, but has allowed the Farc to make their statements when they are pissed, and it doesn't always make the NEWS, when it happens down south, there. And so..., you should know there are Farc and other guerrillas, in every direction, surrounding Pasto.

Good Luck. Have Fun. Go see the church. It looks awesome in the photos.
Write back, just to let us know you got out ------- alive.

.
(I think I would learn how to 'sign'. i.e..... sign language. And, if captured, I would keep my mouth shut, and just keep 'signing'.... maybe they'll let ya go; no se. they are a lil short on compassion.)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:04:

;)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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manINred says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:21:

Robert, Morrongo gives very good advice.

Make sure you do bus journeys out of Pasto during the daylight hours. If you are arriving in Pasto from Popayan make sure you arrive in Pasto by day. At night on the bus it becomes a bit dangerous.

I have done that route from Cali down to Quito several times with no problem. You can even take a collectivo from Ipiales to the border crossing for 800 pesos, if you want to save a bit of cash.

Getting a hotel in Pasto is fairly easy, just make sure you lock your stuff up well and take the normal precautions you would do anywhere else in the country.

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:29:

yeah, manINred, but..it's not exactly a "piece of cake", at this time.
It's no Ms Debbie;
it's not a Hostess Twinkie.

The girl he's traveling with is from Bogota.
She's never been and doesn't know her way around those parts. (according to the OP>)

You - and morrongo and the OP - can discount what I am saying.
I could be wrong.
I only talk to a Pastusa about 5 to 15 times a week for the past 2 years, now.
So, there's a chance I don't know what I'm saying.

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:35:

yeah, manINred, but..it's not exactly a "piece of cake", at this time.
It's no Ms Debbie;
it's not a Hostess Twinkie.

The girl he's traveling with is from Bogota.
She's never been and doesn't know her way around those parts. (according to the OP>)

You - and morrongo and the OP - can discount what I am saying.
I could be wrong.
I only talk to a Pastusa about 5 to 15 times a week for the past 2 years, now.
So, there's a chance I don't know what I'm saying ;)

I'm jus saying, according to my 'native source', who I know looks out for me, that the 'risk factor' might be up a lil these days around Pasto. She's been "DETAINED" by guerrillas herself, more than a few times, for more than a few days, over the past year, while traveling those areas, for business.

It's no casual stroll through the park.
They don't like capitolists....including her.
And they don't like people who are admitted Uribistas.
Including her.

Maybe they'll like robert and his girl,.... better ;)

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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manINred says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:37:

You are absolutely right Going South, I didn't want to imply that it was a piece of cake. That's why I hope he takes my most important piece of advice seriously, which is to travel by bus during the daylight hours, doing so at night, especially considering that things are becoming a bit unstable right now (again...), would be sheer folly.

Last time I went the cities were fine (Pasto, Ipiales, Popayan) and the carreteras seemed alright due to heavy police presence, but my bus got delayed and i ended up doing the end of my journey from Pasto to Popayan at night, and 3 of the 6 buses on that route got ambushed and robbed that night, luckily mine wasn't one of them.

It is such a beautiful area of the country though!!!

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manINred says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:38:

Chances are, from what i've heard, the guerrillas in that part will only want to tax you, as long as you oblige without huff and puff there should be no mortal danger.

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:39:

that's better.

well. your first comment anyway.
I can't completely agree with the last one, though.

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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Robert697 says on Aug 27, 2007, 18:48:

Thanks all for the comments.

Lucky for me, yo si hablo español, y tengo casi nada de accento. The last time I went to Colombia, as the taxi was taking me to El Dorado in Bogota, the driver thought I was Colombian going away on business or something.
But basically, I know how to keep my mouth shut and let the person who's with me do the talking. I have "olive" skin, which I'm going to darken a little in the Arizona sun these next couple of weeks. Add to that the dark-brown hair, dark brown eyes, many have no idea where I'm from. Also wear contacts on my visits so that folks don't see that I have the cash to afford glasses.

All this chatter about crime on the roads makes me think that perhaps it would be best to skip Pasto, fly directly to Ipiales (for the church), then cross into Ecuador. Perhaps it would be best to fly into Popoyan. For what I've read, it's nicer than Pasto anyways.

I'll keep you all posted on my travels.

I am not happy because I am rich. I am rich because I am happy.

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Morrongo says on Aug 27, 2007, 19:41:

G S I dont discount what you are saying. The area is a hot bed for guerrillas and I would not suggest for a minute to deviate from the main route or spend too much time in Pasto. The journey itself, is very straight forward as journeys go here.Well policed and at present secure.As always bus or car travel is a risk and you are right to pass those comments.I am always surprised at the Ipiales border, lots of Gringos are passing there, even at 10 00 pm when its closing.

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Morrongo says on Aug 27, 2007, 20:07:

Robert...i can be shot down in flames here. I Dont think Ipiales has a civil airport, I believe all flights to Ipiales land at Tulcan, Ecuador and you are bused from there!. As i said ,could be wrong.If you go that route, you might wished you had taken the bus....as the approach to landing is very sporting for a pilot.!! anyway enjoy which ever way you go

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goin_south says on Aug 27, 2007, 22:42:

Robert, there is always a degree of risk there. Probably, likely..... you make your trip the way you decide, after all here is said and it's done... you probably have a fantastic trip unscathed. Maybe stopped by the police here and there, but... nothing to hide? then who cares.

Aaaah, now... I like your idea about Popayan. I stopped there with my gf just for a few hours... it was hard to leave. There's a nice attraction there, with all the white buildings and darker colombianitas. SI !!!

My gf never has had problems in Pasto.
But, I can recount Vandalism in Ipiales.
Tales of guerrillas in Tuqueres and Samaniego.
And, horror stories at the Tulcan border patrol.
All within the past 10 months.

Because of tension between the nations,
You may have an easier time at the Ecuador border than would a colombiana.
I really want to go back to Pasto before she comes here (hopefully that being in the next 4 or 5 months); I want to go back to Laguna de La Coche and do some trout fishing.

But,as of what she told me just a few weeks back, I'm not so sure I will go to Pasto any time soon again. And, always before, she has forever told me: 'no problems in Pasto', 'very peaceful town' and 'all very good people in Pasto'.

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Aug 28, 2007, 06:57:

Ipiales DID have a civil airport before, anyway, with regular scheduled flight fromCali. A small one and not too far from a precipice, but I've landed there...

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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manINred says on Aug 28, 2007, 18:23:

Really? What problems in Tulcan???? What problems with the border?

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Morrongo says on Aug 30, 2007, 16:31:

Not heard of anything manINred. All normal as far as i know

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Robert697 says on Sep 23, 2007, 23:16:

Hi everybody!

Well, I'm back in the USA. My girl and I had a great time! Thanks in great part to you folks here at PBH!

After a couple of days in Bogota, over the span of 5 days, we flew to Popayan (1:20 hrs), rode a bus through Pasto to Ipiales (7:30hrs), took a couple of cabs into Tulcan, Ecuador (:30hrs), took an express cab to Pasto (1:20hrs), and flew back to Bogota (1:13hrs).

Popayan: Very pretty. Unfortunately, due to some construction, a water main was allegedly damaged and no one had water until after 7:30pm. I say "allegedly" because it just so happens that there was a protest in the center of town that day due to the current elections. The governor's office/home had huge blue blots from what looked like paint balloons. Plenty of cops in riot gear outside the building. Otherwise, the hotel was nice and large. We stayed at the Hotel Los Balcones 824-2030 for one night: $91850 pesos, super-nice folks, free breakfast, and free bottled water since there was no running water. Should I ever go back, I'd stay there again. Should I ever retire in Colombia, Popayan would be high on my list.

Ipiales: 1st night was horrible. The city is very cold, and the hotel where we stayed, though cheap ($25k), it wasn't worth the price. I tried to forget the name of the place, but I think it's called Don something (I'll be nice, monkey). The room was super tiny, the water pressure was horrific, you could hear from the 2nd-floor room everything they were saying in the 1st-floor lobby. You could even hear the phone ringing at 3am from the room 2 doors down. I've heard of paper-thin walls - I think these walls magnified sound. The next morning, the 1st thing we did was looked for another hotel. We found Los Andes 254338, 252024, 256551. For 75k/night, it was great. They had food in the room (at extra cost, obviously), free internet (including wi-fi), it's beautifully decorated, and though not "sound-proof", I didn't wake up in the middle of the night listening to the staff laughing downstairs like at the previous hotel. A couple of things I didn't like was the fact that the bathroom had a frosted bathroom window that lit up the sleeping area. It still doesn't make sense why they would put a fixed window between the bathroom and the bedroom.

Tulcan: We didn't stay there over-night. We simply rode in from Ipiales just before noon, and returned before sundown. The shopping wasn't all that much cheaper than Bogota, but the cemetary was definitely something to see.

In Ipiales, we were told a number of times by cabbies and hoteliers to not stay out after dark, not even in the plaza. Unfortunately due to the cold, my girl and I began to come down with something after touring the Santuario in Ipiales, and I did have to go to a drug store at the corner of the plaza after dark. Plenty of cops around patting down plenty of guys. I just kept my eyes straight and hurried along to and from the drug store.

By the way, PAX worked fantastic - I only wish it were available in the US.

After our 3rd night in Ipiales, it was time to go back to Bogota, but our flight was out of Pasto, so we took a "collectivo" cab for just 9k each from Ipiales to Pasto. Two other ladies rode with us. For a total of 45k, minus 6k for the toll, I don't know how they stay in business. The cab from the bus terminal to the Pasto airport was a bit stiff at 36k, but to be fair, he has to pay 12k in tolls alone, and the drive one-way was almost 40min. But, he drove us around town for about 2 hours (extra 8k per hr), and managed to prove to us that we didn't miss much by not staying there over night.

Well, my next trip will be over the holidays, but I'm thinking of mostly spending it with my girl's family in Bogota, and my sister-in-law's family in Cali. But on the trip afterwards, we're looking to fly down to Leticia. That should be interesting.

Thanks again all for the tips on traveling only during the day, and getting in and out of Ecuador. Internally I was laughing at the money changers. Going into Ecuador, I felt like telling them, "I'm from the US so I already have some .. and I'm sure I can use my ATM card in town." And going back into Colombia, "I'm from the US - I think I can still use these dollars I have back there." But, I just smiled, shook my head "no", and kept my mouth shut.

I am not happy because I am rich. I am rich because I am happy.

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