Why is crossing the border from Ecuador to Colombia a big deal?

For many years, international tourists have come to us with a slew of inquiries regarding crossing the Ecuador-Colombia border. We have modified this and related posts frequently in order to keep you current on the news and travel advisories, both official and unofficial!

Some desire to travel all the way from one capital to the other (from Quito to Bogota).  Others want to go a portion of that distance, like from Quito to Ipiales, or Otavalo to Cali.

Everything is doable, but not everyone wants to do it the same way.

Land travel from Ecuador to Colombia is an excellent way to visit the northern provinces of Ecuador. Old information, or no information at all, can, nonetheless, frighten some travelers when they approach the border with Colombia.

So, why all the inquiries? Is it difficult? Dangerous?

While it *may* be one or both of those things, it also can be easily neither. Done right, crossing the border is actually a smooth and fun trip if you know what your alternatives are, have all of your documentation in order, and plan ahead.

To provide some background, border crossings are frequently a major bottleneck in bus travel. Within a single country, buses and railroads follow the same rules, there are fewer legal and administrative difficulties, currencies do not need to be converted, and so on.

However, when a bus company — and you as a traveler — come to what is basically an invisible border between two countries, all sorts of hurdles and circumstances suddenly appear. So, 99% of transportation companies would rather not bother with it since it is too much of a hassle, and they will instead take you to the border but not across it.

There is also the regrettable and exaggerated reputation surrounding the safety of the Ecuador-Colombia border, considering Colombia’s history of conflict. In actuality, the myths are so dissimilar to the truth that they are nonsensical. The only way to get into trouble is to do one of two things: 1) seek out trouble, or 2) stray too far from the throng. It’s simple: don’t isolate oneself to the point of vulnerability, and adhere to tried-and-true routes and procedures.

I’ll describe numerous crossings and possibilities here to give you a feeling of control and insight.

Keep in mind the options I discuss below don’t deal with visa or passport requirements, but the resource I suggest as a good place to start with those questions is VisaHQ.

CHOICE ONE: International Buses Crossing the Ecuador-Colombia border

A few international bus companies used to provide all-inclusive services across the border between the larger cities of Bogota, Cali, and Quito. However, they suffered from far too many complaints and abrupt cancellations.  The vehicles were in awful shape, they would end up not going to the destination promised or let people off on the sketchy outskirts of a city, the delays of a bus arriving would be sometimes up to two days…the list goes on.  Obviously, customers dwindled off except for the most desperate, and so we don’t even mention those bus companies anymore as we wouldn’t want you to get anywhere near them.

There was a decent bus service from Guayaquil going all the way to Cali and Bogota that had higher standards and good service, but it stopped providing its once-per-week service when the COVID pandemic began and hasn’t returned since.  We hope it will soon and we’ll update our schedules accordingly if it does. However, this particular service also requires the passenger to commit to going all the way to Cali and won’t allow for any shorter trips than that.

CHOICE TWO: International Shuttle

The easy alternative to the first option is simply to get a shared shuttle (a small car or van) that people take mostly for shopping trips across the border to the town of Ipiales, Colombia.  These depart every Thursday from Quito, Otavalo, and Ibarra.  You can combine a reservation to also include a bus that will then take you from Ipiales to almost any city in Colombia, but the most commonly available destinations are Cali and Bogota. You can get these “combos” in any combination with the buttons we have below, or even just the international shuttle departing to Ipiales.

Some key caveats about the international shuttle are that it departs only on Thursday afternoons, and it is more expensive because it is not a full-size bus and is limited to small groups of passengers.  However, unlike bus drivers, the shuttle drivers offer a lot more personal attention to help you navigate through the migration protocols and confusing lines at the border offices, and they deliver you directly to the bus terminal in Ipiales if you want to pass on the default stop to the big shopping mall that is the major draw.

If you want a completely private transport option, where you only share the seats with people in your traveling group or even just to get a small car for yourself, there’s that option as well below (and in that case, the shuttle can pick you up on any day you choose).

One major benefit of either international buses or shuttles is psychological. You get peace of mind knowing that the same company and same driver are going to be with you and your luggage on both sides of the border. They are also going to stay with you as you go through the immigration procedures at the border checkpoints, and deliver you all the way to your international destination.

CHOICE THREE: Lesser-known Crossings Over the Ecuador-Colombia Border

The trip to Ipiales is the main and most secure crossing, but it isn’t your only option. With each of these others that I will cover below, you need to be more alert to your personal surroundings, be willing to suffer bumpy or wet rides, and withstand some mayhem along the way due to a lack of consistency from one day to the next in transport connections. You also may be more scrutinized by border control officials, but in exchange, you will take the road less traveled and gain some really cool adventures. So, to thine own self be true!

La Punta (Ecuador)/San Miguel (Colombia) is a bridge that crosses the Río San Miguel in the jungle. It might be to your liking if you are planning on visiting the famous Cuyabeno or Yasuní nature preserves in the Ecuadorean rainforest and want the shortest path from there to cross over into Colombia.

Your starting point is the city of Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja), where it would be a good idea to check in with the local police station for any travel advisories. Often the police station also issues T-3s, which is a document necessary to cross the border, even though there is also a border control station up at the bridge an hour away.

No buses travel from Lago Agrio to the bridge, but you can reserve a private shuttle to get you there by clicking the button below in the Private Shuttle section.

Also, the bridge itself is pedestrian-only. No vehicles can cross over the bridge unless they have an exceptional license, and the majority do not.  You can only cross on foot.

Once on the Colombia side, there are pickup trucks or taxis available to pick you up and take you to the town of San Miguel; and then from San Miguel there are other taxis, busetas, and pickup trucks that are available to take you to La Hormiga; and then from La Hormiga more of the same kind of options to get you to Mocoa.

You can order online bus tickets from Mocoa to other cities in Colombia like Neiva or Bogota.

Only go during the day, as you’ll have more companions doing the same thing.  Traveling at night exposes you to a lot more risk and danger.

San Lorenzo (Ecuador)/Monte Alto-Tumaco (Colombia) was for a brief time closed down due to regional conflict and a surge in narcotrafficking, until police ramped up their presence there and secured it.  Still, this crossing is easily the most complicated but wildly adventurous.  It crosses the Pacific coast side of the two countries. The majority of the trip is all by sea and river, but there are portions where you’ll use makeshift land transport.

Passengers need to spend double the effort getting all their documentation in order and try to do so first in larger cities like Esmeraldas or Ibarra.  Go to the Migration ministry offices there to tell them of your plans and see if they have any concerns to keep you from wasting time getting to San Lorenzo.  They also might be able to process your paperwork there. Then, proceed to San Lorenzo.

San Lorenzo, Ecuador does have a makeshift border control office but keep in mind that most travelers of the route to Colombia are people that live on either side of the border and they have waivers that allow them free passage.  Foreign travelers are not extended this privilege, and so security and border officials will 1) not be careful enough to ensure your paperwork is correct; and 2) possibly fine or detain you for lack of proper exit and entry documentation.

In San Lorenzo, go down to the town pier in the central plaza and ask for the lanchas to Colombia.  After hopefully double-checking you are ready with your documents, they will show you to the boats that cross the river to Palmareal, which is an island in the middle of the river.  The boats beach there, and the northern tip of the island is the actual border.

From Palmareal, more boats take you Puerto Palmas, which is the beach on the mainland on the Colombia side.  From there, pickup trucks take you first to Monte Alto and then more taxis or pickup trucks take the final leg from Monte Alto to Tumaco.

This is a full-day trip, so I highly recommend starting as early as you can from San Lorenzo so you can get into Tumaco before sunset. The whole trip will cost you in the neighborhood of USD $40, no more.

CHOICE FOUR: Walk?

When it comes down to it, the physical reality of the principal border crossing between Ecuador and Colombia is a bridge named Rumichaca, with developed companies, government facilities, and places to eat on each side of the bridge. Don’t be afraid; it’s not at all a wasteland or sketchy area.

For someone who doesn’t feel safe in a bus, or is a die-hard hiker with a backpack who wants to unplug from the traffic congestion and stress and take their damn time, it’s completely fine to take no transportation at all.

It’s perfectly OK to take no transit at all if you don’t feel secure in a bus, or if you’re a die-hard hiker with a backpack who wants to disconnect from the traffic and stress and take your time.

When you get to the Ecuador side of the bridge, walk into the white building on your left. The Ecuador migration office is going to be a little slower and more paper-based than when you get to the Colombian side of the bridge.

On the Colombia side, the office is brown, has a larger parking lot and is a lot harder to miss.  Once you get inside, the process is rapid and high-tech.

Very important: Do not skip going through the process at BOTH offices. You may notice several people and cars bypassing the offices and going directly across the bridge from one country to the other. Do not be misled, these are citizens of either country who have special licenses and treaty agreements that allow them to visit the other country without immigration processing, and this bypassing does not extend to foreigners.

Walking the rest of the two kilometers into the town of Ipiales is uphill a bit, but nothing different than if you were taking a walk in your own neighborhood. There are various small businesses and homes along the way.  You can also take a taxi from the immigration office into town, but bargain first for no more than $5, as taxis find this a lucrative location to charge exorbitant prices to the unsuspecting.

Closures of the Border

Most border crossings are open during regular business hours, and in the case of the crossing to Ipiales, they are open 24/7.  However, there are special occasions when the border is closed, which include days of national elections; occasions when there are protests blocking the highway such that transport cannot get through; and in a declaration of emergency when either country decides a weather-related event is severe enough or when some kind of humanitarian crisis is overwhelming the system (like the recent Venezuelan diaspora that has now gotten more under control).

The best thing to do is be flexible and wait, as closures usually only last for a day or two. If your schedule is tight, then make sure to keep abreast of the national news in Colombia and Ecuador (everything from political crises to weather that could impact the roads around the border).  Ask your hotel or hostel receptionist about anything they’ve heard that is “stirring up the pot,” and certainly ask them about what holidays or national events like elections are coming up that will dramatically alter what the citizenry is doing on that particular day.