Check-Ins

You need a permit to enter the Rio Bravo Conservation area. Road closed for those who do not have one.

We loved it here. Two blocks away from the center of town. Lovely staff and good amenities (toilet, shower, and WiFi). We left $5USD per person donation. Gated at night and felt very safe here. We were warned that first thing Saturday morning we'd hear music class & other activities going on at the center. We decided to have breakfast here as well for $2.50USD per person and it was delicious. Highly recommended!

A lovely national park that highlights the San Salvador Volcano and offers great views of it. Three Miradores and some trails available. It was $2USD for entrance and $1USD for parking. The drive was steep (uphill) and at times very narrow but doable with our 2WD. We enjoyed our time here.

Huge, dark, pretty quiet parking lot behind the gas station. It can be a bit tricky to find it, this is the exact location of the entrance: 43.128215, -75.576861. You don't have to register, you can just park here free for 24 hours. If you want to go to the casino, you have to ask for the shuttle bus at the gas station.

I drove by to see what it was like. Long gravel and dirt road, the Old Barlow Rd. Would be very difficult if wet. Tons of places to camp, all unsupported. It is along the White River, very pretty, but no water supply, no toilets, etc.

I was there on a very nice day, and there were 7 or 8 vehicles camping, but still a lot of additional space.

I drove as far as the bridge over the river, and at that point the roads deteriorated and by 2WD truck would not have been able to get through.

Long queues when we arrived at 11pm.

We are 2 people driving a GB car:
2.5 hours for the Kazakh side.
30 min for the Russian side.

Warning: there were Russian police checkpoint just over the Russian border, they checked our car documents and insurance, make sure you got yours.

There wasn't anyone selling car insurance on the russian side when we crossed the border...
There were also Russian police checkpoint just over the Russian border, they checked our car documents and insurance - so make sure you got yours before crossing.

We got ours for 12000tenge for 15days in the red hotel in Karabalyk 45km before the border - you can find our checkin reference on ioverlander.

Safe travel!

Unbelievably expensive, 2100Rub for one night (2 persons, 1 dog, one car)
Staff not very helpful. Beaches are nice in this region.

Worked great. three sizes of machines, so you can wash everything on one load. Machines take plastic directly. there is also an ATM ($3 fee) and a bills to quarters machine. free WiFi.

No hassles, quiet enough during night as it's far enough from 3rd st traffic.

However at 7:20AM one of the "long term" campers at this location fired up a "contractor grade" generator that is making a considerable racket.

Amazing place. Huge garden with nice pool where you can pitch your (roof)tent. They also run a B&B, with lovely rooms. Kevin and Cecile make you feel very welcome. We joined for dinner on Saturdaynight; good food and good company. Also great breakfast with home made breakfast. For us it was the perfect place to end our journey through Africa and get ready to fly home. Can absolute recommend it!

Very lovely place.. just follow the street and then use one of the forrest streets that goes to the lake!!!! other people around but nevertheless you can find your private place...

Large beautiful private campground on the edge of a gorge with 3 waterfalls. Trees for shade or places without shade. Electric plugs on some sites. Clean and spacious ablution with showers and toilets. Nice gas heated hot water with super pressure. Small kitchen and laundry in between the ladies and gents ablution. Beautiful possibilities for hiking. As it is a private campsite, pls contact the owner Dieter on 0828064034 or Rosi on 0711 248944 first, as gate is looked with a combination padlook. From the road follow the white arrows, it’s not far along a good dirt road. Good vodacom signal, no MTN!
140 Rand per person

Cool runnings is currently occupied by the British army, for sure until mid July 2019. They don't take any visitors. Best to check afterwards.

Camping site still under construction, but they still ask 10usd for camping (no electricity). You can put up your tent at the very nice swimming pool.

Several people mentioned that Cool Runnings is a better place to go to, which is true, but it is occupied by the British army at the moment (until mid July, please check afterwards). The people of Steps warned us that there is a big loud party every weekend by the locals, so they referred us to the wheelhouse camping, which it is much more quiet.

Small campsite, with clean sanitaire, next to lake Iseo. The owner family is very friendly

If you need to go to the bank and get close for your business, then it's a good place to stay for a night. very quiet, noone will bother you. huge parking, empty, good for big rigs equiped with their own toilets ! you can find big rubbish bin around the (white) building at the entrance of the parking. playground for children. it's just good to sleep, nothing around

good place, Nice music, cheap beer, all you need to feel good!

I parked here and remained completly stealth, but as I was in bed, a woman came out of her house talking on the phone and was describing my car, maybe to the police. I decided to leave as soon as she went back in.

Beautiful dispersed camping in the forest by the river. Road is easy to navigate although a couple of the sites were quite muddy when I visited and would possibly trap a vehicle.

Very friendly border. No issues after returning from 5 months in the USA in our class B camper van. Border had 3 lanes open at 11 PM, approximately 15 minute wait in line. Border agent was very friendly, had great sense of humour, and got us through in less than 2 minutes. Nice welcome home after a long time out of the country!

this plaza is probably the most relaxed place to park and/or sleep in talca. free, no amenities. not too busy road on the weekend.

Camped here before but not this time of year. Stayed on a pond slightly behind the ‘main pond’ People fishing. Lots of noise with quads/dirt bikes and a little more litter than I remember. Also in this area (with grass) we found quite a few ticks! Heads up! The road is dry and easily accessible at this time!

GREAT place to stay before/after the border!!We’ve stayed here twice and just love this family!!!

We’ve never dealt with Henry only his brothers who are very friendly and kind. Once we camped in their cow pasture and another time up by the cabinas and restaurant where the families hang out.

These folks rely solely on tourists to feed their families and tourism has nearly collapsed here after last years unrest. This is a gorgeous, safe, peaceful area with wonderful people and the canyon tour is so much fun! By far our favorite place in Nicaragua!

Just follow the steps, eat a sandwich, you’ll be fine. It’s long and annoying but just look for the guys in blue shirts that say DGA or IPSA and you’re fine! We didn’t do anything with our dogs entry papers from El Espino and got into CR no problem

This will change as new office is being built, but if you arrive to a chaotic parking lot and run down building on the left you are in the right place.

Park in the chaos

Get passport stamped and pay entry fee at Migracion (far left door when facing building)

If you have pets look for someone in a blue IPSA shirt to get help because the quarantine building is across the street and super hard to find without help, plus you have to go to the bank to pay and bring the receipt back to that building. It’s a lot of back-and-forth just get help.

Look for guy in a blue shirt that says DGA and get custom form, fill out, have police person sign it- they are walking around or sitting at the food stall directly across the parking lot from the building.

Take signed form into the building where you got your passport stamped, go past the person that stamp your passport and into the room with all of the x-ray machines to the back corner. At this desk is where they will process your paperwork for your tip.

Pay for fumigation at the booth next to the TIP desk and past that booth to various Seguro desks to buy insurance (take your pick)

The museo is closed in May, June and December

As described, quiet grassy spaces next to a gas station, about 500m from police. cafe, showers, wifi. Spent a pleasant evening here listening to British 60s music with a family heading home to Ecuador after working years in Venezuela. Only downside, the covered area is very close to a trash pile with vultures, so I pitched my tent outside on the grass.

Nice secluded campground. Sani dump, flush toilets and hot showers at a fee of $.25c a minute. Rigs will fit only up to about 28’ in some select spots. Lovely but thought the price was a bit steep ($35pn) for not including much in the fee. We were walk ins, has to be after 2pm and couldn’t book more than a night at a time