We Accept:

This information is provided in order to address common questions that people have expressed in the past. (We occasionally have such inquiries about Safety when in the outback in the USA and Mexico).

Western Adventures carries a satellite phone for emergencies and contact. The number will be given out to you before the adventures. This number can be given out to a responsible point of contact should you need to be contacted while on the adventure. In the U.S. there is a charge of $2.oo per minute, rounded up to the next full minute. For Mexico there is a additional $1.50 per minute (Mexico wants part of the pie also). Your own cell phone may or may not work in many of our remote locations. For Mexico check with your cell phone provider, many will turn on the phone for Mexico at no charge. In Mexico you may get a signal, but your phone may not work with their system.

In the past, problems were virtually non-existent. Medical problems incurred over all of the years have occurred when outside of the vehicles. I have had two people break a bone in their foot. That happened when they had been hiking and one that tripped over their own tent stake in camp. Only one went to the hospital for X-rays in Mexico. The other one waited until they got home. Both people were very satisfied with the response I provided. This is after thousands of clients from children to seniors in our driving school and adventures.

If you do not have a CB Radio and need one contact Western Adventures for a loaner radio.

Medical concerns that you may have;

• I am certified as a First Responder
• I am certified as a CPR for the professional Rescuer
• I am certified AED Essentials
• I am certified in Blood-borne Pathogens
• I am certified for Oxygen administration for the professional Rescuer
• I carry a very complete First Aid kit with me at all times.

For Baja California:

No Visa is required for stays in Mexico of less then 72 hours in Baja Norte (Northern Baja).

A Visa is required for stays of longer then 72 hours. For adventures into Baja Sur (Southern Baja - near Guerrego Negro).

For Mainland Mexico:

A Visa is required for the entry into Mexico (except the border towns).

A Vehicle Permit is required for adventures into mainland Mexico except for Sonora.

Starting in 2007 the U.S. Government is going to require that you have a passport to enter the US, so you should think about getting a passport. The cost for getting a passport has a sliding scale. The faster you want it the more it will cost. The passport is good for 10 years. For your safety and ease of replacement should you loose it, make a photocopy of your Passport and bring it with you.

Visas at the present (2007) information that you need to get a Visa is:

Drivers License, Passport.

Temporary Vehicle Import Permit is good for up to 180 days at this time, (2007).

To get a Temporary Vehicle Permit, You will need:

A credit card (Visa or Master Card), Photo copies of, Passport, Vehicle registration and drivers license.

Permit return:

You will have to return with the vehicle and turn in the old “Temporary Vehicle Import Permit” before the government will let you bring in another vehicle. This should be done before it expires. If it expires you still need to turn it in. They may lecture you about not turning in the permit on a timely manner.

For your protection you must have Mexican insurance. In all of my 57 years of crossing the border I have not myself or any clients had any reason for me to use the insurance. If you get into a accident without it you may end up in Jail.

You can get this ahead of time at:   www.bajabound.com

There are exchange houses on both sided of the border to get Pesos. The exchange rate moves around every day. For the last 2 years it is between 10 to 11 pesos to a dollar.

You can sell the pesos back if you have extra at the end of the adventure. If for example you bought them at 10.6 pesos to the dollar you sell them back at 10. 8 pesos to the dollar. You lose a couple of cents per dollar, but you had the pesos if you needed them. Gas stations will take dollars in Baja and border towns in mainland, but at a rate that may run 10 pesos to a dollar. This is not as good of a rate as the banks and money exchanger.

Do not carry all of your money in one place! Split it among others in your vehicle. Get a hide a bank from a locksmith. They look like a soda can, “Ajax” container and other common items

I provide maps of the areas we will travel so you can follow where we are.

Some of the trips we will be eating out some of the meals, and we will cook some ourselves and have a potluck. You are not forced to participate in the eating out or the potluck meals. We understand that some people have special diets. Each adventure the requirements are different for food. Check with us for the meal planning.

Gas is 87 octane for the regular (Magna sin). Some gas stations also have premium at 91 octane, but this is in the larger towns. Just because they have it on the sign does not mean that they have any in the tanks.

Diesel fuel is also widely available, but not at every station. There is less of it available in the big towns and replaced with 91 octane.

Do not bring any into Mexico!!! If you get caught with any guns or ammunition expect to go to jail. This includes even old empty shells!!!

Doctor's fees and hospitals are very cheap in Mexico. They do NOT, however, take American insurance policies. You will need to pay for the services when administered. You may then take your receipt to your insurance company in the states for reimbursement. You can also purchase medical insurance when you buy auto insurance.

Our only problems we have encountered while in Mexico.

The chrome valve caps on the tires will come up missing. They seem to end up on the kids bikes.

We were once questioned by the local police about the group of Unimog’s on a custom trip. Some local person thought that we were stealing their Army’s trucks and called the police. They were very polite and thanked us for the inconvenience of the questioning.