Into Mexico using the Mariposa truck route by Nogales. Step by step

This was written when we went to Km 21 with the car, but works for an V+RV too. 

Before heading to border I make copies of both passports, copy of Bill's drivers license - Jeep is registered in his name and his name will be on TIP paper work for it, copy of registration for Jeep. And copy of RV's registration - just to have a copy in vehicle and original in fire proof box. We already have the paper work 10 year permit on the RV so don't need anything for it. 

Driving on 19 south from Tucson. Always surprises me that the road signs are in Kilometers instead of miles along this stretch of highway. Just a few miles from the border you start seeing sings for it. Stay in the right lane to take the Mariposa truck route. Much easier in an RV. 

Exit 4. Once off the freeway there is a whole lots of construction between off ramp and almost to border. Very narrow one lane open. 

You want to be on Mariposa Rd.

Beginning of construction. Looks like several new flyover ramps being built. 

We buy our Mexican insurance from Sanborn's, have been since 1978. Have used them once and very pleased with their help. Not a recommendation just an observation. 

The office is located in the hotel. Clerk wore mask and chairs were as distanced as possible. We paid total $310 for both vehicles, full coverage on Jeep and liability on RV. Our US insurance covers collision. I always get a copy of the declaration page to carry in vehicle. Full police is kept in fire proof box. 

Nearing the US border. IF you are in an RV of any type you want to go through the TRUCK  [arrow] lane to the right. We were in the car this day, the van in front of us just barely made the turns through the car lanes. 

Coming out from the US border buildings - we did not stop. A few border guards just standing around watching.  As you come out stay to the LEFT.

Glare on window but arrow points to sign saying Hermosillo, be sure to go that way. Stay to left. 

On highway heading south. Traffic returning to U.S. shares this stretch with you. Stay to right of double yellow line. And hope they stay where they belong. 

Follow signs, stay to left. 

Again stay to left. Heading up the hill to the first toll booth. Yes it is open. 

They are open and collecting tolls. We always get Pesos, but this booth WILL take dollars if necessary. They have exchange rate posted. 

After toll booth again make sure you stay to the left. It gets quite narrow up ahead so slow down. 

Heading into the Mexico Aduana 

 WATCH OUT FOR THE TWO TOPES. THEY ARE WICKED AND SAME COLOR AS ROAD AND HARD TO SEE. SLOW WAY DOWN. 

If you are in any type of RV go to the RIGHT here to the BUS lanes. If you go through the auto lanes you will BE STUCK/  You might or might not get stopped here. Watch for the red light. They usually want to see original registrations, sometimes passports. This time we were in Jeep and did get the red light. They just wanted the doors opened and the back end opened. Very polite, all wearing masks, as were we. No problems. 

Leaving the aduana you soon come to a section of highway where there are vendors. You can just make out the metal vibradores across the road. SLOW WAY DOWN as there are also TWO WICKED topes there. 

The topes are hard to see and VERY big. One at beginning of vendors and one at the end. 

Continuing south watch for this ramp leading up hill [do not take it] After passing it start watching for the KM 21 area. It is on the right. 

There are two huge microwave towers , when you see them you are getting close to turn off. Sorry about the fuzziness but you get the idea. 

This is the second one. See the signs between road an arrow. The top sign is blue. This is KM 21. You want to be sure to make this turn! And do it slowly as road is VERY rough. When you first see it it doesn't look like it goes anywhere. But take it. 

Through the parking lot up to the building .

When parked your first stop is in this white building. Tourists Permits. This is were you get your FMM - tourist card. Only one person or family is let in at a time. There is a masked guard at door to let you in. You give your passport to the clerk, they will give you your paperwork to fill out. When filled out the clerk will take payment for it. We use credit card, always have, never a problem. After you pay you will receive a copy of your receipt, your filled in tourist card and passport back. Clerk was masked, sanitizer available on counter. Stand away from clerk while filling in paper work. Cost of Tourist cards US$28.41 or 575 Pesos each,

Exit building and stop at copy place and get copies of tourist cards. Cost US$1. Clerk asked for US instead of Pesos??? Then continue on to the Banjercito. Another guard will only let one person go to window when it is available. I had all the paper work so he let me go up but I had to stay next to the railing. 

We spent about 35 minutes doing all this. Might have been shorter but we had a clerk in training, who had to keep asking supervisor questions.  They need to see the original registration, drivers license and passport of person on registration of vehicle,  along with the copies, and this time for some reason they did not keep the copy of the registration. They did however keep the copy of Bill's drivers license, passport and tourist card. So make sure to have all of your copies, or you will be sent back to copy kiosk. Gave us back copy of my tourist card kept Bill's. Cost for TIP for our 2015 Jeep was US$369 or 7286 Pesos. Paid with credit card. Always do and never had problem getting the money back when we leave. There is a new TIP form this year. Nothing to put on vehicle window. Just paper work. BE SURE TO KEEP THE RECIEPT  attached to the paper work. YOU NEED IT WHEN YOU EXIT. They also sent a PDF copy to our email. Don't know why, but I downloaded it and saved it on laptop. 

No problems what so ever about crossing into Mexico with our car or getting our 180 day paperwork. US Mariposa border does not open until 8 a.m. now. 

And we were done. And on our way back to Arizona. From the time we crossed US border into Mexico and US border back into states. A little less than 1 1/2 hours. 

Hope this answers some questions about the Mariposa crossing by Nogales. 

Will write a real blog tomorrow morning. We are in San Carlos.