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THE BASICS
How many people will be on the tour?
How do I meet the tour?
What is included in the tour?
Will I be alright if I don't speak
Spanish?
How are the accommodations?
What's the weather like?
What do we do about water?
What's to eat?
Will I need a passport or visa?
What about the altitude?
How high are the places we're
visiting?
Is
there a kitty or local payment?
What's the camping like?
Do I need to be an adventure sport guru for these trips?
How about vaccinations?
Do I need travel insurance?
How do I get it?
Can I spend my currency or will I need to change money?
LUGGAGE, PACKING
AND STORAGE
What do I need to
bring with me? How much should I bring?
Is
there storage for my extra luggage while I go on excursions?
Will I be able to do laundry during
the trip?
Do
I need fancy clothes?
Will my electrical appliances work?
Do
I need to bring my own sleeping bag or mat for hiking, biking or
rafting?
TRAVELING IN SOUTH
AMERICA
How is the crime?
Can I spend extra time in Lima or Cuzco?
Can you suggest some things to do
if I have extra time?
Is
it normal to tip in Peru? How much?
How much money do you suggest I bring? Is it safe to carry a
normal purse/wallet?
How
can I call home or use the internet?
How can friends and
family get a hold of me?
THE BASICS
How many people will be on the tour?
In general, we try to avoid
large group travel. We specialize in personalized,
leave-any-day tours for
individuals, friends and families, so much of the tour is likely to
consist of just the people you booked with. However, you may be part of a
larger group (up to 16) on excursions such as the Inca Trail, jungle
lodges or the Lake Titicaca Islands. Private options are available for these
sections as well at additional cost.
How do I meet the tour?
We'll meet you at the
airport and take you to the hotel, simple as that, at no extra
charge. It's no fun arriving in a foreign country and having to
make your way to your hotel on your own, being hassled and ripped
off by taxi drivers and all the other touts that are a fixture just
outside the airport doors. On a Southern Crossings tour, we'll have
one of our representatives there instead, with a big, bright placard
with your name on it and secure and reliable transport to your
hotel.
What is included in the tour?
If you check carefully,
you'll find we include more in your tour than most other companies,
whether it's something small like the Cuzco Visitor's Ticket or
something big like internal flights. The price of the tour always
includes transfer from (and back to) the airport on either end of
your trip, a bilingual Southern Crossings guide throughout your
trip, all internal transport including internal flights, all
accommodation, and excursions (including entrances) listed in the
What's included section of each trip's Trip itinerary and
details. We are particularly pleased to always include internal
flights and transfers in the basic price - just one of the things
that sets us apart from most other tour companies!
Will I be alright if I don't speak
Spanish?
Don't worry, you'll be fine
if you can't speak Spanish. While it might be helpful to know and
understand a few basic phrases (like bathroom or beer...), you will
be with qualified bilingual guides throughout your trip, and most
restaurants and hotels manage at least basic English.
How are the accommodations?
We stay in clean and
comfortable locally-run hotels (usually three stars level), which
most of our passengers say are nicer and cozier than they expected.
Accommodation is twin share with 24-hour hot water and private
bathrooms (except in the Amazon basin lodges, where there is not
always hot water). Please visit our
Accommodations
page for more info.
What's the weather like in Peru?
Depending on what time of the year your trip is and which tour
you choose, the climate varies. The rainy season is generally
from October to April, but rain is possible at any time of year,
especially in high mountains and cloud forest, and one should always
be prepared. The climate in sites we will visit is as follows:
Cuzco:
days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are cold
in Cuzco.
Lake Titicaca:
essentially the same as Cuzco, but a few degrees colder.
Lima:
warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain. Often
overcast.
Ica and Nazca:
similar to Lima but hotter and sunnier.
Inca Trail:
all ranges of weather from hot to possible snow and rain at higher
elevations. Most people trek in shorts or light pants (synthetic,
fast-drying fibers are preferable to cotton) and a t-shirt, and
carry a layer or two (thin fleece and micro-fibers are, again,
preferable to cotton), plus a poncho or other rain gear. There
are biting insects, so even in warm weather some people opt to
cover more skin with a long sleeve t-shirt and long pants.
Apurimac River/Rafting:
warm to hot days, chilly nights with possibility of rain. Rafting
gear/wet suits included in package.
Jungle:
hot and humid with frequent rain.
What's the weather like in Bolivia?
Rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high
mountains and on the Bolivian altiplano, and
one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will
visit is as follows:
La Paz,
Lake Titicaca, Tiwanaku, Potosi and Salar de Uyuni:
days are warm if sunny, chilly if cloudy. Nights are
cold in La Paz and can be extremely cold in Uyuni and Potosi.
Amazon basin:
hot and humid year-round. We recommend light clothing (in weight and
in color) that fully cover arms and legs to avoid mosquito bites.
Sucre: warm days, cool evenings
What do we do about water?
There
is safe bottled water available for sale in all towns, cities and
sites we will be visiting, normally costing around $1 per large
bottle. On trekking and other adventure sport excursions, water is
provided and boiled or purified.
What's to eat?
Anything you want! Some
tour companies include meals and add it on to the tour price, but we
find this to be a little too restrictive. While we can (and do)
suggest some great restaurants, and often dine with our passengers,
we recognize that different people have different tastes and
different budgets. So we allow you the opportunity to explore
this aspect of traveling on your own. Latin America offers a huge
variety of mouth-watering, and sometimes bizarre, cuisines to
sample. To be sure, burgers and pizza are available just about
everywhere, but how about fresh seafood ceviche from the Peruvian
coast, or your sister's childhood pet, guinea pig, a specialty in
the high Andes? There are also vegetarian options everywhere
and even vegetarian restaurants in most cities.
Will I need a passport or visa?
A passport valid for six
months beyond the date of the end of your trip is required for all
visitors to Peru. Please check with us whether your
nationality requires a visa for the country (countries) you will be
visiting.
What about the altitude?
Altitude affects everyone differently, and age and physical
fitness don't have much to do with it. Common symptoms are
lightheadedness, shortness of breath, headache and nausea. After a
day or two of acclimatization most people feel back to normal. The
best way to keep from feeling the altitude is to drink plenty of
water to stay hydrated and eat lightly when you first arrive in
Cuzco. If you feel strongly affected by the change of altitude,
there is medication (acetazolamide) that can be purchased
inexpensively in pharmacies in Lima, Cuzco and La Paz, though most don't
find these necessary. (Note that acetazolamide is a sulpha
drug.) Also, oxygen is available at our hotels if you are seriously
affected, and in serious cases we are able to evacuate the person to
a lower altitude.
How high are the places we're
visiting?
In Peru, you'll be flying into Lima, which is at sea level, then
normally moving on to Cuzco which is at an altitude of 11,150ft./3400m above
sea level. Nazca and the Amazon basin are both near sea level.
Dead Woman's Pass on the Inca Trail reaches an altitude of
13,860ft./4200m, and Lake Titicaca at just under 13,200ft./4000m.
Machu Picchu is a bit lower, at 7900ft./2400m.
In
Bolivia, La Paz, Tiwanaku, Lake Tititcaca, Potosi and Uyuni are all
over 11,000 ft., while Sucre is at about 8,000 ft. and the
rainforest is near seaq level.
Is
there a kitty or local payment?
No. Kitties and local payments are additional amounts of money
that some tour companies charge upon arrival at your destination.
We do not utilize either of these payment options, and the price
listed is always the total price of the tour.
What's the camping like?
Our trekking and camping experiences are extremely
well-supported, with cooks that prepare delicious meals and porters
or mule teams which carry most of the load and prepare our
campsites. Additionally, we always carry a dining and toilet tent
for the comfort of the group when facilities aren't available on the
trail.
Do I need to be an adventure sport guru for these trips?
Not at all. Our cultural tours definitely include walking, but
are not exhausting, and all of our trekking, biking and rafting
trips are designed for the average healthy person, with or without
experience in the specific sport.
How about vaccinations?
A
yellow fever vaccination and certificate are required to the Amazon
basin in Peru and Bolivia, and must be received at least 10 days before the date
of entry. Travelers should make sure standard vaccinations such as
tetanus are up to date, and may also want to consider vaccinations
for hepatitis and a malaria prophylaxis if traveling to the
rainforest. Please consult your physician or local health
department regarding these matters.
U.S.
citizens are also required to have a yellow fever vaccination to
enter any part of Bolivia, as part of the visa requirement.
Do I need travel insurance?
How do I get it?
Yes, you do need to have travel insurance for your Southern
Crossings tour. Just a basic travel medical insurance which includes
emergency evacuation is required, and we recommend going to
www.travelguard.com for a policy.
Can I spend my currency or will I need to change money?
Foreign currency is generally not accepted and one must change
cash or traveler's checks into local currency, or withdraw local
currency from ATM machines. Exchange houses are plentiful in all
towns and cities we will be visiting, and the U.S. dollar is the
easiest currency to change. It is highly recommended that you use
U.S. dollars for cash exchange, but euros and pounds are also
exchangeable in most places. ATM's with MasterCard, Visa, Cirrus,
and Star logos are in all major cities and dispense local currency
at a good exchange rate. If you bring traveler's checks, please
bring American Express or Visa!
LUGGAGE, PACKING
AND STORAGE
What do I need to
bring with me? How much should I bring?
Southern Crossings doesn't have specific regulations on how much
luggage you can bring with you. However, due to space limitations
and the fact that there will be some traveling from town to town,
we advise you not to pack too much. In general, one large bag and
one day pack should be sufficient. In our experience, light
packers are happy travelers!
Here is a basic list of what we recommend you bring with you. As
always, if you have any questions about something specific, feel
free to call or email us.
· Passport and, if necessary, visa
· Traveler’s checks and/or cash card
· Airline ticket
· Photocopies of airline ticket and documents (passport,
credit cards, etc.)
· Wearable pouch for documents and money
· Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase
· Smaller, comfortable day pack
· Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in
· Sandals or flip-flops
· Rain poncho or jacket
· Waterproof pants
· Sun hat
· Hat for cold weather
· Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)
· Scarf and gloves
· T-shirts
· Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments
· Towel and swimsuit for hot springs
· Camel-back or Nalgene bottle (optional)
· Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)
· Sunscreen
· Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)
· Lip balm
· Earplugs (optional)
· Alarm clock or watch
· Sanitizing hand wipes or gel
· Camera and film/digital memory cards
· Camera batteries
· Playing cards, games, reading material
· Prescription medications
· Toiletries
Note that common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such
toiletries as toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and
feminine hygiene items are available in Peru and Bolivia. It is best to bring
from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear and care, extra
large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera batteries. Also note
that most digital camera memory cards can be downloaded and burned
onto a CD in internet cafes in any large city.
Is
there storage for my extra luggage while I go on excursions?
Yes! You don't have to bring everything with you, unless
you're not coming back to the same hotel. All hotels where you
will be staying will have a deposit for luggage that you'd like to
leave. Additionally, there is luggage storage in the Lima airport.
Will I be able to do laundry during
the trip?
Our hotels provide laundry service, or if you want to save a
little money, there are easily accessibly laundry shops nearby our
hotels which charge on average $2/kilo ($1 a pound) for 24-hour
service. Note there is usually no laundry service in the
Amazon lodges.
Do
I need fancy clothes?
No, fancy clothes are by no means necessary. There are some
swanky spots in Lima and La Paz where you could get dressed up, but they'd let
you in if you weren't, and in most places the "dress code" is very,
very casual. Even very nice restaurants have a fairly casual dress
code, especially for foreign tourists.
Will my electrical appliances work?
Peru
runs on 220V, so you'll need an adapter if your country is 110.
Bolivia runs on 220 or 110, depending on the location. Note that many appliances and devices such as PC's are adaptable up
to 240V - check the specs
on the device.
Do
I need to bring my own sleeping bag or mat for hiking, biking or
rafting?
Nope. If you really dig your bag or your Thermarest, bring them,
but otherwise go ahead and save space when packing - we include
quality sleeping bags and foam mats on our treks.
TRAVELING IN SOUTH
AMERICA
How is the crime?
Due to a high level of poverty, there is such crime as pick
pocketing and purse/camera snatching, but violent, dangerous crime
is extremely low in almost all parts of South America. You should
take sensible precautions like nighttime taxis and be aware of your
belongings, but South America is certainly not a "dangerous" place.
As a matter of fact, Americans are in more danger commuting to work
every morning than on a tour of Latin America, or than living in
Latin America.
Can I spend extra time
somewhere?
Of course you can! We work with you personally to create your
ideal itinerary for your trip to Peru, and adding an extra day or
two in no hassle.
Can you suggest some things to do
if I have extra time?
We have a whole slew of suggestions! From places to visit, foods
to try or hidden gems of the city, we will work with you to plan any
free time you want to fill. Just email us or give us a call.
Is
it normal to tip in South America? How much?
Ten percent is a customary tip when at a restaurant or salon, 1
sol ($.30) per drink when at a bar.
It is not customary to tip taxi drivers.
For
your guides, we suggest $5-10 per person per day, assuming you are
pleased with the service.
On treks or
other sport activities, we offer a guideline below.
We
recommend US$10-$15 per person per day, to be divided amongst the
staff. If every group member on the trek follows this guideline, the
porters/horsemen, cooks and guides should all be happy. As a general
rule, porters/horsemen should end up receiving about $4 tip per
trekking day, cooks around $8-$12 and guides around $12-15.
Obviously this can vary with group size. And if the food is
spectacular, it's just fine to tip the cook and guide equally.
Remember there will be many more porters/mulemen than cooks and
guides. It is a good idea if one of the clients on the trek assumes
responsibility for collecting and distributing the tip.
How much money do you suggest I bring? Is it safe to carry a
normal purse/wallet?
We would suggest $50.00 a day, but this is the high end
of the scale. If you're just buying food and non-alcoholic drinks,
$20-30 will be fine, but add on more for alcohol or shopping.
We
recommend a money belt/pouch that can be worn under your clothes to
carry the majority of your money, or you can keep your extra money
and other valuables in the hotel safe. Purses are okay - many
travelers like to carry them - but they do very occasionally get
picked or snatched. Keep them zipped up and leave the valuable
stuff in the hotel. Wallets are best carried in front pockets,
if at all. Have your spending money easily accessible.
How
can I call home or use the internet?
To call home, our hotels can connect you, or if you want a
better rate, phone cards can be purchased in most small stores and
pharmacies in all cities. There are denominations of 5, 10 or 20
soles and these can be used to make international phone calls from
public pay phones. There are also many phone
centers, or places with individual, private cabins that
charge a variety of rates to call internationally.
Internet is everywhere, and on
just about every street corner you can find an Internet Cafe with a
good, fairly fast connection for about a dollar an hour.
How can friends and
family get a hold of me?
About a week before your trip, you will receive the list of
hotels where we will be staying and their telephone numbers, as well
as Southern Crossings' office and emergency cellular numbers.
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