Andean Footsteps
Local Tour Payment: USD1040 per person
LP is part of your overall trip payment and is the most cost effective and practical way to get hard currency to South America to pay for a variety of your day to day local costs (i.e. all meals prepared by the group, campsite fees, gas, and certain activities listed on the trip page) which cannot be pre-paid from outside South America. It is a guaranteed amount, set before your trip departs, and unlike 'group kitty' systems we will not ask you to contribute more once the trip is underway.
Please note: Your LP is payable to your Tour Leader on the morning of departure in US$ Dollars CASH ONLY. Make sure that all your notes are in good condition. Old, torn or marked notes are often refused by the banks and we will therefore be unable to accept them either. Please do not bring all of your Local Payment in US$100 notes and also make sure that they are post 1996 and not of a serial number starting with CB.
**Please refer to the OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES PAGE for a more comprehensive list of optional activities.
There
are times when we will have some long drives, be prepared to cover large
distances. Most evenings we will stop and find a bush camp and you and your
tent partner will put up your tent, and then give a hand with the duty you will
be rostered for, getting out the tables and stools or maybe the cook tent and
water containers. Some may help collect firewood or take the stored firewood
from the truck. The fire grates or gas stove need to be taken out, and lit and
someone can fill the kettle and put it on for some hot drinks while the cooks
prepare the evening meal.
We
usually cook in groups of 2 to 4 in a rota system and you can expect to cook about
once every 10 to 20 days, depending on group size. At breakfast everyone helps
themselves. Usually cereal, toast and coffee (occasionally
we
may have a fried breakfast). When we stay in a hotel, breakfast is sometimes
provided. Lunch is cold and the cooking crew will put out bread, tinned food
and maybe make a salad. In the evening the cooks come into their own and this
is your chance to impress or flop! Don't worry your tour leader and other
members of the group will always help and advise. We also have some quite long
breaks (2 to 6 days at a time) where we are in one place, with no driving. At
these places most people prefer to eat out, so we often don't cook all meals -
this enables you to get out and try the local cuisine! You will get a chance to shower most nights
on the trip, but not all campsites on the trip will have hot showers.
Camping / Accommodation
Camping - You are provided with tents for those nights you will be camping. You spend some nights bush or desert camping and the rest of the time in campsites. Facilities and standards at campsites vary, some are well equipped and managed and some are very basic. At bush camps you will be living off the truck, so there will be no showers or en-suite facilities. At certain campsites there is the opportunity to upgrade to a private room at your own expense if you are missing your bed.
Simple Hotels/Hostels - At some locations you will stay at small locally owned hostels/hotels. These are usually basic places, and often the accommodation will be mixed sex dormitory style. Upgrades may be available on arrival, but cannot be reliably pre- booked. Please be aware that the quality of accommodation can vary quite a lot from area to area and sometimes in a small hotel the standard of rooms can vary even from one room to the next - so there needs to be a level of understanding within the group that your oasis crew does not often have power over room allocation or services provided by various hotels and it is unavoidable that they have to rely on the local staff.
Participation
Participation
is essential. A successful and smooth tour depends very much on
everyone taking part in the duties that arise i.e. cooking, vehicle
cleaning and food shopping. With this in mind your crew will organize
groups on a rotating roster. The most successful tours are those where
everyone becomes involved as much as possible. These are not luxury
tours, so join in! In the end the more you put in the more you get out.
Spending Money
From past trips and traveler feedback US$150 to US$200 per week should cover costs such visas, some meals out (on average 50% of meals on the trip are supplied), soft drinks and beers, email & communications, souvenirs and other general spending. Personal spending habits & budgets differ greatly from person to person. Budget on optional activities separately (see optional excursions page) & allow extra for your Local Payment contribution. There is often a departure tax payable in the airport, so allow up to US$50 for this.
As a general rule it is best to bring your money as 2/3rds US$ cash & 1/3rd in US$ or £GB Travellers Cheques (TC's). Euros are also becoming more widely accepted. US dollars dated pre-1996, old or damaged notes and serial numbers starting CB are not accepted in South America, so please ensure your notes are dated 1997 onward & Scottish pounds are also not accepted. Ensure when buying US Dollars before you travel, ask for clean notes with no tears or markings. It can be difficult using US$100 bills in Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia so if possible, bring US$50 bills for these countries.
Visa's need to be paid for in US$ CASH ONLY!
Travellers Cheques (TC's) - can attract 2 to 8 % commission. The use of TC's overseas can be frustrating but at the same time worthwhile as they can be replaced in an incidence of loss or theft.
Credit & Debit Cards - a combination of several types are suggested as not all types are accepted in all places. Visa & Maestro are best, MasterCard has limited access through parts of South America. Over the counter cash advances can be expensive, time consuming and should not be relied upon - you will be given local currency and NOT US$ or £GB. We recommend that you inform your bank that you will be using your card abroad to avoid it being blocked. Please see the optional excursions page for activities that can be paid for using a Credit or Debit Card.
ATM's - In some destinations we probably won't even see a bank or ATM for days on end. www.visa.com or www.mastercard.com can give a general idea of locations of ATM's around the world - but please do not rely on this means alone to obtain local cash, please only use as a guide - things change, and ATM's don't always work!
Besides memorising your PIN, it is also important to be aware of your daily withdrawal limit and bank withdrawal costs.
Group Size
It is a maximum of 23 passengers in South America.
Your crew
There are usually two crew whose duties are extensive
and quite demanding, with challenges
ranging from driving and maintaining the expedition vehicle to a very
high standard, to organising visas and border crossings, accommodation,
pre-booking some excursions and guides, helping with shopping and cooking as
well as finding the best deals, keeping up with the party animals and making
sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.
Adventure travel - is not an exact science. The very unpredictability, which makes it
such a rewarding experience, means occasionally we must amend our itineraries
to take into account changing local circumstances. In such situations we’ll always try to
minimise any disruption, but you need to bear in mind that from time to time events
occur outside our control. While our
crew are experienced and knowledgeable of the countries through which we travel
they are not tour guides as such. In
some places we visit, experienced local guides will be available.
You depart from: Majestic Hotel in Quito and the La Casa Roja in Santiago.
Hotel Majestic:
Mercadillo 366 y Versailles
Tel: 593 2 2543 182
Fax: 593 2 2504207
www.majesticquito.com
Single Room = GBP11.00 per room
Double / Twin Room = GBP14.00 per room
Triple Room = GBP21.00 per room
Share = GBP10.50 per person
La Casa Roja:
Agustinas
2113
Tel: (562) 6964241
Email: info@lacasaroja.tie.cl
www.lacasaroja.cl
Dorm Room = GBP9.00
Double / Twin Room = GBP20.00
Triple Room = GBP30.00
Room with private Bath: GBP25.00
*Prices are subject to change
La Casa Roja is about 30 mins to the centre of Santiago.
A taxi should cost you about US $25.
Black and yellow taxis are abundant and have meters. Most other cabs are
private without meters so you will have to settle on a price before you enter
the cab. You can ask at the airport
information desk about taxis. Alternatively you can take a Shuttle bus direct to La Casa Roja (see below)
that cost US $10 per person. The hostel
only recommends "Turtrans" or "Trans Vip" and you can book
these at the desk before customs, mentioning La Casa Roja – they take you right
to the hostel door.
Please bring 2 photocopies of your passport details page to give to your tour leader. You'll need at least six blank pages in your passport, which must be valid for at least 9 months from your departure date. If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport.
Visas - Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the relevant visas that you require. If you have any doubts regarding visa requirements, please contact us or your Travel Agent. Most visas must be used within three months from their date of issue. At present, nationalities of UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada do not require visas for Ecuador, Peru, Argentina or Chile.
Bolivia - At present nationalities of UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada do not require a visa. South Africans do require one – we recommend obtaining this before you start the trip, see the website of the Bolivian Embassy in London: www.embassyofbolivia.co.uk.
For information on the location of your nearest embassy or consulate we recommend the following website: yahoo.com/Government/Embassies_and_Consulates/ . For current updates on visa information you can try the website www.visaproject.com
The Inca Trail is INCLUDED in the cost of trekking to Machu Picchu in ALL trips that visit Peru. There are 3 routes offered - Classic, Lares, and Salkantay - (subject to season and availability), all accompanied by knowledgeable guides and porters. Our first choice trek is the Classic trail. As availability is limited we will move quickly after booking to obtain you a permit where possible. When the Classic trail is not available, we will arrange the Lares trail at no extra charge (subject to minimum 2 people). If you wish to trek either the Lares or Salkantay by choice, you must let us know at the time of booking, and an additional fee may be payable. All of the treks visit Machu Picchu for the day.
Train Only
For those who don't fancy trekking at all, there is the option of taking the train to Aguas Calientes, staying overnight in a simple hotel, and heading up to nearby Machu Picchu the next day. This option gives you an extra two nights in Cusco, where we will provide accommodation.