ACCOMMODATION
Hotels on our South American Odyssey are generally of a 3* to 4* international standard. Each property generally has private bathrooms and air conditioning. Tea and coffee facilities are generally not available in your room, however many should be equipped with a mini bar and fridge. Please keep in mind that all levels of hotels can sometimes suffer from minor problems and technical difficulties (Electricity). At each hotel your Tour Leader will try to organise the rooming arrangements to suit everyone's requirements. If you are travelling as a couple please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of double beds.
TRANSPORT
The tour utilises flights, rail, coach travel, short boat journeys. Coach transportation will mainly consist of an air conditioned vehicle, however in Cusco, the coaches may not have air conditioning. The train journey to/from Machu Picchu will be on the Vistadome trains. These trains offer panoramic windows for unsurpassed views and have toilets on board. Hot and Cold refreshments are included in this journey.
MEALS
Some meals are included in your package throughout South America. Breakfast are Buffet style in the hotel while lunches and dinners will primarily be taken at good quality local restaurants. In most cases a mixture of local and international cuisine is offered to suit the tastes of the majority of people, including specialties of each country such as the Brazilian ‘churrascaria’. All beverages will be at your own expense.
WATER
It is not recommended that you drink the local tap water however bottled water and carbonated soft drinks are widely available. Most hotels do not provide free water so you need to ensure you have an adequate supply for each night.
SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Vegetarians – In most cases vegetarian dishes can be easily arranged. Please ensure you advise us if you are a vegetarian so that appropriate arrangements can be made. It is also a good idea to reiterate this with your national guide upon arrival. Food Allergies - If you have food allergies or preferences, please make them known to your Tour Leader who will do their best to ensure that your requirements are met in advance. Please note: Unfortunately we can give no guarantee that special dietary requirements can always be met.
HAGGLING
Bartering is expected in markets. As a general rule, respond with an offer of 40% of what the seller asked for and negotiate from there. In all cases please remember that this process is a bit of fun and should be undertaken with a generous dose of humour and patience, resulting in both parties reaching a mutually beneficial outcome.
PHARMACEUTICAL GOODS
It is recommended that you take any pharmaceutical products that you may require on your tour. This could include items such as sleeping pills, tablets to relieve stomach upsets, headaches, motion sickness and any other medication that you usually take. For any prescribed medication we strongly recommend that you have a letter from your doctor.
TIPPING
It is customary to show your appreciation of good service towards your guides and drivers as they will appreciate a small gratuity in return for a job well done. Exact confirmation of the recommended tipping amount will be included in your final documents. Tipping is very much a standard feature in South America. Because of the complexities and differences of the countries featured on this tour and the various tipping customs, we have pre allocated a sum of US$6 per person per day to be given to the Australian Tour Leader upon arrival. They will then tip the required amounts on your behalf throughout the course of the tour. You may want to consider additional discretionary tipping for hotel staff and any services undertaken outside the tour program.
ENTRANCE FEES
Entrance fees for included attractions listed in the itinerary are included in the price of your tour. However, you may be offered extra sightseeing that is not included on the itinerary. Participation in this is at the discretion of the customer and is not part of your tour.
WHAT TO WEAR
Casual dress has become more acceptable, but most South Americans still take pride in their personal appearance, especially in the evening. Visitors should be clean and neatly dressed at all times.
PHOTOGRAPHY
You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no. Often people will ask for money in return for a photo so you should carry a supply of small notes if you intend on taking lots of 'people' shots. Some tourist sites charge additional fees for tourists with cameras. You are unable to take photographs of any military institutions, personnel or ‘security sensitive’ areas like police stations. In many churches flash photography is not allowed. Your guide will indicate when you cannot take photographs. Ensure you have enough memory for your cameras!
SAFETY & SECURITY
Most people find that South America is a very friendly and hospitable destination to visit and feel quite comfortable wandering around its colourful streets. However, as with any area you are not familiar with, it is recommended that you exercise more caution at night. Carry your passports with you rather than leave them in your luggage or alternatively keep them locked in safes where provided.
VISAS
Chile: A visa is not required for Australians travelling to Chile; however a reciprocity fee of USD 61 payable in USD cash (credit cards payments are also accepted) upon arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt, which is usually stapled to the back of your passport is regarded as a multiple entry visa and is valid for 3 months. A valid passport is required.
Brazil: A visa is required for travel to Brazil and this cost is included in the tour packages for Australian Passport holders.
EMBARKATION/DEPARTURE TAXES
All countries visited on this tour also have arrival and/or departure taxes that cannot be prepaid for international and domestic flight sectors, payable in each country. A summary of these approximate amounts is listed below;
Chile:
Santiago to Puerto Mont domestic flight 10 USD
Santiago to Sydney 30 USD
Argentina:
Ushuaia to Buenos Aires nil
Buenos Aires to Iguassu domestic flights nil
Peru:
Lima to Cusco 6.05 USD
Bolivia:
La Paz to Santiago 24.00USD
Please ensure you have the correct amount in USD on hand at each gateway for ease of departure.
LUGGAGE & INCIDENTAL ITEMS
On all tours, passengers are limited to 1 suitcase per person, weighing no more than 20kg and 1 piece of hand luggage under 7kg. A camera, fold up umbrella, torch, insect repellent and sun block are recommended. Tour members may also bring an overnight bag to be used on side trips.
INSURANCE & HEALTH
Comprehensive Travel Insurance is compulsory. If you have chosen to decline the insurance offered by your agent or Wendy Wu Tours please ensure you have arranged the appropriate cover for your holiday, as overseas medical costs are expensive and Medicare and Australian private health insurance will not cover you outside of Australia. If you are taking out travel insurance with your credit card company, you need to investigate the policy’s inclusions and conditions fully. You should receive a policy no, an international access phone no to contact them in an emergency and a copy of full conditions. If you are concerned, please call our office to ensure that you are receiving the coverage needed.
Health: Brazil, Peru and Bolivia are listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. As such you will need to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate to Australian Customs officials on entry back into Australia. We strongly advise that you consult your doctor or contact the Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre in your capital city as multiple inoculations will be required at least 6 weeks prior to departure.
Mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever, as well as other insect-borne diseases have high occurrences in these countries. Because of this, we strongly encourage all passengers to take necessary measures to avoid insect bites, including using insect repellent at all times. Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, tuberculosis and rabies) are also prevalent. You should also check the latest Travel Advice and Health Alerts for all the countries being visited at www.smartraveller.gov.au for up to the minute information. staff are not qualified to make any sort of recommendations in this regard.
MONEY
In order to make the exchange process easier across all countries we highly recommend that you only take US currency. This way you can easily exchange the amounts you deem necessary into local currency at banks and ‘casas de cambio’ (currency exchange houses). We recommend that you have access to more than one source of money while travelling and suggest bringing a combination of cash, a credit card and some traveller’s cheques to give you the most flexibility and security.
Argentina:
Local Currency – Argentine Peso.
The exchange rate is US $1=AR 3.80
Brazil:
Local Currency – Reais. The exchange rate is US $1 = BR 1.90
Peru:
Local Currency – Nuevos Soles.
The exchange rate is US $1 = PE 3.03