The information on this page is to help answer some of your preliminary
questions; you will also find this information in your detailed itinerary of
your trip. If you have queries on matters that are not covered by our
pre-departure information, please feel free to contact us, or your travel agent.
Pre-departure Itineraries
Our pre-departure itineraries contain information
regarding day by day activities, flights information, meal plan, accommodation,
inclusions and much more.
Visae
Australian passport holders do not require visae
to enter most of the Latin American countries, with the exception of Brazil and
Cuba. It is however, the travel agent’s and the client’s responsibility to find
out if they need visae for some of these countries when traveling with more than
one passport. Eg, people with dual nationality.
Vaccinations
Please check with your family doctor or vaccinations clinics the inoculations
required according to your trip for specific advice. As a quick guideline
though, you should consider vaccinations against: Typhoid, Tetanus, Yellow
Fever, Polio, Hepatitis and if you are venturing into the jungle we also
strongly recommend that you take a supply of Malaria Tablets.
Existing Medical
Conditions
All clients joining our tours are assumed to be in good health and
have a sufficient level of fitness to complete their chosen itinerary. It is
very important that any illness, disability or medical condition from which you
suffer or are recovering, be brought to our attention at the time of booking.
Your travel insurance company will also require details. We reserve the right to
request a medical certificate. If accepted on to the tour, you must make your
condition known to us.
We reserve the right to turn away, without recompense,
any person who is found, at any time during their tour, to have concealed an
existing medical condition. We also reserve the right to turn away any person
who we consider incapable of completing the tour. If you are taking any
medication, please make sure that you bring an adequate supply to last the
duration of your holiday and please inform our local tour operator at the start
of the tour. You might not be able to obtain suitable medication in the
countries visited. You should also bring along a letter from your doctor stating
that you require a certain medication.
Altitude Sickness
This is something that
anyone can suffer on first arriving at high altitude (anything over 3,000
metres). The cause is the thin air. The symptoms are: severe headache, loose
bowels, shortage of breath, insomnia, dizziness and maybe even nausea. To combat
this, it is advisable to rest for a few hours, avoid alcohol, smoking and big
meals, just generally take things easy for at least the first 24 hours and drink
plenty of water, as altitude sickness causes dehydration. This is particularly
relevant to anyone flying from sea level to join one of our tours in Quito,
Cuzco, Juliaca (Lake Titicaca) or La Paz. It can also affect some people when we
travel to higher altitudes by land, so take things easy whenever possible. There
are drugs which can help alleviate the effects, please contact your doctor for
professional advice.
Tipping
Tipping is customary in many of the countries
featured in this brochure, where salaries are very low. You will find that in
some countries, eg Mexico, tipping is almost obligatory. To avoid embarrassing
situations always ask your local guides about tipping.
Insurance
It is a
condition of joining our tours that you are fully insured for all medical
expenses while traveling. You can obtain a suitable insurance either with Travel
Projects or through your travel agent at the time of booking.
Age Limits
Over
the years we have found that our tours are best suited to clients between the
ages of 18-70. Obviously the content of each tour is different and some will be
better suited to the younger end of this age range, whilst those tours with
first class hotels and without much physical requirement will usually suit all
ages. Should you want to know if an specific itinerary in this brochure is
suited to you, please contact us or your travel agent.
How to work out your
budget
Because our tours cover a wide range of countries and categories it is
practically impossible to state exactly how much money you will need to bring
with you. As a guideline though, you should bear in mind the following:
Tipping: Assuming you stay in tourist class hotels and eat in middle of the range
restaurants, tipping is normally 10% of your bills (AUD $52 p/pers, per week for
restaurants and AUD $50 per room, per week for maids and porters in hotels).
Meals: Same assumption as above. In the detailed itinerary you will find details
of which meals are included in your tour, in most of the cases breakfasts are
included with some exceptions. In budgeting for those meals which are not
included we suggest you allow between US$5 – US$7 per person, per meal.
Obviously it is possible to eat for less in most places.
Drinks: nor soft drinks or alcohol are included in our tour prices. You will find that
in most places such items are cheaper than at home.
Visae & Taxes
Please check
with us or your travel agent to make sure you are prepared for any visae and
local taxes you are expected to pay.
Extra Services
If you are planning to
arrive before the starting date of your tour, we can arrange hotel accommodation
and transfers for you. If you are traveling alone, you must be prepared to pay
the single supplement from any accommodation.
When you’ve finished your tour
We
would like to know what you thought! Obviously, we are concerned that everybody
should get the most from their holiday. Customer feedback is very important to
us, both to help maintain standards and to spot any potential trouble areas. So
your written comments will be more than welcome once you are back home.
Special
Interest Groups
Travel Projects is well organized to operate private groups and
arrange special requests. We would be delighted to provide you with a quote for
your requirements, whether you would like us to arrange a specific itinerary or
suggest a route within your preferred region. In the past we have organized
successful trips for dance schools, music groups, sporting groups and special
interest groups to Latin America.
