What should I do if I lose my passport? Get in touch with our local representatives and your Embassy as soon as you can, and they will help you. Always take photocopies of your passport with you when travelling. Saving a scanned copy of your passport in a secure email is also a great way to be able to access your passport details should …
What do I do if I’m on holiday and get sick? Please consult your travel information and contact our local representative. They will be able to advise you etc, and help you find medical attention if required. Most common complaints such as upset stomachs can be resolved swiftly. If it is an emergency please go to the nearest local hospital. Carry your travel insurance documents with …
What do I do if I’m on holiday and not happy with something? In the first instance call our local partner/representative as they will be able to respond much more quickly and actively than we can. If the matter is not urgent you can email us too. If the local representative cannot help, or you cannot locate them, or you wish to speak to us directly, or the matter is …
Which currency will I need in South America? Take some US dollar cash with you, as this is a good back-up currency in South America if you run out of local currency. Most countries and cities have plenty of ATMs for you to withdraw the local currency. Let your bank know where and when you are travelling to avoid your card potentially being blocked. …
How will I meet local agents? / How do I join up with my group? If you have booked transfers with us, you are met at airports/bus stations and taken to your hotel. This may be a driver only, or with the guide. If it’s driver only then you will meet your guide at your hotel or when your tour begins. These details are set out in your travel information …
Travelling safely in South America? Please read our guide to keeping safe, fit and well while travelling. Some of our tours involve travel in remote, mountainous regions, at high altitudes, where amenities and medical facilities are few and far between. South America is a largely under developed continent where standards of quality, safety and hygiene are not as high as in …
What happens if I need to cancel? If you wish to cancel you must do so in writing and the following percentages will be charged based on the date of receipt in writing, by letter or by email. Cancellation charges for standard tours (not including Galapagos, cruises, flights, all-inclusives):: Up to balance due date, usually 8 or 9 weeks before departure – …
What do I get (paper work) before I go? We email you invoices and confirmations as the booking progresses. We also send detailed country information, fact sheets, kit lists etc, so you are fully prepared. Once your balance has been paid, some 2-3 weeks before your departure, we email you your ‘Travel Information’. This is a word document that lists all the timings for …
Pricing – Does it change? We work in USD and GBP sterling. We set our prices in USD and these do not change once a trip has been agreed (with the caveat below). The GBP sterling price (and any other currency we quote in) may change if the currency fluctuates (this can mean a price decrease or increase). We reserve …
What are the timings of payments? To book a tour we require a non-refundable deposit (usually 30%). The balance of your trip price is due eight weeks prior to departure (120 days for Galapagos, cruises and some all inclusives).
How do I make payments? We accept card payments (including American Express) and in GBP sterling and USD. Card details are taken over the phone or through secure payment links (please ask). All card details are then destroyed, for your protection. We can also accept bank transfers for payments in GBP, USD and a large range of other currencies.
Have I got any payment protection? There are several forms of payment protection available to you. Some holidays are ATOL protected – see above. If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account. We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails …
What is ATOL protection and is my holiday protected? All our flight inclusive holidays are covered by ATOL. For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, …
Do I need a travel insurance? All customers must be fully insured for the duration of their tour. Customers are responsible for arranging their own insurance, which must cover medical expenses, injury, death, rescue, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. Customers must provide Andean Trails Ltd. with insurers’ name, policy number and 24-hour emergency telephone number in case there is a need to …
How much luggage can I take? Most international airlines offer one piece of hand luggage up to 10kg and one piece of cabin luggage of 20-23kg in economy class. Internal flights in South America generally offer one piece of hand luggage up to 10kg and one piece of cabin luggage of 20kg in economy class but these can vary, especially in Argentina …
Help flying via USA (ESTA form) The United States (USA) has an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) which all travellers to and via the USA must complete BEFORE travel to/via its airports and shores. More information can be found here: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ Passengers who have not completed the form will be denied boarding. Before you begin this application, make sure that you …
How do I check in? Depending on the airline, we can reserve some seats for you at the time of booking your international flights with us. If we cannot reserve seats at the time of booking, you have to wait for online check in to open (usually 24-72 hours before departure). To check in online you will need to go …
Where are my flight tickets? Almost all flight tickets are now e-tickets. Any that are not will be handed to you on arrival in South America (this is most common for flights to the Galapagos Islands and on smaller planes in Amazon areas such as Guyana/Bolivia). The Travel Information document we send you some 2-3 weeks before departure will list …
Can you help with flights? Andean Trails can book all your international and domestic flights for this trip and for UK passengers, we have full ATOL bonding and can book flights with most airlines. Check our Flight Information page for more information about flying in and around South America. Please contact us for flight advice especially if you do make a connection on the same day. …
Which flights do I need, how do I get there? Andean Trails can book all your international and domestic flights for your trip. We have full ATOL bonding (UK passengers). Typically, you fly to a country’s capital city and then overnight there or make a connecting flight (if available) to your next destination. Check our Flight Information page for more information about flying in and around South America. …
