After looking through our website and deciding more or less what destination and type of vacation you feel would suit you best, you may contact us. Take note of the fact that the more detailed your request is, the more detailed our response will be. You can contact us by phone at:
(International Line) +1 512 592 3877
(USA &Canada Toll-free) 1 877 275 4957
After sending in your request, a member of our highly trained Sales team will contact you, usually within 24 hours, with a detailed preliminary itinerary. From this point onwards you will work hand in hand with your respective SAAT Travel Specialist, via email and/or telephone, working towards creating a South American vacation package that suits your every need and desire. Please note that you may go back and forth with your Travel Specialist as many times as it takes for you to feel comfortable and happy with your prospective vacation. Once you are satisfied with what you and your Travel Specialist have put together we will proceed to book your tour and arrange payment.
Customizable Itinerary' means that we are able to design your tour in accordance with your wishes. Apart from all of our ready-made tours located on the website, you can mix and match the dates, locations, and excursions to create, or 'tailor-make', the ideal tour that suits your wishes. We build the tour to your specifications.
Standard service, sometimes referred to as 'group', is used to denote tours that travel in the smallest groups available.Premium service, sometimes referred to as 'private', is used to denote tours that include private guides and private transportation.
This really depends on the person. Clients are advised to bring as much money with them as they feel comfortable with carrying. SAAT tours are generally fully inclusive, and extra money is only really needed for the occasional meal - where SAAT has left this out of the itinerary to give you more dining options - and of course for souvenirs and trinkets. Tips are not included within the overall price of the tour and should you wish to tip you're advised to bring a little extra cash.
You can of course bring both credit cards and debit cards. When shopping and paying for meals not included within your package, you are advised to pay with cash. Many restaurants across South America have Visa and MasterCard capabilities and welcome you to pay for your meal with a credit card. Credit/Debit cards should otherwise only be used to withdraw money. ATMs are widely distributed throughout most Latin American countries and are a quick and easy way to get cash.
U.S. dollars are widely accepted in most locations and currency exchange bureaus are easy to find. Travelers Checks tend to receive much lower exchange rates than U.S. Dollars, meaning you lose money in the exchange. In many destinations in Latin America one may also find that many people and exchange centers are unwilling to change Travelers Checks.
Tips are not included in the price of the package. If you do wish to leave a tip with anyone, you are generally encouraged to tip according to how well you feel you were served.
Vaccination requirements differ from country to country and it is important to make sure you know what the necessary vaccination requirements of a destination are before traveling there. Below follows a list of vaccination requirements for each of the SAAT destinations.
One does not need to be vaccinated in order to enter Peru and travel around the country - unless you are traveling into the jungle, in which case you will need to be vaccinated against yellow fever. If you plan on visiting the Peruvian jungle it is advisable to get vaccinated against Yellow Fever in your home country rather than getting the vaccination in Lima prior to your Amazon Adventure.
After looking through our website and deciding more or less what destination and type of vacation you feel would suit you best, you may contact us. Take note of the fact that the more detailed your request is, the more detailed our response will be. You may also contact us over the phone at - (US Canada Toll Free) - 1 877 240 4770 (UK Free Phone) - 44 207 096 1259 (International Line) - 001 512 535 2536
Medics often advise people to get immunized against polio, hepatitis, tetanus, and typhoid, although this is not obligatory. When traveling to regions of the Amazon and Center West or if you are entering Brazil from a bordering country with an Amazon territory - proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever is required. A Poliomyelitis vaccination is required for children from 3 months to 6 years old in order for them to enter.
There are no vaccination requirements for entering the country unless you are traveling from an infected area (and this implies Yellow Fever). So-called infected areas include countries that have Amazon. If traveling to the Bolivian Amazon one needs to be inoculated against Yellow Fever in order to enter.
There are no vaccination requirements for Chile, although some medics may suggest you get vaccinated against polio, hepatitis, tetanus, and typhoid.
There are no vaccination requirements for Argentina, although some medics may suggest you get vaccinated against polio, hepatitis, tetanus, and typhoid.
Altitude sickness is a common problem for visitors to areas of Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Coca tea is easily available in Peru and Bolivia and can help rid oneself of the feelings of nausea associated with Altitude sickness - although this does not work for everyone. Diamox is commonly used by visitors from the US and is a recommended product to use as are Sorochi or Grovol, both of which can be purchased over-the-counter upon arrival in most airports. We also recommend eating light meals when you first arrive in a high altitude area and avoid strenuous physical activities until you are acclimatized.
People often wonder whether it is advisable to take their babies and young children to high altitude areas. Young children however, appear to suffer from the effects of altitude sickness far less than adults.
The type of clothes you need to bring obviously depend on the type of vacation you are about to embark upon and the destinations you will be traveling to. Seasons will also dictate the warmth of the clothes you bring (remember that southern hemisphere countries experience the inverse of seasons in the north).
If traveling to the Andes you can expect high temperatures during the day and cold ones at night. When traveling in this region remember to dress in layers which can be easily stripped off or added depending on the temperature and the time of day. A number of fine quality alpaca and llama woolen goods are available in the region and are fantastic for keeping warm at night. Travelers often choose to leave warm clothing at home so as to have enough luggage space for the warm clothes they intend to buy in the Andes.
The rainforest has a rather wet climate and if you intend to travel to the Amazon be sure you pack a raincoat and some insulated hiking boots. Brazilian beaches necessitate shorts and flip-flops while Patagonia requires heavy winter jackets and thermal underwear. Adventure hikes such as the Inca Trail require a pair of proper hiking boots and a small backpack.
One should generally bring the type of luggage one feels most comfortable with carrying. If you plan on doing the Inca Trail it is probably a good idea to bring a back pack. Keep in mind that there are many cobblestone streets in Latin America and luggage with wheels can, at times, be cumbersome and difficult to maneuver. Remember to pack a small day pack with you in which to keep your valuables. If possible it is highly recommended that one brings a strap on money-belt with which one can keep their cash, cards, and passport on them at all times.
All of our tours run very smoothly and in the very unlikely event that a problem does arise, SAAT has a 24-hour hotline in each country it operates within. These numbers are given to all clients prior to their trip - and should any difficulty arise during their holiday they are free to call us at anytime.
Safety is fundamental to the success of any trip and staying alert, not taking unnecessary risks, and simply using your head are the best ways to prevent an unwanted situation. That said there are still some things to keep in mind while traveling. Avoid petty theft and pickpockets by not interacting with strangers who seem suspiciously friendly or pushy, as well as anyone trying to get your attention while you are carrying bags or equipment.
In all dealings with the police be formal and polite. Always carry your passport or at least a photocopy when walking around a town or city. In some circumstances, a policeman may suggest (possibly in an intimidating manner) that a situation could be resolved by making a payment. The options you have are either to pretend not to understand and hope the policeman will give up, or hand over whatever he asks so that he will or will not take a particular action.
We do not provide travel insurance. We do however suggest that you purchase travel insurance to cover you during your travel, particularly for your own peace of mind. We recommend www.travelguard.com which covers international flights and gives an entire health care package.
International flights are not included in the overall price of SAAT packages. We can however, and often do, arrange International flights for our clients. Many clients however prefer to arrange their international flights online from an agency such as www.expedia.com.
Almost all of our tour packages include domestic transport. Refer to each specific example tour in order to verify whether Domestic Transportation is included. South American Adventure Travel strives to offer only the most comfortable domestic transport in each of the countries it operates within and where flights, private vehicles, buses, and trains are included within a SAAT package - only the very best is provided.
Airport taxes are generally not included within the price of the package as airports usually require passengers to pay in person.
Peru Airport Taxes Upon departing any airport in Peru one has to pay a departure tax. This has to be done in person and cannot be prearranged with a tour company or airline. The tax for international flights leaving Peru is ~US$ 30, and the tax for domestic flights is ~US$ 6. These prices are subjected to change.
Brazil Airport Taxes
The tax for international flights leaving Brazil is ~US$ 36, and the tax for domestic flights is ~US$ 7. These prices are subjected to change.
Argentina Airport Taxes
The tax for international flights leaving Argentina is ~US$ 18, and the tax for domestic flights is ~US$ 8. These prices are subjected to change.
Chile Airport Taxes
The tax for international flights leaving Chile is ~US$ 18, and the tax for domestic flights is usually included within the price of the ticket. These prices are subjected to change.
Bolivia Airport Taxes
The tax for international flights leaving Bolivia is ~US$ 25, and the tax for domestic flights is ~US$ 2. These prices are subjected to change.