Journey Across South America 19 Days | Lima to Rio De Janeiro

TRIP NOTES

Journey Across South America 19 Days | Lima to Rio de Janeiro

Cross the width of South America islands in Peru and the Isla del Sol in services of specialist local guides as per from the Pacific to the Atlantic Bolivia itinerary • • coast on this 19 day group tour from Corcovado Mountain – enjoy stunning Guided tour of Sugarloaf and Corcovado views of Rio de Janeiro and see the Mountain, Iguazu Falls and Machu Picchu Lima to Rio de Janeiro. Marvel at famous Christ the Redeemer statue from • Guided sightseeing in Lima, Cusco, legendary Machu Picchu, cruise the peak Sacred Valley, La Paz and Rio de Janeiro to the islands of Lake Titicaca and • La Paz – visit the spooky Witches Market • Boat excursions to Sun Island and the ride to the summit of Corcovado and tour highlights of the city including Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca Mountain. Browse the famous the Government Palace and the Cathedral • What's Not Included Witches Market in La Paz and The Sacred Valley – discover the famous Inca ruins at Pisac and the imposing • International flights and visas admire the thundering Iguazu Falls. fortress of Ollantaytambo • Items of a personal nature, additional • Lima – walk around the colonial centre meals and drinks HIGHLIGHTS AND INCLUSIONS of the City of Kings on a guided tour of • Tipping – an entirely personal gesture Peru’s capital city Trip Highlights • Asuncion – explore the capital of DETAILED ITINERARY • Machu Picchu – marvel at the legendary Paraguay independently and admire the Lost City of the Incas which was hidden contrast between old and new Day 1 : Lima from the world for hundreds of years What's Included Wednesday. Welcome to Peru and the start • Rio de Janeiro – stroll down Copacabana of your South American adventure! Those • Beach and enjoy a city tour including a 18 breakfasts passengers arriving on an international flight • cable car ride to the summit of Sugarloaf 14 nights 3 star hotels, 3 nights 4 star today will be met at the airport and escorted Mountain hotels and 1 night simple lodge to the group hotel. • Iguazu Falls – admire the thundering falls • 3 economy flights: Lima - Cusco, La Paz - at the border between Argentina and Asuncion, Foz do Iguacu - Rio de Janeiro The City of Kings was once the capital Brazil then opt for a boat ride • Return train from Cusco to Aguas of Spanish America, and the remnants of • Cusco – see highlights of the Incan Calientes (Machu Picchu) its glorious past can still be seen in the capital on a guided tour including • Arrival and departure transfers on days 1 faded grandeur of the colonial churches and the bustling Plaza de Armas and and 19 splendid, traditional wooden balconies in the Sacsayhuaman • Transfers and transportation in private air- city centre. The explosive growth of the last • Lake Titicaca – cruise on the highest conditioned vehicles 50 years, so typical of capital cities in the navigable lake in the world to the Uros • Escorted by an experienced English- developing world, has transformed Lima into speaking local tour leader, with the a bustling and chaotic low-rise city of over 6 million people. Away from the busy centre,

Journey Across South America - 19 Days updated on 29-09-2021 01:58:19 www.onthegotours.com This information has been compiled with care and good faith. They give an accurate illustration of the proposed arrangements for this holiday. Circumstances beyond our control such as changes in local conditions, inclement weather or other reasons could force us to make changes to UK 020 7371 1113 [email protected] this itinerary. Any costs shown are subject to change, though are an accurate reflection of costs at time of writing. Please also note that visa AUS 1300 855 684 [email protected] requirements are subject to change and are the responsibility of the traveller and not that of On The Go Tours. NZ 0800 44 77 69 CAN 1 866 890 7038 - 1 - USA 1 866 606 2960 SA 0800 990 311 TRIP NOTES

Journey Across South America there are some superb traditional restaurants zigzag walls of Sacsayhuamán, brooding on Day 5 : Machu Picchu as well as archaeological museums filled a hillside above Cusco. In 1536 a desperate to the rafters with pre-Columbian treasures. and defining 3 day battle was fought between In crowded streets, throngs of traffic race the Spaniards and the Incas around this out towards Miraflores, on the coast, a fortress; the first conquistadors to see it were modern middle-class suburb where our hotel overawed and centuries later it is still an is located. Overnight - Lima extraordinary and imposing sight. Overnight - Cusco (B) Day 2 : Lima sightseeing and Cusco Day 4 : The Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu. A spectacular 2 hour train journey from Ollantaytambo delivers us to the ruins of Machu Picchu today. As the river Urubamba enters its narrow gorge between thickly-forested granite hills, there is room only for a single rail track, which hugs the right bank and passes through hamlets which are no more than a collection of shacks. The citadel is then reached by minibus up a Lima - Cusco. This morning we enjoy a walking Cusco - Sacred Valley. On today's full-day sinuous road. tour of the colonial centre of Lima, known as adventure we visit several of the villages the “City of Kings”. Then a short 90 minute and archaeological sites which pepper the In 1911 the American explorer Hiram Bingham flight takes us into the Andes, to the famous Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Pisac discovered the ruins buried beneath tropical city of Cusco. The name Cusco derives from complex, set high above the eponymous cloud forest. It is the city's location which the Quechua word for navel, indicating its village, is composed of steep terraces; their most captures the imagination, on a ridge spur location at the centre of the Inca Empire. Its engineering and preservation are unrivalled, amid forested peaks and above a roaring river many impressive, original Inca walls display and you can clamber among the ancient walls canyon. Following a guided tour of the ruins, extraordinary craftsmanship, and the squares and explore the ruins of temples, residences ywe spend the night at the spa village of are dotted with ornate colonial churches. It's and storehouses. It takes about an hour and a Aguas Calientes (aka Machu Picchu town), a a vibrant, lively city, where shoeshine boys half to explore the site, after which we stop off couple of kilometres upstream. and postcard sellers jostle for your attention in the village below where an arts and crafts Fancy hiking some of the Inca Trail without on cobbled streets lined with handicraft shops market spills across the main square, stalls interrupting your tour? We can arrange for you and cafés. In the evening, the town centre fills laden with tapestries and weavings crafted in to walk the mini Inca Trail today whilst still with people flocking to the many restaurants, the surrounding villages. enjoying a guided tour of the ruins and staying bars and clubs. Overnight - Cusco (B) Then we continue along this picturesque, with the group this evening. Please ask us for Day 3 : Cusco sightseeing patchwork valley to Ollantaytambo, the snow- more details. capped Andean cordillera forming a stunning Overnight - Aguas Calientes (B) backdrop. The Inca fortress towering above the adobe village is well preserved and there Day 6 : Option to revisit are wonderful views down over the gentle Machu Picchu sloping hillsides and into the fertile valley. Machu Picchu - Cusco. There's the option to We spend the night in the Sacred Valley. return to the Machu Picchu ruins this morning Overnight - The Sacred Valley (B) to see the granite mountaintops emerge from the mist before the crowds arrive, which is a magical experience. Those who are feeling active can choose to set off on one of several Today we enjoy a guided sightseeing short hiking trails: follow the steep path up to tour of Cusco with a local guide. We Huayna Picchu, the conical peak rising behind visit Q'oricancha, once the principal Inca the ruins or trek to the vertiginous Inca Bridge, Sun Temple, with extraordinarily intricate carved into a cliff face (please contact us if you stonework, and then explore the colossal wish to do this, as spaces are limited and it's

Journey Across South America necessary to pre-book). Your tour leader will Puno - Copacabana (Bolivia). This morning we Days 11-12 : La Paz be on hand to talk through the various walking enjoy an excursion to the famous Uros Islands sightseeing options. In the afternoon we return to Cusco on Lake Titicaca. We alight on a floating island, by train and bus. made entirely of tortora reeds - the same material used to build their canoes and even Please note: Those wanting to return to their homes. The inhabitants earn their living Machu Picchu need to enquire with the office mainly through selling handicrafts to tourists and pre-book as availability is limited. and, while this is a unique experience, it has Overnight - Cusco (B) the air of a visit to a living museum.

Day 7 : Free day in Cusco Later we continue across the Bolivian border Today is free to relax or explore Cusco to the small lakeside town of Copacabana. as you please. There are a number of This pretty little town is a religious sanctuary On the first of our two full days in La Paz optional excursions in the surrounding region. (it gave Rio's famous beach its name), and we enjoy a guided tour of the city. We About an hour's drive from Cusco is Moray, its whitewashed buildings and Moorish-style explore the historic centre of the city with where ancient agricultural irrigation paths basilica are striking against a clear blue its quaint Spanish colonial buildings, from form circular depressions in the earth, and Andean sky. The Basilica is frequented by the Governmental Palace to the cathedral. there are wonderful views into the Sacred pilgrims to the miraculous 16th-century Dark Another highlight in the heart of the city is Valley and of the snowy peak of Mount Virgin of the Lake, and they bring their rickety the famous Witches' Market, brimming with Veronica. From here it is a short walk to the cars to the forecourt, bedecked in flowers, to potions, amulets and ritual offerings including salt pans at Maras, circular pans of glistening be blessed by her. If you have the energy in gruesome dried llama fetuses. We'll jump on white carved into the mountain side. Ask this rarefied air, climb the stations of the cross some public buses to get a real feel for the your tour leader for more optional excursions for views out over the lake and the snow- city, and then we'll take to the skies on board into the region, including horse riding and capped cordillera in the distance. Overnight - the new Telefericos that zigzag the city, all the white water rafting on the Urubamba river. Copacabana (B) way up to El Alto for magnificent views of the Overnight - Cusco (B) Day 10 : Boat trip to Sun city. Day 8 : Scenic bus journey to Island Day 12 is at leisure in the city or there is an Puno Copacabana - La Paz. From Copacabana we optional visit to the ruins of Tiwanaku. Travel Cusco - Puno. A scenic day-long bus ride take a boat trip on Lake Titicaca to Isla del out of La Paz and across the bleak, tawny takes us from Cusco to Puno (7 hours). Sol (Sun Island) this morning. Legend has it earth of the altiplano, past glimmering lakes The drive begins by climbing up through that this mystical spot marked the beginning and herds of haughty alpacas to Tiwanaku. the fertile fields of corn and potatoes to of Inca civilisation. The children of the sun god These pre-Columbian ruins are considered the roads highest pass at la Raya (4,200m). sprung from the lake's depths to found the to be some of the most important on the After this we travel across the altiplano, mighty empire in Cusco, and a rock at the continent, and the massive gateways and a large, windswept plain, punctuated by northern end of the island was their birthplace. imposing walls are redolent of bygone glory. occasional market towns, where bowler- Overnight - La Paz (B:2) hatted indigenous women tend herds of Later in the day we drive across the altiplano's llamas and alpacas. We arrive into Puno in the windswept plains to La Paz (4 hrs). At over Day 13 : Asuncion early evening. Overnight - Puno (B) 3,500m, La Paz is the highest administrative La Paz - Asuncion (Paraguay). We depart for capital city in the world. It is a glittering the airport in El Alto this morning and board Day 9 : Lake Titicaca & mosaic of tin, slate and tile roofs, interspersed a flight (normally via Santa Cruz – 3.5hrs) to Copacabana with a line of skyscrapers that march down Asuncion in Paraguay. This rather old world, the valley. La Paz lies in the shadow of the eclectic city is located on the shores of the Río colossal snow-capped Mount Illimani. This Paraguay, and an air of nostalgia permeates busy, commercial city has a 60% indigenous its busy streets. Paraguay feels caught in a population; women dress in voluminous multi- time warp, the legacy of years of isolation from coloured skirts, bowler hats and have centre- the outside world under the rule of a series partings, as decreed by the Spanish monarch of dictators. The wide, tree-lined avenues, 3 centuries ago. Overnight - La Paz (B) parks and stately buildings are impressive, and it's a pleasant place to wander. Or you might like to browse some of the many duty- free goods on sale (mostly perfume, spirits

Journey Across South America and electronic goods), some of which are of and the flow is mesmeric as it plummets into back over the beaches, Botafogo Bay with doubtful authenticity. Overnight - Asuncion the vortex below. its bobbing yachts and into the mountains (B) beyond. There's a lovely (and safe) nature There is also an optional boat trip out to the walk round the foot of the mountain, or you Days 14-15 : Iguazu Falls base of the falls; it's an exhilarating ride that could pop for a beer into the nearby village takes you within touching distance of these quarter of Urca, leafy home of artists and TV thunderous cascades and your clothes and stars. Overnight - Rio De Janeiro (B) hair are soaked with the spray. Overnight - Puerto Iguazu (B:2) Day 18 : Corcovado Mountain Day 16 : Rio De Janeiro

Asuncion - Puerto Iguazu (Argentina). The adventure continues with a road journey (7 hours) across the Argentinean border to the town of Puerto Iguazu. The Iguazu Falls are unquestionably one of the most extraordinary This morning we board a steep rack-and- natural wonders in the world. A total of 275 pinion railway which glides up through tropical falls thunder through dense forest over a Puerto Iguazu - Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In Tijuca National Park, the largest urban forest 2.5km stretch. The u-shaped Devil's Throat the morning we head out to the Brazilian in the world dripping with fruit and flowers, is the main gorge, where the frothy water side of the falls, from where there is a broad to reach the summit of Corcovado Mountain. of the Iguazúu River crashes over a 1.5km- panorama of these magnificent cataracts, and Here the famous 40m art deco Christ the wide precipice and columns of vapour are there are some excellent opportunities to Redeemer statue soars above the city, arms thrown skyward. Elsewhere the river flows photograph the full sweep of the cascades. outspread benevolently. On a clear day, the decorously through the rainforest breaking Then we continue onto Foz do Iguaçú airport views over the city and out across the ocean up into dozens of smaller falls. You might and fly to Rio de Janeiro (2 hours). and outlying islands are stupendous. spot toucans with their outsized bright orange Rio de Janeiro is the most romantic, The afternoon is at leisure. A popular optional beaks perched in the foliage above the intriguing and beautiful city on the continent. tumultuous waters. excursion is a visit to the exotic Botanical Sumptuous apartments overlook sparkling Gardens. Walk along the splendid Avenue of On day 15 there is an expedition to the bays against a backdrop of half-built slum the Royal Palms, and see if you can catch a Argentine side of the falls with our tour dwellings, favelas, which cling precariously glimpse of the toucans and marmosets that leader. From the National Park Visitor Centre, to the hillsides. Rio has an awesome bay- frequent the park, attracted by thousands where there is a display that illustrates the side location among near-vertical granite of species of tropical and subtropical plants. biodiversity of the region's tropical rainforest, mountains. Here, tropical foliage swoops There are also glass houses sheltering a little natural-gas-powered train transfers us down to white-to-toffee coloured sandy bromeliads, and a research institute here. to Cataratas Station where the Upper Walk beaches in turn battered by the huge waves of Overnight - Rio De Janeiro (B) begins. This sequence of causeways and Atlantic surf. The drive into the city gives us a passarelles links dozens of tiny basalt islands fleeting glimpse of the docks and commercial Day 19 : Rio De Janeiro at the top of a sheer rock face and the centre as we head towards the magnificent Sunday. Our South American adventure walkways cross the myriad streams of the stretch of sand at Copacabana beach; our comes to an end today with an included River Iguazu as they cascade over the lip of hotel is close by. Overnight - Rio De Janeiro departure transfer to the airport. If you’d like the precipice. Your breath is quite literally (B) to extend your stay in Rio de Janeiro, then we can arrange this for you.(B) taken away as the water thunders on to the Day 17 : Rio Sightseeing rocks below. Today there is a tour to familiarise ourselves HOTELS The train continues to Devil's Throat Station with this most iconic of cities. As part of where a 1km-long walkway leads across the this we also include a trip to Pão de Açucar Highlighted below are some of the hotels river to the thunderous Garganta del Diablo, (Sugar Loaf Mountain). Ride the cable-car up which we frequently use on this tour, though The Devil's Throat. From this vantage point the twin granite mountains protruding from we reserve the right to substitute these you can feel the incredible power of the water, the ocean and enjoy the magnificent views hotels to ones of a similar standard.

Journey Across South America

Please refer to your Tour Voucher for your and a private bathroom, with panoramic confirmed arrival hotel and further arrival views over Mount Verónica. There’s also a information. restaurant serving a hearty breakfast buffet and if you make a reservation, you'll find a la Hotel El Tambo Peru carte lunch and dinner menus offering tasty Situated in the attractive Miraflores district is traditional dishes. the El Tambo Hotel, within walking distance Hotel Rosario Del Lago of the beach and the Miraflores main square. The bright guestrooms offer views of the city Copacabana or the hotel gardens and is feature a TV and Set next to the Titicaca Lake, the Hotel safe. You can dine in the on-site restaurant Rosario del Lago offers an excellent which specialises in Peruvian delicacies and location in Copacabana. Its guestrooms are enjoy your breakfast on the garden lawn individually decorated to highlight elements – you’re bound to enjoy soaking up the Hatun Inti Classic Hotel of Andean culture and boast lake views. morning sun. To keep you entertained there’s a games This rustic hotel is conveniently located in room and a garden where you can enjoy a the centre of Aguas Calientes (aka Machu barbecued meal overlooking the lake. The Picchu Pueblo), just a 15 minute walk from onsite restaurant also serves local cuisine the hot springs and 7km from the spectacular and boasts a selection of the finest Bolivian Machu Picchu Sanctuary. The hotel offers wines, so you can look forward to a delightful free WiFi and comfortable guest rooms, glass of wine in front of the fireplace after a complete with a balcony and 32-inch LCD day’s exploring. television with cable channels. There's an Hotel Ruinas on-site restaurant serving a wide variety of Situated in the real heart of Cusco, Hotel international cuisine and a hotel bar/lounge Ruinas is just two blocks from the city’s main and coffee shop to relax in after a busy day square and close to the Santo Domingo of sightseeing. Church. Its spacious guestrooms feature traditional handcrafted furniture and free WiFi is available throughout the hotel. But it’s the food here that’s the most highly Hotel Rosario La Paz recommended, with a generous breakfast Located at the centre of La Paz's Museum buffet followed by a la carte lunch and dinner District, the Hotel Rosario is the perfect menus. Expect a delicious mix of Peruvian accommodation for anyone looking to and international cuisine served by a great Hotel Intiqa immerse themselves in Bolivian culture. team of friendly staff. Set within a former colonial building, Packed with local flavour, this modern the beautiful property encompasses a hotel showcases the best of local Pukara stunning courtyard as well as elegant rooms. culture. Both the building’s interior and the Authentic Andean handicrafts cover the guestrooms are decorated with Pukara art walls and beds in each room giving the hotel and icons. The rooms are also well-equipped a touch of tradition that certainly doesn't with modern amenities and feature warm go amiss. The hotel's restaurant offers a tones to provide a cosy atmosphere. At the selection of hearty Bolivian dishes, which onsite Pachamama Restaurant guests can can be washed down with a glass of local Tunupa Lodge enjoy a la carte regional cuisine as well as wine. The accommodation is located just 5 Centrally located within Ollantaytambo, drinks made from local herbs such as muña minutes on foot from the train station. this elegant hotel is the ideal base from and a delicious Peruvian hot chocolate. With which to explore the Sacred Valley. Set on staff that never stop smiling, you can be sure 5,000-square-metre grounds, consisting of to feel very welcome here. spacious lawns, Incan terraces and gardens, you can expect a quiet and peaceful stay. Each of the guestrooms is equipped with modern amenities including WiFi access

Journey Across South America

Asuncion Palace carte and buffet style service or explore the • Rio de Janeiro: Hotel Augusto's many bars and restaurants close by. Set in a historic building with traditional On very rare occasions these hotels can colonial architecture, the hotel offers rooms change, however please speak to one of our with free Wi-Fi. Guests can enjoy panoramic consultants who can provide full details for views of Chaco Paraguayo Parks and each departure if you have any doubts. Asunción Bay. Asuncion Palace has air- conditioned rooms styled in a warm palette Optional Excursions and featuring French windows with floor- There are optional excursions available to-ceiling curtains. They are equipped throughout this tour, which are booked locally with cable TV, minibars and some of them Our Partners through your tour leader once you are in Latin have seating areas. All rooms have private America. Not all excursions available will suit This tour is operated by our trusted partner bathrooms with showers. Guests can expect everybody, whilst others only operate within and you will join travellers from different a full buffet breakfast with regional jams and certain seasons, with minimum numbers or operators, not solely On The Go. The group breads. Room service is available. The hotel may not be included due to time constraints. size may vary in size from 4 - 20 persons. is nearby shops and cafes and 7 blocks from A budget of around $200USD in total should the Panteon Nacional building. Tour Leader cover participation in the following options, On this tour, you’ll be accompanied from start but prices can fluctuate depending on the to finish by an experienced tour leader. From size of the party and so cannot be provided the moment you land in Latin America until accurately until travel commences. The list the day the tour ends they will deal with below is only a guideline, so please enquire all the practicalities, expertly adapting to the with your tour leader for any further areas of circumstances and individual needs of the interest: group. Rather than different guides in different • Machu Picchu: re-entry to the ruins cities, your leader will get to know the group Mercure Iguazu Hotel • Machu Picchu: climb Huayna Picchu (this and keep you informed and entertained as Set in the heart of the Iryapu Jungle, excursion must be pre-booked due to you go. this modern hotel offers a great base for availability issues so please let the office exploring the spectacular Iguazu Falls. Transport know before travel). Please note that this Spacious guestrooms feature balconies with is a vigorous climb, involving very steep 3 flights (longest 2 hours), 2 train journeys impressive views of the lagoon and WiFi steps and uneven terrain. It would not be (longest 3.5 hours), 4 road journeys (longest 7 access is available throughout the property. recommended for anyone suffering from hours). The restaurant offers an international menu, vertigo. For more information, please contact with a bar serving traditional drinks with Accommodation your travel consultant. touches of local flavors. Perhaps end a day • Sacred Valley: Moras and Moray On this tour the standard of accommodation of sightseeing with a dip in the outdoor pool • Cusco: Horse riding or white water rafting varies. We utilise comfortable and attractive or a rejuvenating treatment at the onsite spa. • La Paz: Pre-Inca ruins at Tiwanaku hotels/guesthouses but in remote locations • Iguazu Falls: Gran Safari boat ride to the falls where options are limited, accommodation is purely functional. All properties are well Travelling Alone maintained and almost all will have a private There is no extra cost for single travellers bathroom. who are willing to share a room. You will Examples of hotels include: be accommodated with another same-sex member of the group who is also travelling Augustos Copacabana Hotel • Lima: Hotel El Tambo solo. For single travellers who wish to have • Cusco: Hotel Ruinas their own room there are a limited number Set in the heart of Brazil’s most famous • Sacred Valley: Tunupa Lodge of single rooms available, which carry a district, the Augustos Copacabana Hotel • Machu Picchu: Waman Inn surcharge. is just moments from the beach. Each air- • Puno: Hotel Intiqa conditioned guestroom includes a private • Copacabana (Lake Titicaca): Rosario del Budget bathroom, TV, minibar and safe. An outdoor Lago Based on feedback from other passengers pool offers guests both a refreshing swim • La Paz: Hotel Rosario who have done this tour we currently and stunning views of the city. You can dine • Asunción: Asunción Palace recommend a budget of around US$35 per in the onsite restaurant which offers both a la • Puerto Iguazu: Mercure Iguazu Hotel day. This would cover the cost of meals

Journey Across South America not included in the itinerary, soft drinks and your body to acclimatise (don't exert yourself Please consult a Health care professional the odd souvenir. This is an average but or drink alcohol) in the first couple of days for specific requirements, including advice on prices vary greatly between countries with after arrival, you will minimise your chances of malaria tablets. Brazil being more expensive then Bolivia for suffering any symptoms. Please refer to our example. Briefing Dossier for further information. As of 2018, visitors to Brazil travelling on our holidays should be protected with a Tipping Clothing And Special vaccination against yellow fever, and carry the Tips are normally welcomed and expected. Equipment corresponding certificate. In April 2013, the World Health Organisation Strategic Advisory Local guides often rely on their tip as a For day-to-day wear you should go prepared Group of Experts on Immunisation concluded significant proportion of their income. We to encounter all seasons. Both warm clothing that a single primary dose of yellow fever recommend approximately $3USD (or local and a sun hat are essential at altitude; a vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained equivalent) per person per day for each of light fleece jacket and a Gore-Tex outer immunity and lifelong protection against guides and drivers, depending on the size of shell makes a good combination. Trousers or yellow fever disease, and that a booster dose the group. shorts made from light, quick-drying synthetic is not needed. materials also work well. It can get very Most service industry workers will expect a cold at altitude, particularly after sundown tip of some kind and so it is useful to have Cases of Zika virus have been reported in and so warm clothes are essential as is a spare change for hotel porters, taxi drivers parts of Latin America. If you’re pregnant, or good waterproof jacket. Strong, comfortable and the like. It is common to leave 10 - 12% in planning to be, you should follow the advice footwear is essential and you should bring restaurants. of the National Travel Health Network and insect repellent, sun block and sunglasses. Centre. If you would like to show your appreciation You should take swimwear for visits to thermal to your tour leader, who you may feel has baths. exceeded your expectations, a discretionary At the Iguazú Falls you can get very wet Mini Inca Trail One Day Trek gratuity would be gratefully received. As from the spray. Some visitors like to take dry On this tour there is the option to do the one a guideline we recommend an amount of clothes in a bag and simply wear swimwear day Mini Inca Trail trek which is ideal for those between $4 and $6USD per person, per day. and flip flops. who want to experience the Inca Trail without You are obviously free to tip more or less as doing the full four day hike. If you plan to go to good restaurants or out you see fit, depending on your perception of on evening entertainment trips, you might There are 200 permits per day for the one service quality. want to bring something a bit smarter as well day trek and it usually sells out at least 3 Insurance (although formal attire will not be required). months prior to departure so this needs to be booked in advance. Please contact us to Travel insurance is essential. For details of Due to luggage restrictions on the train to check availability and cost. our recommended policy please contact our Machu Picchu, most of your luggage must be reservations team. left in Cusco. You can take up to 5kgs per Details of the trek: person on the train and an overnight holdall You'll depart by train with the group Journey Grade is recommended so that you can separate from Ollantaytambo heading towards Machu The pace of this trip is fast; there are your luggage for the nights spent away from Picchu. At KM104 you will alight the train some early mornings and long days spent Cusco. A separate bag is also useful if you are and meet up with a local guide to begin travelling (albeit with frequent stops and planning an extension from Lima, usually the your mini Inca Trail. Climb away from the fantastic scenery). The streets in Cuzco and La rest of your luggage can be left in the hotel. Urubamba canyon, flanked by snow-draped Paz are cobbled and steep and you must be Good equipment is very important and hard to peaks, on a fairly steep trail leading you cautious at altitude. You should consult your come by in South America. to the ruins of Choquesuysuy. Here, astride tour leader to make sure your chosen optional terraces carved into the mountainside, there excursions are suitable for you. Vaccinations are 18 Inca edifices and a number of fountains Preventative vaccinations are recommended originally used for ritual bathing. Continue Altitude against typhoid, polio, tetanus, hepatitis A to Winay Wayna, where there is a Visitor's Some of the excursions in and around La Paz, and yellow fever. A yellow fever certificate Centre and where you can buy drinks and Lake Titicaca, Cusco and the Sacred Valley may also be a compulsory requirement for snacks. The ruins, including a steep series are at high altitude (over 3,000m). Symptoms onward travel and immigration purposes. The of Inca terraces carved into the mountainside of altitude sickness vary; most common rules are complex and subject to change. and containing a series of fine ceremonial are mild headaches, slight nausea and We advise you check the most up to date fountains, overlook the Urubamba river and breathlessness. Most people are unaffected information at www.iatatravelcentre.com. are well worth visiting in their own right. and if you drink plenty of water and allow

Journey Across South America

From here you continue towards Machu • Hold documents showing proof of purpose Picchu - the Inca Trail proper - via cloud Argentina Country Guide of trip forest. The route, marked by bridges, trails • Hold all documents required for the next and staircases, takes you to Inti Punku (the Argentina - Buenos Aires destination Sun Gate) and the ruins at Machu Picchu. With Hotel Tax • Confirm with their airline that boarding luck the rays of the sun will be grazing the The Buenos Aires Legislature in 2020 will be permitted without a visa as these temple structures, but as often as not is misty, created the “Visit Buenos Aires” entity, conditions are subject to change and your first view will be a haunting glimpse an organization that will be in charge of through the parting clouds. From the Sun Gate promoting the city as a tourist destination Please be advised that visa requirements are it's a gentle downhill path which leads directly around the world. This organisation will be subject to change and that visa procurement is the responsibility of the traveller and not On into the ruins. From the entrance of the ruins financed through a tax on foreign visitors. This a bus takes you on a 30 to 40 minute drive tax cannot be included in our tour price and The Go Tours. you will need to pay this upon check out at to Machu Picchu village where you will be Argentina - Climate reunited with the tour leader and the rest of each hotel so please budget accordingly. The Argentine climate ranges from hot and the group. This tax will be applied to foreign tourists older humid in the north to cold and windy in the The following day you will have an included than 12 years old who visit the city of Buenos south. In northern Argentina, summer is hot guided excursion of the ruins before you Aires from the 1st of March 2020. and winter fairly mild while in contrast, Tierra return to Cusco for the evening. del Fuego, at the southern tip of Argentina, is Total distance walked: 9.3km The amount charged differs depending on the quite often cold with continual winds, rain at Estimated walking time: 5-6 hours star rating of the hotel: times and freezing winter temperatures. Highest point: Sun Gate, 2,693m • 3-star hotels - USD 0.50 per person per night Permits and availability Buenos Aires, due to its position in the central • 4-star hotels - USD 1 per person per night Current regulations require your full passport region, has a Mediterranean climate with well- • 5-star hotels - USD 1.5 per person per night names and numbers at the time of booking defined seasons. Spring, between September in order to secure the necessary permits, Argentina - Fact File and November is mild, which contributes to which are limited and sell out quickly. The the flourishing green colour of the plants and • Official Name: Argentine Republic passport details must correspond with the trees in the lush parks. Summer, between • Capital: Buenos Aires document used for travel on the day: they will December and February, is dry and hot and • Population: 38 million be checked locally and if there is an anomaly winter can be cold. It usually begins to rain in • Total Area: 2.8 million square kilometres you may not be able to walk the Mini Inca Trail. April and reaches its highest level during June • Official Language: Spanish Degree of difficulty: and July, then decreases gradually to almost • Religions: Roman Catholic 92% (less than The first part of the walk to Winay Wayna is a nothing in November. steady climb of three hours. The path is clear, 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, though there are a few steep and exposed other 4% Visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of sections, with steps. From Winay Wayna it's • Voltage: 220 volts. Argentina has European what the weather will be like on your tour. just a two to three hour, relatively flat walk type two-pinned round sockets in most old through cloud forest to climb a short, narrow buildings and the Australian style three-pin flat Argentina - Money flight of steps to the Sun Gate. sockets in most new buildings. Important Guides and support staff: • Dialling Code: +54 In Latin America you will have problems You will be accompanied by an English- • Time Difference: GMT/UTC -3 changing the US$100 CB B2 2001 series speaking guide. • Airport Departure Tax: US$18 notes and it is important you do not bring Porters and baggage: them. In some countries banks won't even There are no porters available for the Mini Argentina - Visas take them. The serial number is located in the Inca Trail, you must carry all your personal UK, Australian, Canadian, US, South African top left hand corner and bottom right hand effects for the walk and the overnight stay. and New Zealand passport holders do not corner on the side with the President’s face. This should weigh no more than 5kg on (max require a visa for entry into Argentina for up This serial number starts with CB and then a permitted on the trains) or be more than 20 to 90 days. few more numbers and then directly under litres in volume (the maximum size of bag that B2. At the bottom of the note near the For entry into Argentina you must: allowed into the Machu Picchu site). Don't signature of the Treasurer it says which series forget your passport! • Hold a passport valid at least six months on of notes it is and it is there that it says 2001 entry with one blank visa page series. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO • Hold proof of sufficient funds Local currency • Hold proof of onward/return airline tickets

Journey Across South America

The monetary unit in Argentina is the bit more, however there is a huge choice of de pollo' (boneless chicken cooked with Argentine peso. For up-to-date exchange good reasonably-priced restaurants in the city breadcrumbs) is a favourite. rates with your own currency visit centre where you can get a good meal (and www.xe.com. great steaks). For a cheap and hearty meal 'tenedor libre' restaurants offer a fixed price buffet. These Changing money, credit cards & ATMs Your tour leader will be able to recommend are usually very good value and you can eat We recommend that you bring cash/travellers restaurants. as much as you like. cheques in US dollars only. Visa, Mastercard, Diners and American Express are the best All drinks such as water, soft or alcoholic Vegetarians credit cards to bring however there can be drinks are at your own expense at all times. If you are a strict vegetarian you may problems at times getting money out from The following is a guideline for drinks bought experience a distinct lack of variety in ATMs, so make sure you have sufficient cash in a shop in the street. Prices in restaurants the food available, especially in small for emergencies. and hotels can sometimes be more than towns. However vegetarian alternatives are double the prices specified below; becoming more popular particularly in south There is no restriction on the amount of Argentina. Our tour leaders will do their best foreign currency that you may bring into • 1 litre of water US$0.70 to provide interesting vegetarian alternatives Argentina, however very large sums should • 30cl bottle of soft drink US$0.50 for included meals, but your patience and be declared on arrival. There is often • 30cl bottle of beer US$0.70 understanding is requested. a general lack of small change and we • 50cl bottle of beer US$1.00 recommend maintaining a supply of small • Food Drink denomination notes and coins. You should be wary of drinking the local tap Food water. Bottled water, carbonated soft drinks Argentina - Local Transport In Argentina the basic diet focuses around and fruit juices are widely available and much meat mostly with french fries (papas fritas), Much of Buenos Aires can be visited on safer. Argentina also has some of the best mashed potatoes (pure) or 'papas sufle' (local foot. Most sightseeing in Buenos Aires can coffee in the world. typical deep fried potatoes that blow up like be reached on foot from our hotel, with little balloons and are delicious). As there is a In Argentina some of the hotels we use have La Boca being the furthest at about an large Italian population you’ll have no problem bars or serve alcoholic drinks. If there is not a hour’s walk. There is also a good, if rather getting pasta dishes or pizzas. In fact, in the bar in the hotel then there is sure to be one dated, underground metro system (called the larger cities, you’ll have no problem getting all within walking distance. Imported beers and “subte”) which has 5 lines and is very cheap types of food. spirits are available but local spirits tend to be at approx $0.30 per journey. cheaper. There is an array of rums, gins and For breakfast it’s normal to eat croissants There are local buses called “colectivos”, brandy and the fabulous Argentine wines can (media lunas) with a good strong coffee. which are also inexpensive, but you MUST be extremely cheap (from US$1 a bottle) There Most Argentines would have a large lunch have the right change (ask hotel reception for are also various brands of beers including at around 1pm then at around 5pm, they all prices) as you have to drop the money into a Quilmes, Rubia, Negra Ahumada, and Negra head to the 'confiterías' for tea, sandwiches machine. We recommend you use taxis (black Extra XXX. and cakes. Dinner is usually eaten around & yellow) at night as they are fairly cheap 10pm and is often grilled beef (asado) in and usually have meters fitted. Just make sure Bolivia Country Guide different forms. Other dishes include 'lomo that the driver turns it on when you get in. ala pimiento' (pepper steak), giant ribs (asado Remember that you will pay more for taxis at Bolivia - Fact File de tira) and mixed grills (parrillada) which night. • Official Name: Republic of Bolivia include beef, intestines, offal, blood sausage • Capital: La Paz (administrative), Sucre (morcilla) and spicy sausage (chorizos) or thick Argentina - Food & Drink (judicial) grilled steak (churrasco). 'Bife de chorizo' As a guideline a simple snack (e.g. a sandwich) • Population: 8.4 million is a rump steak (nothing to do with the can cost as little as US$1, a light meal will cost • Total Area: 1.1 million square kilometres sausage of the same name) and 'bife a around $5-$6, and even a meal in one of the • Official Language: Spanish, Quechua and caballo' is steak topped with a fried egg. better restaurants in Buenos Aires costs very Aymara Although seafood is not so common you little in comparison to what you would expect • Religions: Roman Catholic 95% can get fish (pescado) which can be served to pay at home. Obviously this depends on • Voltage: 110 volts in La Paz and 220 volts in grilled, pan fried with breadcrumbs (apanado) what you order and if you have wine or other the rest of the country or with a sauce. There are also plenty of drinks, which will certainly increase the bill. • Dialling Code: +591 chicken (pollo) dishes available. 'Milanesa If you eat in Puerto Madero or Recoleta in • Time Difference: GMT/UTC -4 Buenos Aires you are likely to pay quite a • Airport Departure Tax: US$25

Journey Across South America

with sweaters and windbreakers. La Paz When arriving at the La Paz El Alto Bolivia - Visas can get quite warm during the day but International Airport we suggest that you Citizens of the EU, Canada and Australasia sometimes mists swirl through the streets change some money at the bank (“Cambio”) do not need a visa to enter Bolivia. Entry and the city can be literally wrapped in in the main terminal building. Change enough is granted on production of a passport valid the clouds. Throughout the country, night money to see you through the first few days for more than six months, a return air/bus temperatures drop dramatically, and on the of your tour – particularly if it is a weekend. ticket and proof of funds to support yourself high Altiplano, when a cloud passes over the Please note you can only change cash (not for the duration of the stay. Many other sun, the temperature plunges noticeably. In traveller’s cheques) at the Cambio. nationals, including US and South African Cochabamba, Sucre and Tarija, winter is the citizens do require visas. For the latest time of clear, beautiful skies and optimum There are ATMs in the city where you can get money out 24hrs a day. information on your specific visa requirements temperatures. The lowlands experience hot you should contact the local Bolivian Embassy sunny days and an occasional shower to cool Bolivia - Local Transport or Consulate well in advance of your planned off and settle the dust. date of travel. Most of La Paz is easy to visit on foot, although Visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of the high altitude can take its toll, especially Bolivia entry/exit requirements: Your passport what the weather will be like on your tour. when walking up hill. There are various types must contain a Bolivia entry stamp, without of buses and minibuses which are very cheap this you’ll have to pay a fine when you leave Bolivia - Money but you will need to know which routes to the country. If you enter Bolivia overland Important use (ask at the hotel reception for assistance). ensure that your passport is stamped on both In Latin America you will have problems There are also fixed route taxis “trufis” which sides of the border, with an exit stamp from changing the US$100 CB B2 2001 series are “colectivos” (meaning other people will the country you are leaving and an entry notes and it is important you do not to bring be on-board). You can tell these taxis apart stamp on the Bolivian side. them. In some countries banks won't even by their red number plates. We recommend take them. The serial number is located in the the use of taxis at night as they are fairly Bolivia - Climate top left hand corner and bottom right hand cheap and much safer than walking. It is not Nicknamed the ‘Tibet of the Americas’, corner on the side with the President’s face. common, however, for taxis to have meters landlocked Bolivia is the highest and most This serial number starts with CB and then a so you will need to barter for a good price. isolated country in the Americas. With few more numbers and then directly under In other Bolivian towns and cities walking is elevations ranging from sea level to over that B2. At the bottom of the note near the basically the best and cheapest way to see the 6,880 metres, the Bolivian landscape offers signature of the Treasurer it says which series sights. a mind blowing array of complex ecosystems of notes it is and it is there that it says 2001 and stunning scenery. It is basically divided series. Bolivia - Food & Drink into three regions: Altiplano (a plateau at an Food average of 4,000 metres above sea level, Local currency In Bolivia the basic diet focuses around 800 kilometres long and about 130 kilometres The monetary unit in Bolivia is the boliviano chicken, beef or seafood, mostly with french wide); the yungas (a series of forested and (often referred to as the Peso), which is fries or rice (or both) and possibly a little salad. well-watered valleys); and the llanos (the divided into 100 centavos. For up-to-date The Bolivian national dish is the parillada, a Amazon-Chaco lowlands). Because of the exchange rates with your own currency visit mixed grill with everything meaty including wide range of elevations and topography, www.xe.com. offal and intestines. Sajta de pollo is hot there are many different climatic patterns. spicy chicken with onion, fresh potatoes plus Changing money, credit cards & ATMs The overall temperatures are probably cooler dehydrated potatoes called chuno, lomo ala We recommend that you bring cash in US than most people expect. Even in the humid pimiento is a pepper steak popular with dollars only. There is no restriction on the forest regions of the north, frosts are not travellers, fricase is juicy pork with chuno, amount of foreign currency that you may bring unheard of. Bolivia’s unprotected expanses silpancho is bread-crumbed meat with fried into Bolivia, however very large sums should contribute to variable weather conditions and eggs, rice and banana, saice is a dish of be declared on arrival. the two climatic ‘poles’ are Puerto Suarez for mince meat with spicy sauce and potatoes, its stifling, humid heat, and Uyuni for its near- There is often a general lack of small change rice, onions and tomatoes and milanesa is Arctic cold and icy winds. and we recommend maintaining a supply of beef or chicken breaded and fried like a small denomination notes and coins – you schnitzel. For a simple fish, you should ask for There's no time that is perfect for the may sometimes be offered sweets, cigarettes pescado which can be grilled, pan fried with entire country, but December to March is or even razor blades as change! breadcrumbs apanado or served with a sauce. when most of the rain falls. La Paz is Trout trucha is especially good from Lake always cool to cold at night, so be prepared Titicaca. Typical snacks include empanadas,

Journey Across South America pasties filled with cheese, humitas (maize • Official Language: Portuguese The coastal climate is exceptionally good pies), pucacapas (spicy cheese pies) and • Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant and the 7,000 kilometres of coastline, from saltenas (meat or chicken pasties which you 15% Paraná to near the equator, bask under a can get super spicy or mild). Much of Bolivia’s • Voltage: Brazil has a variety of electrical warm tropical climate. There is a winter, when food is not too hot and spicy but you will find voltages, sometimes within the same city and there are cloudy days and sometimes the a bowl of aji (which is a chilli or hot pepper outlets often accept a range of plug types. For temperature dips below 25°C, and a rainy sauce) on most tables which can be added to this reason, many hotels and campsites will season, when it can really pour. In Rio and spice things up. label their outlets to make sure guests know points south the summer rains last from what type of power they use. If an outlet lacks October through to January, but they come In most of the larger cities and towns you will a label, this information will often be listed much earlier in the northeast, lasting about find an array of international cuisine. There are in the hotel services guide. If in doubt, you three months from April in Fortaleza and pizzerias on every corner and Chinese (chifas) should check with reception before plugging Salvador, and from May in Recife. Even in food is very common. A cheap, filling 3 course in an appliance. winter or the rainy season, the weather will be lunch (normally called a comida del dia) can • Dialling Code: +55 excellent much of the time. often be had for about US$1.50. • Time Difference: GMT/UTC -2 to -4. For other time differences please visit The average monthly temperature in the Vegetarians northeast doesn’t ever dip below 25°C and If you are a strict vegetarian you may www.timeanddate.com • Airport Departure Tax: none the interior is semi-arid. Rain is sparse experience a distinct lack of variety in the and irregular, although violent. Amazônia is food available, especially in small towns. Brazil - Visas stereotyped as being steamy jungle with You might find that you are eating a lot of Citizens of most Western European nations, constant rainfall, but much of the region has omelettes and other egg dishes. Our tour including the UK and Ireland, need only a a distinct dry season from July to October. leaders will do their best to provide interesting passport valid for six months and either a Check the weather chart on our website or vegetarian alternatives when arranging group return or onward ticket, or evidence of funds visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of meals in the campsite, but your patience and to pay for one, to enter Brazil. An entry what the weather will be like on your trip. understanding is requested. card must be filled in on arrival to obtain Visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of a tourist permit allowing you to stay for 90 Drink what the weather will be like on your tour. You should be wary of drinking the local days. Australian, USA and Canadian citizens tap water. Bottled water and carbonated MUST obtain visas in advance and a return Brazil - Money soft drinks are widely available and are or onward ticket is usually a requirement. Important generally safe to drink. Plastic sachets of Do not lose the carbon copy of the entry In Latin America you will have problems flavoured chocolate and strawberry milk are card the police staple into your passport on changing the US$100 CB B2 2001 series also available. arrival, as you may be fined on departure if notes and it is important you do not to bring you don't present it. A sensible precaution them. In some countries banks won't even Imported beers and spirits are available but is to photocopy it and keep it separate from take them. The serial number is located in the usually at a high price. If you are happy to your passport (or take a photograph of it). top left hand corner and bottom right hand drink the local spirits then there is an array of Visa requirements do change periodically so corner on the side with the President’s face. rums and singani (distilled grapes). Imported you should check for the latest information This serial number starts with CB and then a Chilean and Argentine wine can sometimes on your specific visa requirements with your few more numbers and then directly under also be found cheaply. A bottle of rum could local Brazilian embassy or consulate well in that B2. At the bottom of the note near the be as little as US$5 in a local shop and quite advance of your planned date of travel. signature of the Treasurer it says which series often the mixer to go with it (Coke) is more of notes it is and it is there that it says 2001 expensive. There are various brands of beers Brazil - Climate series. including Pacena, Ducal and El Inca (dark Brazil can be split into four distinct climatic Local currency sweet stout). regions. The coldest part - in fact the only part of Brazil which ever gets really cold - is the The monetary unit in Brazil is the Real, which Brazil Country Guide South and Southeast , the region roughly from is divided into 100 centavos. For up-to-date central Minas Gerais to Rio Grande do Sul. exchange rates with your own currency visit Brazil - Fact File Here, there's a distinct winter between June www.xe.com. • Official Name: Federal Republic of Brazil and September, with occasional cold, wind • Capital: Brasilia and rain. Changing money, credit cards & ATMs • Population: 176 million We recommend that you bring cash/travellers • Total Area: 8.5 million square kilometres cheques in US dollars only. Visa, Diners and

Journey Across South America

American Express are the best credit cards is at your own expense. (All hotels in Brazil 'empadao' (pasties with chicken or meat), to bring (Mastercard is not common in Brazil), include a buffet style breakfast, normally 'empadas' (fried version of the latter), however there can be problems at times bread, cold meats, hams, cheese, fruits, juice, 'coxinha' (pear-shaped deep fried manioc getting money out from ATMs, so make sure tea or coffee). As a guideline a simple snack flour with fish or chicken), 'pâo de you have sufficient cash for emergencies. (e.g. a sandwich) can cost as little as US queijo' (hot roll made with cheese) and $0.70, a light meal will cost around US$2-3, 'salgados' (savoury pastries). There is no restriction on the amount of and a main meal with a couple of beers foreign currency that you may bring into Brazil, will cost around US$8. You will find that For a cheap and hearty meal try the fixed however very large sums should be declared meals are generally much cheaper than you priced 'prato feito' or 'sortido'. While at the on arrival. There is often a general lack of are accustomed at home but obviously this 'comida por kilo' you pay by the kilo which is small change and we recommend maintaining usually very good value. does depend on what you order and if you a supply of small denomination notes and have wine or other drinks which will certainly coins. Vegetarians increase the bill. Eating out in upmarket If you are a strict vegetarian you may When arriving at the Rio de Janeiro suburbs like Ipanema or Leblon in Rio will be experience a distinct lack of variety in the food International Airport we suggest that you get more expensive. available, especially in small towns. However some reals at one of the little banks in the Your tour leader will be able to recommend vegetarian alternatives are becoming more terminal building or use one of the ATMs (as restaurants. popular you will just have to search a little you come out of customs, take the escalators harder for the restaurants that cater to your (to the right) to the top floor then go left and Generally you will find that meals are much tastes. Our tour leaders will do their best right to the end passing through the shops bigger than you are used to and, in many to provide interesting vegetarian alternatives you will find about three ATMs together). cases, one main meal will serve for two. Quite when arranging group meals in the campsite, Change enough money to see you through often the waiter will even suggest that two of but your patience and understanding is the first few days of your trip – particularly if it you share it. requested. is a weekend. Food Drink Brazil - Local Transport In Brazil the basic diet focuses on meat All drinks such as water, soft or alcoholic Much of Rio can be visited by bus or and black beans. The favourite national drinks are at your own expense at all times. metro (although the latter doesn’t really cover dish, especially on Saturday lunchtimes is The following is a guideline for drinks bought many of the tourist sights). The buses are “feijoada”. This consists of several meats in a shop in the street. Prices in restaurants fast (remember, every Brazilian wants to (sausages, pork etc) in a delicious stew and hotels can sometimes be more than be a motor racing driver, well at least the cooked with black beans and “farofa” (manioc double the prices specified below: bus drivers), reliable and cheap. They are flour). This is normally accompanied by neat • 1 litre of water - US$0.50 easy to use as you get on and pay the chachaca which will blow your head off at first • 30cl bottle of soft drink - US$0.30 conductor who sits in a little booth then but then become very mellow. • 30cl bottle of beer - US$0.50 pass through a turnstile. Beware of thieves A 'churrasco' at a typical Churrascarria (BBQ) • 50cl bottle of beer - US$0.80 and pickpockets, especially before you pass restaurant is another typical dish but go there through the turnstile. with an empty stomach as you will get so You should be wary of drinking the local tap water. Bottled water and carbonated soft Taxis are relatively cheap and we recommend much food. Every type of meat you can think drinks are widely available and are generally using them at night. Most taxis have meters of is served on giant swords and waiters safe to drink. Surprisngly, although Brazil is and you should insist that the driver switches wander around topping up your plate every one of the largest coffee producer in the it on. few minutes. These restaurants also have great salad bars with lots of variety where you world, most coffee in cafes and restaurants In other Brazillian towns and cities walking is can help yourself as many times as you wish. leaves a lot to be desired, so look out for a basically the best and cheapest way to see the specialist coffee type cafe. For great fresh fruit sights (with the exception of Sao Paulo where If you like fish ask for 'peixe' which can be juices ('sucos'), try the 'lanchonetes' where the metro is the best way of getting around grilled, pan fried with breadcrumbs or with you can also get great snacks. the city). a sauce. There are also plenty of chicken ('frango') dishes which are a good idea if In Brazil some of the hotels we use have bars Brazil - Food & Drink you don’t like your food too salty (the beef or serve alcoholic drinks. If there is not a bar in the hotel then there is sure to be one within All meals are included when camping and normally comes very salty indeed). walking distance. In more up-market hotels, lunch is included on travelling days in the Typical snacks available in lanchonetes imported beers and spirits are available, but truck. When staying in hotels lunch and dinner and roadside truck-stops include at a much higher price. There is an array of

Journey Across South America locally made rums, whiskeys, gins, vermouth, you can't leave & must go through all sorts of can change cash at the Cambio or withdraw campari and cachaca available cheaply. The bureaucracy - which takes days). Take a copy money from an ATMs in the capital (as well as latter is a sugar-cane liquor which is used or a digital photograph copy. Arequipa, Cuzco and Puno) where ATMs are in the Brazilian national drink 'Caipirinha' (a open 24 hours a day. mix of cachaca, sugar, crushed ice and slices Peru - Climate of squashed limes). Another variation is the Peru is split into three main zones – the coast, Important 'Batida' which is cachaca mixed with a variety the mountains and the jungle, all boasting Please note that ATMs in Peru do not always of fruit juices, crushed ice and sugar. There different climates. From the driest hottest automatically release your credit or debit card are various brands of beers including Brahma, desert in the Americas, to the Andean peaks, at the time when you receive your money. Antarctica and Cerpa. Draught beer is called to the lowland Amazon Jungle, each zone Please be aware that you sometimes must push a button to request your card to be 'chopp'. offers different seasons. returned. Many ATMs in main towns have It rarely rains along the coast; however, the Peru Country Guide instructions in English. capital does experience a substantial amount Peru - Fact File of smog, coastal fogs and even drizzle, Peru - Local Transport particularly between the months of May and We recommend using local taxis for your • Official Name: Republic of Peru November. journeys in Peru, especially outside of main • Capital: Lima cities. Taxis do not usually have meters, • Population: 30 million The mountains and the jungle regions can be so the fare must be agreed with the • Total Area: 1.285 million square kilometres divided into wet season between November driver beforehand. Be sure to ask the hotel (twice the size of France) and April and dry season between May and reception or your tour leader for a rough guide • Official Language: Spanish, Quechua and October. During dry season there can be of the price so when you start your negotiation Aymara also spoken in places some showers however it is not as heavy or as with the drivers you know how much the fare • Religions: Roman Catholic 90% frequent. Rainy season normally means a few should be. It also helps if you speak some • Voltage: 220 volts. Sockets are a mixture of downpours a day rather than continuous rain. Spanish to help you however please expect to the European, two-pronged round variety and pay more than the locals do. US flat-pin. Peru - Money • Dialling Code: +51 Local currency Local buses are also available and cheap to • Time Difference: GMT/UTC -5. The monetary unit in Peru is the Nuevo Sol. use however you really do need to speak For other time differences please visit For up-to-date exchange rates with your own reasonable Spanish to get by. There are also www.timeanddate.com currency visit www.xe.com. bus stops, especially in the capital where • Airport Departure Tax: US$31 tourists are recommended to avoid. Changing money, credit cards & ATMs US dollars are used and accepted for payment Peru - Visas Peru - Food & Drink in Peru, especially in tourist areas however Peruvian cuisine is known for its hot and spicy Currently, EU, US, Canadian, Australian and we recommend you always carry some local nature which comes from the classic mix of New Zealand citizens can enter Peru without currency where you can as you are more likely garlic and hot pepper that we have come a visa for up to 90 days (on arrival ask for 90 to get preferable exchange rates. There is no to celebrate abroad. Due to the diversity of days as the standard issued is 30 days). As this restriction on the amount of foreign currency the Peruvian landscapes, the country enjoys a situation changes periodically, we advise you you can bring into Peru however large sums wide variety of fruits and vegetables. check with your local Peruvian embassy prior must be declared on arrival. We recommend to departure. All tourists will be presenting keeping a small supply of small denomination The basic diet focuses around chicken, beef with a tourist card to enter Peru, which will be notes and coins as there is usually a lack of or seafood, (however be prepared to see issued to you by your airline before landing small change. some exotic meats such as guinea pig on and will be stamped by an official upon arrival offer) accompanied by rice, chips and salad. where you will also be asked to present a Traveller cheques are also better exchanged Specialities along the coastal regions include return ticket or proof of funds for your stay and in US dollars. Banks will usually accept and ‘Cerviche’, raw fish marinated in lemon juice, return ticket. This must always be kept with exchange traveller’s cheques however it can with onion and hot chillies. Another local you throughout your stay in South America be trickier and a much slower process than speciality is ‘Cuy’, roasted guinea pig served (as per Peruvian law, everyone must carry when in Lima. whole and accompanied with yucca and some form of ID at all times) – especially when We recommend you change enough money potatoes. travelling outside of main towns and cities. to get through the first few days of your trip – You must also retain this card for when you In the highlands, diets focus on potatoes especially over a weekend. Please note you exit Peru (this is a big deal, if you lose it, and vegetables, with the country producing

Journey Across South America over 2000 kinds of cultivated and indigenous doesn’t mean that the room is unclean, just recommend you rely on this method to obtain potatoes there is an array of variety. ‘Causa’, that you are in the jungle and its completely your visa. If you find you have exhausted all a dish made from yellow potatoes, lemons, normal – if anything it’s part of the jungle possible ways to obtain a visa you would eggs, sweet potato, cheese and onion sauce. experience. If you do not like creepy crawlies need to go ahead of the group and meet ‘Tamales’ boiled corn dumplings wrapped we recommend plenty of repellent spray and up with them a night later in Brazil (your in banana leaves and filled with meat are coils to place in your room. tour leader will give advice if this scenario another local favourite. becomes necessary). Paraguay Country Guide In most larger cities and towns, you will find Paraguay - Climate an array of restaurants offering international Paraguay - Fact File The Paraguayan summer is from October to cuisine. Chifas (Chinese restaurants) are very • Official Name: Republic of Paraguay May and during this time you are guaranteed common in Peru, as well as Italian pizzerias, • Capital: Asuncion summer heat. 40°C temperatures and over Japanese and Indian restaurants have begun • Population: 6 million are quite common. Even during the winter, to open however we also recommend trying • Total Area: 406,741 square kilometres temperatures do not normally drop below the ‘menu del dia’ in local restaurants for a • Official Language: Spanish and Guarani 20°C (although it can get cooler). cheap authentic meal. • Religions: Roman Catholic 90% Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout • Voltage: 220 volts. Vegetarians the year. In the east, near the Brazilian border, • Dialling Code: +595 If you are a strict vegetarian you may it averages about 2000 milimetres per year. experience a distinct lack of variety in the food • Time Difference: GMT/UTC -4. available, especially in small towns. However • Airport Departure Tax: US$18 Visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of what the weather will be like on your tour. vegetarian alternatives are becoming more Paraguay - Visas popular. Our tour leaders will do their best New Zealand, Australian, USA, Japanese to provide interesting vegetarian alternatives Paraguay - Money and Canadian citizens must obtain visas in for included meals, but your patience and Important In Latin America you will have advance (before the tour starts). understanding is requested. problems changing the US$100 CB B2 2001 series notes and it is better not to bring them. As there is no Paraguayan embassy or Drink The serial number is located in the top left consulate in New Zealand, travellers must Please note that drinks will be at your own hand corner and bottom right hand corner on arrive in the starting city early (make sure it’s expense throughout the duration of the tour. the side with the President’s face. This serial a week day) in order to obtain a Paraguay visa Most hotels we use will either have a bar number starts with CB and then a few more before the tour starts. onsite or within walking distance. Imported numbers and then directly under that B2. At spirits and veers are available but at a higher Most consulates will issue Paraguayan visas in the bottom of the note near the signature of price. There are also local drinks available one day. Make sure you have three passport the Treasurer it says which series of notes it is including ‘Pisco’ clear brandy distilled from photos, proof of onward travel such as an and it is there that it says 2001 series. grapes. airline ticket (plus copies) and a copy of Local currency your tour itinerary, proof of sufficient funds ‘Inca Kola’ is the country’s soft drink of choice, The monetary unit in Paraguay is the Guarani. (bring original credit card as well as several so popular that MacDonalds had to allow For up-to-date exchange rates with your own photocopies if possible), several photocopies it to be sold in Peruvian branches due to currency visit www.xe.com. of your passport and US$45 cash for single exceptionally high demand. entry (all Tucan Travel tours which include Changing money, credit cards & ATMs You should be wary of drinking the local tap Paraguay only require a single entry visa). You Paraguay is one of the only countries in water. Bottled water, carbonated soft drinks will usually have to pay the fee in US dollars, Latin America where you will also be able and fruit juices are widely available and much but sometimes local currency at the current to exchange other currencies (such as Euros, safer. bank exchange rate is expected (such as in pounds sterling and yen). Exchange offices Rio de Janeiro). are generally open 9am to 5pm, whereas banks will close at midday. We recommend Peru - Bugs If it is impossible for you to obtain your that you exchange money at the exchange If your tour includes a visit to the jungle Paraguay visa before the tour starts your tour offices (casas de cambio) rather than the region, we advise that you prepare yourself leader will do all they can to help you get it banks, as the rates are as good as the to encounter an array of wildlife including whilst on tour. If this is not possible, your only banks and the system less efficient. You may, insects and bugs etc. Most creepy crawlies option is to try to obtain a 24-48hr transit entry however, get a cash advance on some credit are harmless and will not cause problems stamp at the border. Although this transit visa cards from the some of the banks if you bring at all. If you do find any in your room, it is often granted without problems we do not

Journey Across South America your passport along and are prepared to wait US$3. A main meal with a couple of beers will You should be wary of drinking the local tap in a long line. Always make sure you ask to cost around US$6-$7. water. Bottled water, carbonated soft drinks see if what you want to do is possible before and fruit juices are widely available and much lining up. Your tour leader will be able to recommend safer. Argentina also has some of the best restaurants. coffee in the world. You can sometimes pay for purchases with credit cards in Asuncion. Visa is the most Food Paraguayans consume massive amounts of widely accepted credit card, although other The typical Paraguayan diet consists of mostly mate (ma-te) a herbal tea, usually as ice- cards are becoming better known. Note that meat and starchy foods such as pasta, rice, cold terrere (very sweet, iced mate) and often shops will often give you better discounts if corn products, and Yucca/Manioc root foods. spiked with medicinal herbs. Sugar-cane juice you pay with cash rather than credit card. The most typical snack in Paraguay is the is also common (called mosto). Local beers chipa which is made with manioc flour, eggs such as Baviera are excellent, but we don’t One of the easiest ways to obtain money and cheese. They are sold everywhere, and recommend the local wine. Stick to Chilean is to use ATMs (‘cajeros automaticos’). Visa, are extremely cheap and filling. Empanadas or Argentine wine, as it’s far superior. Due to Plus and Cirrus / Maestro international cards (patties filled with chicken, cheese or meat) the strong Spanish influence, Paraguayans do are accepted in many Asuncion ATMs, as are another typical snack found at every love their sangria. long as you have a four-digit pin. Visa corner stall. cards are definitely the most widely accepted (both debit and credit). Your tour leader will You will also find a lot of western-style foods advise you which ATMs tend to be better for in the capital, Asuncion. There are numerous international cards. Some machines give more international restaurants – particularly Asian money than others, and some give you the and European style restaurants. You will choice of getting US dollars OR guaranies. It’s also find the typical Churrascarria (BBQ) often a good idea to stock up on US dollars in restaurants which are common to Brazil. Paraguay to assist you in the other countries These restaurants serve delicious cuts of you’ll be going to. This can be done by using meat and also have great salad bars with lots the ATMs or by changing traveller’s cheques of variety where you can help yourself as into US dollars (usually with a 3% commission). many times as you wish (sometimes the price is ‘per kilogram’). Remember that once out of Paraguay you will generally not be able to use or exchange Vegetarians Guaranies ever again (except at the border If you are a strict vegetarian you may towns). Therefore you must make sure you experience a distinct lack of variety in spend/exchange/donate any left-over money the food available, especially in small before leaving the country! towns. However vegetarian alternatives are becoming more popular particularly in south Paraguay - Local Transport Argentina. Our tour leaders will do their best Much of Asuncion can be visited by local bus. to provide interesting vegetarian alternatives The buses are reasonably reliable and very for included meals, but your patience and cheap. They are easy to use as you get on and understanding is requested. pay the driver in local money - usually about Drink G1500 (US$0.25) per trip. As always, beware All drinks such as water, soft or alcoholic of thieves and pickpockets. drinks are at your own expense at all times. Taxis are not terribly cheap in Asuncion The following is a guideline for drinks bought (relative to other costs in Paraguay), but we in a shop in the street. Prices in restaurants still recommend using them at night. Most and hotels can sometimes be more than taxis have meters and you should insist that double the prices specified below; the driver switches it on. • 1 litre of water US$0.60 Paraguay - Food & Drink • 30cl bottle of soft drink US$0.50 • 30cl bottle of beer US$0.70 As a guideline a simple snack (e.g. a sandwich) • 50cl bottle of beer US$1.00 can cost as little as US$0.70, but if you choose to go to a nice café a sandwich will cost about