Discover South America: Chile & Argentina 2017
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® ® Discover South America: Chile & Argentina 2017 EXTEND YOUR TRIP Peru: Machu Picchu, Cuzco & Lima Brazil’s Iguassu Falls & Rio de Janeiro Your Travel Handbook CONTENTS Passport, Visas & Travel Documents . 3 Electricity . 23 Your Passport . 3 Visa Required for Brazil Only . 3 Climate . 26 Migration Forms . 4 Trusted Traveler Programs . 4 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents . 4 About Your Destinations . 30 Overseas Taxes & Fees . 5 Your Program Director . 30 During Your Trip . 30 Shopping . 32 Health . 6 U .S . Customs Regulations & Shipping Keep Your Abilities In Mind . 6 Charges . 33 Health Check . 6 Agricultural Statement for Chile . 33 Vaccinations . 7 Yellow Fever Vaccination—Suggested for Brazil ONLY . 7 Demographics & Background . 35 Staying Healthy on Your Trip . 8 Resources . 45 Money Matters . 10 Suggested Readings . 45 Top Three Tips . 10 Suggested Movies . 49 Local Currency . 10 Useful Websites . 52 How to Exchange Money . 11 ATMs . 11 Credit & Debit Cards . 12 Tipping Guidelines . 13 Preparing for Your Trip . 15 Land Only Travelers . 15 Air Inclusive Travelers . 15 Optional Tours . 16 Communications . 17 Packing . 19 Your Luggage . 20 Clothing Suggestions . 20 What to Bring . 21 2 RSA2017 07/14/2017 PASSPORT, VISAS & TRAVEL DOCUMENTS Your Passport • Must be in good condition • Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S. • Must have the required number of blank pages (details below) • The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport. Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this vacation. • Main trip only: You will need 3 blank passport pages. • Pre-trip extension to Peru: You will need 1 more page for a total of 4 blank passport pages. • Post-trip to Iguassu Falls: You will need 1 more page for a total of 4 blank passport pages. • Both the pre- and post-trip extensions: You will need a total of 5 blank passport pages. Visa Required for Brazil Only We’ll be sending you a detailed Visa Packet with instructions, application forms, and fees about 100 days prior to your departure. In the meantime, we’re providing the information below as a guideline on what to expect. This information is for U.S. citizens only. All visas and fees are subject to change. • Chile and Argentina: No visas needed. U.S. citizens do not need visas for stays of less than 90 days in these countries. • Peru (optional extension): No visa needed. • Brazil (optional Iguassu Falls extension): Visa required. Can only be obtained in advance. If you are taking the optional extension to Iguassu Falls, you will need a visa to join the activities on the Brazilian side of the falls. You must obtain your visa for Brazil before you leave home. 07/14/2017 RSA2017 3 Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www. pvsinternational.org. Migration Forms When entering a new country, you might be given a Migration form. Keep it with you until the end of your trip, as the Migrations Authority might require it. Trusted Traveler Programs Some travelers have found that Trusted Traveler programs can expedite long waits at customs when re entering the U.S. There are currently three programs available: Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI. These three programs also include TSA Pre-Check, which allows you to use a dedicated security line at participating airports, or you can apply solely for TSA Pre-Check. TIP: Keep in mind that not all airports and airlines participate in these programs. You may want to consider checking with your airport prior to applying to find out if these programs would benefit you. To apply for a Trusted Traveler program or TSA Pre-Check, typically you will be asked to pay an application fee (varies by program) and schedule a background check and/or an interview. If you are approved, you will be issued a Known Traveler Number (KTN). Your KTN is valid for a set number of years, based on the conditions of the program. Please see the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for more details on each of these programs: www.cbp.gov/ travel/trusted-traveler-programs. You can also find more information about TSA Pre-Check at www.tsa.gov/precheck. If you are enrolled in TSA Pre-Check (or a Trusted Traveler program that includes it), you must provide your KTN to the airlines. Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals. If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip. 4 RSA2017 07/14/2017 Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents. 07/14/2017 RSA2017 5 HEALTH Keep Your Abilities In Mind Please review the information below prior to departing on this trip. We reserve the right for our Program Directors to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home if their limitations are impacting the group’s experience. PACING • 4 locations in 12 days • 2 internal flights of 2 hours each • 1 day features a total of 12 hours of travel through the Andes from Chile to Argentina, utilizing 3 boats and 4 motorcoaches • Air travel time will be 11-17 hours and will most likely have one connection PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Walk 2 miles unassisted and participate in 2 hours of physical activities daily, including stairs • Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids • We reserve the right for Program Directors to restrict participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION • Uneven walking surfaces, including unpaved paths, hills, stairs, and cobblestones • Travel by 45-seat motorcoach, cable car, chair lift, and 50-seat boat CLIMATE • Daytime temperatures range from 51-85°F during touring season • December-February are the warmest months • Weather in Patagonia can be unpredictable and change quickly Health Check Feeling healthy and confident of your mobility is essential to fully enjoy your trip. If you have ongoing medical conditions or concerns about your health, we highly recommend that you schedule a checkup with your personal physician at least six weeks in advance of your departure date. 6 RSA2017 07/14/2017 • Discuss with your doctor any aspects of your itinerary that may affect your health and be guided by his or her advice. (You can use the “Keep Your Abilities in Mind” on the previous page as a guideline to discuss with him or her.) • You may want to have a dental exam before your trip. A loose filling or developing cavity would be difficult to remedy while you are traveling. • If you have a condition that requires special equipment or treatment, you must bring and be responsible for all necessary items related to your condition. Vaccinations At time of writing, there were no required vaccinations for Chile, Argentina, Peru, or Brazil. (That is, none of those countries require proof a specific vaccination in order to enter.) However, your doctor might feel that there are some basic vaccinations that you should have updated before you travel. Or there may be vaccinations that he or she recommends for you because of your personal medical history. We suggest you consult with your own physician at least 6 weeks prior to departure, and ask about vaccinations at that time. If you’d like to know more about possible vaccinations for this trip—or just about health in general while traveling—the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a great resource. You can contact them online or by phone. • Online: We suggest you visit the CDC’s website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel, where you will find comprehensive information about preventing illness while traveling. • By phone: At the CDC’s Hotline toll-free at 1-800-232-4636 24 hours a day. But please keep in mind that the CDC’s suggestions may not apply to you! For example, you might already have some of the vaccinations they routinely recommend.