Frequently Asked Questions

South America

Six Destinations | Leading DMC | Tailor Made Tours

Luxury Travel Questions

As you prepare for luxury travel to South America, you may have plenty of questions. We
went ahead and answered the most common inquiries for you right here, so you can feel
confident about your Bolivia Expeditions Tours vacation. Get to know
who we are, what you can expect, and how we plan your perfect travel itinerary.

ABOUT BOLIVIA EXPEDITIONS

Bolivia expeditions is the award-winning luxury tour operator behind your South American experience. Bolivia Expeditions Tours means to expand, to improve, to learn, and to grow. This is our philosophy. As experts in creating unforgettable experiences, our team is strongly committed to these principles, always on the lookout for new and stimulating journeys through South America. Visit our About Us page for more information.

When you return home from a trip, you have photos and vague recollections that quickly fade in the face of routine. When you return home from a personalized travel experience with Bolivia Expeditions Tours, you have indelible memories of places, activities, and people that were deeply meaningful to you. Travel takes you places and shows you sites. Travel experiences are deeply personal; they let you delve into all of the human senses; they offer you relaxation or invigoration if that’s the ticket; they provide a new perspective with alternative horizons. In working with Bolivia Expeditions Tours, you are enlisting the help of experts who not only have extensive knowledge of South American travel, but who are also masters of turning your requirements, interests, and personality into an unforgettable travel experience. Visit The Bolivia Expeditions Tours. Difference page for more information.

Bolivia Expeditions Tours is a tour operator. We arrange comprehensive tours that include hotels, sightseeing with private guides and/or drivers, airport and train station transfers, visas, and regional transportation (internal flights, private drivers, train tickets, etc.). Tour operators work with travel agents and personal travelers. Once you are ready to start planning a trip, please reach out to us or have your preferred travel agent contact us, atoffice@bolivia-expeditions.com.

Our exceptional guides have been carefully selected for their knowledge, professionalism, experience, and ability to effectively manage groups with finesse. We work exclusively with guides who are local to the destination and are licensed and/or certified in accordance with the government regulations of their country. All are fluent in Spanish and English, and some also speak the local indigenous languages. Our team of guides offers priceless insights into the true nature of their homelands, adding immeasurably to the enjoyment of the trip.

Every trip arranged by Bolivia Expeditions Tours is completely tailor-made. While you may find sample itineraries to inspire you on our website, no stone is left unturned in our quest to deliver exceptional personalized private tours to South America. We take your wants, needs, time constraints, budget, and personal travel style into account to deliver experiences that are far from standard.

All tour prices are based on the services detailed in each tour’s itinerary. Services are sold as a complete package and Bolivia Expeditions Tours is not able to provide a breakdown of the component costs of a trip. However, as your trip is completely personalized, we are able to provide an array of accommodation options and services to fit all budgets.

Bolivia Expeditions Tours is a registered member of major travel industry associations, we have the Safe Travel seal certification, and we also have the certification of the CALTUR National Tourism Quality Plan of Bolivia – At the same time we have the certification as recognized Adventure-Trekking Tour Operator by DIRCETUR – We are also IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OF THE ISO 9001: 2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. → Read more

BEFORE YOU GO

This depends on how far in advance you prefer to plan. We book last-minute trips all the time and we also arrange tours that are planned years in advance. Major considerations are visa requirements, holiday and festival availability, and seasonal demand (ex. “dry season” in Bolivia).

Your Travel Designer will plan activities to make your special day one to remember, whether it’s a candlelight dinner, side-by-side massages, a sunset horseback ride, a shaman ceremony, a private cruise, or a romantic picnic on a private beach. Our honeymooners receive extra perks and amenities—e.g., complimentary spa treatments, beachside dinners, and room upgrades—in addition to the flexibility of touring with your own private guides and drivers, top rooms in South America’s best hotels and resorts, and other services that are standard on all of our tours.

Family travel is one of our specialties. Our Travel Designers can recommend certain hotels and destinations that we highly recommended and are ideal for children.

Please note that hotels are very strict about the number of people who can stay in one room. Usually, a maximum of three adults are allowed in one room, except in specific cases such as ‘family rooms’. Please note that children of a certain age (usually 10 or 12 years, depending on the hotel) are considered as adults.

Our travel experts have lived overseas for years and we pride ourselves in having the expert knowledge to take you to places that are not frequented by many tourists. For example, you can visit a small Andean village far from the tourist centers, stay in a local home, or dine with a local family.

Detailed packing lists separated by activity and country are sent along with your personalized itinerary once it has been confirmed.

People in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador tend to dress quite casually, although they will dress up for special occasions such as church, weddings, and very special dinners. As a visitor, you are not expected to dress up, even in the fancier hotels and restaurants, although you are welcome to do so should you wish to. Visitors to some churches are asked to wear long pants or skirts rather than shorts.

We provide vehicles big enough for you and your luggage to fit comfortably. We do not generally place a limit on luggage, although if your group is bigger than 6 people and you all plan to bring large amounts of luggage, please let us know to ensure that the vehicle we provide has enough space.

Ideally, let us know as soon as possible. Generally, you need to let us know at least 45 days in advance to make changes. That gives us enough time to change dates and give other adjustments/options.

It is very situational. We do our best to work with clients if things happen outside of their control, though there may be additional costs incurred. We also recommend getting travel insurance for any issues that may come up before and during your travel.

DURING YOUR TRAVELS

In general, our tours and transfers are private for you and your travel companions, but there are some instances where this is not the case… for example:

  • Treks in Bolivia: 1 guide for up to 16 people in group service
  • Tambopata jungle lodges: 1 guide per 10 guests, except in Tambopata Research Center, where there is 1 guide per 6 guests.
  • Jungle cruises: 1 guide per 10 guests
  • Inka Express bus: 1 guide for the whole bus (up to 40 passengers)
  • Catamaran tour on Lake Titicaca: 1 guide per 10 guests; buses for up to 40 passengers
  • Islas Ballestas: 40 passenger boat
  • Nazca Lines: 12 passengers in the plane
  • Galapagos Cruises: 1 guide per 16 guests

This depends on the size of your travel group and where you are. The general guidelines according to party size are:

  • 1-2: Four-wheel drive vehicle, such as a Toyota Landcruiser or Hyundai H1 or Mercedes Sprinter-type vehicle
  • 3-8: Mercedes Sprinter-type vehicle
  • 9 or more: Mini-bus

In places like Uyuni, you will be in four-wheel drive vehicles, no matter how big the group (enough vehicles will be provided to accommodate the whole group comfortably)

Almost all accommodations in South America have Wi-Fi throughout their facilities and the vast majority also have at least one computer available for client use.

Some important things to note:

  • In some hotels in the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes, the internet can be slow, mostly in the rooms, but sometimes this is true in the main areas and even the ‘business centers’.
  • In most jungle lodges, there is little or no access to the internet.
  • On the Galapagos cruises and Amazon cruises, there is little or no access to the internet.
  • Since the cell service is poor on the treks, clients will not be able to access the internet most of the time, even if they have data on their phones.

You will always find better exchange rates in-country than trying to do so outside. If you want to have some local currency with you on arrival, change only a small amount in your home country or at the airport.

In both Bolivia and Peru, exchange rates are much better in the exchange houses (or on the street in Bolivia) than in banks.

Any dollar bills that you want to exchange must be in pristine condition, otherwise, they will be exchanged for a lower rate or rejected. $1 bills are generally not accepted or exchanged well below the going rate.

Check any money that you receive carefully for any rips and tears as well as for validity. False bills are relatively common in both countries.

In the majority of places you are visiting (including all larger towns in the Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes, and even Uyuni) there are cash machines from which you can withdraw cash from your account at home. You can withdraw in either dollars or the local currency. Sometimes withdrawing dollars has reduced charges (check with your bank).

Many hotels and larger restaurants and stores (or those parts of groups/chains) will accept payment by credit card.

Tips are not included in your price. Tipping is not obligatory in South America, but is a kind gesture, gratefully received, when you feel the service merits it. You can tip larger amounts (e.g. $10 upwards) in US dollars, but smaller amounts should be in local currency, otherwise, the person you are tipping won’t be able to exchange them.

Quotes usually include domestic flights, accommodation for each night, all breakfasts, some other meals, entrance tickets, transport, and guide services for included tours. Water will also be provided in the vehicle and most hotels.

Some examples of additional expenses are restrooms, additional meals, water, or snacks not included in your itinerary, tips, souvenirs, laundry, taxis for transport during your free time, tours/entrance fees to attractions not specified in your itinerary, travel insurance, and visa fees.

We provide our clients with extensive restaurant recommendations and are happy to make advance dining reservations. From haute cuisine to local favorites to traditional dinners in private homes, we know all the best places to have a variety of dining experiences.

Likewise, our Travel Designers know all the most luxurious spas in the region. We will gladly book appointments for you in any destination you are visiting, and we will provide spa menus in advance. We are also happy to customize an entire spa tour.

All tours can be customized to include personalized shopping as part of the private cultural touring in each location. There is no extra cost for this special service. Whether you simply want plenty of time to browse in museum gift shops or interesting shopping streets, or if you want more in-depth private shopping excursions, we offer insider access to shops and people, expert advice, private specialist guides fluent in the local language, and culture, and full-service logistical support such as packing and shipping. Our Travel Designers maintain a vast, sophisticated knowledge base of the best local craftspeople, shops, markets, and other sources of high-quality goods.

Bolivia Expeditions Tours personnel are always available to contact in the case of an emergency, 24 hours a day. You will be given contact numbers for Eric Raul Albino Lliuya, number WhatsApp: +51 943 081 066 our director, and our Customer Service Supervisor in your Detailed Itinerary as also we have a office number WhatsApp: +51 942 646 424, so that you can call them should the need arise.

Your Travel Designer will be your main point of contact in the run-up to your trip and will make sure you have all the information you need. You will still be able to email your Travel Designer or call him/her during your trip, but once you’re on the road, our Operations Team will take over with logistical decisions and help you more directly. Your Travel Designer will always be happy to help out where necessary and receive your comments and feedback during or after the trip.

COUNTRY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

BOLIVIA

Any traveler who wishes to enter Bolivia and is born in the United States of America or who has US citizenship must apply for a tourist visa. The visa has a duration of 10 years from the date of issue and allows the bearer a stay of up to ninety (90) calendar days.

In the Altiplano Area, mid-April through October is considered the dry season, which means hot dry days (temperatures in the 70°s) and cold, cold nights, with temperatures close to freezing.

Even during the day, if you step out of the sun, the mountain air can chill, so be sure to always have layers. November through March/April is the rainy season, with heavy rain in January and February. Generally, the mornings are clear, with rain in the afternoons and temperatures a bit warmer than they are in the dry season.

Uyuni Salt Flats: Depending on water levels, the itinerary and routes may change during the rainy season – for example you may not be able to visit the Incahuasi Island if the water is too high. However, visiting during rainy season will allow you to experience wonderful mirror effect and the uniqueness of the area. If you can change your visit to the dry season, it might be worth it though, as your visit will be more complete. Please be aware that there is a higher likelihood of disruption to flights during the rainy season as well.

Lake Titicaca: Rain may influence visibility during the rainy season, so it’s best to visit during the dry season.

La Paz, Sucre and Potosi: The summer in Bolivia runs from December to February and spring runs from September to November. These are great months in Bolivia to enjoy the sunshine, but it is also part of the rainy season. It gives a freshness and provides lush green landscapes throughout the country. You can explore the local cultures and learn about Bolivian history year round by visiting the museums in the cities.

Due to current flights between La Paz and Uyuni, you will need at least 3 or 4 days to visit the salt flats.

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