Real Bolivia & Argentina

While in the Andean Desert, you’ll reach altitudes of up to 4900 m. La Paz, Potosi and Uyuni all have high altitudes and the air is a lot thinner, so it can take time to adjust. It may be a good idea to arrive in La Paz early so that you have time to acclimatise. Some people aren’t affected at all, but if you are, drink plenty of water and take it easy. Although altitude sickness can affect anyone, it’s important that you’re healthy enough to travel, as pre-existing medical conditions can worsen at high altitudes. Please see the important ‘Health’ section of the Essential Trip information (ETI) for more information.

Bolivia is the least developed and most challenging country you’ll travel around during this trip. Transportation can be slow and isn’t as easy as it might be in developed countries. Additionally, making your way across the Andean Desert involves long travel days spent in 4WDs on dusty and bumpy tracks. Temperatures in the area can be very cold, especially at night, so bring warm clothes. Meals are simple, toilet facilities are basic, showers can be cold, and the multi-share accommodation is dormitory style. This is all part of the adventure. Undoubtedly, this amazing experience will be one of the highlights of your trip to South America.

This trip includes an overnight bus journey. Although the buses feature comfortable reclining seats, they are not beds. There’s also usually a toilet on board, and some buses make toilet stops. These trips can be tiresome, but an adventure around South America wouldn’t be complete without an overnight bus journey.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 2 (overnight bus), Days 3 and 4 (Dormitory) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2.Nationals from the United States need a visa to enter Bolivia and you we highly recommend you obtain this visa in advance from your nearest Bolivian consulate or Embassy. Not obtaining the visa in advance is likely to cause long delays at the border. Please see the 'Passport and Visas' section of the Essential Trip Information for more details.
3. Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase Entrance fees to certain sites. Additionally on certain trips it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Delays to provide this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
4. Parts of your trip go above 2800 meters / 9200 feet where it is common for travelers to experience some adverse health effects due to the altitude - regardless of your age, gender and fitness. Please read our Essential Trip Information to learn more about altitude sickness.
5. In addition to a Traveler’s Affidavit, and health insurance, entry into Chile currently requires submitting proof of vaccination in advance of travel or proof of a negative PCR test within 48 hours of departure. As this validation process can take a while, it is recommended that you submit your electronic validation request 30 days in advance of Travel. The link to submit and more information is available here: https://www.chile.travel/en/traveltochileplan/
6.We highly recommend you take US Dollars with you to Argentina and change it locally. While ATMs are widely available, there is a daily limit for withdrawals and the exchange rate does fluctuate.

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, Aerolineas Argentinas (domestic airline in Argentina) allows a maximum of 15kg for check in luggage.

Other than the items and clothing you always need on a trip, below we have listed packing suggestions specific for this trip:

RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view www.kropla.com)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and bandaids.
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both

OPTIONAL:
- Ear plugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo or per load, which is generally inexpensive (2 USD per Kg).

ESSENTIAL:
- Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
- Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, sunglasses.
- Day Pack - A day bag that has easy access to water bottles (external side pockets) or a day pack with a built in hydration bladder. This bag only needs to be large enough to hold the few things you need during the day (hat, water, camera, snacks, rain jacket etc)
- Waterproof, well worn-in walking boots - Good quality, comfortable footwear is essential. Whatever you wear on your feet the most important thing is comfort. It is vital to ensure your boots are well worn in and lightweight. Ankle support and waterproofing is recommended but if you already have something comfortable with good grip on rocks then don’t go rushing out to buy new boots – you are better off with your well-worn in pair!
- Walking clothing - Its best to bring clothes that can be layered so you can adjust layers according to the weather which is ever-changing in the Falklands. Please ensure this includes a waterproof jacket and pants.
-Basic personal toiletries, ESSENTIAL:
- Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
- Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view www.kropla.com)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and band-aids.
- Insect repellent
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both
- Swimwear
-Sleeping bag: Night time temperatures are often well into the minuses it can often get as cold as -5 degrees. Blankets are provided however due to the extreme weather conditions we strongly recommend that you either rent or bring your own sleeping bag.
Sleeping bags can be rented in Uyuni for the 3-day tour for about 10 USD (total cost, not per day).
- Warm clothes: Thermal underclothes, being small and light, a light water and windproof jacket
-Travel Towel: We recommend bringing a travel towel for the Uyuni part of this trip as we can't always guarantee towels will be provided at your stay in the basic accommodation.

OPTIONAL:
- Ear plugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
- Phrase book

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your hotel safe. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo, which is generally inexpensive (about USD 2 per kilo)

Hotel Golden Palace, Calle Sagarnaga 531 Esq. Max Paredes, Sagarnaga, La Paz, BOLIVIA, Phone: +591 22488954, Fax: +591 22492017

Located right in the touristic centre of La Paz, Golden Palace offers comfortable rooms with private bathrooms. The hotel is located 400 metres from the Witches Market, the Coca Museum and from La Paz's famous San Francisco Cathedral.

Alternate Joining Point

Intrepid offers a pre-arranged transfer service from La Paz Airport at an additional fee. If you require this service please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your trip departure. If you have purchased an arrival transfer you will be met after exiting customs. As you exit please look for the Intrepid sign or a sign with your name on it. There is only one exit for international arrivals (Puerta 1 – Gate 1) and for domestic flight arrivals the exit is Gate 10 or 11 in all the cases there will be many signs so please read carefully all of them. If you have any problems and cannot locate your driver on arrival, please phone our Intrepid Peru Emergency number, listed under ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of your essential information.
If you don’t have a device or mobile coverage please go the “information booth” located in front of BOA Airline’s counter, they can help you to make a phone call.

Alternatively, you can travel from El Alto International Airport to the city by taxi. As you walk out from the luggage collection and out from the customs area, you will find multiple taxi services. They will charge you BOB.70 (USD.10) for a trip to La Paz city.The drive to La Paz downtown where the hotel is located is approximately 30 minutes depending on traffic.

562 Nogaro Buenos Aires, Av. Julio A. Roca 562, C1067ABN CABA, Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, Phone: +54 1143310091

Hotel 562 Nogaro is located in central Buenos Aires, next to the city hall, to the May Square and many other tourist destinations. The rooms offered by this charming hotel are elegantly designed and equipped with cable TV, minibar, free internet connection and other amenities. The hotel also features 24 hours room service, a gym and a tour desk, as well as a business center, where computers with internet access are provided. Hotel staffs speak Portuguese, Spanish and English.

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 11

Lunches included: 2

Dinners included: 2

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.

More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.

For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home. 

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +51 996 055559 Lima, +51 940 512701 Cusco

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

Our overnight buses have reclinable seats - usually more comfortable than your average economy plane seats. You may be offered a simple dinner on board or stop at a service station to buy snacks and drinks. Before boarding an overnight bus, it's always a good idea to have music, a book, water, snacks and warm clothing ready.