Epic Peru, Bolivia & Argentina

Due to the high altitude of many of the places you’ll visit, some people can suffer altitude sickness. Some people aren’t affected at all, but if you are, drink plenty of water and don’t push yourself too hard. If possible, arrive a few days early to allow yourself time to acclimatise. Please see the ‘Medical and Health Information’ section of the Essential Trip Information for details.

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.

While hiking the four-day Inca Trail or three-day Inca Quarry trail, you may be joined by some non-Intrepid travellers who might be over 35 years old.

Travellers who choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), will not follow the same routes within Machu Picchu. This means that you may not be able to have photos together overlooking Machu Picchu. This applies to travellers on the same booking or separate bookings.

1. At the time of booking, please advise whether you would like to hike the classic Inca Trail, Inca Quarry Trail or take the train. When available, the Inca Trail will be booked as the default option. Fees may apply to changes made after the time of booking, and availability on other options cannot be guaranteed.
2. While hiking the four-day Inca Trail or the three-day Inca Quarry trail portion of this trip you may be joined by other Intrepid travellers.Trail permits are sold on request basis only. Once deposit is paid and passport details provided, Intrepid will endeavour to secure a permit for you. If Inca Trail permits are unavailable by the time you book, you can opt to hike the Quarry Trail instead. The Inca Trail closes in February to allow cleaning and restoration works. If the trek portion of your trip starts in February you will be automatically booked to hike the Inca Quarry Trail.
3. 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.
4. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 2 and 3 (Amazon Jungle), Days 6, 7 and 8 (Camping), Day 12 (Lake Titicaca, Homestay), Days 17 and 18 (Dormitory), and Day 22 (Overnight bus) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
5.Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) for bus, train, or flights tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
6. As you can choose different ways of reaching Machu Picchu (Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or Train), there is a small chance you may be the only traveller on your selected option.
7. 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), PERU TREKKING
Tents and sleeping mats are provided for the duration of your Peru trek.
At the pre-trek briefing you will be given a small duffle bag to pack your clothes for the trek, please note there is a 5kg limit, this includes your sleeping bag.

In addition to the general packing list above, please ensure you bring these items if you are trekking in Peru.

Passport:
You MUST take your passport, a photocopy is not sufficient. It's important the passport matches the details your provided us when booking this trip (Keep it in a plastic bag in case of rain)

Sleeping bag:  
You will need a good warm sleeping bag for the trek. Sleeping bags can be hired for US20-25, please let your Tour Leader know at the trek briefing. A four season (or -10) bag is recommended especially for the winter months. At other times you will probably be fine in a 3 season (or -5) bag although this depends on how much you feel the cold and is given as a guideline only.

Silk sleeping bag liner:
Especially recommended if you plan to hire a sleeping bag but can also give your own bag added warmth.

Pillow
Pillows are not provided on the trek and it's your personal preference if you wish to bring one along. If you decide to bring a pillow then we do suggest packing a travel friendly option, something that can be easily packed into your small duffle bag.

Trek Poles:
Trek poles are not required, it's a personal preference. We recommend hiring these at the pre-trek briefing for approximately US$10 per pole as it will save you carting them around for the remainder of your travels.

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)

Water bottle:
You should be carrying at least 2 litres of water daily, while trekking. Depending on whether you have a hydration bladder in your bag or not we recommend bringing two (1 litre) bottles that can be refilled on the trail with boiled water, which will be supplied daily.

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 in layers:
(E.g. zip off trousers, fleece, T-shirts). It’s a personal choice as to how many items you bring however please remember there’s a 5kg limit. We recommend the following;

• 2 Pairs of long Walking Trousers (Zip off are a very hand
  choice but not a necessity)
• 2 T-shirts
• 1 Pair of shorts
• Rain Jacket or Poncho (Poncho can be purchased locally
  for a $2-3)
• 4-5 Pairs of Thick socks

Warm clothing for night time:
Fleece, long pants, woollen hat, gloves.

Thermal underwear:
Thermal wear is highly recommended, being light, warm and will keep you warm at night.

Sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat

Personal medication and basic first aid kit: 
Band-Aids, Imodium, Panadol, rehydration sachets.

Camera and spare batteries, memory cards or film: 
Please note: there are no electrical outlets on the trek so make sure you fully charge and or have spare batteries.

Snacks:
Chocolates, chips, biscuits, energy bars. Snacks are provided during the trek but you may like to bring one or two extras just in case. If you have a dietary requirement then be recommend bringing some suitable snacks from home. We will accommodate you for Breakfast, lunch and dinner however for snacks it’s recommended to bring some just to be safe.

Head torch or Standard Torch (flash-light)
(Very Important) and spare batteries.

Tropical strength insect repellent.

Antiseptic hand gel.

Flip-flops / thongs / jandals: 
If you wish to have a shower on the third night and to wear around camp after a long day of trekking.

Ear Plugs:
In case your tent ‘roomie’ is a snorer.

Plastic bags: 
To keep your belongings and clothes dry (wrap everything in plastic bags).

Toilet paper: 
Most important! Also small plastic bags or zip lock bags for rubbish which can then be thrown in the main rubbish bag provided by the porters. Please don’t dispose of your toilet paper on the ground!

Wet wipes and or Face wipes:
These are an essential and will come in handy after a long day of trekking and no showers.

Small towel and basic personal toiletries:
On the third night of both the Inca Trail and the Inca Quarry there is an opportunity to have a shower so bring travel size shampoo and shower gel if you would like.

The physical rating on this trip is based on you selecting to trek either the Inca Trail or Quarry Trail. Should you wish to take the train option instead of trekking, you can consider the physical level a 2-3.

On Day 2 of the Inca Trail or Quarry Trail you will be walking uphill from 3000 to 4500 metres above sea level before descending steeply through big steps and difficult terrain. While this demanding walk is the main challenge our passengers face on this trip, it's also one of the highlights and worth every minute of it. You can find out more about the trekking options here:
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/inca-trail-vs-quarry-trail/

We recommend that you undertake regular aerobic exercise in the months before you travel, particularly if you are not in the habit of regular exercise. Doing mountain walks or climbing long staircases with a pack is good preparation. Walking, jogging, swimming or riding a bike are all good ways to increase your aerobic fitness, which will allow you to enjoy the trekking to its fullest. More information can be found here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/trekking-training-guide-tips/

Hotel Santa Cruz, Av. Santa Cruz 1347, Miraflores, Lima, PERU

Hotel Santa Cruz is located on the skirts of district Miraflores. Some rooms are equipped with safety box, free WI-FI, hair dryer and air conditioning.

Alternate Joining Point

Please make sure that you provide your flight details, no later than 14 days before departure to book your arrival transfer with us. If you plan to arrive earlier, this arrival transfer can only be offered in conjunction with pre trip accommodation booked through Intrepid.

Lima International Airport (LIM) is located in the Callao area of Lima, which is 25kms/15miles from the Miraflores area of the city. Depending on traffic conditions, the drive can take 30mins to 1.5 hours.

International arrivals will exit Lima International Airport (LIM) at Gate 4. For your confirmed arrival transfer, please exit the airport, towards the parking lot. There is a fence immediately after the first lane, a transfer representative will be waiting here, holding an Intrepid sign. Please note that there are taxi totes right outside the gate and may approach you as Intrepid’s driver. Please only follow our transfer representative who hold a sign with Intrepid’s logo and your name.

If you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find to the driver, please contact the phone number listed in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of this document.

Alternatively, we recommend TAXI GREEN. They have information booths in the Arrivals Hall after you exit Customs. A taxi will cost approximately PEN80. Do not use the services of taxi drivers waiting outside the terminal as they charge very high fees.

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: 24

Lunches included: 9

Dinners included: 8

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. On our camping trips we often cook the region's specialities so you don't miss out. 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 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.

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

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.