PACING: 6 destinations in 14 nights: 2 nights Santa Cruz, 2
nights Santiago, 2 nights Montevideo, 4 nights Buenos Aires, 2 nights
Iguassu Falls, 2
nights Rio de Janeiro.
DETAILS ABOUT YOUR FLIGHTS: Your
flight to South America will connect through Miami. Since flights from
Miami to Santiago depart late night, depending upon your home city you
may have a shorter or longer layover in Miami before your flight takes
off. Your trip also has 3 internal flights: Santiago to Montevideo,
Buenos
Aires to Iguassu Falls, and Iguassu Falls to Rio de Janeiro. The only
long motorcoach days are from the Santiago airport to Santa Cruz, from Santa Cruz back
to Santiago for hotel stay, the full-day tour of Vina del
Mar and Valparaiso, and the full-day tour to Colonia in Uruguay.
However, each of these days includes stops and sightseeing along
the way.
OPTIONAL PRE-EXTENSION: 3 destinations in 6
nights: 3 nights in Sacred Valley, 2 nights in Cuzco, 1 night in Lima.
If you are taking the optional pre-extension, you will take an overnight
flight from Miami to Cuzco, connecting through Lima. The extension has 3
internal flights: Lima to Cuzco; Cuzco to Lima; and Lima to Santiago.
PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY: All
sightseeing is on air-conditioned coaches with guides. Moderate walking
required throughout the tour. In Iguassu Falls, there is walking on
well-maintained trails and catwalks daily, with one day being
approximately a 2 mile walk at Iguassu. In Rio there is a gondola ride
to the top of Sugar Loaf and a cog train ride on Corcovado. There is
the possibility of long lines to clear customs, particularly when
entering Brazil.
OPTIONAL PRE-EXTENSION: Most
sightseeing is on air-conditioned coaches with guides and on Vistadome
train. There is moderate to heavy walking at Ollantaytambo and at Machu
Picchu, with steps, climbing of stairs, walking on cobblestones and
uneven terrain. High altitudes in Machu Picchu (8,000 feet) and Cuzco
(10,657 feet).
CULTURAL FOCUS: South America requires
little to moderate cultural adjustment for most travelers. The different people, customs, foods, culture, and history
are what make South America such a rewarding destination.
SPECIAL
FACTORS: Temperatures can be quite hot and humid, particularly at
Iguassu Falls
during their summer months (November - March). A Brazilian visa is
required for this program at an additional cost. Please refer to
Vantages wheelchair and handicapped traveler policy as this journey
does have some physical limitations, particularly on the Cuzco and
Machu Picchu optional post-extension. Chile applies a comprehensive sanitary legislation through its
Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) enforcing the prohibition to
carry plant or animal products and by-products by travelers, you must
declare all products of plant or animal origin you are carrying upon
entering Chile. Non-compliance with this is subject to a fine.
HEALTH ADVISORY: The
Brazilian Ministry of Health is advising that all travelers going to
regions with risk of yellow fever receive the yellow fever vaccine. It is
not required, but recommended for Iguassu, Brasilia and Manaus. The
vaccine should be taken 10 days prior to entering the infected region
by those people over 6 months of age and those who do not suffer from a
weakened immune system. For more information, check on
http://www.cdc.gov or calling toll free 1 (800) 232-4636.
PACKING: We strongly urge you to pack at least one full change of clothes, your camera gear, all medications, changes of socks and underwear, your important travel documents, and other irreplaceable/urgent items in your carry-on bag in case your checked luggage is delayed.
