Tipping is totally at your discretion and is not a requirement in South America or on Southern Crossings Tours. With that being said, tipping is always a great way to show your appreciation to the people serving you and will be warmly accepted. We only suggest tipping if the service is what you consider to be above average. Tips can be paid in US dollars and/or local currency whatever is easier for you. Below are some suggestions:
For your guides, if you wish to tip them, we suggest $5-10 per person per day.
On treks or other all-day sport activities such as the Inca Trail if you want to tip we recommend US$10-$15 per person per day, to be divided amongst the staff. If every group member on the trek follows this guideline, the porters/horsemen, cooks and guides should all be happy. Normally the head guide will pass around an envelope for passengers to put a tip in and will split the tip with amongst the staff. If you feel a staff member has gone above and beyond to help you out, you may give that person an additional tip directly to that person.
If you wish to tip your private driver $5 is acceptable. It is not customary to tip taxi drivers.
A 10% tip at restaurants, 1 sol ($0.30) per drink at a bar.
All 3 to 5-star hotels have already been paid a 10% service fee by Southern Crossings on your behalf.
Hotel porters and bell boys $1 (or equivalent) per bag. A little more if at a 4- or 5-star hotel. If you permit anyone at the airport who is not a Southern Crossings employee to help you with your bags, they will expect a small tip.
Again, tipping is totally at your discretion and you will never be put on the spot or in an uncomfortable situation to tip.
If you are scheduled to have the same guide or driver for more than one day you can tip them once at the end instead of several times if you prefer.
Accordion Sample DescripA yellow fever vaccination and certificate are recommended to travel to the Amazon basin of Peru and Ecuador and should be received at least 10 days before the date of entry. Travelers should make sure standard vaccinations such as tetanus are up to date and may also want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis and a malaria prophylaxis if traveling to the rainforest. Please consult your physician or local health department regarding these matters.
U.S. citizens are required to have a yellow fever vaccination to enter any part of Bolivia, as part of the visa requirement.
Brazil‘s yellow fever vaccination requirements are posted on the internet and seem to be constantly changing and varies depending on your nationality and where you are arriving from. To be safe, it is highly recommended to get a yellow fever vaccination before travelling to Brazil.tion
In Peru, you’ll be flying into Lima, which is at sea level, then normally moving on to Cuzco, which is at an altitude of 11,200ft./3,400m above sea level. Nazca and the Amazon basin are both near sea level. Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail reaches an altitude of 13,020ft./4,200m, and Lake Titicaca at just under 12,400ft./4,000m. Machu Picchu is a bit lower, at 7,970ft./2,430m.
In Bolivia, La Paz, Tiwanaku, Lake Titicaca, Potosi and Uyuni are all over 11,000ft./3,548m, while Sucre is at about 8,000ft./2,580m and the rainforest is near sea level.
In Ecuador, Quito is at 9,200ft/2,800m.
In Brazil altitude is not an issue.
Altitude affects everyone differently, and age and physical fitness don’t have much to do with it. Common symptoms are lightheadedness, shortness of breath, headache and mild nausea. After a day or two of acclimatization most people feel back to normal. The best way to keep from feeling the altitude is to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and eat lightly when you first arrive to altitude.
If you feel strongly affected by the change of altitude, there is medication (acetazolamide) that can be purchased inexpensively in pharmacies in Lima, Cuzco, Quito and La Paz, though most don’t find these necessary. (Note that acetazolamide is a sulfa drug.) Coca tea helps, you will be offered a cup at your hotel and can find coca leaf in local markets. Also, oxygen is available at most hotels if you are seriously affected. Most passengers only experience minor symptoms or none at all. If you have any health concerns, please consult your local physician regarding these matters.
Depending on what time of the year your trip is and which tour you choose, the climate varies. The rainy season is generally from mid November to mid April, but rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud forest, and one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will visit is as follows:
Quito: days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are chilly. Temperatures can vary between 46° to 70° Fahrenheit or 8° to 21° Celsius.
Cusco: days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are chilly to cold.
Machu Picchu: similar to Cuzco, but warmer and with more chance of rain.
Lake Titicaca: similar to Cuzco but much colder at night and when there’s no sun because of the higher altitude.
Lima: warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain. Beautiful in the summer (Dec-Abril), average temperature is 75°F (24°C). Often overcast the rest of the year with an average temperature of 65°F (19°C). With a wetsuit you can surf all year.
Amazon basin: hot and humid year-round, rain posible all year. Average maximum daytime temperatures are between 30 and 33 ºC (85 – 91 ºF). Night-time average minimums are between 18 and 23 ºC (64 – 73 ºF). We recommend light clothing (in weight and in color) that fully cover arms and legs to avoid mosquito bites.
Guayaquil and Galapagos Islands: hot and humid, rain always possible. Galápagos can have a cooler, more moderate climate depending on current conditions. One should come prepared for outdoor activity with temperatures ranging from 70° to 90° Fahrenheit or 21° to 32° Celsius and for extremes of sun and the possibility of rain.
The weather in the Galapagos Islands is beautiful all year. There are two seasons:
Hot Season: December to May – tropical temperatures; hot and humid from 79°F- 85°F (26°C-30°C). The water temperature average is 79°F (26°C).
Dry Season: July to November – Weather tend to be cloudier, cooler and drier with air temperature from 72°F-79°F (23°C-26°C). Water temperatures range between 70°F-72°F (20°C-23°C).
Ica and Nazca: similar to Lima but hotter and sunnier.
Inca Trail: all ranges of weather from hot to possible snow and rain at higher elevations. Most people trek in shorts or light pants (synthetic, fast-drying fibers are preferable to cotton) and a t-shirt, and carry a layer or two (thin fleece and micro-fibers are, again, preferable to cotton), plus a poncho or other rain gear. Sometimes there are small biting insects on sections of the trail, so even in warm weather some people opt to cover more skin with a long sleeve t-shirt and long pants.
Apurimac River/Rafting: warm to hot days, chilly nights with possibility of rain. Rafting gear/wetsuits included on the tour.
International airlines limit baggage to approximately 50 pounds (23 kilos) per passenger. Check with your airline for more details. Within Peru you are allowed 23 kilos (50 lbs.) Within Ecuador you are allowed 20 kilos (44 lbs.) of checked baggage as well as one carry-on and another small, purse-like item.
The carry-on size regulations are the same as international carry-on size regulations. Southern Crossings doesn’t have specific regulations on how much luggage you can bring with you. However, due to space limitations and the fact that there will be some traveling from town to town, we advise you not to pack too much. In general, one suitcase and one day pack should be sufficient. In our experience, light packers are happy travelers! If you are returning to the same hotel later on in your trip you can always safely store anything you have purchased or don’t need at that moment in hotel storage. Here is a basic list of what we recommend you bring with you. As always, if you have any questions about something specific, feel free to email us.
For most tours, one should come prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging from 40° to 85° Fahrenheit / 4° to 30° Celsius, and for extremes of sun and the possibility of rain. Note that it is best to bring from home such items as prescription medications, eyewear and care, unusual film and camera batteries. Please bring all cell phone and camera batteries home to be recycled or disposed of properly! You don´t need a cell phone while on tour but if you do have one and would like us to be able to call you please advise us.
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