| Duration: | 3 days - Quito to Quito |
| Countries Visited: | Ecuador |
| Age Guide: | 18-55 years |
| Max Group Size: | 16 |
| Transport: | Private Transport, on Foot |
| Accommodation: | Lodge with Private Bathroom (2 Nights) |
| What's Included: | Guided Activities - Private Transport to/from Quito to the Lodge - Hikes through Primary & Secondary Cloudforest - All Meals (from Lunch Day 1 to Lunch Day 3) - Shared Naturalist Guide Service - Access to 700 Hectares of the Bellavista Reserve - National Park Entrance Fee |
| Local Payment: | NO LOCAL PAYMENT |
| Highlights: | Hiking - Self-Guided Trails - Waterfalls - Birdlife |
| Optional Highlights: | No optional highlights |
| Meeting Point: | Hotel Fuente de Piedra II
Juan Leon Mera
N23-21 y Baquedano
La Mariscal
Quito
Ecuador
Tel: (+593) (2) 2900323 |
| Introduction: | The Andean reserve of Bellavista lies less than two hours from Ecuador’s capital, Quito.
Despite this proximity to the capital, the lodge is situated deep in the tranquillity of the forest yet still enjoys marvellous views over the mountains, affording great opportunities to catch the sunrise. The programme offers a degree of flexibility, including the chance to hike, relax in hammocks, or go wildlife spotting.
There are guided hikes on the network of trails through the rainforest, with varying dregrees of difficulty to suit different levels. There are sixteen species of hummngbirds (there are over 330 known species of birds in the area of the reserve) as well as bears, pumas, coates. The cloudforest is home to various types of bromeliads and orchids, which grow in profusion due to Bellavista’s location: right on the equator!
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| Day 1: | Pickup from hotel (08:30), lunch at Bellavista, afternoon forest hike to discover the ecology of the cloudforest, dinner at Bellavista |
| Day 2: | Early morning bird walk, breakfast at Bellavista, guided hike to hidden waterfalls in the forest, lunch at Bellavista. In the afternoon there is more guided hiking to explore other parts of the forest and then dinner at Bellavista. |
| Day 3: | Early morning bird hike, optional horse-riding or further guided hikes (there are so many parts of the cloudforest to explore!), lunch is at Bellavista. In the afternoon it's free time to explore the self-guided trails and you depart from Bellavista (15:00) and arrival to Quito (17:00). |
| Finishing Hotel: |
For tours departing BEFORE 16th May 2010:
Hotel Jardin del Sol
Calama 166 y Diego de Almagro
Quito new town
Ecuador
Tel: +593-2-2230941 / +593-2-2230945
For tours departing AFTER 16th May 2010:
Hotel Fuente de Piedra II
Juan Leon Mera
N23-21 y Baquedano
La Mariscal
Quito
Ecuador
Tel: (+593) (2) 2900323 |
| Whats Not Included: | Extra drinks, snacks and other personal expenses. Tips and all optional excursions, visas and meals unless otherwise stated in the itinerary. |
| Please Note: | A Local Operator operates the tour on our behalf; full contact details are shown on your trip voucher. Your group may also be made up of other non-Kumuka group members. |
| Pre Departure Checklist: | All passengers must have the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. All passengers MUST bring:
1. Passport
2. Vaccination Certificate
3. Travel Voucher
4. Travel Insurance Policy |
| Insurance: | Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.
Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance. |
| Passport: | Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate. Your passport must be valid for six months after the END of your tour, and must have one blank page for each country to be visited. |
| Visa Requirements: | It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your South America trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides visa information. Please consult your Travel Agent or relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs.
EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.
Brazilian Visas – All those requiring Brazil visas must obtain these prior to entry; it is strongly recommended these are arranged prior to travel where possible.
Obtaining Brazilian Visas in Buenos Aires.
Please note: for Kumuka tours entering from Argentina these can be obtained at the Brazilian Consulate. All passengers must make and attend an appointment as well as allow time for the visa to be processed which can take anything from 12 hours up to 5 days, especially during months around Carnival. If for any reason your visa is delayed it may be necessary to make arrangements to meet up with the tour once it has left Buenos Aires. Please see the following website for details on how to make an appointment and what documents are required when applying for a tourist visa. Appointments can be booked online up to a month in advance and the contact numbers will put you through to an English speaker if required.
http://www.conbrasil.org.ar/CONSBRASIL/visas_otros01engl.asp
Embassy details:
Consulate of Brazil
Carlos Pellegrini 1363 – 5 Piso
Buenos Aires
C1011AAA
Argentina
Tel: +54 (11) 45156500
Contact number for appointments: +54 (11) 4515-6525 (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm/3-5pm)
Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith. |
| Medical Information and Vaccinations: | Vaccinations:
It is necessary to obtain an International Certificate of Vaccination before travelling. This is a record of your injections and should be issued with your first inoculation. Make sure that after each injection your certificate is dated, signed and stamped.
Compulsory Inoculations:
Yellow Fever for Bolivia. Yellow Fever certificate also required for Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru but only if arriving from an infected area.
Please refer to the Yellow Fever information under the Latest News section on our website. Yellow Fever vaccination is now recommended for parts of Argentina, and parts of Brazil. We strongly recommend that you consult your GP or Travel Clinic at least several weeks prior to departure to check current Yellow Fever vaccination requirements. Your Yellow Fever vaccination certificate should be carried with you at all times.
Recommended inoculations:
Yellow fever, hepatitis A, diphtheria, typhoid, tetanus and polio.
We also recommend:
- A dental check-up prior to travelling.
- That you know your blood group in case of emergency.
- That if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and your agent/Kumuka at the time of your booking.
You can also visit www.kumuka.com.
Medical Supplies:
We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit. Below is a list of some recommended items:
Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, Any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills.
A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.
Medication requiring refrigeration whilst on tour:
Kumuka Worldwide does not take responsibility for client medication during their trip and cannot guarantee refrigeration facilities. It is your responsibility to take the necessary steps to ensure that during your trip, your medication is stored correctly and available for use whenever it is required.
• For clients booked on our South America Small Group Tours:
Please be aware that these can involve some bus journeys of up to 18 hours.
• For clients booked on our South America Overland Tours:
Average journey times are 8-10 hours, though some travel days can be considerably longer.
• All journey times are approximate and can be subject to delays.
• On included excursions such as the Inca Trail, jungle and Pantanal trips we cannot guarantee facilities to be able to keep medication cold.
• Not all hotels provide refrigeration facilities.
• On all Kumuka Worldwide South America trips, the availability and provision of ice is random, and can be sporadic. |
| Altitude Sickness: | If you are beginning your trip in one of the Andean countries (Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia) please be aware that you may be susceptible to some form of altitude sickness. If you are starting your trip in La Paz, allow 2 days to adapt to these conditions.
You may feel nauseous, overwhelmingly tired, short of breath or experience headaches. There are methods though of minimising the levels of altitude sickness that each person experiences.
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Taking the following steps will greatly help in minimising the level of altitude sickness, but please be aware that every individual reacts differently to it.
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Drink plenty of bottled water. At high altitude your breathing is rapid and shallow, causing you to dehydrate. 2 litres of water per day is the recommended amount.
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Avoid alcohol.
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Avoid smoking. If you are a heavy smoker they should either cut down or stop completely for their time in the altitude (although some smokers say they have an easier time because they are used to having less oxygen).
Taking the above measures will in most cases mean that within 2 days your body should adjust to taking less oxygen but each individual will be affected differently. |
| Security: |
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We recommend that you do not take unnecessary valuables with you. Wearing jewellery and expensive watches will attract attention.
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A money belt, or something similar, worn close to your body is the best way to carry passports, airline tickets and money.
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DO NOT leave any valuables in ANY hotel room, please use SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES. Items are left at your own risk.
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Pickpockets operate everywhere, particularly in tourist areas and in crowded markets; you must always exercise care. Be aware that anything left lying around will also be liable to theft. |
| Books and Reading Material: | You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit. |
| Money: | We suggest passengers budget for between US$25-30 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evening out, alcoholic drinks etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.
Take your money is US dollars only. This the only foreign currency readily exchanged in Latin America.
It is recommended that you take some US dollars cash in small denominations ($10 and $20) as well as larger amounts, all notes should have been issued since 2001 anything before that may not be accepted due to counterfeit concerns. In many countries, you may exchange US Dollars traveller’s cheques for US cash, or retrieve US dollars cash from ATMs (with a credit card), usually for a small commission but please do not rely solely on this option.
Credit cards are accepted frequently, particularly in the larger cities. They can also be used to get money from ATMs. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa being the most useful. If you choose to travel with traveller's cheques these should be AMERICAN EXPRESS which are the most readily accepted however, please note that exchanging traveller's cheques can be a lengthy process and you may not be able to exchange them in smaller towns or more remote areas. Travelex cards or other travel debit cards are an alternative option if you do not wish to carry much cash. |
| Local Customs: | Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe. |
| Time: | For detailed information see www.timezoneconverter.com or www.timeanddate.com |
| Language: | Spanish is the language most widely spoken in the countries we visit in Latin America but English is spoken a little bit in the larger cities. In Brazil the main language is Portugese. Other languages you may encounter are; Quechua, spoken in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, Amyara spoken in Peru and Bolivia. Welsh is spoken in some of the old Welsh colonies of Argentinean Patagonia, with Guarani spoken in Northern Argentina. The Amazon region of Brazil is also home to many tribal languages, for example, Tupi.
You might like to take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable. |
| Photography: | Most passengers will travel with digital cameras. Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.
With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in South America. However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.
Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission. Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated. It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations. |
| Food: | Latin American food is delicious, nutritious and varied. Vegetarians are easily catered for but please advise your travel agent or Kumuka at the time of booking if you have any special dietary requirements. |
| Tipping and Bargaining: |
For better or for worse, tipping is an accepted part of everyday life and although it is always at your discretion, you will be expected to tip to reward service. As a general guideline, in South America it is customary to tip 10% at restaurants and bars, USD5 to guides, and to leave approximately USD2 tip for the chambermaid and bellboy. |
| Staying in Touch: | Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:
Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.
Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.
Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka
Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts
Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does! |
| Tour Feedback: | Tour Questionnaire - We would like to hear about your experiences on tour. One week after your tour ends you will automatically receive a feedback questionnaire via email. If we do not have your email address you can still complete a questionnaire by visiting www.kumuka.com/feedback
Email - If you have any specific comments about your tour then please write to us by email to operations@kumuka.com |
| Drug Policy: | Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund. |
| Contact Details: | KUMUKA WORLDWIDE
UK OFFICE
Hillswood Business Park 3000
Hillswood Drive Chertsey KT16 0RS
Tel: +4420 7937 8855 Fax: +442075043782
Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com
AUSTRALIAN OFFICE
Level 5, 387 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9279 0491 Fax: 02 9279 0492
Email: sales@kumuka.com.au
www.kumuka.com.au |
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