USEFUL INFO
international airport. New Zealand passport holders do not require entry visa to none of the above countries.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
HANDY TIPS FROM US, THE LOCALS! TIPPING Tipping is optional, however, it is a customary practise in Latin America. It is common to tip services such as guides, porters, drivers, waiters, baggage handlers and anyone else who goes out of his or her way to help you. Tipping guideline per person: Tour guides $5/half day and $10/ full day. Tour drivers $2/half day and $5/ full day. $1 per bag for bellboys. A 10-15% service charge is usually included in restaurant bills, but an additional 5% can be added for good service.
PASSPORTS & VISA This information is correct at the time of printing but is always subject to change. Please check requirements for all countries you will be visiting prior to departure. All travellers require a valid passport with sufficient pages (approx. 6) with a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of completion of travel. Australian passport holders do not require visa for entry into Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Colombia nor Peru. There is a reciprocity fee in Chile (USD117 approx.) payable locally on arrival at the
Some South American cities such as Cuzco, La Paz and Quito are situated at an altitude of 2850 meters above sea level or higher. At these altitudes, the lack of oxygen affects most people to some extent until they become acclimatised. Mild symptoms include headache, lethargy, dizziness, difficulty in sleeping and loss of appetite. It is recommended that you rest in your hotel on the first day of arrival into this city to assist in acclimatisation.
LANGUAGE Spanish is spoken in most of South America, with the exception of Brazil where Portuguese is the national language. Generally, in the capital cities and popular tourist areas, some English is spoken; however in remote areas it is unlikely there will be many people who speak English.
CURRENCY As each South American country has its own currency, it is wise to take the majority of your spending money in USD. However, taking Debit Cards with your own money is also a good idea, as most major cities have ATM Access, giving you the opportunity to with draw in the local currency.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE DEGREES CELCIUS JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
Buenos Aires
25
24
21
18
14
11
11
13
14
18
21
DEC 23
Bariloche
14
14
11
8
5
3
2
3
5
8
11
13
Ushauia
10
10
8
6
3
2
2
2
4
7
8
9
Santiago
21
20
18
15
11
8
8
10
11
14
17
19
Puerto Montt
14
14
12
10
9
7
6
7
8
10
11
13
Punta Arenas
10
10
8
6
3
2
1
2
5
6
8
10
Arica
23
23
22
20
18
17
16
16
17
18
20
21
Lima
23
23
23
21
20
18
17
17
17
18
20
21
Cuzco
12
12
12
12
11
10
10
11
12
13
13
13
Arequipa
15
15
15
15
15
14
14
14
15
15
15
15
La Paz
8
8
8
7
6
5
5
6
7
8
8
8
Rio de Janeiro
28
28
27
25
23
21
21
22
23
24
25
26
Salvador de Bahia
27
27
27
27
26
25
25
25
25
26
26
27
Manaus
27
26
27
27
27
27
27
27
28
28
28
27
Quito
14
14
14
15
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
Guayaquil
27
27
27
27
27
25
25
25
25
25
26
27
Cuenca
15
15
15
15
14
13
13
12
14
15
14
15
Montevideo
22
21
20
16
12
10
10
10
12
14
17
20
Bogota
12
13
13
13
13
13
12
12
13
13
13
12
Caracas
21
22
23
23
24
23
23
23
23
23
23
22
Mexico City
14
14
16
17
18
18
17
16
17
15
14
13
Cancun
24
25
26
27
29
29
30
30
29
28
26
25
Havana
21
21
23
24
26
27
27
27
27
25
24
22
Santiago De Cuba
24
24
25
25
26
27
27
27
27
27
26
25
Rosario Island
The tailor made specialists
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