This tour starts in the port town of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast. Legendary for both its outstanding beauty and fascinating history, this town really is a living museum of colonial Spanish architecture. 

Please note that we depart Cartagena the day after the tour starts so if you would like more time here you should arrive a few days prior to departure.

From our base in Santa Marta you have the option to visit the stunning Tayrona National Park where a series of wildlife-rich  forest trails lead you to palm-fringed beaches and coastal lagoons usually only seen on postcards.

We now move south to the vibrant city of Medellin where we have the chance to explore Pablo Escobar’s old stomping ground! Through amazing displays of graffiti Comuna 13 tells us the story of an area once controlled by narcos and paramilitaries.

In the Andean town of Salento you have the opportunity to explore the colourful buildings and craft shops that adorn the colonial town square. The area is also well-known for the Cocora Valley where you can hike amongst the lofty wax palm trees which are a home to rare parrots.

We continue to the perfectly preserved pearl of colonial architecture known as the White City, Popayan. This is a laid-back town where kicking back in a sidewalk cafe is a great way to pass the day. This is also the gateway to Purace National Park where you have the option to take a day tour to see condors and thermal springs amongst some of South America’s most beautiful scenery.

Our final stop in Colombia is at the Shrine of our Lady of Las Lajas, an impressive Roman Catholic church built inside a canyon and something you would expect to see in a Disney movie.

A short drive away we cross the border and enter Ecuador.

Our first stop in Ecuador is the colourful market town of Otavalo where traders flock to from as far away as Colombia to sell their animals, carpets, food, clothing and traditional crafts.

On our way to Quito we stop at the equator where you have the chance to visit an exhibit that explains all the facts about this area where you can also straddle the yellow line marking the boundary between the northern and southern hemispheres.

In the lively city of Quito wandering through the old town is a definite highlight where narrow alleyways open up into grand plazas displaying historic churches as well as the President’s Palace. This city also has fantastic bars and restaurants to keep you entertained at night.

Dropping steeply out of the Andes we now enter pristine Amazon rainforest where you have the option to join a guided Amazon jungle excursion which includes hiking, rafting, bat-caving and waterfall climbing. Those who opt not to take the jungle excursion can enjoy the region’s activities such as kayaking and hiking from our base in the small town of Archidona.

A little further up the road we reach Banos, a bustling town offering several adventurous activities such as horse riding, canyoning, mountain biking, rafting and bungee jumping. Kicking back in the hot springs is a good way to end the day.

The town of Cuenca is our well preserved last stop in Ecuador where a day on the open-top bus will show you all the sites of this historic colonial town. Adventurous eaters should try the succulent Cuy (roasted guinea pig), it’s a delicacy here! 

We now drop out of the Andes on our way towards Peru.

The white sand beaches of northern Peru are our first stop where you have time to enjoy the surf and go swimming with wild green sea turtles.

In Huanchaco you can sample some of the best ceviche in the country where the fish are caught locally by fishermen using reed boats, a 3000 year old tradition.

Close to Huanchaco you have the option to visit the vast and unusually decorated crumbling ruins of Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the world. This area also boasts fascinating pyramids and temples well worth a day’s exploration.

A winding road now leads us into the mountains to Huaraz where we get commanding views of the magnificent Andes mountain range. Here you have the opportunity to undertake day trips to hike the famous Laguna 69 trail, visit the ice-blue Laguna Paron and walk to the face of the Pastoruri Glacier.

Back down on the coast we visit Lima for a taste of bustling city life and a look into Peru’s history in the fabulous museums, churches and plazas that adorn the city. The beach area of Miraflores is home to some of the country’s best restaurants and should not be missed!

A little further south we visit the national marine reserve of Paracas from where you have the option to take a boat trip out to the Ballestas Islands which are home to sea-lions, penguins and thousands of seabirds.

We continue to Huacachina, a desert oasis where you can enjoy views over the green lagoon waters to the high, rolling sand dunes where the adventurous can take a dune buggy and go sandboarding.

The mysterious Nazca Lines are our next attraction where you have the option to take an exhilarating flight for an aerial view of pictures of whales, monkeys, spiders and even spacemen made by stones laid out on the desert floor.

Close to Nazca we take an afternoon to visit the mummified remains of ancient tribesmen at Chauchilla Cemetery and also the Cahuachi Pyramids, once an important ceremonial centre for Nazca culture.

Our journey back into the Andes now leads us to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. This colonial town is abuzz with energy and its beautiful squares, plentiful nightlife and wonderful restaurants make it a great place to explore and live it up a little! It is also from here that you will start one of your greatest optional excursions, the Inca Trail. This exhilarating 2 or 4 day hike lives up to its reputation for stunning scenery and ends at one of the world’s most beautiful sites, Machu Picchu.

On our way out of Cusco at a staggering 5200 m above sea level you now have the option to visit the Rainbow Mountains, a multicoloured marvel of nature.

We continue to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. From here you will get to see condors riding the early morning thermals, flying by at eye level providing great photo opportunities.

The charming city of Arequipa boasts beautiful churches, colonial plazas, lively markets and mouth-watering cuisine for us to enjoy during our 2 night stay here.

Our last stop in Peru is at the small town of Puno situated on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. Here you have the option of visiting the nearby floating reed islands where you can meet some of the native inhabitants, many of whom have never set foot on land!

Hugging the shores of Lake Titicaca we now head to Bolivia.

Our first stop in Bolivia is La Paz, a bustling city where much of the street space is taken up by native women in bowler hats and voluminous skirts squatted down selling everything from fake designer jeans to coca leaves. There is even a witches market where you can find dried llama foetuses, magical love potions and an array of other weird and wonderful concoctions.

From La Paz you also have the option to cycle down the world’s most dangerous road, a hair-raising experience that follows a track carved into the side of a mountain.

We continue to Sucre, Bolivia’s most beautiful city set in a valley and surrounded by mountains. This is the proud heart of the nation and its whitewashed buildings are well-preserved vestiges of glorious colonial architecture. From Sucre you can also take the Dinobus to visit the world’s largest collection of dinosaur footprints.

A short drive away we now reach Potosi, once the wealthiest city in the world due to its prolific silver mines. The mines still operate today and you have the option to take a tour into the depths of the mines through a series of tunnels and shafts where you can even buy dynamite and have a go at your own excavations!

We continue to the tumbleweed town of Uyuni where we stay in a hotel made out of salt from the nearby Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flats. From here you have the option to visit the salt flats in a 4×4 jeep for an other-worldly experience of bizarre rock formations, cacti-studded islands and bright-white salt.

Our journey now takes us on an adventure across the Bolivian altiplano, a high-altitude plateau of multi-coloured mountains, hardy wildlife, steaming geysers and towering volcanoes. This really is one of South America’s highlights!

The sandy desert tracks of the altiplano now lead us over the Andes and into Chile.

We drop out of the Andes into our first Chilean town of San Pedro de Atacama, located in the world’s driest desert. This dusty frontier town is straight out of a spaghetti western and the nearby Valley of the Moon offers incredible stargazing amongst a lunar landscape resembling the surface of the moon.

Desert meets ocean and we follow a coastal route taking in magnificent scenery and enjoy the stunning beaches of Pan de Azucar National Park from where boat trips are on offer to explore the rich sea-life of otters, seals, sea lions and birds.

Further south we reach the capital, Santiago. The city’s tree lined streets and wonderful architecture create a serene atmosphere but dig a little deeper and you discover a vibrant social scene. Huge coffee houses, tiny cocktail bars and sumptuous cuisine all make Santiago unforgettable.

As we continue south we notice a distinct change of scenery as the desert gives way to beautiful turquoise lakes and pine clad mountainsides. Pucon is a small Swiss-like  lakeside town where we base ourselves for a few days to enjoy the area’s rafting and hiking. The really adventurous have the chance to trek up the active Villarica volcano.

Southern Chile is the beginning of our journey along the Camino Austral, a stunning route that takes us on ferries through beautiful fjords, dirt tracks that lead us to remote villages and national parks that offer unsurpassed views of the Patagonian wilderness.

Futaleufu is our first stop on the Camino Austral and is a world-class destination for fishing, kayaking and whitewater rafting, and actually boasts having the world’s most dangerous river.

Weather permitting, you now have the option to visit the Hanging Glacier where you can trek up to the viewpoint of a glacier creeping over a cliff-face with a gushing waterfall pouring out of it.

From our base in Rio Tranquilo you have the option to visit the stunning San Rafael Glacier as well as explore the bizarre marble caves on the shores of Lago General Carrera.

Settlements now become few and far between as we continue our journey south towards Argentina.

Our first stop in Argentina is at Cueva de las Manos (cave of the hands) where we get to see an exceptional amount of cave art dating back 13,000 years.

We continue to the village of El Chalten in Los Glaciares National Park where you have a couple of days to explore the trails surrounding the iconic peaks of Mt. Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

From our base in El Calafate you now have the option to visit the incredible Perito Moreno glacier where you can take a breathtaking boat trip through the glacial waterways or even put on crampons for an hour of glacier trekking. 

We now head back to Chile.

We now cross back into Chile to visit one of South America’s most iconic national parks, Torres del Paine. Our idyllic campsite next to a turquoise glacial lake affords us stupendous views of the jagged mountain peaks towering skywards and the hiking here is stunning!

From here keen hikers have the chance to undertake the 4 day W Trek as an optional excursion. This iconic trail is rated as one of South America’s best hikes where you will get to see some of the world’s most impressive mountain scenery.

After crossing the Magellan Strait we enter Tierra del Fuego, a maze of beautiful islands, narrow waterways and breathtaking scenery.

A short distance away we now enter Argentina again.

Dramatically wedged between huge mountains and the icy Beagle Channel, the end of the world town of Ushuaia is our base for exploring the region’s highlights. Activities such as trekking, kayaking, fishing, wildlife watching and boat cruising are popular day trips and the seafood restaurants lining the ocean-front are simply divine. This is also the closest land point to Antarctica.

Back on the mainland we now start our journey through eastern Patagonia, probably the most barren and windswept landscape that you will ever encounter. 

Breaking the trip up is Valdes Peninsula, one of the planet’s most significant marine reserves. Here you have the option to do a day tour to visit the peninsula which is home to thousands of sea lions, elephant seals and penguins. Preying upon all these are the magnificent orcas and (if you are lucky enough) their beach attacks are a spectacle not to be missed. There are also options to kayak and swim with sea lions here.

Our journey continues north up to the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, where glorious architecture, wide tree-lined streets and open-air tango shows are but a few of the city’s attributes. Culturally, this is the place to be with exquisite restaurants, interesting museums and fabulous shows.

We now cross the border into Uruguay.

Uruguay is one of South America’s best kept secrets. The broad cobbled streets of the historic Colonia del Sacramento is a world away from the busy streets of Buenos Aires and is a relaxing first stop here.

Further east we reach the capital Montevideo, a pleasant city with a great food market where you can dine on seafood and meats prepared by butchers and fishermen in the heart of an old railway station.

The beaches of Punta del Este are our next stop and are amongst the best on the continent. 

The thermal pools of Salto are our final destination here before returning to Argentina.

We now enter a vast system of wetlands known as the Esteros del Ibera where you have the chance to spot wildlife such as caiman, capybara, marsh deer, howler monkeys, boas, the rare maned wolf and over 300 species of birds. 

We now head towards Paraguay.

Our first stop is at the friendly town of Trinidad where you have the opportunity to explore the nearby ruins of Jesuit Missions on an optional day tour.

Further north we reach the lively capital of Asuncion, blissfully located on the banks of the Rio Paraguay. The city is full of bustling markets selling everything from cheap electronic equipment to Paraguayan fast-food and also boasts some wonderful museums and intricate architecture.

On our journey east we get a flavour of the Paraguayan countryside before crossing the border into Brazil.

Iguazu waterfalls are perhaps the most impressive in the world being more than 3 km wide and 80 m high with 275 falls plunging and crashing off a series of tiers. Power boating around the falls is a must if you don’t mind getting wet. We spend a couple of days here giving you the opportunity to explore the falls from both the Brazilian and Argentinian side. Helicopter rides can give you a bird’s eye view of the falls and if you enjoy a bit of nightlife the popular Brazilian theme evening is a great way to see the capoeira dancers (martial arts dancing) and sample the famous Brazilian churrascaria, a meat lovers feast!

We now head for the beautiful Brazilian coast where we camp in the colonial village of Paraty. Here the steep jungled mountains seem to leap into a sea filled with hundreds of islands and jutting peninsulas. Mobile one-man bars wander the cobbled streets mixing up caipirinhas to cool down weary travellers returning from the islands. The place is quite simply idyllic!

A couple of days relaxing in Paraty puts us in good stead for the non-stop party we are about to attend in Rio de Janeiro. For 4 days the city is absolutely effervescent and the carnival atmosphere is electric. Days can be enjoyed on the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana and wild nights can be spent dancing at the Sambadrome. Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor offer unparalleled views of what is known locally as the Marvellous City. This is an experience you will never forget!

Winding our way up through forested hills and dramatic peaks we now visit the cool and charming mountain retreat of Teresopolis, a laid-back town with a distinctly German feel about it. From here you also have the option to visit the nearby Serra dos Orgaos National Park where a series of hiking trails lead to gushing waterfalls and views of granite fingers rising skywards.

In Congonhas we visit the Basilica do Bom Jesus Matosinhos, a beautiful church with a stunning Rococo interior and an outdoor stairway displaying sculptures of the prophets lovingly carved out of soapstone.

We continue to Ouro Preto, an historically important colonial city with narrow cobbled streets, Baroque churches, pretty fountains and inviting plazas. Here you also have the option to take an underground cable car into an old gold mine where the town’s original fortune was found.

We now return to the coast visiting some of Brazil’s best and lesser known beaches such as Itaunas where you get the chance to climb the huge sand dunes and sample some of the region’s best seafood. 

In Caravelas you have the option to go swimming in the mangroves or take a boat trip out to the Abrolhos Archipelago where you can dive amongst a diverse amount of underwater flora and fauna.

We continue to Monte Pascoal National Park where you have the option to trek to the summit of Monte Pascoal for stupendous views over the Atlantic Forest where King Vultures often treat visitors to a beautiful aerial ballet. You can also take a short hike into the dense forest with a native Pataxo Indian guide in the hope of spotting the elusive jaguar and giant armadillo.

Porto Seguro offers us a fascinating glimpse into the past as it is the place where Portuguese sailors first discovered the New World over 500 years ago. Here you can visit the Cidade Historica with its colourful colonial architecture and take a walk along Passarela do Alcool which will introduce you to the cultural tradition of Capoeira dancing.

The palm-fringed white sand beaches of Itacare are our next destination where you have time to enjoy the surf, kayak up rainforest creeks or just laze on the beach.

The soulful city of Salvador is a real highlight on this part of the expedition and has an Afro-Brazilian vibe all of its own. Once the main slave port for ships arriving from Africa, today Salvador is a vibrant city with friendly locals, exquisite cuisine and street-party atmosphere.

Heading inland we now base ourselves in the quaint old diamond mining town of Lencois from where you have the opportunity to explore the Chapada Diamantina National Park, one of the country’s finest canyon landscapes with plenty of wildlife, waterfalls and caves for you to enjoy.

In Palmas we discover a modern city on the banks of the Tocantins River where you can enjoy the fine sand beaches and sample the local roasted peacock bass, a traditional delicacy of the region.

The eco-tourism boom-town of Taquarucu is a beautiful place where you have the opportunity to explore the region’s waterfalls, caves and pools as well as nearby national parks offering you the chance to spot wildlife such as caiman, dolphins, turtles and even jaguar.

The Amazonian port town of Belem is our next destination where you have a couple of days to explore the town’s historic centre, wander along the banks of the mighty Amazon River and find a bargain at the Ver-o-Peso Market. 

From Belem we now catch a passenger ferry across the mighty Amazon Delta. The journey takes 24 hours and we will sleep in hammocks. Our truck takes a separate ferry and we will regroup in the town of Macapa on the north shore.

From Macapa we now head into the rainforest towards the border town of Oiapoque where we cross the Oyapock River and enter the tiny country of French Guiana.

Our first stop in French Guiana is the capital city Cayenne where you have time to enjoy the city’s colonial buildings, botanical gardens and vibrant social scene. From Cayenne you also have the option to visit the Tresor and Kaw nature reserves in search of rare water birds and caiman. 

An hour away from Cayenne we now visit Kourou where you have the option to take a tour of the Guiana Space Centre, a busy spaceport from where a large amount of the world’s satellites are launched. 

From Kourou you also have the option to take a boat tour to Devil’s Island, one of France’s most notorious former penal colonies made famous by Henri Charriere’s book Papillon.

We continue to Plage Les Hattes, a long stretch of beautiful beach and an important nesting ground for giant leatherback turtles.

Our last stop in French Guiana is at Saint Laurent du Maroni where you can visit the remnants of the prison buildings that processed thousands of unfortunate French criminals. 

We now take a ferry across the Marowijne River to Suriname.

We head straight for the capital city Paramaribo, a curious melting pot of Dutch, African and Caribbean architecture. The historic inner city is best explored on foot where you can learn a lot about the country at the Suriname Museum and marvel at one of the world’s largest wooden buildings, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral. Be sure to take a sunset boat cruise on the Suriname River in search of rare freshwater dolphins.

We now leave our truck behind and travel 190 km into the interior by minibus, board a boat at Pokigron and travel to our own private island on the Suriname River. During our 2 night stay here you can learn all about the Amazon rainforest and the creatures that inhabit it, visit local villages and soak yourself in a natural jacuzzi at the Ferullasi rapids.

After collecting our truck in Paramaribo we now head to Nieuw Nickerie where you have the option to visit Bigi Pan, a massive area of swampland, mangroves and jungle home to caiman, snakes and over 100 species of migratory birds, most notably the Red Ibis.

Taking a ferry across the Courantyne River we now enter Guyana.

Following a coastal route we now reach the capital city Georgetown, an English speaking city with a distinctly Afro-Caribbean feel where you will have time to explore the old canals, visit wooden cathedrals, haggle at the city market and see the manatees at the Guyana National Park.

From Georgetown you also have the option to take a half day trip to Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest single drop waterfall. Accessible only by light aircraft you will get a great aerial view of the falls before landing and taking a short walk through the jungle to get an appreciation of the falls up close.

We now head inland on an undeveloped road to the Iwokrama Forest, a protected area of pristine rainforest with jungle canopy walkways where you will have the opportunity to spot the endemic wildlife such as red howler monkeys, toucans and jaguar.

Further south we reach the open savannah region of Rupununi where you have the option to go horse riding, canoeing or wildlife spotting on the Panorama Nature Trail.

We now cross the border back into Brazil.

Our first stop back in Brazil is at Boa Vista on the banks of the Branco River, a laid-back town where you can enjoy the evening at a riverside restaurant sampling the locally caught fish.

We continue south through the Waimiri Atroari Indigenous Territory until we reach the city of Manaus on the banks of the mighty Amazon River. Be sure to visit the famous Amazonas Opera House, take a stroll through the botanical gardens and find a bargain at the open air markets selling goods harvested from the river and jungle.

From Manuas we will now take a 3 day/2 night trip into the Amazon jungle where you can meet the indigenous people, fish for piranhas, learn about medicinal plants and go wildlife spotting, a memorable trip into the heart of the Amazon!

From Manuas we now head north towards Venezuela.

We enter Venezuela in the Gran Sabana region where we get to explore one of the world’s most unusual landscapes filled with beautiful waterfalls, impenetrable jungle, open savannah and isolated table-top mountains known locally as tepuis. 

From the town of Ciudad Bolivar you now have the option to visit Angel Falls, a 3 day excursion that includes a flight over the dense forest of the Gran Sabana, a half-day canoe trip upstream along 2 river systems and a short hike up to the base of the falls from where you can swim in the pools created by the world’s tallest waterfall nearly 1 kilometre above you! 

In Caracas we find a bustling capital city full of energy with fascinating museums, glorious plazas and pulsating salsa bars. Be sure to take the Mount Avila cable car for incredible views over this vibrant city.

Crossing over mountainous rainforest we now descend to the pristine coastline of the Henri Pittier National Park where we have time to enjoy isolated beaches only accessible by boat and hike into the rainforest in search of sloths, howler monkeys and various bird species.

In Los Llanos (The Plains) we stay at a ranch and take daily guided excursions to explore one of South America’s great wildlife venues. The area is famous for anacondas as well as many other animal species including the Orinoco crocodile, capybara, anteaters, armadillos, giant otter, jaguar, puma, freshwater dolphins and piranha fish.

Climbing up into the Andes we now visit Merida, a town famous for its Spanish colonial architecture and a base for outdoor activities to the nearby Sierra Nevada National Park that include paragliding, mountain biking and hiking options. From Merida you can also take the world’s longest and highest cable car up into the snow-capped Andes for stupendous views over this beautiful region of Venezuela.

We now continue our journey towards the Colombian border.

We will spend 2 days driving across Colombia before reaching the port town of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast where this tour ends. Legendary for both its outstanding beauty and fascinating history, this town really is a living museum of colonial Spanish architecture and an intriguing end to our overland journey around South America!

This tour ends in Cartagena after breakfast on the final day of the tour so you can make your onward travel arrangements accordingly.

If you can’t do the whole expedition it may be possible to book a shorter section of your choice.  Please get in touch and if this option is available we will be happy to work out a bespoke itinerary and reduced price for you.

HOW TO BOOK

To make a booking please fill in our online booking form and then pay a £300 deposit by Credit/Debit Card, Bank Transfer, Revolut, Wise or Paypal.

Once we receive your online booking form and deposit we will confirm your booking by email and send you all relevant information necessary for your expedition preparations.

EXPEDITION PAYMENT

The Expedition Payment of £14,973 is the main bulk payment for your expedition and is payable in the UK in GBP (£ Sterling). In order to reserve a place on this expedition you must pay a £300 deposit. Eight months prior to departure a further payment of £7200 must be paid to secure your booking. The final balance of your Expedition Payment £7473 must then be paid in full at least four months prior to the expedition start date. If you book between 4 to 8 months prior to the departure date a deposit of £7500 should be paid upon booking. If you book within 4 months of the departure date the full Expedition Payment of £14,973 should be paid upon booking.

The Expedition Payment can be paid by Credit/Debit Card, Bank Transfer, Revolut, Wise or Paypal.

Credit and Debit Card Payments (please use your full name as a reference when paying)

You can use the following link to pay by credit or debit card:

Madventure Tour Payment

Or feel free to call us on +44 7712 225 438 in order to make a credit or debit card payment over the phone.

Bank Details for Direct Transfers (please use your full name as a reference when paying)

Bank: HSBC

Account name: Madventure Ltd.

Sort code: 400810

Account number: 91618415

IBAN : GB14HBUK40081091618415

Swift/Bank BIC: HBUKGB4B

Branch BIC: HBUKGB4116A

Bank address: HSBC Bank, 6 High Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 5AZ, United Kingdom

Revolut (please use your full name as a reference when paying)

Revolut offers a cheap and fast international money transfer service where you can choose to make a payment using either your bank account or credit/debit card.

Don’t have a Revolut account? Create one now – www.revolut.com 

Wise (please use your full name as a reference when paying)

Wise offers a cheap and fast international money transfer service where you can choose to make a payment using either your bank account or credit/debit card.

Don’t have a Wise account? Create one now – www.wise.com

Paypal (please use your full name as a reference when paying)

Paypal account name: info@madventure.co.uk

Don’t have a Paypal account? Create one now – www.paypal.com

LOCAL PAYMENT

This is a cash payment of USD $2000 that must be paid to your expedition leader at the beginning of your trip and will be used to pay for cash expenses while you are on the road such as food, accommodation, fuel and included activities.

Please bear in mind that this is not a kitty and is not refundable. The local payment is simply a way for us to get cash to the expedition leaders so that they can pay for tour expenses when you are in areas that do not accept credit cards.

Please bring your local payment in new unmarked $100 bills if possible.

Although all local payment amounts are advertised in USD you may be asked to bring the equivalent amount in either EUROS or GBP.

INCLUDED

Services of your Madventure tour leader and driver

Transportation in our custom built Madventure overland truck

Use of all equipment on the truck

Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle

Local transportation costs (if required)

Ferry tickets (when travelling together as a group)

225 breakfasts, 90 evening meals

All accommodation costs (60% hotels, guest houses and hostels, 40% camping)

National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

NOT INCLUDED

International and domestic flights (no domestic flights expected during tour)

Airport transfers

Personal travel insurance

Personal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended)

Visas (approximately £100 depending on nationality)

Lunch and evening meals when in hotels, guest houses and hostels

Lunch when camping

Accommodation upgrades

Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks

Any optional activities and excursions

Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag and pillow

Tips (USD $200 per crew member recommended)

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only. Prices are shown in USD.

COLOMBIA

Cartagena pirate ship boat trip $35

Tayrona National Park day tour $30

Cocora Valley return transport $20

Purace National Park day tour $70

ECUADOR

Equator exhibit $5

2 day Amazon jungle excursion $150

White water rafting in jungle $50

Horse riding (per hour), Banos $15

Mountain biking, Banos $30

Canyoning and rappelling, Banos $60

Bungee jump, Banos $20

Cuenca open top bus $10

PERU

Swimming with green sea turtles $25

Chan Chan ruins day tour $25

Laguna Paron day tour $50

Laguna 69 hike $50

Pastoruri Glacier tour $30

Ballestas Islands boat tour $15

Huacachina sandboarding and dune buggy tour $30

Nazca lines flight $100

Cusco tourist ticket giving access to all main sites $35

Sacred valley day tour, Cusco $80

4 day Inca trail and Machu Picchu $900

2 day Inca trail and Machu Picchu $700

Lake Titicaca islands day tour $25

BOLIVIA

Cycling the world’s most dangerous road $125

Dinosaur footprints bus tour $10

Silver mine tour, Potosi $20

Uyuni salt flats day tour $30

CHILE

Valley of the moon, Atacama desert $50

Pan de Azucar National Park boat tour $20

Wine tasting tour, Santiago $70

Villarica volcano climb, Pucon $140

White water rafting, Pucon $60

Horse riding (per hour), Pucon $20

Trout fishing day trip, Pucon $100

White water rafting, Futaleufu $150

Hanging Glacier  $15

San Rafael Glacier boat tour $180

Marble caves boat tour $20

Torres del Paine 4 day W Trek $1500

Ferry to Torres del Paine hiking trails (one way) $30

ARGENTINA

Cave of Hands $3

Perito Moreno Glacier day trip, El Calafate $50

Perito Moreno Glacier mini-trekking, El Calafate $300

Beagle Channel boat tour, Ushuaia $40

End of the World train tour $70

Valdes Peninsula guided tour $60

Kayak with sea lions, Valdes $70

Snorkel with sea lions, Valdes $100

Buenos Aires tango and dinner show $60

Esteros del Ibera wetlands boat tour $15

Iguazu Falls $40

URUGUAY

Mercado del Puerto meal, Montevideo $30

PARAGUAY

Jesuit Missions ruins day tour, Trinidad $20

BRAZIL

Foz do Iguaçu waterfalls $20

Helicopter flight over Iguazu Falls $120

Paraty boat day trip $25

Sambadrome budget ticket $50

Sambadrome prime ticket $150

Serra dos Orgaos National Park hike $20

Ouro Preto gold mine tour $20

Kayaking in Itaunas $20

Abrolhos Archipelago boat trip $50

Monte Pascoal National Park guided hike $20

Porto Seguro museum $5

Kayaking in Itacare $20

Salvador museum $5

Chapada Diamantina National Park day hike $50

Taquarucu guided hike $20

FRENCH GUIANA

Tresor and Kaw nature reserves day trip $100

Guiana Space Centre $10

Devil’s Island boat trip $70

Saint Laurent du Maroni transportation camp $10

SURINAME

Paramaribo sunset boat trip $30

Bigi Pan half day tour $50

GUYANA

Kaieteur Falls flight $250

Panorama Nature Trail guided hike $20

VENEZUELA

Angel Falls 3 day trip $400

Beach-hopping boat trip, Henri Pittier NP $30

You will spend 60% of the time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. The other 40% of the time you will be in your tent camping.

Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot.

From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry.

At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense.

When we are not camping we always try to use clean and comfortable locally owned hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of all genders.

There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

We will be travelling in a custom-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. Our vehicle can accommodate up to 36 travellers and 2 crew.

Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery.

Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe.

Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to.

There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board.

We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, tables, etc.

Our vehicle is also equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days.

We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas.

Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels and campsites we stay at.

We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s well-being so we always strive to provide healthy, wholesome and plentiful meals.

When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas.

When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size).

Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes.

When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the accommodation. Lunch and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels, guest houses and hostels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive.

Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice.

Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

225 breakfasts and 90 evening meals are provided during this expedition.

You will have a crew of 1 tour leader and 1 driver on this tour. On some tours we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media.

Your tour leader will be in charge of routes, itineraries, food and accommodation and will ensure the smooth running of the tour. Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the excursions that need to be organised by the tour leader in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay.

Your driver will drive and maintain the vehicle to a high standard but he/she is not a tour guide and may not know all the facts about the countries we travel through.

Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this tour before. They will, however, have detailed notes from previous tours and backup from the office in the UK.

Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated if you feel they have done a good job. People often ask us what amount they should leave as a tip so we recommend you tip your crew a minimum of $200 each at the end of the tour if you feel they have given you good service, thank you.

1. Your contract is with Madventure Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 6809461) whose office is at 10 Ablett Close, Oxford, OX4 1XH, United Kingdom.

2. A deposit of £300 is payable at the time of booking. The deposit is non-refundable unless Madventure is unable to offer you a place or you cancel within 14 days of the initial booking date. Madventure guarantees not to increase the tour price once the deposit has been received.

3. A booking is made in the name of the client and is not transferable to another person. You are only permitted to transfer your deposit once to a future tour, after that a further £300 non-refundable deposit will be required to book another tour. Please note that you will be affected if you have transferred and there is a price increase as you will have to pay the current tour price at the time that the tour balance payment is due.

4. Eight months prior to departure a further payment must be received to cover 50% of the total tour price in order to secure your booking. This payment is non-refundable unless we can not provide the tour. The final 50% balance of your tour payment must then be paid in full at least four months prior to the tour start date at which time the tour will be confirmed to run. Once the tour is confirmed to run you will not receive any refunds of any monies paid. If the full payment is not received 4 months prior to departure Madventure may deem the booking cancelled and all monies paid will be forfeited. If you book within the 4 to 8 month period prior to departure a non-refundable 50% deposit of the total tour price should be paid upon booking. If you book within the 4 month period prior to departure the full non-refundable 100% tour payment must be paid upon booking.

5. Cancellation of a booking must be notified in writing and when received by Madventure any monies paid will be forfeited. You acknowledge that payment for the tour is an intrinsic part of the tour’s income and contributes towards the overall costs of equipment, vehicle running costs, staff administration, travel permits, etc. and Madventure will have incurred a large part of its costs before the actual departure date. You will not receive a refund of any amount after the tour has been confirmed to run (which will usually happen no later than 4 months prior to the tour departing). We therefore recommend you take out your travel insurance from the date you make your final tour balance payment, 4 months prior to departure, so you are insured if you have to withdraw off the tour. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

6. It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your tour, but we do plan all tours many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor and we will advise you of them at the earliest possible date. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your tour. For example, if the minimum number of clients required for a particular tour is not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, we will not cancel your tour less than 4 months before your departure date (except for reasons of Force Majeure). If we are unable to provide the tour for any reason you can either have a full refund of all monies paid within 14 working days of the tour being cancelled or accept an offer of an alternative tour of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). In the event of the tour being cancelled prior to departure, all monies paid by you towards the tour cost only will be refunded. In the event of a cancellation Madventure is not responsible for reimbursing equipment, flights, visa costs, vaccinations, medication, etc. purchased by yourself so we therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance to ensure these types of expenses are covered under the terms of your insurance policy as you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

7. In the unlikely event of a Force Majeure situation that forces us to cancel the tour within 4 months of the planned departure date because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, you can either have a full refund of all monies paid within 14 working days of the tour being cancelled or accept an offer of an alternative tour of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). In the unlikely event of a Force Majeure situation that forces us to cancel or change the tour while it is underway because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control we will not refund you or pay you compensation, so we therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for the tour cancellation while underway is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company. Force Majeure situations can include, for example, war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, epidemics, pandemics, health risks, closed or congested airports, ports or stations, poor local infrastructure, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of transport by the transport supplier such as flights by airlines or main charterer, the alteration of transport or transport types, adverse weather conditions (actual or threatened), avalanche and technical failure with transport, Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice changing and advising against travel to the tour destination.

8. If you choose to leave the tour for any reason on your own accord once the tour is underway you will not receive any compensation from Madventure including any refunds of the tour payment and/or the local payment. We therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for your departure is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

9. We reserve the right at any time prior to the departure date, without prior consultation with yourself, to merge your tour with one or more other tours travelling at the same time. This will not constitute a major change and would usually just mean swapping vehicles.

10. The tour payment and local payment cover transport, accommodation, some related ferry and train tickets, meals and national park entry fees as specified on the website, repair of our expedition vehicle as well as repair and replacement of camping equipment including stools, cooking equipment & utensils.

11. The tour leader has sole responsibility for the local payment. Any local payment monies or stock remaining at the tour end are non-refundable.

12. You undertake to comply with the laws and regulations, whether in respect of health, immigration, currency exchange control, dress or any other matter of all the countries visited during the tour.

13. You undertake to obtain a valid passport and have enough blank pages in the passport for the tour and your specific passport and visa requirements. Immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. We do not accept any responsibility and shall not be liable if you cannot travel or cannot participate in any part of the tour because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. You are responsible for obtaining and having available the necessary documents (including but not limited to full, current passport with enough blank pages to complete the trip and valid for at least 9 months from the last day of the tour and visas for all periods, countries and territories within the tour) enabling you to participate in the tour and shall comply with all local legislation and regulations of the countries in which the tour takes place (including immigration requirements, customs regulations and currency exchange). You shall indemnify us against any loss or expense that we may incur or suffer as a result of breach of this condition by you. We cannot guarantee visa prices and availability of visas. Ultimately visas are your own responsibility to obtain.

14. Madventure reserves the right to deviate from the advertised tour route if in their reasonable opinion such deviation is necessary for the safety or well-being of any or any one of the members of the tour or for the satisfactory progress of the tour. In the event of it becoming necessary to fly over a country or countries in order to satisfactorily and safely continue the tour, all costs of your flights will be borne by yourself.

15. Madventure accepts no responsibility for matters arising out of political disputes, border closures, epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters, climate, armed robbery, terrorism, etc. Should it become necessary to abandon a tour because of such an event Madventure will be entitled to retain all monies paid. We therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

16. You accept that owing to the nature of countries visited, all tours involve an element of personal risk and are of a potentially hazardous and unpredictable nature. In many countries we visit, the basic infrastructure, such as roads, is very poor and therefore less safe than that familiar to people from many western countries. In particular, lack of road markings or warning signs, unmarked speed bumps, seasonal flooding of roads and bridges, local vehicles which are poorly maintained and driven and which are hazardous to other road users etc. are factors beyond the control of Madventure. You accept that in some areas we drive off-road and that this involves personal risk when the expedition vehicle can be negotiating rough terrain. Madventure owns and operates many of its own expedition vehicles and employs its own crew. Where stated, locally arranged transport and crew, including trains, ferries, buses or coaches are used. Where Madventure’s own vehicles and/or crew are not used for the above services, you agree that the obligation of Madventure to yourself is to select normally competent, independent subcontractors to provide the necessary services related to the tour and to exercise reasonable care in selecting such suppliers to provide these. You also accept that you undertake this tour at your own risk and your participation is your own decision and does not form any part of your contract with Madventure. Madventure does not take responsibility for cancellations, unreliability of services or safety of operators, agents or contractors.

17. You accept that local emergency facilities are usually of a very limited nature. Hospitals outside of large cities often have no accident and emergency facilities and emergency transport facilities can be non-existent.

18. If you have a problem during your trip please inform the tour leader immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally please follow this up by emailing or writing to our office giving all other relevant information and, where possible, evidence. We must receive any such complaint no later than 28 days from the date of completion of your tour in order to take appropriate action. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.

19. We do not accept any liability or responsibility for any personal possessions (including but not limited to cameras, jewellery, valuables and money) which is carried on or in our vehicles, carried on public transport or transport supplied by independent subcontractors, left in accommodation provided by us or our suppliers during a trip or left in our care during a tour. Such items are carried and/or left at your own risk.

20. Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on our tour are not part of your tour arrangements provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator. You accept that the prices quoted for optional activities are approximate as local prices can and do change. Any of the optional activities listed are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Madventure. You also accept that you undertake any activity at your own risk and your participation is your own decision and does not form any part of your contract with Madventure. Madventure does not take responsibility for cancellations, unreliability of services or safety of operators, agents or contractors.

21. Whilst a tour is in progress you will at all times be expected to act in accordance with all reasonable instructions from us and/or the tour leader. We may exclude you from the tour or any part thereof at any time (including during the tour itself) if we are of the opinion that you are likely to prejudice the good order, discipline or safety of the tour, including as a result of failing to comply with the tour leader’s instructions, breaking any law or regulation of any country where the tour takes place or failing to adhere to the tour code of conduct, provided that we exercise our discretion reasonably in this regard. In such an event you shall reimburse to us any reasonable costs, losses or expenses which we incur or suffer as a result of our decision to exclude you from the tour, and Madventure shall cease to have any responsibility to/for you. No refund will be given for any unused services.

22. By completing the booking form you confirm that you appreciate the risks involved in the tour and that you do not suffer (or have ever suffered) from any pre-existing medical condition that may prevent you from actively participating in the tour other than those that have been declared to us. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are medically fit enough to undertake the tour and to ensure that you have received the necessary vaccinations and medications (and taken them as prescribed by your doctor) relevant to the destination country. Unless informed otherwise in writing we will assume that you are in good health and are not aware of any reason why you may be unsuitable to take part in the tour. We recommend that you consult your doctor before making a booking to ensure that you are medically fit and are fully aware regarding the immunizations and medical issues related to your destination countries. If you have any pre-existing medical condition, illness or disability, are undergoing medical treatment or, since entering into the contract, develop any medical condition, illness or disability or undergo any medical treatment; you will give us full particulars at the earliest opportunity and at the latest sixty (60) days before the departure date. If it is later discovered that a pre-existing condition was not declared within the specified time, and such condition would, if we had knowledge of it, have led to our refusal to accept or to cancel your booking, we reserve the right to withdraw you from the trip without any refund or recompense. In such an event, you shall reimburse to us any reasonable costs, losses or expenses which we incur or suffer as a result. In the event of you being withdrawn from a tour, no refunds will be given and we will not be responsible for (and you agree to indemnify us against) any costs, claims, losses and expenses arising including costs of repatriation, eg. flights and legal expenses. By agreeing to these conditions, you provide your consent to us and our insurers obtaining your medical records should we consider it necessary. You will be responsible for any charges for the provision of the information. We reserve the right to inspect your vaccination book at any time and to withdraw you from the tour in the event that you have not received and/or taken all the requisite inoculations and/or medication. If the information provided by you is incorrect and we discover that the correct information affects your suitability to take part in the tour, we may terminate the contract and withdraw you from the tour without refund or recompense, including during the trip. You agree and acknowledge that certain activities undertaken whilst you are on the tour may be inherently hazardous and have risks associated with them. You agree to abide by all instructions given to you whilst you are on the tour and you acknowledge that we cannot be held responsible for any injuries that may arise as a result of you failing to comply with such instructions.

23. You must be covered by personal travel insurance to undertake any Madventure tour. We recommend you take out a travel insurance policy that covers you fully against the cost of tour cancellation by you or by Force Majeure, medical care and repatriation should you become too ill to continue and above all covers you against the cost of air evacuation should sickness or injury necessitate such a course of action. You should also note that passenger liability insurance covering vehicles, particularly in third world countries, may be inadequate. It is therefore important that your travel insurance cover makes sufficient provision for your dependents in the event of an accident. Please note however that we have no control over the availability or standard of medical and repatriation services and facilities in the areas we visit and these do not form any part of our contract with you. Please remember that many of the areas we visit are not as developed as the UK and the availability and standard of such services may well be lower. Please read your travel insurance policy details carefully and take them with you when you travel. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. We do not check individual insurance policies for suitability.

24. It is understood that on the Madventure tours where we use our own expedition vehicles the sections of the tour that travel through Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico are provided to you free of charge. You will not have to pay any additional fee to travel through Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico with us but it is understood that we do not operate for hire and reward in these areas. We do this purely as a legality in order to operate our specialised overland vehicle in these areas legally.

25. Privacy & Data Protection – we shall ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect your personal data (as defined in the European GDPR act 2018 and the UK Data Protection Act 2018) and we do not store our customers financial details. When you make a booking, you do however consent to all the information you provide being passed on to our suppliers, agents, subcontractors, employees or volunteers whether based inside or outside of Europe for the purposes of us providing you with the tour.

26. By agreeing to these terms and conditions you consent (unless otherwise stated on your application form) to our staff taking photographs and or video footage of you during the tour and that these images may be used by us for publicity and training purposes including, but not limited to, brochures, websites, marketing material and in the media.

27. We shall be entitled to novate or assign the contract or any part of it to any third party. You shall not be entitled to assign the contract or any part of it. This contract is made on the terms of these conditions, which are governed by English law, and subject to the provisions of condition you agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. If any of these conditions is found by any court or other competent authority to be wholly or partly unfair or unenforceable the validity of the rest of the booking conditions and the rest of the condition in question shall not be affected and shall remain valid and enforceable to the extent permitted by law. A reference in these conditions to a statute, convention or regulation shall be as a reference to that statute convention or regulation as amended, re-enacted or extended at the relevant time. The headings in these conditions are for convenience only and shall not affect their interpretation. Where the context otherwise requires, words importing the singular meaning shall include the plural meaning and vice versa and words denoting the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders. Where the context so admits, words denoting persons shall include natural persons, companies, corporations, firms, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, joint trips, trusts, voluntary associations and other incorporated and/or unincorporated bodies or other entities (in each case, whether or not having separate legal personality) and all such words shall be construed interchangeably in that manner.

28. The information given on the website, on social media, in newsletters, in the brochure and other literature supplied is given in good faith but no warranty is given that it is correct.

29. No servant, agent or authorised representative of Madventure has authority to commit Madventure to any liability whatsoever and Madventure will not be bound by any statement or representation unless it is in writing and signed by one of the directors.

30. ABTA – We are members of ABTA, membership no. Y6801. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com

31. Financial Protection – In accordance with the UK Package Travel & Linked Travel Regulations 2018, Directive (EU) 2015/2302 or the local applicable law in the country of residence of the passenger(s) booking with Madventure Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies received by us, including repatriation costs and arrangements, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Madventure Ltd.

The respective laws according to the country of residence of the passenger(s) usually only requires us to provide cover for Package & Linked Travel Arrangements, there is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips or single elements, and none is provided unless the local law requires such. If you have questions on this then please contact Madventure Ltd.

Madventure Ltd has taken out an insurance provided by International Passenger Protection Ltd (IPP) with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE (LMIE) trading as Liberty Specialty Markets, a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. LMIE’s registered office: 5-7 rue Leon Laval, L-3372, Leudelange, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Registered Number B232280 (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés). LMIE is a European public limited liability company and is supervised by the Commissariat aux Assurances and licensed by the Luxembourg Minister of Finance as an insurance and reinsurance company. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay directly with/to Madventure Ltd.

In the event of our insolvency please make contact as soon as practically possible giving full details of what has happened quoting the name of your Travel Operator:

For UK & Worldwide excluding EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +44 (0) 345 266 1872

Email: Insolvency-claims@ipplondon.co.uk

or online at http://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp 

For EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +31 103120666

Email: ippclaims@nl.sedgwick.com

or online at https://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

PERSONAL BUDGET

We recommend a budget of £120 – £150 per person per week to live comfortably during this expedition. This budget should cover day to day things like lunches, snacks, soft drinks, meals when not camping, the odd few beers, etc.

Budget approximately £100 for your visas.

Souvenirs are something that can be very cheap or very expensive so if you are going to be buying souvenirs you should budget for it.

Please also have a look at our Optional Excursions list as you may want to budget for a few of those activities too.

TRAVEL MONEY

We recommend you bring 1/3 of your money in cash US Dollars and the rest of your money on your credit/debit card. 

They generally accept all major currencies for exchange but US Dollars are accepted everywhere.

ATM’s are widely available for you to draw local currency using your credit/debit card.

To keep your money/credit cards/ipad/camera/laptop safe we recommend you purchase a ‘Pacsafe Travelsafe’ product. They offer various size portable anti-theft bags that can be attached to the vehicle when travelling and also attached to the toilet/bed/closet in your hotel room when off the vehicle.

Below is general information and recommendations regarding visas and passports. Visas are ultimately your own responsibility to obtain and visa requirements may vary according to your nationality and place of application, so use the information below as a guide only and if you are unsure please check with your local consulate. Madventure is in no way responsible for obtaining your visas or passports.

For most nationalities all visas on this expedition can easily be obtained at borders and most are currently free. Some nationalities may require a couple of visas before arrival at a border and these are best obtained en-route just before entering.

Citizens of the USA will need a visa for Bolivia which is best obtained en-route in Lima.

Citizens of Australia will need a visa for Chile which is best obtained en-route in Lima.

Citizens of the USA, Canada and Australia will need to obtain a visa for Brazil prior to arrival. The Brazil visa application process is online and costs approximately £70.

Citizens of the USA and Canada will need to obtain a visa for Venezuela prior to arrival and as far as we know this visa is best obtained in Mexico City or Ottawa and requires at least 6 weeks to be approved. Alternatively you can apply for your Venezuela visa in Brazil during the tour but we have no experience with anyone doing this before so we can not tell you if it is definitely a viable option.

Citizens of the USA, Australia and Canada should budget approximately £100 for each of their visas.

Please ensure you have 7 blank pages in your passport in order to accommodate all the visas and stamps, and ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the expedition end date.

You will need approximately 4 passport photos for the duration of the expedition.

You will need a digital colour copy of your passport, a digital colour passport photograph and Covid 19 vaccinated travellers will need a digital colour copy of your Covid 19 vaccination certificate with QR code (all 5 – 100 Kb in size) downloaded onto your phone/tablet/laptop in order to apply for some visas and to cross some borders.

VACCINATIONS

Vaccination requirements are constantly changing so we recommend you seek the latest professional medical advice at least 8 weeks before departure to ensure you allow yourself enough time to obtain all necessary vaccinations. Nomad Travel’s website has up-to-date information on vaccinations, malaria and other general medical advice for all the countries we will be visiting and they also administer vaccinations at their travel clinics in various locations in the UK.

www.nomadtravel.co.uk 

Alternatively speak with your local health professionals for current accurate information. You will need to make an appointment with your doctor or travel clinic and take a list of the countries you are visiting with the approximate dates when you will be there.

It is not necessary to be vaccinated against covid to join this tour but if you are vaccinated against covid please have a digital colour copy of your Covid 19 vaccination certificate with QR code (5 – 100 Kb in size) downloaded to your phone/tablet/laptop.

An up to date Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate should be brought with you as it is sometimes required to enter certain countries on this tour.

MEDICALLY FIT & ABLE

This is a full participation expedition so you need to be in good general health for this tour and be reasonably fit and able. The main concern is that everyone is able to pitch in equally and do their fair share when it comes to group activities like the communal cooking and cleaning up, packing gear in and out of the vehicle, erecting your own tent, etc. You do not need to be super-fit by any means and all ages are welcome. We always attract a very broad age range on these expeditions, from people in their 20’s through to people in their 70’s.

Please inform us of any medical conditions that you have before departure so that your crew know how to deal with a medical situation if it should arise. All information will be kept confidential unless you request us to inform your fellow travellers. For example, it may be wise to inform fellow travellers if you are allergic to something like bee-stings so they know what to do if you get stung.

FIRST AID KIT

We carry a comprehensive first aid kit aboard the vehicle but it is recommended that you bring your own basic first aid kit for general use.

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour.

You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first.

There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for people based in the UK seeking a comprehensive and reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, +44 20 7938 1734, http://www.campbellirvine.com/Madventure

Campbell Irvine are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you.

For people based in North America a company named Allianz offers good cover, +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com

If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and if possible make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Tent: A good quality lightweight and compact waterproof free standing tent is recommended for this expedition. A removable fly-sheet will help you stay cool on warm dry nights. If you are travelling on your own you are restricted to a 1-2 man sized tent. If you are sharing a tent, you are restricted to a 2-3 man sized tent.

Sleeping bag: It can get cold on this tour so we recommend a good quality 4 season sleeping bag with a ‘Mummy Hood’. Please make sure that your sleeping bag has a ‘crush bag’ so it can be compacted down.

Sleeping bag liner: A Thermal Fleece or Silk Liner will bring your sleeping bag up a season when it’s cold and they are good to use on their own when it’s too hot for your sleeping bag.

Roll Mat: A compact inflatable Thermarest roll mat is recommended. A non-compact mat will not be permitted as they take up too much room.

Pillow: If you do wish to take a pillow (although most just bring a pillow case and stuff their fleece in it at night) then Thermarest makes a good stuff pillow that compacts down small.

Backpack/sports bag/suitcase: We recommend you carry your luggage in a backpack but irrespective if you prefer a sports bag or a suitcase you are restricted to a maximum 100 litre volume. 

Day bag: You are also permitted to bring a day bag with a maximum 40 litre volume that you can carry in the overhead luggage rack or under your seat on the vehicle with you.

Pacsafe: In order to keep your valuables safe we recommend a Pacsafe product. They make a range of anti-theft bags which vary in sizes and can accommodate your money, credit cards, passport, camera, laptop, etc. They can be attached to a fixed part on the back of the vehicle when travelling and/or to a fixed item in your hotel room. 

Headtorch: An invaluable investment! Check out the Petzl range of USB rechargeable headlamps. 

Water purifier: Quite a handy thing to have to purify contaminated water and avoid stomach bugs. Check out the range of Lifestraw products.

Kindle: Optional but great to keep all your travel guides and books in one place.

Ipad/Tablet: not a necessity but most places have WiFi available these days so having your own Ipad or Tablet will enable you to stay connected.

Smartphone:  It is highly recommended that you bring a smartphone with you as the majority of the tour communications are sent via WhatsApp. It is also very convenient for storing all your digital documents, emailing, taking and sharing photos, mapping and calling home.

Camera: Completely up to you but most people use their phone.

Toiletries: Available everywhere but start with some toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, deodorant, soap and shampoo.

Sunblock: Minimum SPF 15 recommended.

Towel: A microfibre travel towel is a good option as it dries quickly and packs down small.

Sunglasses: Polarised lenses offer great protection.

First aid kit: Only a basic one is recommended but should include plasters, antiseptic cream, bandage, pain relief tablets, scissors and safety pins.

Passport photos: You will need approximately 4 passport photos for the duration of the expedition.

Digital passport photo: Please have a digital colour passport photograph (5 – 100 Kb in size) downloaded to your phone/tablet/laptop as it may be required at some borders or when applying for certain visas.

Digital passport copy: Please have a digital colour copy of your passport (5 – 100 Kb in size) downloaded to your phone/tablet/laptop as it may be required at some borders or when applying for certain visas.

Digital Covid 19 vaccination certificate:  Not required but if you are vaccinated against covid please have a digital colour copy of your Covid 19 vaccination certificate with QR code (5 – 100 Kb in size) downloaded to your phone/tablet/laptop as it may be required at some borders or when applying for certain visas.

Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: An up to date Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is sometimes required to enter certain countries.

Passport: Please ensure you have 7 blank pages in your passport to accommodate all the visas and stamps required on this tour, and ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your tour end date.

Clothes & shoes: 

1 x flip flops

1 x walking shoes, trainers or boots

7 x socks

7 x underwear

1 x thermal underwear

1 x thermal gloves

4 x t-shirts

1 x lightweight long sleeve top

1 x fleece top or fleece jacket

1 x waterproof jacket

2 x zip-off  trousers which can be worn long or short

1 x swimwear

1 x thermal beanie or woolly hat

1 x baseball cap

OVERVIEW

Overlanding with Madventure in South America is all about taking the road less travelled in a custom-built overland expedition vehicle with a group of up to 36 travellers of all ages and nationalities. This overland tour moves at a relaxed pace and visits remote areas as well as the highlights of all the South American countries we travel through. Overland travel affords you the time to really immerse yourself in the culture of the local communities we visit and gives you the opportunity to truly explore off the beaten track destinations. This overland tour may sometimes take you out of your comfort zone as it involves all climates, high altitudes and a lot of camping but to truly discover South America’s beauty we feel that you need to get back to nature and camp amongst its spectacular scenery. We believe it is these experiences that make overlanding in South America so rewarding. So if you are looking for a unique adventure shared with a group of like-minded travellers on a journey of a lifetime then a South America overland tour may be the trip for you because with overlanding it’s all about the journey, not just the destination!

At Madventure we like to go through every aspect of the tour with you to ensure that you are as informed and prepared as possible. We believe in not only telling you about the highlights of the tour but also providing you with all the small details of what to expect as we know these are just as important. We want to explain the tour in as much detail as possible so that you are sure you are suited to one of our overland group adventures. If after reading the information below you decide that this tour is not for you then, as long as it is within 14 days of your initial booking, you can cancel your booking and receive a full refund of all monies paid.

YOUR FELLOW TRAVELLERS

We have no age restrictions on our overland tours and if there is one thing we have come to realise, it’s the mental attitude that counts the most. On this trip our group size is a maximum of 36 travellers of all ages and nationalities so you can expect to share this experience with a wide variety of characters from all walks of life. 

WEATHER

This South America overland tour spans a whole continent and visits many places in the high Andes as well as many low altitude coastal regions. Temperatures can drop to 0°C in the mountains and rise to 35°C with a high humidity in Brazil, so be prepared for all types of weather and you will enjoy this trip.

ALTITUDE

We travel up to 5200 metres above sea level on this tour so if you suffer from altitude sickness be prepared for it and have altitude-sickness tablets with you.

HYGIENE

As wonderful as South America is, some places do not have a western infrastructure and their acceptable level of hygiene standards may be very different to ours, so be prepared to accept that things may not be as clean as they are back home.

You must maintain your own personal hygiene and ensure that you and your clothes are washed regularly. If anyone smells bad or is noticeably unclean the tour leader will have a word with that person to ensure a decent level of personal hygiene is maintained by everyone aboard the vehicle.

SIGHTSEEING & ACTIVITIES

We understand that you won’t want to visit every site or take part in every activity along the way so we have left most activities as optional and therefore kept the tour price to a minimum. If there are any activities that require forward planning and/or a guide your tour leader will arrange this and let you know all the options before arriving at a destination.

Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the odd optional excursion that needs to be organised in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay.

On this tour you are completely free to do as you choose and you can be as active or inactive as you like.

YOUR ATTITUDE

A friendly, easy-going attitude will help you enjoy this trip and ensure you are liked by your fellow travellers as well as the locals. The one thing that is extremely detrimental to any tour are people that constantly moan. It has nothing to do with age, gender or nationality, some people just like to find fault in everything and it’s always got to be someone’s fault. This type of constant negativity can be extremely detrimental within a group so it may sound a bit harsh but by weeding out any moaners early on we can have a chat with them to try and ensure your tour is as good as it can be. We don’t hide anything so people who travel with us usually know exactly what to expect on this tour which makes for an enjoyable group experience.

Please be aware that if any particular person is constantly causing the rest of the group (or the crew) grief due to their behaviour they will be warned and then asked to leave the tour if nothing improves and no refund will be given. This is obviously the most extreme case but we will not let one or two rude individuals spoil it for everybody else. This is a once in a lifetime experience so let’s all enjoy it!

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

The one thing we can guarantee is that at some point things will not go according to plan! We have to follow the legislation of each individual country and they all have different regulations which can sometimes slow us down. It is however usually obstacles such as bad roads, border closures, breakdowns and natural disasters that have a bearing on the expedition. Expect the unexpected and accept that things will go wrong from time to time.

These instances are usually the stories that remain with everyone so enjoy the experience. An easy-going approach will help the situation immensely. Moaning about every little thing that doesn’t go our way will not! When situations arise where we can’t please everybody we always aim to please the majority of the group, not the individual. 

TRAVEL TIMES & ITINERARIES

This trip is designed to allow plenty of free time in all the places of interest but we are driving a fair distance around South America so yes, there are going to be a lot of drive days and some of them will be long. This is where you have to be able to take pleasure in the scenery or a good book from time to time.

Generally on a drive day we leave in the morning around 7 – 8 AM (after breakfast) and arrive at our destination before dusk in daylight, but this really depends on the distance between destinations and the road conditions.

Sometimes it will be a full day’s drive between destinations and you’ll have the following day or two free. On rare occasions it may be 2 or 3 drive days in a row where you’ll leave early, stop overnight at a wild camp or hotel and then continue early again the next morning. Areas like Patagonia can be remote and the pleasure is in the scenery. Sometimes however it’s only a few hours drive between destinations.

Our proposed itinerary is the ideal route we would like to take providing all political and natural situations are acceptable during the time of our travels. Situations sometimes change during an expedition so please be prepared to take an alternative route in the event we encounter any problems. If a border closes unexpectedly then we have to try and find a safe alternative route which may not be to everyone’s liking. In the worst case scenario we may get stuck with no way forward and at that point we would have to decide whether to fly over the obstacle and continue on local transport or abandon the trip. We have never had to abandon any trip before but we want you to be aware of the worst case scenario.

We always strive to arrive at our destinations on time but our itinerary can change if an area of our route becomes off-limits for any reason, so when we do experience delays we will adjust our itinerary accordingly.

DRUGS & ALCOHOL

Please be aware that drugs such as marijuana and cocaine are illegal in most countries in South America and they could enforce severe punishment for being caught in possession. NEVER carry illegal drugs on your person or on the vehicle during this tour as you would not only jeopardise your own freedom but also the well-being of the entire group if you are caught in possession.

If you are caught in possession of illegal drugs on this tour you will be asked to leave the tour immediately and no refund will be given. Any such inconsideration can lead to the tour being cancelled and innocent people arrested. We will not hesitate to remove someone if we have to.

Aggressive or abusive drunk behaviour will not be tolerated during this tour and if anyone is constantly abusing alcohol and causing trouble we will not hesitate to remove them from the tour and no refund will be given.

MEDICALLY FIT & ABLE

This is a full participation expedition so you need to be in good general health for this tour and be reasonably fit and able. The main concern is that everyone is able to pitch in equally and do their fair share when it comes to group activities like the communal cooking and cleaning up, packing gear in and out of the vehicle, erecting your own tent, etc. You do not need to be super-fit by any means and all ages are welcome. We always attract a very broad age range on these expeditions, from people in their 20’s through to people in their 70’s.

Please inform us of any medical conditions that you have before departure so that your crew know how to deal with a medical situation if it should arise. All information will be kept confidential unless you request us to inform your fellow travellers. For example, it may be wise to inform fellow travellers if you are allergic to something like bee-stings so they know what to do if you get stung.

ACCOMMODATION

You will spend 60% of the time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. The other 40% of the time you will be in your tent camping.

Quite often we will wild camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our wild camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, on a remote beach, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot.

From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry.

At some of the campsites there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can sometimes rent yourself a private room at your own expense.

When we are not camping we always try to use clean and comfortable locally owned hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get, good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of all genders.

There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

TRANSPORT & EQUIPMENT

We will be travelling in a custom-built Madventure overland vehicle 100% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. Our vehicle can accommodate up to 36 travellers and 2 crew.

Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery.

Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe.

Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to.

There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board.

We usually carry 400 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, tables, etc.

Our vehicle is also equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Comfortable fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days.

We carry a portable shower and shower tent so you can take a shower every day on this tour if you like, even when we are wild camping in remote areas.

Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels and campsites we stay at.

We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

FOOD & COOKING

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s well-being so we always strive to provide healthy, wholesome and plentiful meals.

When we are camping we usually cook breakfast and the evening meal on the vehicle. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the vehicle when we are in remote areas.

When it comes to shopping and cooking while camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will do their own fresh food shopping, prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once every 10 days (depending on the group size).

Fresh food is generally available daily so when we are camping we try to eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do cater to vegetarians but we do not cater to vegans or fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater to restrictive diets or individual likes and dislikes.

When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels we always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the accommodation. Lunch and evening meals are at your own expense when we stay in hotels, guest houses and hostels. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive.

Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice.

Our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook group’s breakfast and dinner food only. For personal food and drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

225 breakfasts and 90 evening meals are provided during this expedition.

CREW

You will have a crew of 1 tour leader and 1 driver on this tour. On some tours we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media.

Your tour leader will be in charge of routes, itineraries, food and accommodation and will ensure the smooth running of the tour. Your tour leader is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every place we visit, you can look up that information yourself or hire a local guide when you want to. Apart from the excursions that need to be organised by the tour leader in advance, we leave most of that for you to arrange yourselves, this way ensuring you get to do what you want at the price you are happy to pay.

Your driver will drive and maintain the vehicle to a high standard but he/she is not a tour guide and may not know all the facts about the countries we travel through.

Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this tour before. They will, however, have detailed notes from previous tours and backup from the office in the UK.

Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated if you feel they have done a good job. People often ask us what amount they should leave as a tip so we recommend you tip your crew a minimum of $200 each at the end of the tour if you feel they have given you good service, thank you.