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The best time to visit Peru varies by region, but in general, March to November is best if you’re visiting Cusco, Machu Picchu or Lake Titicaca. On the other hand, if you only want to visit coastal regions such as Lima or Paracas, December to March is best.

Peru's Climate

In the highlands, including Cusco, Arequipa and Lake Titicaca, the dry season lasts from April to October, when it is usually warm and sunny, although nights can be cold. In March and November the weather is more changeable, and rain is more common; however, temperatures are higher. The rainy season is at its heaviest from December to February.

In coastal cities, such as Lima and Paracas, it is warm and humid for much of the year, with overcast skies broken by occasional sunshine from April to November. December to March is usually sunny. Rain is rare at any time of the year.

In Amazon areas, such as Puerto Maldonado, it is hot and humid all year round although there is a little less rain from May to September. The dry season is the best time of year for wildlife watching as animals come out to drink by the shrinking rivers, and the mosquitoes are less active.

If you are looking to hike the Inca Trail, you may want to consider the availability of permits when planning your trip. The Peruvian government limits the number of permits to 500 each day to prevent overcrowding, including guides, porters, cooks and other support staff. This leaves around 200 permits for trekkers each day.

Permits for the trail are released each October, and some dates sell out quickly, often in days. The most popular months are April (Easter dates), May, June, July, August and September. No matter when you are planning your trip for, we recommend booking well in advance (at least six months) to ensure yourself a place.

May is the month that sells out the quickest, followed by Easter dates and June.

Browse all of our Peru holidays here

1. Your contract

   Your contract is with Llama Travel Limited, registered in England and Wales, number 4370517. The following conditions will apply to your booking and form part of your contract. They cannot be varied and should be read carefully. A contract will exist when we accept your booking and issue our confirmation invoice. The contract and all matters arising from it shall be governed by English law and be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. All correspondence will be sent to the lead passenger of the booking unless otherwise advised. You must be over 18 to book a Llama Travel holiday. Llama Travel holidays are not for resale. The lead passenger accepts these booking conditions on behalf of all persons named in the booking.

2. Deposits and final payments

   A deposit of 10% of the holiday cost is required. On some occasions a higher deposit is required, we will advise you if this is necessary. When this is received, we will issue a confirmation invoice. The balance of the payment must be paid 90 days before departure. If the booking is made less than 90 days before departure, full payment must be made when booking. On some occasions, earlier balance payment may be required to secure flight seats or other services. In order to secure your holiday arrangements in some cases,  we may ask for a payment in advance before we can reserve the appropriate services. This payment is not refundable if you subsequently decide not to proceed with the booking.

3. Our prices

   Brochure prices are based on the latest known information at the time of preparation – 5 December 2024 (£1 = US$1.27, £1 = ZAR23, £1 = Euro1.21, £1 = JPY191, Brent Crude oil $72 per barrel) but can go up or down. Before making a booking, please call us to check the correct up-to-date price of your chosen holiday. Once you have made a booking and we have issued our confirmation invoice, your holiday price can only be varied due to a significant increase in costs, fees, taxes, or similar items. The VAT rate for holidays outside the UK is zero.

4. Alterations or cancellations by you

   If you wish to alter your holiday arrangements before departure, we will do our best to help. An administration fee of £25 per passenger will be charged, together with any additional costs incurred as a result of the change. If you make any alterations within 60 days of departure, we may treat this as a cancellation, and apply cancellation fees. Scheduled airlines treat name changes as a cancellation and rebooking; any alteration is likely to incur a 100% cancellation charge. Please make sure that all names you give us are spelled exactly as they appear in passports. It is not normally possible to make alterations after commencement of travel. If you do wish to make alterations during your holiday, cancellation fees for services booked may apply. Refunds cannot be made for any unused accommodation, services or transport. We recommend that you take out full travel insurance with cover against cancellation penalties, including in the event of force majeure; see section 6 below.  We commit to and confirm services in advance. If you wish to cancel your holiday, you must let us know in writing. The following cancellation charges apply:

5. Days before departure when you notify us	Penalty
   90 days or more	Loss of deposit
   61 to 89 days	25% of holiday cost, or deposit if higher
   31 to 60 days	60% of holiday cost (75% for cruise or safari holidays), or deposit if higher
   30 days or less	100% of holiday cost

   In some cases, the balance payment may be due earlier than 90 days before departure. We will advise you if this is the case. If any part of the balance payment is required earlier than 90 days before departure, this will normally be non-refundable in the event of cancellation. Where one person in a party cancels and others still wish to travel, single room supplements will be payable if this results in single rooms being used.

6. Alterations or cancellations by us

   We make careful arrangements with airlines, hotels and service operators to ensure that we are able to provide you with the holiday as described. However, in exceptional cases, it may be necessary to make changes to your holiday arrangements (including airlines, flights, accommodation, transport or services) due to circumstances beyond our control. Flight times are given only as indications, and finalised times will be shown on your tickets.

   When changes are necessary, we will do our best to ensure that they do not affect your holiday. If, before you depart, a major change is necessary (defined as a change of itinerary so that you are no longer able to visit a destination where you are scheduled to spend one or more nights or an appropriate alternative destination, or a change of accommodation to a lower standard or category affecting a significant part of your holiday) or if we have to cancel your holiday, we will contact you and offer you the choice of:

   • Accepting the changes to your holiday;
   • Purchasing another available Llama Travel holiday; 
   • Cancelling your holiday with a full refund.

   If we have to cancel your holiday less than 60 days before departure, other than in the event of force majeure (see section 6 below), you will be entitled to compensation at the following levels:

   When notified	Compensation per person
   43 – 60 days before departure	£50
   29 - 42 days before departure	£100
   15 - 28 days before departure	£150
   0 - 14 days before departure	£200

7. Alterations or cancellations by you or us in the event of force majeure prior to departure

   If, prior to departure, we have to make major changes to, or cancel, your holiday in the event of force majeure, we will contact you and offer you the above choices. However, compensation will not be paid.

   If, in the event of force majeure, it is not possible for your holiday to proceed, we will endeavour to recover from suppliers, and refund to you, monies paid for your holiday, but where we are unable to do so, you may be able to claim for irrecoverable costs from your travel insurance. We do not accept liability where the performance of our contractual obligations is prevented by force majeure.

   Force majeure events include war, threat of war, civil unrest or strife, decisions by governments or governing authorities, epidemic, natural disasters, fire, bad weather, terrorist activity, nuclear disaster, industrial disputes, technical or maintenance problems with transport, changes of timetables of airlines, or other causes beyond our control.

8. Minimum Group Size
   Most holidays can operate with a minimum of 2 passengers, but some holidays have a higher minimum group size. If we have fewer than the minimum number of passengers, we will let you know two months before departure. In this case, we will refund you any monies paid or offer you an alternative option. No compensation will be paid.

9. Our responsibilities to you

   Llama Travel is dedicated to ensuring that your holiday is as described. If a part of your holiday is not provided as promised, please inform us at the time. If this affects the reasonable enjoyment of your holiday, we will pay compensation appropriate to the circumstances. If you do not inform us at the time, Llama Travel accepts no responsibility for the situation as we will not have been given the opportunity to rectify the problem.

   Llama Travel accepts responsibility for illness, personal injury or death caused as a direct result of the negligence of our employees or suppliers while acting in the course of their employment to provide services or arrangements for your holiday that you have booked with us in the UK. We do not accept responsibility for illness, personal injury or death where there has been no fault of our employees, agents, suppliers or sub-contractors, or as a result of taking part in any activity which does not form part of the holiday booked through us in the UK. Where illness, personal injury or death arises in the course of air travel, rail travel, sea travel or hotel accommodation, the amount of compensation you may receive is limited in accordance with the provisions of any International Convention.

10. Your responsibilities

    Clients are responsible for ensuring that all immigration and health requirements are fulfilled, for obtaining travel documents, including passports, visas and vaccination certificates, and for ensuring that these are all in order, including for any intermediate stops on international flights. Clients are responsible for ensuring that all immigration and health requirements are fulfilled, for obtaining travel documents, including passports, visas and vaccination certificates, and for ensuring that these are all in order, including for any intermediate stops on international flights.Covid-19 requirements are updated frequently in all countries and you must ensure that you comply with these in the UK, in destinations visited and in any intermediary stops. You must comply with local regulations regarding prevention measures which may be stricter than in the UK. Non-compliance may result in you being excluded from the holiday with no refund. You must not travel if you are required to isolate by health authorities and standard cancellation terms will apply. If you are required to isolate when on holiday, you will not be entitled to a refund for unused services, including flights. You accept the risks of catching covid-19, being required to isolate or be tested and we recommend you have suitable travel insurance to cover such circumstances.

11. We require your passport details to issue some tickets. If these change after you have given them to us, you must inform us. If the name on your airline ticket does not match that on your passport, you must inform us as soon as you receive the ticket.

12. It is your responsibility to behave in a responsible, restrained and sober manner when dealing with local authorities, fellow travellers and our representatives.
13. By taking a Llama Travel holiday, you agree to accept the authority and decisions of our employees and representatives. If, in the opinion of such people, your behaviour or health is likely to threaten the safety, comfort or progress of a tour, then you may be excluded from the tour without refund or compensation. It is your responsibility to obey local laws, otherwise you may be excluded from the holiday and we will cease to have any responsibility for you. 

14. Please bear in mind that travel to Llama Travel destinations is not the same as travel in the UK, and inconveniences and delays may arise due to weather conditions, strikes, demonstrations, the poor state of roads or for other reasons. By travelling with Llama Travel, you are implicitly accepting this part of the way of life in these countries.

15. Flights

    We have no control over international or national air carriers, and therefore schedules or airlines used may change or flights be delayed due to no fault of our own. A change of flight time or airline due to schedule changes or flight cancellations is not treated as a major change. We will try to ensure the smooth flow of all your transport connections, but it is your responsibility to check exact times of flights. This is particularly important for internal flights, which can be rescheduled at short notice. Llama Travel accepts no responsibility for the consequences of flights missed due to the client’s failure to confirm exact details.

    When you travel with an airline, the Conditions of Carriage of that airline apply, some of which will limit or exclude liability. These conditions are the subject of International Agreements between countries.

    It is your responsibility to arrive at the departure airport at the appropriate time and to check in for your international flight, and to change aeroplanes if necessary at intermediate airports. If you wish to sit in a specific seat, or wish to sit with other people on the flight, it is recommended that you check in early or check in online where possible. It is sometimes possible to reserve seats directly with the airline online prior to travel.

    Airlines do not allow more than one booking per passenger on a flight and may cancel seats if they are held by more than one operator. Clients are responsible for ensuring they are not holding flights with another operator.

16. Baggage allowance

    Most airlines have a baggage allowance of 20kg per passenger, or sometimes less. Carrying excess baggage will normally incur an expensive additional cost payable at check in. Additionally, certain excursions have a limited baggage allowance. Where this is the case, you will sometimes be able to leave the rest of you luggage in storage. Llama Travel accepts no responsibility for the delay, loss or damage of luggage.

17. Insurance

    You must have adequate insurance provision to cover the cost of assistance, including emergency repatriation, in the event of illness or other problems occurring during your holiday.

18. Complaints

    If you have any complaints about your holiday arrangements when you are abroad, please bring these to the attention of our local representatives who will do all they can to ensure a swift and satisfactory resolution. Problems can usually be sorted out by talking to the supplier concerned (e.g. hotel) and our local representatives or by informing us directly. If this is not done, Llama Travel accepts no responsibility for the situation, as we will not have been given the opportunity to rectify the problem. If you do not inform us, your consumer rights to compensation may be affected. If you have tried and failed to rectify the situation whilst abroad, please send us your complaint in writing within 28 days of returning to the UK. We will then follow up your complaint. Communication with destinations is often slow, so we may not be able to resolve the situation as quickly as you would like.

19. Financial protection for bookings made in UK for UK residents

    The air holidays in this brochure are ATOL protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority, number ATOL 5804. If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme. For holidays not including flights, bookings are insured by IPP ltd and its Panel of Insurers. For further information, see www.ipplondon.co.uk.

20. Brochure and website information

    The information in our brochures and on our website is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press. However, details of flights or hotels may vary during the lifetime of a brochure. These changes will be reflected on our website where possible.

    The copyright on all material in our brochures and on our website, including text, photographs, maps and layouts is held by Llama Travel Limited. No part of these publications may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without the prior written permission of Llama Travel.

21. Data Protection

    The information we ask you to provide, including personal information about you and members of your party, is necessary for us to arrange and operate your holiday. By booking a holiday with us, you agree to our processing this information, including, where appropriate, its transfer outside of the UK.

22. Package Travel Regulations
    Llama Travel Bookings comply with the UK Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. UK Package Travel Regulations

Work for Llama Travel

 Llama Travel is an award-winning tour operator specialising in tours to Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. We are looking for enthusiastic people to help grow the business.

Llama Travel is a member of AITO, LATA, and is IATA accredited. Jobs are based in our office in Camden Town, north London.

Llama Travel currently has the following positions open:

• Travel Consultant
• Travel Product Executive
• Travel Marketing Executive
• Travel Administrator 

................................................................................................................................................................................

Travel Consultant

Salary: £28K+ (exceptional sales people achieve rapid salary increases based on sales levels), plus 10% annual bonus subject to company performance

Location: Based in our office in Camden Town, London NW1

The role

We are looking for enthusiastic, well-travelled people to join our efficient and highly motivated team as travel consultants, helping to put together tours and offer the highest level of customer service. A person who will turn their passion for travel into a career. As a Travel Consultant your duties will be to:

• Communicate with customers to help them find their perfect trip
• Coordinate services with suppliers in each country, and airlines
• Deal with all customer requirements, from initial enquiry through to booking and queries prior to departure
• Managing the administrative side of bookings to ensure that holidays go according to plan

Requirements

An ideal candidate will have the following skills and experiences:

• A passion for travel, having visited a number of our destinations
• Great organisational skills, with the ability to work on multiple tasks at the same time
• Working within a team 
• Numeracy and a keen attention to detail
• Excellent telephone manner
• Knowledge of Excel and Word
• Fluent English both written and oral is essential to this role

The package

The initial salary is £28,000 per annum, with rapid increases possible for good sales staff. There are pension contributions and a travel allowance as well as familiarisation trips and other industry benefits.

How to apply?

All applications should be sent with a CV and an accompanying cover letter telling us why you have a passion for travel and why you think you are the best person for this role. Please include a travel history.

Do you have what it takes to succeed in this role? If so please submit your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for consideration.

Due to the volume of enquiries only suitable candidates will be contacted.

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Travel Product Executive

Salary: £29 - 31K, plus 10% annual bonus subject to company performance

Location: Based in our office in Camden Town, London NW1

The role

We’re looking for someone to join the Llama Travel product team. You will be helping to create, design and update Llama Travel holidays. Good numerical skills and familiarity with spreadsheets is essential.

Your primary duties will include:

• Responsibility for working with our suppliers across all destinations.
• Negotiating with suppliers to secure competitive pricing and secure allocation for our tours.
• Assisting in pricing Llama Travel holidays, making sure we offer the best possible prices.
• Responsibility for keeping the website updated with correct prices and itineraries.
• Working with the sales team to advise of changes to product and keep sales documents up to date.

Requirements

An ideal candidate will be someone with a year or so’s experience in an analytical role, not necessarily in travel. You will have the following skills and experiences:

• Great organisational skills, with the ability to work on multiple tasks at the same time.
• Numeracy and a keen attention to detail.
• Knowledge and experience of Excel spreadsheet.
• Working within a team.
• A passion for travel, and experience of some Llama Travel destinations is preferred but not essential.
• Fluent English both written and oral is essential to this role.

The package

The initial salary is £29 – 31,000 per annum, depending on your experience. There is also an annual bonus of 10% of salary earned, subject to company performance. There are pension contributions and a travel allowance and other industry benefits.

How to apply?

All applications should be sent with a CV and an accompanying cover letter telling us why you have a passion for travel and why you think you are the best person for this role. Please include a travel history.

Do you have what it takes to succeed in this role? If so please submit your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for consideration.

Due to the volume of enquiries only suitable candidates will be contacted.

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Travel Marketing Executive

Salary: £29 - 31K, plus 10% annual bonus subject to company performance

Location: Based in our office in Camden Town, London NW1

The role

We’re looking for someone to join the Llama Travel marketing team. Good analytical skills are essential, as is copywriting and the ability to come up with fresh content ideas. The rest can be taught on the job

Your primary duties will include:

• Sending out weekly newsletters and A/B testing nurture sequences
• Managing PPC accounts on Google and Bing
• SEO strategy, such as procuring backlinks, guest posts and press coverage
• Using InDesign to update the brochure and produce ad creative
• Refresh and update the website
• Posting to social media accounts and writing blogs

Requirements

An ideal candidate will be a recent marketing graduate, or someone with a year or so’s marketing experience, not necessarily in travel. You will have the following skills and experiences:

• Strong analytical skills
• Good copywriting skills
• Has travelled to at least one of our destinations
• Can come up with ideas for new content (for newsletter, blogs and socials)

The following additional skills are desirable:

• Familiarity with Google / Bing ads
• Experience with Google Analytics or Looker Studio
• Some graphic design experience (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator)
• Examples of prior written content (social media campaigns, blogs etc)
• Understanding of SEO fundamentals

The package

The initial salary is £29 – 31,000 per annum, depending on your experience. There is also an annual bonus of 10% of salary earned, subject to company performance. There are pension contributions and a travel allowance and other industry benefits.

How to apply?

All applications should be sent with a CV and an accompanying cover letter telling us why you have a passion for travel and why you think you are the best person for this role. Please include a travel history.

Do you have what it takes to succeed in this role? If so please submit your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for consideration.

Due to the volume of enquiries only suitable candidates will be contacted.

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Travel Administrator

Salary: £25K+ depending on proven experience, plus 10% annual bonus subject to company performance

Location: Based in our office in Camden Town, London NW1

The role

You will work in the administration and flights team to help produce and review the information required for the successful operation of our tours. This will involve assisting in the various areas of the business, accurate communication with foreign suppliers and other departments within the company, management of flight information required for our tours, creation of customer documentation, daily postal management among other tasks. This role also offers the opportunity to take on more responsibility as you develop your role.

Requirements

An ideal candidate will have the following skills and experiences:

• Great organisational skills, with the ability to work on multiple tasks at the same time
• Ability to work in a small team as well as on your own
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic, able to prioritize and manage time/work load
• Comfortable with computers and communication by phone and email
• Good working knowledge of Excel, Word and Outlook (formatting, printing and spreadsheets)
• Good numeracy skills and attention to detail
• Previous experience in an office administration position
• Experience of working in a travel agency is useful as well as some knowledge of air reservations systems (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo)
• Fluent English both written and oral is essential to this role

The package

Basic salary is £25k per annum. Upon successfully completing your probationary period you will also qualify for other travel industry benefits including an annual travel allowance.

How to apply?

All applications should be sent with a CV and an accompanying cover letter telling us why you think you should be shortlisted for this position and what relevant experience you think you have to fulfil the role.

Do you have what it takes to succeed in this role? If so please submit your application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for consideration.

Due to the volume of enquiries only suitable candidates will be contacted.

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How to Book

To book a holiday or discuss your requirements, please call us on 020 7263 3000. We can usually confirm availability immediately, but may need to check with a supplier first.

Payment

You can pay your deposit by bank transfer, cheque, standard UK debit card or non-premium UK personal Visa / MasterCard credit card. Balance payments can be made by bank transfer or cheque. We do not accept cards for balance payments. We are unable to accept cash.

What’s included in the price

Prices are per person and are based on two persons sharing a room and include all flights, transfers and accommodation.

Where applicable, entrance fees, taxes and charges are included in our prices at the rates advised to us at the time of preparation. An adjustment will be made to your price if any of these change before your holiday.

Departure taxes on some flights within and leaving Latin America are not included. These must be paid in cash at the airport. Currently, these are: Guatemala US$3 for international and domestic flights.

Passports and Visas in Latin America

Visas are not required in advance for British citizens for any Llama Travel destination in Latin America. For British passports endorsed in any way and all other passports, please ask the appropriate consulate: Peru (Tel: 020 7838 9223); Ecuador (020 7451 0040); Argentina (020 7318 1340); Chile (020 7222 3434); Brazil (020 7659 1550); Colombia (020 7637 9893); Costa Rica (020 7706 8844); Guatemala (020 7351 3042); Mexico (020 7499 8586); Panama (020 7493 4646); Bolivia (020 7235 4255). You need a full 10 year passport valid for 6 months after your return to the UK. If you are flying via the US, you need to comply with US immigration requirements. Ask us for details.

There is an immigration entry fee to enter Chile for citizens of Australia, and citizens of the US, Canada and some other countries. To enter Chile, a fee must be paid upon arrival in Santiago’s international airport.

There is also a reciprocal entry fee for US and Canadian citizens visiting Argentina. This must be paid in advance on the www.migraciones.gov.ar website. Once the fee has been paid, you must print out the proof of payment and take this with you when you enter Argentina. If you do not have the form you will not be allowed to enter Argentina. Prior to July 2017, an entry fee was also payable for Australian citizens visiting Argentina, but this is no longer the case.

Prior to June 2019, to visit Brazil, citizens of the US, Australia and Canada required a Brazilian visa. This is no longer required.

If children are not travelling with both parents, some countries require a letter of consent to enter or depart. Please consult the appropriate consulate.

To issue some tickets, we require passport details and ages when you book. If you subsequently change your passport, please let us know as soon as possible.

Passports and Visas in Africa

Visas in advance are not required for British citizens for any Llama Travel destination in Africa, although a visa is required to enter Zimbabwe (for Victoria Falls), which can be purchased upon entry. The Kaza Univisa allows you to cross the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and also allows for day trips to Botswana (current cost US$50). For British passports endorsed in any way and all other passports, please ask the appropriate consulate or high commission: South Africa (020 7451 7299); Namibia (020 7636 6244); Botswana (020 7647 1000); Zimbabwe (020 7836 7755). You need a full 10 year passport valid for 6 months after your return to the UK. To enter South Africa, you require two blank pages in your passport. To visit Namibia, you require one blank page. If combining countries, you may need more blank pages.

If children under 18 are travelling, especially if not travelling with both parents, some countries require extensive documentation, including unabridged birth certificates and other official documents. South Africa has recently loosened these requirements for children travelling with both parents, although we have been advised that in some cases birth certificates are still being requested upon entry, so we recommend taking these in all cases. Please consult the appropriate consulate for more information. For other nationalities, please check with the appropriate consulate.

To issue some tickets, we require passport details and ages when you book. If you subsequently change your passport, please let us know as soon as possible.

Hotel grading

Official hotel ratings vary from country to country. Our standard hotels are tourist class hotels. Superior hotels usually offer better facilities and more comfort.

Hotel rooms

If you have a preference for a twin or a double room, please let us know. However, we cannot guarantee this as hotels do not allocate rooms until the day of arrival. Despite costing more per person, single rooms do not always offer the same level of comfort as doubles. Some hotel bathrooms have showers instead of baths. If you prefer a bath, please ask. If you arrive at a hotel before check-in time, your room may not be ready. You will be able to use the hotel facilities until your room is ready. Check out time is usually in the late morning. A charge is normally made for late check out.

Tickets and vouchers

You will receive tickets approximately 10 days before departure, along with information on accommodation, transfers and excursions. Our agents in will give you your hotel and excursion vouchers when you arrive. Please check airline tickets carefully in case timings have changed after we issued your confirmation.

Excursions and Extensions

Excursions are operated together with other holidaymakers. These will usually be in English, although groups are sometimes a mix of English and other languages. A minimum of 2 people is required for some excursions. On some occasions, the order of excursions may vary. Excursions may be with non-Llama Travel passengers, especially at wildlife lodges and cruises.

Tipping

Tipping guides and support staff is normally well deserved, and expected, especially on wildlife excursions. Please ask us for suggested tipping levels.

Insurance

Adequate travel insurance is essential. We do not sell or recommend any specific policy. A list of insurance companies that our customers have found suitable is available from us. Please advise your insurer of any pre-existing medical conditions and, if you are booking a holiday involving high-altitude trekking, such as the Inca Trail, make sure that you are covered for this. If you are planning on carrying out any other activities, please ensure your insurance policy will cover you for these. Note that cancellation cover is often only available if insurance is purchased within two weeks of booking your holiday.

Age and fitness limitations

For most of our holidays, age is not a concern. However, a reasonable level of fitness is required, as most holidays require some walking, sometimes on uneven ground. Even relatively mild activities can be strenuous at altitude. High altitude trekking is more strenuous than an equivalent length walk in the UK.

Health and vaccinations

Please consult your GP or a travel clinic about health and vaccination requirements. Advice for travellers is available at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk. In Latin America, Yellow fever and malaria precautions are recommended for visiting the jungle, Iguazu Falls, Rio de Janeiro and some parts of Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Yellow Fever certificates are sometimes required if you have recently visited a country with an infected area. Children under 6 require proof of vaccination against polio to enter Brazil.

In Africa, malaria precautions and recommended for visiting Botswana, northern Namibia, the Kruger area in South Africa, and Victoria Falls. Yellow Fever vaccination is not usually required for any of our destinations in southern Africa, although certificates are sometimes required if you have recently visited a country with an infected area.

Some GPs do not recommend yellow fever vaccinations for travellers over 60 years old. Please seek medical advice before you travel.

Parts of South America are at high altitude. Most visitors do not suffer major problems. However, shortness of breath is common and we advise you to take things calmly during your first day at altitude. If you suffer from a heart or lung condition, or think that you may suffer due to the altitude, please consult your GP.

There have been reports of the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus, in various Latin American countries. Please check the fit for travel NHS website  for the latest advice regarding this. If you are pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant, it is recommended that you speak to a medical professional prior to travel.

When travelling, stomach illnesses are not uncommon due to changes in diet. We suggest you only drink bottled water and avoid ice in drinks. If you are unsure if salads and fruit have been washed in purified water, it is best to avoid them.

If you suffer from any disability or condition and are concerned whether this will affect the enjoyment of a holiday, please call us. We will do our best to help. We recommend that you bring any medicines you require from the UK.

Outside of major cities, medical facilities can be basic, meaning a lengthy transfer if hospital attention is required.

Your safety and security

Most people who travel to the countries where Llama Travel operates experience no problems on holiday. However, as is the case anywhere in the world, crime can be a problem, especially in large cities. Tourists can appear attractive targets to criminals. To minimise the risk, use common sense. Do not display signs of wealth, such as expensive looking jewellery or cameras. Avoid empty streets, especially on your own. Take a taxi after dark. By taking sensible precautions, you should have a trouble-free holiday.

Each country has its own standards for health and safety, but these are often not as good as in the UK. We take this into account when selecting hotels and request that they comply with all local regulations, but cannot guarantee that these are equivalent to British standards. Please take reasonable precautions to protect yourselves whilst on holiday, e.g. by locating fire exit routes.

Please also check the Foreign Office travel advice for the countries you are visiting the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.

Probably the best way to describe our holidays is flexible tours. This means that our customers can choose which places to visit by combining different extensions and excursions, and which hotels to stay in. You can also take two or more of our tours back-to-back, creating a longer, multi-country holiday. In most cases, you will be together with other Llama Travellers, but not necessarily the same people throughout your holiday. We find this works very well, allowing you to get to know like-minded people, but not having to spend all your time with the same group. You are free to explore on your own, or if you make friends you can share your experiences with others.

If we don't have anyone else taking a particular part of a holiday, we can still operate this just for you, although there may be an extra cost. Most holidays are guaranteed to operate if we have two passengers or more, although some holidays have a higher minimum number. We will advise you if this is the case at the time of booking.

Excursions are usually taken together with other Llama Travel customers in groups of no more than 18 people. If we have more than 18 booked, we operate two groups. If we have only one or two people booked on an excursion, the excursion may be operated together with people other than Llama Travel customers. In some places, the excursions are operated by one of our local partners, so you may be with people other than Llama Travel customers and the group may be a mix of English and other languages. In these cases, group sizes can sometimes be larger. If you would like to know the likely situation for your holiday, please ask us and we will be able to check. Transfers may be in a vehicle with more than 18 people.

We get a wide range of people taking our holidays, with probably the largest group being couples aged in their forties to sixties, or even older. However, we also have a large number of customers in their 20s and 30s, especially for some of the more active holidays. What unites everyone is a sense of curiosity and a desire to discover new cultures, landscapes and wildlife.

Although most of our customers travel with friends or family, we also have quite a few single travellers who are happy to mix and match as described above. However, if you prefer to be with the same group of people throughout your holiday, perhaps a more traditional group tour operator would suit you better.

We have found that our modular approach allows us to offer high quality, flexible holidays at the best possible prices. If you would like more information about this, please call us on 020 7263 3000 to discuss your requirements.

Llama Travel recognises that tourism has a significant impact, both on the lives of local people and on the natural environment. When carried out sensitively, this impact can be very positive, providing employment and income as well as encouraging the preservation of local resources and culture. The economic benefit comes more directly than most other forms of export; through restaurants, shops and other services supplied by locals.

Many countries in Latin America , Asia,  and Africa are poor, and to make a living, natural resources have always been exploited by locals. However, as tourism has become more important economically, there is a growing recognition of the need to preserve natural resources, with many locals now employed as guides, trackers and staff in lodges.

Llama Travel works with local companies and organisations in our destinations to try to ensure that our holidays are beneficial for the people of the destinations we visit. We ask you to help with this:

• Support the local economy by buying local produce and services.
• Respect local people and culture, especially when taking photographs.
• Respect the behaviour and habitat of wildlife.
• Do not buy products made from endangered species or tropical hardwoods.
• Support local environmental projects and those designed to preserve local heritage.
• Please do not litter.

All Llama Travel excursions are taken with knowledgeable local guides who are fluent in English, and often in other local languages. Some trips include sections without guides; in these cases drivers may have only rudimentary English. We feel that the use of local guides aids the traveller in a better understanding of their destination, as well as working to better the lives of people living in the local community. We try to ensure that all local staff we work with are treated and paid well. However, some of the local companies we work with may not always share these concerns. If you come across anyone on your holiday that you think is being exploited, please bring this to our attention.