Mountains to the Lakes Tour

We use good quality small & simple hotels & guesthouses on this tour. Tours visiting the Oasis of Huacachina and the Inca trail trek will also include four nights camping.

Accommodation is based on dorm, twin, triple or double en-suite rooms. We will endeavour to give all couples a private double room. Single travellers may choose to pay a single room supplement to guarantee themselves a single room throughout the tour. Alternatively, they may choose to share a room with one or two other travellers of the same sex. If there are no other single travellers available for you to pair up with at the time of your booking, then we will need to add the single supplement to your tour price, but will refund this or deduct it from your balance payment if we are able to pair you up later on. 

Please be aware that hotels in Peru can suffer from common problems such as electrical failure, plumbing faults and other technical difficulties and hot water may occasionally be temperamental if a lot of people are using the showers at the same time. This is a possibility throughout all classes of hotels.

On the Classic Inca trail tents are provided and sleeping bags can be hired.

Our trips feature a mix of different transport options. We want you to feel like you’re really experiencing the country you’re travelling through, but at the same time we want you to finish journeys refreshed enough to enjoy the next stage of the tour. In South America we travel by means of various local transports. The majority of travel is in air-conditioned buses and trains, therefore ensuring your comfort.

The tour includes a 24-hour airport meet & assist service in Lima & La Paz airports, your arrival and departure airport-hotel transfers and all other transfers.

We want to give you as much flexibility as possible when it comes to booking your holiday with us. So, to take account of people with varying travel plans, we don’t normally include international flights in the main tour price. We are however very happy to suggest flights to go with the tour. Please contact us with your preferred dates and departure airport and we’ll give you a selection of airlines, times and fares to choose from.

Your airport arrival & departure transfers are included on the first and last days of the tour.

We do also sometimes advertise flight inclusive packages from selected airports. Where these are shown on our website, prices are correct at the time of quoting, but are subject to continued availability of the fare used. Prices will be reconfirmed at the time of booking, and we will also provide the flight times and airline details before tickets are issued. 
Flight inclusive prices are based on the cheapest Economy ticket class available which is generally non-refundable and non-changeable unless the flight is cancelled for reasons such as Covid-19, in which case the airlines are more flexible. More flexible ticket options, as well as Premium Economy and Business Class tickets are available on request for an additional supplement. Any changes made to flight inclusive bookings will be subject to the airline rules on your ticket. 

N.B. ON TOURS THAT VISIT THE JUNGLE, FLIGHT TIMES FROM THE JUNGLE CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE (PARTICULARLY DURING THE RAINY SEASON) SO MAKE SURE YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT BOOKINGS ALLOW AT LEAST ONE SPARE DAY AFTER THE JUNGLE EXCURSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED!

We are committed to being a small group operator, as we feel this gives everyone in the group the best chance to get to know their fellow travellers and to hear and make the most of their guide. There's no point in us providing great guides if you've got to peer over 30-40 shoulders to see them! So, we won't ever put you in a 50-seater coach with 49 other people and just one guide. Instead we set our South America group departures to have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 18 travellers.

In South America we provide fully trained, local English-speaking tour leaders to accompany all our Peru and Bolivia tours. These leaders will arrange your accommodation, meals, travel arrangements, as well as pre-booking some excursions and guides and helping you to find the best deals, socialise. Generally they are there to run the tirp and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. While they are experienced and knowledgeable about the country and places you're visiting and travelling through, they are not tour guides as such. In most historical areas visited there are specialist local guides available if you wish (your tour leader will assist in booking these). We also have some local representatives in towns and cities en-route who are also at your service. Additional guides may also be used for some of the trekking and jungle sections.

At Encounters Travel we aim to  only use local Peruvian and Bolivian tour leaders, guides and reps. We feel this gives you the best experience of the country and the sites you are seeing.

Note: Some of our tours in Peru and Bolivia work as different sections and may operate in partnership with our friends at Oasis Overland. So, it is possible that you may not be with the same entire group for the whole trip (for example, in Peru some travellers may start their trip in Cuzco, or head to the Amazon after the Inca Trek while some go on to Lake Titicaca. In Bolivia some people may finish the tour early and not continue on into the jungle for the final section).

The Inca Trail:
We INCLUDE the cost of trekking to Machu Picchu in ALL our trips that visit Peru. We offer 3 routes - Classic, Lares, and Salkantay - (subject to season and availability), all accompanied by knowledgeable guides and porters. Our first choice trek is the Classic trail. As availability is limited we will move quickly after booking to obtain you a permit where possible. It is VERY important to note that as soon as we purchase your permit it is non-transferable, and non-refundable. Your permit will be linked to your passport details, so please make sure you enter these correctly at the time of booking. If you are intending renewing your passport then please let us know at the point of booking. In order to trek you will need to be in possession of both your passport and your permit and the passport details have to match otherwise the permit issuing authorities will not let you trek. If you need any further clarification then please contact tours@encounterstravel.com. When the Classic trail is not available, we will arrange the Lares trail at no extra charge (subject to minimum 2 people). If you wish to trek either the Lares or Salkantay by choice (or take the train option), you must let us know at the time of booking. An additional fee may be payable, but we will discuss this with you. All of the treks visit Machu Picchu for the day.

Train Only:
For those who don't fancy trekking at all, there is the option of taking the train to the town of Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu, staying overnight in a simple hotel, and heading up to nearby Machu Picchu the next day. This option gives you an extra two nights in Cusco, where we will provide accommodation. If you wish to take the train option you must state this at the time of booking.

Huanapicchu:
Some people like to climb the nearby summit of Huanapicchu during their time at Machu Picchu. One of the main reasons for doing this would be for the view from the top of it over Machu Picchu. Because of its increasing popularity the local authorities have introduced a permit system to control numbers and collect funds from those wanting to do this. Permits can sell out a long time in advance, and you therefore need to request us to purchase you a permit urgently if you want to do this. You can request this by clicking the Huanapicchu add-on through your account. There are 400 permits available per day currently. Once requested your tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged, as it is arranged with your specific name and passport details. The ascent of Huanapicchu is very steep in places and it can take about an hour to the top. It will be your responsibility to be at the entrance point at the right time, and should you be late then you will unfortunately forfeit your opportunity to go up. The climb is done on the same day that you are visiting the ruins at Machu Picchu, so reduces your time wandering around the ruins. Please bear in mind that to get up and down can take around three hours, and is very steep in places. It is not really for those who are unfit, or scared of heights. The path is pretty deteriorated in places so some light scrambling is required.

The tour price includes entrance fees to all the tourist sites mentioned in the itinerary. You will need to cover the cost of entrance to any other extra sites that you may wish to visit.

Tipping is common practice in Bolivia & Peru, as a sign of appreciation for services provided. You may therefore wish to tip your guide and driver at the end of the tour.  You should not feel obliged to tip any particular amount, and should consider your personal budget. We are often asked to provide a guide however, and can suggest that approx. £5 per person per day would be appropriate.

You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation.

Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination. You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. In addition, additional courses or boosters normally recommended for the countries in this region are:

Peru: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Not required. Please read the WHO guidance.
Bolivia: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if entering from a country with risk of yellow fever and if transitting through an airport in one of those countries for more than 12 hours. Please read the WHO guidance.

Malaria: Vaccinations are not available against Malaria, which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can be very serious and sometimes fatal. You should avoid mosquito bites by covering up bare skin with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers and applying insect repellents to exposed skin. When necessary, sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquitoes are most active during and after sunset. You should consult with your GP/medical practitioner/travel clinic about the most appropriate malaria prophylactic medication to take for the regions you are visiting. In general malaria risk is present throughout the year in rural areas below 2000m. Risk is highest in the department of Loreto in the Amazon. Risk is variable in other areas below 2000m. Risk is low west of the Andes including Lima (with the exception of the district of Piura) and at altitude (including the Inca Trail, Cuzco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca).

Dengue Fever: Unlike the malaria mosquito, which will bite around dawn, dusk and at night, the mosquito that carries dengue fever bites during the day. There are occasional outbreaks in some areas we visit and we therefore advise that you take precautions during the day to avoid being bitten as well as at night. No vaccine is available.

Yellow Fever: This disease is spread by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. A Yellow Fever Certificate of vacinnation may be required as a condition of entry depending on which country you are arriving from, or that you have travelled or transitted through recently (including connecting flights with stopovers of over 12 hours). You can view this US CDC information about where the virus is present and follow the links to further information detailing which countries need you to have a Yellow Fever vaccination as part of their entry requirements. Please ensure you have this certificate with you and a photocopy to hand if necessary.

Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have.

Passports should be valid for at least six months after your departure from the country. Please do not bring an almost full or almost expired passport; your passport should have at least 1 blank page for every country you are visiting on your trip. Please bring two photocopies of your passport with you to give to your tour leader at the start of your tour. Visa arrangements are the responsibility of the traveller, and requirements are subject to change by the local authorities.

Peru: Many nationalities (including UK, European, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, USA) do not need to obtain a visa to enter Peru as long as your stay is for less than 6 months. Other nationalities should check with their local consulate or embassy.
Bolivia: Many nationalities (including UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada) do not currently need to obtain a visa to enter Bolivia as long as your stay is for less than 3 months. US citizens can obtain a visa on arrival for 360 Bolivianos (approx. US$55) - a photocopy of your passport, a 3cm x 4cm passport photo, and the fee in local currency will be required. South African citizens are recommended to obtain their visa in advance - the fee is 360 Bolivianos. Other nationalities should check with their local consulate. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate visa to enter Bolivia if one is required.

On arrival you will be given an immigration card. You should keep this safe with your passport as you will need it again when you leave the country (a fine may be payable if you lose it).

If you are flying through the USA en-route to South America then before you travel you will need to obtain either a USA visa or an ESTA (electronic system for travel authorisation) if your country is part of the visa waiver program).

The time in Peru is GMT minus 5 hours.

The time in Bolivia is GMT minus 4 hours.

Luggage: Whatever you’re doing in Peru or Bolivia, you’ll find that large rigid wheeled suitcases are cumbersome - you may be able to wheel them inside the airport and your hotel, but due to the condition of roads and pavements that’s often about it. As most of our tours involve a degree of adventurous activity, we strongly advise you to bring a more practical bag for these i.e. a rucksack or holdall. These are easier for both your porters/ponies (if trekking), and yourself to carry around. Suitcases are OK if your tour does nothing but cultural sightseeing, but please aim to bring small or medium sized ones rather than very large. If you are trekking, or doing a lot of travel throughout the country, then as little as possible is the basic message. A rucksack or holdall (50-80 litre approx.) for your main luggage, and a daypack for you to use during the day should be plenty. While trekking your ponies will carry your main luggage, leaving you with just a daypack with things you'll need during the day. You can also leave some luggage locked safely in the pre-trek hotel if you wish. We recommend that couples plan to leave one main bag behind, and pool their remaining luggage in their other bag for the ponies to carry.

Luggage limits: Most international airlines allow 20-23kg per person of hold luggage. Domestic flights often have smaller allowances around 15kg. As airline rules vary we recommend that you take no more than 20kg of luggage if your tour just includes international flights, and no more than 15kg if there are any domestic flights included in your itinerary. Please ask us for details if you are unsure. Any excess baggage fees will be your responsibility to cover. Most airlines allow between 5kg and 10kg for hand luggage so we suggest that you take no more than 5kg unless you have confirmed that your airline(s) will allow more than this.

Clothing & Climate: Peru and Bolivia have a climate that ranges widely depending on where and when you visit. Nights will be cold in the deserts and mountains, and the weather may be hot during the day. It can get down to -15C in the Andes, and up to 47C and 90% humidity in the jungles. The rainy season in the Andes is mostly between November and April with heavy downpours once or twice a day with the remainder of the day mostly warm and sunny. You may be lucky and get no rain at all. The dry season runs from April to October and this is when you'll get the best mountain views. Generally expect it to be warm or hot during the day but very cold at night in the mountains. In the deserts in Peru the hottest time of year is between October and May, but the nights can be cold all year round. The Amazon is very hot and humid with regular rains or showers all year round. Overall, you need to pack for all conditions, from cold to hot, and with at least a light raincoat in case of showers or heavier rains.

A large variety of relatively cheap trekking gear is available in Cuzco (fleeces, waterproofs etc.) and buying some here can save you carrying it with you, and support the local economy. However, you should definitely bring your own walking boots.

What to bring:

• Toiletries - Most available to buy on trip
• Sleeping Bag - 4 season bag, (these can be hired for the Inca Trail and in Bolivia, but most people prefer to bring their own) and a sleep sheet for comfort (especially if you plan to hire a sleeping bag)
• Small day-pack or small bag to carry daily items
• Soft rucksack or holdall (NOT a large rigid suitcase)
• Soap, shampoo, toothbrush/paste, antibacterial hand wash, lip balm & moisturiser
• Sun block (35+) and after sun, sun hat & sun glasses
• Tampons/pads (can buy in most places)
• Contraception

Clothes & Personal Effects

• One pair of trainers or boots, plus Sandals/flip flops/jandals/thongs
• Underwear/socks T shirts/shirts Shorts/swimwear
• Jeans/trousers/jog pants/leggings
• Skirt or dress
• Sweat shirt/jumper
• Jacket/fleece & waterproof jacket
• Camera with protective case, spare batteries, film/memory card
• Torch & spare batteries (head torch is best)
• Alarm clock
• Travel adaptor plug/charger (for cameras & mobile phone batteries)
• Money belt
• Towel &/or sarong

Recommended Medical Kit List (especially for longer or more out of the way tours)
We advise you to bring a small personal medical kit for general everyday use, as well as any personal over-the-counter medicines that you may wish to keep with you. Our guides are familiar with the nearest pharmacies, doctors and hospitals throughout the trip if you need to seek medical attention. It will be your own responsibility to carry your medical kit on included excursions and optional activities as some local operators may not have medical kits to hand.

• Antiseptic ointment/Antihistamine cream & tablets
• Nurofen or equivalent pain-killer
• Eye-drops/bath
• Anti-diarrhoea treatment
• A couple of bandages (elasticated & triangular)
• Medication for personal allergies/asthma etc
• Insect repellent containing Deet
• Re-hydration sachets/vitamin tablets
• Assorted plasters
• 1 - 2 Sterile syringes
• Some suitable antibiotics as recommended by your doctor for infected cuts or to treat severe dysentery

Please note that in the winter months (June-August) it can be very cold, especially at altitude, so we would reccommend that you bring extra layers or be prepared to purchase some when you are in Peru & Bolivia.

Cameras and Electrical Equipment
Any easy to use 'point and shoot' or even a smartphone with a good camera will get you some good photos. For more creative and higher standard shots its worth bringing an SLR camera, but do make sure you're familiar with it first. There are internet cafes in many towns and cities where you can download/upload your photos to online storage. However, we suggest you bring several memory cards in case this isn't possible. A padded camera case or bag and zip lock plastic bags are useful to protect your equipment, especially in the sandy deserts. Polarising filters are good for SLRs to prevent over-exposed looking photos. ard to find USB cable - to connect in internet cafes or for downloading We can recommend Clock Tower Cameras for second hand cameras and lenses.
Important: In Peru and Bolivia it is strictkly forbidden to take photos of any military installations or equipment. Border posts, bridgets and anywhere around airports are also sensitive so please avoid taking photos of any of these (or risk having your camera confiscated). We recommend asking first before taking photos of people, and if doing so, please act respectfully and with discretion.

We run regular small-group departures on this tour from April to November each year. All departures are guaranteed to run with a minimum of 2 travellers. Departure dates and prices are listed on our website and on a separate dates & prices sheet available on request.

If you would like to book a place on this tour, please complete the online reservation form on our website (via the Dates & Prices tab on the tour page). You may make a deposit or full payment online, or just hold a reservation if you prefer (full payments are due 8 weeks before departure). We will then contact you with more details about how to complete your booking. Payments may be made by debit or credit card (subject to a card processing fee), or by making a bank transfer, or posting us a cheque/bank draft. Full details will be provided in your booking confirmation email. Please contact us if you would like any more information or have any questions before making a booking.

Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event). More information...

You may arrange your own insurance, or you can take advantage of a comprehensive policy that we can arrange for you through Endsleigh Insurance which has been designed to be suitable for our tours. The policy is available to travellers of all nationalities and you do not need to live in the UK  to take out the policy. For full details of cover provided, prices and to apply for one of our policies, please complete travel insurance application form.
Note: Any country that borders the Mediterranean is considered as 'Europe' for the purposes of travel insurance (including Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Morocco). If you are doing a tour that visits one country in 'Europe' and one that is 'Worldwide' (for example, an Egypt and Jordan tour), then you need a 'Worldwide' policy. When completing the form you should enter your travel dates including any extra days involved in overnight flights or connecting travel between your home and the tour. Our policies are not able to cover any extra time or activities other than your tour and options booked with us and your travel to & from home.

Note - to comply with insurance sales regulations, our travel insurance policies are only available to customers booking directly with us. If you have booked through a travel agent you will need to arrange your own insurance.

If your tour includes car hire, ior if you plan to arrange a hot air balloon flight locally or do some scuba diving during your tour, you should check the small print in your policy to make sure these are covered (these are covered in our policy). Please also check the maximum altitude that you will be reaching and that full cover including emergency evacuation is provided up to this altitude.

If you are taking expensive camera gear or other electronic equipment with you then please check the coverage and the fine print of your policy to ensure that you have sufficient cover.

IMPORTANT:  We must have your travel insurance details (policy number and type of insurance) before you depart or you may not be allowed to join the tour.  If you haven't told us already, please let us know the details when you can. You should take a paper copy of your insurance policy with you as you may be asked to show this at the start of the tour.

Covid-19
Before purchasing any travel insurance, please check the coverage provided for situations related to Covid-19, and for the rules about government travel advice. Your normal policy may not be suitable. Details about our own policies cover levels are given on our website. 

We are a UK registered company and are committed to providing our customers with financial protection to provide peace of mind and to allow you to book with confidence.
We have therefore partnered with Trust My Travel Ltd., which provides financial protection services to over 2000 partners around the world. Funds paid to us by our customers are protected via an Insurance policy held by Trust My Travel. Each traveller and the description of services sold is declared against Trust My Travel’s insurance policy directly against our financial failure. In the event of our insolvency, you will be refunded for any unfulfilled products and/or repatriation to the UK (where applicable). Please see our website or booking conditions for more information.

It is impossible not to have an impact on the local environment, cultures and eco-systems when you travel. However, it is very possible to try and ensure that these impacts are as limited, or positive as possible. We are committed to ensuring that we try to leave our host countries in a better state than we found them and encourage and assist our travellers to help us with this.
The following are a few simple tips that require very little effort on your part but which will help ensure that any effect you have on the locations you visit is positive rather than negative.

• Don't prejudge: Things in different countries will almost certainly be different. That doesn't make them worse or inferior, just different.
• Communicate: Don't expect locals to speak your language. Take the trouble to learn a few words or phrases of the local language. Don't worry about sounding silly. Most locals are patient and accommodating and appreciate you making the effort to communicate in their language.
• Conserve energy: Be careful not to waste valuable resources. Use local resources sparingly. Switch off lights, air-conditioning and fans when you leave the hotel room and don't waste water. Remove superfluous packaging. Many countries have far less efficient waste disposal systems than ours. Remove packaging from newly acquired items before leaving home.
• Don't litter: No matter how untidy or dirty the country you're travelling in may look to you, avoid littering, as there is no need to add to the environment's stress. Many of the countries we visit have a tough challenge dealing with rubbish and waste. Please consider taking home as much plastic waste as you can (e.g. water bottles).
• Choose environmentally friendly products: By using environmentally friendly (bio degradable) sun creams, shampoos and detergents you can help reduce pollution.
• Respect local customs and traditions: As you are a guest in these countries, you should also comply with the local customs. If you are friendly and well mannered, the locals will reciprocate and it will only enhance your experience. It's important to follow dress and behaviour guidelines especially when visiting religious or sacred sites (your tour leader will advise you how best to do this).
• If a client commits an illegal act the client may be excluded from the tour and Encounters Travel shall cease to have responsibility to/for them. No refund will be given for any unused services.

All porters are employed and equipped following guidelines set by the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG).

You can stay in touch with us online by following us on Facebook and Twitter. We post updates on relevant travel news in our destination countries, special offers and discounts and other interesting travel related news and information.
www.facebook.com/encounterstravel
www.twitter.com/encounterstravl (yes, without the 'e')

It is important when considering and preparing to travel anywhere in the world that you have a good understanding of the country you are visiting, its laws and customs, and the possible risks and situations that may occur. This includes specific risks related to your itinerary (eg. does it involve water & can you swim, are you fit enough for the activities included), as well as more general risks such as terrorism and natural disasters.

General details and links to more information about health risks, visa requirements, money, and travel insurance are given in these tour notes. We recommend that you re-read all these before your departure as well as the small print of your travel insurance policy so you know exactly what is covered and what is not.

You should take copies of your important travel documents with you and ideally also store them online securely as a backup. Make sure that you have given us your emergency contact details and told that person where and when you are travelling. Ensure you take enough money with you and that you have access to emergency funds.

Finally, you should read through and stay updated with the current official government travel advice for your destination. We are registered partners with the UK Foreign Office's 'Travel Aware' campaign which provides further useful and invaluable information.