GUIDES & TIPPING

Your guides are experienced local naturalists who have studied the flora and fauna with experts. Many were born and raised in the rainforest and are skilled woodsmen. They are experts at finding wildlife and will enable you to gain the most from your rainforest lodge tour. Also, they are working for tips. They expect and need the income from tips to support their families. It is recommended that you have US dollars for tipping. (See currency recommendations below.) A minimum recommendation for an amount to tip is $20 per day for you or you and another person. If your group is larger, you should tip at a higher amount. Most lodges will also expect a tip for the lodge staff.

CURRENCY

Money exchange is easily taken care of upon arrival in-country at the Lima airport. There is a bank window in the Lima airport and ATM machines.

Depending on your food, beverage and entertainment preferences, it is recommended that you bring along from $200 to ? Souvenirs and handicrafts are available in most larger cities and possibly at villages as we travel.

Some of the vendors will accept credit cards. It's always a good idea to bring a VISA and a MASTERCARD card in case of emergency.

We do not recommend Traveler's Checks. Few places accept them. If you do bring traveler's checks you may find yourself standing in a long bank line waiting to cash them.

If you bring cash, bring $20 and larger bills. Request clean, crisp, new bills from your bank. Worn, torn, marked bills will be refused in many Latin American countries.

A pouch or money belt is recommended for carrying valuables; these are available at camping or luggage stores. Keep your passport safe at all costs. It is an incredible problem if you lose it.

MEDICAL

Consult your doctor for all medical concerns. What follows is simply a list of suggestions.

Malaria exists in tropical regions, so you should obtain the pills taken to prevent it (it is mosquito-borne). There are various types, consult with your doctor.

You should consider getting a Yellow Fever vaccination. While you're at it, maybe a Hepatitis A. It is also good to be sure your tetanus is up to date.

Travel to the lowland rainforest exposes your body to a significantly new microbial fauna. Many travelers experience diarrhea and stomach upset about 3 days after arrival in this area. This is not a “disease”, just your body adjusting to a different group of intestinal bacteria. A highly recommended medication to have on hand is an antibiotic to be taken in case of bad gastrointestinal upset. Physicians usually prescribe Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) or Xifaxan. Some people recommend taking antibiotics prophylactically if you will be traveling in the lowland rainforest for a short period. Others believe it best to wait for the onset of symptoms. Do what your doctor recommends. But we do recommend you have some medication on-hand to deal with the situation if it arises. You don't want to lose a day or two out of your trip due to a bad upset stomach.

If your traveling on to Cuzco and Machu Picchu after a trip in the lowlands, you would likely find Diamox to be helpful. It's prescribed by your doctor to help with altitude adjustment and to prevent altitude sickness.

Be sure to ask your physician about the possible dangers of combining medications, especially if you are already taking prescription drugs.

Aside from this, simply bring along any of the usual medications with which you travel (aspirin, Tylenol, Dramamine, antacids, Pepto, etc.). In every case, please follow your physician's advice about all health aspects.

INSECT REPELLENT

Bugs are no worse than in the States. Repellents with "DEET" are most effective. 100% DEET is not safe. Concentrations of 25% to 30% are sufficient. Some people are sensitive to DEET and might do best with repellents with even lower concentration. Be aware that certain colognes and perfumes may attract bees or other insects.

CLOTHING

Casual; we prefer breathable, absorbent cotton as opposed to heavy jeans, which take forever to dry, but suit yourself.

The new light- weight synthetics designed for hot weather by companies such as Travel Smith, Ex-Officio, Columbia, and REI, which wick moisture away from your skin and dry fast are excellent though expensive. They are very comfortable.

Take plenty of underwear and socks. You will need long-sleeve shirts, (the sleeves can be rolled up in heat or down if bugs are a problem) short sleeve shirts and T-shirts. Bring both long pants and shorts. A hat (small, crushable, water-resistant) is perhaps the handiest item of clothing.

Shoes need not be heavy. A light weight hiking boot or walking shoe is perfect. Bring a second pair of comfortable shoes and keep them clean for wearing in town and your travel home. Also bring some thongs or sandals and a bathing suit.

The two items most likely to be lost are your hat and sunglasses. You might bring an extra of each. A poncho or light rain jacket is useful. We prefer to travel light in every case.

EQUIPMENT

Bring a day pack or hip pack to carry your gear on hikes.

Bring a good flashlight, alkaline batteries, and spare bulbs. We like a flashlight that takes at least three D-cell alkaline batteries and has an adjustable focus beam; such as a Mag-lite. Bring 6 extra alkaline batteries for each week of your trip. These are large and heavy. If size and weight are concerns, you might wish to consider the new Luxeon LED lights. We are currently testing these and it looks like some models may have the power to compete with traditional lights. Please be certain you do not use standard LEDs... get a Luxeon LED, and make sure the battery life is decent.

Head-lamps are not recommended and are not allowed on night hikes. They attract insects to your face and you will most certainly shine someone in the eyes, temporarily blinding them.

A small pocket flashlight is recommended as a backup light. Good for use when moving around a dark lodge or boat or even your room at night, if carried in your pocket on a night outing it would also alow you to get out of the forest safely if your large flashlight was broken.

Binoculars are recommended for bird or monkey watching.

Bring a camera and plenty of film. Unless you're an accomplished photographer, you'll probably be happiest with a "point-and shoot" digital camera or film camera with ISO 200 - ISO 400 film. Bring spare batteries for your camera and flash. At most lodges you can charge your camera batteries. If you have a 35mm SLR camera, bring along a good flash and macro lens; short telephoto lenses are also good.

Electric current in eastern Peru is 220 volts. Electricity may not be available at some of our destinations.

Pack film in a lead bag (camera shops have these) or in a carry-on that you can access easily for removal prior to passing through airport X-ray machines. Don't believe what they tell you... it can fog your film! NEVER place film in a checked piece of luggage.

MISCELLANEOUS

Small pocket knife; good book; field guides to fauna and flora; a nalgene water bottle (camping supply stores) is handy, as is a small first-aid kit. If you wear eyeglasses bring an extra pair. Some like to bring notebooks and keep field journals... pencil or indelible ink is recommended for this.

Some might find a collapsible walking stick such as made by Leki a helpful thing to have. Would prove useful to many up in Machu Picchu.

The equatorial sun is intense and you should be concerned about skin protection, so bring the appropriate sunscreen (SPF 30) and apply it often. Those taking Doxycycline or any other Tetracycline derivatives should be aware of possible increased sensitivity to sun.

Take a few plastic bags; they make good organizers, and can be used to protect cameras and binoculars inside your day pack if you get caught in a downpour. Tighten all containers in your toiletries kit and place such articles in plastic bags... air pressure changes can cause leakage.

LUGGAGE

Don't use a backpack, especially external frame. You won't have to hike with your gear. Any sort of luggage will do, but we prefer the soft type such as a duffel bag or shoulder bag. It's always best to label each bag inside as well as by outside tags, and to lock them. We recommend the small combination locks approved by the TSA. They have a master key to open these locks in the event they need to search your bag and will not have to break the lock to do so. You can set the combination yourself (use something simple). Bring a spare lock or two incase someone removes the one on your bag. Plastic wire ties are also good for securing your luggage shut.

It's best to carry valuable or fragile items on the plane with you... also a spare set of clothes and your toiletries in case the airlines lose a bag.

It's best to carry valuable or fragile items on the plane with you... also a spare set of clothes and your toiletries in case the airlines lose a bag.

INSURANCE

We STRONGLY recommend that all GreenTracks clients obtain Traveler's Insurance to reimburse you, should you have to cancel for medical or other reasons, or one of our sub-contractors defaulting. This insurance can be obtained from TravelGuard. Please read our cancellation policy. That should convince you to get insurance!

DOCUMENTATION

Everyone must have a valid passport. Peru does not require that USA, Canadian, or British citizens obtain a visa before they travel. Peru will issue you a tourist visa upon arrival in-country.

Non - USA, Canadian, or British citizens may need to obtain a visa from their local Peruvian consulate before they can travel to Peru. Consult with the GreenTracks office or your travel agent.