Treknical Tour Details
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Keep to a simple and practical selection of clothes for both hot and cool climates to suit the season, and because of the wide variety of temperatures, altitude and weather that can be encountered en route. Travel light as there are opportunities to wash clothes. We suggest you bring the following:|
Personal items: - Personal toiletries / medication - Towel - Warm sleeping bag - Thermarest-type self-inflating mat - Alarm clock & watch - Address book - Camera/binoculars - Flashlight (torch) - Travel power adaptor - Sewing kit / scissors - Sunscreen / glasses / hat - Sense of humour and adventure |
Clothes:
- Jeans / trousers / shorts / skirt - T-Shirts / cotton shirts / blouses - Socks / underwear / swimwear - Casual 'evening out' clothes - Sandals / sneakers / hiking shoes - Warm anorak / sweater - Waterproof jacket |
For those travelling on early or late season departures, winter treks, or throughout the season on treks in Alaska, Canada, and the North West, the weather can be much cooler so we suggest you bring a warm anorak, sweater, and mountain climate quality sleeping bag.
Thermal underwear, gloves, and hat can also come in handy. Better to be too warm than too cold! Clothes Washing:
You will have the opportunity to wash your clothes while on trek. This can often be done at the campsite, or in a nearby town. Ask your trek leader for local information.
Footwear:
Comfortable shoes with good ankle support will make all walking more enjoyable. We strongly recommend a pair of walking boots/shoes. If you do not own a pair, sneakers/ trainers will suffice.
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On our camping tours, our groups share in the preparation and cooking of the food. Supplies, excluding soft drinks and alcohol, are purchased from the food kitty, and each member of the group pays US$9 per day en route.This covers three meals on most days while we are camping; eating fresh foods that we purchase as we travel to satisfy the international flavour of the group - a healthy way to travel at an unbeatable price. Naturally this does not cover hotel stops or when Trek groups sometimes sample regional cuisine at local restaurants.
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We use a combination of hostels, hotels, motels and cabins on our budget lodging tours. Most "cabins" are multi-share sleeping 4 to 6 people and a sleeping bag will be required. Hostel nights are generally multi-share mixed gender dorms.Where possible we will keep the group together but this cannot be guaranteed. Where possible, we try to accommodate couples, however, twin rooms cannot be guaranteed.
There is no food kitty collected on our budget lodging tours. However, a breakfast / lunch kitty has proven a popular alternative to three meals out. This is optional and our leader will help organize it for those who choose to participate.
On our West Coast USA budget lodging tours you will need to bring a sleeping bag. On the Northeastern BLT and in Mexico, a sleeping bag is not required.
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It is our belief that the most important ingredient for the success of any tour is the tour leader, and we are extremely proud of the high professional standards set by our tour leaders over the last 35 years.Our training programme begins with recruiting the right people and developing their natural talents to be great team leaders. New tour leaders receive substantial training in all areas, with specific attention being paid to group dynamics and leadership.
In addition, they receive various forms of instruction within our training facilities and operations departments; i.e., first-aid, driving techniques, vehicle maintenance, meal menus, and emergency procedures.
When leaders complete their basic training, they receive hands-on education in the field, from managers and senior tour leaders who can relay the benefits of years of experience. We are very proud of our training programme. Our level of customer satisfaction underscores it!
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Trek has created a comprehensive network of full-service storage depots throughout North America.Our vehicles are customised to ensure your comfort and enjoyment of the tour. All Trek vehicles have air- conditioning and excellent stereo systems to make travelling a pleasure.
All luggage, equipment and other necessities are stored on a specially designed trailer or storage area to maximise space and comfort. Every group is virtually self-sufficient and able to explore the back roads "where the crowds can't go".
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You will need a valid passport, together with visas where necessary, for all the countries that you will visit. Please keep in mind that some tours may spend time in two or three different countries - it is important that you apply for each of the necessary (multiple entry) visas while in your home country.usa activity holidays
Electronic vouchers for your tour and accommodation will be emailed to you approximately 6 weeks before departure. If you would like your tickets earlier for any reason, please contact us.We will also send or email you our pre-departure information "TREK TIPS" before you leave. It tells the whole story, with practical information on clothes, visas, finances, mailing addresses, departure points, airport to hotel transfers, etc.
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Treks begin and end at our gateway hotels. You will normally depart at approximately 7.30 am (check your tour voucher for exact details). On the final day, your tour will normally arrive at the hotel around 5.00 pm (1700 hours).If you require hotel accommodation this night, you MUST buy an accommodation voucher in advance. Some of our treks may start or finish earlier, please see each tour description for any variations. We recommend you book your return flight for the day after your trek finishes. If you do have to return home the day your trek finishes, please make sure your flight does not depart before 9:00pm.
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All Trek passengers make their own way to and from our pre/post tour hotels. You will find detailed instructions on how to get to our hotels in your pre departure information "TREK TIPS", which we send to you with your confirmation / invoice.Note: Our New York area hotel is located just across the river in New Jersey, and it would be best to use Newark International Airport.
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At all night stops designated as (H), we will stay in budget hotels with an average cost of US $45 per person, per night (budget more for nights in Chicago & San Francisco). This is based on multiple-share. Occasionally, twin-share will be required at a slightly higher cost. These supplements are paid directly to your Trek Leader, as we cannot pre-empt each tour's specific requirements, due to the flexible nature of our suggested night stops.Trek offers many tours that include en route hotels in the price of the tour. These nights are indicated by an (HP) in the itinerary.
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Trek supplies all the camping equipment you will need EXCEPT a sleeping bag. If required, a good quality sleeping bag can be purchased from your Trek Leader. Regular standard bags (1/2 season) are US$45 and heavier bags (3/4 season) are available for US$80.This service is only available for departures from New York, Los Angeles & Seattle.
NB: You WILL need to bring a sleeping bag on our West Coast USA Budget Lodging Tours. On the Northeastern BLT and in Mexico a sleeping bag is not required
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All luggage is stored in a specially designed trailer or in the back of the vehicle, so please don't bring more than one medium sized suitcase or rucksack (maximum 20kg) and your sleeping bag.Your suitcase/rucksack may get some rough handling, so make sure it's a tough one. Small hand baggage may be carried inside the vehicle. TrekAmerica cannot be held responsible for lost or damaged luggage.
TrekAmerica offers secure storage facilities at our Los Angeles, New York and Seattle operations offices. The cost is US $10 per item, per week and should be paid in cash to the local TrekAmerica representative. Please notify TrekAmerica, before the date you wish storage to commence. Your luggage will be returned to the gateway hotel at the end of your trek for you to collect. All stored luggage must be locked and clearly marked with your name, contact telephone number, name of your trek and the dates your trek starts and finishes. This storage service is generally very safe, however, we are unable to insure the contents on your luggage. The company accepts no responsibility for lost or damaged goods.
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It may be necessary from time to time to substitute another vehicle for the one described in the brochure hereto, or to change the number of persons carried in any vehicle.america travel tips
You should consult your doctor concerning which inoculations are advisable and necessary for the specific areas that you will visit. Illness or dental trouble can spoil your holiday, so it's always wise to have a thorough check-up before you leave home.america adventure travel
Most of your money should be carried in travellers cheques, as this is the safest way to guard against loss. Some of these cheques should be in small denominations for added convenience. You will need a minimum of US$25 (or equivalent) per day for expenses (excluding food kitty and hotels en route), but it's better to bring more than you need than to run short on tour.In America & Canada bring about US$100 in cash and the remainder in US$ traveller's cheques (Can$ for Canadian treks), preferably issued by a major International Bank, eg. Barclays, Visa or American Express. Your bank may tell you that other currency traveller's cheques are acceptable anywhere, but insist on US$ cheques - they are easier to cash, and are not usually charged any fee.
Small denominations are recommended, as they can be exchanged in stores and restaurants excatly the same as dollar notes. American banks outside the cities/airports are not equipped to change foreign currency. To bring your spending money in any other form than US or Canadian dollar traveller's cheques will cause you great expense and inconvenience! Please note that costs are up to 20 percent higher in the Yukon and Alaska and on board ferries.
In Mexico it is best to carry US$ travellers cheques and a small amount of US currency since most European currencies are sometimes difficult to exchange (especially outside Mexico City and Cancun). Money can be changed at larger banks between 9am and 1pm most days or at Casa de Cambios (exchange houses) and large hotels during normal business hours. Banks and Casa de Cambios usually give the best rates of exchange. It is best to change at least US$50.00 at the airport to cover arrival costs in Mexico City or Cancun for a taxi, meals and hotel costs.
Credit cards can be used in most major cities to pay for hotels, gifts or some optional activities. ATM machines are becoming more popular in Mexico, however, we strongly recommend that receiving money in this manner only be used as emergency back-up to your US$ travellers cheques or cash. Remember to bring US$49 per week for food kitty, US$20 per night for any en-route hotel stops and US$25 per day for spending money and optionalactivities.
Your Trek leader will work long and hard for you during your tour and we recommend a discretionary tip of US$3.00 per passenger per day if the leader's performance meets or exceeds your expectations.
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Our TrekAmerica tours are designed specifically for passengers aged between 18 and 38.Whereas our Footloose and OzXposure tours are open aged... calling all adventure seekers 18 and up!
Our Footloose 'Family Adventures' have been custom designed for families with children as young as 8 years old; however, we will consider children aged 6 and 7 upon request.
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Although passengers come from many countries around the world, all tours are conducted in English.mexico travel tips
The climate of Mexico is extremely varied, ranging from hot dry deserts in the North to wet, humid jungles in the South. Higher elevations tend to be more temperate with mountain peaks that are often covered in snow. The hot, wet season along most of the coasts lasts from May to November, with July to September being the wettest months of all. All of Trek America's tours in Mexico travel through diverse climate zones, therefore, it's best to be prepared for all types of weather.For clothing, it is recommended to bring waterproof rain gear for the jungles and warmer insulated clothing for the higher elevations around Mexico City and Chiapas. Of course shorts and a swimsuit are necessary for the hotter coastal zones like the Yucatan. For shoes, it is recommended to bring one pair of comfortable walking shoes for climbing pyramids or touring cities and one pair of waterproof sandals (flip-flops, zorries, tevas, etc) for the beach.
There is no shortage of sunshine in Mexico so it is advisable to bring a strong sunscreen or suntan lotion to avoid severe sunburn. Remember to bring a strong insect repellent (23% to 28% DEET) from your home country as it is not available in Mexico.
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Knowledgeable ex-trekkers advise handling 'culture shock' with adaptability, humour and a lot of common sense. Give yourself time to get used to culture differences, you may even find that they make a pleasant change from home. The more you accept things as being merely different, neither better nor worse than at home, the more you'll be able to enjoy YOUR Trek. In other words, the less you make comparisons, the more you'll enjoy your new experiences.They say 'forewarned is forearmed'- so do your homework! Read up on the areas you'll be travelling in, or talk with others who have already been there. Think about what you want to see and do on your holiday. The more you put into it the more you'll get out of it, and the less strange and different things will seem.
Remember, too, that you will not only be discovering a different continent on your holiday - you may also have the chance to learn from your fellow-trekkers about other countries and customs. You may discover an exotic dish to cook, or some new card games, or you may find you have more in common with other nationalities than you thought.
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