Chile and Easter Island

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. Across South America we use a number of airlines for internal flights and they are subject to frequent changes. For this reason we have indicated approximate times of departure on days where an internal flight is required. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €324.50pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Your passport must have an “expiry date “ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.

British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa to travel to Chile. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and general queries. We strongly advise you to check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines.

To Enter Easter Island you are required to complete a Rapa Nui Entry form. Our representatives in Chile can assist you with completing the form. It must be completed before you depart on your flight.

Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Altitude Sickness Altitude sickness is a fairly common condition that can occur when you ascend to a high altitude (generally higher than 2,500 metres above sea level) quickly. The decrease in atmospheric pressure can make breathing more difficult as the body is not able to take in as much oxygen. Most cases are mild with symptoms that can include: a headache, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. Several places in Chile are located at high altitudes (over 2,500 metres above sea level). Therefore, you may find you experience some symptoms at this altitude. It is advised that at these high altitudes, you keep hydrated and avoid alcohol. If you begin to experience symptoms of altitude sickness during your tour, ensure you tell your guide immediately who will be able to advise the best thing for you to do. You can contact your GP before you travel for advice on medication for altitude sickness.

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing often on foot and on a number of excursions there are climbing of steep steps and getting on/off coaches. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso (CLP), We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Banks and post offices in the UK generally don’t keep Chilean pesos in stock so it’s best to pre-order if you wish to take cash with you. Major credit and debit cards are accepted are widely accepted in hotels and larger shops/restaurants.

ATMs and exchange bureaus in larger cities will offer the best exchange rate. Try to carry smaller denominations of pesos with you when heading to rural areas because you may struggle to find vendors with enough change. ATMs in rural areas also regularly run out of cash, so plan ahead

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £500-£600 should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.

Tipping

Tipping is a common practice in South America and it is customary to tip approx. USD$3-$5 per person per day which is split between the driver and the local guide. Tips can be given at the end of each day, or at the end of the tour. Tips are accepted in US dollars and local currency.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 30. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is an escorted tour, where we use local expert guides in each city. At times you will also be guided by a local specialist in some of the areas you visit.

Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. Triple Rooms are available, but please note that these are on a request basis and the 3rd bed is a “rollaway” bed and may reduce the overall floorspace of the room. Where an international flight arrives during early morning, we will endeavour to provide an Early Check In to your hotel, this is subject to availability. The usual hotel check in time is from 2pm onwards.

Meals will be provided as per the detailed itinerary. When included Breakfast will be of western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and dinner when included will be a local restaurants or at your hotel, giving the opportunity to experience a variety of dishes and local flavours. For those days when dinner is not included your guide will be able to offer recommendations if you wish.

Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed counties water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way as the UK. Bottled Water will be available to purchase at shops, hotels & lodges.

On arrival in Chile you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Pure Chile, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Pure Chile representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. If you cannot see your representative they will be at Exit Gate 4. There are many illegal taxis operating around Santiago Airport and they have been known to steal from tourists. Official taxis are dark blue in colour. Your guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact Pure Chile during your stay the details are: Pure Chile Nueva Providencia 2214, office 186 Tel: 0056 9 5681 6943 E-mail: Sales1@pure-chile.com or info@pure-chile.com

Emergency contact information: The arrangements in Chile are handled by our representatives ‘Pure Chile’. If you need to contact them during your stay you can find the 24-hour emergency contact details below: Telephone: 0056 956816943