Shopping and sightseeing in the departure city is on the agenda on the last day of the travel program. The trek leader will drop you off at our selected departure/arrival hotel (drop off time varies depending on the trek). To ensure that you have enough time for airport transfers and check-in procedures at the airport, the earliest recommended flight time for return flights on this last day is 4.00 pm in the afternoon.
Meals
On the campground and in some hostels/cabins we usually cook our evening meals together on our own stove, or we barbecue our food over the campfire. We keep our food costs as low as possible by sharing the expenses. Each participant contributes around US$ 35 per week to the “food kitty”. Breakfasts and evening meals are paid from this money. We buy our food in local supermarkets and share the cooking responsibilities in a rotating system. Of course we might also eat in restaurants (own expense). We do not work with the food kitty system on Lodging Tours (except for cabin/hostel nights in North America and Mexico), but go to restaurants instead. Any meals included in the price are mentioned in the itinerary.
Baggage
All baggage is transported on the van’s roof rack or in a trailer. We advise you to bring tough bags because small scratches and minor damage can occur. Luggage limit for our tours: 1 medium sized suitcase/ backpack, 1 sleeping bag and 1 piece of hand luggage (max. weight limit: 20 kg in North America, Mexico and Central & South America, and max. 15 kg in Australia).
Insurance
You take full responsibility for insurance matters. For this kind of travel you must have special insurance against accidents, sickness, emergency return trip expenses, cancellation fees and insurance for lost or damaged luggage. It is a condition of booking that all travelers take out sufficient insurance for the above risks.
Extra Costs
Meals (except noted in the itinerary), optional activities, flights, transfers, additional accommodation before and after the trek and personal expenses are not covered in the trek price.
ACCOMMODATION
1. CAMPING
We spend the nights at selected campsites, if possible, in or near national parks, by lakes or by the sea. Even if you have never camped before, you will defi nitely like our comfortable tents. Our camping trip participants use our proven quality camping equipment – specially manufactured to SUNTREK’s high standards. We provide modern, spacious two-person tents with insulation mats, cooking equipment, dishes, lamps, coolers, food storage boxes, a water container and, last but not least, a sun and rain roof. At the end of the trek you return the camping equipment clean and complete. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag. Campsites in North America, Mexico and Australia are typically set up on large grounds and are well equipped. Most of the time, you will not only fi nd toilets and showers (sometimes a charge), but often laundry, shopping facilities and swimming pools as well.
On many treks you will also spend one or more nights in selected tourist class hotels (2/3 pers.) or hostels (multi-share), marked with a hotel-icon in the itinerary. All camping and hotel/hostel nights on tour are included in the price! On trek combinations featured in this catalog any extra hotel/hostel nights in between treks are also included in the trek price. The selected hotels/hostels in each city may be located in the center, near the airport or outside of the city.
2. LODGING
USA, Canada and Mexico
On our treks marked “Lodging Tour” you will spend all nights in a combination of standard hotels, motels, rustic cabins, and hostels (multishare basis). Showers/toilets for the cabins are located in a separate central building. On some tours private accommodation for 2 people traveling together is available for a surcharge (subject to availability). Your personal sleeping bag is required for some nights on these tours!
Central- and South America
We stay in tourist class hotels and lodges, based on sharing (usually double occupancy). A single room option is available for a surcharge for most tours. Suntrek will try to match single travelers who wish to share a same gender room, however if we are unable to fi nd a match 60 days prior to departure we will charge a single supplement.
2. ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION BEFORE OR AFTER THE TOUR
Additional accommodation (single or sharing) in our selected hotels/ hostels in our departure and arrival cities must be reserved and paid for with the trek booking. You will get a voucher as confi rmation. The sharing option can only be booked in selected hotels/hostels on Saturdays (subject to availability).
VISA AND HEALTH REGULATIONS (Applicable at time of printing)
This information is an indication only. Please consult the embassy of the respective countries you are traveling to for up-to-date visa information and the required documents prior to traveling. You are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa. A valid passport is required (valid for 6 months after departure date) for all countries.
1) For the USA and Canada
Most Canadian citizens and many citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries (for example UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Japan etc.) can come to the U.S. without a visa for a 90 day stay if they meet certain requirements. Visa waiver travelers from all Visa Waiver Program countries must present a machine- readable passport (must meet U.S. requirements) at the U.S. port of entry to enter the U.S. without a visa, otherwise a U.S. visa is required. Canada does not require a visa for nationals from most Western European countries, Australia, NZ, Japan, Korea and some others. You can get further information from the US Department of State’s and the Canadian government’s websites:
No vaccinations are required. We advise that you consult your health care provider for up-to-date information on recommended vaccinations/ immunizations.
