Travel Questions
Q: Why is it recommend traveling through Argentina to get to the Futaleufu Chile?
Futaleufu is deep in the Andes, eleven minutes from the border of Argentina. A jetport and bus station are nearby in Argentina. The transportation system is more developed in this area than on the Chilean side, and we feel transport through Buenos Aires to Bariloche and on to Trevelin, Argentina is faster, easier and often cheaper. There are also more options in case of a late flight or lost baggage. Finally, it is fun to visit and experience two different countries with two unique cultures all in one trip. Additionally, by crossing into Chile at this remote border, one is not charged the visa taxes regularly collected at the Chilean international airport. However, if you are already in Chile, there is a quick way to get to us by flying in over the mountains.
Q: Do I need a Visa to enter Argentina from the United States?
Traveling from the United States, Canada, Australia, European Union, or South America requires no Tourist Visa, just a valid Passport. When you arrive at the Buenos Aires International airport, you will need to pass immigration where you will fill out a form. Argentina has been discussing applying a reciprocal administrative fee for the US, Canada, Mexico and Australia. The latest reports are of it being indefinitley suspended. We strongly suggest you to check with the consulate for any changes to entry requirements.
Q: Are there any fees to enter Argentina?
Effective December 20th, of 2009, all US citizens will have to pay USD$131.00 upon arrival to Argentina. There are some exceptions to this rule i.e. crew members.
Other countries:http://www.congenargentinany.com/
USA: http://www.travel.state.gov/
Canada: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/faq/visas-eng.asp
Australia: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/
Q: Are there any fees to enter Chile?
Yes. There are reciprocity fees charged to citizens of certain countries. Chile charges these fees because Chilean citizens must pay an identical fee to enter that person's country of origin. This fee is charged at the Santiago International Airport but not at the Futaleufu border crossing on the Argentine border.
At the international airport:
US citizens are charged $131 USD. The receipt is valid for multiple entries during the valid life of the traveler's passport.
Canadian citizens are charges $132 USD. The receipt is valid for multiple entries during the valid life of the traveler's passport.
Australian citizens are charged $56 USD. The receipt is valid for 3 months.
Mexican citizens are charged $15 USD. The receipt is valid for 3 months.
Other counries: http://www.chile-usa.org/visasgral.htm
USA: http://www.chile-usa.org/visasgral.htm
Canada: http://www.congechiletoronto.com
Q: What will happen when I arrive at the airport in Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Esquel, Calafate, Santiago, Puerto Montt, or Punta Arenas?
We have explicit directions of how to make transfers and continue on to your trip pick-up point for each trip in the En-Route Guidance document that is available to print. Usually things go like clockwork getting to your destination. There are available, affordable taxis waiting for use from one transportation center to another, or to one's hotel. If having prepaid taxis waiting at each transportation center sounds appealing, this can be arranged through Gilda, the agent through whom we recommend purchasing your air tickets.
Q: Who do I contact in case something unexpected happens on my trip?
Yes, one DOES have friends in South America. Expediciones Chile can be a very powerful and connected ally when things go wrong. Don't hesitate to use us if the going gets tough! One can activate their cell phone before travel, and have access to a guardian angel (our office) while traveling. We have local numbers in Chile and Argentina that ring in our office in Futaleufu, Chile. This is for one's travel convenience, if using local phones. Thus, no international calls are required, simply print out the En-Route Guidance document for the numbers.
Lodging Questions
Q: What do I do when I arrive at my destination trip pick-up point.
Our trips start early in the morning, so it is important to get to the trip pick-up point the night before; eat at a nice restaurant and enjoy a good night's sleep at a recommended hotel. For Trevelin, one can make the reserves straight from our web page and pre-pay our office. NO hotel in the small mountain village of Trevlin takes credit cards. Trevelin is the trip pick-up point for Futaleufu. If prepayment is done through us, we will pre-pay the lodge. A receipt will be sent and they will be awaiting one's arrival. The trip starts at 9:00 am the next morning, when an Expediciones Chile representative arrives at the hotel.
• Please call the Expediciones Chile Office through our number in Argentina, or the US number from a US cell phone upon arrival at the hotel in Trevelin. If one does not have an international cell phone, ask the lodge owner to make the call on one's behalf by using our Argentine number.
• In the remote town of Trevelin, no lodge accepts credit cards, although we do offer a prepaid option.
Q: What if I am staying overnight in Punta Arenas, Chile or Calafate, Argentina?
If lodging in Punta Arenas, Chile or Calafate, Argentina in route for a Torres del Paine trekking trip, let our office us know where and which hotel one will be staying through our trip sign up process data base, and our drivers will arrive at the hotel in Punta Arenas around 11:00 AM (Call the staff at the office in Puerto Natales the day before to reconfirm pick-up time). They will arrive at the Calafate hotel at 5:30 am for the trip across the border.
Insurance Questions
Q: Does my trip cost cover Travel Insurance?
The price of the trip does not include insurance for medical coverage, emergency evacuation or trip cancellation/interruption. Travel Insurance is one's own responsibility. We highly encourage the purchase of insurance for traveling in remote places. Based on our experience, trip cancellation due to unexpected medical circumstances happens often enough to warrant insurance. Additionally, keep in mind that evacuation and medical expenses in remote areas could easily exceed the basic coverage offered by many regular travel insurance schemes. It is important to check the details of one's policy.
Q: Do I need Travel Insurance for my trip?
Travel & Cancellation Insurance is highly recommended.
Q: Where can I buy Travel & Cancellation Insurance for my trip?
There are many excellent companies offering Travel Insurance of the kind you will need. For the convenience of our guests, it is possible to purchase this Travel Insurance directly off the Expediciones Chile website from Travel Guard International. Click here to go to our Travel Insurance Page.
Medical Questions
Q: What immunizations are required to enter Argentina and Chile?
No immunizations are required at this time to enter Argentina or Chile. The standard recommended immunizations are: Tetanus, Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Check with the CDC for any updates. Though more of a risk in the winter in the US than the summer in South America, A swine flu vaccination may be helpful because you are traveling.
Q: Is the food and water safe to drink and eat in Argentina and Chile?
All of the water is pure and delicious in the Futaleufu region both at our Campo Tres Monjas and CondorNest ranch. Until one arrives in Futaleufu, we recommend drinking bottled water or soft drinks and eating only well cooked food. All of our food is safe and hygienically prepared by an experienced staff. Over the past twenty years, we have not had problems with food and water.
Q: What should I do to physically prepare for my trip?
Our programs are designed for the active traveler unless otherwise specified. We recommend working out at least 3 times a week with a program that strikes a good balance between anaerobic and aerobic training. Work on upper body strength either by lifting weights, rowing, swimming and general calisthenics. Take one's training program seriously. A trek in Patagonia requires a lot more physical preparation than most vacations. Many days will involve hiking between five to six hours a day. Although the hikes themselves are not particularly strenuous, their length and challenging terrain will be more taxing than expected. Reasonable health and physical condition are necessities for enjoying such an experience. Andes to The Ocean trips require hunger for a unique experience, fitness, and mental toughness.
Q: What kind of Hospitals and Medical facilities are in Patagonia?
Please be aware that hospital facilities for serious medical problems may, at times, be a long way away. A doctor may not always be available, and evacuation can be prolonged, difficult, and expensive, especially in Torres del Paine and Las Glaciares National Parks. There is a small local hospital in the town of Futaleufu, but more serious cases may require medical evacuation to a larger hospital and hour and a half into Argentina.
Currency Questions
Q: How much money do I need to bring on this trip?
A great deal of money will not be requisite on our trips, just enough for gifts, souvenirs, drinks and any incidental items. If everything is prepaid we recommend taking about $400-$500 USD depending on how much shopping one will want to do, plus any amount that one may want to give the staff and trip leaders.
Q: Are US dollars accepted in Argentina?
Yes. Perhaps even preferred for bigger items, however, not for snacks, bus tickets or taxi fares. If all reservations are pre-paid, one can travel through Argentina with dollars, a visa card and perhaps $200 USD in Argentine pesos. The dollar is still king.
Q: Are US dollars accepted in Chile?
Generally no; however, in Futaleufu our office we will convert dollars into Chilean pesos. Chilean Pesos are beneficial for purchasing at lowest prices for you in the town.
Q: Should I take cash, travelers checks or credit cards?
Credit cards and US cash that can be converted in country for the best rates. Major credit cards are accepted in the bigger cities, but change money at the Buenos Aires or Santiago airport, if time permits between flights. Expediciones Chile accepts visa card for payment in Futaleufu, and will exchange currency as well.
Q: Are there ATMS available?
ATMs are available in the Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Calafate, Santiago, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas airports. They accept most major credit cards and some bank cards (Cirrus). We recommend obtaining money in Santiago and not relying on the ATMs in Puerto Montt or Punta Arenas (in case they are out of service). There is an ATM in Futaleufu, but it is not reliable. There are ATMs in Puerto Natales and Calafate.
Q: Are tips of the staff and guides required?
Tips we feel are meant to reward exceptional service. They are not an obligation. If one thinks the team worked very hard to make the trip a success, a tip is hugely appreciated. Because of the realities of life in Futaleufú and the short season, one's tip has a big impact. Traditionally, the amount spent on tips by our guests has varied from 5-10% of the guests trip cost. The median has been approximately 6%. On some trips, individual tips have been discreetly passed to the guides and support staff. On other trips, the tip has been pooled then separated in two pools. The breakdown has been: guides receiving 60-65% and support staff receiving 40-35%. The envelopes have then been presented to a company leader and are divided amongst the two respective teams.
In Torres del Paine, tips are handled somewhat differently. Trip members contribute toward a group tip to be shared among the drivers, assistants, cooks and the staff that handles the logistics of the camps and who have assisted during the trip. For that purpose there is a “tip box” at the Ecocamp Torres. We suggest a range of US$6 to US$12 per day depending on the level of satisfaction. Trip members usually tip the trip guide. Typically, individual trip members tip the trip guide $6 to $15 per day, depending on the level of satisfaction. Tips are best paid in US cash or in Chilean pesos (traveler’s checks are more difficult for the trekking staff to exchange). US currency in small denominations ($5, $10, $20) is useful for distributing the tips among the entire staff.
Cultural Questions
Q: How can I best fit in with the Chilean culture?
It is important to remember that while traveling to a foreign country, one does so as a visitor and should be willing to adapt to the culture and customs of the local people. Although English is fast becoming an international language, it should not be assumed that everyone will understand or speak it. Should difficulties with communication arise, please ask our guides for assistance. Please be advised that all comforts one may be accustomed to might not be available. Patience and respect are crucial for a successful trip and enriching experience. It is also common for events to arise that place one's own cultural beliefs in contrast with those of one's hosts. On a short trip, one will not learn all, or even most, of the cultural differences. It is possible, however, to learn enough to better understand these differences, and to attune one's behavior to that of others.
Q: What is Argentina Cousine like?
The best steaks in the world bar none. Sophisticated food.
Q: What is Chilean cuisine like?
Chile is famous for its many excellent brands of wine, including Undurraga, Cousino Macul, and Concha y Toro, which are exported worldwide. Seafood is abundant and outstanding, particularly exotic shellfish. Local specialties also include humitas (seasoned spiced grated corn wrapped in husks and boiled); empanadas (savory steaming hot meat pies); and cazuela (beef or chicken stew flavored with Chile's unique herbs).
Q: Are Chile and Argentina safe countries to visit?
Buenos Aires and Santiago are fairly safe to walk around in, but there are problems, as in all big cities of the world. It is wise to follow some simple safety precautions. We encourage takeing taxis, day or night. Don't walk around the streets at night, and if one does, do it in the company of fellow travelers. Leave valuables such as traveler's checks, passport, and air tickets locked in the hotel safe—don't carry them on one's person because purse snatching does occur. Carry just a reasonable amount of spending money and a credit card stashed in a money belt or hidden pouch (bags and purses attract attention). In the remote areas like Trevelin, Argentina and Futaleufu, Chile...not only is it safe, but the people are incredibly helpful and friendly as well.
Q: I want to purchase souvenirs. What are the opportunities for shopping in Chile and Argentina?
Chile: We have a unique possibility to actually purchase hand made wool products from the ranchers that grow the sheep, sheer and spin the wool and knit the products. These can be purchased in very remote locals visited on our trips. Chile offers a wide range of goods made from copper, bronze, and leather. Jewelry made from the deep blue lapiz lazuli stone is a favorite buy. A good selection of Chilean handicrafts can be found at shops throughout the country. In Santiago, one will find small boutiques and malls in Providencia and downtown; both Ahumada and Huerfanos are traffic-free streets with many shopping opportunities. Shopping hours are 9:00am to 8:00pm Monday through Friday, and 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday.
Argentina: If you are taveling by private transfer on the Bariloche - Trevelin route visit the artists fair every Saturday at the mid-way point, the Artsy community of El Bolson. Ask you driver to stop for a half hour on the inbound towards Trevelin if you have the time.
Q: What is the Culture of Expediciones Chile?
All companies tend to reflect the values of the founder. See our River Philosophy. Though the river life style has sometimes been know for it "partying ways", Expediciones Chile guides and staff do not participate in illegal drug use, or drunken blow outs. The staff is picked carefully to avoid that culture. We believe one can have great great times with the challenges of the natural environment, the natural high associated with exercise, the beauty of learning secrets to new skills, and the incredible beauty of Patagonia and its local culture. Our clients are incredibly successful, well educated and from diverse countries from all over the world. The dinner conversations are often profound, and the shared experiences are very bonding. Many of our clients stay in touch with us, and other trip members after their trip. We have families on some of our trips and we think you would be proud to have your kids exposed to the young adults that comprise our staff. They are an impressive bunch. There is also time to be on your own, read a book, or enjoy being immersed with nature, especially at Campo Tres Monjas and during the adventure activities. The group comes together for the meals, after activity snack with "pisco sours," and of course during the challenges of our trips. We do serve wine with dinner, alcohol is available during our after activity hour. Many paddler enjoy a beer or two after paddling. We have a great last night fiesta. However, I think you may understand the culture we are promoting.
- Chris Spelius - Company founder
General Questions
Q: Can I use my electrical appliances in Chile?
Chile is on a 220V system. Almost all electronic equipment runs on 110 and 220 nowadays. Check the input on the back of the desired device and if it is possible to run on 220V, just get the proper adaptor. Plugs are a two or three pin variety. Some hotels might have adapters for appliances, Do not plan on brining a hair dryer or electric shaver at CondorNest ranch, Campo Tres Monjas or the remote ranches. There is just enough power in the solar systems to recharge cameras.
Q: What time zone is Chile in?
During our winter season (summer in the northern hemisphere) Chile is Greenwich Mean Time minus three hours (Daylight savings time is in effect.) Chile is two hours ahead of New York and five hours ahead of California., From Dec 31 to March 15 Bariloche and Esquel Argentina are in the same time zone as Chile. Buenos Aires is one hour later.
Q: What time zone is Argentina in?
There has been variations in the time zones within Argentina the last several years because of disagreements between the Provinces and the National government. The bottom line is that on the last day of December the provinces in which Bariloche and Trevelin reside follow the same time as Chile, one hour earlier (to the west) than the capital of Buenos Aires. After March 15th to the last day of December, all of Argentina returns to the same time, one hour ahead of Chile. It is wise to check the official time as soon as you arrive at your new destination. Expediciones Chile has planned for these irregularities for your pick-ups, drop-offs and border crossings. If you have further interest: http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/04/17/argentina-a-tiff-over-time-zones/
Q: Is smoking allowed on your trips?
We request that clients do not smoke in vehicles, at meals, or in group situations. We have asked our guides, drivers, and staff who smoke to follow the same consideration. It is absolutely forbidden to smoke inside domes Cabins and/or tents. In addition illegal drugs are not permitted. Guide staff is aware of this before they were selected. There can be no illegal drugs used on our trips. Any staff would lose their jobs if participating with anyone in illegal activities.
Q: Is there telephone and internet available on the trip?
Yes, there is an internet connection available in the town of Futaleufu and there are internet cafes. Fax machines, telephones and Internet access are available at Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. In Torres del Paine, one will find a satellite public telephone at the mountain hut close to the Ecocamp Torres. If you can activate a cell phone for international use, it is a great security to have communication with our office.
Q: What will the weather be like in Chile?
Remember that between Oct-March it is summer in South America and Santiago will probably be warm. In the city, daily temperatures will range between 23°C -28°C (mid-70s and mid-80s F), while at night it will most likely be in the 18°C (upper 60s F). Further south, in Patagonia, the weather can be very unpredictable and can change drastically and unexpectedly. On a sunny day, daytime temperatures can be very pleasant, ranging between 13°C -20°C (low 60s and low 70s F). However, rain, high winds, and cold air can blow in quickly even during the summer months, making the temperatures drop into the –1°C/5°C (30s and 40s F). Snow is a possibility. Be prepared for these changes at all times, as one will most likely experience the area's fickle moods. Rest assured, however, just as quickly as the weather turns nasty, it can turn balmy, too! Nighttime temperatures will most likely be in the –1°C /5°C (30s and 40s F) depending on the weather. See our online guidebook for information on the Patagonia Weather and Climate.
