Frequently Asked Questions

1. What exactly do you do?
2. What exactly are the "Sample itineraries"?
3. Where do I fly? Do you arrange international travel?
4. Who flies to Peru? Which airlines do you recommend?
5. How do I join one of your tours, how do I sign up and when are the departure dates?
6. What is the minimum number of travelers in a group that you arrange?
7. What if I ONLY want domestic flight tickets?
8. ...and if I want hotels and flights only and no guided visits?
9. Do I need a visa?
10. What inoculations do I need?
11. What is the weather like?
12. What hotel standard do you use?
13. How do you work? How do I book, how do I pay?
14. What is Aracari?

1. What exactly do you do?

We design and put together tailor made itineraries for private groups and individuals to the destination your choice focussing on your particular interest: culture, archaeology or nature……or special interest travel .

We will work with you to design the trip exactly to suit your needs and tastes. Tailor-made itineraries are normally more expensive than the "set itineraries" that appear on our website. A private two-week tailor-made itinerary for two, excluding domestic and international flights starts at $3700 per person.

2. What exactly are the "Sample itineraries"?

These are samples of the most successful trips we have organised during the last five years. The price is set, and we are only able to make a couple of amendments to the itinerary.  THE SAMPLE ITINERARIES ARE NOT TOURS. THEY ARE PRIVATE ITINERARIES FOR YOU AND YOUR PARTY WITH PRIVATE GUIDING AND SERVICES.

3. Where do I fly? Do you arrange international travel?

You should ask for flights to Lima, the capital. We don’t sell tickets originating in countries other than Peru. We will handle everything once you are on the ground –domestic flights, transportation, transfers, train and boat trips etc—and can sell you flights originating in Peru to other countris in the region.

If you want to arrange and book your tailor-made itinerary with a US or UK based tour operator, please let us know and we will refer you to the appropriate one to suit your needs and requirements.

4. Who flies to Peru? Which airlines do you recommend?

Depending on where you are flying from, the choices will differ. But from experience, if you are flying from Europe, Iberia and KLM offer many frequencies and good fares. Avianca is a very good airline as well and has very good connections from London and some of the lowest fares (this airline is excellent if you want to combine Peru with "The Best Beach Extension"…please refer to that section of our website).

 From the USA, American flies from Miami, Atlanta and Dallas, and Continental flies from Newark and Houston.

Both offer reasonably good connections if you originate from London as well.

5. How do I join one of your tours, how do I sign up and when are the departure dates?

We do NOT organise tours as such, where different people join to a set itinerary at a set time. We arrange TAILOR MADE TRAVEL for small private groups and individuals.

We also have more affordable, ready-made, "set itineraries". These itineraries are also designed to be private for you and your party. All activities are on a private basis.

6. What is the minimum number of travelers in a group that you arrange?

We will design and put together itineraries for as little as one Client at a time. We have many Clients travelling alone.

In our set itineraries the prices are based on 2, 4-10 and 10+  people travelling together.

7. What if I ONLY want domestic flight tickets?

We can do that but we charge a minimum $100 per booking for one person. For two or more people, it is $50 per person. Our expertise lies in putting together a series of services and providing a full itinerary.

8. ...and if I want hotels and flights only and no guided visits?

Again, we prefer to do full itineraries with services included. But since we tailor to your needs, we will therefore will be more than happy to provide flights and accommodation if that is what you require.

9. Do I need a visa?

Citizens of most Western Europe nations and of the USA and Canada who are entering Peru as tourists do not require visas. Travelers who require visas can normally obtain them from Peruvian embassies or consulates in their countries of residence. For other countreis please contact the Peruvian Consulate closest to you or email us.

10. What inoculations do I need?

No inoculations are compulsory to enter Peru. Yellow fever is required , but ONLY for the Rainforest areas. Other recommended inoculations include: tetanus, polio, typhoid and malaria for certain areas.

11. What is the weather like?

Peru has a diversity of microclimates.

On the coast, it never rains, it is winter between May and October where it is cool in some areas such as Lima (minimum 12°C/54°F); it is warm (avg. 23°C/74°F) between November and April.

In the Andes, the rainy season (between November and April) is warmer; the dry season (between May and October) is colder, with temperatures below freezing at night, but temperate in the day.

In the Rainforest the rainy and dry seasons are the same as in the Andes, but it is generally warm all the time (30°C/86°F).

12. What hotel standard do you use?

We have a selection of hotels of our choice at different standards.

We have visited and tried every single one of the hotels we recommend. The standard depends on you, whether you want first class, medium or guest house standard. All of the hotels we have in our selection offer good value for money, are locally inspired and/or owned and are charming and tastefully decorated.

In the hotels section of this website you will see photos of Aracari's preferred hotels in first-class and three-star category.

13. How do you work? How do I book, how do I pay?

You first approach us by email preferably and let us know what you want: how many in your party, approximately what time of year you want to travel, what standard of accommodation you require and more or less where your interests lie –ie if you want to trek, just do day hikes, if you are into nature, culture, archaeology….— Or in the case you know already, you can tell us exactly where you want to go. We will then put together a proposal, which we will send you within 2-3 days of your request. We will discuss it with you as much as necessary until we reach a mutually satisfactory a decision.

If you choose a set itinerary just email us on info@aracari.com and we will get back to you to start the booking process.

Once you book, we will send you the required documentation, and ask you to fill out a booking form and request a deposit from you. Full payment is normally due 6 weeks before departure. Our preferred method of payment (for the time being ) is a bank transfer to the specified bank account in the "Booking Conditions, Cancellation Policy and Payment Details" which we will send you at the time of booking.

Six weeks before departure, we will email you your finalised itinerary with all services accommodation and flights confirmed and request full payment.

14. What is Aracari?

Aracaris belong to the Ramphastidae family together with toucans and toucanets. Aracaris inhabit the tropical forests and forest edges of South America, from Eastern Colombia and Ecuador south to Bolivia and Northeast Argentina. There are several Aracari species, one of which is beautifully depicted in this print by John Gould (1804-1881) the English ornithologist and bird illustrator.

Many Banded Aracaris are found in the tropical forests of Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru especially in the river basins of the Amazon, Orinoco and the Rio Negro. They form pairs in the breeding season and small flocks later on. As they lead a secluded life in parts that few white men have penetrated, the descriptions had to be made from skins sold by natives, so it was no longer possible to determine the sex.

Gould describes the hen as having chestnut ear coverts but later she was also found to have a red stripe just below the black throat. The head, neck and throat are black, the under parts are yellow and heavily spotted with red. A broad black band runs over the breast and belly, while the sides of the belly are edged with red. The thighs are brown. The bill is black, the upper bill has a broad yellow stripe at the side and there is an orange-yellow ridge round the base of the bill. The bare patch round the eye is gray and the legs are green.

We do not know if the bird uses the grooves at the side of the bill for plucking fruit, but we do know that it takes a piece of fruit in the tip of its bill, throws this in the air before catching it in an open bill and swallowing it. When drinking the bird dips its bill in the water and sucks until it is full, then it raises the bill in the air to swallow the contents.