What are the ideal times to visit Chile and Argentina?
Because of their temperate climates, the North of Chile and the North of Argentina are ideal year-round destinations. Temperatures average 25 to 35 degrees Celsius (70-90 degrees Fahrenheit), making for comfortable travel. However, it is best to visit certain destinations during specific seasons: Patagonia experiences strong winds and occasionally severe weather from April through October; November to March is therefore the best time to visit. Additionally, the ideal time to visit Peninsula Valdés is between August (when whales arrive for mating season) and December (when the last females leave with their young).

What type of clothing should I bring?
Layers, layers, and more layers are the key to fashion in this region. Continue reading for instructions pertaining to the specific area you’ll be traveling in.
In the North of Chile and Argentina, the year-round climate is very hot, and you can expect periodic, brief rain showers in the summer months in the Iguazu, Salta, and San Pedro de Atacama regions. You’ll need mostly light clothing, but be sure to bring a windbreaker and a polar-fleece for the sometimes chilly nights.
The Southern regions of Chile (the lakes and Chiloë areas) are rainy all year long, but summer brings occasional hot weather. You’ll need some waterproof clothing (a rain jacket), a good-quality polar fleece, as well as light clothing.
Patagonia often experiences sun and rain simultaneously. Be prepared for all weather conditions; we recommend warm clothes, light clothes, and a waterproof jacket.
Whatever the region you are traveling to, be sure to bring good quality sunglasses and high SPF, waterproof sunblock.

Should I be wary of traveling at altitudes above 3000 meters (9800 ft) high?
In the many years that we’ve led groups touring above 4500 meters (14,600 ft), we have never had a problem with altitude sickness. Only twice out of countless trips have travelers needed to breath oxygen from the portable bottle that we always carry. In both cases, the travelers felt better within 10 minutes and continued their tour with no further issues. If you are a heavy smoker or drinker, you’ll probably feel the effects more. We strongly urge our travelers to refrain from drinking alcohol in the 24 hours before ascending, to sleep at a moderate altitude (just above 9500 ft, as at Putre or San Pedro de Atacama), and to use medications such as Diamox (ask your doctor first) or to drink Mate de Coca (an herb tea made of coca leaves) if you are feeling nauseous. If a client needs to descend from a high altitude because of symptoms of high altitude sickness, we will re-route the tour to other great sites at lower elevations. There will be no refund of tour fees. The safety and health of our clients is our first priority.

Should I bring cash or traveler’s cheques?
Chile and Argentina are fairly modern when it comes to banking systems. There are plenty of credit card cash machines throughout both countries; some cash machines even offer US dollar withdrawals. We suggest that you bring one (two are better) credit cards (ideally VISA) as well as some cash. While traveler’s cheques are usable and safe, they always create problems when you need to exchange them for cash.

How much cash should I bring for my daily expenses?
If your lunch and all other expenses are included in our full package offer, you shouldn’t need more than 20 US$ per day, mostly for your dinner (averages 10 US$), and tips and drinks (these are never included in our package offers). If you’ve selected the Choice option, for unguided tours, then you’ll need to calculate lunches, dinners, drinks, and the sites or transportation fees not included in our offer. Heavily-touristed areas such as San Pedro de Atacama and Torres del Paine are relatively expensive for daily costs (food, drinks, and even internet usage). Argentina is comparatively cheap, although inflation is continually on the rise and may cause significant price increases.

Where can I get telephone or internet access?
If you have a three-band GSM phone, you shouldn’t have any problems using your national provider’s account.  Be sure to call the provider prior to your trip, since they may need to activate the international roaming capability of your account. Be aware that roaming charges can sometimes be extremely expensive. Another option is to rent a local cell phone at the airport in Santiago or Buenos Aires; you simply set up a credit card voucher at the customer service desk. The rental is free, but you will pay approximately a dollar a minute for usage. In cities and large villages, look for “call-shops,” where you can use fixed-line phones. Rates vary widely, however, so you need to do some comparative shopping to get the best ones. Cybercafés with broadband internet access are ubiquitous and sometimes even in your hotel, so sending email is an easy and less expensive way to contact your friends and family.

Should I bring insurance?
There are four parts of travel insurance: medical, emergency evacuation, baggage, and trip cancellation. If you use a major credit card to pay for your tour, you’ll probably be covered for some or all of these insurances. You should speak with a company representative and read the “fine print” conditions of your insurance coverage, since policies can sometimes be convoluted. All major insurance companies and many banks offer travel insurance packages covering all four parts, but compare prices with specialized companies such as Mondial Assistance, Assist-card, Europassistance, and many others that can be found through the web. Again, be sure to examine coverage versus rates very carefully in order to avoid any surprises. Korke requires that you have insurance coverage while traveling with us. We will request a policy number before you make your flight. For detailed information on travel insurance, check out this helpful link: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/insurance.htm

What about car rentals?
Korke uses Avis for car rental in Chile and Argentina. If you opt for a guided tour, your guide will do all of the driving and Korke will arrange for payment as well as guarantee damages. If you opt to travel without a guide, we will give you a voucher that you will turn in to the service desk at the selected AVIS location. You will need both a valid international driver’s license and a valid credit card so as to secure your rental. Please note that when you are traveling without a guide, you are responsible for any damages, even when the car is reserved and prepaid by Korke. AVIS insurance covers most damages, with the exceptions of windshield damages for cars rented in Punta Arnas or Puerto Natales, and the turning over of a 4X4 vehicle. A vehicle manual will be given to you by the AVIS staff. The vehicle’s gas tank should be full when you initially pick it up, and you must fill it up before returning it. In case of an accident, collision, or even minor incidents such as denting, you should file a report at the nearest police station. Don’t hesitate to call Korke at our emergency number for assistance—this is what we are here for.

How should we deal with our guide? Will he speak English?
If you choose a fully or partially guided tour, you will be led by an English-speaking, certified tour guide. Accompanying your group for the agreed duration of your tour, the guide will assist with daily practicalities such as finding a post office, telephoning home, negotiating the price for a souvenir, suggesting a good restaurant for dinner, and navigating the road. But perhaps more importantly, your tour guide is the key to a historically and culturally rich travel experience. Instead of always fumbling through your knapsack to look at a map or find a page in your guidebook, you’ll be able to give the region your full attention while your guide explains the local traditions, history, and customs and gives you the “insider’s” look at everything from museums to mountains.

How do I know if I “need” a guide?
If you speak very good Spanish, have extensive international traveling experience, and have sufficient time to spend planning the details of your trip, you probably don’t need a guide. We will provide you with a detailed road book, a full visitor’s kit, and 24-hour phone assistance so that you may enjoy your trip. However, if you don’t have the time or would prefer not to spend hours planning, if you don’t know how to dial a “country code” while making a phone call, if you want an experienced “local” to give you an in-depth, wide-ranging tour of the best “off the beaten path” sites, if you could never get past Lesson Four of the “Learn Spanish in 8 Hours” CD, then you should seriously consider requesting a guide. Feel completely comfortable in Buenos Aires but are a bit hesitant about navigating the Iguazu waterfalls? Keep in mind that you can always combine guided and unguided stretches to create your unique, tailor-made tour.