Who are Go Andes?
We are an independent UK based travel and holiday company specialising in tailor made holidays South America. Our key destinations include Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.
We are incredibly passionate about South America and about travel to this wonderful continent and all our team have spent long periods of time both living and travelling in various parts of South America. We also pride ourselves on our knowledge of travel in this region of the world, and of our personal approach and tailored service to all our customers - so Contact Us to begin your South America adventure with us, and discover our tailored and personal service.
Will my holiday be ATOL-protected?
Yes your holiday will be ATOL-protected where applicable (flight-inclusive holidays booked in the UK).
We are an ATOL holder, so you can book with us with confidence that your holiday, and money, are protected by the ATOL scheme.
Our ATOL number is T7557, and you can check our ATOL on the website of the Civil Aviation Authority - www.caa.co.uk/checkanatol.
What other financial protection do you provide for my holiday?
All holidays provided by us are 100% financially protected.
In addition to the ATOL protection we can provide, we are members of the Travel Trust Association (TTA) - our membership number is Q1338 and you can check our membership here. Our membership with the TTA means that all moneys paid to us are deposited into a Trust account, which requires the permission of an appointed independent Trustee (who is either a banker, chartered or certified accountant, or a solicitor), before any payments can be authorised.
The TTA also provide a financial guarantee of up to £11,000 per passenger.
The Trust account and the financial guarantee mean that money paid to us is 100% protected.
What is included in your holidays?
We are very transparent with our information so that "what you see is what you get", and we will always inform you what is / is not included in our holidays.
Although it can vary slightly depending on which holiday you choose or which country you are travelling to in general our holidays will include: all transport within the country of destination (including domestic flights where applicable), all transfers to / from airports or hotels, all accommodation, all excursions, English-speaking guides for all excursions, all entry fees (with the exception of the Galapagos Islands), breakfast each day plus some additional meals.
If in doubt please check the various tour pages, or feel free to contact us.
Can I book my international flights with you?
Yes we can and regularly do provide international flights for our customers, and any flights booked through us will be ATOL-protected as part of your holiday package.
For flights to South America we use a selection of airlines and routes depending on dates of travel and holiday destination. The most popular international flight routes to South America from the UK are with KLM via Amsterdam, with Iberia or British Airways via Madrid, and direct flights are available on certain dates with British Airways or Avianca. We will always find the best flight options for you, and if you prefer a specific airline or want to upgrade to premium-economy, business-class or first-class this is all possible, just let us know when you enquire with us.
You seem to be a UK company, can I book a holiday if I'm not a UK citizen or UK resident?
Yes we can provide our holidays to you if you are not from the UK and we regularly do so.
We can take payment in British pounds (GBP), Euros (EUR), or United States Dollars (USD) so you can pay in your local currency.
The prices of our holidays on our website and in our brochure are in GBP, if you need a price in one of our alternative currencies just let us know and we can confirm the price for you.
Do I have to book one of your advertised holidays, or can I design my own?
Our holidays are completely flexible and tailor-made. Although our suggested holidays have been carefully crafted using our expert knowledge, if they are not exactly what you are looking for we would actually encourage you to contact us to request changes so you get the holiday you want.
You can book one of our suggested holidays, use our suggested holidays as a starting point and make changes (additional days, hotel changes, adding an extension), or we can design a 100% tailor-made holiday for you exactly as you want it. In order to do this you simply need to let us know your preferred dates of travel, number of travellers, your "must see" wish list of sights and destinations to include, your maximum length of travel, your preferred standard of accommodation (3-star, 4-star etc) and if possible your maximum budget, and our specialist team will use this information to create your perfect holiday for you.
I want to reserve the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - how do I do this?
We provide the 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu by itself, the 2-day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu by itself, or both options as part of a holiday.
The Peruvian government strictly controls entry to the official Inca Trail, and entry permits are limited - once they're gone, they're gone.
In order to avoid missing out on a permit we recommend you reserve your trek or holiday with us at least 6 months in advance.
How do I pay for my holiday?
You can pay us via bank transfer, debit card, credit card, or cheque.
Whichever method you choose to pay your money is paid directly into the Trust account and is 100% protected.
Will I need injections or other medicine for my trip?
What medicine you may or may not require will depend on a range of factors including your own medical circumstances, your destinations of travel and your dates of travel.
We advise you contact your GP and / or local travel health clinic around 3 months before you travel to inform them specifically where and when you will be travelling, and they will be able to advise you on any injections or medicine required.
Do I need to acclimatise to travel to your destinations?
Some of the travel destinations we provide, for example Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Quito and the Bolivian Altiplano are at altitude.
Many tens of thousands of people travel to these destinations each year on holiday without any issues, however altitude is not something that should be taken lightly and we always recommend you seek medical advice from your doctor before travelling.
Typical symptoms include a mild headache and feeling dehydrated and we recommend you avoid excessive activities, avoid alcohol and drink plenty of water for the first few days at altitude until you have acclimatised.
Although our holidays are designed to include acclimatisation time and avoid travelling directly to high altitude destinations it is possible for us to include additional acclimatisation days at moderate altitude destinations if preferred - just let us know.
If your holiday includes a trek at altitude (e.g. the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu), or you want to include a trek within your holiday, we advise you have at least 2 days but preferably longer at altitude before commencing the trek.
Do you provide contact numbers for during my holiday?
Yes, we provide 24hr emergency contact details to you once you book, both for our team in the UK office and our guides in South America.
Do I need a visa?
At the time of writing British passport holders are issued with a limited-day tourist visa upon entry to all our destinations in South America.
Whether you are a British passport holder or otherwise we always recommend you check with the appropriate authorities before travelling and it is your responsibility to ensure your passport and travel documents will allow you to enter the various destinations of your holiday.
If you are travelling to South America on flights via the USA you will need to apply for an ESTA transit visa in order to transit through America.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes you need to have travel insurance and this is a requirement stipulated in our Booking Terms and Conditions.
We can provide contact details of insurance companies for you to consider if required.
