Argentinian Entry Fees for USA/Canada/Australia Passport Holders :
Update Dec 2011
For those travelling to Argentina next year, this is an important announcement. The Argentine government announced the implementation of a reciprocity fee for U.S., Canadian, and Australian nationals: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/ The official government version of the announcement states that: - The tax is effective as of January 1, 2010 - Collection will be at Ezeiza airport only - The fee will be payable in pesos, US dollars, credit card and travelers checks - The Entry fee / Reciprocity tax is based upon the cost for an Argentine citizen to get a Visa in each respective country: § U.S.: US$131 § Australia: US$100 § Canada: US$70 Please note that this fee has previously applied only to those nationalities flying into Argentina into Ezeiza airport however in recent months this has been extended to include some passengers arriving into Jorge Newbery and arriving via the land border from Uruguay.
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"Kumuka Explorer" Loyalty Programme:
NEW ‘Kumuka Explorer’ loyalty programme rewards past travellers with an additional discount on future bookings
Kumuka is pleased to announce the introduction on their ‘Kumuka Explorer’ programme.
‘Our diverse product range means that we have many loyal travellers who come back to experience a different Kumuka destination time and time again’, says Brett Wendorf, Head of Sales and Marketing Asia Pacific. ‘Many travellers have done in excess of 8 tours over the years, so it’s great to be able to show our appreciation and offer them something special’.
Kumuka past passengers that have completed travel on a Kumuka tour in the past will now be entitled to an additional 2.5% discount on their future tour bookings. Travellers that have been regular passengers, and completed 5 or more Kumuka tours will be entitled to an additional 5% discount.
The ‘Kumuka Explorer’ discount applies to all new bookings made from Monday 07 November 2011 and can combined with monthly Special Offers and Late Deals to a maximum 20% discount.
*Terms and conditions:
1. Kumuka Explorer discount applies to tours deposited only, unless booking is in conjunction with another offer that requires alternative payment terms then these must be adhered to.
2. Discounts are valid until further notice but can be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of Kumuka Worldwide.
3. Kumuka Explorer discount applies to all Kumuka tours except those listed on: www.kumuka.com/downloads/Tours-Excluded.pdf
4. Kumuka Explorer discount can be combined with Kumuka monthly special offers and late deals as displayed on www.kumuka.com to a maximum combined discount of 20%.
5. Discount cannot be combined with expo deals, special promotions or other exclusive deals offered by our preferred partners. Please contact Kumuka for full details.
6. Travel must be completed on qualifying tours before Kumuka Explorer discount can be used on future bookings.
7. Tours eligible and counted towards previous travel must be 7 or more days in duration, combination tours count as 1 tour.
8. Discounts apply to Kumuka tours only, cannot be used for Tailor Made & Group itineraries, pre/post tour accommodation, travel insurance, flights or other services.
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Thailand - Flooding (Update 22 Nov 11):
Please note that travel warnings have now been lifted by the UK Foreign Office Advise and they no longer warn against travel to the provinces affected by flooding including Bangkok. Tours will be operating as normal
For further information or to make any changes to your booking, please contact our reservations teams:
Australia: +61 2 9279 0491
UK: +44 207 937 8855
USA: 1 800 517 0867 Canada: 1 888 358 6852
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Heavy rain Central America:
Central America - particularly Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and southern Mexico - has been hit by torrential rain due to a tropical depression which swept in from the Pacific. This has resulted in landslides, floods, and some roads are impassable. We currently have the following tours in the area:
CA014 - 17.10.11 - San Jose to Antigua
CAC3R- 17.10.11 - San Jose to Playa del Carmen
CAC9R - 17.10.11 - San Jose to Mexico City
CA11 - 14.10.11 - Mexico City to Playa del Carmen
CAC5 - 14.10.11 - Mexico City to Antigua
CAC9 - 14.10.11 - Mexico City to San Jose
To date no Kumuka tours have been affected. We will continue to monitor the situation closely however, all scheduled departures are currently anticipated to go ahead as normal.
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Yellow Fever - Bolivia :
The Bolivian Government is now asking that ALL international travellers show proof of a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate before gaining entry to Bolivia.
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Inca Trail - New regulations for Huayna Picchu:
NEW REGULATIONS FOR HUAYNA PICCHU
New regulations introduced by the ‘National Institute of Culture of Peru’ mean that travellers will have to pre-book to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain often featured behind the ruins of Machu Picchu - the lost city of the Incas - in tourist images.
Kumuka travellers visiting the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu (translates to ‘old peak’ in English) will need to purchase an additional entry permit if they wish to climb Huayna Picchu (translates to ‘young peak’). Permits will be subject to availability, and must be purchased at the time of booking their Kumuka tour if travellers wish to guarantee their visit to Huayna Picchu. An additional charge will apply for travellers doing the Lares Trek or the Classic Train and for travellers doing the Inca Trail. This will be payable in advance for entry to climb Huayna Picchu. The climb to the summit is steep and exposed, and visitation is restricted to 200 people in each of the 2 groups (one at 7am and one at 10am) which depart daily.
Huayna Picchu stands about 360 metres above Machu Picchu, offering stunning views of the archaeological site and of Urubamba River which bends around the base of Huayna Picchu. It is therefore a popular addition to Machu Picchu visits, and it is for this reason that the climb is restricted to a limited visitor numbers, and that the extra permit is required. Kumuka or your travel agent will confirm permit costs at time of booking.
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Brazilian Visa Update:
Please refer to your detailed itinerary for updated information regarding obtaining Brazilian visas.
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Bolivia - Rabies:
The Bolivian Ministry of Health has reported a significant increase in rabies cases throughout the country. The department of Sucre, which some Kumuka tours visit, has seen the 3rd highest proportion of cases in the country (19 in 2011). We strongly advise that you consult a travel clinic or your GP to discuss vaccinations.
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Peru Protests:
Updated 01.06.11
Due to the continued protests in Peru and FCO advice Kumuka has officially altered the tour itinerary for tour SA011, Andes to Coast ex La Paz 05.06.11. This will also affect the following tours: SA013 05.06.11, SA010 22.05.11, SA014 22.05.11.
The itinerary will now run as follows:
05.06.11 - La Paz
06.06.11 - La Paz
07.06.11 - La Paz
08.06.11 - La Paz
09.06.11 - fly La Paz to Cusco
Flight details are as follows:
La Paz - Cuzco, Thu 09.06, FLT450, Aerosur
Departure: 9.15am
Arrival: 9.05am
http://www.aerosur.com/en/
Kumuka apologises for this alteration however the local situation and border closures have left little choice. All future tours travelling into the region will be assessed on a case by case basis as this situation can change at any time. Kumuka will contact any passengers affected directly.
The UK FCO is currently advising against travel to Puno (Peru) and the surrounding region. Roads into and out of Puno, and Puno port at Lake Titicaca, have been blocked by protestors. Additionally, the border crossing between Peru and Bolivia at Desagadero is closed so land and lake transport between the two countries is currently suspended. Outside of the Puno region, other destinations on this tour including Cusco, Arequipa and Nazca, are unaffected.
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Syria Update - Updated 28 Nov 11:
Following the continued disturbances across the country, UK Foreign Office Advice is advising against all non essential travel to Syria. We will be monitoring the situation on a daily basis as it can change very quickly with warnings lifted.
As a result we are unable to run the ME6/4 tours departing 18 December as these tours spend the first week in Syria. The ME2 25 December 2011 departure will run as normal. Clients booked on to the ME6/4 18 December tours have the option to change to the ME2 25 December tour, transfer to another tour or take a full refund.
Similarly we are unable to run the ME4R 15 January 2012 tour as this tour spends the 2nd week in Syria. Clients booked onto the ME4R 15 Jan tour have the option to change to the ME2R 01 Jan 2012 tour, or do the 1st week of the ME4R tour from Cairo to Amman, or transfer to another tour or take a full refund.
We will continue to monitor the situation, and review later tours closer to departure.
For further information or to make any changes to your booking, please contact our reservations teams:
Australia: +61 2 9279 0491
UK: +44 207 937 8855
USA: 1 800 517 0867 Canada: 1 888 358 6852
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Dengue Fever Bolivia:
The Bolivian Ministry of Health declared a state of emergency on 19.01.11 due to an increase in cases of dengue fever. The department of Beni has been particularly affected. Rurrenabaque, the starting point for our Bolivian jungle and pampas trips, is located in the department of Beni. You are advised to avoid mosquito bites by covering up and using repellent.
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Cuba Travel Insurance Requirements:
The Cuban government has advised that as of the 1st May all tourists to Cuba must be covered for medical expenses by travel insurance. They have also advised that all insurance companies will be valid EXCEPT for insurance provided by United States companies. For those not in posession of valid travel insurance upon arrival in Cuba, there will be offices at all Cuban Airports selling travel insurance..
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Inca Trail permits and deposits:
Effective from Monday 22.06.09, all clients making a new booking for an Overland or Small Group tour will be required to pay an Inca trek deposit and fill out a booking form in order to secure their place. Full details are available on our website. Please see the following link for full details: www.kumuka.com/Inca-Trail-News.aspx.
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Inca Trail and passport updates:
Kumuka apply for your Inca Trail permit with the passport details that you supply us with. New Inca Trail regulations mean that if you subsequently re-new your passport, you must either carry your oiginal passport on the trail with you OR provide Kumuka with scans of both your old AND new passport at least 2 weeks prior to your trail departure date for which a fee of USD10 will be payable locally.
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