What experience and physical condition should I have to travel with Extremo Norte Expediciones?
If you take a private trip, we will adapt to your possibilities. In the case of a grupal trip, we recommend to choose your trip carefully according to your possibilities and abilities. We always recommend to consult your doctor.

What is the high altitude sickness?
The high altitude sickness, soroche or puna is a physical dysfunction caused by the hipoxia, decrease of the oxygen flow in the organism. As it ascended from the sea level toward the mountains, the level of oxygen per cubic meter of air decreases due to the progressive drop of the atmospheric pressure. Their symptoms are: headache, nauseas and dizziness. With an appropriate acclimatization, hydrate and diet, anybody healthy can overcome it without any problems. Hypertension, obesity, asthma, sedentarism or genetic factors can influence negatively. It is very important to consult your doctor before traveling.

What happens if I cannot adapt to the altitude, do I lose my trip?
If in spite of all our efforts you cannot adapt to the altitude, we will re route your trip toward equally interesting places, but at a lower altitude. You won't lose your trip.
In case that participates of a grupal trip, the evacuation and re orientation of your trip will be assumed by the affected. We will always look for a formula in order to your benefit and the extra charge will be according to the local rates.
The guide will be able to determine if some passenger can or not continue the trip. It is very important to keep in mind that we can´t put in risk the success of a grupal trip because of health problems of some of the members. We will consider the opinion of everybody involved.

Are all our programs developed in high places?
No, we also have programs that are developed under the 3000 meters of elevation. Anyway, if you take some of our private programs we can adapt them to your possibilities and change the itineraries in your benefit.
What does it happen if for some reason there is a closed road, a fallen bridge or any difficulty that doesn´t allow the normal development of the program?
We will make all the efforts to reorient the trip, to look for alternative routes or to find other equally interesting destinations. It can have additional minimum costs that we will discuss previously. You won't lose your trip.

Can we make border crossings to near countries and to include several countries in a trip?
Yes, but we will use local tourist services in each country, similar to ours and we will always act according to the effective regulations.
Can we begin the trips from some border path or another access road different from the airports?
Yes, we can begin or finish our trip in any authorized border access, city or town. Anyway we suggest to consult us in advance to make the pertinent arrangements.

Can we negotiate special permits in Chile?
Yes. We can negotiate permits of ascensions to border mountains, to special visits or regulated activities in protected wild areas, visits to mining centers, industries, companies, universities and national monuments. We can also establish contacts with people or institutions of your interest.

What size are the groups?
Our idea is to work with small groups and with independent travelers. This way we reduce the impact especially in protected areas and we can offer a better and more personalized service. Nevertheless we have the capacity to mobilize groups of more than 24 people, in this case we will provide appropriate personnel and the necessary logistics to the requirements of the group.

Should I take an insurance?
We recommend you to take your own trip insurance.

What should I do if I have some special requirement?
If you are vegetarian or there are foods that you don't eat, have some allergy, disabilities or your are oversize. Either in height, weight or in any other form, you have the obligation of informing us in advance. We want to assist you with care in order to enjoy the trip.

Who are the guides?
Our personnel has been carefully selected by his professionalism, experience, knowledge, capacity of leadership and empathy with the passengers.

Some baggage and gear recommendation?
Don't worry, when confirming your participation, you will receive a complete gear list and recommendations according to the trip type, season and prevailing climatic conditions in the date of your visit so you don't forget anything and neither bring extra things. We suggest to be careful with the volume of your baggage in order to use appropriate equipment to the activity we will do. A big proportions rigid suitcase can be damaged enough in an overland for the mountains. If for some reason your baggage exceeds from one suitcase and one handbag per person, is important that you warn us in advance to take the pertinent cautions. Mainly when it is a group.

Can you create a tailor trip for me?
Of course. You only have to contact us and together we will design a trip according to your needs.

I have my own travel agent. Can I reserve a trip with Extremo Norte Expediciones through him?
Yes and without additional charge from us. You should only send him our data so he can contacts us directly.

Which are my lodging options if I travel alone?
Our rates are based on double lodgings. However you can opt for a single room when it´s possible, paying a supplement. In the mountain refuges the rooms are in general common and there are several beds in each one. In these cases you will share it with other travelers.
We request you to warn us in advance in the event of requiring a single room in order to be able to make the pertinent arrangements in advance.

Which is the best time in the year to travel to the north of Chile?
Due to the geographical localization of this area, we have good weather the whole year. Except for the altiplanic area, where it rains in summer, well-known phenomenon as “Altiplanic or Bolivian Winter”, mainly toward final of February and beginnings of March. Our programs that are developed to low altitudes are not affected mostly by this phenomenon. In the mountains the winter temperatures can fall under the -10 Cº in the nights, but anything that you cannot fix with the appropriate equipment. We will send you all the necessary information before beginning your trip.

How can I arrive to the north of Chile?
Chile has good communication roads, most of the cities have modern airports and at the moment we have two airlines with domestic flights Lan Chile and Sky Airlines. The terrestrial transport among cities is quite good, there are several companies of buses with modern and comfortable buses and several daily departures toward different cities and towns. We have several border paths with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina and there are several companies of buses with international services, we can also receive and to leave passengers in border paths.

Some special recommendation about money exchange?
Only in the cities exist ATM’s and banks. Some towns have money exchange places, but the exchange is better in the cities. We recommend to get bills of low and half denomination, because in small towns it is always complicated to buy with big bills. Only in cities and in some towns with high tourist flow credit cards are accepted, Master and Visa are much more accepted than others.

General conditions.
All the circuits includes:

Trips in comfortable vehicle equipped especially for trips by the desert and Andean regions.
Bilingual guides specialized in the area (English). Other Languages subject to confirmation.
Entrances to the places to visit.
Feeding according to program.
Lodgings.
Softdrinks or mineral wather during the trips.
Oxygen equipment into the vehicle in trips to high places.
All that is specified in writing in the programs.

Not includes:

Anything that it is not specified in the program and formally confirmed by us.
Expenses medical evacuation in the event of emergency.
Extras or modifications to the program.
Alterations of itineraries on the part of the passengers.
Insurances.

Reserves and payment conditions.
To make effective a reservation the payment of the 50% of the service will be made with 40 days in advance to departure date of the trip and the 50% remaining 5 days before the trip.

Cancelations and refunds.
If the cancelation is received 30 days before the departure date of the trip, we will refund you 100% of you deposit. The cancelations made after this date will be penalized as follows:

29-15 days before, refund of 80%.
14-07 days before, refund of 50%.
06-02 days before, refund of 30%.
24 hours before, refund of 10%.

Non show, without refund.

Additional conditions.

The prices are based on a certain number of passengers. If some member of the group cancels his reservation, the value of the service it will be subject to modifications of last moment.

Refunds won't be made by tracts and not used services. However in the event of forced changes, modifications will be made for your convenience and the passengers' security.

The prices of the services are subject to changes. In the event of some modification this it will be notified with the due advance.

In the event of forced changes the specified lodgings will be able to be changed by others of similar category.

The baggage is exclusive responsibility of the passenger. We suggest to be careful with the volume, especially when if you are traveling in group. Otherwise it is the passengers' obligation to warn us in advance to coordinate their appropriate transport. If the baggage for passenger exceeds to a suitcase and a handbag, possibly this will affect the value of the trip.

We request to notify ourselves in advance if some Passenger has some special nutrition requirement, additional service, physical inability of any nature or if it exceeds the normal capacity of a vehicle, bed, etc.

We require for this, a complete record of each participant of the trip. If you don’t make this in advance could increase the value of our services as well as modifications in the program.

Other consultations?
Contact us in info@extremonorte.cl