Colombia Land of Wonders

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

To enter Colombia, the Colombian immigration authorities recommend your passport has an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave.

You can visit Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa for business or tourism. You must be able to show an onward or return ticket valid within the 90-day period.

Please ensure when you enter Colombia, the immigration authorities stamp your passport. If it is not stamped you could receive a fine when you leave.

Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0333 188 0407 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is a fairly common condition that can occur when you ascend to a high altitude (generally higher than 2,500 metres above sea level) quickly. The decrease in atmospheric pressure can make breathing more difficult as the body is not able to take in as much oxygen. Most cases are mild with symptoms that can include: a headache, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. Several places in Colombia that are located at high altitudes (over 2,500 metres above sea level). Therefore, you may find you experience some symptoms at this altitude. It is advised that at these high altitudes, you keep hydrated and avoid alcohol. If you begin to experience symptoms of altitude sickness during your tour, ensure you tell your guide immediately who will be able to advise the best thing for you to do. You can contact your GP before you travel for advice on medication for altitude sickness.

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot, and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in Columbia is the Columbian Peso. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Major credit and debit cards are accepted are widely accepted in hotels and larger shops/restaurants. ATMs and exchange bureaus in larger cities will offer the best exchange rate. Try to carry smaller denominations of pesos with you when heading to rural areas because you may struggle to find vendors with enough change.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £500- £600 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

It is at your discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately $5-$8 per person per day for your guide and $3-$5 per person per day for your driver.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 8, and the maximum will be 25. If in the unlikely event there are less than minimum numbers booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is an escorted tour, where we use local expert guides in each city. At times you will also be guided by a local specialist in some of the areas you visit

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Colombia. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

Breakfast (when included) is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

Lunch and dinner when included will be a local restaurants or at your hotel, giving the opportunity to experience a variety of dishes and local flavours. For those days when dinner is not included your guide will be able to offer recommendations if you wish.

Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.

If you are travelling within the below Columbian Public Holidays please note that celebrations can last a couple of days and during these times some businesses will be closed and coach and air travel may be affected. Tourist attractions will be open but may be crowded.

Shops are generally open from 08:30 to 18:30 (closed on Sundays). Museums are closed on Mondays.

On your arrival in Colombia you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Pure Columbia holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Pure Columbia representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.

Your local guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries, however if you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Telephone No: (+57) 314 832 5090 Email: Santiago@pure-colombia.com

Please find below the emergency contact details for Pure Columbia

Telephone number 24 hr: (+57) 314 8322620