Why use a tour operator firm in your South America journey

Anybody who has tried is aware of that planning a journey in South America is usually a daunting expertise. Whether or not you purpose to participate in a Brazilian carnaval or simply lay again and luxuriate in an enriching Galapagos cruise, numerous points are concerned in touring round this huge, primarily Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking continent. So, when arranging your best South American journey, precisely how are you going to keep away from getting misplaced in all the main points and complexities?

Relating to planning a visit to South America, you often have three choices:

• You possibly can attempt to do all of it by yourself (a doubtlessly disastrous DIY method)
• Undergo a journey company, or
• Guide your journey by way of an skilled tour operator

Earlier than going additional, although, word that journey brokers and tour operators play two totally different roles. A journey company acts as an middleman; they buy tickets from airways and safe reservations from accommodations. Nevertheless, a tour operator designs and manages your total keep. “Land-only operators,” particularly, give attention to the points of your journey when you arrive at your vacation spot—overseeing all the things from home flights, transfers, lodging, eating, native bilingual guides, leisure actions, and website excursions, to all of the “little particulars” that may make or break a once-in-a-lifetime journey expertise. In brief, a journey company helps get to your vacation spot, whereas a tour operator goes additional: they ensure you expertise it.

With that mentioned, let’s see why selecting a tour operator is often the wisest transfer in the event you’re searching for a rewarding and hassle-free journey expertise. 

The first benefit: Homegrown experience

The advantage of native information is sort of inconceivable to magnify on a continent as various as South America. Tour operators sometimes have places of work or companions in international locations the place they function, which supplies them a leg-up in comparison with journey businesses missing such an on-the-ground benefit.

Contemplate the case of the Amazon. By reserving your rainforest journey by yourself or by way of a journey company not intimately acquainted together with your vacation spot, you may simply wind up housed at a corny jungle lodge vacationer lure catering to oblivious vacationers and offering a clichéd keep – your vacationer guidebook however.

Counting on a tour operator, nevertheless, it’s a lot safer to imagine your keep can be at a extra genuine, Indigenous-run lodge the place your guides are native inhabitants who know the rainforest inside out. They’ll be capable of lead you to the highest trails for wildlife watching and take you to the perfect beneath-the-radar eating places on the town. By tapping right into a tour operator’s native information, you’ll expertise the native tradition and lifestyle in an genuine and worthwhile method. Your chosen actions organized by your tour operator would possibly vary from a standard ceremony led by an Amazonian shaman to studying to make empanadas from a grasp chef in Colombia.

Stress-free journey

A journey agent can certainly reserve a flight and your lodging. Nevertheless, after that, it’s on you to determine find out how to get round and discover out what to do when you get to your vacation spot. This already demanding scenario is barely made worse by any language barrier.

In contrast, a tour operator may have ready your most popular itinerary prematurely, which implies you’ll be outfitted with an in depth but versatile plan of expertly guided actions upon arrival. Saving you time and avoiding hassles, your tour operator may have even organized quick access to a few of the hottest websites.

As for lodging, understand that tour operators work with varied varieties of lodging — from ocean-front guesthouses to luxurious eco-lodges — so that they know which of them provide the perfect consolation, providers, and worth. Additionally, most of your meals can be organized by your tour operator, which is particularly handy in additional remoted South American journey websites the place native selections are fewer.

Those that have ever tried, know the way a lot time, effort, and hassle is concerned in trying to coordinate all of the separate components of a visit your self. Counting on a tour operator, all the things is taken care of by way of this all-in-one service from the moment you contact down till the second you’re taking off. A tour operator takes that stress off your plate so you’ll be able to simply present up and benefit from the journey.

Customized-designed/personalised actions

Fairly than off-the-rack packages supplied by journey businesses, an skilled tour operator will craft a tailored itinerary primarily based in your tastes, pursuits, and preferences. A tour operator is aware of that in the event you’re a nature lover, for example, your itinerary might embrace Chile’s breathtaking Torres del Paine reserve, the ethereal Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia, or Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, with every vacation spot stuffed with actions starting from A to Z, from archeological website exploring to ziplining.

For adventure-seeking adrenaline junkies, a tour operator can provide you with experiences like sandboarding within the beautiful Atacama Desert or trekking to distant Inca ruins. And for these fascinated by a vacation spot’s historical past, tradition, and traditions, custom-made excursions can include color-filled markets in Ecuador, meals lessons in Lima, or a sensual tango present in Buenos Aires.

One of many points you’ll love on the subject of working with a tour operator is that you just gained’t be tied to rigid schedules or have actions imposed on you. Fairly, they work to seek out out what you like to do after which tailor a customized itinerary only for you. 

Security and peace of thoughts

Journey in South America is an enthralling combine of pleasure, journey, marvel, and awe. Nevertheless, a couple of vital points need to be thought-about, significantly security and well being dangers. That is why it’s reassuring to know that your tour operator will all the time “have your again,” significantly when exploring extra distant or unfamiliar areas. Tour operators are higher ready than journey businesses to cope with issues of safety.

For one, they’ve native contacts and on-site groups which might be accustomed to the ins and outs of the vacation spot and have contingency plans and protocols in place ought to something go south.

Additionally, tour operators always monitor conditions that – although unlikely – can disrupt journey plans. Even in cases of political unrest or pure occasions like landslides or flooding, tour operators have backup plans to switch or re-route your itinerary as wanted.

The benefit of a tour operator turns into particularly clear within the case of medical emergencies. Must you get sick or injured whereas trekking the Andes or exploring the Amazon, for instance, your tour operator is able to find the quickest entry to well-qualified medical help and getting you to the perfect clinic or hospital.

Finally, utilizing a tour operator provides you peace of thoughts, understanding you’re in good arms it doesn’t matter what would possibly occur. 

Unique experiences

Often, tour operators can present experiences unavailable to the everyday traveler. For instance, a tour operator would possibly prepare immersive experiences for you corresponding to a day with a Kichwa household within the Ecuadorian highlands or an opportunity to study conventional weaving methods from an area artisan. These perks are due to the relationships they’ve shaped with native institutions, service suppliers, and native communities.

It’s troublesome to seek out these sorts of distinctive off-the-beaten-path experiences whenever you’re reserving by way of a journey company, and virtually inconceivable when trying to tug one thing collectively by your self. 

A surprisingly higher bang for the buck

One would assume that organizing a visit with a tour operator would value greater than planning that journey your self or reserving it by way of a journey company. Suppose once more. For those who analyze the true prices, you would possibly simply discover that touring by way of a tour operator is definitely significantly better worth for the cash.

For one factor, as tour operators keep relationships with accommodations, transportation firms, and exercise providers, they have an inclination to get higher offers than what you would possibly discover on-line or by way of a journey company. Added to this, all-in-one pricing for excursions is obtainable by many tour operators, with the parts of those together with all the things from lodging and meals to excursions and even entrance charges. Not solely does this simplify budgeting your journey, however it might probably additionally prevent cash provided that a few of these providers may be bundled, which equates to a reduction for you.

However let’s step again and assume. Even in the event you might save a couple of bucks fastidiously patching collectively your journey your self, you’ll spend an outrageous period of time researching, evaluating costs, and making reservations. The time and work saved by going by way of a tour operator provides as much as hours – if not days! Comfort comes within the type of the tour operator’s single value for a whole journey, which frequently interprets into much less stress and extra worth. 

When touring in South America with a tour operator – particularly on a gaggle tour – you’re in all probability going to satisfy different vacationers with comparable pursuits and who actually converse your language.

Having enjoyable and sharing new adventures develops a way of neighborhood and camaraderie with group members and sometimes leads to buddies for all times. Time and time once more, this has proven itself to be true, whether or not within the instances of solo vacationers or {couples} selecting to share their journey actions with different folks, or smaller circles of household or buddies open to connecting with others to make their journey that rather more satisfying and rewarding. 

Depart the main points to specialists, sit again, and benefit from the journey

Planning and organizing a visit to South America isn’t any stroll within the park. Certain, you’ll be able to attempt to DIY-it or go together with the storefront journey company; nevertheless, by working with an skilled tour operator, the promise of your journey will rocket from simply OK to utterly wonderful.

With benefits corresponding to native experience, stress-free planning, and custom-designed journeys, working with a tour operator is your finest guess for a protected and rewarding South American journey. Regardless of in the event you’re crusing the glimmering waters off the Galapagos Islands or eating at a tango membership in Buenos Aires, a tour operator will be certain that you do it with the utmost satisfaction, security, and magnificence.

Alfonso Tandazo

Alfonso Tandazo is President and CEO at Surtrek Tour Operator. Surtrek Tour Operator is a well-established agency, specializing in custom-designed luxurious excursions in Ecuador, the Galapagos and all through the remainder of South America. If you want to be a visitor blogger on A Luxurious Journey Weblog as a way to elevate your profile, please contact us.