How to Compare South America Tour Companies

Last updated on March 29th, 2021 at 10:43 am

South America Tour Companies

Are you interested in comparing South America tour companies? We’ve got you covered! There are hundreds of South American tour companies out there, and many of them specialize in South America travel packages. Whereas others make tour packages for places all around the world. How to choose from all those South America tour companies? Here’s a quick list of things to keep in mind when making your decision.

Reasons for a South America Tour Company

Even if you want to travel solo, oftentimes you need to book some travel arrangements through a tour company. For example, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is highly regulated, and a guide is required. Also, to take a Galapagos Islands Cruise, you need to book your cruise through a tour company.

The Ecuadorian government highly regulates the travel industry on the islands. Did you know that all tour guides on the Galapagos must be native Ecuadorians? The same goes for cruises to Antarctica, Amazon River cruises, Amazon Jungle Lodges, and Patagonia.

In other instances, a tour company may not be required. However, their expertise is highly valuable. One of our top travel tips for Machu Picchu is hiring a local guide. If you visit Machu Picchu, you are required to have a guide upon first entry. A Machu Picchu tour guide will explain the history and significance of the ruins. They’ll also show you all the hard-to-reach spots in this amazing lost city.

A reputable tour company will guide you in planning your itinerary and advising you on must-see places. Booking with a South America tour company is especially smart if you are a first-timer to South America. They will arrange professional tour guides who speak your language, and who can recommend great restaurants and shops.

Read Reviews on South America Tour Companies

Finding the best tour companies for South America requires you to explore other people’s reviews. See what people are saying about various South America tour companies. It is vital to ensuring you have a great trip! Before you book, look in travel guidebooks, online forums, and ask your friends for recommendations of good South America tour companies.

Always read the company’s reviews. Often, you can do a quick search for the company you are considering on these websites such as TripAdvisor Forum, Fodor’s Guidebook Forum Frommer’s Guidebook Forum, and the BBB.org (Better Business Bureau).

Get to Know the Tour Company

You can also research the tour company in question by requesting free promotional material from its website. Many South America tour companies offer free e-book downloads, catalogs, brochures.

You also might want to sign up for their email newsletter, follow them on social media, or contact them directly. All of these actions will help you determine how professional and responsive they seem to be, while also allowing you to familiarize yourself with their travel packages.

Keep a file on your desktop with all the relevant brochures and material from each company you’re researching, or use an Excel spreadsheet to compare and contrast companies.

The tour company may also have client testimonials posted on their site. Browse these to see if they are relatively recent and seem like detailed accounts. Is there information about where they traveled to, their names, and where they are from? These are indicators of accurate testimonials.

Consider the Benefits of a South America Tour Company

When you are comparing the travel agency’s tours, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Are flights included or not? What kind of hotels are included? Often, a tour company will offer a much lower price than another company. But the hotels are in a lower price category. Make sure you get what you pay for by doing your homework.

Get on the Phone!

One of the best ways to get a feel for how professional and responsive a business is, is to simply give them a call! Speak to a travel consultant about your travel plans, and see whether they seem to know what they are talking about. Can they answer your questions in detail? Do they seem interested in helping you plan your trip? A good travel consultant will be knowledgeable about your destination.

Questions to ask a Tour Company:

• How long have you been in business?
• What is the typical group size of a trip?
• What is included in the price of the trip?
• Can I customize my trip?
• How do you choose your tour guides?
• Do you run your own tours or outsource to others?
• What type of hotels do you offer?
• Do you offer trip insurance?
• What is your cancellation policy and refund policy?

Contact South America Tour Companies