Personalized. More than a handful of travel companies capitalize on this catch-all word to entice prospective travelers. But what does it really mean, and how can you tell if an itinerary is genuinely personalized? At its heart, a personalized or custom-designed travel program begins with the first email exchange and ends the instant you arrive home, after the best trip of your life.

When it comes to personalized travel, you can look for a few tell-tale signs from the beginning of the planning process. First, you want to make sure the agency prioritizes your needs above all else when building your custom itinerary.

Do they ask you specific questions about your past travel experiences? Do they want to know why you are taking this trip? Do they ask not only how many people are traveling with you, but who is traveling with you? All of these details and more go into a truly personalized travel experience and ultimately bring unexpected and priceless value to your trip.

Why “new normal” travelers need personalized experiences

Booking with personalized travel agency like Kuoda can alleviate the certifiable travel anxiety trailing the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. We are all still navigating the uncertain waters of international travel in the “new normal,” but the uplifting news is that personalized service should and does provide adequate support before, during, and even after your exciting journey.

The hands-on nature of personalized travel accommodates the ever-shifting public health and sanitary protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For instance, we have been scheduling PCR and/or antigen tests before international flights home, well in advance for every guest traveling during this time. Therefore, you won’t need to worry about researching any of these details.

What does “personalized” imply?

The different branches of personalized travel ultimately stem from four crucial components in your itinerary: the price, the place (or places), the activities, and the travel style. We only work primarily in private tours; therefore, we tailor your program to best fit your needs. We recommend the most appropriate activities and destinations according to your specific interests, budget, and timeframe.

1. Personalized prices

Each and every curated journey we create comes with a tailor-made price tag. This means we don’t have ready-made package deals, and we can always swap out certain hotels or excursions to bring down the price as much as possible. Any tweaks are considered to do this, so even though there are limits to how much we can lower the cost, we work closely with you and your budget the best we can, always.

Our pricing ultimately comes down to the number of days, how many people are in your travel party, what type of accommodation, how many full-day tours versus half-day tours, and how much downtime is built into your itinerary. Depending on your personal budget, our travel experts balance these details without sacrificing the private nature nor quality of your personalized program.

2. Personalized places

Let’s say you have ten days to travel, and you know you want to see Machu Picchu but have no idea what else. We will ask you about your past travels and principal travel interests to help guide you towards suitable destinations to maximize your meaningful experiences. For instance, the Amazon for wildlife fanatics, Lima for foodies, or Kuelap and Chachapoyas for archaeology buffs.

3. Personalized activities

South America is an incredibly rich continent. Seemingly endless biodiversity, geographical diversity, and cultural diversity burst at its seams. This means that every potential itinerary through Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, and/or Argentina holds a wealth of possibilities for adventure, family fun, food, romance, nature, history, and local culture.

Companies that primarily offer fixed-itineraries have a limited range of activities and providers and may not be able to cater to all of your interests directly. Whereas a personalized itinerary allows you to work closely with your travel designer to land on a combination of activities specific to your travel party’s priorities.

4. Personalized preferences according to your travel style

We’ve already touched a bit on the topic of how a personalized itinerary reflects your interests and travel style. But to dive a little deeper, these personalized preferences also extend to the type of guide matched with your program, your food preferences and/or allergies, how much downtime or active time you have, and the kind of transportation included.

We work with an incredible team of local guides, who all have specific and passionate interests of their own. Some are master photographers, others focus on history, some work fabulously with kids, and are great storytellers. The more you tell us about your interests in the planning process, the more equipped we are to match you with the perfect private guide for you and your family or friends.

We include all of your breakfasts and lunches during full-day tours and some dinners where restaurant options are limited. We only work with the best and most trustworthy restaurants for these meals and make sure those restaurants have a complete list of any food preferences or allergies, so they can anticipate these details before your arrival.

Regarding transportation, we will explain all of the possible options to get from one city or town to the next when there are multiple options available. For relatively shorter distances, these typically include a private driver, train ride, or a short domestic flight. Although we encourage all of our guests to limit the amount of air travel to maximize sustainability and eco-conscious travel, if possible.

What we can do for you and how we work with you

Personalized travel also requires above and beyond customer service. If you choose to work with us, you can expect immediate and thorough answers to every query or comment. If we don’t know the answer right away, we will do our research asap, so that you don’t have to worry about any extra steps on your end.

1. Book bucket list items or remote and “off-the-beaten-path” places

If you’re someone who prefers to visit all of the top bucket list showstoppers in South America, like Machu Picchu, Iguazú Falls, The Galapagos Islands, or Uyuni Salt Flats (to name a select few), we have you covered. You can also expect your tours to these world wonders to be in 100% private service. So, even though you might have to contend with large crowds, your guide will bypass them as much as possible.

And suppose you’re the polar opposite and hope to visit more “off-the-beaten-path” destinations. In that case, personalized travel is definitely a must! In addition, we love connecting our guests with local communities and landscapes in more remote corners of South America, where they can relax into an authentic experience shared amongst new friends.

2. Be there for your 24/7

Finally, our team of travel experts starts with our travel designers, continues onto our guides, and ends with our dedicated 24/7 hosts on the ground. Taking a personalized trip with us, you are guaranteed a 24/7-point person, who your travel designer will connect you with a few days before your arrival date.

What this means is that someone will constantly keep tabs and be on guard in the event of an unexpected emergency out of your control. This could include anything from flight delays to a COVID-19 diagnosis to a roadblock from a local strike. Although these events may be rare, we know that managing risk and preparing to think on our feet is indispensable for any traveler’s peace of mind.

At the end of the day, personalized travel allows you to precisely express what you want out of a trip, have those needs met, and go beyond those expectations to discover places you hadn’t even thought of but deeply resonate with.

We incorporate these tenants of personalized travel in every step of our planning process to ensure your customized trip to South America is everything you ever dreamed of and more. We love hearing from new potential guests to continue crafting personalized itineraries designed to bring you the most fulfilling experience possible; contact us today to get started!

You can officially say hello again to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and very soon to Argentina and Chile! As South America’s borders open up once more, tourists are dusting off their bags, and we are ready! Getting back into international travel is incredibly exciting and still a bit nerve-wracking after the rocky year and a half we’ve all navigated. And flexible travel has become an essential component.

So, for booking a personalized travel experience to South America in this “new normal” of travel, we know that protecting your trip is your number one priority; it’s ours too, considering the daily ups and downs of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we want to make sure all of our new guests feel entirely at ease booking a trip, knowing they are covered in the event of any emergency.

In this article, we highlight all of the reasons why flexible travel and booking with a flexible travel agency like Kuoda is more crucial than it’s ever been. Furthermore, we cover what you can do to make sure your itinerary is as flexible as possible during the planning process and what we are doing to build every curated journey to South America with this in mind.

Why do you need flexibility on your next trip?

We all remember the days of scouting the best deal on an itinerary, a flight, or a cruise because, after all, those days aren’t so far behind us. And finding those deals was exhilarating. But the catch was that these special rates usually included some sort of “limited time offer” or condition, which ultimately limited flexibility.

Can you imagine being locked into a trip of this nature during a global pandemic? We can’t either, and we really don’t want you to have to imagine it. To fully enjoy and relax into a trip to South America in this context, booking something flexible and custom-designed is invaluable. In addition, having the assurance that dates can be moved without penalty in the event of an emergency out of your control is priceless.

What is “flexible travel” about?

First and foremost, we can’t talk about flexible travel without mentioning the traveler’s frame of mind. A flexible headspace goes a long way when it comes to planning a trip, especially right now, considering all the valuable lessons we’ve learned in this pandemic. For instance, we’ve learned that a perfect or memorable vacation can look several different ways; and maybe even radically different from how you initially imagined it.

If your first choice of activities or destinations is still not open yet in South America, you can still find so many other options you might not have considered the first time around. Instead of bumps in the road, you can think about these changes as happy accidents. After all, such deviations could turn out to be an even better choice for your travel party, making room for more authentic experiences along the way.

For instance, the coveted 4-day Inca Trail trek only just re-opened in July 2021. However, the 2-day Inca Trail hike has been open since the second half of 2020. This last leg of the Inca Trail is just over 6 miles (compared to the 26-mile 4-day trek), only takes about 6-7 hours to complete, and its highest point measures 8,924 feet above sea level (compared to the whopping 13,780 feet above sea level on the 4-day Inca Trail).

Therefore, those who had their heart set on climbing the 4-day Inca Trail and opted for the 2-day Inca Trail were still able to savor unparalleled and sweeping Andean views, explore fascinating Inca ruins, and arrive triumphantly at the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu, all while avoiding the harsh effects of super-high-altitude trekking. Freeing up those two extra days also makes room for more destinations in your itinerary, like the Peruvian Amazon or the Sacred Valley.

Another vital aspect of flexible travel means making sure the Terms and Conditions are clear before booking. We recommend reviewing the Terms and Conditions policy before putting down any sort of deposit and also talking with your travel designer on the phone, if possible, to clarify any details about postponement or cancellation where necessary.

How can you maximize flexibility during your trip?

Travel insurance is a must. Some travel agencies offer travel insurance plans directly; however, we’ve found this isn’t the best option for our clients because those plans are usually limited to whatever will yield the best commission for the agency. So, you will actually be able to find the most competitive deals and more flexible options by booking a travel insurance plan separately.

And even though we don’t provide travel insurance, our travel experts can help you navigate different plans and give as much guidance as possible. For instance, in this “new normal” of international and luxury travel, we highly recommend booking a “Cancel for Any Reason” travel insurance package.

You also want to be careful when booking your international flight. Look for airlines that are sticking to their coronavirus pandemic flexible policies through 2022, at the very least. For instance, Delta Airlines currently does not charge any cancellation or change fees for both domestic and international flights leaving from the U.S.

Finally, consider including hotels or accommodation with more personalized service and care. We only work with the top 3*, 4*, and 5* properties in each destination. So, if you book a trip with us, you know that all of your hotels will be up to date with the necessary health and safety protocols, as well as flexible postponement policies until the pandemic is declared over.

What types of trips are the least flexible?

Cruises tend to have the strictest postponement and cancellation policies, which is mainly tied to keeping set departure dates and maintaining a sustainable profit. And although this is mostly the case with longer week-long cruises, this is also still the case with Galapagos and Amazon cruises in Ecuador and Amazon cruises in Peru.

The good news is that you can still travel to the Galapagos or the Amazon jungle, have a deeply meaningful experience, and avoid booking a cruise, at least until the pandemic is more uniformly under control. In the Galapagos, there are some fabulous hotel options and Island-Hopping programs, and incredibly unique and eco-conscious luxury jungle lodges in the Amazon.

Lastly, try to minimize the number of domestic flights or layovers built into your trip because, depending on the airline, those flights might be difficult to change at a moment’s notice. And depending on the location, a full-day road trip can add some exciting local flavor and character to your trip. You will be able to make meaningful stops in local communities and connect with local culture.  

Another benefit of prioritizing land travel, either in private transport or even train travel, is that you ultimately produce a lower carbon footprint during your trip. Because along with flexible travel, eco-friendly travel is here to stay, and our planet will be much happier for it in the long run if we all do our part in any way we can, big or small.

We may be dealing with this pandemic for a few years yet, but the great news is that we are now fully equipped to keep traveling in the meantime. And making wonderful memories on a private journey to South America is the best cure for pandemic blues.

Contact us today to learn more about our flexible booking policies and start planning your private travel experience in the “new normal!”

It’s been a buzzword since the 1980s, but now it’s official, eco-tourism is here to stay! Eco-tourists’ efforts over the past forty years to bring sustainability into the travel industry have become an essential driving force against climate change.

Considering the tourist industry accounts for about 8% of the globe’s carbon emissions, being eco-conscious while traveling can make a crucial positive impact. But how can one become an eco-tourist? Is it as intimidating as it sounds? It turns out, even the smallest actions you can take to incorporate green travel into your trips are pretty attainable.

It comes down to calculating how your trip conserves environmental resources to offset the carbon emissions inevitably created by most current forms of transportation. This calculation essentially translates to staying in eco-friendly hotels, packing light, choosing destinations focused on conservation, and much more!

In this article, we cover all of these essential details to help you become an eco-tourist during your next private travel experience to South America!

Why be an eco-tourist?

1. You will contribute to the preservation of local environments

One of the principal slogans of eco-tourism is “leaving a place better than you found it.” There are numerous ways you can do this during a custom-designed trip to South America. In doing so, you are automatically doing your part to promote preserving that place for both tourists and local residents.

Make sure to include plenty of local day hikes and seek out “off-the-beaten-path” trails. While hiking these scenic routes through local villages in the Peruvian Andes, or Patagonia, you may also see trash strewn along the path. It’s a good idea to carry an extra plastic bag with you to pick up this trash as you go.

Visit as many national parks as you can! In South America, there are over 300 amazing national parks to choose from, and bringing tourism to these national parks ensures their survival, renewed interest locally, and further conservation.

2. You will gain more authentic experiences

When navigating more local/less-touristy trails and communities, you are guaranteed to connect more with local culture. Making these connections inherently brings a more authentic experience to the table, as you learn about customs and environments both inherently different and similar to your own.

3. The travel stories you collect will inspire others

When you travel with purpose, and in a sustainable way, your experiences and anecdotes are sure to have a ripple effect amongst your friends and family when you come back home. This incredibly positive influence makes eco-tourism itself more sustainable and will hopefully pull us further in the right direction to stop climate change in its tracks before it’s too late.

How to pack as an eco-tourist

First and foremost, packing as an eco-tourist means packing as light as possible. When it comes to international travel, you will inevitably have to book some flights, and the weight of your bags really does matter. According to Delta, “It has been estimated that the amount of jet fuel used to move an object is 4% of that object’s weight per hour.” So, the more you pack, the more fuel you use.

Our travel experts have a few suggestions in terms of the specific items you should add to your eco-friendly packing list. Of course, the following are a must: a reusable water bottle, reuse your plastic bags from previous trips (e.g., Ziploc bags), chemical-free sunscreen, just a handful of outfits that you can layer and create different combinations from, and a small and lightweight daypack, sturdy and light hiking boots or trail sneakers, and a headlamp for jungle tours.

Where to stay while eco-conscious

We work with several incredible eco-lodges and properties. In fact, most of the hotels we work with at this point have shifted their primary focus to sustainability. So, in this section, we would like to particularly highlight the Sacred Valley, the jungle of Ecuador, Uyuni, and the Galapagos, which are all incredibly eco-friendly destinations in their own right as well.

The Sacred Valley of Peru offers the perfect backdrop for those looking to reconnect with nature in Peru. The soaring Andes overlook one of the world’s most fertile valleys, and the temperature is quite pleasant and temperate year-round. Some sustainable hotels to keep in mind for your next custom-designed eco-trip are Las Qolqas Eco-Resort in Ollantaytambo and Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba.

In Ecuador, you have a very comprehensive and extensive list of eco-hotels to choose from. Some of our favorites are the Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest, the Napo Wildlife Center in the Amazon rainforest, and Finch Bay Galapagos hotel in Puerto Ayora in the Galapagos.

Finally, Kachi Lodge in the Salar de Uyuni (the world’s largest salt flats!) is the first of its kind. They are the first 100% eco-friendly lodge in Uyuni that doubles as a luxury travel experience and space station. Okay, so they aren’t really a space station, but their one-of-a-kind sleeping domes were built to optimize stargazing in Uyuni, which is already some of the best stargazing in the world!

Where to go as an eco-tourist

A good number of places in South America are now contributing to an eco-friendly vision; however, one country that really takes the cake in this arena is Ecuador! The Ecuadorian government and the tourist industry have worked together to raise awareness about eco-tourism for decades; this is why Ecuador has been designated the World’s Leading Green Destination multiple times.

Of the many incredible national parks found in South America, Ecuador claims 11, which of course, includes the Galapagos Islands. You also can have immersive experiences in quite a range of landscapes because these national parks span the Amazon Rainforest, the Andes, and the Galapagos Islands. Don’t miss the Cotopaxi National Park, home to the “Avenue of Volcanoes!”

What to do on an eco-friendly trip

Outdoor activities, outdoor activities, and more outdoor activities! The benefit of filling your private travel experience with plenty of nature time is two-fold. First, outdoor and adventure activities alike tend to use fewer non-renewable resources, like fossil fuels. Second, they also allow you to reconnect with nature, an energy and feeling you can take with you when you return home.

Some examples of fantastic outdoor and adventure activities in South America include biking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, zip-lining, skiing in Patagonia, and lots of hiking! In addition to these activities, it’s important to limit the number of domestic flights included in your private itinerary and instead opt for trains, private transport, and catamaran cruises!

How to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling

If there is one takeaway about how to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling, it’s this: travel less, take longer trips! In our fast-paced world, we know this is easier said than done. But if you can try to apply this mantra when you can, you will be wasting less on the whole and also helping to regenerate cultural resources, contributing to local economies more sustainably as well

Another important thing you can do is travel with a responsible travel agency like Kuoda Travel. We have maintained a sustainable mindset since our inception in 2007 but have been applying it even more so in recent years as we continue to see the devastating effects of climate change. This is why in 2020, we got our carbon neutral certificate through Green Initiative!

After reading these tips and tricks on how to become an eco-tourist, we hope you feel as inspired as we do to keep traveling and to make it green! So contact us today to learn more about putting together your sustainable and private curated journey to South America.

Sustainable travel is one of those pressing issues that has been creeping up on society for years and can no longer be ignored or pushed aside as a “niche” market. On the contrary, making the travel industry sustainable is imperative to the welfare of both our planet and our fellow humans. One silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has shown us this undeniable truth, and now we can act!

Considering tourism has shown to be one of the fastest-growing industries in our lifetime, it is no surprise that it has become one of the most destructive for both the environment and host communities. Tourism has traditionally depended on limited natural resources and has also posed a threat to local socio-cultural structure, especially in developing nations.

Many people still ask, “But what does sustainability even mean? Is it actually attainable or a symptom of wishful thinking?” Put simply, something is sustainable when it doesn’t take more than it gives. And this is most certainly possible through even the smallest actions. In this article, we want to highlight the ways in which you can travel with purpose in South America and join the sustainable revolution!

1. Think about sustainability during the planning process

– Research what your travel agency is doing to join the sustainable movement

The good news is, most agencies have received the message and are changing bit by bit to become even more sustainable. Kuoda travel has always put sustainability in the foreground of our personalized travel experiences, and in 2020 we officially became a carbon-neutral agency through the Green Initiative.

We have also made the constant commitment to partner with sustainably-minded hotels, lodges, restaurants, and other micro-agencies that provide adventure activities, etc. This means their infrastructure is eco-friendly. They work collaboratively with local communities and pay fair wages to create authentic experiences that directly give back to the local economy.

– Limit the amount of domestic airfare in your itinerary

In this fast-paced world, we have become quite accustomed to taking even the shortest flight to save time. Between some destinations, like Quito (or Guayaquil) and the Galapagos in Ecuador, these domestic flights make sense. There is literally no other way to get to the Galapagos, and in this case, flying is more than justified.

But a flight isn’t necessary between other destinations, such as Cusco to Juliaca (the closest airport to Lake Titicaca), especially when you can savor unparalleled scenery on a full-day road trip through the Peruvian Andes. Therefore, we recommend always asking your travel designer if road travel is possible, what it entails, and also extending your trip by a day or two if it means cutting down on flights if you can.

– Avoid voluntourism

It’s counter-intuitive, but volunteering for short periods of time, especially in developing nations, actually does more harm than good. This phenomenon, known as “volunteer tourism” or “voluntourism,” typically manifests in teaching English, building houses, or volunteering in orphanages for limited periods of time and is open to anyone – no professional training required.

Tourists who engage in this type of activity have all the best intentions, but the reality is these actions don’t encourage sustainable change but instead stifle sustainable development. Voluntourism essentially discourages self-driven local projects and often results in poor infrastructure due to the amateur nature of volunteers.

In order to regenerate cultural resources and promote regional sustainable practices, local people need to feel empowered, not continuously disadvantaged and underprivileged in the eyes of volunteers. So, if you have the intention of making a genuinely positive impact on your 1-2-week trip in South America, buy from local artisans and vendors, don’t haggle, and show sincere interest in learning about local culture.

– Seek out lesser-known destinations

Almost everyone plans their travels using a bucket list of top destinations for each country, and we don’t think this trusty bucket list should go anywhere! But in addition to your bucket-list items, such as Machu Picchu, Iguazú, The Galapagos, and the middle of the world monument in Ecuador, sustainable travelers should ask about and consider including off-the-beaten-path places.

For instance, in Peru, you can visit Inca archaeological sites that are as steeped in cultural heritage and history as Machu Picchu, yet still, hardly receive any tourists. The ancient city of Kuelap is the jungle region of Chachapoyas is one example. And while you’re there, you can also check out the incredible Gocta waterfall, recently made known to the world in 2005 and the world’s third tallest waterfall!

2. Research Sustainable Destinations in South America

We could write pages upon pages about the growing sustainable destinations in South America. However, we want to highlight six of our favorites for you to consider on your next curated journey, and inspire you to do some research of your own, starting with one of the most astonishing natural laboratories in the world: the Galapagos islands!

On the Galapagos Islands, the animals keep the humans in check. The strict protective policies preserve one of the most fascinating natural enclaves on earth and the hundreds of endemic species who call it home. The Tayrona National Park in Colombia is another eco-tourism treasure between the Caribbean Coast and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria, and nicknamed “Colombia’s Yellowstone.”

Yet another national park that boasts incredible biodiversity and hardly any visitors is Madidi National Park in Bolivia’s Amazon rainforest. Or, if you’re more of a winter person, the near-Antarctic chill of Patagonia, a fascinating region spanning Argentina and Chile, offers an immersive experience in nature like few others on this planet.

3. Remember sustainability extends beyond the environment

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) describes sustainable travel as: “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.” This is why it’s essential to remember that sustainability means so much more than eco-conscious or “green” travel.

A key term to look out for is “community-based” projects or initiatives. What do community-based travel programs look like? You’ll find some excellent examples in the Amazon, where certain lodges have fostered collaborative relationships with local indigenous communities, who take on partial or full ownership, and generate internal autonomy for future generations.

The Posada Amazonas lodge in the Tambopata Amazon reserve of Southern Peru is one of three lodges by Rainforest Expeditions but is unique in its community-based model. The Ese Eja native community of Infierno has gained ownership of the Posada Amazonas Lodge, which lies on their ancestral land. As a result, all of the guides at Posada Amazonas are members of the community, in addition to every single staff member.

The Ecuadorian Amazon also has its fair share of eco-lodges, many of which are owned and run by local indigenous communities as well. For example, the Achuar Nation has owned the Kapawi Lodge here since 2008. Everyone who stays here learns about the Achuar way of life, being one with the forest, and living in complete balance with one’s natural surroundings; the lodge’s unique architecture reflects this idea, as do the activities deep within the jungle.

4. Talk with us about our sustainable travel initiatives

We recognize sustainability isn’t static; in other words, any person or company can and should continue to become even more sustainable over time. And we have made it our mission to keep learning and growing towards ultimate sustainable travel in everything we do.

In addition to being carbon neutral and working with sustainable hotels, lodges, restaurants, and operators, we have our own collaborative community-based project with a local community in Chinchero, Peru. The women of this small Quechua community are master weavers and hold demonstrative workshops for any of our guests who wish to learn more about their intricate ancestral designs and traditional dyeing techniques.

Contact us today to learn more about how to create meaningful travel experiences together while minimizing your carbon footprint, traveling with integrity, and leaving a positive impact wherever you may wander in South America!

Travel insurance has always been a good idea when planning a trip. You never know when something may happen – illness, a flight cancellation, wild llamas, strikes – and it’s good to know that you will be covered. However, during the current situation, we are seeing just how important it is to get the right travel insurance to make sure you aren’t left high and dry. Nearly half of those who canceled their trip because of the pandemic ended up losing money, with airlines and hotels being the main culprits.

But what exactly should you look for when purchasing travel insurance?

Cancel for Any Reason

There are two types of travel insurance – “cancel for any reason” and “named perils.” Pre-COVID, the “named perils” type of insurance, was the most common, as it was less expensive (about 7% – 9% of your trip cost). It seemed to cover everything a traveler needed to worry about. Post-COVID, however, this type of insurance is not likely to be enough, as ‘world-wide pandemic’ is not typically one of the perils that is named.

Therefore, the “cancel for any reason” will be the one you want to look at. This type of insurance is admittedly more expensive, usually between 10% and 12% of your trip cost. However, it is much more comprehensive and will refund part, if not all, of your travel costs if you decide/need to cancel. One place you can look is www.insuremytrip.com, which lets you easily compare different insurance companies and policies.

Read the Fine Print

While ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance is the type you want to look at, you’ll still want to make sure you CAREFULLY read the fine print. Some ‘cancel for any reason policies’ have history limiting or even withdrawing coverage during epidemics or pandemics, having fine print that technically allows them to do so. So before biting the bullet on an insurance policy, make sure you get comfortable and go through the fine print, ensuring there is no policy language or exclusions allowing these kinds of sudden changes.

What Inclusions to Look For

Along with the typical inclusions, such as flight cancellations or major illness, you’ll want to check for three specific items – medical issues while you are traveling, future pandemic, and quarantines. For medical issues, you’ll want to be sure you know which medical facilities will be covered should you fall ill, either with COVID-19 or other illnesses. Will any hospital be covered? Or are specific medical facilities named in the policy? Is medical evacuation covered, and if so, how far – to Lima? The US? Your hometown? And will future pandemics be included if, god forbid, another one should hit while traveling? And if you are traveling and the country you are in goes into lockdown again, will quarantine costs be covered, such as hotel, food, or repatriation?

While travel insurance is an added cost to what may already be an expensive trip, the peace of mind knowing that you’re covered is definitely worth the price. And when it comes to travel insurance, you definitely get what you pay for. So get the ‘cancel for any reason’ policy, do your homework, and be ready for the unexpected.