Health Requirements


You will be advised at the time of booking as to the health requirements for your specific itinerary and some precautions, such as those against malaria and yellow fever if travelling to a jungle region, will be recommended. In all cases you should seek professional advice from your doctor well in advance of your intended date of travel and carry medical insurance. For further information, you can visit the Department of Health website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice

ARGENTINA
There are no mandatory health requirements for visitors to Argentina. Water is drinkable in Buenos Aires and in the South but for the North we recommend that you only drink bottled water. If travelling to Iguazu we recommend that you take some anti-malaria precautions and that you cover up in the evenings to avoid mosquito bites.

CHILE
There are no mandatory health requirements for travelling to Chile. Tap water is drinkable throughout except in Northern Chile (particularly at the border with Peru).

At high altitudes, some people might be affected by 'Puna', or altitude sickness, which is characterised by a heavy headache and difficulties in breathing. If travelling to high altitude, we recommend that you take a couple of hours to adapt to the environment, rest, take plenty of fluids, do not smoke and do not drink alcoholic beverages. Drinking coca tea helps to alleviate the symptoms of altitude sickness. We also suggest that you check your blood pressure before travelling.

BRAZIL
You are required to have an international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever for entering Brazil if, within the 3 months prior to your arrival in Brazil you have been visiting or been in transit through any of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Venezuela and Zaire.
Failure to do so may result in being refused entry to Brazil. This is regardless of whether you will actually have visited any Yellow Fever areas. Vaccination against Yellow Fever is mandatory if travelling to the Amazon or Pantanal and precautions against malaria are highly recommended. There have been outbreaks of dengue fever in cities such as Rio de Janeiro and we therefore advise to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites at all times.

We recommend that you drink only bottled water or drinks in Brazil and that you only eat cooked food and fruit that can be peeled.

PERU / BOLIVIA
If travelling to a jungle area, vaccination against Yellow Fever is mandatory and precautions against malaria are highly recommended. Typhoid and hepatitis inoculations are also advisable.

We recommend that you drink only bottled water or drinks and that you only eat cooked food and fruit that can be peeled.

At high altitudes, some people might be affected by 'Puna', or altitude sickness, which is characterised by a heavy headache and difficulties in breathing. If travelling to high altitude, we recommend that you take a couple of hours to adapt to the environment, rest, take plenty of fluids, do not smoke and do not drink alcoholic beverages. Drinking coca tea helps to alleviate the symptoms of altitude sickness. We also suggest that you check your blood pressure before travelling.

Please note that it is sometimes difficult to find certain medication and pharmaceutical products are much more expensive than in the UK.

ECUADOR
If travelling to a jungle area, vaccination against Yellow Fever and precautions against malaria are highly recommended. Typhoid and hepatitis inoculations are also advisable.

We recommend that you drink only bottled water or drinks and that you only eat cooked food and fruit that can be peeled.

At high altitudes, some people might be affected by 'Puna', or altitude sickness, which is characterised by a heavy headache and difficulties in breathing. If travelling to high altitude, we recommend that you take a couple of hours to adapt to the environment, rest, take plenty of fluids, do not smoke and do not drink alcoholic beverages.Drinking coca tea helps to alleviate the symptoms of altitude sickness. We also suggest that you check your blood pressure before travelling.

COSTA RICA
Costa Rica has one of the best medical systems in the world and a great number of visitors travel to this country specifically for medical treatment. It has a very complete and modern public hospital system with health services and clinics in all major cities as well as in most smaller towns. There are also private medical facilities available in most areas.

Tap water is normally drinkable except outside the main cities where water sterilisation or bottled water is advisable. For travelling to areas such as Tortuguero, anti-malaria precautions are advisable.

GUATEMALA
If travelling to a jungle area precautions against malaria are highly recommended. Typhoid and hepatitis inoculations are also advisable.

We recommend that you drink only bottled water or drinks and that you only eat cooked food and fruit that can be peeled.


Return to top of Page
Home Page


For enquiries and tailor-made itineraries please contact us at
info@latinamerica.co.uk or call +44 (0)20-7233 5384