"Stuff to know"

Your Fellow Travelers
As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of traveling in a group. Your fellow travelers will probably come from all corners of the world and are likely to be of a variety of ages too. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travelers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don't keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and time again that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well - this takes just a little effort on your part.

Safety and Security
Canada is known as a safe country to visit. Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure. We recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while traveling, for the safe keeping of your passport, air tickets, travelers cheques, cash and other valuable items. A alternate location may be advisable, hotel safe, friends etc. Leave your valuable jewelry at home you won't need it while traveling. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage and I.D. tags be affixed to your luggage also. When traveling on a group trip, please note that your group leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to a safety or security concern. Your tour leader will exercise an option of accompany you on all tour included activities. During your trip you will have free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your group leader will assist you with optional activities available in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake that are not part of the tour itinerary, we offer no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an activity in your free time.

A Couple of Rules
Smoking is not permitted in any tents or during vehicle transport. Drinking alcohol is permitted but intoxication isn’t. Possessing or using illegal drugs will not be tolerated. Illegal drugs contravene the laws of the land. Any illegal behavior puts the rest of the tour group and its staff at risk. And as such the tour leader has the authority to cancel an individual’s tour and expel any member of the tour if that person is a safety or security risk.

Health and fitness
RET Adventure Tours bring together people of all ages. It is very important you are aware that, as a minimum, an average level of fitness and mobility' is required to undertake our easiest programs. Travelers must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off busses and vans and carry their own luggage at a minimum. This is to ensure that travelers have the necessary fitness and mobility to comfortably complete their chosen trip. While our tour leader works hard to ensure that all our travelers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day's activities unaided. You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure from your home. You will be asked to provide "emergency contact person" information at the time of booking. We recommend that you carry a personal first Aid kit, (band aids) personal medication (ASA etc) as well as any personal medical requirement information. Please be aware that quite often we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. When selecting your trip please carefully read the itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. For travelers over 60 years a completed Medical Form provided by your physician is recommended supplied to your tour leader. RET Adventure Tours reserves the right to exclude any traveler from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our tour leader that the tour participant is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.

Personal hygiene
At all but one camping location there will be fully serviced wash facilities. The use of showers, hot running water will be available. There will be times when you may want to or have to do your own laundry. Laundry washing is available in near by facilities for a charge. Laundry soap is also available at these locations.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is highly recommended when recommend that at a minimum you be covered for medical expenses including emergency evacuation. We recommend that the policy also cover personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Trips booked by a credit card may have insurance coverage. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number. *A RET Canada liability waiver will be signed in order to participate in our tours on "Day1" orientation.

Money Exchange and how much cash to bring
Debit cards and Credit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa / Master Card and American Express cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work in specific banks. Check with your bank. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money; Canadian cash, travelers cheques and credit cards are best. Most world currencies are relatively easy to exchange in larger city centers, while US dollars are widely accepted at many retail establishments. If you have access to Canadian dollars, that is best of all. Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds. You need to budget for souvenirs, snacks and optional activities. It depends on your budget and your taste for adventure. Think about how much you want to spend on souvenirs, shopping, entertainment, food, drinks, excursions and attractions, that are not included in the tour price. Please keep in mind that there are endless things to do and see. You should budget around $300.00 for selected optional activities on a 1-2 week tour, more if you would like to participate in most option available activities.

What should I bring on tour?
Minimal minimal minimal. A backpack or suitcase, about 70-80 liters plus a day pack around 35-45 liters. For security, make sure all baggage has I.D. tags and can be locked. Secure zippers with nylon tie straps between traveling locations for your own piece of mind. Take a picture of your bags and their contents for easy Identification if it gets lost (air plains, air port, hotels etc) Leave non-essentials at an airport locker, hotel or that sort of place. We are limited to the space on the tour vehicles and ask you not to "bring it all"

We can give you a guideline of what to bring but its up to the individual to decide. The general rule would be to bring as little as possible but enough to keep warm dry and comfortable.

NOTE: Cotton sure feels nice but in the event of getting it wet, it’s terrible to dry out, it will absorbs and keep moister. We will be at a fire every night so consider a sacrificial shirt and coat when choosing your cloths, as they could get smoky and possibly burned by flying embers.

A list of clothes to consider.

• 1pair, Jeans or trousers/ shorts. Zip off legs gives you two pairs of cloths.
• 1 per day, Socks / underwear. Always bring one extra pair socks in a zip lock as an emergency pair. Nothing worst than having wet socks. Try to use man made materials as they will dry and shed water better than cotton.
• T-Shirts / button dress shirts / blouse. Dress shirts and blouses can be worn over a T-shirt for extra warmth and hay it looks stylish.
• Casual evening "out" clothes. Same as above, don’t over do it.
• 1 Fleecy, hooded coat with zipper in front / rain poncho (the cheap kind that packs down to nothing.)
• 1 sweat pants and top. Great for extra warmth morning, noon and night. (Sleeping)
• 1 Comfortable walking shoes/ 1 sandals. You can bring what you want, but, a hybrid type foot ware is best. A multipurpose trail shoe is what I would recommend. Don’t break the bank on a new pair if you don’t have any. Moderately priced one can be a good buy and vary comfortable. If new, break them in well before the trip. Or else bring band-aids and moleskin.
• 1 Toque. Keep your head warm, optional.
• 1 Swim wear. There will be opportunities to swim.
• 1 Sunglasses / Sunhat / Sun screen / lip-balm

Personal Items to bring

• Toiletries / towels / soap
• First aid kit / Insect repellent
• Personal medications if needed.
• Sewing kit
• Flashlight (Small)
• Plastic bags (for laundry)
• Camera / films/cards / batteries (not rechargeable)
• Scissors / jack knife
• Writing material
• Tissues
• Earplugs
• Nighttime facemask

Now, keeping in mind, if there is something you forgot or can't live with out, you will be able to buy just about anything along the trip. All centers we are in have numerous retail stores. Rather than over pack you can purchase clothes if need be.

What should I not bring on tour?
Pets
A picture of Fido or pretty kitty is fine but not the real thing, thank you.

Radios (ghetto blasters)
MP3 players and personal compact disc players are great with headphones.

Camping gear
We provide all that you will need.

Should I book through my travel agent or through RET Adventure Tours?
Book with us directly if you would like to contact us on a continuing basis prior to your trip. If you have a travel agent you trust to take care of all of your details, we can work with him or her on your behalf.

Tipping
There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the Local Guides or drivers. You may do this individually, or your tour Leader will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Also at the end of each tour, if you felt your RET Adventure Tours tour guides did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated.

If you have any questions regarding the above please contact us!