Travel updates
16 Feb – Peru update
The situation in Peru is greatly improved since January. Machu Picchu reopened, after a month’s closure, on 15 February, and train services are operating normally. Tourism around Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Arequipa is all back to running as normal, and Lima and Puerto Maldonado (for the Amazon) are also operational. While the situation has seen noticeable improvements in the last week, the area around Puno remains largely closed and we’re still monitoring the political conflict, which has not been fully resolved.
We continue to be in regular communication with our team in Peru, who are sending us daily updates. We took the decision to cancel our Peru departures until mid-April, and for those travelling in late April and May, you may receive a request for final payment for your trip. If so, please be assured that if we do cancel your departure then you will receive a full refund of your tour cost from Explore.
16 Feb – New Zealand update
Our thoughts are with our New Zealand partners after Cyclone Danielle passed over the North Island on Monday 13 February, causing strong winds, extreme flooding, landslides and power cuts to a number of communities. The government declared a State of Emergency that covers much of the northern part of the North Island.
For customers travelling to New Zealand in February or March 2023, we will be communicating any planned changes to your itineraries as soon as possible. For those customers booked on our Walking in New Zealand trip on Monday 20 February, this itinerary runs inland, and does not pass through any areas that have experienced the flooding (which is concentrated around the coastal communities). We are therefore planning to run this trip as normal.
3 October 2022 - USA update
Everyone travelling to the USA, or flying via the USA must be in possession of either an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) or a visa. If you have visited Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen since 2011 or are dual nationals of these countries, you cannot travel with an ESTA and instead you will need to apply for a visa from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate.
Cuba has now been added to this list of designated countries however only if you have travelled there since 2021.
If you travelled to Cuba prior to January 12, 2021, you remain eligible to apply for ESTA. If you have travelled to Cuba since that date, please contact a U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a visa if you still wish to travel to or via the United States.
Flight schedule changes
There are currently a high number of schedule changes being made across our trips by airlines. You may be contacted directly by the airline however rest assured that we will also have been made aware and will be in touch to discuss any revisions to your trip.