News

These past few months have been a surreal blur but we are seeing green shoots in many of the destinations we sell. There are lots of good things going on in Latin America and Africa - read on to find out about borders reopening, wildlife thriving, ancient ruin discoveries and more. Sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of this blog to recieve regular offers and updates on our destinations. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has been tough for everyone, and as the country takes steps to a return to some more normal activities, I would like to share my thoughts on what has happened and what might come. I am thankful that everyone at Llama Travel has been fine, and no one here has been badly affected by the virus directly. My heart goes out to all who have suffered loss due to this disease. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this has brought about the toughest period in the near-twenty year history of Llama Travel, and in the travel industry in general.

Like many aspects of our lives, the way in which we travel is changing as a result of the current pandemic. Nobody knows exactly what will happen, but it is possible that we won't take our freedom to travel for granted, safety precautions will be heightened and we'll think more carefully before clicking a button to book a holiday. To make the most of your trip to another continent, why not combine several destinations and tick a few more places off your list while you're there? 

As the world comes to a standstill and we all wait patiently for a time when we can visit our favourite places once more, there are still many reasons to be cheerful. If you want a break from all the negative news and a reason to put a smile on your face, scroll through our blog to find out some good news from many of our destinations in Latin America and Africa including Peru, Galapagos, Zimbabwe and South Africa. 

"Travel makes us wiser and more sensitive. It allows us to be free. This pandemic will fade away, but your bucket list will not."

- José Koechlin, Founder of Inkaterra

The annual British Airways flight sale has kicked off, with fantastic flight deals to some great Latin America destinations. You can already save up to £300 per person using our discount vouchers but now you can save even more! Get amazing flight deals and discounted premium economy upgrades on selected dates.

Strolling up the street towards the local market, the din of buyers and sellers negotiating deals gets louder as you approach the entrance. On the block leading up to the large covered area, the pavements burst with temporary stalls and once inside, the intensity of a local market in full swing hits you.

A stall laden with colourful fruit catches your eye, and next to it, one astonishes you with its variety of root vegetables. Further down the aisle you can buy fruit smoothies and milky drinks and then you turn a corner and are suddenly confronted with a hunk of meat hanging off a hook, a pig head resting on the corner of the counter and the distinct smell of raw meat.

We are very pleased to announce that Llama Travel has been awarded first place in the Top Tour Operator category of the Wanderlust Readers’ Awards 2016, out of 484 entrants.

The awards, which are well-known in the travel industry, cover categories including Top City, Top UK Destination, Top Emerging Destination, Top Country, Best Guidebook and Best Equipment Brand – all things travel-related in other words. The awards’ uniqueness lies in that the winners are chosen based on satisfaction scores by Wanderlust Readers themselves, not number of votes.

All travellers passing through the US are required to fill in an online form to obtain authorisation for a US Visa Waiver. The form can be found here: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

This will take you the US Department of Homeland Security web page where you can apply. Once there, please click on the New Application button and follow the instructions. 

Although this can be filled in up to 72 hours before travel, we recommend that you fill in this form as soon as possible so any issues can be identified immediately. Please make sure that this form is filled out for all the passengers on your booking.

Please note that although you can fill in all the details requested on the online form only the fields marked with a "*" are required. If you have any questions about this please don’t hesitate to contact us.