Practical Information

> How Strenuous are these Trips?
> Group Participants and Tour Leader
> Private Tours and Custom Dates
> Local Transportation
> Accommodations
> Meals
> Climate
> Travel Documents
> Flights
> Airline Tickets
> Money
> Health
> Luggage & Clothing
> Resources
> Communication

How Strenuous are these Trips?

The challenge level of this trip is moderate. You can count on plenty of walking and nature explorations but terrain is typically flat and easily manageable.

On our website you will see that all of our trips are rated based on the challenge level. Ratings take into account physical activity, comfort standards and the quality of the infrastructure in an area. active, but slightly more easy-going, with occasional upgrades. On Private Trips, you have the ability to set your pace and to determine your comfort preferences.

DJOSER…THE OTHER WAY TO TRAVEL
Djoser’s active journeys offer an ideal balance of guidance and freedom. Our reasonably priced, guide-assisted adventures cover the globe. We feature ancient ruins, intensive nature explorations and authentic cultural interaction. Book a private journey and set your own pace, or join a group. Travel with small groups of North Americans or, for a heightened cultural experience, join our adventurous, international groups, with Dutch travelers. Let the journey begin...with Djoser!

Group Participants and Tour Leader

On PRIVATE TRIPS and GROUP TOURS (for NORTH AMERICAN PARTICIPANTS only), we will use a local guide (or guides). For larger groups, we often bring in one of Djoser’s trained Dutch tour leaders to assist the group. They are very familiar with the area, the local culture and all that the area has to offer in the way of activities and points of interest. Guides function as logistics coordinators, not lecturers. They will organize and accompany many activities and meals, but in keeping with our philosophy of “freedom and choice”, they will also make suggestions so that you can dine and explore, safely on your own.

IN-COUNTRY STAFF
Our land representatives are situated in the destination country you will visit. We work closely with them and they function as our liaison with the guide, drivers and hotels. They are also available in the case of an emergency and their number will be provided on your emergency contact list.

PROBLEMS OR EMERGENCY
While you are away, should you have a problem, you have several points of contact. Your guide, our land representative, and of course, we are just a call or email away at our 24/7 emergency number. We will provide contact numbers for you before you leave. Please distribute this list to family or to your contact person at home. If someone needs to reach you from home due to an emergency, but is having difficulty due to language or bad connections, they can call our office and we will assist in contacting you.

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Local Transportation

Depending on the size of the group (with North Americans, only) or private party, we travel by private car, van, mini-bus or bus. We bridge long distances with planes and trains. When we book night trains, where possible, we travel in the comfortable, sleeper compartments, which offer more privacy and comfort.

Once in Vietnam we travel in our own locally hired, comfortable van or bus, depending on the number of participants. In places where we spend one or more days, the vehicle will not be used. The hotels in Vietnam and Cambodia are centrally located and foot, bike or cyclo can easily cover distances in the cities. Hué, Hoi’an, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City (the former Saigon) and surroundings are best explored by bike. For a few dollars you can rent a bike or scooter for a day and discover the country by yourself or with others. Cars are sparse in Vietnam as they are only affordable to a very small minority of the population. In both countries most residents travel by bike, scooter or public transport. Some parts of the Vietnam are best seen from the water, like Halong Bay and Hué, where we will take a boat tour. In the Mekong Delta you can explore the water by yourself or with others.

Once we make a stop, we explore cities and villages on foot and by using the local modes of transport.

Accommodations

On PRIVATE TRIPS or GROUP TRIPS with NORTH AMERICAN participants, only, we use better 3-star hotels with private baths and air-conditioning where needed. In some destinations, we use a combination of 3-star and 4-star hotels. Breakfasts are included. Hotels are conveniently located and many have a special atmosphere. Some have swimming pools. Most do not have mini-bars, porter service or luxury services found in U.S. hotel chains. On private trips, you do have the option to upgrade lodgings. Occasionally, we visit remote areas where the choice of lodgings is limited, and accommodations may be more basic.

SINGLE TRAVELERS & ROOMMATES
On most trips, you can request single accommodations for a reasonable charge. If you would like single accommodations, please indicate your preference on your booking form.

EXTEND YOUR PROGRAM
On most trips you would have the option to extend your stay in the beginning or end of our trip, or at both the front and back. It is always a great idea to be fully rested when you begin your travels.

Meals

Other than breakfasts, meals are not included in the cost of your trip. The guide will suggest interesting, safe and reasonable places to eat. Be sure to ask for recommendations of places that have a special ambiance, or perhaps evening entertainment. Breakfast usually consists of fresh French bread with butter, jam, eggs and/or cheese. At least once you should try the Vietnamese breakfast, pho, a noodle soup with rice, vegetables and often fish or meat. This popular meal is eaten during the whole day, but mostly in the early morning. The traditional Vietnamese cuisine offers over a hundred dishes. Very popular are the small spring rolls with different fillings. The main course often is rice with vegetables and meat or fish, or a pho. Several Chinese restaurants offer a chance of variation and these often offer European food too. The price of a meal varies, depending on where you eat, from a few quarters to about three dollars. Vietnamese restaurants might appear simple and untidy but the food generally is fine and reliable. Please note that people are used to eating with chopsticks and often cutlery is not always available. The national drink is tea, but coffee is widely available, as are mineral water and soft drinks. Beer is relatively expensive.

Cambodian food is similar to Thai food. Most dishes are cooked in a wok and almost always include soup, eaten with the other courses. Samla Machou Banle is popular fish soup with a sour flavor. Most of the fish in Cambodia come from fresh-water sources. The salads are excellent although very different than what we are accustomed to. Phlea Sach Ko is a beef and vegetable salad flavored with coriander, mint leaves and lemon grass, herbs, which are found in many Cambodian dishes.

Climate

As Vietnam is a diverse country with considerable differences in altitudes, several seasons can be distinguished. Therefore it is not possible to say what the preferred season to travel is. If one region is cool and a little wet, the other region is sunny and dry at the same moment. The north has subtropical climate with warm summers and mild winters. Temperatures in Hanoi vary between 63 and 84 Fahrenheit. The center and south of the country have a warm tropical climate. Two wet periods can be distinguished: between October and April the northern part of Vietnam, reaching to Danang, is relatively wet and from April or May until October the south is warm and humid. In the rainy season there might be a shower in the late afternoon or at night. The amount of rain can differ considerably in different regions. Temperatures in the southern part can differ from those in the center part of the country, ranging between 68 and 95 Fahrenheit. The climate in Cambodia is very similar to that of southern Vietnam.

Check the following website for a summary of temperature and rainfall in the region during your season of travel: www.worldweather.org

Check the weather for your destination: Check temperature and rainfall for specific cities on your trip, during your month of travel at www.worldweather.org

Travel Documents

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
In our literature, we have indicated when visas are required. But requirements can change so you must also check with the Department of State for the most recent document requirements for travel to your destinations. Be sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after departure from your destination. Also make sure there are extra pages in your passport. When completing VISA applications, be sure to confirm whether you will need a SINGLE or DOUBLE entry tourist visa. We will provide you in-country contact information for your visa application. The website for the Dept. of State is: http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.

VISA & PASSPORT EXPEDITOR
If you are in a rush for documents, a passport or visa expediting service can arrange your documents in a couple of weeks or a couple of days. We have used ITS EASY PASSPORT & VISA SERVICES, for years. They have easy to follow process instructions and have always been reliable. ITS EASY will honor a 10% discount off the processing portion of the fee if you let them know you are traveling with us.
Please use the following link for ITS EASY PASSPORT & VISA SERVICE:
http://www.itseasy.com/visa-expediting-services.php

TRAVEL INSURANCE
For piece of mind, we highly recommend that you procure travel insurance. Make sure that you are covered in the event of illness or injury. If adequate treatment is not readily available in the area, emergency evacuation is often required by private carrier and can be exorbitantly expensive. Also, unforeseen events at home can prevent you from going, such as the illness of an immediate relative. Even things like delayed or missed flights or lost luggage can be costly. You are free to choose your own insurance provider. Over the years, we have recommended TRAVELEX. They offer a variety of plans and most importantly, they are responsive. Should you choose to go with TRAVELEX, you will contact them directly and the cost of your coverage will depend on the plan you choose. The cost will be based over the total cost of your trip and flights, and the amount is also subject to your age. Ask about the TRAVEL PLUS plan and the more economical TRAVEL LITE plan. Their website is www.travelexinsurance.com and phone number is 1-800-228-9792. It is important to get travel insurance immediately after booking as most companies have a brief window (10 days from booking) for coverage of pre-existing conditions, for example, coverage of cancellation due to a chronically sick relative.

Flights

BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS FROM/TO THE U.S.
DJOSER PROVIDES THE LAND PROGRAM ONLY. YOU WILL NEED TO BOOK YOUR OWN FLIGHTS. You will need to book your own flights from and to the United States.

USEFUL LINKS FOR BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS
ORBITZ: http://www.orbitz.com/
EXPEDIA: http://www.expedia.com/

BEFORE YOU FINALIZE YOUR FLIGHT, GET TRIP CONFIRMATION!
Do not book your flight prior to written or e-mail notification from Djoser that the trip is a "go". For instance, group trips must meet the required minimum enrollment. We will notify you of the status of enrollment upon request. Also, on very rare occasions, an unforeseen itinerary or date change can occur. We advise you to take out travel insurance. Before booking your flight, make sure that you are aware of your flight provider's penalties for changes or cancellations. We are not liable for penalties incurred for flight changes or cancellations.

UPON ARRIVAL - AIRPORT TRANSFER
Upon arrival at the destination country, a representative, holding a DJOSER sign, will meet you at the airport and will take you to the hotel where you will meet the tour leader and the other travelers. Prior to your departure you will receive more information about this. Be sure to give us your flight information: airline name, flight numbers, airport name, arrival and departure times.

FLIGHT DELAYED?
If your flight is delayed or canceled, please notify us so that we can alert the tour leader and land agent of your later arrival. It is possible that we will not be able to cancel or reschedule the pick-up for you upon arrival. In this case, you should take a taxi from the airport to the hotel address, which we have provided for you. Djoser is not responsible for this extra expense, however, generally, travel insurance will cover this expense.

Airline Tickets

On Djoser trips with internal flights, train or boat rides, the tour leader will hold the tickets and disperse to participants at the appropriate time.

Money

Currency & Cash
On your trip you will want to make sure you are prepared with the proper form of currency. ATMs can be scarce and charge cards are not always accepted. You will want to exchange money for the local currency. Before you go, you can check the most current conversion rates, and you can also print out a handy currency exchange "cheat sheet" at: http://www.oanda.com/convert/cheatsheet

Local Currency: Vietnam=Dong, Cambodia = Riel
ATM Machines: Only in Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi.
Charge Cards: Charge Cards Accepted in a few places to withdraw money.
Types of Cash Accepted: Other forms of cash sometimes accepted: Dollars sometimes accepted.

Tipping
It is customary to tip your driver and guide but the amount is at your discretion.

Health

Check with your doctor or local health authorities for the latest recommendations. Be mindful of what you eat. We recommend you carry a first aid kit and be sure to be equipped with your personal medications, painkillers, and medicines to prevent diarrhea and stomach disorders. The tour leader will also carry a first aid kit in case of emergencies. Keep in mind that travel and hiking or cycling can be tiring. It is important to be in good condition and fully equipped for the journey. Take care that you eat properly, drink plenty of water and get lots of rest. For country specific health advice, please consult the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov.

Luggage & Clothing

Please limit your luggage to 35 pounds. We recommend a soft, rolling duffle bag. Hard suitcases are difficult to pack on the vehicle. Be sure to bring good walking shoes that are comfortable and already broken in. Make sure any equipment that you bring is in good working order.

It is recommended that you bring a universal adapter plug and extra batteries for your flashlight, in the event of power outages.

Resources

A good guidebook is invaluable. We recommend the Lonely Planet series as well as the DK Guidebooks.

Communication

Mobile telephone use is limited. Internet cafes can often be found in larger cities but count on a slow connection. Check with your phone provider before departure regarding coverage or consult the following webpage: www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml