1. Where are your offices? What are your memberships and accreditations?
Our principal office is in Cusco, Peru, with a representative in California, USA.
We are a fully accredited Peruvian company, and are affiliated with the following international organizations: the American Society of Travel Agents, (ASTA), The Latin American Travel Association (LATA), the Peruvian Association of Adventure Tourism and Eco-tourism, (APTAE), and The International Eco-tourism Society (TIES)

2. What does Kuoda mean?
Kuoda is a word with a four fold meaning: to expand, to improve, to learn and to grow. Our team is strongly committed to applying all four of these ideals to our work.

3. How do I book my trip?
You can book a trip with us by contacting us through our website, or by calling us at +011(51)84 263 010 in Peru or at (510) 931-6487 in the US. We will begin the booking process by first discussing your needs, and then sending you a questionnaire with questions that once answered and returned to us by email, will help us to personalize your itinerary.

4. What payment methods are accepted?
We accept payments by credit card (Visa).

5. Do I need a visa to visit South America?
Only certain countries in South America require visas for foreign visitors. The visa requirements depend both on the country you are visiting and the country you are a citizen of.  We will gladly inform you regarding the visa requirements for particular countries when we learn the destinations you wish to visit.

6. How is the weather in South America/ my destination?
Since this is a question that requires individual answers based on the time of year of your trip and the countries/destinations you are visiting, we will be happy to provide the answers to this question with your personalized itinerary.

7. If you are a tailor made travel company, why do you have set programs posted on your website?
The itineraries you see are examples of successful trips that our clients have enjoyed in the past. We posted them in order to give you an idea of destinations, descriptions and approximate pricing. These programs can also be used as guidelines which can be adapted to your particular needs based on our communication process while we are designing your itinerary.

8. What is a homestay like? How long is a homestay?
A homestay consists of a visit with a family in a local community in their home. You will be able to get an up-close glimpse of life in a family that is different from your own and to participate in the every day life of a family, who are not creating a display for tourists. The accommodations are rustic, simple and clean. Accommodations will not meet the same standards as are found in hotels. A homestay can last from one to four nights, and includes an escort to facilitate communication with the family, when language barriers make it necessary. Home stays help the family by providing needed economic support and home improvements. Please inquire with us for more information.
Also see this link .

9. What vaccines will I need?
In the jungle regions of Brazil, Ecuador, or Peru, a vaccination for yellow fever is required ten days before you arrive.
In some locations, it is suggested you receive a malaria shot as well, and we will inform you of this depending on your program. Some doctors suggest other vaccinations; please consult your doctor and see this website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentVaccinations.aspx

10. What is altitude sickness? Do you have some tips for preventing it?
Altitude sickness occurs to some people when traveling at high altitudes due to the decreased availability of oxygen at these heights.  Everybody undergoes normal physiologic changes when traveling at high altitudes. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, changed breathing patterns at night, increased urination, breathing faster and deeper, and awakening frequently at night, do not mean you have altitude sickness and are not causes for alarm. Some tips for preventing altitude sickness are:
- Avoid physical exertion and take it easy, especially at first.
- Eat lightly on the days before and during the first few days at high altitudes, avoid fatty and hard-to-digest foods.
- Drink lots of liquids and eat hard candies for glucose; drink coca tea; avoid smoking/ alcohol while adjusting.
- Advise us if you are taking medications or have an illness.
- Ask your doctor about altitude adjustment pills.
- If you feel you may need oxygen, let us know
For more information about altitude sickness and how to prevent it, please see the following link: http://www.ismmed.org/np_altitude_tutorial.htm