BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

Not only are we excited to start talking travel again, but we also want you to feel secure with any holiday plans you may want to put in place. For this reason, we have made changes to our terms and conditions and amended our booking policy, so you can know your money is protected and book with confidence.

At the current time there are a few offers around for travel up to Easter 2022, but beyond the immediate offers, there are some benefits in booking now for travel next year.  Countries are opening again, demand is extremely high and availability at your hotels of choice will quickly go due to pent-up demand for a holiday.

We therefore strongly recommend booking as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. Now is the time to start planning for next year and beyond, so let us create an unforgettable journey for you.

MAKE CHANGES OR POSTPONE YOUR HOLIDAY FOR FREE

We have never charged for amending a booking and this policy continues. With nearly 20 years of experience of booking holidays to Latin America, we understand that unexpected circumstances occur and sometimes your plans need to change. So, if you wish to change any aspect of your holiday, we will make the necessary changes free of charge*.

If for whatever reason you wish to postpone or cancel your holiday, we will do what no other travel company offers and give you a credit voucher or a full refund for all monies paid. All we ask is that you let us know 45 days or more before you are due to travel*

If at 45 days prior to travel, we are unable to operate your holiday due to:
i. A red traffic light government restriction in place for your destination.
ii. An FCDO travel restriction against non-essential travel from the UK.
iii. An entry restriction imposed by the country you are due to travel to.

Then you may either postpone, take a credit voucher or receive a full refund of all monies paid.

*There may be exceptions to this, where the service provider’s terms are stricter than ours. If this occurs, we will notify you at the time of booking.

DEPOSITS

Our normal terms require a percentage of your booking total to secure your holiday. However, we will only be requesting what services such as cruises, airlines or all-inclusive lodges may require to secure your booking. Where this is the case, we will advise if these deposits are refundable up to 45 days prior to travel. If unable to do so, we will make it clear to you at time of booking.

TAILOR-MADE APPROACH TO FULL PAYMENT 

We’ve amended our full payment terms – we no longer require full payment 90 days prior**. Instead, we are implanting a tailor-made approach to full payment, for example, if a service (cruise, airline, hotel) only requires full payment 15 days prior, then that is what we will ask of you. This gives us more time to ensure; the destination is secure to travel to, that you are comfortable with going there and that we can operate your holiday as planned.

**This is subject to the specific terms and conditions offered by our partners. We have negotiated as favourable terms as possible, but there may be exceptions. If so, we will make it clear at the point of booking.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We require all clients to purchase travel insurance. Additionally, your insurance policy must cover you for COVID eventualities such as as well as cancellation cover. Please be aware that certain destinations require a minimum amount of COVID related cover to enter the country.

It’s important that you read your insurance policy wording in full, as some policies include COVID exclusions, which provide limited medical and cancellation cover.

We can advise the exact details with you at the time of booking and can provide details of such policies. You must purchase either this policy or a policy that offers at least comparable cover under all sections. We reserve the right to cancel your holiday at any time should such a policy not be taken out by you.

WHY CHOOSE US?

We have a different approach. We don’t just plan and sell holidays like your average tour operator or travel agent.

We have a genuine passion for Latin America. We speak the language and can share fascinating stories about its culture, people, food and wildlife.

We create holidays for people who want to feel all their five senses come alive.

We believe in taking the road less travelled. Not “just to check it off the list.” Because where’s the wonder and the thrill in that?

We’re an imaginative travel company for the smart folk who want to leave the crowd behind.

My wife and I would not consider using anyone else for arranging travel in Central and South America. Their high level of knowledge, attention to detail and personal responsiveness is almost unique within the industry.

Ashley G, London

If you are thinking of booking a trip we highly recommend that you use Latin Odyssey, you will not be disappointed. Thank you so much for a trip of a life time

Elaine B, London

The service was personal, outstanding and incredibly good value. I sing their praise to anyone who will listen. Such an incredible find.

Sarita M, London

Completely personal service of the highest quality. We have now been away with Latin Odyssey four times and you won't get this level of expertise from any other travel agent that we know!

Judy H, Sheffield

How we work

WHY CHOOSE LATIN ODYSSEY FOR YOUR HOLIDAY?

GET INSPIRED

Each of our specialists lives and breathes Latin America and knows about the hidden gems that other tour operators don’t.

Tap into our expert, local knowledge and we will show you the world’s most mesmerising sights and some of the remotest corners of the continent.

PLAN

We pride ourselves on being small enough that we get to know our clients personally, allowing us to offer a unique service.

Everything we do is personal – with our bespoke holiday plans the hotels and activities are thoughtfully hand-picked to suit you.

GET IN TOUCH

The best way for us to create a holiday for you is by giving us a call or, why not come into our office for a private presentation.

We have been to every area on or website and every hotel, so by getting to know how you like to travel, we can create the perfect holiday for you

why i love latin america

by Founder, Mark Rolfe

The first country I ever visited in Latin America was Belize and I was hooked from the moment I arrived. I spent six months in this warm, safe and proud country and fell in love with not just the country and its backwater feel, but its people as well. Being English speaking made it easy to travel, although I did start to speak some basic Creole. However, I knew that if I wanted to get to know the rest of this awe -inspiring continent I would have to learn Spanish.

 

So, my next stop was Guatemala where I taught myself Spanish. I lived with a local family for two months, during which time I didn’t speak a word of English. I remember well that their son Ramon found me a constant source of amusement as I struggled with pronunciations and will be forever grateful for their encouragement and patience.

 

Over the next four years I led small group adventure tours from Guatemala all the way down to Patagonian Chile and was constantly put in my place by the sheer size and beauty of everything I saw. Trekking around the spectacular 6,000 m volcano of Cerro de Pili Acamarachi in the Atacama Desert in Chile, you cannot fail to feel small. A tiny part of a massive universe.

 

As French novelist Gustave Flaubert once said: “Travelling makes one modest – you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world”.

 

The kindness of all the people I’ve met on my Latin America travels is extraordinary. People feed you, pay for things and proudly show you their local customs. I remember spending time in a deserted town in Suipacha, Bolivia where a local weaver; a woman dressed in her own colourful woven clothing, encouraged me with a warm smile to give it a try. There were many times such as these where local people made me feel not just welcome, but one of their own.  And this meant that I felt at home in Latin America, wherever I was.

 

One of my stand out memories was when I was setting up Latin Odyssey and wanting to offer something a little different.  I remember being in a lonely corner of north-west Argentina, a small town called San Carlos, searching for some unique white water to raft. I stumbled across a remote rafting station.  I met the owners who asked me to stay the night and after a few too many beers they decided to take me on a five day journey across some of the most remote rivers I have ever encountered. This ended with a three day rafting expedition down the Bermejo River which forms the border with Bolivia.

 

This secluded river, accessible only by entering Bolivia through an unknown border crossing was devoid of human life.  It was an impenetrable jungle and the river was our guide. Nights were spent sleeping on the few sandy banks we found and the days were spent rafting or carrying the heavy raft over the most dangerous of rapids. All the while we felt like we were being watched by the unknown sounds of the wildlife that lived there.  My rafting guide’s hospitality and generosity was incredible.  They took me into their homes, showed me a unique part of their world, never asking for anything in return and left me with an experience that will last a lifetime.

 

As you can see, my enduring love for Latin America is driven by the welcoming, generous and proud nature of its people. This is why Latin Odyssey has always searched out the very best local guides; because it is the knowledge, wisdom and love of their homeland which will help to make your holiday there so memorable.
I hope you find the beauty and adventure that I have in Latin America.

our story

Latin Odyssey’s founder, Mark Rolfe, travelled solo for five years hitch-hiking and pitching his tent across four continents.

 

He then became an Expedition leader for the next six years throughout Europe, Africa and South and Central America. This experience gave him unrivalled product knowledge of South and Central America and a true appreciation of the local culture, people and wildlife.

 

Following this Mark established ‘Latin Odyssey’ in 2003, knowing that this intimate knowledge of the continent would enable him to create extraordinary travel experiences for other spirited adventurers.

 

Latin Odyssey has now been creating luxury, tailor made holidays to South and Central America for over a decade.

 

We are (and always will be) a boutique travel company with a team that takes enormous pride in what we do. Latin Odyssey’s high customer satisfaction score on Trustpilot is testament to this and why many clients come back time and again to travel with us.

your protection

Latin Odyssey Ltd has been trading since 2003.  We are 100% committed to protecting our customers financially and have all the necessary insurance and bonding to ensure you have peace of mind when booking with us.

 

Latin Odyssey Ltd is fully ATOL bonded – All monies paid by you for the air holiday package shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL No. is 11480. For more information see the ATOL website or our booking terms and conditions.

 

Being ATOL protected means if Latin Odyssey Ltd ceased to trade, you would receive your holiday exactly as we have described to you, meaning that you can relax from the moment you book with us, as you are protected.

 

No exchange risk – Even if significant currency fluctuations occur in the months prior to your departure, your holiday price will not change. This has always been our policy and will remain so even in these unsettled times.

 

Great deals – We’re constantly in touch with our suppliers and hotels, seeking special offers and suggestions on how to make our holidays as competitive as we can. See our specials page for all the up to date deals.

What make us different?

FLIGHTS

Whilst you are travelling, we automatically check all your flights so you don’t have to and inform you of any schedule changes.

RESTAURANTS

Before you depart we supply a diverse list of recommended restaurants and make any necessary reservations for you

TRANSFERS

You are met at each destination by your own private vehicle and private guide who will give you all the local information you need

ALWAYS HERE

Your final travel pack includes a 24 hour emergency mobile number, so should you need us we are here for you

KNOWING YOU

We take the time to get to know you, so each aspect of your holiday is tailored to what you want to do and not what we think you should do