What is a Local Payment?
Local Payment is part of your overall tour cost and is the easiest and most economical way for Viva Expeditions to get hard currency to South America to help run your trip.  It goes toward a variety of day to day local costs which cannot be pre-paid such as locally organised activities and meals at restaurants. 

Why do we have a Local Payment?
Paying this money locally ensures tour leaders have a supply of money as access to banking facilities can at times be limited or non existent. Having a Local Payment also allows us to keep the cost of our tours competitive and save on operational and administrative costs, so we can pass the savings on to you. 

How do we pay the Local Payment?
This is payable to your tour leader on the first day of your tour and needs to be in US Dollars cash only.  Please note: US Dollar Travellers Cheques cannot be changed into US$ cash in most countries we visit, they can only be changed into local currency (banks will often tell you differently, this is incorrect). In the few places where you can sometimes buy US$ cash, you will pay excessive charges.

Make sure that all your notes are in good condition. Old, torn or marked notes are often refused by the banks. Do not bring all of your Local Payment in $100 notes and please make sure that they are post 1996 and not of a serial number starting with CB.