Puerto Vallarta Frequently Asked Questions

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• Are there any specials?  A:  Yes  Spring/Summer Special - Purchase 2 different walking adventures and get a 3rd free.  How it works: Purchase 2 different walking adventures (IE: Yelapa and El Tuito) for your group (must be purchased directly from our website) and then email us with the request for the 3rd free trip (IE: Waterfall) you would like to take for the group - must be on the day of the week that tour is regularly scheduled. Promotion not redeemable for the specialty tours such as Eclipse Tour or Day of the Dead. If the 2 purchased trips are of different sizes, the 3rd free trip is awarded based upon the smaller tour.) All tours must be taken within 30 days of each other.  

• Am i fit enough to participate in your walking adventures?  A: Maybe.  The average person will have little problem on an Easy or Intermediate adventure.  (Our Taco Eating Adventure and the Pitillal adventure are specifically desined for seniors.) The question remains, what is the average person.  Small children and the elderly would likely have trouble with the duration of our walking on our long adventures (most tours however are easy.)  Anyone with a cane or in a wheelchair would have great difficulty with most neighborhoods in all of Mexico.  Still not sure you are up for these adventures?  Then before you travel go out and walk a few miles.  If you have trouble, keep walking everyday until you no longer have trouble.  And improving your diet would not hurt - start by eliminating sugar and reducing carbs.   And eat more vegetables - much more.  

• Do you have a newsletter? A: No.  We do not plan on any type of newsletter just to remind you that we are here.  If you want to experience Puerto Vallarta in the manner and depth that our tours allow, you will remember us.  But you can also follow us on facebook which is where we introduce new trips, interesting information, and post beautiful photographs.  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090353954399

• Do I need to complete all of the walk? A:  No.  You are welcome to leave the adventure for any reason.  We understand sometimes it may be too tiring or you actually have an early dinner reservation.  Please inform the leader that you are terminating participation in the tour so he (or she) does not worry, and he can ensure you know how to get back to where you need such as through a taxi, uber, bus etc.  

• Will I have cell phone service? A:  Maybe.  Most USA carriers have reception in most places in Vallarta.  It's when you leave the urban area that coverage starts to drop.  The Mexican carrier "TelCel" has the best coverage in the rural areas.  

• Will I have access to restroom facilities?  A:  Many restaurants and many businesses will allow a non-patron to use their facilities for a small payment - usually 10 pesos.  But that aside the leader will have a list of know restroom options.  It is only on the Boca to Las Animas hike that restrooms are scarce.    

• What will the weather be like?  A.  Amazing to Hot.  In the winter we rarely have any rain and breezes are light.  During the summer (rainy season) we usually have some rain everyday - often it is in the late afternoons and evenings.  The winter temperatures run between 65 in the early mornings and up to a high of 80.  Summer temperatures start out about 78 and may hit 90 degrees.  However when it is raining the temperature will drop at least 5 degrees so needless to say we celebrate when it rains.  Remember the age old adage: "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices." 

• How should I dress?  A.  Dress for comfort!  Most will wear shorts with a breathable shirt (long or short but remember sunscreen.)  For the summer, you may want a very light breathable rain jacket.  Always wear a hat.  Bring a bandana to wipe sweat.  Your shoes should be comfortable for walking: running or walking shoes, light hiking boots etc. 

• Can I cancel my reservation?  A:  yes, you can cancel the reservation for a refund (less fee (10%) to repay credit card fee and reservations fees incurred) up until 24 hours before the adventure for standard evening or day adventures. Special events or multi day tours have their own cancelation policies - check the tour listing for further details.   

• Can I bring my dog along?  A.  Maybe.  The first thing to consider is that we walk through a lot of residential neighborhoods and many Mexicans tend to have dogs - and sometimes they have access to the streets - and there also seems to be a lot of "street dogs."  Also having the responsibility of a dog may keep you from entering some of the businesses, museums, malls (often our restroom options are in a well airconditioned government building.)  And most importantly, most bus drivers will not allow you to bring a dog on the bus so those tours are not an option that we use the buses.  

• What happens if there is an emergency?  A:  The adventure leader is trained for emergences and equipped to call the emergency services.  In Mexico calling 911 is the most efficient.   As most of our adventures are urban, help is usually not too far away.  Even in El Tuito there is ambulance service.  On the remote parts of the bay (Las Animas, Yelapa etc) help is farther away as usually the Bomberos (Paramedics) have to come by boat.  The best thing you can do is to have at least one credit card on your person that can be used to establish credit with any private hospital.   Even if you have insurance, treatment is much faster leaving the card approval upon admittance and not wait for them to obtain insurance payment authorization which may take up to 24 hours - and often they will not extend treatment until the credit is established.  

• What if I can not swim?  Many of our adventures do not include swimming.  But some of them do hike along the bay or along the various rivers in the area.  We recommend on the bay you not go in the water past your knees and pay attention for a larger wave that could sweep you out to deep water.  During the Winter we really enjoy the swimming holes in the river but usually they are shallow and slow moving water.  During the rainy season we will avoid the river for a day following a major storm.  

• Is it safe to walk around Mexico?  A:  More so than most US major cities.  Personal crime against tourists is rare.  But because we are usually a group of 6 to 12 walkers, potential trouble shys away. (And we do have a few areas mapped off that we will not walk just to avoid potential problems.) More common are burglaries and purse snatching from the back of restaurant chairs.  Our trip leader will offer suggestions to avoid being a victim such as looping a purse strap around a table leg.  Of much more concern to us is when we cross a street.  And we will be doing a lot of street crossings on our walks. Rest assured; we will practice great defensive walking at all times.  

• What are the public buses like?  A: It's a mixed bag.  The local (inside Vallarta) buses tend to be only a few years old.  The older buses tend to run the farther routes outside Vallarta.  Usually none of these buses will turn on the AC during the winter - they rely on the open windows which work well.  During the summer some turn on the AC but most local residents live without AC at home and freeze in AC so some drivers refuse to turn it on.   What can we say? It's an adventure!

• Tips for a better trip experience:    Dress smart for humidity and sun. Use sunscreen.  Do not carry too much. (Small shops are everywhere in the urban areas) But do bring toilet paper just in case.   Arrive early and begin to stretch your muscles.  Introduce yourself early to your fellow walkers.  Take time during day to walk with everyone and chat.  Say hola (or the formal buenos dias, buenas tardes) to any local you pass on the sidewalks or in shops.  Don't ignore kids - they are often just dying to practice their English they have been learning in school with a passing tourist.  Record locations of places you wish to return.  Try to purchase from the "mom and pop" tiendas and not just the corporate owned OXXOs and Kioskos.  Be generous with charity if you encounter someone in need. (even 20 pesos will buy a taco or bottle of water and make a big difference for that person's day.)  

• Is Puerto Vallarta Walking Adventures an Eco Tour Company?    Although we don't go around making a big point of it, we do think we are the most environmentally friendly company in the greater Puerto Vallarta area. (Maybe even farther afield)   If you measure the extra carbon footprint generated by our tours, it's clear we are miles ahead of even the most self proclaiming major multi national tour companies claiming donating money from the profits of operating hundreds of diesel buses, or thousands of pollution emitting 2 and 3 stroke scooters and ATVs, is good stewardship of the environment.  Click here to view our Sustainability Mission in protection of the environment.  

• Can I reserve a tour only for my teens or Children?  A.  In order to reserve a teen or child price for a tour they must always be accompanied by at least 1 adult.  

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