About Us
Guillermo Rivera is owner, operator and tour guide of Plant Expeditions (formerly Cactus Expeditions and South American Nature Tours).
Before starting his career as a habitat guide, Guillermo obtained his PhD in Botany and was a researcher at the University of Cordoba, and was employed at the Cordoba Botanical Gardens.
Since the first tour in Argentina and Chile in 2001, our tours have expanded to over 10 countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Madagascar, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Socotra, South Africa, Singapore and Thailand.
Tours are typically 14-16 days, with some offering 1 week extensions (e.g. Kruger National Park, Galapagos, Manu National Park in Peruvian Amazon, a trip to Antarctica if logistics allow after Southern Patagonia tour).
Contact Us
Guillermo Rivera
Sarasota, Florida, USA
Conditions of Travel and Payment
Inclusions and Exclusions
Our tours are all inclusive. Tours include on-tour transportation, all accommodations, activities, experienced botanist and local guides, and meals.
Tours do not include international airfares to tour start and end points (people join from all over the world), visas, airport transfers, gratuities, personal items, alcohol, and souvenirs.
Reservations and Payments
All prices are in US dollars and are per person. Payment can be made to Plant Expeditions via PayPal (2% fee applies) or via direct bank deposit.
An initial deposit/payment to guarantee your place is required (amount depends upon the tour - we will advise when you contact us to express your interest). Upon receipt of your deposit, we will email to confirm your reservation.
Balance of payment is due no later than 60 days prior to tour departure, after which time we will send full details of the tour (including packing suggestions, useful destination information, and a suggested reading list).
Single Occupancy
Accommodation on tours is based on double occupancy. A single occupancy is paid by participants who specifically request single accommodations, subject to availability. If you are traveling alone and are happy to share accommodations, we can try to match you with a roommate of the same gender to save the single occupancy charges.
Cancellation and Refunds
Please understand that places on tours are limited, and some tours require advance payments for hotels, transportation, guides etc. If you must cancel, we respectfully request a minimum of 3 months’ notice. If you need to cancel your trip, please contact Plant Expeditions in writing immediately.
In the event of cancellation by you, any payment made may be partially refunded. Refunds are calculated based on the date we receive your written notice of cancellation, and the tour departure date. On a multi-participant booking, each person is charged a cancellation fee.
If you cancel your booking, we will retain an administration fee of $100 plus cancellation charges as follows:
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90 days or more in advance of the tour departure date will receive a 100% refund.
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60 to 89 days in advance of the tour departure date will receive a 50% refund of the deposit.
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30 to 59 days in advance of the tour departure date will receive a 50% refund of full tour cost.
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less than 30 days in advance of the tour departure date will not receive a refund.
Travel Insurance
We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance (for health and travel cancellation issues) as soon as you make your initial deposit and or pay for other travel arrangements such as airfares. Appropriate travel insurance can help prevent needless loss in case of serious illness, accident, or death of the traveler.