How to Book
(at the highest and safest exchange rate)
Our groups are very small, and we happily receive reservation requests from all over the world, so some of our tours (and our resources) can be fully booked a year in advance.
We only take reservations paid in full.
The good news is that with MasterCard or Visa credit cards you can now book at an exchange rate closely related to the black-market "blue" rate.
But why is this now the best and safest way to book in Argentina?
You might already know about Argentina's economic singularities, and about how (until recently) you were able to save around 50% or more in tours or restaurants by bringing cash dollars or euros… and risking those in the streets to get pesos at the black-market "blue" rate.
Nowadays, not many people know that Visa and MasterCard managed to bridge that gap. The Argentine government officially allowed them to use a more convenient exchange rate ("dólar MEP"*) instead of the lowest ("official" rate) for purchases made in pesos with their credit cards.
Since December 2022, you don’t lose 50% or more when using your credit card. Neither you nor us have to do anything in particular to get this "MEP" exchange rate; it applies by law to any charges made in pesos to Visa and MasterCard credit cards issued abroad. We can now resume making reservations for the next few days, weeks or months at the best price!
What is the “MEP” rate, and how is it applied to my booking with Canal?
The "MEP" acronym translates into "Electronic Means of Payment" and its value is linked to the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange Market trading transactions, unlike the "official" exchange rate, determined by Argentina's Central Bank, which is the one shown by the online currency converters.
The "dólar MEP" exchange rate fluctuates independently but in close proximity to the black-market "blue" rate, but it does not appear in the online currency converters, that only show the "official" rate.
The gap between the "blue" and "MEP" exchange rates usually ranges +/- 8%.
Our prices -and our charges to any credit card- are in pesos. Once you pay, there will not be any surcharges due to inflation in Argentina. The prices published on our website are subject to change, for the monthly inflation for the past few months has been over 6%, while in August has been above 12%.
Booking in advance with us is in your best interest: While you save time, and you book safely at the best price, not only you can ensure your seats in our tours, but you can also avoid scams and the inconvenience of carrying bulky bundles of cash that tend to get quite cumbersome when converted to pesos!
Notice:
While Visa applies this "MEP" exchange rate immediately, MasterCard might take a week to compensate for the difference between the "official" and "MEP" rates. American Express did not adhere to this yet, so they still apply the "official" rate.
This "MEP" exchange rate does not apply to the use of prepaid cards, or cards that have not been issued by banks.
Our cancellation policy is: We do not ask any questions nor apply charges if you cancel at least 7 days before the tour. But, if you cancel between 7 and 2 days before the tour, we will refund only 50% of the reservation. We will not make any refunds if you cancel within 48 hours previous to the tour's departure.
Information on the official pages on the topic of the exchange rates: