VI GIVES trips are ideal for anyone who is passionate about our planet, its animals, and the people who care for them! This includes veterinary professionals, vet students, and animal welfare enthusiasts.

A: Because of the adventurous nature of our trips, safety is our #1 priority. We are adventurous, not reckless. We are careful choosing the best local operators and guides and very closely monitor their performance on every trip. Safety is paramount to us, and you can be rest assured that we are watching out for you every minute of our trips. That being said, accidents may happen that are out of our control, we are working with wild animals hence the liability waiver.

A: Not at all. You will come by yourself, but will immediately meet other travelers just like you, who will make you feel welcome. We are very inclusive, friendly, welcoming, and our group leaders focus on creating a safe and fun atmosphere.

A: No. Our prices are based on double occupancy (unless otherwise specified), and we will always pair you up with a person of the same gender if you join the group by yourself. Of course, if you want your own room, that can also be arranged for an additional cost.

A: Absolutely. Our groups have a mix of solo travelers, couples, and friends. If you join with a friend or significant other, you will room with your friend unless otherwise requested. Regardless, if you initially come with a friend, in the end you will have made several other friends as well!

A: Our groups range between six and ten people.

A: Because Veterinarians International is based in the United States and our trips are conducted in English, most of our travelers come from the U.S. but may come from other countries as well.

A: The minimum age is 18, but we don’t have an upper limit. So long as you are a friendly and able person who wants to make friends and be with a great group, you are welcome. Since our groups are so varied, you will almost certainly find people within your age range on every trip. However, you will also find that you will make friends with people of all ages. One amazing thing we find in our groups is that age becomes irrelevant because our travelers possess a common interest. It is not unusual for us to spot a twenty-something year old hanging out with a sixty-something year old, laughing and engaging as if they were best friends of the same age.

A: Our trips are usually adult-oriented, and the minimum age to travel with us is 18. Depending on the trip, you may be allowed to bring your child/children. Please inquire with us before joining a trip with a minor.

A: We list the fitness/activity level of each trip and explain them in detail on our Physical Activity Ratings below. Trips are rated from 1 (little to no physical activity) to 6 (extremely demanding). Before signing up for a trip, look at how it’s rated and decide if you are in the physical condition necessary to keep up. In addition, we normally post our trips with enough advance notice that you can improve your fitness level by the time the trip happens. You might not be able to go all the way from 1 to 6 in that time, but depending where you are fitness-wise, and how physically demanding the trip is, you may be able to train appropriately for the trip in the interim.

A: Absolutely. Although we encourage you to be adventurous, and take every precaution to ensure your safety, we never want you to partake in an activity that you are not comfortable with. Although it’s a rare occurrence, you may incur extra expenses, especially if special arrangements have to be made for different kinds of transportation or separate accommodations. That said, forgoing an activity usually simply entails waiting on the bus or somewhere in the area, or even staying at the hotel while the group is out doing the activity.

A: This can vary from trip to trip, but generally all the transportation within the destination is included, including internal flights (flights to our original arrival and from our final departure destinations are not included), all the entrances to the included activities, all accommodations from the beginning of the trip, and daily breakfast. We sometimes include lunch and/or dinner as well, but, often times, those meals are best not to be included so you can have the freedom to choose where to go.

A: This also varies from trip to trip, but we usually don’t include tips to guides and staff (although we strongly encourage you to be generous with them), extracurricular activities, sometimes lunches and dinners, and rentals (unless the rented equipment is necessary for an included activity) and airfare to and from the trip arrival and departure points (see next Q)

A: Airfare to our original arrival (where the trip begins) and from our final departure (where the trip ends) destination is NOT included. Our group members come from different places and often wish to do side trips before or after our main trip, so it becomes impractical to include flights. Flights are very easy to book on your own. Instead of including airfare, we will give you guidelines so you can book your own, and we’ll meet you at the beginning of the trip.

A: Depending on the location, we may stay in luxury hotels, or may stay in simpler accommodations. Wherever we stay, we always make sure to request clean, comfortable, and safe accommodations in safe areas, and preferably at central locations.

A: A passport is required for all international travel. Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your return date. If you don’t have a valid passport, or if your passport expires before 6 months after the date you will arrive back in the U.S., make sure to get started on a new one ASAP. Here’s the link for the Department of State Passport section: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

A: Yes. Travel insurance is REQUIRED. You may purchase insurance with any company you wish, but we require that your policy covers personal injury, death, medical expenses, emergency evacuation and treatment, repatriation, and personal liability, with a minimum coverage of $200,000 USD. You will be required to submit proof of insurance no later than seven (7) days prior to the start of the trip. Although not part of the requirement, we STRONGLY suggest that you get insurance right away (within 15 days of making your deposit), and that you buy a policy that will cover you in case you need to cancel your trip for any reason.

A: Check with your doctor to make sure you are up to date on your vaccines, such as tetanus, and any other recommended vaccines.

A: We recommend that you bring local currency to help facilitate transactions and leave tips. Our general recommendation is that you bring the equivalent of $350 USD in local currency to spend per week. However, that is just a suggestion. Since people have different spending habits, you must make the determination based on your personal needs and preferences.