Frequently Asked Questions

About the trips

When you book your trip with Rutopia you will receive a personalized travel guide where you will find detailed information on how to get to your destination by private and public transportation. If you have additional questions or require further information, Rutopia staff and your hosts will be in direct contact with you to support you and ensure that your arrival at your destinations is as easy and comfortable as possible.

Each stay will last as long as you choose. It can be from one day to several weeks.

We offer transportation within your route. We can arrange public transportation, rent a car for you to drive or rent it together with a private driver. We do not offer international flight arrangements.

We do not include international flights, as there are now multiple options available online, with very attractive offers, so it is generally more convenient to do it on your own. We take care of everything from the moment you arrive in Mexico.

Depending on the nature of the tour, you may have to take a flight. You can book it yourself or if you prefer help, we can assist you with it.

It depends on what is included in your trip, mentioned in your itinerary. You can verify what is included with your travel consultant. We recommend you to bring some money for extra expenses.

The experiences are usually outdoors, so it is recommended to check the weather forecast before traveling. As a basic TIP: closed shoes and / or sports shoes, a jacket, and change of clothes in case it rains.

Yes, you choose the date, but not only that. You can choose any detail of your trip such as the people you are traveling with, what you would like to do, the destinations you would like to visit, etc. All our trips are customizable.

The experiences are to destinations, many times, far from the city so it is recommended to bring cash, preferably in small bills, and local currency. Many destinations do not have ATMs so we recommend the traveler to prepare and withdraw money before starting the trip.

Bookings

To make a reservation you must fill out this reservation form. You can also write us directly to viaja@rutopia.com and we will arrange your reservation.

We ask that reservations be made at least one week in advance, although we strongly recommend that you plan your trip at least three weeks in advance. However, if you have a last minute trip we can always look into the possibility of confirming your experience.

All our trips are carefully designed and of high quality, there is something for all tastes and needs. If you need help deciding, send us an email to viaja@rutopia.com and we will gladly help you make the best decision for your group.

Who can travel with Rutopia?

In Rutopía we have created experiences for all tastes, from experiences for very adventurous travelers to families looking for more comfort. With Rutopía you can live unique experiences in little known places with the level of comfort and adventure that you decide. We recommend you always tell us if you have special needs for comfort, food or mobility, as well as if you are traveling with small children so we can find the ideal experience for you and the hosts are always well prepared.

Almost all trips are suitable for young children. The idea is to make it easy and safe to travel this way in Mexico. We ask that you specify the number and age of the little ones when you make your reservation so that your hosts are fully prepared.

At Rutopía we have experiences for all tastes. Several of the hosts we work with have cabins and services that meet high national and international quality standards. With Rutopía you can live unique experiences in little known places with the level of comfort and adventure that you decide.

When you make your reservation, please inform us about your diet so that your hosts are prepared to cook traditional dishes that are suitable for you.

Yes! On dozens of occasions we have had the opportunity to see that part of the cultural immersion experience is to realize that you have many things in common and that there are many different ways to communicate, even when you do not share the same language.

If you do not speak Spanish, at Rutopia we make sure that before your trip you receive your Travel Guide in English with clear information and useful tips for communicating. We are also available to assist you by phone or mail in English or French.

If you would definitely like to have a guide in English during your trip, you can request a translator or guides with a basic or intermediate knowledge of English.

Cancellation Policies

At Rutopía we offer you the option to postpone your trip in case you are unable to travel. You will be able to move your travel dates at no additional cost, and you will not have to choose new dates until you are ready to travel again.

Security

Yes, it is the safest way to travel to the deepest Mexico. When you choose to travel with Rutopía the hosts at each destination will open their doors to you and you will live with them. We carefully check each destination, making sure it is up and running and that each activity, lodge and host fulfills the necessary safety requirements. Our trips are safe for everyone. In addition, the Rutopia team will be with you remotely during your trip to assist you in whatever you need. We also recommend that you travel protected with a traveler’s assistance insurance, in Rutopía we offer different options that protect you against eventualities of high medical complexity such as medical plane transfer, legal assistance among other unforeseen events.

It is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure that they have valid medical insurance during their trip, we can recommend several companies that can offer protection for your trip.

In most destinations there is a first aid kit with the basic medicines, in addition, we always recommend taking a basic kit with the medicines of your choice in case you have a minor illness or discomfort during your trip. If something more serious happens, the local host has clear indications from Rutopia to take you to the nearest medical center, regardless of cost or conditions. In each destination these medical centers and transfer times are identified.

A large part of those who travel through Rutopia are women traveling alone! They choose us because we provide them security. All our destinations are carefully selected, one of our criteria is that they are places where a traveler, man or woman, can walk peacefully during the day. We cannot guarantee that an incident will never happen, but we have established guidelines to make the experience safe from start to finish. In addition, we accompany you virtually throughout your experience, so technically you won’t be traveling alone.

COVID Security

We make sure that all the experiences that are being sold at the moment have and fulfill the necessary protocols to safely receive travelers.

  1. Certification of the Rutopía team and local partners in preventive measures and action protocols, by several institutions.
  2. Creation of a post-COVID management manual for the Rutopía team and its partners, which contains all the information about the virus, a contingency plan, the necessary hygiene and prevention measures, recommendations in the operation and a response protocol in case of contagion or resurgence of COVID-19.
  3. Contact with our national and international partners and constant training on the global situation.
  4. Training of our local partners to ensure that all appropriate measures will be taken and we will be coordinated during the operation.
  5. Improvement of general internal processes to be more responsive to our travelers.

We have been very cautious in re-opening destinations and booking experiences, although no trip, service or destination can be guaranteed to be 100% COVID-free. We are working only with projects that have implemented sanitary measures, have limited the number of visitors and offer outdoor activities. If both travelers and hosts follow strict safety measures, the likelihood of contagion risk will be minimal.

Mexico reopened its borders on June 1, 2020 and we are currently in a de-escalation period. The government in Mexico has created a monitoring system to regulate the use of public space according to the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This system is statewide and is based on an epidemiological traffic light, which has 4 colors:

Red: it is recommended not to go out if it is not strictly necessary. There are essential economic activities.

Orange: in addition to essential economic activities, companies of other activities will be able to work at 30% of their capacity, taking into account preventive measures. Open public spaces with reduced capacity will also be open.

Yellow: all work activities are allowed, taking into account preventive measures. Open public spaces may be open with reduced capacity and closed public spaces may be open with reduced capacity. All activities must be carried out with preventive measures.

Green: all activities are allowed, including school activities.

More information at https://coronavirus.gob.mx/semaforo/

This monitoring is done on a daily basis and every week we receive a communication updating information about the color of the traffic light (like this one, which is specific to Quintana Roo) and the activities that can be carried out. As you can see in the example image (by clicking on “state traffic light”), sometimes the same state can have different color traffic lights (this is due to its extension, Mexico is a very big country!)

So the Rutopia team will be monitoring this information and will be guided by it to determine if activities can be developed in that area or not. So you can rest assured that we are watching over your safety at all times.

In addition to the traffic light monitoring by the authorities, we are also monitoring the reactivation of the activity of our local partners. So, we will design your itinerary accordingly. When you book your trip, we will be paying special attention to each of the providers of these activities (as well as the public places) to ensure that they can be carried out smoothly. If there are any changes, we will notify you as soon as possible.

There are some basic precautions you can take when you are here, such as washing your hands regularly and covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose or sneezing. Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth and clean objects and surfaces that you touch frequently, such as your cell phone.

 

In addition to these basic measures you already know, when packing your luggage, make sure you have the following items:

 

If possible, two mouth covers, so that you can wash them and not run out of any. In Mexico they are sold in many pharmacies and there are already many local initiatives that sell mouth covers with nice designs, but it is better to bring your own in case they run out at any given moment.

Bring disinfectant gel containing 70% alcohol. You can also find it here in many pharmacies and most places you go will have it, but it is always better to be safe.

Don’t bring too much luggage, but make sure it contains what you need in case you have to stay isolated for a few days.

Take out travel insurance to cover you in case of COVID-19 infection.

Before leaving on your trip, make sure you do not have any of the symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, dry cough, fatigue or tiredness, or difficulty breathing.

If you have symptoms before leaving for Mexico, please go to a medical center for a test or follow your doctor’s instructions. Please let us know at all times what is happening so we know if we have to postpone your activities.

 

If you have symptoms when you are already traveling in Mexico, please notify your local host and/or us as soon as possible, so that the protocol can be activated and we can help you. In the form we will send you before your arrival, you will find a summary of this protocol.

Also, within your travel guide, we will include the emergency numbers you can call so that they can evaluate your condition and give you instructions with the steps to follow. We will support you in everything you need to comply with these instructions, whether it is isolating you or taking you to a medical center or hospital.

In this case, we will activate our protocol to help you. If the government (either from your country or Mexico) requests your return to your home country, we will coordinate your transfer to the airport so you can catch your flight. In the form we will send you before your arrival, you will see a summary of this protocol.

If there is no such request, then we will do everything in our power to protect you from infection.

We will take care of canceling all planned activities and services and postpone each and every one of them, so that you can make your trip on new dates.