Au Pairs in the USA Travel Information

1) Services of an experienced tour guide to make sure you make the most of your time while on tour by organising all of your daily activities.

2) Transportation in a 15 seater air-conditioned maxi van. Our vans are small enough to get "off the beaten track" but large enough to transport you in comfort. All vans are equipped with an excellent music system so don't forget your favorite music.

3) We provide all necessary camping equipment for your tour. All you need to bring is a sleeping bag and your sense of adventure!

4) Admission to all National Parks and Monuments as listed on the tour page in our brochure.

5) We also include many extras such as a Niagara Falls boat cruise, overnight wilderness canoe trips and 2 nights on a working cowboy ranch!

A typical TrekAmerica group consists of people from all over the world, not just au pairs. All of our passengers are individuals seeking fun and adventure in the company of other like-minded travelers.

As our tours are sold in over 45 countries worldwide, there is usually an average of 5 nationalities per tour, giving you the chance to experience other cultures while in North America.

The average age on the TrekAmerica 18-38 year old program is 24.

The J-1 visa does not allow you to leave and return to the United States during your 13th month. Please contact your local community coordinator if you have any further questions about your visa.

All you need to bring is a sleeping bag and your personal items. Prior to your departure, we will send you a copy of our "Trek Tips" booklet which will provide you a list of suggested items you may want to bring on your trek. Of course an enthusiastic, fun loving attitude is always welcome!

As our vehicles have limited storage space, TrekAmerica restricts luggage to one large suitcase or hold-all bag weighing no more than 20KG. You may also bring a small day pack and your sleeping bag. If your tour departs and returns to New York, Seattle or Los Angeles, we can store your extra bags for you at a cost of US$10 per week per bag. If you are departing or returning to one of our other gateway cities you will need to make alternative arrangements for your extra luggage.

Anyone in reasonably good health can join our Treks. Don't worry we don't run our tours like a military camp, many activities are optional, so you can choose activities according to your fitness level. Most National Parks offer a variety of hiking trails that suit all levels of adventure and fitness.

If you have never camped before... DON'T WORRY. TrekAmerica has made it easy! We supply everything needed to make camping holidays simple and comfortable. Our tents are very easy to set up and take down. We camp two people in each four-person tent, which leaves more than enough room for you and your luggage. We also supply a pad to sleep on, but if you prefer added comfort, you are encouraged to bring your own self-inflating sleeping pad.

Firstly, it depends if you are a shopaholic or not! If you are planning on buying t-shirts and souvenirs at each destination, then bring plenty of spending money!

Items that you must budget for include the Food Kitty of US$10 per day. This will cover all of your meals while camping. Depending on the tour you choose, there may also be a few nights in hotels. These will be marked with an (H) on the itinerary. You should budget US$40-50 for each of these night stops.

In addition to the activities included in the Trek price, there are plenty of other optional activities you might want to participate in while on tour. A budget of US$25 per day should enable you to join the group on the majority of these activities.

All Treks depart from our gateway hotels at 7:30am on the departure morning and generally end between 5:00pm and 6:00pm on the final day of the tour.

For your convenience, we also suggest that you spend the final evening in our gateway hotel. If you must leave that evening, we recommend that you book a flight departing no earlier than 9:00pm to allow for possible delays on tour.

We can book a hotel room for you at any of our gateway cities. Don't worry, if you are travelling alone, we can arrange for you to share a room with another TrekAmerica passenger. Reservations can be made on your booking form or by calling our office. As long as you reserve your room more than a month before departure, we can guarantee a shared room. For bookings made within a month of departure, hotels will be on a request basis.

Alternatively, we understand that you may be on a tight budget so our sales staff can recommend safe, cheap hostel accommodation for the nights before and after the tour.