You can make a reservation at the top of each destination’s page. Then, select your desired date and fill out the form with your information. Payment is made directly on the platform in a secure manner, with several payment methods available: credit card, iDeal, Bancontact, or via Link. For payments by bank transfer and MB WAY, please contact us. You will receive a confirmation that your payment has been processed and the booking is complete.
Payment is made in two installments. A 30% deposit (non-refundable if the traveler cancels) to secure the reservation, and a second payment of 70% up to 60 days before the trip begins. You may also choose to pay the full amount of the trip in a single payment. If the reservation is made less than 60 days before the trip date, payment must be made in full.
Of course! While our groups include couples, friends, and families, most of our travelers come alone and end up forming an amazing group of friends who share a passion for open-water swimming. There are a limited number of single rooms available on most of our trips; however, it’s also possible to book a shared room, which means we’ll pair you with a traveler of the same gender. Please note that both single supplements and room shares are subject to availability.
Most of our tours can accommodate guests who cannot swim; however, please note that this is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Our trips are for those who love adventure, making new friends, and feeling the pulse of life in every moment! If you come with an open mind, a relaxed attitude, and a desire to experience the world in a different way, get ready for an unforgettable experience.
It’s important to keep in mind that, since this is an adventure trip, the unexpected can happen. You might come across animals you don’t usually see in your daily life, the internet might be spotty, the air conditioning might break down, or the shower might not have the water pressure or temperature you’re used to. The food might not be the same as your mom’s, and that’s totally fine! It’s these details that make the trip special and authentic. But it’s a good thing it’s like this—if everything were the same, it wouldn’t be worth leaving home.
If you invite a friend to come along, it’s essential that you let them know about this. At SwimTogether, we don’t want grumpy travelers. Here, a good attitude and the desire to enjoy every moment are essential!
Every trip is different. At SwimTogether, we stand out for the quality of the accommodations we choose for our travelers. We don’t follow the typical luxury or budget travel models. We may stay in 4- or 5-star hotels, depending on the destination and availability. Sometimes we stay in more sophisticated places, and other times in simpler accommodations. We believe it’s important to learn to feel comfortable in different environments, always respecting what each destination has to offer.
Rooms are assigned randomly as registrations come in. If you’re traveling as a couple or with a friend, you’ll be assigned a private room just for the two of you. If you’re traveling alone, you’ll share a room with another solo traveler of the same gender. In some cases, you may be assigned to a triple room.
We usually stay in double rooms, which may have a double bed or two single beds. Whenever possible, we reserve double beds for couples. Solo travelers are typically assigned rooms with single beds, although this may not be possible at some accommodations.
On some occasions, you may choose to stay in a single room, but we cannot guarantee that this will be possible every night of the trip. For more information, please contact us. If availability permits, we can accommodate you in a room all to yourself for an additional fee, the amount of which varies by destination.
The trip is confirmed once all the necessary conditions for its departure have been met, including reaching the minimum number of travelers and finalizing all organizational details (reservations, transfers, activities, and more). Typically, confirmation occurs several months before the scheduled date, though it may be delayed until no later than 20 days before departure. It is possible that, at the time you make your reservation, the trip has already been confirmed.
If the minimum number of travelers has not been reached by 20 days before departure, we will contact you to inform you that the trip has been canceled.
If SwimTogether cancels the trip, we will offer participants three options: a refund of the amount paid; the option to reschedule for a new date; or the option to use the amount toward a different destination or keep it as credit for a future trip. If the traveler cancels the trip, the standard terms and conditions apply.
Each traveler is responsible for purchasing their own airline ticket. However, SwimTogether is always available to assist and guide you through the purchase process. We begin organizing your itinerary upon your arrival at your destination and accompany you until your return.
SwimTogether welcomes travelers from all over the world, so we are unable to include flights in the travel package. Furthermore, we believe that everyone should have the freedom to choose the dates, times, and airline that best suit their needs.
Once SwimTogether has confirmed your trip, we will be available to suggest suitable flight options. If your trip includes a domestic flight, we will recommend one, and it is essential that all travelers take the same flight.
You should purchase your flights only after paying for the trip and confirming with SwimTogether that your reservation is complete.
We will then provide you with our recommended flights.
You must arrive at your destination on the day the trip begins (the date listed on the website) and schedule your return for the day the trip ends. It is common, especially for more distant destinations, to have to leave the day before in order to arrive in time for the start of the trip.
Of course you can, but you’ll be on your own until you meet your tour guides and the group at the hotel on the day the adventure begins. If you’d like, you can also extend your stay and stay a few more days after the SwimTogether trip ends. In either case, you can arrange the extension directly with us, so you won’t have to worry about changing hotels or rooms.
Transfers vary depending on the trip. Typically, there is only one transfer for the entire group on the way there and another on the way back. Transfer schedules are set based on the recommended flights. Upon arrival at the destination airport, a driver holding a SwimTogether sign will always be waiting for travelers. If you choose flights other than those suggested and arrive at the airport early, you may wait until the transfer time. The same applies on the return trip: if your flight is later but you’d like to take the transfer to the airport, you may do so. If you choose flights whose dates or times do not coincide with those of the transfers, we can arrange your transfer for an additional fee.
Throughout the trip, travelers will be accompanied by SwimTogether tour guides. They will also travel with other participants of various ages and swimming abilities, which may include young students, retired couples, solo travelers, groups of friends, experienced open-water swimmers, or people who are not used to swimming outside of a pool. Whatever the group’s composition, you can be sure you’ll meet a mix of fascinating personalities from around the world, united by a shared love of swimming and nature.
We welcome travelers from all over the world. On each trip, we’ve had swimmers from six different countries.
Since the tour guides and most travelers speak English, this will be the primary language used during the trip. However, we sometimes have local guides who speak only Portuguese or Spanish. If a traveler has any difficulty understanding, they can always count on the tour guide’s assistance.
The travel guide is the person who will accompany the traveler throughout the entire experience, ensuring they enjoy the destination in a more relaxed and stress-free manner.
It is important to understand that a travel guide is not a tour guide. To provide a deeper understanding of the history of the country and the places visited, specialized local guides are occasionally included to answer any questions.
The travel leader’s main role and responsibility is to handle all logistics, so that travelers don’t have to worry about accommodations, transportation, meals, or activities. At the same time, they are also responsible for introducing the country and its culture to the group, fostering a fun and respectful atmosphere among all participants.
They will be a friend who is always available to help whenever needed.
As passionate travelers who love the world and nature, we strive to make our trips as sustainable as possible. Whenever possible, we partner with companies and hotels that hold sustainability certifications. We provide travelers with information so they can be responsible tourists. We prioritize working with small businesses and local accommodations to support the local economy. We avoid practices that could have a negative impact on the local population or the destination, and we do not offer activities that involve the exploitation of animals.
All travelers are welcome on our trips, but if you have a medical condition that might limit your physical abilities, we recommend that you contact us before making a reservation. That way, we can advise you or suggest a SwimTogether trip that better suits your needs.
Breakfast and lunch are included on all trips and are usually varied. However, they may vary depending on the country or the location where the group is staying. The included meals are generally based on the local cuisine of the destination.
Travelers’ dietary restrictions—including vegetarianism and severe allergies—are always taken into account, provided they are communicated in writing and well in advance. However, it is important to note that not all destinations are equipped to accommodate every dietary restriction. There may be situations where it is not possible to guarantee a fully suitable meal, and in such cases, it is the traveler’s responsibility to pay attention to their diet and take additional precautions, such as bringing appropriate snacks or researching the available options at the destination in advance.
Because we believe every traveler should have free time to enjoy the destination at their own pace, some meals (usually dinner) may not be included. This way, everyone can choose where, when, and with whom they’d like to eat.
All guests must be 18 years of age or older on the start date of our trips, or be accompanied by an adult swimmer if they are between 16 and 18 years of age. The trip price is the same as for an adult.
Travel insurance is mandatory for all our adventures, and you must provide your policy details before departure so that, in the event of any health issues during the trip, we can file a claim on the traveler’s behalf. Your insurance must provide adequate coverage for medical treatment abroad, evacuation/repatriation, luggage and equipment, as well as for the specific activities involved in your adventure. We also recommend that your policy include cancellation and interruption coverage in case you are unable to participate in the trip due to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness.
Standard travel insurance may not cover all the activities included in your adventure, so it is essential to carefully review the policy details. SwimTogether can arrange your travel insurance at an additional cost – our proposal can be requested free of charge and with no obligation (request travel insurance)
Alternatively, there are providers specialized in adventure travel, such as IATI, offering a 5% discount to SwimTogether clients and coverage for a wide range of adventure activities.
Make sure the policy you choose meets your individual needs and covers all aspects of your trip.
It is the traveler’s sole responsibility to verify whether any specific documents are required to enter the destination country.
We recommend that all travelers schedule a pre-travel consultation or speak with their doctor 4 to 8 weeks before departure. There are generally no mandatory vaccinations, but it is important to confirm this information with your doctor and to check whether any specific medication is recommended for the trip. We also advise you to review the specific recommendations for your destination.
When a trip is fully booked, it means we can no longer accept additional participants, as there is no longer any availability in the rooms or on the transportation. Travelers can still sign up for the waiting list, and if a spot opens up due to a cancellation, SwimTogether will contact them.
We can reserve all the seats for you and your friends. This is always subject to availability.
No. Reservations are only confirmed after payment of a 30% deposit.
Daily swimming distances can vary significantly from one trip to another. Most of our trips include an average of 3 to 4 km per day, usually with a single morning swim.
Although the daily distances may be longer than what you’re used to swimming in a single session, there are several reasons why you might be surprised by how far you can swim during the trip.
When swimming in open water, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and marine life, the experience is far more stimulating than in a pool, where monotony can lead to ending the session early; this combination of visual interest, motivation from seeing the destinations ahead, and greater buoyancy means that most people are able to swim significantly longer distances than they expected.
It’s also worth noting that each swim group is accompanied by a support boat, so if you need to take a break at any point, you can always climb aboard to rest.
On our trips, we have a wide range of paces, with participants swimming 1 km in open water in 15 to 30 minutes. As a guideline, guests should be able to swim at least 1 km in 30 minutes. The average pace on SwimTogether trips is 15 to 20 minutes per kilometer, or about 24 to 32 minutes per mile.
One of the advantages of SwimTogether trips is that we accommodate this range of paces on every trip. At the start of the trip, the guides lead an acclimatization swim with all participants to group swimmers with similar paces. Typically, two pace groups are formed per trip, though this may vary depending on the group.
By dividing swimmers into smaller groups, we ensure that everyone swims at a comfortable pace. On most of our trips, we ask that swimmers be able to swim 1 km (0.6 miles) in 30 minutes to participate.
No. After all, you’re on vacation! If you need to take a break while swimming, you can always hop onto the support boat at any time. On trips where we use kayaks instead of boats, the guides can advise you on the various options for getting out of the water and walking parts of the route, whenever possible.
Although most of our guests swim the crawl (freestyle), we also often have swimmers who use the breaststroke. Since the group is divided by swimming ability, you can swim whichever style you prefer.
Each group of swimmers is accompanied by its own support boat during each session. On most trips, these boats typically consist of a main semi-rigid boat and a kayak; however, when motorized boats cannot be used, guides accompany the swimmers in support kayaks. The boats and guides are there to ensure safety, provide drinks and snacks, and help improve your technique throughout the trip.
One of the greatest joys of open-water swimming is the chance to appreciate the incredible variety of wildlife, natural topography, and underwater landscapes that most people never get to see. The types of marine life you might encounter vary greatly from place to place. We’ve swum with everything from manta rays and curious seals to laid-back sea turtles and unique fish.
The expected water and air temperatures can be found on each trip page.
Some open-water swimmers always swim in “skins”—this doesn’t mean being naked, but rather wearing only a swimsuit, like the kind you’d wear in a pool. If you want to stay in cold water longer or feel more comfortable with some extra protection, a wetsuit is a good option. Wetsuits come in various sizes, and it’s important to choose one that fits well to be effective. You should always wear a swimsuit under your wetsuit when swimming in open water. In very hot climates, it may be a good idea to wear a lightweight, form-fitting spandex top that protects your skin from UV rays while swimming. Swimming shoes or socks protect your feet from rocky terrain in and out of the water.
For detailed information on what we recommend you bring for each specific trip, please download the Trip Itinerary. On all trips, we will provide a SwimTogether swim cap.
Every swimmer has a different sensitivity to water temperature and weather conditions that affect swimming, so it’s difficult to give a general answer. Many of the locations where we operate are remote, making it difficult to find a suitable wetsuit for swimming there. If in doubt, we recommend bringing your own wetsuit from home. Over the course of a week of swimming, your body becomes more sensitive to the cold and will feel the water more intensely. We recommend bringing a wetsuit you’ve already tried on and feel comfortable swimming in. If you’re unsure whether to bring a wetsuit, follow our rule: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!” If you don’t have a wetsuit, you can rent one from us or purchase one at our store.
Snorkels, goggles, and fins are permitted on our organized trips, but swimmers should discuss their use with the guides on the first day during the initial briefing. It is very important that, if you choose to use a snorkel, you remain attentive to the guides’ instructions or warnings and maintain visual orientation throughout the swim.
Please feel free to send us an email, and we’ll be happy to respond: info@swim-together.com
