PASSPORT AND VISAS
You must carry a valid passport and have obtained all the appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries in which you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid six months beyond the duration of the trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas, permits and certificates. Touch of Spirit Tours is not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct visa, passport or other travel documentation.
TRAVEL ADVICE / SAFETY STANDARDS
We recommend you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for travel advice specific to your country of travel, including travel safety alert levels. You can also visit http://smartraveller.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx to register your travel plans, so that you are easily contacted in an emergency. The safety standards of the country where the services which make up your tour are provided are the safety standards applicable to those services and not the safety standards applicable in your country of origin. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as your country of origin and often may be lower in standard.
HEALTH
You must ensure that you are aware of any health requirements and recommended precautions relevant to your travel and ensure that you carry all necessary vaccination documentation. In some cases, failure to present valid vaccination documentation may deny you entry to a country. General health advice for your destination is available from DFAT’s website http://smartraveller.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx We also recommend that you consult your local doctor, health practitioner or specialist vaccination clinic before commencing your travel.
PRICE
All prices are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice. The price is only guaranteed once paid in full by you. Please note that prices quoted are subject to change. Price changes may occur by reason of matters outside our control which increase the cost of the product or service.
TOUR BOOKINGS / DEPOSIT AND FINAL PAYMENT
You will be required to make a deposit when booking. All deposits are non-refundable for changes of mind or cancellation by you. Final payment is required no later than 6 weeks prior to your departure or earlier if stated. Some airfares and services must be paid in full at the time of booking.
PAYMENTS CREDIT CARD
A credit card surcharge of 1.8% will apply to VISA and MasterCard payments.
TAXES
Airline taxes are subject to change and are confirmed at the time your airline ticket is issued. There may also be a local tax charged at some airports.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Should you have any special travel requirements, such as special meals, seating requirements, room type or disabled access please contact our travel consultants on 1300 722 932.
CANCELLATIONS
Cancelled bookings may incur supplier fees, which in some cases can be up to 100% of the cost of the booking, regardless of whether travel has commenced.
Cancellation by the Traveller;
If you cancel a trip after confirming a booking you will lose some or all of the money you have paid for the trip. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation.
When you cancel a trip;
*42 days or more prior to departure, we will retain the deposit amount plus any administration fees,
*Between 30 and 42 days prior to departure, we will retain 75% of the total booking,
*Less than 30 days prior to departure, we will retain 100% paid by you in connection with the booking.
*Any “no show”, 100% of total tour cost.
We strongly advise you to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation penalties in certain circumstances. If you leave an active tour for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. We may cancel a tour at any time up to 60 days before departure.
Cancellation by Touch of Spirit Tours
We may cancel a tour at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disaster, political instability or other events it is not viable for us to operate your planned itinerary or tour. If we cancel a trip you may choose between us applying the amounts paid toward an alternative tour or receive a full refund less costs and administrative charges. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking, such as, visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.
ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
Touch of Spirit Tours has made every effort to verify the accuracy of statement made in our trip documentation including brochures, website and itinerary; we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.
COMPLAINTS
Should you have a complaint regarding your trip please inform your tour leader immediately in order that they can attempt to rectify the matter. Any other complaints should be put in writing within 30 days of the completion of your tour. Touch of Spirit Tours will not be held liable for claims received after this period.
RESPONSIBILITY
As a participant in our tour, you acknowledge that travel to India, Tibet, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka require a degree of flexibility and you understand that hotels, accommodation and other travel arrangements are subject to change.
REFUSAL OF CARRIAGE
Touch of Spirit Tours retains the right to remove participants from our tours for reasons that impact on the enjoyment or safety of other tour members, such as, but not limited to, medical or mental inability of participants to undertake the arrangements of the tour, unsocial or unruly behaviour, or the carriage of prohibited substances and materials.
TOUR ESCORT /LEADER / TOUR AUTHORITY
Your tour will be directed by our local tour leader. You must comply at all times with the laws, customs and drug regulations of the country you are visiting. This is best achieved by following the guidelines of your escort for health and safety reasons.
DISCLAIMER
It is a pre-requisite of acceptance of booking and travelling with Touch of Spirit Tours, that all participants remove any form of responsibility from Touch of Spirit Tours and its staff in the event of personal accident or injury. Travellers must sign a vehicle waiver form prior to travel.
HOTEL DESCRIPTIONS MAPS & PICTURES
Hotel descriptions featured in Touch of Spirit Tours brochures are based on current hotel guides provided by suppliers and contractual agreements. Any facilities described are subject to change at any time. Maps and photographs are included for general information only and may not necessarily reflect actual routings, locations or services. Touch of Spirit Tours has made reasonable enquiries to verify that the description and details are accurate but does not warrant that they are.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance is compulsory on all Touch of Spirit Tours and must be taken out to be able to travel. At a minimum your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability, with a minimum coverage of USD$200,000.00 We strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. You are required to provide proof of your travel insurance. You will not be able to join the tour without adequate travel insurance.
LIABILITY
To the maximum extent permitted by law and subject to claims available under consumer protection laws, Touch of Spirit Tours does not accept any liability in contract for any injury, damage, loss, delay, additional expenses or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by acts, omissions or defaults, whether negligent or otherwise, of third party providers over whom we have no direct control, force majeure or any other event which is beyond our control or which is not preventable by reasonable diligence on our part. In circumstances where liability cannot be excluded, such liability is limited to the value of the purchased travel arrangements. Touch of Spirit Tours does not accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise for indirect or consequential loss including loss of revenue.
SEATBELTS
Seatbelts are not compulsory by law in many of our destinations and therefore the local people largely choose not to wear them. For this reason, local operators may or may not have seatbelts in vehicles. It is recommended that where seatbelts are available participants must use them and remain seated at all times. As such, participants acknowledge that seatbelts may not be available and therefore travel at their own risk. Participants warrant that they shall not make any claim howsoever arising from injury or damage in respect of, arising from or contributed to by the absence of seatbelts and hereby release Touch of Spirit Tours from all such claims.
SCHEDULE
We recommend that you contact your airline to confirm your departure time 24 yours prior to your flight.
GUARANTEE
Touch of Spirit Tours guarantees, upon final payment, to provide you with the travel services indicated in the itinerary to the best of our ability. We will provide a tour that will be reasonably fit for the specified purpose.
