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We appreciate this section isn’t quite as exciting as browsing through our enticing destinations and plentiful product however here you will find our booking terms and conditions.
ATS BOOKING CONDITIONS 2024/2025
These booking conditions relate to any bookings received for travel in 2024 or 2025 booked in 2024.The information is presented in our online brochure for 2024/25 which was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of being placed on our website but is subject to change without notice. Changes may occur after this, with respect to prices, itineraries, duration of holidays, service standards, tour content, vaccination needs, health or safety issues at relevant destinations, airline fares and schedules. Please confirm details of your requirements at the time of booking to ascertain if there have been alterations to the tour you select before you book.
Bookings can be made directly with African Travel Specialists (ATS) or through recognized providers of agency/consultancy services (referred to as ‘Travel Agents’).
We require the correct names and initials of all people travelling in order to make bookings. The names and initials must match exactly to each traveller’s passport so as to avoid any problems with bookings. Should the wrong information be given, ATS reserves the right to charge additional fees to cover additional administrative costs to re-book or re-ticket the bookings under the correct name. Whilst we do comply with the Privacy Laws in relation to keeping your personal information, as part of the booking process, from time to time, and required by some suppliers, operators, lodges, hotels, DMCs (Destination Management Companies), banks, airlines, shipping companies and government authorities, we do need to supply them with certain private information including, but not limited to: your full name, passport information, contact details, date of birth, weight, and any other private information as required. This we do without seeking your permission but only if it is a requirement to complete your booking. We do ensure that any company we hand your private information to complies with the privacy laws of their country.
A non–refundable security deposit of 25% of the tour price, (depending on destination) with a minimum of $330.00 per person plus a signed booking form is payable at the time of booking. Payment of deposit represents acceptance of ATS Terms & Conditions by the purchaser and/ or passenger/s. As a general rule the balance is payable 60 days prior to departure, or immediately if travelling within 60 days of booking, however certain hotels, lodges, suppliers of transport and/or accommodation require balances to be paid up to 120 days prior departure. You will be generally advised of this at time of booking or when the supplier advises us. Any monies paid to your Travel Agent shall not be taken as paid to us unless/until we receive them.
Some of the tours and ground arrangements such as, but not limited to, Rovos Rail, Blue Train, Shongololo Safari Train, Fly-in safaris, lodge & camping trips in Africa, may require a higher deposit to meet the tour operator’s booking conditions (usually between 25% to 50% of tour cost). Permits for Gorilla & Chimp trekking will require full payment immediately as cannot be arranged without full payment. Please contact ATS for further details on the particular trip.
A late booking fee of $100.00 per file will be charged for bookings made within 14 days of departure. Should you wish to amend your arrangements or transfer to another trip, due to the extra administrative and communications costs incurred, there will be an automatic fee charged of $50.00 per amendment or transfer. Additionally, there may be cancellation fees levied by the tour operator or fees may be applicable where arrangements have been pre–purchased. A land only fee of $55.00 will be charged on land only bookings under 3 nights accommodation.
All prices are quoted in Australian Dollars and are generally current at the time of printing. They are generally valid from November 2023 to October 2024, although some expeditions have different periods of validity so prices will vary accordingly. Most prices are based on low season unless stated otherwise. All prices are indicative only and are subject to change at any time up to and including the day of your departure. As our costings are based on conversions from foreign currencies, should the cost of any component of your package increase due to foreign currency fluctuations, ATS may charge that cost to you at any time prior to ATS receiving the full balance of monies due and the final documentation having been issued to you. Should additional taxes or Government charges or unforeseen new costs be payable or incurred, ATS may charge these costs to you at any time, even after your departure.
From 01 July 2000, the Australian government has introduced a 10% GST and even though at present overseas travel is exempt from GST, any service fees, courier, cancellation and amendment fees are subject to GST. We, therefore, reserve the right to vary the costing to incorporate the GST where applicable.
Specific trip and accommodation inclusions are generally listed. Meals are not included unless specified in the itinerary. Meals are indicated by B=Breakfast, L = Lunch and D = Dinner.
As all African Travel Specialists tours, packages, stopovers, car hire, train trips, fly-in packages, etc and other arrangements are based on confidential and specially negotiated rates, we reserve the right and will not give out nor supply a breakdown of costs at any time.
Please refer to the particular trip for details, however, game park fees and park entrance fees may be payable direct to the park authorities especially where the local regulations require them not to be paid in advance. Game park fees and park entrance fees are subject to change without notice. Also Government charges, for example entrance fees to certain sites, are subject to change and/or increase without notice. ATS reserves the right to charge extra for either, game park fees, park entrance fees or government charges, should they increase at any time, even after full payment has been received, without notice.
Ticket taxes, airport taxes etc are subject to change without notice. Some airport taxes are not included on your air ticket are payable on departure from some international airports in Africa. These are usually payable in US Dollars in cash; exact amounts are required as no change is given.
Any cancellations must be received in writing and will take effect from the date it is received by ATS. The following cancellation fees will apply for tour costs:
More than 60 days before departure: Deposit
59 – 41 days before departure: 40% **
40 -35 days before departure: 60% **
35 days or less before departure: No refund **
** There are now more lodges, hotels, scheduled safaris, ground handlers, transfer companies, train operators, privately guided and scheduled safaris etc where their booking conditions state that cancellations after 60 or 90 days will incur 100% of cancellation fees. In this case, these and other booking conditions imposed by the supplier may override our booking conditions (refer Responsibilities & Liabilities clause). The exceptions are those amounts that can be refunded, such as airfares (less those amounts forfeited under airline regulations and loss of profit incurred by ATS). Should payment be received in advance of 60 days, for example in the case when payment is made to avoid increases due to currency fluctuations, ATS reserves the right to charge cancellation fees of up to 100%, especially where full payment has been made to our ground handlers, hoteliers, and airlines etc. There are certain countries in Africa, when paid, where refunds of these payments are not possible, even if the reason for cancellation is outside your control. ATS reserves the right not to refund these amounts as these are also out of our control to receive the funds back. It is important that you are aware of these cancellation fees prior to your prepayment. Further, should a refund be possible, refunds do incur fees including, but not limited to, bank fees, supplier and ATS administration fees, differences in exchange rates based on a buying rate when the funds are returned and as advised by ATS, and any Government taxes or fees. Further, in the case where a supplier agrees to refund monies, ATS will not refund any monies until the refunded amounts have been received into our bank account by the supplier. In the case where suppliers will only hold a credit in exchange for a refund, ATS will not refund any monies or refund any monies until the credit is utilized, at the discretion of ATS. Whilst insurance premiums are not refundable, should the reason for cancellation fall within the terms of the insurance cover, cancellation fees will normally be refunded by the insurance company. The non– issuance of an invoice or non–payment of deposit will not exempt passengers from these cancellation and administrative fees. We regret that we can make no exception to the charges and strongly recommend that insurance is taken out to cover cancellation fees (see Insurance below). There will be no refunds on unused tours, accommodation, or other services.
It is a condition of booking that you are adequately insured for the full duration of your trip. We recommend a comprehensive travel insurance to cover cancellation, health requirements, luggage and additional expenses, in particular to cover emergency evacuation. Further we recommend a separate insurance cover for expensive camera and video and other equipment. Further we advise that insurance policies rarely cover for loss of cash. We strongly recommend that insurance be purchased at the time of booking. Should you not take out insurance, we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred (including cancellation fees) arising from circumstances outside our control.
You should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay in Africa with at least 6 spare visa pages.
Australian passport holders currently require visas for Zimbabwe and Zambia (issued on arrival at a fee), Tanzania, Kenya and many West African, Central African and North African countries. Other nationalities require a re–entry permit to Australia and may require additional visas to the above. Please contact ATS for further details.
For most trips to Africa, the following vaccinations are recommended: Yellow Fever (Compulsory for Zambia, East Africa and many countries in Central & North Africa), Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A, (maybe Hepatitis B for longer visits) Polio, Diphtheria, Cholera, Tetanus and Malaria. Whilst these vary depending on the countries visited, length of time away and the type of accommodation and transport used, we recommend that these and your other health needs be discussed with your doctor or specialist travel medical centre. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate vaccinations and documentation.
Each country in Africa has its own currency. It is strongly recommended that you carry some US dollars cash in small denominations, (not US$ 100 bills) as well as credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard. Foreign currency can be changed into local currency at banks, authorized money exchanges and your hotel.
Not possible after a holiday has commenced.
Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of hotel and tour information, we rely on the information supplied to us. As all hotels and tour operators are constantly changing services and facilities, we cannot be liable for any errors or omissions caused by the hotels and operators concerned.
As we are only an agent for airlines, hotels, tour operators and other Service Providers (see below under “Responsibility and Liability”) your booking may be required to be changed or cancelled due to circumstances outside our control; e.g; if a hotel is overbooked or an airline reschedules its flights or if a tour is cancelled. Further, at certain times of the year, due to heavy bookings, we may not be able to obtain the accommodation advertised. In this case, we will use alternative accommodation of a similar standard, or the next best available. Accordingly we reserve the right to vary your itinerary or cancel your booking at any time.
Costs of passports or visas, meals (other than those specified), all items of a personal nature such as excess baggage, telephone calls, laundry, room service, airport taxes and government taxes (other than accommodation taxes) any costs in Australia, Australian Passenger Movement Charge, Sydney Noise Levy Tax and any international taxes and travel Insurance.
You must notify us or via your Travel Agent of any changes of address or telephone numbers to ensure any arrangement variations can be notified within 24 hours.
It is now a requirement that we, at times, may be required to pass on your private information to certain third parties, including some overseas suppliers. For example, most Airlines now require your contact details, such as home phone number, mobile phone number and email address, to be included in your booking, which require your permission under the Privacy Act. Also banks and other financial institutions may require details of travellers including their dates of birth, home address and phone numbers, for payments to certain countries that you may be travelling to, in order to comply with new strict Australian Government regulations. By signing the booking form, you agree in giving us permission for us to pass on this information in order to comply with these third party requirements.
African Travel Specialists (a division of Four Corners Travel Group Pty Ltd ACN 004 712 734), (referred to as “ATS”) does not itself provide carriage services, accommodation, transport or tours. ATS acts as an agent for accommodation providers, air, coach, shipping, rail, and other carriage or transport providers, tour operators and other service and product providers (referred to as ‘Service Providers’). All products and services provided by Service Providers are provided on those Service Providers’ own terms and conditions, which may include limitations and exclusions of liability. All bookings with ATS and all tickets, vouchers, receipts, coupons, exchange orders and other like documents issued to the client, are subject to each Service Provider’s terms and conditions governing the provision of products and services to be provided by that Service Provider. ATS shall not be liable for any acts, omissions or defaults whether negligent or otherwise, of any Service Providers. ATS shall also not be liable (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, delay or inconvenience resulting directly or indirectly from circumstances outside ATS’s control, including acts of God, war, terrorism (perceived, threatened or actual) civil disturbance, strikes, fire, flood, acts of government (including border closures or change to the smart traveller advice – www.smarttraveller.gov. au ) or other authorities, breakdowns, accidents, disease (including pandemics), quarantine, medical or customs regulations, and alterations, cancellations or delays concerning itineraries, timetables or accommodation. At ATS sole and absolute discretion, where possible and provided the supplier or suppliers will allow, we will: 1. Offer the client alternative arrangements of similar standard as appropriate to the circumstances. ATS may charge a reasonable fee to cover administration costs associated with providing alternative arrangements. 2. Defer the booking until it is possible to make alternate arrangements by up to 12 months at a time or as advised by the suppliers involved. 3. Seek a refund, if possible, less all costs incurred, including but not limited to bank fees, exchange rate differentials, administration costs and any loss of profit and/or costs incurred by ATS. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ATS shall not be liable for loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of anticipated savings or business, pure economic loss, loss of opportunity or expectation or any other form of consequential, special, indirect, punitive or exemplary loss or damages. Your Travel Agent is not acting as our agent. We will not be responsible for any information, statements or representations (whether orally or in writing) not made by us, or that are inconsistent with the current brochure.
The contract between ATS and the client shall be governed by the laws of the State of Victoria. By making a booking with ATS, the client agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions referred to in the ATS brochure and in the ATS booking form.
ITTS BOOKING CONDITIONS 2024/2025
These booking conditions relate to any bookings received for travel in 2024 or 2025 booked in 2024. The information is presented in our online brochure for 2024/25 which was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of being placed on our website but is subject to change without notice. Changes may occur after this, with respect to prices, itineraries, duration of holidays, service standards, tour content, vaccination needs, health or safety issues at relevant destinations, airline fares and schedules. Please confirm details of your requirements at the time of booking to ascertain if there have been alterations to the tour you select before you book.
Bookings can be made directly with India Tours & Travel Specialists (‘ITTS’) or through recognized providers of agency/consultancy services (referred to as ‘Travel Agents’).
We require the correct names and initials of all people travelling in order to make bookings. The names and initials must match exactly to each traveller’s passport so as to avoid any problems with bookings. Should the wrong information be given, ITTS reserves the right to charge additional fees to cover additional administrative costs to re-book or re-ticket the bookings under the correct name. Whilst we do comply with the Privacy Laws in relation to keeping your personal information, as part of the booking process, from time to time, and required by some suppliers, operators, lodges, hotels, DMCs (Destination Management Companies), banks, airlines, shipping companies and government authorities, we do need to supply them with certain private information including, but not limited to: your full name, passport information, contact details, date of birth, weight, and any other private information as required. This we do without seeking your permission but only if it is a requirement to complete your booking. We do ensure that any company we hand your private information to complies with the privacy laws of their country.
A non–refundable security deposit of 10% or 20% of the tour price (depending on destination), with a minimum of $330.00 per person plus a signed booking form is payable at the time of booking. Payment of deposit represents acceptance of ITTS Terms & Conditions by the purchaser and/ or passenger/s. As a general rule the balance is payable 60 days prior to departure, or immediately if travelling within 60 days of booking, however certain hotels, lodges, suppliers of transport and/ or accommodation require balances to be paid up to 120 days prior departure. You will be generally advised of this at time of booking or when the supplier advises us. Any monies you pay to your Travel Agent shall not be taken to have been paid to us unless and until we actually receive them.
Some of the tours and ground arrangements, group tour arrangements and specially designed arrangements may require higher deposits to meet hotel or tour operator’s booking conditions. These are usually between 20% to 50% of tour cost. Please contact ITTS for further details for further details.
A late booking fee of $100.00 per file will be charged for bookings made within 14 days of departure. Should you wish to amend your arrangements or transfer to another trip, due to the extra administrative and communications costs incurred, there will be an automatic fee charged of $50.00 per amendment or transfer. Additionally, there may be cancellation fees levied by the tour operator or fees may be applicable where arrangements have been pre–purchased. A land only fee of $55.00 will be charged on land only bookings under 3 nights accommodation.
All prices are quoted in Australian Dollars and are generally current at the time of printing. They are generally valid from 01 May 2024 to 30 April 2025, although some expeditions have different periods of validity so prices will vary accordingly. Most prices are based on low season unless stated otherwise. All prices are indicative only and are subject to change at any time up to and including the day of your departure. As our costings are based on conversions from foreign currencies, should the cost of any component of your package increase due to foreign currency fluctuations, ITTS may charge that cost to you at any time prior to ITTS receiving the full balance of monies due and the final documentation having been issued to you. Should additional taxes or Government charges or unforeseen new costs be payable or incurred, ITTS may charge these costs to you at any time, even after your departure.
The Maldives Government introduced a 16% GST from January 2023. Prices have been adjusted accordingly.
From 01 July 2000, the Australian government has introduced a 10% GST and even though at present overseas travel is exempt from GST, any service fees, courier, cancellation and amendment fees are subject to GST. We, therefore, reserve the right to vary the costing to incorporate the GST where applicable.
Specific trip and accommodation inclusions are generally listed. Meals are not included unless specified in the itinerary – B = Breakfast, L = Lunch and D = Dinner
As all ITTS tours, packages, stopovers, car hire, train trips, fly in safaris etc are based on confidential and specially negotiated rates, we reserve the right and will not give out nor supply a breakdown of costings at any time.
Ticket taxes, airport taxes etc are subject to change without notice. Some airport taxes are not included on your air ticket are payable on departure from some international airports in India & Sri Lanka. These are usually payable in US Dollars in cash; exact amounts are required as no change is given.
Any cancellations must be received in writing and will take effect from the date it is received by India Tours & Travel Specialists. The following cancellation fees will apply for tour costs:
More than 60 days before departure: Deposit
59 – 41 days before departure: 40% **
40 -35 days before departure: 60% **
35 days or less before departure: No refund **
** There are now more lodges, hotels, scheduled tours, ground handlers, transfer companies, train operators, private and scheduled tours etc where their booking conditions state that cancellations after 60 or 90 days will incur 100% of cancellation fees.
In this case, these and any other booking conditions imposed by the supplier may override our booking conditions (refer Responsibilities & Liabilities clause). The exceptions are those amounts that can be refunded, such as airfares (less those amounts forfeited under airline regulations and loss of profit incurred by ITTS). Should payment be received in advance of 60 days, for example in the case when payment is made to avoid increases due to currency fluctuations, ITTS reserves the right to charge cancellation fees of up to 100%, especially where full payment has been made to our ground handlers, hoteliers, and airlines etc. Whilst insurance premiums are not refundable, should the reason for cancellation fall within the terms of the insurance cover, cancellation fees will normally be refunded by the insurance company. The non– issuance of an invoice or non–payment of deposit will not exempt passengers from these cancellation and administrative fees. We regret that we can make no exception to the charges and strongly recommend that insurance is taken out to cover cancellation fees (see Insurance below). There will be no refunds on unused tours, accommodation or other services.
It is a condition of booking that you are adequately insured for the full duration of your trip. We recommend a comprehensive travel insurance to cover cancellation, health requirements, luggage and additional expenses, in particular to cover emergency evacuation. We recommend a separate insurance cover for expensive camera and video and other equipment. Further we advise that insurance policies rarely cover for loss of cash. We strongly recommend that insurance be purchased at the time of booking. Should you not take out insurance, we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred (including cancellation fees) arising from circumstances outside our control.
You should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay in India, Sri Lanka or the Maldives, with at least 2 spare (blank) visa pages.
All foreign nationals (except Nepalese & Bhutanese nationals) require a visa for India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The tourist visa is valid for 6 months, and needs to be obtained prior to your departure. It is advisable to check with your travel agent or ITTS at the time of booking as regulations and charges can change.
For most trips to India, the following vaccinations may be recommended: Hepatitis, Tetanus, Typhoid, Cholera and Malaria prophylaxis. Whilst these vary depending on the length of stay away and the type of travel transportation and accommodation used, we do recommend that these and your other health needs be discussed with your doctor or specialist travel medical centre. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate vaccinations and documentation.
The currency of India is the rupee (Rs). Rupees in large numbers may not be brought out of India. UK Pounds/US Dollars are easy to exchange at the cashier’s desk in the hotel, requiring a valid passport. Always keep your receipt/certificate to re–convert at the end of your trip. Major credit cards such as American Express & Visa are gaining acceptance in India. Local market vendors generally do not accept cards. It is recommended that you also carry cash, travellers cheques and credit cards.
Not possible after a holiday has commenced.
Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of hotel and tour information, we rely on the information supplied to us. As all hotels and tour operators are constantly changing services and facilities, we cannot be liable for any errors or omissions caused by the hotels and operators concerned.
As we are only an agent for airlines, hotels, tour operators and other Service Providers (see below under “Responsibility and Liability”) your booking may be required to be changed or cancelled due to circumstances outside our control; for example, if a hotel is overbooked or an airline changes its timetable or reschedules its flights or if a tour is cancelled. Further, at certain times of the year, due to heavy bookings, we may not be able to obtain the accommodation advertised. In this case, we will use alternative accommodation of a similar standard, or the next best available. Accordingly we reserve the right to vary your itinerary or cancel your booking at any time.
Costs of passports or visas, meals (other than those specified), all items of a personal nature such as excess baggage, telephone calls, laundry, room service, airport taxes and government taxes (other than accommodation taxes) any costs in Australia, Australian Passenger Movement Charge, Sydney Noise Levy Tax and any international taxes. Travel Insurance.
You must notify us or via your Travel Agent of any changes of address or telephone numbers to ensure any variations to the arrangements can be notified within 24 hours.
It is now a requirement that we, at times, may be required to pass on your private information to certain third parties, including some overseas suppliers. For example, most Airlines now require your contact details, such as home phone number, mobile phone number and email address, to be included in your booking, which require your permission under the Privacy Act. Also banks and other financial institutions may require details of travellers including their dates of birth, home address and phone numbers, for payments to certain countries that you may be travelling to, in order to comply with new strict Australian Government regulations. By signing the booking form, you agree in giving us permission for us to pass on this information in order to comply with these third party requirements.
India Tours & Travel Specialists (a division of Four Corners Travel Group Pty Ltd ACN 004 712 734), (referred to as “ITTS”) does not itself provide carriage services, accommodation, transport or tours. ITTS acts as an agent for accommodation providers, air, coach, shipping, rail, and other carriage or transport providers, tour operators and other service and product providers (referred to as ‘Service Providers’). All products and services provided by Service Providers are provided on those Service Providers’ own terms and conditions, which may include limitations and exclusions of liability. All bookings with ITTS and all tickets, vouchers, receipts, coupons, exchange orders and other like documents issued to the client, are subject to each Service Provider’s terms and conditions governing the provision of products and services to be provided by that Service Provider. ITTS shall not be liable for any acts, omissions or defaults whether negligent or otherwise, of any Service Providers. ITTS shall also not be liable (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, delay or inconvenience resulting directly or indirectly from circumstances outside ITTS’s control, including acts of God, war, civil disturbance, strikes, fire, flood, acts of government or other authorities, breakdowns, accidents, disease, quarantine, medical or customs regulations, and alterations, cancellations or delays concerning itineraries, timetables or accommodation. At ITTS sole and absolute discretion, where possible and provided the supplier or suppliers will allow, we will:
The contract between ITTS and the client shall be governed by the laws of the State of Victoria. By making a booking with ITTS, the client agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions referred to in this brochure and in the ITTS booking form.
SATS BOOKING CONDITIONS 2024/2025
These booking conditions relate to any bookings received for travel in 2024 or 2025 booked in 2024. The information is presented in our online brochure for 2024/25 which was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of being placed on our website but is subject to change without notice. Changes may occur after this, with respect to prices, itineraries, duration of holidays, service standards, tour content, vaccination needs, health or safety issues at relevant destinations, airline fares and schedules. Please confirm details of your requirements at the time of booking to ascertain if there have been alterations to the tour you select before you book.
Bookings can be made directly with South American Travel Specialists (‘SATS’) or through recognized providers of agency/consultancy services (referred to as ‘Travel Agents’).
We require the correct names and initials of all people travelling in order to make bookings. The names and initials must match exactly to each traveller’s passport so as to avoid any problems with bookings. Should the wrong information be given, SATS reserves the right to charge additional fees to cover additional administrative costs to re-book or re-ticket the bookings under the correct name. Whilst we do comply with the Privacy Laws in relation to keeping your personal information, as part of the booking process, from time to time, and required by some suppliers, operators, lodges, hotels, DMCs (Destination Management Companies), banks, airlines, shipping companies and government authorities, we do need to supply them with certain private information including, but not limited to: your full name, passport information, contact details, date of birth, weight, and any other private information as required. This we do without seeking your permission but only if it is a requirement to complete your booking. We do ensure that any company we hand your private information to complies with the privacy laws of their country.
A non–refundable security deposit of 10%-25% of the tour price (depending on the destination), with a minimum of $330.00 per person plus a signed booking form is payable at the time of booking. Payment of deposit represents acceptance of SATS Terms & Conditions by the purchaser and/or passenger/s. The balance is payable 60 days prior to departure, or immediately if travelling within 60 days of booking, however certain hotels, lodges, suppliers of transport and/ or accommodation require balances to be paid 120 days prior departure. You will be generally advised of this at time of booking or when the supplier advises us. Any monies you pay to your Travel Agent shall not be taken to have been paid to us unless and until we actually receive them.
Some of the tours and ground arrangements, group tours, cruises and any other arrangements may require a higher deposit to meet the tour operator’s booking conditions. These are usually between 20% to 50% of tour cost. Please contact SATS for further details on the particular trip.
A late booking fee of $100.00 per file will be charged for bookings made within 14 days of departure. Should you wish to amend your arrangements or transfer to another trip, due to the extra administrative and communications costs incurred, there will be an automatic fee charged of $50.00 per amendment or transfer. Additionally, there may be cancellation fees levied by the tour operator or fees may be applicable where arrangements have been pre-purchased. A land only fee of $55.00 will be charged on land only bookings under 3 nights accommodation.
All prices are quoted in Australian Dollars and are generally current at the time of printing. They are generally valid from 01 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, although some expeditions have different periods of validity so prices will vary accordingly. Prices are based on low season
unless stated otherwise and are indicative only and are subject to change at any time up to and including the day of your departure. As our costings are based on conversions from foreign currencies, should the cost of any component of your package increase due to foreign currency fluctuations, SATS may charge that cost to you at any time prior to SATS receiving the full balance of monies due and the final documentation having been issued to you. Should additional taxes or Government charges or unforeseen new costs be payable or incurred, SATS may charge these costs to you at any time, even after your departure.
From 01 July 2000, the Australian government has introduced a 10% GST and even though at present overseas travel is exempt from GST, any service fees, courier, cancellation and amendment fees are subject to GST. We, therefore, reserve the right to vary the costing to incorporate the GST where applicable.
Specific trip and accommodation inclusions are generally listed. Meals are not included unless specified in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L = Lunch and D = Dinner).
As all SATS tours, packages, stopovers, car hire, train trips, fly-in packages and other arrangements are based on confidential and specially negotiated rates, we reserve the right and will not give out nor supply a breakdown of costs at any time.
Ticket taxes, airport taxes etc are subject to change without notice. Some airport taxes are not included on your air ticket are payable on departure from some international airports in South America. These are usually payable in US Dollars in cash; exact amounts are required as no change is given.
Any cancellations must be received in writing and will take effect from the date it is received by SATS. The following cancellation fees will apply for tour costs:
More than 60 days before departure: Deposit*
59 – 41 days before departure: 65%*
40 days or less: No refund*
*There are now more lodges, hotels, scheduled tours, ground handlers, transfer companies, train operators, private and scheduled tours etc where their booking conditions state that cancellations after 60 or 90 days will incur 100% of cancellation fees. In this case, these and any other booking conditions imposed by the supplier may override our booking conditions (refer Responsibilities & Liabilities clause). The exceptions are those amounts that can be refunded, such as airfares (less those amounts forfeited under airline regulations and loss of profit incurred by SATS). Should payment be received in advance of 60 days, for example in the case when payment is made to avoid increases due to currency fluctuations, SATS reserves the right to charge cancellation fees of up to 100%, especially where full payment has been made to our ground handlers, hoteliers, and airlines etc. Whilst insurance premiums are not refundable, should the reason for cancellation fall within the terms of the insurance cover, cancellation fees will normally be refunded by the insurance company. The non– issuance of an invoice or non–payment of deposit will not exempt passengers from these cancellation and administrative fees. We regret that we can make no exception to the charges and strongly recommend that insurance is taken out to cover cancellation fees (see Insurance below). There will be no refunds on unused tours, accommodation or other services.
It is a condition of booking that you are adequately insured for the full duration of your trip. We recommend a comprehensive travel insurance to cover cancellation, health requirements, luggage and additional expenses, in particular to cover emergency evacuation. Further we recommend a separate insurance cover for expensive camera and video and other equipment. Further we advise that insurance policies rarely cover for loss of cash. We strongly recommend that insurance be purchased at the time of booking. Should you not
take out insurance, we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred (including cancellation fees) arising from circumstances outside our control.
You should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay in South America with at least 6 spare visa pages.
Australian passport holders do not require a visa to enter Ecuador (Galapagos), Peru, Venezuela, Colombia or Uruguay for stays less than 90 days for tourism purposes or for Bolivia for stays of less than 30 days. Visas are usually required for the other South American countries including: Brazil – must be arranged prior to arrival in Brazil Chile – a reciprocity fee is payable on arrival and is required to enter Chile (payable locally). Argentina – a reciprocity tourist charge is required to enter Argentina and must be paid through an on-line system prior to arrival. Please contact SATS for further details.
For South America, the following vaccinations may be required and recommended: Yellow Fever – Compulsory for Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina. Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A, (maybe Hepatitis B for longer visits) Polio, Diphtheria, Cholera, Tetanus and Malaria – Strongly recommended. Rabies – Strongly considered for Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Argentina. Whilst these vary depending on the countries visited, length of time away and the type of accommodation and transport used, we recommend that these and your other health needs be discussed with your doctor or specialist travel medical centre. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate vaccinations and documentation.
Each country in South America has its own currency. It is strongly recommended that you carry some US dollars cash in small denominations, (not US$ 100 bills) as well as credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard. Foreign currency can be changed into local currency at banks, authorized money exchanges and your hotel.
Not possible after a holiday has commenced.
Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of hotel and tour information, we rely on the information supplied to us. As all hotels and tour operators are constantly changing services and facilities, we cannot be liable for any errors or omissions caused by the hotels and operators concerned.
As we are only an agent for airlines, hotels, tour operators and other Service Providers (see below under “Responsibility and Liability”) your booking may be required to be changed or cancelled due to circumstances outside our control; for example, if a hotel is overbooked or an airline changes its timetable or reschedules its flights or if a tour is cancelled. Further, at certain times of the year, due to heavy bookings, we may not be able to obtain the accommodation advertised. In this case, we will use alternative accommodation of a similar standard, or the next best available. Accordingly we reserve the right to vary your itinerary or cancel your booking at any time.
Costs of passports or visas, meals (other than those specified), all items of a personal nature such as excess baggage, telephone calls, laundry, room service, airport taxes and government taxes (other than accommodation taxes) any costs in Australia, Australian Passenger Movement Charge, Sydney Noise Levy Tax and any international taxes and travel Insurance.
You must notify us or via your Travel Agent of any changes of address or telephone numbers to ensure any variations to the arrangements can be notified within 24 hours.
It is now a requirement that we, at times, may be required to pass on your private information to certain third parties, including some overseas suppliers. For example, most Airlines now require your contact details, such as home phone number, mobile phone number and email address, to be included in your booking, which require your permission under the Privacy Act. Also banks and other financial institutions may require details of travellers including their dates of birth, home address and phone numbers, for payments to certain countries that you may be travelling to, in order to comply with new strict Australian Government regulations. By signing the booking form, you agree in giving us permission for us to pass on this information in order to comply with these third party requirements.
South American Travel Specialists (a division of Four Corners Travel Group Pty Ltd ACN 004 712 734), (referred to as “SATS”) does not itself provide carriage services, accommodation, transport or tours. SATS acts as an agent for accommodation providers, air, coach, shipping, rail, and other carriage or transport providers, tour operators and other service and product providers (referred to as ‘Service Providers’). All products and services provided by Service Providers are provided on those Service Providers’ own terms and conditions, which may include limitations and exclusions of liability. All bookings with SATS and all tickets, vouchers, receipts, coupons, exchange orders and other like documents issued to the client, are subject to each Service Provider’s terms and conditions governing the provision of products and services to be provided by that Service Provider. SATS shall not be liable for any acts, omissions or defaults whether negligent or otherwise, of any Service Providers. SATS shall also not be liable (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, delay or inconvenience resulting directly or indirectly from circumstances outside SATS’s control, including acts of God, war, civil disturbance, strikes, fire, flood, acts of government or other authorities, breakdowns, accidents, disease, quarantine, medical or customs regulations, and alterations, cancellations or delays concerning itineraries, timetables or accommodation. At SATS sole and absolute discretion, where possible and provided the supplier or suppliers will allow, we will: 1. Offer the client alternative arrangements of similar standard as appropriate to the circumstances. SATS may charge a reasonable fee to cover administration costs associated with providing alternative arrangements. 2. Defer the booking until it is possible to make alternate arrangements by up to 12 months at a time or as advised by the suppliers involved. 3. Seek a refund, if possible, less all costs incurred, including but not limited to bank fees, exchange rate differentials, administration costs and any loss of profit and/or costs incurred by SATS. To the fullest extent permitted by law, SATS shall not be liable for loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of anticipated savings or business, pure economic loss, loss of opportunity or expectation or any other form of consequential, special, indirect, punitive or exemplary loss or damages. Your Travel Agent is not acting as our agent. We will not be responsible for any information, statements or representations (whether orally or in writing) not made by us, or that are inconsistent with this brochure.
The contract between SATS and the client shall be governed by the laws of the State of Victoria. By making a booking with SATS, the client agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions referred to in this brochure and in the SATS booking form.
AnTS BOOKING CONDITIONS 2024/2025
These booking conditions relate to any bookings received for travel in 2024 or 2025 booked in 2024.The information is presented in our online brochure for 2024/25 which was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of being placed on our website but is subject to change without notice. Changes may occur after publication, including with respect to prices, itineraries, duration of holidays, service standards, tour content, vaccination needs, health or safety issues at relevant destinations, airline fares and schedules. Please confirm details of your requirements at the time of booking to ascertain if there have been alterations to the tour you select before you book.
Bookings can be made directly with Antarctic Travel Specialists (‘AnTS’) or through recognized providers of agency/consultancy services (referred to as ‘Travel Agents’).
We require the correct names and initials of all people travelling in order to make bookings. The names and initials must match exactly to each traveller’s passport so as to avoid any problems with bookings. Should the wrong information be given, AnTS reserves the right to charge additional fees to cover additional administrative costs to re-book or re-ticket the bookings under the correct name.
A non-refundable security deposit of 20% of the tour price (depending on vessel), with a minimum of $330.00 per person plus a signed booking form is payable at the time of booking. Payment of deposit represents acceptance of AnTS Terms & Conditions by the purchaser and/or passenger/s. As a general rule balance is payable 60 days prior to departure, or immediately if travelling within 60 days of booking, however some vessels, hotels and lodges require balances to be paid up to 120 days prior to departure. Any monies you pay to your Travel Agent shall not be taken to have been paid to us unless and until we actually receive them.
Some of the cruises, tours and ground arrangements such as special cruises, fly in cruises and any other arrangements may require a higher deposit to meet the tour operator’s booking conditions. These are usually between 20% to 50% of tour cost. Please contact AnTS for further details on the particular trip.
A late booking fee of $100.00 per file will be charged for bookings made within 14 days of departure. Should you wish to amend your arrangements or transfer to another trip, due to the extra administrative and communications costs incurred, there will be an automatic fee charged of $50.00 per amendment or transfer. Additionally, there may be cancellation fees levied by the tour operator or fees may be applicable where arrangements have been pre-purchased. A land only fee of $55.00 will be charged on land only bookings under 3 nights accommodation
All prices are quoted in U.S Dollars and Australian Dollars and are generally current at the time of printing. They are generally valid from 01 September 2023 to 31 August 2024, although some expeditions have different periods of validity so prices will vary accordingly. Most prices are based on low season unless stated otherwise. All prices are indicative only and are subject to change at any time up to and including the day of your departure. Should additional taxes or Government charges or unforeseen new costs be payable or incurred, AnTS may charge these costs to you at any time, even after your departure.
Payments for U.S Dollar costed cruises can be paid to AnTS in U.S Dollars into our U.S Dollar bank account, for both deposits, interim payments and balance of monies due to AnTS. Alternatively, at the discretion of AnTS, these payments can be made in Australian Dollars at the AnTS Rate of Exchange, advised by AnTS at the time when these deposits or payments, including full payment or balance of payment is due. NB: If the deposit and/or interim payment is paid in either U.S Dollars or Australian Dollars, any further payments, including interim payments and/or balance of payment, must also be paid in the same currency as the original payments. Any change to this is only possible at the discretion of AnTS.
From 01 July 2000, the Australian government has introduced a 10% GST and even though at present overseas travel is exempt from GST, any service fees, courier, cancellation and amendment fees are subject to GST. We, therefore, reserve the right to vary the costing to incorporate the GST where applicable.
Specific trip and accommodation inclusions are generally listed. Meals are not included unless specified in the itinerary. Meals are indicated by B = Breakfast, L = Lunch and D = Dinner.
As all Antarctic Travel Specialists cruise packages, and other arrangements are based on confidential and specially negotiated rates, we reserve the right and will not give out nor supply a breakdown of costs at any time
Ticket taxes, airport taxes etc are subject to change without notice. Some airport taxes are not included on your air ticket are payable on departure from some international airports in South America. These are usually payable in US Dollars in cash; exact amounts are required as no change is given.
Any cancellations must be received in writing and will take effect from the date it is received by AnTS. The following cancellation fees will apply for tour costs booked:
More than 120 days before departure: Loss of Deposit
120 days or less: No refund
The exceptions are those amounts that can be refunded, such as airfares (less those amounts forfeited under airline regulations and loss of profit incurred by AnTS). Should payment be received in advance of 100 or 120 days, for example in the case when payment is made to avoid increases due to currency fluctuations, AnTS reserves the right to charge cancellation fees of up to 100%, especially where full payment has been made to our ground handlers, hoteliers, and airlines etc. Whilst insurance premiums are not refundable, should the reason for cancellation fall within the terms of the insurance cover, cancellation fees will normally be refunded by the insurance company. The non- issuance of an invoice or non-payment of deposit will not exempt passengers from these cancellation and administrative fees. We regret that we can make no exception to the charges and strongly recommend that insurance is taken out to cover cancellation fees (see Insurance below). There will be no refunds on unused tours, accommodation or other services. Refunds will be made in the currency that monies have been paid. Any variation will only be possible at the discretion of AnTS.
It is a condition of booking that you are adequately insured for the full duration of your trip. We recommend a comprehensive travel insurance to cover cancellation, health requirements, luggage and additional expenses, in particular to cover emergency evacuation. Further we recommend a separate insurance cover for expensive camera and video and other equipment. Further we advise that insurance policies rarely cover for loss of cash. We strongly recommend that insurance be purchased at the time of booking. Should you not take out insurance, we cannot be held responsible for costs incurred (including cancellation fees) arising from circumstances outside our control.
You should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay in Antarctica with at least 6 spare visa pages
Australian passport holders do not require a visa for New Zealand or Antarctica, however they will require visas for countries prior to their arrival in Antarctica eg Argentina & Chile. A reciprocity fee is payable on arrival and is required to enter Chile (payable locally). A reciprocity tourist charge is required to enter Argentina and must be paid through an on-line system prior to arrival. Please contact AnTS for further details.
As most trips to Antarctica require travel through South America to get there – the following vaccinations may be required and recommended: Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis A, (maybe Hepatitis B for longer visits) Polio, Diptheria, Cholera, Tetanus and Malaria. Whilst these vary depending on the countries visited, length of time away and the type of accommodation and transport used, we recommend that these and other health needs be discussed with your doctor or specialist travel medical centre. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate vaccinations and documentation.
It is strongly recommended that you carry some US dollars cash in small denominations, (not US$ 100 bills) as well as credit cards such as Visa or Mastercard.
Not possible after a holiday has commenced.
Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of hotel and tour information, we rely on the information supplied to us. As all hotels and tour operators are constantly changing services and facilities, we cannot be liable for any errors or omissions caused by the hotels and operators concerned.
As we are only an agent for airlines, hotels, tour operators and other Service Providers (see below under “Responsibility and Liability”) your booking may be required to be changed or cancelled due to circumstances outside our control; for example, if a hotel is overbooked or an airline changes its timetable or reschedules its flights or if a tour is cancelled. Further, at certain times of the year, due to heavy bookings, we may not be able to obtain the accommodation advertised. In this case, we will use alternative accommodation of a similar standard, or the next best available. Accordingly we reserve the right to vary your itinerary or cancel your booking at any time.
Costs of passports or visas, meals (other than those specified), all items of a personal nature such as excess baggage, telephone calls, laundry, room service, airport taxes and government taxes (other than accommodation taxes) any costs in Australia, Australian Passenger Movement Charge, Sydney Noise Levy Tax and any international taxes and travel Insurance.
You must notify us or via your Travel Agent of any changes of address or telephone numbers to ensure any variations to the arrangements can be notified within 24 hours.
It is now a requirement that we, at times, may be required to pass on your private information to certain third parties, including some overseas suppliers. For example, most Airlines now require your contact details, such as home phone number, mobile phone number and email address, to be included in your booking, which require your permission under the Privacy Act. Also banks and other financial institutions may require details of travellers including their dates of birth, home address and phone numbers, for payments to certain countries that you may be travelling to, in order to comply with new strict Australian Government regulations. By signing the booking form, you agree in giving us permission for us to pass on this information in order to comply with these third party requirements.
Antarctic Travel Specialists (a division of Four Corners Travel Group Pty Ltd ACN 004 712 734), (referred to as “AnTS”) does not itself provide carriage services, accommodation, transport or tours. AnTS acts as an agent for accommodation providers, air, coach, shipping, rail, and other carriage or transport providers, tour operators and other service and product providers (referred to as ‘Service Providers’). All products and services provided by Service Providers are provided on those Service Providers’ own terms and conditions, which may include limitations and exclusions of liability. All bookings with AnTS and all tickets, vouchers, receipts, coupons, exchange orders and other like documents issued to the client, are subject to each Service Provider’s terms and conditions governing the provision of products and services to be provided by that Service Provider. AnTS shall not be liable for any acts, omissions or defaults whether negligent or otherwise, of any Service Providers. AnTS shall also not be liable (whether in contract, tort or otherwise) for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, delay or inconvenience resulting directly or indirectly from circumstances outside AnTS’s control, including acts of God, war, civil disturbance, strikes, fire, flood, acts of government or other authorities, breakdowns, accidents, disease, quarantine, medical or customs regulations, and alterations, cancellations or delays concerning itineraries, timetables or accommodation. At AnTS sole and absolute discretion, where possible and provided the supplier or suppliers will allow, we will: 1. Offer the client alternative arrangements of a similar standard and/or as close to the original itinerary, with the proviso this may not always be possible. AnTS at its discretion may charge a reasonable fee to cover administrative costs associated with the re-booking arrangements. 2. Defer the booking until alternative arrangements by up to 12 months time or advised by the suppliers involved as to what is possible. 3. In certain circumstances seek refund, if possible, less all costs incurred, including but not limited to bank fees, exchange rate differentials, administration costs and any loss of profit and/or costs incurred by AnTS. It should be noted AnTS is reliant on the suppliers to make decisions in relation to points 1-3, which is outside the control of AnTS, however does not obviate the other conditions in this contract. To the fullest extent permitted by law, AnTS shall not be liable for loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of anticipated savings or business, pure economic loss, loss of opportunity or expectation or any other form of consequential, special, indirect, punitive or exemplary loss or damages. Your Travel Agent is not acting as our agent. We will not be responsible for any information, statements or representations (whether orally or in writing) not made by us, or that are inconsistent with this brochure.
The contract between AnTS and the client shall be governed by the laws of the State of Victoria. By making a booking with AnTS, the client agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions referred to in this brochure and in the AnTS booking form.
Suite 2, 1st Floor
261-271 Wattletree Rd
Malvern VIC 3144
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