Terms & Conditions – Small Group Tours
These Terms and Conditions apply to any tours booked with Trico Tours LLC. These Terms & Conditions govern the contractual relationship between Trico Tours LLC (“Trico Tours, “we” or “us”) and tour participants (“participant”, “customer”, “client”, “you”, or “traveler”).
By booking any tour with Trico Tours you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions and you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
By booking on behalf of others, you are deemed to be the designated contact person for every person on that booking. You represent and warrant that you have obtained all required consents and are responsible for verifying any information you provide on behalf on another participant is correct and accurate. Trico Tours will under no circumstances be liable for error or omissions in the information provided to us.
RESERVATIONS
Reservations/advanced booking for tours are required. There is no confirmed contract until a deposit is made and we confirm your booking in writing.
DEPOSIT
You are required to pay a deposit per person for each tour for your booking to be secured. If a booking is made within 90 days of the planned departure date, full payment is required at the time of booking.
BOOKING CONFIRMATION & FINAL PAYMENT
Once your booking has been accepted, we will issue you with a confirmation email. A separate invoice will be issued to you in relation to the final payment. The final balance for your booking is due 90 days prior to the planned departure date. Should this balance not be received on or before the due date, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and all payments already made will be forfeited by you to us. Subject to these Terms and Conditions, once the final payment is received, there are penalties for cancellation.
PRICES AND SURCHARGES:
Tour prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. Tour prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions and availability.
Prices may vary depending on which currency the booking is made in.
We reserve the right to impose surcharges up to 30 days before departure due to unfavorable changes in exchange rates, increases in airfares or other transportation costs, increases in local operator costs, taxes, or if Government action should require us to do so. In such instances, we will be responsible for the amount (up to 2% of the tour price), and you will be responsible for the balance. If any surcharge results in an increase of more than 10% of the tour price, you may cancel the booking by notifying us in writing, within 14 days of notification of the surcharge, and obtain a full refund. Prices are guaranteed not to fluctuate within 30 days prior to commencement of the tour.
All prices quoted by us are in US Dollars, unless otherwise stated. Any additional fees associated with currency exchange and currency fluctuation will be your responsibility. From time to time, we may receive fees, commissions, gifts, or financial incentives from suppliers and other third parties in relation to your travel arrangements.
INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
The price and specific inclusions/exclusions in your trip are detailed in the itinerary for your specific tour.
If you have any questions about the inclusion of any items, please clarify all inclusions and exclusions before booking and/or within 7 days of receiving your itinerary and travel plans.
The price of your tour does not include international or internal flights unless specified, airport transfers (unless stated), excess baggage charges, meals other than those specified in the itinerary, visa and passport fees, travel insurance, optional activities, and all personal expenses such as alcohol, laundry, and shopping.
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
Client-Requested Cancellations:
All client-requested cancellations and alterations require notification in writing via email to tours@tricotours.com.
If you change and/or cancel some or all of your booking:
- Deposit is nonrefundable
- 60-90 days prior to cancellation of your tour: cancellation fee is 50% of price of tour
- Less than 60 days prior to your tour, we will retain 100% paid by you in connection with the booking
You acknowledge that the retention by us of all or part payment is a fair remuneration for, and commensurate with, the work conducted by us in arranging your travel arrangements at that point in time. You also acknowledge that funds are often sent in advance to secure via pre-payment your accommodation and services in the country of travel.
Note: the cancellation policy can vary from tour to tour, including higher charges and additional services. Any tour-specific policy overrides these Terms and Conditions.
You are strongly advised that your mandatory and fully comprehensive travel insurance policy provides adequate cover in the event of a tour cancellation. If you leave a tour for any reason after it has commenced (including but not limited to a cancellation as a result of COVID-19, a pandemic or a force majeure event), there will be no refund. If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, there will be no refund. The above cancellation fees are in addition to fees which may be imposed by accommodation providers, travel agents or third-party tour and transport operator fees.
Cancellations After Commencement of Tour: No refunds will be provided for any unused portion of a tour once the tour begins, including if you leave a tour for any reason, miss the tour’s departure date, or have to be removed from a tour. There are no exceptions to this cancellation and refund policy, including for reasons related to weather, civil strife, personal, family or medical emergencies or any other circumstances beyond our control. Typically, your trip cancellation and interruption insurance will provide some protection.
Tour Cancellations and Alterations by Trico Tours: Trico Tours LLC reserves the right to cancel or make alterations for any reason whatsoever, including insufficient registrations for scheduled group trips or other forces beyond our control, such as weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen critical situation. In the case of tour cancellation, a 100% refund will be given, less any nonrefundable expenses incurred. Trico Tours LLC will promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not already advanced to suppliers and use its best efforts to recover and refund the balance as quickly as possible. Trico Tours LLC does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made, and our use of best efforts to recover these payments will not include the institution of any legal proceedings. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking, including but not limited to visas, vaccinations, travel insurance or non-refundable flights.
CHANGE OF ITINERARY AND FLEXIBILITY
While we endeavor to operate all tours as described and our tours are carefully planned, we reserve the right to modify the itinerary. Latin America is full of surprises and unpredictable occurrences. Please expect your itinerary may be modified due to unforeseen circumstance (such as weather or road closures), and/or to take advantage of spontaneous activities (such as a festival) that will provide you with the best possible experience. Uncompleted portions of the tour itinerary are not cause for refund.
You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of this type of travel requires considerable flexibility, and you should allow for alternate event, activity, or arrangement. The itinerary provided for each tour is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries, amenities, and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events.
TRAVEL & TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE
We require all small group tour participants to purchase trip cancellation insurance from a company of your choosing. Comprehensive travel insurance should cover trip interruption and cancellation, baggage, medical, accident/life, evacuation, repatriation, and other expenses. We do not receive any direct benefit and encourage you to compare offerings.
Some of our guests use:
World Nomads (www.worldnomads.com)
Allianz Global Assistance (www.allianztravelinsurance.com)
COST INCREASES & PRICE GUARANTEE
Tour prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. Tour prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions and availability. Prices may also vary depending on which currency the booking is made in.
We endeavor to keep our prices as quoted, however they are subject to change without prior notice in event of exceptional currency fluctuations or cost increases from service providers. Should it be necessary to increase the price by more than 10%, participants may withdraw without penalty within 10 days of being notified of any price changes. Prices are guaranteed not to fluctuate after receipt of final payment 60 days prior to commencement of the tour.
PASSPORT & VISA REQUIREMENTS
You must carry a valid passport and have obtained all of the appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries which you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the trip with sufficient blank pages/space for entry and exit stamps if traveling across borders. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas, permits and certificates for your trip. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct passport, visas, or other travel documentation.
TOUR PARTICIPATION & EXPECTATIONS
We want everyone to have a great experience in our tours. While we have the utmost care and concern for your comfort and do everything in our power for trips to run smoothly and on-time, it is important to recognize many places we visit provide fewer amenities than more developed countries, local people may have an alternative sense of time, and there may be unexpected and unforeseeable inconveniences during your trip. Please pack a positive attitude and a sense of humor!
You must always comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange, and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our responsible travel guidelines. Smoking is not permitted within the vicinity of the tour group.
Our tours are run by a group leader. The decision of the group leader is final on all matters that are likely to affect the safety or well-being of any traveler or staff member participating in the tour. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a group leader or interfere with the well-being or mobility of the group, the group leader may direct you to leave the tour immediately, with no right of refund. We are not liable for any costs and/or expenses incurred by the traveler resulting from exclusion from the tour. We may also elect not to carry you on any future tours booked.
LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL LAWS
Travelers are responsible for their actions at all times and must comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange, and drug regulations of all countries visited. Consuming alcohol in excess impairs your judgment and reduces your ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Travelers who choose to consume alcohol do so at their own risk. Excess alcohol consumption and abuse of drugs or other controlled substances, whether legal or illegal, that puts you, other travelers or our team at risk is grounds for removal from a tour. Use and possession of illegal drugs and other illegal substances are prohibited. Travelers who abuse illegal substances are subject to arrest and prosecution under applicable laws and removal from their tour.
CLAIMS & COMPLAINTS
We are committed to being responsive to the needs and concerns of our travelers, and to resolve any possible complaint as quickly as possible. We hope not to have any claims or complaints about your tour, but should you feel that something did not meet your expectations please inform your group leader or our local representative at the moment, in order that we may attempt to rectify the matter.
PERSONAL DETAILS
In order to confirm your travel arrangements, you must provide all requested details. They include but are not limited to: full name as per your passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport issue and expiry date, any pre-existing medical conditions such as mobility issues, visual and / or hearing impairments, allergies, dietary requirements, or food intolerances. We will aim to accommodate any special needs; however, this cannot always be guaranteed.
PHOTOS & MARKETING
You consent to us using images of you taken during the tour for advertising and promotional purposes, in any medium. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes.
You further release and indemnify us from any loss, damage, costs, expense, or claim arising out of the use of images of you including action for defamation, libelous material, breach of privacy and / or copyright.
HEALTH & MEDICAL INFORMATION:
We are unable to provide health or medical advice. While traveling you may be exposed to various infectious diseases, such as Covid, dengue fever, yellow fever, hepatitis, or others. It is important to discuss the trip with your doctor and/or review information published by your nation's health protection agency. As some vaccinations must be administered weeks before travel, we recommend visiting your doctor at least two months before your departure date.
In our travels we sometimes find ourselves in areas where little or no medical care is available. If you are taking any medications, be certain to bring an adequate supply for the entire duration of the trip, plus a few extra days should your travel plans be delayed. If you have any medical history that could pose an issue of any sort, please let us know in advance.
AGE AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
A minimum age of 18 years applies to travelers on most small group tours. Please enquire at the time of booking. We have no upper age limit, although we remind you that our tours can be physically demanding, and passengers must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow full participation. At a minimum, travelers must be able to walk up several flights of stairs unaided. In travelling with us, you warrant that you are medically fit to do so, having considered the rigors of the tour you are to undertake.
We can provide details on mandatory health requirements; however, you should regularly monitor the latest health requirements and recommendations of your destination to ensure you have all required documents for entering the country. You are ultimately responsible for obtaining all proper and detailed medical and inoculation advice, and travel-related documentation required by state, federal or international authorities that allow entry or exit into their state, territory, return to your country of residence, or overseas travel from your country of residence to another country.
ACCEPTANCE OF RISK
You acknowledge that the nature of the tour is adventurous, and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural, and geographical attributes may present dangers, and challenges greater than those that are present in your daily live. We monitor and utilize information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate.
You will need to review and agree in writing to the below Assumption of Risk and Release of Liability waiver to confirm your reservation. Even if you pay a deposit, failure to agree to the terms and provide a signed waiver, or other information necessary information, may result in additional charges or cancellation of your trip.
Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release from Liability
As a voluntary participant of tours arranged by Trico Tours LLC, you expressly acknowledge that you are aware that this trip or tour involves certain risks or dangers that include, but are not limited to, the hazards of traveling in foreign countries and/or remote areas, the possibility that an accident, illness or death could occur in remote places without access to immediate or timely medical treatment or facilities, the risk of diseases, injuries, political instability, forces of nature, force majeure, errors (but not willful or fraudulent conduct) on the part of Trico Tours LLC, and travel by automobile, boat, bus, horse, trails/trekking, or any other vehicle or conveyance that may not be maintained at standards common in the United States or your home country.
In consideration of, and as part of the agreement to participate, you agree to waive, release and hold harmless Trico Tours LLC, it founders, owners, tour guides, employees, agents, subcontractors, or anyone acting on their behalf in connection with such trip or tour from any and all liabilities, actions, causes of action, debts, claims, damages, costs, losses, disputes, and liens whatsoever on account of or in any way arising out of personal injury, loss of life, loss or damage to person or property, illness, and any consequences thereof, directly or indirectly, resulting from, incident to, in connection with or arising out of the trip or tour taken including, but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God or nature, pilferage, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulation, discrepancies or changes to transit over which Trico Tours LLC has no control. All such losses or expenses will be born by the traveler. The terms hereof shall serve as assumption of risk, waiver, release and indemnity for heirs, executors, administrators, family members, and myself for all members of my family, including any minors accompanying you on this trip or tour.
You acknowledge you voluntarily applied to participate on the trip or tour designated by Trico Tours and have read the description of the trip, any supplements and itineraries relating to the trip, Trico Tours Terms & Conditions, together with all information contained in this document. Additional waivers may be required by local tour or activity suppliers to participate in certain activities during your trip. Furthermore, any flight details shown in your itinerary are for guidance only and Trico Tours accepts no liability for flight changes or cancellations, late check-in, missed flights, or other inconveniences over which we have no control. You understand delays in foreign countries are typical and at times arrival and departure times will change and that reasonable revisions in the itinerary may be made when necessary or when deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the participants.
You acknowledge that you have been advised to obtain a short-term traveler ́s protection and insurance policy covering trip cancellation, medical expenses, baggage losses, and other inconveniences, and that Trico Tours will have no liability beyond its published refund policies outlined in the Terms & Conditions.
If medical care is required for trip participants while participating on any trip or tour activity or related transportation, and if normal permission is not available in a timely manner, you provide advance authorization for appropriate medical care to be provided as deemed necessary by emergency medical personnel, a physician, or the medical facility providing treatment. Traveler understands that Trico Tours LLC provides no medical or dental insurance coverage for tour participants, and that participants are solely responsible for arranging and paying for any such costs and/or insurance coverage.
You attest that you are in good physical and mental health and are able to comfortably participate in the tour and any included activities, except as otherwise disclosed in advance. You understand this tour will possibly take you far from the nearest medical facility or pharmacy, that you am responsible for bringing your own prescription medications, and that you are financially responsible for any and all medical expenses, including but not limited to testing, medical care, medications, quarantine, medical transport or evacuation and I release, indemnify and hold harmless Trico Tours of and from any liability.
You understand the details of costs included in the trip price and agree to pay for items not specifically stated as included in the price.
You, the tour participant, have carefully read and fully understand this agreement, which contains the entire and final agreement related to the subject matter. The terms of this agreement are contractual and not mere recitals. You agree to abide by the terms set forth in this document and agree to assume responsibility for any risks related to travel on this trip.
You are aware that this is a release of liability between Trico Tours LLC and yourself as the participant and agree to release, waive and indemnify Trico Tours LLC, its representatives, and suppliers of all liability of your own free will and on behalf of your heirs and yourself. You personally assume all risk of participation, up to and including injury or death.
You acknowledge that you have read the Terms and Conditions, understand the cancellation and refund policies, and agree to all stated conditions.
In the unlikely event a dispute arising out of, in connection with, or relating to this agreement and/or the transactions and relationships among the parties contemplated by this agreement, Trico Tours LCC will not be held liable for any amount over the cost of the tour under any circumstances.