This is where your journey begins! Please read these Booking Conditions carefully. They set out your agreement with TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS and contain important information. We’ve tried to keep the legalese to a minimum, but please bear with us. TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS is a registered trading name with its head office in New Zealand and branch office in India. The contract and all matters arising from it, is subject to New Zealand law and New Zealand Courts.

By signing the Booking Form and paying the non-refundable deposit you acknowledge you have read and agreed to the Booking Conditions. The Booking Conditions are binding when your booking is confirmed in writing to you or your travel agent.

In the case of Free Independent Travellers/ tailor made tour you will be required to pay a 10% of the total cost at the time of confirmation of your tour. Balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Group Travellers a deposit of $250 per person is required at the time of booking. Balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Prices are subject to change until paid in full.

If you book less than 60 days before departure, full payment must be made on booking. If you book by phone and pay by credit card a fully completed Booking Form must be received by TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS within three days of payment. In some of the tours and ground arrangements may require a higher deposit of up to 50% these details will be provided upon confirmation.

Acceptance of your booking will be confirmed in writing to you or your travel agent and a contract comes into existence on the date shown on this letter or email.

All holiday prices are expressed on the basis of Cheque, Cash or Direct Cash Bank Transfer in New Zealand dollars (NZD), and are based on tariffs current at the time this Itinerary was printed. Visa or MasterCard payments will be an additional 3% of the total travel arrangements at the time of payment.

TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS reserves the right to vary the cost of tours if necessary. Tour costing will be guaranteed at the price prevailing at the date of final payment.

All arrangements are strictly subject to availability at the time of booking. We recommend that you book as early as possible especially during the peak season months between October and April.

After commencement of the tour or travel any changes in the travel plan only at the request of the clients, the extra cost required for the service provided must be paid in full at the time of booking.

Prices are based on operator’s tariff at the time of printing. It is impossible to foresee accurately increases, in airfares, fuel, airport charges, hotel rates and other service provider’s tariffs. In the event that such fluctuations offset the prices which we pay for such services, we reserve the right to adjust our prices any time up to and including the day of departure.

Children’s fares are available on application. Please note: unfortunately children under 5 are not permitted on these tours.

Passengers wishing to share will pay the twin share price and be matched up with a person of the same gender. Smoking is not permitted in single to twin share rooms. If someone is not compatible with the person they have been matched up with, any additional costs incurred to assist with changing their room type will be at the passenger’s expense and subject to availability.

Special room and dietary requests will be accepted and passed on to the hotels but cannot be guaranteed. Meal plans include breakfast and/or dinner as noted. Beverages, bar items, room service and other personal expenses are not included and are a responsibility of an individuals.

In the event of the cancellation of a tour the following fees apply:

60 days or more prior to departure, Loss of deposit

Less than 60 days before departure Up to 50% of tour cost

Less than 30 days before departure Up to 100% of tour cost

Less than 14 days before departure 100%

If you wish to cancel your existing booking and transfer to a new departure date, the above cancellation fees will still apply.

Cancellation fees will apply as required by airlines regulations and will vary dependant upon the type of airfare utilised. Airfare prices and conditions are subject to change or withdrawal without notification until ticketed. Full payment is required before tickets can be issued. TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS cannot be held liable for any increases in prices or change in the rules and conditions. Foreign currency airfares and airport taxes may fluctuate and are subject to the rate of exchange on date of ticket issue. Increase in airport taxes are not the responsibility of TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS and can be imposed up to departure.

The Company reserves the right to increase the tour cost to take account of the following: government action, currency exchange rates, transportation costs (including the cost of fuel), overflying charges, airport charges, local taxes and increase in scheduled air fares. If the surcharge results in an increase of more than 10% of the tour cost excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges, the Client may cancel the booking within 7 days of being notified of the surcharge and obtain a full refund. No surcharge will be imposed within 28 days of departure.

All the travellers travelling to India require visa to enter the Country. It is mandatory that you familiarise yourself with any visa and health requirements that may be applicable in the countries you are visiting. You are responsible for all entry exit health and other documents required by laws, regulations. Orders, demands or requirements of countries visited or transited. Please note that passport and visa requirements are not the responsibility of TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS and cannot be held liable for any loss or expense due to the failure to comply with the above.

Travel Insurance is compulsory for all TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS traveller. Your travel insurance must cover accident, medical expenses, including any related to pre existing medical conditions, emergency repatriation, including helicopter rescue and air ambulance, and personal liabilities. TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS also recommends that it covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. You are required to carry proof of insurance with you and produce it if reasonably requested by TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS employee or suppliers.

The Company is able to assist the Client in obtaining a suitable insurance policy. Clients making their own arrangements should ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection for the type of activities in their tour. Clients should satisfy themselves that any travel insurance arranged through TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS is what they require and should arrange supplementary insurance if need be.

TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS reserve the right to cancel your participation in a trip at anytime, including after the commencement of your trip with no right of refund, if you are unable to provide proof of insurance.

It is your responsibility to advice TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS of any pre existing medical conditions that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of the other trip members. You may be required to provide an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner if requested by TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS employees or suppliers. TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS reserve the right, at its discretion, to cancel your booking and refund the money paid by you less any unrecoverable cost.

TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS also reserves the right to cancel your participation in a trip at anytime, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition could be reasonable expected to effect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of the other trip members.

All Clients are expected to satisfy themselves prior to booking that they are fit and able to complete the itinerary of their chosen tour as described in the Company’s brochures. No unaccompanied minors (i.e. those under 18 years of age) can be accepted on tours operated by the Company; however older teenagers may travel provided that they are accompanied by a parent or a guardian who accepts full responsibility for them and subject, in all cases, to the ultimate discretion of the Company. Clients agree to accept the authority and decisions of the Company’s employees, tour leaders, and agents whilst on tour with the Company. If in the opinion of such person, the health or conduct of a Client before or after the departure appears likely to endanger the safe, comfortable or happy progress of the tour, the Client may be excluded from all or part of the tour, in which case all monies paid will be forfeited and the Company will not be liable to pay any compensation whatsoever to such Client.

All participants in tours operated by the Company are expected to obey the laws and regulations of the countries visited and any failure to do so will relieve the Company of all obligations that it may otherwise have under the Contract.

If the Client has a complaint about any of the tour arrangements, the Client must bring it to the attention of the Head office/ branch office/local office or other authorised representative of the Company at the time so that they may use their reasonable endeavours to rectify the situation. Failure to complain at the time will affect the Client’s ability to claim compensation from the Company. Should the problem remain unsolved a complaint must be made in writing to the Company within 28 days of the completion of the tour. The Company accepts liability should any part of the tour arrangements booked not be of reasonable standard. In such a case, the Company will pay reasonable compensation if the Client’s enjoyment of the tour arrangements has been adversely affected but will pay no compensation if there has been no fault on the part of the Company or its partners and the reason for the failure in the tour arrangements was the Client’s fault, or due to the actions of someone unconnected with the tour arrangements, or if the circumstances could not have been reasonably foreseen or avoided by the Company or its partners.

It is the Clients’ responsibility to ensure that he and the members of his Party do not behave in a way which causes offence or danger to others or which risks damage to property belonging to others. In such circumstances all suppliers (e.g. hotel managers, airline pilots) and the Company have the right to terminate arrangements made on the Clients’ behalf, in which case the Company’s responsibility to the Client ceases immediately. Therefore, the Company will not be liable for any refunds, payment of compensation or reimbursement of any cost or expenses incurred as a result. Further, the Client will be liable to reimburse the Company for any expenses whatsoever that it incurs as a result of such behaviour.

TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS advises that the service it provides is for the booking and packaging of goods and services provided by other operators such as hotels and transportation companies. Passengers are advised to familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions on which these services are supplied. Accordingly, TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS will not be responsible and will be excluded from liability for any loss, damage, omission or acts being negligent or otherwise committed by the operators of coach lines, hotels or attractions used in connection with the tours.

While the Company will use its best endeavours to operate all tours as advertised reasonable changes in the itinerary may be made without notice where deemed necessary or advisable by the Company. No refund will be made for any unused services which are included in the tour price. All matters rising to the services provided by the Company but not in respect of other things are governed by the law of New Zealand.

Client’s documentation will be forwarded two (2) weeks prior to departure.

"Force Majeure" means any even which TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, disease, industrial or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and similar events beyond our control. In the case of force Majeure TOTAL HOLIDAY OPTIONS will not accept liability, and reserve the right to change and cancel trip.