Terms & Conditions

E CONTRACT

The holiday contract is made by Serendipity Tours Private Limited (ST) with the person who receives the booking confirmation, even if payments are made by others, and every person who receives the booking confirmation is fully responsible for the holiday contract. This contract is made under the terms of these booking conditions, which are governed by Sri Lankan Law, and both parties agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the Sri Lankan Court at all times.

Where a third party or other Tour Operator is used, their Terms and Conditions supersede the ones set out below, and the client is bound by those.

Your holiday contract with ST includes:

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The relevant information is in the brochure. Any changes to the particulars in the brochure or website will appear in the itinerary or be advised in writing. ST checks to ensure that the descriptions, information and opinions given in brochures or websites used by ST concerning the airlines, hotels, facilities and suppliers are correct and based on the latest information available at the time of publication. However, because brochures are necessarily prepared some time in advance, such matters may change by the time you are ready to book your holiday. Your holiday contract is based on the changes notified in the itinerary or in writing.

THE INVOICE

The itinerary. If the service is dependent on participation by a minimum number of people, it may be cancelled by ST in writing within the period indicated in the itinerary without compensation if the minimum take-up is not achieved, and if the service has been paid for, then the sum paid will be refunded by ST.

Please check the details on the itinerary and invoice when you receive them. The details of the holiday you have booked are set out in the itinerary and invoice. If you believe there is an error, please contact ST immediately. Only the persons signing the booking form or someone they authorise in writing can make changes.

If for any reason the company does not accept your booking, your deposit will be returned.

THE PRICE GUARANTEE

After a Confirmation Invoice has been issued, the price of your holiday is, regrettably, subject to the possibility of surcharges in certain limited circumstances. ST guarantees that up until 30 days before your departure date the price of your holiday will not be subject to surcharges except for:

• Variations in transportation costs, including the cost of the fuel
• Variations in duties, taxes or fees chargeable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports
• the exchange rates applied to your holiday booking.

Should the above price variations result in the cost of your holiday going up:

• ST will absorb it, and you will not be charged for any increase equal to up to 2% on your holiday price (that is, you will only have to pay the increase over and above 2% of the holiday price)
• If a surcharge increases the total holiday price shown on your original Confirmation Invoice by 10% or more, you may cancel your booking within 14 days of the date of issue of the revised Invoice and obtain a full refund of all payments made to ST and any amendment charges previously incurred.

ST will not provide any breakdown of the holiday price whatsoever. The relevant exchange rate for each individual tour will be quoted upon request.

THE PAYMENT SCHEDULE

There will be no binding contract for your holiday until ST has received a signed booking form and payment of the deposit/sum required. Your booking will be automatically cancelled if you are unable to make the full payment or a part payment within 48 hours of the invoice being generated.

If you are booking within 30 days of the departure date, full payment is required at the time of booking.

If you are booking more than 30 days before the departure date, then you need only pay the deposit shown on the invoice at the time of booking, and you must pay the balance before the date specified for such payment to take place.

If you are booking a holiday for the peak period (December 15 to January 15) you may be required to pay the full amount. This will depend on the terms and conditions of the supplier.

PAYMENT MODE

ST offers 3 payment modes mainly card payments, bank transfers and cash payments. If customers opt for a bank transfer or card payment, they must make it at least 5 days before arrival. If customers choose the on-arrival payment mode, they must pay the full amount in cash on arrival. ST accepts only cash payments on arrival.

CHANGES TO THE HOLIDAY OR PERSONS TAKING THE HOLIDAY MADE BY YOU

A change must be requested in writing by the person who signed the booking form. ST will assist you if you wish to make changes to your booked holiday, but cannot guarantee that the relevant suppliers will agree to your changes. ST reserves the right to charge an additional premium of 50 USD if you change your itinerary while travelling or change a confirmed booking, and you will also have to pay the costs associated with the change. Please note that the administration charges are payable whether or not ST is successful in making the change.

If you or any person on the holiday is prevented from travelling, ST will agree to that person’s booking being transferred to another person who satisfies all the booking terms, subject to both persons accepting joint and several liabilities for full payment of the price and the ST charge for confirming the transfer and any additional costs arising from the transfer. ST requires reasonable notice of the transfer request, which must be at least 14 days before the outward departure date.

CHANGES TO THE HOLIDAY OR PERSONS TAKING THE HOLIDAY MADE BY US

It is unlikely that ST will have to change your booking but holiday arrangements are made many months in advance and ST is dependent upon several essential suppliers. ST, therefore, reserves the right to do so. In some instances, circumstances outside our control may change, delay or cancel travel schedules or holiday services. Such changes can cause you to miss travel connections, cause disappointment and impose further costs, which ST reserves the right to charge to you. When ST makes a significant change to an essential term of the holiday contract before departure, then ST will notify you as soon as possible.

If, after departure, ST is unable to provide a significant proportion of the services it had agreed to provide as part of the holiday contract, we will notify you as soon as possible and do our best to make suitable alternative arrangements at no extra cost to you. If ST cannot do so or you refuse to accept these for good reasons, ST will agree to refund you appropriately. ST will, if appropriate, also pay you compensation.

CANCELLATIONS BY YOU

All cancellations must be advised in writing and will effect the day we receive them.

ST voluntarily returns all recoverable costs for cancellations. ST will be entitled to retain part of the payment you made as compensation for the work put into preparing the itinerary. The compensation amount will differ according to whether the holiday period is during peak times or off-peak times.

The off-peak period is the time between the notification of cancellation and the departure date, and the amount of the cancellation charge will apply. The cancellation conditions may vary depending on the tour package. The refund policy is clearly mentioned on each respective page of the trip.

CANCELLATIONS BY US

ST will notify you as quickly as possible of any cancellation.

ST may cancel the holiday if you do not pay the balance of the price on time and ST may retain the deposit you have paid.

In the event of cancellation by ST you will be entitled to either

• have a full refund; or
• accept a substitute alternative from ST of equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if one is available; or
• choose a substitute alternative of a lower standard to the travel arrangements booked together with a refund of the difference in price.

We assume no responsibility for any loss, damage to baggage or property or for injury illness or death or for any damages or claims however so caused arising directly or indirectly from war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, actions of governments or other state bodies, unavoidable technical problems with transport, machinery or equipment, delays, power failure, natural or nuclear disaster, avalanche, fire, adverse weather conditions or levels of water in rivers, accidents, force majeure or Acts of God.

Where ST is required to pay you compensation, whether as provided in these booking terms or otherwise, ST will pay 50 USD per person. ST may, in appropriate circumstances, increase the sum but ST liability to pay compensation shall be limited in all circumstances to the lesser of a maximum of three times the price of the holiday.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

You must ensure that Your passport and travel documentation are in order and that You have obtained the necessary visa and all other requirements for your Travel Arrangements. Should You require assistance on this matter We will be pleased to make recommendations. We will not be held responsible for You travelling without the correct travel documents.

INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC AIR BOOKINGS

Reconfirmation of flight bookings is your responsibility. As travel arrangements may be booked to connect with international and domestic air flights, it is your or the traveller's responsibility to keep us updated on flight times and numbers.

Domestic Air Bookings. The following Terms apply.

• Payment to be made in advance for the confirmation of flight
• Maximum 05 Kg of hand luggage per passenger.
• Flying time is engine ON to SHUTDOWN
• Service hours are from 0630 hrs to 1800 hrs daily (subjected to weather conditions)
• Overnight parking charges will apply
• On the ground, waiting; charges will apply per hour, with the 01st hour free of charge
• Upon confirmation of booking no refund will be made
• The carrier reserves the right to delay, extend, reschedule or cancel a flight for operational reasons – adverse weather, VIP movements or other similar situations beyond the immediate control of the carrier. The carrier is never liable for any inaccuracy, misdescription, detention, delay, loss, damage, sickness, additional expenses, or injury to any passenger, property, or baggage.
• In case of adverse weather, the carrier reserves the right to return to base or find an alternative location to land. In such cases, the client shall bear the cost.

Cancellation policy

For cancellations done by the charterer, the following will be applicable:

• Cancellations are done 30 days prior to departure – No charge
• 29 – 20 days before departure – 50% of charter cost
• 19 – 11 days before departure: 75% of charter cost
• 10 days or less, before the scheduled date of departure – 100% charter cost.

ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONS

The style of accommodation indicated in the tour itineraries is a guideline. On rare occasions, we may need to make alternative arrangements due to a lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. In these instances, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

VACCINATIONS

We strongly advise you and everyone travelling in your party to check with their own medical advisers at least a month before travel regarding recommended vaccines and the possible need for malaria tablets.

MEDICAL AND HEALTH INFORMATION

All travellers must be in good physical health to fully participate in this trip. When selecting your trip, please ensure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to manage and enjoy our style of travel. Please note that if in the opinion of our guide any traveller is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and the rest of the group, we reserve the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund.

You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure. We recommend that you carry a first aid kit and any personal medical requirements, as you may not easily obtain them while travelling.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is a condition of booking that you and everyone in your party are adequately insured for the full duration of the holiday in respect of illness, injury, death, loss of baggage and personal items, cancellation and curtailment. The choice of insurer is solely at your discretion. In accepting and paying for the holiday you confirm to us that you either have or will have procured such insurance before the commencement of your travel arrangements.

COMPLAINTS

If you have a complaint about your holiday, then you should immediately contact ST representative, even while on holiday. It is important to address any issues while you are on holiday rather than waiting to raise them afterwards. If ST representative cannot solve your problem before you return home, then you should contact ST within 28 days of returning home. If you do not complain within that period, then this may affect ST ability to investigate your complaint and may impact the way that your complaint is dealt with.

PROBLEM AND EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss the matter with your group leader or our local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local partner may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction; if this is the case, please ask the leader to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while you are still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real time.

For general contact details, please use the following page: https://seerendipitytours.com/contact-us/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office at the number below:

Seerendipity Tours: +94 77444 0977

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER

ITINERARY CHANGES

We regularly update our itineraries throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in Sri Lanka. The information included in the Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. You must review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, or other factors, further adjustments may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure that our travellers have the best experience. Your tour guide will keep you up to date with any such changes once on tour.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

The day-to-day itinerary lists a selection of optional activities that past travellers have found popular. This is not an exhaustive list and should be used only as a guide to some of what may be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When we recommend that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day or let your leader know you are interested in the Group Meeting and they can assist.

Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have reviewed and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium- and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and leaders are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that violate our Responsible Travel policies are also excluded from the list. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your discretion and risk.

ACCOMMODATION

Some of the accommodation provided on the way is basic or simple, staying in local guesthouses and homestays. Some may have shared bathroom facilities with only cold water. We normally use air-conditioned rooms; however, there may be chances that we have to accommodate you in non-air-conditioned rooms due to unavoidable circumstances. Most hotel properties have a restaurant or cafe serving local meals. There may be restaurants and hotels that do not serve alcohol for religious reasons or due to local laws.

SHOWERS:

Showers at some hotels only have hot water at peak times (usually morning and evening). Outside of these times, you may need to speak to reception to obtain hot water.

ROOM ISSUES:

If you experience any issues with your room, please speak to the hotel and your tour guide right away rather than your travel agent so that the problem can be addressed without delay.