We provide a service to people who want to travel to make photos and within the scope of those services we offer a series of inclusions which is what you are paying for. Due to the nature of travel, during the tour there are other services which are not included in the trip price. We want to be clear so you know the services we are offering in order to make sure your expectations are met. This page should clarify all of your questions about what is or isn’t included on your trip so you can plan and budget accordingly. If you have any questions please get in touch so we can discuss them with you.
Reservations:
To make a reservation please download the Tour Reservation Form (pdf)
You can also fill out the online form which is more efficient and immediate.
A deposit of $500.00 / per person is required to hold a space on any scheduled trip. We accept personal or certified checks, money orders and bank wire. We do not accept credit cards at this time. Upon receipt of your reservation deposit you will receive a preparatory package with a trip confirmation, detailed itinerary, medical and liability release forms, equipment list and other pre-trip information. You have the option of paying in installments in order to facilitate your trip planning, if necessary.
Please note: the balance is DUE IN FULL 60 days BEFORE the departure date.
If payments are not completed by the specified date we reserve the right to treat this as a cancellation and will contact you a.s.a.p. in order to clear our records. Once a reservation has been made there is a non-refundable administrative fee of U.S. $ 500.00 / per person (please refer to cancellation schedule). No one will be allowed to participate on a trip unless all fees are paid in full 60 days before departure, all necessary documentation and paperwork is received, which includes a trip application and liability release forms. The responsibility for obtaining proper documentation for international travel (i.e. visas and other expenses) rests with the trip applicant(s).
Cancellations:
We hope this will not happen because you will miss out on a great trip! But, if it does, we must receive a written cancellation notice.
Due to the fact that a large portion of the trip costs are already committed far in advance of the dates of departure, we will provide refunds according to the following schedule:
- There is a non-refundable administrative fee of $500.00 per person for all cancellations.
- For notice received more than 90 days BEFORE departure date: balance of payment received.
- 90 – 61 days before departure date: 50 % refund.
- 60 – 45 days before departure date: 25 % refund.
- 44 days or less before departure date: no refund of any kind.
We will consider the following option because we know life circumstances can alter the best laid plans. That is why trip insurance is a must.
- A) Any person who cannot make a trip, but finds another person to take their place, we will credit the deposit/admin fee to the other person taking their place. BUT, the person who cannot travel has to make arrangements with their replacement for an exchange of funds between them. We will not be involved in that transaction.
Insurance:
We require that you purchase insurance for the following: trip cancellation, lost/stolen baggage, extended medical and emergency evacuation costs. An unforeseen illness or unexpected event may require you to cancel your trip before or during the trip. In order to protect yourself, your baggage and/or personal property, a short-term traveler’s insurance package may be purchased through your travel/insurance agent who can advise you as to what is available and their costs. Sergio Photo Tours will not be responsible for any costs incurred by passengers for such occurrences and circumstances. We will do whatever is possible to help you but you are responsible for all expenses.
Travel Insurance Services
Trip Cancellations:
Due to the nature of operating in remote wilderness and international destinations, Sergio Photo Tours reserves the right to change the itinerary or cancel any trip prior to departure for any reason whatsoever. This may include: insufficient signup, weather or any unforeseen logistical problems, which may prevent the safe and efficient running of such trip. In such cases, Sergio Photo Tours is not responsible for any expenses incurred by the trip member in preparation for any trips run by Sergio Photo Tours. This is one reason trip insurance is required. In the event a trip is cancelled, Sergio Photo Tours will offer clients who have signed up either a complete refund (minus the non-refundable deposit), transfer to another trip or a credit towards a future trip, based on the Refund Schedule. Once a trip begins there will be no refunds of any kind.
Responsibility of Sergio Photo Tours:
Please read carefully the limits of responsibility in the following paragraph. These terms and conditions apply to all trips run by Sergio Photo Tours.
Sergio Photo Tours and cooperating or associated agencies act only in the capacity of agent for the passengers in all matters relating to transportation and/or all other related travel services (i.e. hotels, transportation modes and vehicles) and do not assume responsibility or liability howsoever caused for any injury, loss, damage, delay, mental trauma, to any person or property (including baggage) in connection with any service, including but not limited to that resulting directly or indirectly from natural disaster(s), annoyance, delays and expenses resulting from quarantine, strikes, detention, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, failure of conveyance to arrive and/or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, Act(s) of God, discrepancies or change in transit, including negligence by Sergio Photo Tours, its employees and agents rendering any of the services included on the trip, and other circumstances over which Sergio Photo Tours has no control. We reserve the right to change itineraries, if circumstances beyond our control prevent Sergio Photo Tours from continuing the trip in a safe and efficient manner. We reserve the right to alter or cancel any trip due to water levels that may be too low/high for safe passage, sickness, political climate, and/or insufficient registration or other unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. In such cases, partial refunds of any monies received by Sergio Photo Tours may be refunded to involved parties and will constitute full payment. What the % of refunds will be depends on the circumstances. Receipt of the deposit and application by Sergio Photo Tours constitutes agreement by the passengers to these terms and conditions.
Responsibilities of Trip Participants:
Any person participating in a trip with Sergio Photo Tours is responsible to other trip members and to Sergio Photo Tours, its agents and staff. They are expected to comprehend the implied conditions of travel in the itinerary (by consulting previously with Sergio Photo Tours), and assume the need to be in adequate health for such activity. They are responsible for bringing the right equipment and clothing necessary for the trip as stated in the equipment list supplied by Sergio Photo Tours so that their health and well being (as well as other trip members) is not in jeopardy due to inadequacies of such. They are responsible for basic hygiene in order to prevent diseases, adopting normal behavior patterns and acting in an appropriate manner according to the customs of the country being visited. They must understand that the laws that apply are those of that country, not the country of which they are citizens. The trip leader reserves the right to ask a participant not to continue further on the trip if that person is (or may become) a health hazard or who might prove to be a risk to him/herself, or others, if they continue to participate on that trip. All participants agree to and are bound to these terms and conditions by sending a completed application and deposit.
Trip Price Includes:
Our prices are for land services as per the itinerary only and do not include international airfare. In other words, the participant needs to get to the starting point of the trip and those expenses are the responsibility of the participant.
As a general rule, we include the following in most of our tours:
- All land transportation within the region the tour is run with appropriate vehicles
- Tour leaders, local guides
- Lodging based on double occupancy (if included in the itinerary)
- Some meals (which are described in the itinerary as B,L,D which is Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Leadership and some instruction
- Permits and entrance fees
- Transfers to/from the airport (if applicable)
The inclusions and exclusions are specified in the final itinerary that explains what accommodations and meals are included, as well as the rest of our services.
We provide a detailed pre-departure packet including clothing and equipment list, vaccinations, reading lists and other relevant and important information to help you plan your trip way ahead of time.
Please visit this page where you can download all the forms, which are the same ones we will send you. You can also fill out the online form and send it in, which is more efficient and immediate.
Pre-Departure Information Page
The costs are based on current tariffs and current exchange rates. The prices are based on group tariffs and if there is insufficient sign-up we may be forced to add a small party supplemental fee in order to run the tour.
These prices are subject to change at any time due to the fluctuations of these factors. We reserve the right to adjust prices as necessary if factors beyond our control warrant it.
Trip Price Does Not Include:
As a general policy we do not include any personal expenses of any nature in our prices.
We do NOT include the following:
- International air travel to trip starting point, airport departure fees/taxes (if any), single-room accommodations, immunizations, customs duties (if any), excess baggage charges, equipment insurance of any kind, passport and visa requirements and their related expenses, phone calls, computers for e-mail, fax, laundry, alcohol or related bar expenses, soft drinks and bottled water, medical needs of any sort, prescriptions for any ailment, personal trip insurance, special dietary requirements, certain meals or extra food and beverages (not explained in the final itinerary), equipment rental, medical evacuation, legal documents for travel, and any medical requirements including evacuation costs and/or expenses arising due to delay or extension of a particular trip due to transportation failures, political disputes, illness, weather, or other causes beyond our reasonable control, tips to restaurant staff after meals, tips for baggage delivery, gratuities to leader, guides and other staff and other personal expenses of any kind, etc. We may be able to provide single accommodations in some locations but if we cannot find a roommate you will be charged a single supplement fee. In certain circumstances and in remote regions on occasion a person may be forced to share accommodations with another person whereas they have paid for single accommodations. In cases like that we will refund a per-diem amount to cover the extra fees paid.
In short, we offer a whole host of services before and during the trip to make your tour easy to plan for and enjoy during the time you are with us but ultimately you are responsible for your personal needs. Of course we will do our best to help you in any way we can if something goes wrong but any expenses related to unforeseen events will be the trip participants responsibility.
Accommodations:
The prices quoted are based on shared double occupancy for both hotels and tents. We will try to match you with a roommate of the same sex if it is possible for both hotel and tent spaces. On certain trips, a single room supplement may be charged if the person travelling requests a single room. Single supplements are dependent on the trip and will be quoted based on the itinerary. If that person is willing to share a room and no roommate is available, a forced single supplement fee will be charged. Please consult us for exact details.
Medical & Health Matters:
All of the photo tours are designed to be within the physical capabilities of an average person in good health that is able to carry their own equipment. Depending on the trip it may be necessary to walk several miles over uneven terrain which may include, sand, rocks, dense and/or slippery vegetation, forest, wet or soggy areas and possibly snow. The conditions may vary but one should be able to walk in control through a variety of terrain while carrying heavy or cumbersome photo equipment (cameras, bags, backpacks, tripods, etc.) including getting in and out of canoes, rafts, kayaks, boat, planes, helicopters, cars, vans, 4×4, trucks or any other type of transport provided, whether mechanical or animal in order to get to the shooting locations which may be at altitude in some cases.
We reserve the right to request a bill of health from a doctor to certify your ability to join a tour and a staff member or tour leader will have final word on the determination of whether to allow a participant to continue on a tour, even if it has already started. Once a tour has been confirmed and all paperwork is in order, including all payments, medical circumstances will not be considered as valid exceptions to the established cancellation policies. That is why we recommend travel insurance! We will not be responsible for any medical care that may arise and we do not cater to special dietary needs or requirements as often in other countries one does not have the ability to get anything that is specially prepared or produced. If you need a special diet, please bring what you deem is necessary for your needs. If you have any questions about your abilities it is important to let us know ahead of time so we can assist you in making a proper decision to join a specific tour or not.
By sending in the Tour Reservation Form form and a deposit you acknowledge and certify that you do not, knowingly, have any physical disability or disorder that would create a physical or mental risk to yourself or others in the group, including those that are leading the tour and acting as support personnel, including the local population.
It is extremely vital that any persons having any medical problems and/or needs make them known to Sergio Photo Tours well in advance of the departure date. It is also absolutely necessary to notify the trip leader(s) and/or trip doctor (if there is one on the trip) as conditions might dictate, right before and during the trip that a medical need/condition has arisen. The trip leader and/or doctor, (if there is one on the trip) have the right to disqualify anyone from further participation in the trip if they feel that the person cannot safely complete the trip and might put themselves and/or others in danger. It is the responsibility of all participants who might need any type of personal medication to be prepared to bring with them as much necessary and back-up quantities as might be required. If a situation arises where immediate medical help and /or supplies are not available, which is the case with many tours to remote and isolated regions. Sergio Photo Tours will not be responsible for having those medications on hand. Unfortunately, refunds are not possible under such circumstances.
Medical and evacuation insurance should be secured in case of need during adventure travel trips. Sergio Photo Tours does not assume liability or responsibility for securing the services of any doctor for any of their trips nor is it liable for any medical emergency and/or evacuation costs incurred by any trip participant. We will do our best to help any person that requires our help in case of emergency but the costs and expenses and related complications that may arise are the sole responsibility of the trip participant.
Please contact us for further information if you are not sure of anything we have stated here.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
