EN Xperience Ecuador & Galapagos Islands FIT
EN Xperience Ecuador & Galapagos Islands FIT
EN Xperience Ecuador & Galapagos Islands FIT
15 Days Starting in Quito and ending in Guayaquil
Visiting: Quito, Otavalo, Papallacta, Puerto Misahuallí, Baños, Riobamba, Cuenca, Guayaquil, Puerto Ayora
Tour operator:
Tour code:
53861
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 10
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Day 1 Arrival in Quito. Transfer to the hotel Day 2 Quito – Middle of the World - Otavalo Day 3 Northern Region – Cuicocha – Peguche – Papallacta Day 4 Papallacta – Nearby Amazon Day 5 Amazonia – Local activities Day 6 Amazon – Pailón del Diablo Waterfall – Baños Day 7 Bathrooms – Chimborazo Volcano Day 8 Riobamba - Alausà – Ingapirca - Cuenca Day 9 Cuenca: City tour Day10 Cuenca – Parque El Cajas – Guayaquil city tour Day 11 Guayaquil / Galápagos – Flight to Baltra (Santa Cruz Galápagos) Twin Craters and Turtle Ranch Tour Santa Cruz Galápagos Day 12 Optional: Tortuga Bay Beach – Charles Darwin Station Day 13 Santa Cruz Galapagos: Bay Tour, half- day visit Day 14 Santa Cruz – Flight to Guayaquil Day 15 Guayaquil - Departure transfer - International Flight
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : (✈) Arrival In Quito
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: HOTEL IBIS
Arrival at Quito International Airport.
Meeting and welcome by your English-speaking guide and transfer to your hotel.
Advantages of Latin Xplore:
- Delivery of your welcome kit
- Dinner on your own. Due to the time difference and late arrival, many passengers prefer to sleep directly after the snack provided by the airline.
- Early check -in option with extra charge for passengers who arrive earlier
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Driving time 38 km / 40 min – Altitude 2850 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Welcome kit
Day 2 : Quito: Colonial City – Middle Of The World – Otavalo
Location: Otavalo
Accommodation Name: HOTEL INDIO INN
Breakfast at the hotel
Advantages of Latin Xplore:
- Go through a typical market
Departure to the historic center with your English-speaking guide. You will visit the unmissable sites of the largest colonial urban center in South America, witness to the indigenous, colonial, Inquisition and Republican eras.
Lunch on your own
Departure towards the north of the city, towards the town of Half the World, where the equinox line that divides the northern hemisphere from the southern hemisphere passes. Also visit the Intiñan Museum, an ethnographic and recreational museum that traces the history of Ecuador, from the French geodesic mission to the process of the shrunken heads of the Amazon.
Travel to the Great Lakes region, check -in at the hotel.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Driving time 133 km/ 3h min – Altitude 2530 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites.
Day 3 : North Region And Trip To The Amazon: Cuicocha – Peguche – Papallacta
Location: Papallacta
Accommodation Name: HOTEL MAMALLACTA
Breakfast at the hotel
Visit the town of Otavalo and Lake Cuicocha, located in the heart of a crater that has collapsed in on itself. Stop in the town of Cotacachi, time to enjoy the shops of this town specialized in leather work.
Lunch on your own
Visit the town of Peguche and its sacred waterfall, then departure to the nearby Amazon with an overnight stay in the town of Papallacta.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Driving time 172 km / 3h20 min in 3 trips – Altitude 3300 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English -speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites
Day 4 : Papallacta: Nearby Amazon – Local Activities
Location: Puerto Misahuallí
Accommodation Name: SAYANI LODGE
Breakfast at the hotel
Advantages of LatinXplore:
-Depending on the category of lodge you choose (3* and 4*) the itinerary may vary a little.
Departure towards the Amazon, descent of the slopes of the Andes.
Arrival at La Punta Ahuano beach. Get off the bus for the short canoe ride to the Lodge. The objective of this day is to enjoy the Amazonian atmosphere and relax an afternoon by the pool offered by the Lodge.
Lunch included at the Lodge with stunning views of the Napo River, a tributary of the Amazon River
In the afternoon relaxation and exchanges. The Lodge also has an observation tower, a swimming pool, games and relaxation areas, and the possibility of massages.
Dinner included
Accommodation at the Lodge
Possibility of night walk to observe wildlife
Driving time 170 km/ 3h15 – Altitude 600 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites ☒ Lunch and dinner ☒ Accommodation
Day 5 : Amazon: Local Activities
Location: Puerto Misahuallí
Accommodation Name: SAYANI LODGE
For this second day in the Amazon, you will leave early in the morning to the Island of La Isla, to observe the endemic birds. Afterwards, return to the Lodge for the buffet breakfast.
Breakfast at the Lodge
The morning will be dedicated to a walk through the jungle with a native guide, accompanied by your English-speaking guide. An opportunity to observe the flora and fauna and learn about the medicinal plants and the way of life of the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest.
lunch included at the Lodge
The afternoon will be dedicated to meetings, with the presentation of a community and its inhabitants. The principle is to share their way of life, with two highlights, the blowgun, a hunting weapon, and chocolate, extracted from their jungle plantations.
Dinner included
Accommodation at the Lodge
Canoe rides / 2 hours of walking – Altitude 600 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Lunch and dinner ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fee to visiting sites
Day 6 : Amazon – Yanacocha – Pailon Del Diablo Waterfall – Baños Town
Location: Baños
Accommodation Name: HOTEL LA FLORESTA
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer by canoe and then by bus, for a slow and gradual ascent to the Andes Mountains. This route is rich in contrasts, going from the heat and humidity of the Amazon to the intermediate vegetation located at an altitude of 1,820 m.
Yanacocha Animal Shelter, where you will discover many collected endemic species.
Continuing the ascent, after passing through long tunnels, you will discover on the so-called Cascade Route, a small river that is very agitated and at the end of its course. It ends its long descent into a deep hole, surrounded by basalt, and then falls again from a height of 80 meters. This wonder of nature is called Pailon del Diablo.
Free time to discover the different viewpoints.
Lunch on your own
You will continue this magnificent Waterfall Route with a stop at the tarabita that crosses the Pastaza River, to get closer to the waterfall called Manto de la Novia.
Your guide will show you the town so you can easily orient yourself during your stay in this small town.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Travel time 160 km / 3 hours in 5 trips – Altitude 1820 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites.
Day 7 : Baños – Chimborazo Volcano – Local Community – Riobamba
Location: Riobamba
Accommodation Name: HOTEL CASA REAL
Breakfast at the hotel
LatinXplore "advantages"
- Local experience with the Palacio Real community
The ascent to the Andes Mountains continues, reaching the Chimborazo Volcano National Park and Fauna Reserve. You will be able to admire vicuñas and llamas on the way to the first shelter. This refuge is accessible by vehicle and is located at an altitude of 4,850 m.
Lunch on your own.
In the afternoon, your guide will explain their way of life, as well as their connection with the llama, its meat, its wool, and the representation of this animal in its ancestral culture.
At the end of the afternoon, return to the hotel in Riobamba.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Driving time 142 km/ 3h – Altitude 2750 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites.
Day 8 : Riobamba – Balbanera – Alausà – Ingapirca – Cuenca
Location: Cuenca
Accommodation Name: HOTEL CARVALLO
Breakfast at the hotel
LatinXplore "advantages"
- Explore the archaeological site of Ingapirca
Visit what is recognized as the first Hispanic church in the country and discover the vegetable ivory, the Tagua. Continue to Pitishi Viewpoint, weather permitting, to admire and understand the Devil's Nose Railway. A true engineering feat of the time. It was here that the exchange of goods took place between the cultures of the Andes and those of sea level.
Arrival in Ingapirca, a small town in the mountains next to the Inca site of Ingapirca.
Lunch on your own
Guided tour of the site. Continuation towards the city of Cuenca.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Travel time 274 km / 5h30 completed in 4 trips – Altitude 2560 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites
Day 9 : Cuenca: City Tour
Location: Cuenca
Accommodation Name: HOTEL CARVALLO
Breakfast at the hotel
LatinXplore "advantages"
- Enjoy the afternoon and evening freely, and the numerous gastronomic options in the city
Visit to a Panama hat factory, originally from Ecuador, and then a brief guided tour of the city.
Lunch on your own
Free afternoon to enjoy this beautiful city of English architecture, very pleasant and well organized for pedestrians. Your guide will remain at your disposal.
Diner on your own to enjoy the city's wide gastronomic offer
Hotel accommodation
Driving time 5 km / 20 min – Altitude 2560 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English -speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites
Day 10 : Cuenca – El Cajas National Park – Guayaquil – City Tour
Location: Guayaquil
Accommodation Name: HOTEL IBIS STYLES
Breakfast at the hotel
LatinXplore "advantages"
-Visit the unique Cajas National Park with its paramo vegetation.
Passing and visiting the El Cajas National Park. Magical, wild, bewitching landscapes, with one of its majestic lagoons – La Toreadora.
Continuation to Guayaquil.
Lunch on your own
Panoramic tour of the city, with the Malecón, the Iguana Park, the Cathedral and the La Peñas neighborhood.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Travel time 203 km/ 4h in 2 trips – Altitude 0 m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English-speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites
Day 11 : Guayaquil: Baltra (✈) / Arrival In Santa Cruz De Galapagos – Twin Craters And Turtle Ranch Excursion
Location: Puerto Ayora
Accommodation Name: HOTEL DEJA VU
Breakfast at the hotel
Your guide will accompany you to the airport for your departure to the Galapagos Islands.
Meet and greet your guide upon arrival at Baltra airport and then continue to the upper part of the island of Santa Cruz to discover the twin craters, volcanic formations caused by the sinking of the surface layers of the earth. Observation of flora and fauna. Continue with a visit to one of the local ranches with free-ranging giant tortoises. You will then pass through an end-to-end lava tunnel for a distance of 300m underground. The lava tunnels, splendid volcanic formations, show by their magnitude how these islands originate from large underwater volcanic eruptions.
Lunch on your own
Continuation to Puerto Ayora and check -in at the hotel.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Flight time: 10 minutes by shared bus; 10 minutes by boat; 45 minutes by private bus.
Services included: ☒ Transfers ☒ English- speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance to the Ranch
Day 12 : Santa Cruz / Galapagos: Optional Excursion To Tortuga Bay And Charles Darwin Station
Location: Puerto Ayora
Accommodation Name: HOTEL DEJA VU
Breakfast at the hotel
Free day or optional activities.
Lunch on your own
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
45 min walk – Altitude 0 m
Included services: ☒Accommodation
Day 13 : Santa Cruz / Galápagos: 1/2 Day Tour To Franklin Bay
Location: Puerto Ayora
Accommodation Name: HOTEL DEJA VU
Breakfast at the hotel
Embark on a boat to observe blue-footed boobies, frigates, seagulls and other endemic birds. Snorkel in Franklin Bay, where you can see a wide variety of colorful fish of all sizes, sea turtles, small sharks, blue sharks from the creek which are completely harmless. You will disembark to observe the vegetation of the island as well as the marine iguanas, to continue towards Las Grietas, lava fissures, you will also visit the salt mines and a natural pool where the salt waters of the sea meet the fresh water of the upper part of the island. Ideal place to swim with fish and snorkel.
Lunch on your own
Free afternoon to explore Puerto Ayora
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
Boat and 45 minutes’ walk – Altitude 0 m
Services included: ☒ Transfers ☒ English- speaking guide ☒ Accommodation ☒ Entrance fees to visiting sites
Day 14 : Santa Cruz / Galápagos – Guayaquil (✈) / Arrival In Guayaquil
Location: Guayaquil
Accommodation Name: HOTEL IBIS STYLES
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Guayaquil.
Lunch on your own (at Santa Cruz airport or in Guayaquil)
Arrival in Guayaquil and transfer to the hotel.
Dinner on your own
Hotel accommodation
10 minutes by boat and 1h15 by bus, in 3 trips – Altitude 0 m
Services included: ☒ Transfers ☒ English - speaking guide ☒Accommodation
Day 15 : Guayaquil (✈) / Departure Transfer – International Flight
Location: Guayaquil
Breakfast at the hotel
Lunch on your own
Depending on the departure time of your flight, transfer to the airport is coordinated.
Night on the plane
Altitude 0m
Services included: ☒ Transfer ☒ English -speaking guide
What's Included
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Hotel Accommodation
All hotel nights in a double room (breakfast included) in the hotels mentioned or equivalent.
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Ground Transfers
All ground transfers in private service for the entire program.
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Private English-Speaking Guide
Private English-speaking guide for the entire program.
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Galapagos Guide
Galapagos guide in shared services.
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Activities
All the activities mentioned in private service according to conditions and availability.
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Galapagos Activities
Activities in Galapagos in shared services.
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Entrance Fees
Entrance fees for the continent.
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Meals
Meals as mentioned: Continent. 2 lunches/2 dinners in the Amazon.
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Domestic Flights
Domestic flights to Galapagos round trip.
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Assistance
Assistance from our Office and our operators along the entire route.
What's Not Included
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Drinks
Drinks (meals included).
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Unmentioned Meals
Meals not mentioned in the program.
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Optional Visits
Visits mentioned as 'optional'.
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International Airfare
International airfare.
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Personal Equipment
Personal equipment: sunglasses, sunscreen, warm clothing (windbreaker and fleece, hat, gloves, socks), walking shoes, hat, and personal first aid.
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Luggage Carriers
Luggage carriers.
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Galapagos Migration Card
Galapagos migration card (20 USD).
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Galapagos National Park Fee
Entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park (200 USD).
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Tips
Tips to guides and drivers.
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Travel Insurance
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Drinks (meals included).
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Meals not mentioned in the program
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Visits mentioned as "optional"
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International airfare
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Personal equipment: sunglasses; sunscreen; warm clothing (windbreaker and fleece; hat; gloves; socks); walking shoes; hat and personal first aid
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Luggage carriers
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Galapagos migration card (20 USD)
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Entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park (200 USD)
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Tips to guides and drivers
Mode of Transport
All ground transfers are provided in private service throughout the program, including domestic flights to the Galapagos Islands and various boat rides for island excursions.
Accommodation
Enjoy comfortable stays at carefully selected hotels such as Hotel Ibis, Hotel Indio Inn, Hotel Mamallacta, Sayani Lodge, Hotel La Floresta, Hotel Casa Real, Hotel Carvallo, and Hotel Ibis Styles, all offering excellent amenities and convenient locations.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of activities can I expect during the Amazon portion of the tour?
During the Amazon portion of the tour, you will enjoy a variety of activities including a canoe ride to the Lodge, relaxation by the pool, a night walk to observe wildlife, a morning visit to La Isla to observe endemic birds, a jungle walk with a native guide to learn about the flora, fauna, and medicinal plants, and a community presentation where you will learn about the local way of life, including the use of a blowgun and chocolate extraction from jungle plantations.
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What will I see during the visit to the Chimborazo Volcano National Park?
At the Chimborazo Volcano National Park, you will have the opportunity to admire vicuñas and llamas on the way to the first shelter, which is accessible by vehicle and located at an altitude of 4,850 meters. Your guide will also explain the local way of life and the significance of llamas in the ancestral culture.
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What can I expect during the visit to the Galapagos Islands?
In the Galapagos Islands, you will visit the twin craters and a local ranch with free-ranging giant tortoises, pass through a lava tunnel, and have the option to visit Tortuga Bay and the Charles Darwin Station. You will also embark on a boat tour to Franklin Bay to observe blue-footed boobies, frigates, seagulls, and other endemic birds, snorkel to see colorful fish, sea turtles, and small sharks, and visit Las Grietas and the salt mines.
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What kind of accommodations are provided during the tour?
The tour includes accommodations in carefully selected hotels with high ratings on online review sites. You will stay in various hotels such as HOTEL IBIS in Quito, HOTEL INDIO INN in Otavalo, HOTEL MAMALLACTA in Papallacta, SAYANI LODGE in the Amazon, HOTEL LA FLORESTA in Baños, HOTEL CASA REAL in Riobamba, HOTEL CARVALLO in Cuenca, and HOTEL IBIS STYLES in Guayaquil. In the Galapagos, you will stay at HOTEL DEJA VU in Puerto Ayora.
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What kind of meals are included in the tour?
The tour includes breakfast at the hotels, 2 lunches and 2 dinners in the Amazon, and lunch and dinner at the Lodge in the Amazon. Other meals are not included and will be on your own.
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Are there any optional activities during the tour?
Yes, there are optional activities during the tour, such as the visit to Tortuga Bay and the Charles Darwin Station in the Galapagos Islands.
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What kind of transportation is provided during the tour?
The tour includes all ground transfers in private service for the entire program, domestic flights to and from the Galapagos Islands, and transfers by canoe and bus in the Amazon. Additionally, there are boat rides in the Galapagos for specific excursions.
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What kind of assistance is provided during the tour?
You will have the assistance of a private English-speaking guide for the entire program on the continent and a shared guide in the Galapagos. Additionally, there is assistance from the tour operator's office and their operators along the entire route.
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How does Today Voyages work?
We are an Online Travel Agency, specialized in Group Vacations and Private Vacations. We have been in business for over 30 years through our sister company Go West Tours and, throughout the years, have developed an extensive network of trusted professionals around the world and a structured methodology to screen our suppliers. Today Voyages offers a selection of tours that are designed, managed and operated by our network of trusted Tour Operators and DMCs. Our database is connected with our partners so that when you make a booking with us this will immediately be received and processed by the Tour Operator.
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Where should I buy the flights to reach my destination?
Today Voyages does not sell flights directly. None of our tours come with flights included. Why? Because we prefer to give full flexibility to our valued customers to select the airlines and the booking platform they prefer. As soon as your flight is booked and confirmed, we invite you to update your flight plan within your Today Voyages booking confirmation page by entering your flight number, departure and arrival times, as well as your Passport information (if needed). None of these fields are mandatory but we highly encourage you to provide as much information as possible. This will allow us to provide you with the excellent service you are looking for.
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What is an additional excursion or tour optional?
Certain tours might show a selection of additional excursions/optional activities that you may want to add to our standard itinerary. These services are priced separately and can be added to the cart before completing the booking. We believe these optional services to contribute to making your vacation unforgettable; however, you are in no way obliged to purchase them. All our tours are awesome with our without optional services!
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What is the difference between Group Vacations and Private Vacations?
If you purchase one of our Group vacation packages, you will be escorted by a professional tour guide and will be traveling with other like-minded travelers you may not know. The group size depends on the tour you select. If you purchase one of our Private vacation packages, you will be traveling only within your group of friends. You may or may not be escorted by a professional tour guide; this depends on the type of private tour you are interested in.
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When and how will I receive the travel documents (vouchers)?
If you book one of our Group or Private tours, you will receive your travel documents via email approximately 20 days prior to travel date. If you reserve one of our Vacation Rentals, you will hear back from the property manager via email a few days prior to checking-in. We recommend checking your emails on a regular basis as this is our most reliable method of communication. If you have questions or need additional support, you can always chat with us or email us directly.
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What happens if a Group tour does not get confirmed?
It is very simple... you will be offered an alternative departure date or be refunded the full amount you pre-paid. No questions asked!
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What happens after I book?
The majority of our tours are confirmed at the time of booking. This means that, after submitting the payment online, you will receive an order confirmation email; make sure to save this email and to note down your confirmation number for any future communication with us. Some tours may be sold on a 'on request' basis. This means that for these tours we reserve the right to check the availability of your spot(s) with the Tour Operator before confirming the tour to you. As soon as you submit the payment online for a 'on request' tour you will receive an email notification that confirms your order request. Within 72 hours, you will receive either a confirmation email or a denial email. Do not worry... we will do everything we can to confirm your tour!
Reviews of this operator
Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Today Voyages allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 65 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Today Voyages requires a minimum deposit of 30% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of today voyages charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.