Terms and Conditions: Sri Lanka
PAYMENT TERMS
- 25% payment required at the time of booking.
- Balance to be paid 70 days prior to start of tour.
- All payments should be made in the quoted currency.
- Payments are to be made by wire transfer.
CANCELLATION POLICY
- Minimum cancellation charges after booking will be 15%.
- Between 69 to 50 days. 50% of the total tour cost
- Between 49 to 30 days. 75% of the total tour cost
- Less than 30 days 100%
- No shows forfeit entire payment.
OTHER NOTES ON CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
- Please note that cancellation fees are calculated based on the date we receive your cancellation request and travel service start date.
- There is tax component on the tour cost as well as non-refundable elements. The refundable amount depends on when the cancellation takes place. We will always try to recover as much from vendors like hotels.
- Actual cancellation charges and refunds would depend upon the policy of the hotels, transporters, guides and other principals involved in the tour.
- How to Cancel a Reservation: We will process your cancellation/refund request within five to ten business days. Please ensure cancellations are intimated clearly by email stating briefly the reason for the cancellation. Verbal intimation will not be considered as valid.
- Unused features are non-refundable.
- Domestic Airfare is completely non-refundable and non-changeable for tours when airfare is included in the final price. If the tickets have already been issued at the time of cancellation, we will not be able to get refunds on either cancellations or name changes.
- Group tours require a minimum number of participants to operate. We reserve the right to cancel a scheduled tour if we do not have enough participants. In such a case we will refund affected customers, after deducting a reasonable administration fee, although we make every effort to ensure tours operate. In such a case the affected traveler may also choose a similar tour product as a substitute or a private customized tour. The cost of such substitute tours may be higher or lower than the cancelled scheduled group tour. It may be possible to continue the affected scheduled tour if other tour members agree to continue at a revised cost.
- In case of Force Majeure Jasmine Trails, its affiliates and associates and partners service providers shall be excused, discharged, and released from performance to the extent such performance is so limited or prevented, without liability of any kind. Jasmine Trails will endeavor to refund travelers as much of the total amount received from them after deducting any taxes, cess, fee and cancellation charges or any other charges as applicable.
FORCE MAJEURE
Force Majeure shall mean any event or circumstances or a combination of events and circumstances, which satisfy all the following conditions:
Events which are beyond the reasonable control of Jasmine Trails or its affiliates and associates and partners service providers, in such a manner that they could not have prevented or overcome them with the exercise of good industry practice or reasonable skill or care. Such an event does not result from the negligence or misconduct by these parties; war, fire, invasion, armed conflict, riot, or any other civil commotion, act of terrorism or sabotage, nuclear explosion, radioactive and chemical contamination or ionizing radiation; strikes or lock outs; natural calamities or disasters including lightning, fire, earthquake, unprecedented rains, cloud bursts, flash floods, landslides, storms, cyclone, tsunami, typhoon or tornado etc; epidemics or pandemics; any major accident or breakdown
SURCHARGES
Surcharges may result from an increase in statutory taxes, transportation and fuel costs, domestic air fares or changes in currency fluctuations or if group size changes materially. If surcharges should increase the total tour price by more than 3%, the client may cancel the booking within 14 days of receiving notification of the surcharge and receive a full refund after deducting any taxes, cess, fee and cancellation charges or any other charges as applicable and any non-refundable elements of the tour such as train/internal flight bookings.
NOTES ON HOTELS
- The Check-In and Check-Out times at hotels vary as per the policies of each hotel. Generally, the check-in is 2 PM and check-out is 12 Noon. Earlier or later check-ins may be chargeable as per hotel rates.
- As per each hotel’s policy there may be smoking and non-smoking rooms available. Please let us know in advance if you would like to be in a smoking room, although it cannot be guaranteed that such a room will be available at the time of check-in.
- Often in heritage hotels that are palaces or mansions converted into hotels, rooms vary in size, location and décor, even though they may cost the same and offer the same amenities. Participants will be allocated rooms on a random basis in such cases so that no one can influence room choice.
- Heritage hotels often have original architectural designs/elements and hence you may find low doorways and high doorway thresholds on such properties.
- As per government guidelines all hotels are implementing safety and hygiene protocols in the face of COVID-19.
NOTES ON COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
Jasmine Trails diligently follows and promotes all safety and hygiene protocols in line with the World Travel and Tourism Council’s, WHO’s and the Government’s guidelines. We have been granted the Safe Travels Stamp by WTTC.
We work with our staff and suppliers, including transport, to ensure all measures are being followed, such as sanitizing, disinfecting and deep cleaning especially with a focus on high-frequency touch points such as handrails, door handles, counters and desktops, bathrooms, etc. This is all done with approved sanitizing products. We are minimizing contact by relying on paper-less methods and are using more digital solutions especially for payments. All staff and vendors are fully vaccinated and follow masking and social distancing norms. Our staff is trained to follow all protocols while adhering to all personal hygiene norms. All the hotels that we use also follow all protocols as per international guidelines and requirements. We are also prepared with contingency plans in case new cases emerge.
NOTES ON FLIGHTS/TRAINS
- Jasmine Trails does not book or charge for international flights. It is important that you discuss the international flight details with us prior to purchasing tickets so as to be sure that they fit in with the tour dates.
- Domestic airlines/Railways may reschedule or cancel flights/trains without adequate prior notice. In such a case Jasmine Trails will not be held responsible or liable for additional costs, loss/damage suffered by travelers. We will make every effort to book alternate flights/transport that fit into the tour with minimum disruption to the schedule. We will also attempt to recover any refunds possible from the airlines/railways.
- Domestic airlines may hike flight fares at will and if the fare is higher at time of purchase of the ticket than quoted to the traveler earlier, such a fare hike will be payable by the traveler.
- Jasmine Trails shall not be held liable for any additional costs, loss and/or damage suffered by the travelers for the reasons beyond the control of Jasmine Trails and not attributable to it. These circumstances may include amongst others: delay, cancellation and/or missing of flights (international or domestic) / or trains, lost/ misplaced/damaged baggage by any airline or railways. Any loss/expenses arising out of such circumstances will be the sole responsibility of the traveler.
INSURANCE
Travelers must be responsible for buying adequate travel insurance before they undertake a tour with Jasmine Trails. We recommend that the travel insurance cover personal accidents, medical expenses, evacuations and repatriation, baggage loss and cancellation or curtailment of holidays. Do look for insurance policies that cover you for a range of different pandemic and epidemic travel-related issues. Travelers who to travel without adequate or no insurance cover shall do so at their own risk.
VACCINATION
It is the responsibility of travelers to obtain any necessary vaccinations before traveling.
It is no longer a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID for travel to India, Nepal, Bhutan or Sri Lanka. All COVID restrictions have been lifted in these countries.
However, travelers must abide by the health and safety guidelines/requirements as laid out by the Government of Sri Lanka (or the governments of Nepal, Bhutan or India if travelers have booked these destinations), before and during travel. Jasmine Trails will keep you updated on these from time to time. Travelers must take responsibility to stay informed of and fulfil any COVID related requirements by their own country.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
All travelers require a passport with a validity of atleast 6 months from the date of return and with sufficient blank pages. A valid visa is required for travelling in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri-Lanka. You may contact consulates, travel agents in your country to check on the latest and updated requirements and regulations required for travelling to Indian and sub-continent countries.
Sri Lanka needs a valid VISA to enter, which can be obtained online before arrival, by visiting this link, http://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/. The cost per visa is USD 35/- per person and is valid for 30 days of travel within Sri Lanka. This visa is a dual entry visa. From the date of entry, you need to have at least 6 months of validity of your passport.
HEALTH AND FITNESS REQUIREMENT
Participants must be in good health, reasonable physical condition, and excellent mental condition. In terms of fitness, you must be able to walk 5 kilometers a day unaided and have good balance. It is vital that participants with medical problems make them known to us well before departure. Our trips also often take you to remote areas where there is little or no access to normal medical services or hospital facilities. If required, evacuation can be prolonged, difficult, and expensive. Medical and evacuation expenses will be the responsibility of the participant. Jasmine Trails will do everything necessary/possible to facilitate medical attention and arrangements required. You may seek our help to assess if a tour is suitable for you.
TOUR LEADER AUTHORITY
Jasmine Trails reserves the right to make changes and amendments to the tour programme both before and during the tour commencement as deemed necessary to ensure a smooth and better experience. Signing our booking form signifies your agreement to abide by the authority of the leader, who represents Jasmine Trails. The decision of the leader as to the conduct, itinerary and objectives of the tour is final. If, in the opinion of the leader, your behaviour or physical condition is detrimental to the safety, welfare and well-being of the group as a whole, or if your general wellbeing will be put at risk by continuing with the trip, you may be asked to discontinue the tour. In this case you would not be entitled to any refund for unused services.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Travelers agree to waive any and all claims against, and release from all liability Jasmine Trails and its officers, employees, guides, agents or representatives for any personal injury, death, property damage, or loss sustained as a result of participation in a trip with Jasmine Trail, due to any cause whatsoever.
Any bookings that come through Foreign Tour Operators/Agents signify the agreement of the client to these terms and conditions.