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Booking Terms & Conditions

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS 

By making a booking with Small Wonders Travel, LLC (“Small Wonders Travel”, “we”, “us”, “our”) or participating in one of our tours (“trips”) you are agreeing to these Booking Terms & Conditions, the Assumption of Risk Statement & Release of Liability, and our Privacy Policy. Together these documents form the binding agreement between you (“the traveler”, “trip participant”, “designated contact person”) and Small Wonders Travel. 

The obligations you enter into as a trip participant, along with a description of what you are legally entitled to expect from us once you have booked one of our trips, are set out in detail below. 

It is important that you read the entire document, and understand it thoroughly, before proceeding with your booking. If you disagree with any of the Booking Terms & Conditions or the Release of Liability you may not make a booking or participate in any of our tours.  If you have any questions regarding this agreement you should contact us before proceeding with a booking.

All travelers must be at least 18 years of age when the trip begins.

MAKING A BOOKING 

You can make a booking online by clicking the “Book Now” button on our website, www.smallwonderstravel.com, or you can book with us directly by email or telephone.

If you have traveled with us in the past, we invite you to email us before you book so that we may offer you a 10% discount code. This discount applies only to those travelers who have actually traveled with us, book with us directly, and cannot be extended to other individuals who have not yet traveled with us.

In order to ensure a high level of security for your personal information, and to help us streamline and manage the booking process, Small Wonders Travel works with WeTravel, a global reservation software specializing in multi-day tours. We use their services to collect and/or securely store information provided during the booking process and to process your payments.  We have no ownership, management, control, or operational authority over WeTravel.  Information about how WeTravel handles your data can be found here.

MAKING A BOOKING ON BEHALF OF OTHERS

When making a payment for others, either as a Travel Advisor or fellow traveler, you assume the role of the designated contact person for all travelers included in the booking. It is imperative that you confirm your legal authorization to act on their behalf, secure all necessary consents, and ensure that they are informed about and accept the Booking Terms & Conditions. You are responsible for sharing the Booking Terms & Conditions and all other trip-related documents we may provide you. We are not liable for any errors or omissions in disseminating the Booking Terms & Conditions or other documents to all persons included in the booking. 

As the designated contact person, you are also responsible for ensuring that all participant details provided in the booking process are complete and accurate. Your financial responsibility for the entire booking, encompassing all individuals included, is implicit upon making the payment in your name, in accordance with the Terms & Conditions outlined below. Additionally, you are accountable for promptly informing us of any required changes or cancelations, and keeping all travelers informed of pertinent information concerning their trip.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

All prices listed are in USD. Payments can be made by ACH bank transfer or by major credit card. Credit card payments are subject to a payment processing fee. 

When making a booking more than 100 days before the trip’s start date, we require a $500 per person deposit to secure your spot. Your deposit becomes non-refundable after ten (10) days, or until 100 days prior to trip start date, whichever comes first. 

 

Bookings made 100 days or less before the scheduled start of the trip, require full payment of the entire trip price, including the $500 deposit, and payments are 100% non-refundable if you decide to cancel for any reason. 

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The entire balance of the trip is due 100 days before the trip is scheduled to start. 

We will send you a reminder, but if the balance is not paid in full and on time, we reserve the right to consider your booking as ‘canceled by you’ and it will be subject to the cancelation fees as set out below, in the CANCELATION AND RESCHEDULING section below. 

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Want to reschedule?  We will be happy to transfer your $500 deposit towards the final price your new booking, but all other cancelation fees apply. 

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Transferring of a confirmed booking to another person may be possible but requires the written approval of Small Wonders Travel and is at their sole discretion. A small transfer fee may apply.  If you would like to transfer your booking please contact us by email at  Small Wonders Travel.

CANCELATIONS AND REFUNDS

We totally understand—plans change! You can cancel your booking anytime and you will always have the option to transfer your $500 deposit towards the final price of another one of our tours. But, since we're a small company, cancelations leave us with some big expenses, especially the closer we get to your departure date. That’s why our cancelation fees increase the closer we get to your trip departure date. 

To cancel or reschedule, kindly submit your requests in writing via email to contact@smallwonderstravel.com. The effective date is when we receive your email. We'll promptly acknowledge receipt within 24 hours. If you don't get our confirmation, it's advisable to follow up and ensure we've received your cancelation notice.

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Here's the breakdown of our cancelation and or rescheduling fees: 

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Cancelation or Rescheduling by You: 

  • If you cancel or reschedule 100 days before your trip is scheduled to start, all payments made to Small Wonders Travel, excluding the non-refundable deposit of $500, will be refunded in a timely manner. If you opt to reschedule your trip with us, we would be happy to transfer your $500 deposit, along with any other monies paid toward your new booking.

  • If you cancel between 99 to 31 days before your trip is scheduled to start, a cancelation fee of 75% of total trip price applies. You may still opt to transfer your $500 deposit towards the final price of  a new booking with us. 

  • If you cancel 30 days or less before your group trip is scheduled to start, a cancelation fee of 100% of total trip price applies. You may still opt to transfer your $500 deposit towards the final price of a new booking us. 

  • No shows will incur a cancelation fee of 100% of total trip price.

  • Once the trip has started, if you arrive late or choose to leave the trip early for any reason, or choose not to participate in any activity included in the itinerary, you shall not be entitled to any refunds or compensation for unused services and are solely responsible for any costs incurred to leave/rejoin the group, including but not limited to transportation costs.

 

Please note that cancelation fees may be covered by your travel insurance/protection plan, allowing you to recover costs directly from your insurance company. We strongly recommend purchasing a plan with 'canceling for any reason' coverage. It is your responsibility to understand insurance options, purchase dates, and coverage.

 

Cancelation by Us:

We retain the right to cancel or reschedule any departure due to insufficient demand, or other reasons that make it commercially unviable to run the trip. 

If we cancel a trip, you can choose between booking any available alternative travel date or a full refund of all monies paid to Small Wonders Travel, including the $500 deposit. 

Furthermore, we reserve the right to cancel a specific booking or remove a particular traveler before departure at our own discretion and without limitation, in which case all monies paid to Small Wonders Travel for said booking will be refunded.

We are not accountable for any incidental expenses or consequential losses resulting from a canceled departure. This includes, but is not limited to loss of earnings, loss of enjoyment, or costs associated with flights, accommodations not included in the group itinerary, airport transportation, visas, document fees, vaccinations, or other services dependent on the operation of your trip. We advise waiting until after your final payment due date, where possible, to purchase such services.

 

Cancelation due to Force Majeure Event: 

In addition to the above rights to cancelation, both parties (‘you’ and ‘we’) have the right to cancel a confirmed trip before it begins, due to a Force Majeure Event occurring (or having recently occurred) at your trip destination, which is likely to, or has already, significantly impacted the performance or commercial viability of the trip, or significantly affects your own transportation arrangements to the trip destination. 

Small Wonders Travel will notify you by email within 10 days of any Force Majeure Event that results in the cancelation of your trip by us.

In the event of a cancelation before a trip begins due to a Force Majeure Event, Small Wonders Travel will make a good faith effort to recover costs from our Third-Party Suppliers for unused services, and you will be entitled to a full refund minus any costs that we cannot recover. 

If a Force Majeure Event occurs during your trip with us, we retain the right to adjust the itinerary or cancel the remaining days of the trip at our sole discretion and without liability of any kind.

Should Small Wonders Travel, LLC decide to cancel remaining days of a trip that has already started, due to to a Force Majeure Event, we will make a good faith effort to recover costs for unused services from our Third-Party Suppliers, and we will refund them to you directly in a timely manner. No other refund will be given. 

Small Wonders Travel is not liable for any incidental expenses or consequential losses resulting from a booking canceled by a Force Majeure Event. This includes, but is not limited to, loss of earnings, loss of enjoyment, or costs associated with flights, accommodations, airport transportation, visas, document fees, vaccinations, or other services dependent on the operation of your trip.

A Force Majeure Event includes, but is not limited to, the following emergencies and non-emergencies, whether foreseeable or not, which would make it dangerous or not commercially or otherwise viable for the trip to commence or continue: acts of god; explosions; floods; high or low water levels; fires; earthquakes or other natural disasters; windstorms, hurricanes or other extreme weather events; war; terrorist threats or acts; riots or other civil unrest; national or regional epidemics, pandemics or other health emergency; passage of any law/order/regulation/ordinance by a government or government authority, including measures to contain the spread of disease including but not limited to Covid-19; national or regional emergencies; strikes; labor stoppages or slowdowns, or other labour or union disruptions; power outages; lack of adequate transportation services; or any other unforeseen factors which impact negatively or hamper Small Wonders Travel’s ability to fulfill our contractual obligations.

CONFIRMING YOUR BOOKING & PARTICIPANT DETAILS  

You are responsible for ensuring all information provided during the booking process is accurate and does not include any errors, omissions or inconsistencies. Your booking will only be confirmed once we have reviewed your details. We are not financially or otherwise liable for any trip disruptions or cancelations, or for medical, emotional or other issues resulting from inaccurate or incomplete information provided by you.

 

We require the following information:

  • Full name as indicated on your passport

  • Telephone number

  • Email address

  • Date of birth

  • Passport details (which will be provided to Third-Party Suppliers when required by local law, for example to hotels in some countries)

  • Emergency contact information

  • Disclosures of any medical conditions, allergies or other pertinent factors that might impact your ability to partake in the trip, or would be essential in an emergency situation.

  • Dietary requirements/restrictions

Any other information you choose to provide, for example, information that would be helpful in case of a medical emergency, or that will help us get to know you, is optional and is to be provided at your own discretion

WHAT IS INCLUDED AND WHAT IS EXCLUDED

The price of the trip is per person, based on double occupancy and includes:

  • All accommodation as listed in itinerary

  • Group transportation during the trip

  • Sightseeing, entertainment and meals according to itinerary

  • Some alcoholic beverages as described in itinerary 

  • 24/7 services of an experienced trip leader

  • All gratuities 

 

The price of your trip excludes:

  • Flights or other transportation to your tour destination

  • Transfers from/to airport or arrival/departure station, unless otherwise stated in the itinerary

  • Food and drinks not explicitly included in the itinerary

  • Solo traveler supplement charges

  • Travel insurance/protection plans

  • Medical travel insurance

  • All personal expenses 

  • Optional activities not included in the itinerary

  • Visa and passport fees, medical fees or other expenses incurred which are not explicitly listed as included

  • Third-Party payment processing fees

SOLO TRAVELERS

We love having solo travelers on our trips! We do our best to keep the SOLO SUPPLEMENT as low as possible, the cost of a solo supplement varies depending on the tour. You can  find price details at the bottom of each individual trip's itinerary page. We do not offer a room share option for travelers who do not know each other. 

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If you initially booked the trip intending to share a room with someone, but your travel partner cancels, you will automatically become a solo traveler. You will be responsible for covering any portion of the solo supplement costs that cannot be offset by the cancelation fees of your travel partner. Feel free to ask us for more details.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Your trip does NOT include individual travel insurance. We strongly recommend purchasing an insurance policy which includes cancelation for any reason, trip interruption, stolen or damaged personal items and sufficient medical coverage which includes emergency evacuation and assistance. Such policies must be purchased near to the purchase date of a trip. It is your responsibility to inform yourself about travel insurance/protection options, purchase dates and coverage.

During the booking process you will be given the opportunity to purchase World Nomad coverage but you are free to choose any insurance provider you would like.

FOOD, DIETARY REQUIREMENTS AND ALLERGIES: 

We strive to accommodate special dietary requests made during the booking process or via email before your tour begins, working closely with our Third-Party Suppliers. However, please be aware that we cannot guarantee the fulfillment of all dietary requests at every meal. Limited alternative choices may be available, particularly in certain destinations. Important information specific to the tour you're interested in can be found at the bottom of each trip's page.

It's crucial that you inform us of any food allergies in writing before the trip starts. 

While your trip leader will assist you during group meals, it remains your responsibility to double-check ingredients before consuming any food or drink.

FITNESS AND MOBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 

Our trips are not especially adventurous but they do involve being on your feet for extended periods, walking medium distances on uneven surfaces and navigating hills and stairs. Regrettably, most of our international destinations are unsuitable for wheelchairs and/or large walking devices.

Some of the itineraries may include activities like kayaking or riding on a zodiac on the open ocean, so be sure to read the trip itinerary carefully. It may be possible to skip certain activities but you should clarify this with us before booking your trip and you will not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind for not participating. You will also be solely responsible should there be any additional costs to rejoin the group  -although this is rare and we usually find a way to avoid such costs.

 

We want every person to have a great trip so it is essential that you have the fitness and mobility level to self-sufficiently engage in the trip without impeding or relying on others to assist you. We are not qualified to evaluate your fitness or mobility level, you (or your doctor) are responsible for your own decision to join a trip and to participate in any  activity included therein. While on the trip, you are responsible to stop physical activity before becoming ill or injured and should notify your trip leader immediately, if you feel unwell or are in pain.

It is incumbent on you to notify us before a trip begins if your fitness or mobility level changes due to injury or other health issue. If you fail to disclose fitness or mobility issues, or changes thereof, in advance of your trip and your condition impedes the enjoyment of your fellow travelers, interferes with your trip leader’s ability to do their job properly or places undue burden on them, we retain the right to remove you from the trip at our sole discretion and you will not be entitled to any refund. Again, such a situation is exceedingly rare.

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If you have any questions about your mobility or health considerations, please reach out to us at contact@smallwonderstravel.com before booking.

COVID-19

Due to the highly contagious nature of Covid-19, we ask that you not join a tour if you are positive for Covid-19. If you have knowingly been exposed to the virus we ask that you test before meeting the group.  

If during the tour you become ill or experience commonly associated symptoms such as a lingering headache, scratchy throat, weeping eyes or other common indicators, we require you to wear a mask while indoors with the group, to maintain social distance and to test at the next possible opportunity. The Trip Leader will purchase the test for you.

Should the result be positive, you will not be able to continue with the tour.

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 If you test positive while on tour,  we will make all reasonable efforts to assist you in getting medical attention, arranging alternate accommodation and/or transportation and quarantine arrangements as may be necessary. However, Small Wonders Travel is not liable for any incidental expenses or consequential losses resulting from being removed from the tour. This includes, but is not limited to: loss of earnings or enjoyment; costs associated with medical services, hospitalization or evacuation; flight changes or cancelations; ground transportation; accommodation and food.

We know it can be devastating to not be able to complete a trip that you have been looking forward to because of Covid-19. We will make a good faith effort to recover any costs for unused services provided by our Third-Party Suppliers, for the days remaining on the tour. These funds will be refunded to you in a timely manner. No other refund will be given.

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We highly recommend purchasing medical travel insurance/protection plans that covers medical and other costs associated with a Covid-19 infection.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

You are required to possess a valid passport for international travel. Your passport must remain valid for the entire duration of the trip. Many countries require passports to be valid for at least six months beyond the travel dates and/or include a minimum of two blank pages for entry/exit stamps.

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Additionally, starting in 2025, U.S. passport holders traveling to Europe will need to apply for authorization through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) before their visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all necessary visas, passports, vaccinations, and other required documentation for entry into your destination countries and for your reentry into your home country. We recommend checking the US Department of State -Bureau of Consular Affairs  for more information regarding your destination.

Any travel disruptions or expenses arising from missing or inaccurate documentation are your sole responsibility, and no refund or compensation will be provided for any resulting disruptions or unused services.

 

We may request copies of passports or other documents for trip participation.

CHANGES TO THE  ITINERARY

We make every effort to carry out the trip itineraries as published on our website. By booking a trip with us you acknowledge that group travel requires flexibility and adaptability. 

In order to give you the best experience possible, we reserve the right to change the routing, the itinerary order, accommodations, activities, transportation or any other element of the trip either before the trip begins or during the trip itself, due to considerations including but not limited to the health, safety and security of the entire group; local circumstances including but not limited to local weather or road conditions; local closures or unavailability of services; group interests or any other factors as deemed necessary by Small Wonders Travel. Changes to the itinerary are at the sole discretion of Small Wonders Travel. 

If we make major changes to the trip you have booked, we will inform you by email as soon as reasonably possible. If changes are made during the trip, the Trip Leader will inform you of those changes.  

We reserve the right to fix errors or omissions in our published itineraries. 

If we have 6 or less travelers for any departure, we retain the right to convert certain privately booked activities, including, but not limited to, boat charters to public bookings. The activity itself will remain unchanged, you just won’t have an exclusive experience. We do this for the trip to remain commercially viable and you will not be entitled to a refund. We will notify you about such a change in advance of your tour.

If you privately make any extra bookings for activities or meals not included in the itinerary, or plan to meet up with people not on the tour, it is your responsibility to confirm the timing and feasibility with us or your Trip Leader directly.

JOINING THE TOUR

Approximately one month before your trip is scheduled to begin, we will provide you with an information packet which includes essential details about your trip, including instructions on the designated meeting location and contact information for your trip leader. 

It is helpful for us to know your arrival details in advance of the trip so that we can be aware of potential flight delays or cancelations. Should you be unable to arrive on time at the starting for any reason, please reach out to info@smallwonderstravel.com or to your trip leader directly, as soon as possible. 

While we commit to making all reasonable efforts to facilitate alternative arrangements for your participation in the tour, any associated additional costs shall be borne by you and we are not responsible for any arrangements not made by us. No refunds will be issued for any unused services.

TRIP LEADER AUTHORITY AND GROUP PARTICIPATION:

All of our trips are led by professional Trip Leaders, well-versed in the destination. They are entrusted with ensuring the safety, well-being, and efficient operation of the trip. The Trip Leader's decisions hold final authority on all matters impacting the safety or well-being of participating travelers.

We strive to maintain harmony within our groups and ensure a positive touring experience for all of our travelers. As such, we retain the right to refuse or expel any traveler whose conduct is deemed as seriously incompatible with the group. Taking such actions is extremely rare. Grounds for refusal or expulsion include but are not limited to: engaging in behavior perceived as endangering, distressing and/or disrupting the well-being or movement of the group. 

If, at our sole discretion, we determine that you should be asked to leave the tour, Small Wonders Travel will make no refund and will accept no liability, financial or otherwise, for this decision. All expenses arising from being removed from the trip become your responsibility. Additionally, we reserve the right to exclude you from any future trips.

THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIERS

Small Wonders Travel works with a network of entities including payment processors, reservation software, activity providers, accommodation providers, coach and airport transfer companies, local guides, independent contractors, and individuals to assist in the execution of our trips. We have no ownership, management, control, or operational authority over any supplier providing services during the trip. We do not own, manage or operate any of the motor vehicles or watercraft used during our trips. Despite taking all reasonable measures to select reputable Third-Party Suppliers, we do not assume responsibility for their actions, oversights or negligence.

Any services provided by Third-Party Suppliers may be subject to the terms and conditions set forth by these entities, and you may be required to sign additional liability waivers, as required by their insurance providers. 

By joining a trip with us, you acknowledge that Third-Party Suppliers operate in accordance with the applicable laws of the countries in which they are located, and we do not guarantee that any Third-Party Supplier is in compliance with the laws of your country of residence or any other jurisdiction.

SHOPPING ON TOUR

Shopping is not a focus of our tours but sometimes you may be presented with an opportunity to purchase items at stores or directly from artisans or other makers. Neither we, nor our trip leaders, receive commissions or kick-backs of any kind for your purchases. All purchases and shipping of said items are an agreement between you and the seller. Small Wonders Travel bears no responsibility for the quality of objects purchased, or for delays and/or failures in shipping.

COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL LAWS

Throughout the course of your travel, strict adherence to the laws and regulations of all visited locations is mandatory. Engaging in any unlawful activities may lead to your expulsion from the trip and subject you to potential fines or legal consequences imposed by local authorities. We expressly disclaim responsibility for any such outcomes resulting from violations of local laws. If, at our sole discretion, it is determined that you should be asked to leave the tour no refund of any portion of the trip price will be provided, and all expenses arising from the termination of the touring program are your responsibility. Additionally, we reserve the right to exclude you from any future trips.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO RELEASE

Unless you explicitly notify Small Wonders Travel in writing before your trip begins, you agree to grant to Small Wonders Travel, an irrevocable, sub-licensable, non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free right to use your photographic, video, and digital likeness, as well as any content submitted to us via website(s), social media or email, for promotional and/or commercial purposes on Small Wonders Travel materials, our website and social media platforms without further obligation or compensation.

You always retain the right to ask us to remove your photos or digital likeness from any of our platforms.

WHATSAPP CHAT GROUP

In our experience, creating a WhatsApp chat group is a great way to be connected during a tour. It’s very helpful when a plan suddenly changes and the group is not together, if there is an emergency or if you would just like to share your best photos with the rest of your travel pod. Many of our travelers choose to stay in contact with their fellow travelers through the WhatsApp chat group years after their trip has come to an end. Joining a WhatsApp chat group is completely optional and you are free to remove yourself from the group at any time.

MAILING LIST

After booking a trip with us, your email address will be added to our mailing list. You have the right to remove yourself from that list at any time. Please send us an email with the subject line REMOVE and we will immediately delete your address from the list.

CHANGES TO WEBSITE, POLICIES  AND TRAVELER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We reserve the right to fix errors or omissions in our published information, policies, website, forms and all other documents and to make changes to the Booking Terms and Conditions  as deemed necessary by us, or due to changes in governmental legislation or regulation. 

Updated information, policies and Booking Terms & Conditions will become effective once we post them on our website and you are advised to check www.smallwonderstravel.com before your trip to stay informed about any modifications. If there are materially significant changes affecting your confirmed booking, we will notify you by email. 

You agree to adhere to the Booking Terms and Conditions applicable at the time of your travel or cancelation.

COMPLAINTS AND CLAIMS

We want you to have an amazing trip and will do our utmost to make that happen but sometimes things go wrong. The sooner you let us know the sooner we can get to work improving the situation. All complaints should be directed to either your trip leader or us by email at info@smallwonderstravel.com.

You understand and agree that no claims will be considered and that you will not bring suit against us, unless you have first provided written notice of such claim to Small Wonders Travel within 30 days after the tour or cancelation of the tour.

SEVERABILITY

In the event that any term or condition contained in the Booking Terms & Conditions and/or the subsequent Assumption of Risks & Liability Waiver is unenforceable or void then such term or condition shall be deemed to be severed from this contract or amended accordingly only to such extent necessary to allow all remaining terms and conditions to survive and continue as binding.

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