Here are the booking terms conditions and policy of i-Tibet travel and tours services

Payments

Deposits

All the tours with i-Tibet travel services require clients to make an initial deposit. Your places in our journey and your tours are not guaranteed until the deposit is received. Every traveller is required to send the deposit within 15 Days after signing our tour contact.

Deposit amounts are as followed.

Private tour: $ 100 deposit per person and 100% of any domestic Airfares or Train tickets.

Group tour: $200 Deposit per person and 100% of any Domestic Airfares or Train Tickets.

Clients are responsible for all transfer fees when sending us deposits. For PayPal or Credit Card payments, add 4% to cover the transaction fees.

Balance Payment

For all the tour, clients have to pay the balance amount within the first two days of arrival in Lhasa. Clients can also choose to send the money via PayPal or wire transfer before arrival or during your stay in Lhasa. The client is responsible for covering any fees associated with sending the payment to i-Tibet travel. For PayPal and Credit Card transactions, please add 4% to the actual tour price. All prices for our journeys are in US dollars. If you choose to pay with another significant currency, we will adjust the price to that currency based on up-to-date exchange rates at the time of transaction or payment. All the Rate shall be found on the Xe currency mobile app. ( It is suggested to download it).

Forms of Payments

i-Tibet travel accepts payments through bank transfers, PayPal, and major credit card (processed through PayPal). Upon receiving both deposits and tour balance payments, i-Tibet travel will issue a receipt in Lhasa.

Tour Cancelation

Tour cancellation by the client

Clients can cancel their tour booking with i-Tibet travel at any time, though we must receive this cancellation in writing. The cancellation charges are as follow for each client:

For Private tours:

  • Cancellation 60 or more days before departure: Client forfeits 50% of the tour deposit 
  • Cancellation 30 to 59 days before departure: Client forfeits 75% of tour deposit
  • Cancellation within 30 days before departure: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 
  • No show on tour departure day: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 
  • Cancellation or withdrawing during a journey: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 

For Group Tours and Professionally Guided Tours: 

  • Cancellation 60 or more days before departure: Client forfeits 50% of the tour deposit 
  • Cancellation 30 to 59 days before departure: Client forfeits 75% of tour deposit
  • Cancellation within 30 days before departure: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 
  • No show on tour departure day: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 
  • Cancellation or withdrawing during a journey: Client forfeits 100% of total tour cost 

 

Voluntarily & Involuntarily Leaving in the middle of Private Tour. 

If a client voluntarily withdraws from during a Private or Custom journey, no refund for the trip will be given. For involuntary withdrawal during a Private or Custom journey due to sickness or family emergency, the client is responsible for all costs associated with returning to Lhasa outside of the scheduled itinerary.  Partial refunds will be at the sole discretion of i-Tibet travel and must be submitted to i-Tibet travel in writing within 30 days of the end of your tour. 

Voluntarily & Involuntarily Leaving in the middle of a Group Tour. 

If a client becomes sick or wishes to leave in the middle of a Group Tour, the client is responsible for all costs associated with returning to Lhasa outside of the scheduled itinerary. 

If the client becomes sick during a journey, i-Tibet travel will assist the client by getting them immediately to the nearest clinic or hospital, but all medical costs are the client’s responsibility. 

If the client needs to or wishes to return to Lhasa before the scheduled end of the Group Tour, i-Tibet travel will arrange for an additional vehicle to transport the client at the client’s cost. For this reason, we recommend a travel insurance policy that would cover unexpected illness and trip interruption. 

If you are not feeling well at Everest Base Camp and wish to go to a lower elevation for the night, we can transport you to the village of Basum, which is over 800 meters/2600 feet lower than Everest Base Camp. However, the client will be responsible for covering the additional costs of this unscheduled change. The cost of this extra service is $60 USD for one person or USD 80 total for two or more people. 

If you are not feeling well at the start of the Kailash trek and do not wish to do the trek, you can stay at Darchen. However, the additional costs associated with staying in Darchen will be the client’s responsibility. 

Tour Cancelation by i-Tibet travel 

However rare, i-Tibet Travel reserves the right to cancel a tour for any reason related to forces outside of our control such as natural disasters, political instability or other Force Majure reasons. If this happens, i-Tibet Travel will notify you in writing immediately. For any tours that are cancelled by us, we will either offer you a comparable alternative journey or refund you the entire tour cost, minus $50 for processing your refund. 

Group Tour Cancellation or Cost Changes due to Low Booking 

i-Tibet travel reserves the right to cancel or change the costs for a Group Tour or Professionally Guided Tour due to low booking numbers. For our Group Tours, the minimum number of participants to make the tour viable is 4. If we receive less than the required number of clients to make the tour viable, i-Tibet travel will either cancel the tour, offer the client a different date to begin their tour or continue the scheduled tour at a revised cost per person. i-Tibet travel will let clients know at least 30 days in advance if a Group Tour has to be cancelled. If the tour is cancelled, i-Tibet travel will refund you the entire tour cost minus $50 for processing your refund. If i-Tibet travel offers to move you to a different departure date, no compensation will be given. If i-Tibet travel has to adjust the price of a tour due to low bookings, the client has the choice of continuing the tour by paying the revised price or cancelling their journey. If a client chooses to cancel their journey rather than paying the adjusted price, i-Tibet travel will offer them a full refund, minus $50 for processing your refund.

Group Tour Related

Group Tour Prices and Tour Size

The Group Tour prices on our website are based on a group size of 12 people. Our Group Tours operate with a minimum of 4 clients and a maximum of 10 clients.

Single Room Supplements on Group Tours

All prices for our Group Tours are based on hotel double occupancy. This means that you will be sharing a room with another traveler. We will do everything we can to make sure that the person you share a room with is a person of the same gender, but that is not always possible. We do offer a single room supplement for all of our Group Tours at a slight additional charge for those who wish to have their own private room during their journey. Here are the prices for the single room supplements for our Group Tours:

  • 5 Day Group Tour Lhasa and Yamdrok Lake: $115 USD
  • 7 Day Group Tour Lhasa and Central Tibet: $140 USD
  • 8 Day Group Tour Lhasa to Everest Base Camp: $215 USD
  • 16 Day Group Tour Lhasa to Everest and Mt. Kailash: $385 USD

NOTE: In remote areas, such as Mt. Everest Base Camp and the trek around Mt. Kailash, a single room may not be available.

Other

Changes to Hotels

Though uncommon, i-Tibet travel reserves the right to change the hotel(s) that is/are listed in the original travel itinerary. If we have to do this, it will only be done for your comfort and safety. When this does happen, it is usually due to the original hotel being renovated, the hotel being unsafe due to reasons outside our control (natural disaster or political protests), or because we have found a better hotel in the same price range as the original hotel that was booked. If you have requested a specific hotel for us to book during your journey, we will stay at that booking unless there is a real concern for comfort and safety that would require us to move you to a more suitable hotel.

Flights and/or Train Tickets

i-Tibet travel does not offer air ticket or train ticket sales except when they are part of one of our Package or Group Tours. Otherwise, all international flights and domestic flights are the responsibility of the client. i-Tibet travel will not be held responsible for any losses or costs incurred due to delays or cancellations of flights and/or trains.

For the train Ticket, i-Tibet travel requires clients to book the tour and send 100% of train ticket cost 2 months before the departure date. Other we can ensure the availability of the Ticket.

For the flight Ticket, I-Tibet travel requires clients to send us 100% of the ticket cost before we purchase your flight ticket.

Travel Insurance

All clients of i-Tibet travel MUST take out a travel insurance policy that should provide coverage before, during, and after your journey for any medical expenses coming from personal illness or accident, as well as provide coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation. In addition, we strongly recommend a policy that includes coverage in case of lost luggage, canceled and/or changed flights and/or trains, or unexpected trip cancelation. It will be the client’s responsibility to take out this insurance policy. At I-Tibet travel, we highly recommend both World Nomads and Travel Guard. When taking out a travel insurance policy, be sure to inquire if the Himalayan regions of Tibet and  China are covered. If you plan to go, trek and/or climb on your journey with us, make sure your policy covers these activities.

Passport, Visas and Travel Permits

Each client should make sure that their passport has a minimum of 6 months validity remaining from the time that your journey with us is finished. For our journeys the client’s responsibility to obtain these visas. Visas for China must be obtained in advance, while visas for Nepal can be obtained on arrival for a fee. I-Tibet travel will assist each customer with obtaining the required Tibet travel permits and other permits and we will also assist each client in getting a Group Chinese Visa when going from Nepal to Tibet (note: for standard journeys to Tibet starting in Mainland China, customers can obtain the required Chinese visa on their own through a Chinese Embassy or Visa Service Center).  If you required the Visa invitation from Us in Lhasa, We will send it to you. Under the understanding that it will be only available after making Your Tibet travel permit. All passport and visa costs are the responsibility of the client to cover.  These permit costs are included in the tour price unless specifically stated.

High Altitude Sickness and Other Health Issues.

By signing the tour contract with i-Tibet Travel, you (Client) fully understand that I-Tibet Travel and tours are not responsible for any health-related issue you may be faced during the course of the Journey. We will assist you to the best local health facilities. All the extra costs of the Medical fees, Medicine, and alteration of the tour are solely responsible of the Client.

Arrival in Tibet

All our journey doesn’t include any transportation to/from Lhasa from/to Kathmandu and other parts of China; either the flights to Tibet or the trains to Tibet. Any changes made in the last minute is not acceptable. If the clients don’t arrival in Lhasa on the set date and in particular train or flight. We will deem the tour is canceled.  You will have to update us all the changes in 24 hr prior to your arrival. Changes from train to flight must be updated at least two weeks before your arrival.

Travel Vaccinations

It will be each client’s responsibility to know the specific travel vaccinations required/ recommended for the region(s) they are traveling to. It is also the client’s responsibility to cover the costs of all travel vaccinations needed. For a list of required and recommend travel vaccines, we recommend the following website: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Culture Policies

All our staffs travel crew members are Native Tibetan. Our Cultural policies are not meant to be restrictive or controlling but are in place to help you adjust and fit into a culture that is most likely much different than your own. By joining any of the I-Tibet travel tours, the client agrees to the following cultural policies. :

Be respectful of the culture you are visiting

Most of the Tibetans are followers of Buddhism. All clients should be respectful when entering temples and monasteries by removing shoes when required, speaking in a low voice, not smoking near temples/monasteries, not touching painting or tapestries, not touching monks or nuns (unless your guide says it’s permissible) and not photographing inside temples and monasteries (unless your guide says it’s permissible).

Dress Appropriately

Most Tibetan people dress very modestly and can feel uncomfortable when foreign travelers have not dressed appropriately for Buddhist and Hindu culture. This is especially true in temples and monasteries. When entering temples and monasteries, hats should always be removed. In addition, it is best to wear long pants and avoid sleeveless shirts in temples and monasteries and to overall dress modestly.

No Political Activity

Tibet is politically sensitive. Clients are required to abstain from any type of political protests, political discussions, and from distributing any type of political material of any kind. This includes distributing pictures of Lamas or any other sensitive political figures. Any client disregarding this policy will be required to withdraw from the journey immediately without any compensation or right to recover a refund.

Displays of Affection

It is rare for people of the Tibetan to show public displays of affection. In accordance with local culture, we kindly ask for our clients to also limit public displays of affection.

Alcohol and High Elevation

For some of the high elevation treks and tours that We arrange. we will recommend clients to either abstain from alcohol. This is to help our clients acclimatize better to high elevation to reduce the risks of altitude-related sickness.

Photography Policies

We highly encourage taking plenty of photos every day capturing the amazing landscape and unique culture of Tibet. However, it is important to remember that Tibet is a politically sensitive region. The following basic guidelines and policies are not meant to prohibit you from taking photographs but are in place to help you avoid any potential problems. By joining any of our tours, the client agrees to the following camera and photography/filming policies:

Inside Temples and Monasteries

At many temples and monasteries across Tibet, photographing and filming inside is prohibited. Some temples, allow inside photography for a fee. During all journeys that we arrange, any photography or filming fees are the client’s responsibility to cover.

Police and Military Personnel

Clients should never photograph or film police or military personnel. Doing so can cause you as well as the local staff to have problems. Do not even joke like you are taking photos of police or military personnel. Your local guide will remind you of this at the start of your journey.

Political Protests

In the unlikely event that you see any political activities, you are not permitted to photograph it. Doing so will almost certainly cause you to be in serious trouble with local authorities.

Professional Journalists

Professional journalists are banned from traveling to Tibet. Unless they have all of the proper permits and paperwork. We cannot arrange tours to Tibet for any professional journalists.

Super Telephoto Lenses

In Tibet, having a super-telephoto lens or even a lens that looks like it is super-telephoto, can cause you to have problems with local authorities. I-Tibet travel requires clients to let us know if they plan to take a lens to Tibet that has a focal length of more than 300mm so that we can give you special instruction.

Military Bases, Radio Towers, Government Buildings

Clients who join a tour with i-Tibet travel must not photograph or film any military bases, large radio towers, government buildings that house military or police personnel or some bridges that have photography restrictions.

Photographing People

I-Tibet travel highly encourages clients to take photos of day-to-day life as well as local people they come across. However, we require that you first get the permission of the person before taking a photo of them. Your local guide is there to help translate for you in cases where communication is difficult.

Tibet Travel & Tours is a local travel agency in Tibet that offers unique and authentic experiences to travelers from all around the world. As a leading tour operator in Tibet, we provide high-quality Tibet Travel services that are tailored to our clients’ needs and preferences.

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