THE LATIN AMERICA TRAVEL COMPANY TAILOR MADE SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES ITINERARY ▶ CONTENTS, ABOUT US & TRIP SUMMARY

CONTENTS OF THIS DOSSIER TRIP SUMMARY

2 ..... Contents, about us & trip summary DAY 1: Meet & greet at airport, private transfer to hotel 3 ….. Testimonials DAY 2: Private tour of Quito’s old and new town 4 ..... Guide price and inclusions DAY 3: Pick up your car & drive to 5 ..... Detailed day by day itinerary DAY 4: Hiking in the park & drive towards Quilotoa 16 ... Recommended reading lists DAY 5: Breath taking views and scenery, drive to Baños 17 ... Booking conditions DAY 6: Visit the swing, hot springs and waterfalls DAY 7: Drive back to the Andes through picturesque towns ABOUT OUR COMPANY DAY 8: Devil’s Nose lookout, Ingapirca & drive to Cuenca DAY 9: Discover the charming city of Cuenca As one of the UK’s leading, independent and family owned Latin DAY 10: Drive through El Cajas national park to Guayaquil America tour specialists our focus is on well thought through DAY 11: Private transfer to the airport for departure private and tailor made adventures. Our emphasis is very much on creating the right trip for you and we work closely with you in order to achieve this. We use our experience and knowledge to ensure SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN TO ECUADOR your trip to Latin America is a trip of a lifetime!

ALL TOURS ARE FINANCIALLY PROTECTED

We are members of ABTA (Y1699) and our tours are ATOL protected (license 10287) giving you full peace of mind when booking with us both for monies paid to us as well as the code of conduct and high THE LATIN AMERICA TRAVEL COMPANY standards that membership of these organisations require. We are ■ www.thelatinamericatravelcompany.com also members of LATA, the authoritative professional travel ■ [email protected] association for Latin America in the UK. ☎ +44 020 8191 7772

THELATINAMERICATRAVELCOMPANY.COM | Email: [email protected] UK ☎: +44 (0) 20 8191 7772 | Part of HeadsEast Ltd - UK business registration: 6717612 2 ▶ TESTIMONIALS

“We have had to call off our proposed holiday to Peru and the Galapagos due to the Coronavirus. We had paid a significant deposit and were caught in the position of, do we pay the remainder or lose the deposit. This dilemma was thankfully removed by John and The Latin America Travel Company. They suggested we did not pay the remainder and subsequently repaid all the deposit. Legally they did not have to do this. Other companies have not acted in this way. They have taken away all the worry. John and the company have handled this with outstanding ethics and real integrity." Russ H, June 2020 “ Great Value, Efficient, and Effective. John Stanley of The LATC worked with me to plan precisely the experience I “The Latin American Travel wanted, at the time I wanted, and at a very competitive price. I Company is amazing and I had tried three other, well-known, larger companies but could cannot praise it highly enough! not get what I wanted. Once the Tour Itinerary was fixed and Their customer service is paid, John Stanley of the LATC stayed on top of any potential second to none - any queries issues or problems within the countries/regions we were were dealt with immediately scheduled to tour that could impact our experience and and efficiently by John Stanley adjusted our schedule to protect our interests and experiences. and we were each provided One required a modest change in the plan which was handled with a personalised guidebook very effectively with no impact on our experience or cost to us. to take with us.” Thank you, John.” Jan Patis, February 2018 David Blanchard, July 2019

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THELATINAMERICATRAVELCOMPANY.COM | Email: [email protected] UK ☎: +44 (0) 20 8191 7772 | Part of HeadsEast Ltd - UK business registration: 6717612 3 ▶ PRICE & INCLUSIONS FOR THIS TOUR

GUIDE PRICE TAILOR MADE £2046 per person* THIS PRICE IS BASED ON MID SEASON RATES AND TWO PEOPLE SHARING ONE ROOM. *Prices vary by date, flight prices, the number of people in your party and what tours, services and level of accommodation you choose to include. Please contact us for a firm quote.

Please remember that INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR as this is a private tour we can tailor this trip to ✓ All accommodation meet your requirements ✓ Car hire for 8 days with GPS, unlimited mileage, wifi dongle, insurance ✓ Car hire explorer pack ✓ All private tours as specified in the itinerary PROTECTION ✓ All private transfers ✓ All meals as specified in the itinerary ✓ All national park entrance fees ✓ All other entrance fees ✓ 24 hour emergency assistance ✓ 100% financial protection with our ATOL license (10287) and ABTA membership (Y1699) ✓ Our exclusive 100+ page trip guidebook, personalised to your trip ✓ Full support from your dedicated Latin America specialist

✘ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR All our tours come with the guarantee and ✘ International flights ✘ Travel insurance to cover any medical treatment - we recommend Citybond Suretravel. peace of mind of full ✘ Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides. protection of any monies paid to us

THELATINAMERICATRAVELCOMPANY.COM | Email: [email protected] UK ☎: +44 (0) 20 8191 7772 | Part of HeadsEast Ltd - UK business registration: 6717612 4 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1 OVERNIGHT ARRIVAL TO QUITO CASA GARDENIA ✭ ✭ ✭ ROOM TYPE: STANDARD MEET AND GREET AT AIRPORT AND TRANSFER TO HOTEL A charming little bed and breakfast in a fantastic location in the heart of Quito’s UNESCO protected On arrival to Quito you will be met at the airport by your friendly English speaking old town. Excellent value for money. guide and driver who will welcome you to Ecuador, help you with your luggage and take you by private transfer straight to your hotel (about 1 hour).

The rest of the evening is at leisure.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Casa Gardenia, Benalcazar n9-42 y Oriente, Centro Histórico, EC170117 Quito, Ecuador MEALS INCLUDED: None today

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5 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 2 OVERNIGHT

CASA GARDENIA ✭ ✭ ✭ QUITO & CHOCOLATE TASTING ROOM TYPE: STANDARD A PRIVATE TOUR OF QUITO, PANECILLO HILL & CHOCOLATE TASTING A charming little bed and breakfast in a fantastic location in the heart of Quito’s UNESCO protected This morning you will be met at your hotel by your private local guide to begin your old town. Excellent value for money. tour of historic Quito. Famously declared a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1978, Quito’s picturesque old town is full of narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed walls and spectacular baroque churches. You will visit the main plaza where the cathedral, government palace and some of the most important 16th and 17th century churches can be found. After this you continue on to La Ronda street, accompanied by your guide, where you will learn about the traditional crafts and trades in Quito. Your guide will also take you to the spectacular Panecillo Hill for incredible views over the city. Finally you will end the tour at the Republica del Cacao chocolate shop. Here you will learn about the history of chocolate making in Ecuador and get to taste some of the finest quality chocolate in the world!

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Casa Gardenia, Benalcazar n9-42 y Oriente, Centro Histórico, EC170117 Quito, Ecuador MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

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6 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 3 OVERNIGHT

CHILCABAMBA MOUNTAIN LODGE DRIVE FROM QUITO TO COTOPAXI ✭ ✭ ✭ PICK UP YOUR CAR & START YOUR ADVENTURE SOUTH! ROOM TYPE: STANDARD Located a 90 minute drive south of Quito and only This morning you will be met at your hotel and taken by private transfer back to the 6km from Cotopaxi National Park, this is a cosy airport where you will pick up your hire car. It is easier to start the drive from the and welcoming lodge with incredible views! airport with direct access to the road heading south to Cotopaxi.

Your English speaking assistant will help you familiarise yourself with the car and show you how to use the GPS and wifi dongle. They will also tell you what petrol to use. You will have a Suzuki SZ2 2.4L 4x2 automatic or a Chevrolet Trailblazer 2.5L 4x4 automatic depending on what is available. You will also be provided with the self drive explorer pack which includes restaurant recommendations, guides, route maps, and a list of interesting sites you will find along your journey. The GPS SatNav will also be preloaded with key destinations and locations relevant to your route.

From the airport you drive south towards Cotopaxi via the town of Sangolqui. A great place to stop is at the Pita River where you can park and take a short hike to a waterfall and back in about 2 hours. It is an easy walk, suitable for children, where you will see lots of , native plants and the waterfall.

After getting back on the road you continue to the cozy mountain lodge of Chilcabamba on the edge of the Cotopaxi national park. After arriving you can explore some of the self guided trails on the property before dinner is served. The views here are beautiful.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast & Dinner ADDRESS: Chilcabamba Lodge, Loreto del Pedregal, Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador

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DAY 4 OVERNIGHT

MAMA HILDA ✭ ✭ ✭ COTOPAXI TO CHUGCHILAN ROOM TYPE: STANDARD EXPLORING COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK A traditional, family run guesthouse in the town of Chugchilan on the Quilotoa loop. A rustic but This morning you can enter Cotopaxi National Park by car where you can visit the homely and welcoming place in a great location. Limpiopungo Lake. Walk along the shore where you can see many species of birds. If you feel like driving some more you can drive up to the refuge car park. From here it is a further steep climb on foot to the snow line at 4800 metres above sea level. It is an hour’s walk from the car, but the views from the car park alone are spectacular and well worth it, even if you don’t want to do the hike. We also recommend visiting the interpretation centre to get some information on the history of the park.

COTOPAXI TO QUILOTOA

Leave the park via the northern exit and follow the signs for Tambopaxi Lodge, where we recommend you have lunch. After this you continue your drive to the charming little town of Chugchilan. Here there is a quaint little family run guesthouse where you will spend the night. Experience traditional Andean hospitality with a hearty dinner.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast & Dinner ADDRESS: Quilotoa Loop, Chugchilan 050452 Ecuador

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DAY 5 OVERNIGHT

SAMARI SPA ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ CHUGCHILAN TO BAÑOS ROOM TYPE: SUITE DRIVE THE QUILOTOA LOOP & ARRIVE IN BAÑOS A luxurious colonial style hotel located on a large private estate in Baños with beautiful gardens, an Today we recommend starting early for a spectacular 3 hour drive through some of excellent spa, swimming pool and restaurant. the most breath taking scenery in Ecuador. You will head to Quilotoa stopping at the Shalala viewpoint where you can see the enormous Quilotoa volcanic crater with it’s green and turquoise coloured crater lake. A short walk of about 1.7km is available here along the crater’s rim. After leaving this area there is another 3 hour drive south to the attractive town of Baños which is named after the thermal baths found in the area. The sleepy town sits in the shadow of the Tungarahua volcano and surrounded by dramatic scenery. Stop at this lovely spa hotel to relax after a full day of driving and exploring.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Avenida de las Amazonas Km. 1 via al puyo, EC180250 Baños, Ecuador MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

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DAY 6 OVERNIGHT

SAMARI SPA ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ DAY AT LEISURE IN BAÑOS ROOM TYPE: SUITE A FREE DAY TO EXPLORE THE AREA A luxurious colonial style hotel located on a large private estate in Baños with beautiful gardens, an Today is a free day in Baños. There is lots you can do here. One of the most excellent spa, swimming pool and restaurant. popular activities is visiting the ‘swing at the end of the world’ at the Casa del Arbol for incredible views. You can also visit the town itself which has a pretty church on the central plaza. The other famous attraction near Baños is the Devil’s Cauldron waterfall. This magnificent waterfall is located about an hour’s drive from Baños. It is 80 metres high and is one of the most spectacular sites in Ecuador. There is a car park here and a good paved path leading to viewing points.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Avenida de las Amazonas Km. 1 via al puyo, EC180250 Baños, Ecuador MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

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10 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 7 OVERNIGHT

LA QUINTA ✭ ✭ ✭ BAÑOS TO ALAUSI VIA RIOBAMBA ROOM TYPE: STANDARD DRIVE ALONG THE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TO CHIMBORAZO Convenient for the Devil’s Nose train, this is a pretty hotel with rustic rooms and wooden Today you head further south along a famous route named the ‘Avenue of balconies providing excellent views of Alausi. Volcanoes’ which is a strip of 14 active and dormant volcanoes. You will pass traditional haciendas, remote indigenous villages and beautiful protected areas. You should make a stop at the Balbanera church, the oldest Catholic church in Ecuador, founded in 1534. If it happens to be a Thursday today, then you should also stop in the town of Guamote where you will find an authentic weekly market where the locals sell fresh produce and goods. It is a great place to people watch and admire the locals in their brightly coloured traditional dress.

OPTIONAL LLAMA TRAIL HIKE (NEEDS TO BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE)

We highly recommend visiting the community of Palacio Real where you can see herds of llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas on the paramos (grasslands) which is their natural habitat. You can visit the Llama museum and take a hike on the llama trail. Please let us know if you want us to book this in advance (additional cost).

After a day exploring this area, drive on to the historic town of Alausi, an important site in Ecuador’s cultural heritage. The journey from the Riobamba area takes about 1.5 hours. Spend the night here.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Alausi, A 100 Mts De La Estación Del Tren, Alausí MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast 060250, Ecuador

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DAY 8 OVERNIGHT DEVIL’S NOSE & INGAPIRCA HOTEL SAN JUAN ✭ ✭ ✭ ROOM TYPE: STANDARD TRAIN LOOKOUT HIKE, INCA RUINS & THE DRIVE TO CUENCA This large historic home has been converted into a characterful, colonial style hotel in Cuenca’s old Today you will experience the famous Devil’s Nose train line that begins in Alausi. town. One of the best mid-range choices. As of June 2020 the train journey itself is no longer operating. Instead you will have a privately guided hike to the spectacular lookout point of Pistishi where you can get a fantastic view of the Devil’s Nose track. This impressive feat of engineering was originally built in order to connect the Andes with the coast. The hair raising track zigzags up and down steep mountain slopes with dramatic views. It also passes by rivers, narrow gorges and has to negotiate a seemingly impossible wall of rock. The hike takes about one hour. You will be taken back to your hotel in Alausi for your onward journey.

DRIVE VIA INGAPIRCA TO CUENCA

From Alausi continue the drive to the Ingapirca ruins. The entrance tickets and a privately guided tour is included here. This former Inca observatory and fortress is the most important Inca site in Ecuador which was the northern reaches of the Inca empire. Ingapirca was where the Inca king would stay on trips to this area. From here it is about a 90 minute drive to the beautiful city of Cuenca where you stop for the night.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast ADDRESS: Calle General Torres y, Calle Gran Colombia, Cuenca, Ecuador

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12 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 9 OVERNIGHT

HOTEL SAN JUAN ✭ ✭ ✭ PRIVATE TOUR OF CUENCA ROOM TYPE: STANDARD A PRIVATE WALKING TOUR OF THE CITY WITH A LOCAL GUIDE This large historic home has been converted into a characterful, colonial style hotel in Cuenca’s old Experience colonial Cuenca with its magnificent skyline of beautiful buildings, town. One of the best mid-range choices. cathedrals and colourful domes. Declared a city of cultural patrimony by UNESCO in 1999, Cuenca is a charming and romantic place city with a small town feel. Famous for the flower markets, Cuenca is an extraordinarily pretty city with original ironwork balconies, four rivers running through and pleasant squares and gardens. An ideal size to explore on foot, your private guide will meet you at your hotel after breakfast and lead you on a leisurely stroll around the city. Whilst walking along the cobbled streets your guide will teach you about the history of the city and the interesting mix of architecture. You will visit the cathedral on the main square, a huge imposing building, and all of the main streets. After the tour you will be returned to your hotel.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Calle General Torres y, Calle Gran Colombia, Cuenca, Ecuador MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

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13 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 10 OVERNIGHT

UNIPARK HOTEL ✭ ✭ ✭ CUENCA TO GUAYAQUIL ROOM TYPE: STANDARD DRIVE TO GUAYAQUIL VIA EL CAJAS NATIONAL PARK A very reliable mid-range hotel with a great location opposite the famous iguana park, smart After breakfast this morning you will be start out on your final leg from Cuenca to and modern interiors and lots of good facilities. Guayaquil. On the way we highly recommend stopping at El Cajas national park, which is about a 40 minute drive out of Cuenca. This 70,000 acre reserve is home to a huge variety of landscapes including rocky structures, jagged mountain peaks, cloud forests and more than 200 lakes. Most of the national park is located above 3000 metres in altitude and is characterised by hardy plants such as ferns and mosses and rugged terrain. There is a good chance of seeing wild Llamas that were re-introduced to the park in the 1990’s. Other wildlife include the , toucans, , and the elusive puma and spectacled bear. You can have lunch here before the final leg of the journey to Guayaquil. You will drop the car off at Guayaquil airport. At the airport, there will be a guide waiting for you to take you by private transfer to your hotel in the city centre. Evening at leisure.

Photos for guidance only & not necessarily the room booked ADDRESS: Clemente Ballén 406 y Chile, 090150 Guayaquil MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

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14 ▶ YOUR TAILOR MADE ECUADOR SELF DRIVE AVENUE OF VOLCANOES TOUR - DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 11 OVERNIGHT DEPARTURE OR ADD GALAPAGOS PRIVATE TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT

Check-out and private transfer from your hotel to the airport (about 20 minutes) for your return international flight.

END YOUR TRIP HERE OR ADD ON A STAY IN THE GALAPAGOS. CONTACT US TO TAILOR MAKE YOUR TRIP.

OVERNIGHT FLIGHT MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast

YOUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP GUIDEBOOK Tap into our in-depth knowledge of South America with a copy of our exclusive guidebook personalised to your trip that we give to each person who books a holiday with us. These books are 100+ pages depending on the length of your trip and are packed full of tips about the country, climate, what to take, currency, language guides, destination guides and much more. The perfect way to prepare for and get the most out of your Latin America experience with us!

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15 ▶ ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS READING LIST OUR FAVOURITES TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD FOR YOUR TRIP

THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE - Charles Darwin MY FATHER’S ISLAND: A GALAPAGOS QUEST - (Author) Janet Browne and Michael Neve (editors) Johanna Angermeyer

Charles Darwin’s classic journal written during his epic The Angermeyer family came to the Galapagos in the voyage to the Galapagos and South America in 1831. It 1930’s from Germany after fleeing the Nazi’s. In this is a big book, a slow read, and prose can be ponderous book Johanna traces her family history and also at times, but nevertheless it is one of the original Latin recounts her life in the Galapagos. A gifted writer, this America travel journals! book really brings the Galapagos to life!

GALAPAGOS: THE ISLANDS THAT CHANGED THE WILDLIFE OF THE GALAPAGOS (TRAVELLER’S WORLD - Paul D Stewart GUIDE) - Julian & Daniel Fitter, David Hosking

One of the best general overviews of the archipelago A fantastic general field guide to Galapagos wildlife with covering their human history, biology, unique flora and over 650 colour photographs, maps and drawings for fauna and geography. It is written in a succinct and identification purposes. At just 288 pages it is compact accessible style, not too long, and includes some and handy reference guide for wildlife enthusiasts. beautiful photos. A fantastic introduction to the islands. THE ECUADOR READER - Carlos de la Torre & Steve THE PANAMA HAT TRAIL - Tom Miller Striffler (editors)

A travel classic from 1986, Miller looks at the history of The authoritative collection of articles by Ecuadorian the Panama hat which was actually invented in writers, artists, scholars, activists and journalists. A very Ecuador. He also explores Ecuador’s culture, social thorough history of the small South American country. history and people during his journey across the Perfect for history buffs! country. It is humorously written and an enjoyable read. LONESOME GEORGE: THE LIFE AND LOVES OF A LIVING POOR: AN AMERICAN’S ENCOUNTER WITH CONSERVATION ICON - Henry Nicholls ECUADOR - Moritz Thomsen Nicholls tells the story of the Galapagos’s most famous Thomsen’s account of his life living in a rural village in giant tortoise, Lonesome George, discovered on the Ecuador as part of the Peace Corps. A real insight into remote Pinta island and thought to be the last of his rural Ecuadorian life told in a simple but eloquent species. He died of natural causes at 100 years old in manner. Published be Eland, a fantastic publisher for 2012. An excellent story about conservation and the old travel books, that we highly recommend. Galapagos’s most famous character.

THELATINAMERICATRAVELCOMPANY.COM | Email: [email protected] UK ☎: +44 (0) 20 8191 7772 | Part of HeadsEast Ltd - UK business registration: 6717612 16 ▶ BOOKING CONDITIONS

1) YOUR CONTRACT 3) ABTA - THE TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

YOUR CONTRACT IS WITH HEADSEAST LTD (UK company number 6717612) a We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y1699. We are obliged to maintain a Member of ABTA (membership number Y1699) and holder of ATOL license 10287, high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you an trading as “The Latin America Travel Company. arbitration scheme for the resolution of disputes arising out of this contract. The scheme is arranged by ABTA and administered independently. It is a simple and inexpensive When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on you for costs. The accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. A contract will exist upper limit on claims is £5,000 per person and £25,000 per booking form. The scheme as soon as we issue our confirmation invoice. This contract is made on the terms of doesn’t apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their these booking conditions, which are governed by English Law, and the jurisdiction of the consequences. It can however deal with claims which include an element of minor English Courts. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,500 on the amount the arbitrator can award per Northern Ireland if you wish to do so. person in respect of this element. Your request for arbitration must be received by ABTA within eighteen months of the date of return from holiday. For injury and illness claims, 2) YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION you can request the ABTA Mediation Procedure and we have the option to agree to mediation. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. 4) YOUR HOLIDAY PRICE

We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the A) We reserve the right to alter the prices of any of the holidays shown in our services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where brochure. You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative book before your contract is confirmed. ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the B) When you make your booking you must pay a the deposit alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money requested. The balance of the price of your travel arrangements outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. must be paid at least 70 days before your departure date. If the However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an deposit and/or balance is not paid in time, we shall cancel your alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the travel arrangements. If the balance is not paid in time we shall ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable). retain your deposit. The price of your travel arrangements is fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges.

If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the C) When you buy a flight-based holiday, all monies you pay to the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or travel agent are held by him on behalf and for the benefit of the otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a Trustees of the Air Travel Trust at all times. This is subject to the payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in agent’s obligation to pay it to us for so long as we do not fail. If we return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims fail, any money held at that time by the agent, or subsequently which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the accepted from you by him, is and continues to be held on behalf services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another any obligation to pay that money to us. When you buy a holiday body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme. not including a flight, all monies you pay to the travel agent are held by him on our behalf at all times.

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5) IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING addition if an element of the Tour is a scheduled air fare, then you should be aware that the tickets are usually issued immediately upon us receiving your deposit payment. If you cancel the Tour after the date on which tickets are issued the airline will in most If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel cases impose cancellation charges which will usually be the full cost of the airfare. The arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date, tours or Company will advise you of these charges before cancellation. These cancellation accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be charges will be passed on in full and are in addition to any other cancellation charges possible. Any request for changes to be made must be in writing from the person who listed above. made the booking or your travel agent. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of £50 per person plus any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that 7) IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY changes are made and you should It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your travel arrangements, but we contact us as soon as possible. Note: Certain travel arrangements (e.g. Air Tickets) may do plan the arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements. be minor and we will advise you or your travel agent of them at the earliest possible date. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your travel Certain changes, such as a change of date less than 70 days before departure, may be arrangements. For example, if the minimum number of clients required for a particular treated as a cancellation of the original booking and rebooking in which case travel arrangement is not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, we will not cancellation charges will apply – you will be advised at the time you make your request cancel your travel arrangements less than 60 days before your departure date, except where applicable. For any change of date of your booking the re-booking will be subject for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If we are unable to the cancellation period at the time of the change to your original booking if within 70 to provide the booked travel arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies days of your original date of departure. paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). 6) IF YOU CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY In accordance with EU Regulation 2111/2005 we are required to advise you of the actual carrier operating your flight/connecting flight/transfer. Any changes to the actual airline You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. after you have received your tickets will be notified to you as soon as possible and in all Written notification from the person who made the booking or your travel agent on your cases at check-in or at the boarding gate. Such a change is deemed to be a minor behalf must be received at our offices. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel change. Other examples of minor changes include alteration of your outward/return arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the flights by less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to maximum shown below. Note: If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the another of the same standard. terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. If we make a major change to your holiday, we will inform you or your travel agent as NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE THE START DATE OF YOUR TRIP WITH US WHEN soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the WE RECEIVE YOUR CANCELLATION. SHOWN AS A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative TOTAL TRIP PRICE*. travel arrangements of comparable standard from us if available (we will refund any

price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling your holiday and Over 60 days before commencement Deposit only receiving a full refund of all monies paid. 59-40 days before commencement 50% 39-14 days before commencement 90% 14 days or no show 100% 8) IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT

*The trip price does not include visas, visa processing fees, travel insurance or If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your guidebooks, which shall be 100% forfeit in all cases. In hotelier) and our local representative immediately who will endeavour to put things right.

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If your complaint is not resolved locally, please follow this up within 28 days of your It is common and accepted practice for transport methods employed on our trips to run return home by writing us giving your booking reference and all other relevant with delays, or to run below operational standards that would be regarded as normal in information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to Western Europe. We cannot accept any claim of any nature which relates to any failure quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you. It is strongly of transport operators to conform either to timetables supplied by us or to their own recommended that you communicate any complaint to the supplier of the services in timetables or arises from deviations from operational standards by transport operators question as well as to our local representative without delay. If you fail to follow this whose services form part of our itineraries (whether original or amended). simple procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint whilst you were on holiday and this may affect your rights under 10) PROMPT ASSISTANCE IN RESORT this contract. Please also see clause 3 above on ABTA. If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed as a result 9) OUR LIABILITY TO YOU of failures attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services, or as a result of failures due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed by us or control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care our suppliers we will pay you appropriate compensation if this has affected the had been exercised, or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could enjoyment of your travel arrangements. However we will not be liable where any failure not foresee or forestall, and you suffer an injury or other material loss, we will offer you in the performance of the contract is due to: you; or a third party unconnected with the such prompt assistance as is reasonable in the circumstances. provision of the travel arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the 11) PASSPORT, VISA & IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are foresee or forestall. Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or be limited to a maximum of 2 times the cost of your travel arrangements. Our liability will Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to the contractual terms not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. of the companies that provide the transportation for your travel arrangements. These terms are incorporated into this contract; and any relevant international convention, for example the Montreal Convention in respect of travel by air, the Athens Convention in 12) EXCURSIONS respect of travel by sea, the Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail and the Paris Convention in respect of the provision of accommodation, which limit the amount of Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on compensation that you can claim for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us. For any excursion or other damage and delay to luggage. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and limitation of compensation contained in these or any conventions. You can ask for not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for copies of the transport companies’ contractual terms, or the international conventions, anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator. from our offices (Address & Telephone). Under EU law (Regulation 261/2004) you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from your airline in cases 13) INSURANCE of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. However We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential. You must ensure you take out a reimbursement in such cases will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your policy which includes appropriate cover for medical expenses and for your repatriation holiday cost from us. Your right to a refund and/or compensation from us is set out in to the UK in the event of medical need and for loss or damage of belongings. Please clause 6. If any payments to you are due from us, any payment made to you by the read your policy details carefully and take them with you on trip. It is your responsibility airline will be deducted. NB this clause does not apply to any separate contracts that to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your you may enter into for excursions or activities whilst on holiday. particular needs.

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