When to Book
The short answer is as early as possible! Because we run small-group holidays, popular tours can fill up very fast indeed, sometimes, it must be said, even before this site is published! Several bookings come in over a year ahead for tours, and as a rule of thumb, many tours are full around four to six months in advance. Single rooms are usually the first to be filled, so please think ahead even earlier if you require one of these. However we do get a few last-minute cancellations, and it is definitely worth enquiring about vacancies on any tour, even just a few weeks in advance. Please also note the section on early booking discounts below.
How to book
- E-mail or give us a ring first to check availability of your preferred dates.
- We can hold provisional telephone reservations for up to 10 days.
- Please complete our secure booking form following the on-screen instructions carefully.
- You will be asked for your credit card details to enable us to collect your deposit and insurance premium. All transactions are encrypted to ensure the highest level of security.
- Alternatively, print off the completed booking form and mail it to us along with your deposit cheque in UK £sterling made payable to "The Travelling Naturalist".
- Please let us know about any extra arrangements, tour extensions or connecting flights that you would like us to arrange at time of booking
- We will forward, normally within seven working days, full written confirmation and an invoice, showing the balance due, and the date by which it should be paid. Please make a note of this date in your diary, as reminders are not sent unless stated.
- About three months before departure you will receive joining instructions and details for the holiday.
- Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.
Payment
- Payment can be made by cheque, drawn on a UK bank, in UK £sterling, or by credit or debit card.
- Payment by overseas clients may also be by credit or debit card.
- Please note that there are no surcharges for using credit or debit cards for payment.
- If you are paying by credit or debit card, please do not email us the card details. These can either be given to us on the booking form in the brochure or using the secure form on this website.
- Please note that we do not accept cheques drawn on US Banks in US Dollars, or cheques in Euros, or Eurocheques.
- Please note that we do not accept part payment of deposits or balances, nor post-dated cheques, which will be returned to you.
Client Loyalty Discounts
Our loyalty discount scheme has been operating for several years now. This year, we're continuing to give a 5% discount of the main tour price (excluding any single supplement) on every fifth trip you take with us! To claim the discount, just let us know by email how many trips you think you've taken with us when you book (still sending the full deposit), and we'll check against our files, and deduct the appropriate amount from the final invoice. If you wish, you can save up two 5% discounts to get a 10% discount on your tenth tour!
Please note that this loyalty discount scheme applies to all tours that appear in this web site, and that we have now extended it to tailor-made tours, and cruises for independent travellers!
Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance is one of the absolute essentials before departing on any overseas trip, and to be much recommended for UK holidays as well. In common with many operators now, we insist that clients are fully insured before travelling overseas with us. Details of our own scheme are given below.
Please would clients using alternative schemes (ie with annual insurance cover) provide us with details of their particular scheme when booking.
We are able to offer our clients travel insurance through Campbell Irvine Ltd, the cover effected with AXA Insurance UK plc. A summary of cover and premiums is detailed below and a sample policy is available on request.
To effect cover, please complete the section on our online booking form, and include the full premium with the deposit.
When you receive the certificate of insurance, please read it carefully. If you feel that it does not meet your requirements, please return the certificate within 14 days to obtain a full refund of premium (as long as no claims have been made, and this is before the date of travel). No further refund of premium is possible once a certificate has been issued.
Summary of cover
|
| Loss of Deposit, Cancellation and Curtailment
|
up to £5,000**
|
| Delayed Departure or Arrival
|
up to £25 for first 12 hrs/ £12.50 for each subsequent 12 hrs up to max. £100 or up to £1,000 if the whole itinerary is abandoned
|
| Personal Accident (loss of an eye, a limb or permanent disablement)
|
up to £25,000
|
| Accidental Death (for persons aged 66 years or more limited to £1,000)
|
up to £10,000
|
| Medical Expenses
|
up to £5,000,000
|
| Including Hospital benefit of £10/day
|
up to £200
|
| Criminal Injuries (hospital benefit increased to £100/day)
|
up to £5,000
|
| Personal Liability
|
up to £2,000,000
|
| Baggage & Personal Effects
|
up to £2,000*
|
| Personal Money (includes loss of tickets up to £1,000)
|
up to £500
|
| Loss of Passport & Visas
|
up to £250
|
| Hi-jack of aircraft
|
up to £3,000
|
| Failure of European flight connections (outward journey only)
|
up to £25/day or £150 max.
|
| Interruption of Transport Services in the UK
|
up to £300
|
| Legal Expenses
|
up to £15,000
|
Please note that there is a £50 excess per person to pay in the event of a claim under Cancellation and Curtailment (except for loss of deposit), Medical, Personal Baggage and Money. For Legal Expenses claims the first £250 is excluded.
*Single articles (£250 max per article), jewellery and photographic equipment is limited to £350 total. Claims for loss or damage to spectacles and sunglasses are limited to £ 100.
** We can now offer cover for trips costing up to a maximum sum insured of £10,000 per person at an additional premium of just £5.00 inclusive of IPT per additional £100 of cover above the standard £5,000 of cover automatically given.
|
Premiums
Please note that premiums are per person and must cover each calendar day spent away from home and are valid for certificates issued prior to
31/12/2007.
Please note that we
can quote for travel insurance for persons aged
75 and over. Please give us a call on 01305 267994 for a quote for your trip.
UK
(for purposes of this policy includes Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands)
|
| |
Up to age 65 |
Age 66 - 74 |
| up to 4 days |
£11.00 |
£22.00 |
| 5 to 9 days |
£14.00 |
£28.00 |
| 10 to 17 days |
£17.00 |
£34.00 |
| 18 to 24 days |
£23.00 |
£46.00 |
| 32 days |
£30.00 |
£60.00 |
|
Europe
(for purposes of this policy includes Eire, the continent of Europe west of the Urals, and countries bordering the Mediterranean, plus Iceland, Jordan, Madeira, the Canary, Azores and Mediterranean Islands)
|
| |
Up to age 65 |
Age 66 - 74 |
| up to 4 days |
£17.00 |
£34.00 |
| 5 to 9 days |
£21.00 |
£42.00 |
| 10 to 17 days |
£27.00 |
£54.00 |
| 18 to 24 days |
£37.00 |
£74.00 |
| 32 days |
£46.00 |
£92.00 |
|
Australia & New Zealand
(can include a single night stopover flight connection anywhere in the world for both outward and return travel)
|
| |
Up to age 65 |
Age 66 - 74 |
| 10 to 17 days |
£55.00 |
£110.00 |
| 18 to 24 days |
£60.00 |
£120.00 |
| 25 to 32 days |
£68.00 |
£136.00 |
|
Worldwide excluding North America
(for purposes of this policy excludes USA & Canada) (can include a single night stopover flight connection anywhere in the world for both outward and return travel)
|
| |
Up to age 65 |
Age 66 - 74 |
| 5 to 9 days |
£58.00 |
£116.00 |
| 10 to 17 days |
£66.00 |
£132.00 |
| 18 to 24 days |
£72.00 |
£144.00 |
| 25 to 32 days |
£79.00 |
£158.00 |
|
Worldwide
(for purposes of this policy includes USA & Canada)
|
| |
Up to age 65 |
Age 66 - 74 |
| 5 to 9 days |
£79.00 |
£158.00 |
| 10 to 17 days |
£87.00 |
£174.00 |
| 18 to 24 days |
£97.00 |
£194.00 |
| 25 to 32 days |
£103.00 |
£206.00 |
|
Please Note:
Our rates are fully inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 17.5%
The upper age limit for this insurance is 74 at the time of paying the premium. Please note that premiums for persons aged 66 and over at the time of arranging insurance are double the standard rates. For persons aged 75 years or more cover may only be granted if referred to Campbell Irvine and terms agreed.
Pre-existing illnesses and medical conditions are excluded but please call the medical helpline, in confidence, on
0870 906 3140 to declare these to the insurers. If you are in any doubt whether or not you should declare something, it is always advisable to telephone in order to ensure that you are fully covered. Please note that anxiety and depression are not covered by the Policy. Travel against a medical practitioner's advice will not be covered.
The cover extends to UK residents living in the UK at the date of issue. Please enquire for premiums for overseas residents.
Special items such as binoculars, cameras etc. are only covered up to a value of £ 350, so it is absolutely essential that you ensure they are adequately covered under your Household or other insurance for travel abroad. Money or property is not covered if lost through carelessness.
Use the hotel safe at all times and carry your valuables and cash with you.
Contact lenses are amongst several items of equipment not covered under this insurance. Please ask if in doubt.
Claims for baggage damaged in transit must be supported by a report from the airline involved obtained before you leave the airport. Loss of money or property must be supported by a Police Report. Do not pack cash or valuables; carry them with you.
Property is covered for its value at time of loss, not replacement value.
We can also quote for up to 12 months in most areas.
These rates are valid from
1 January 2007 and are subject to change without notice.
Please note that from 1 January 2009, due to UK Government legislation, we will no longer be able to offer Travel Insurance to our clients.
