Tour Conditions

This document outlines what Ecovillage Tours ("ET") provides when you sign up for an ET tour, and what you agree to do while on tour with ET ("Tour Conditions"). By signing up for a tour with ET you are agreeing to these Tour Conditions so please read the document carefully before you complete your reservation request.

Tour price guarantee: Our tour prices do not include airfare, and are subject to change without notice due to the unpredictability of currency rates and trip costs. Standard rates for the tour you've selected will be locked and guaranteed the moment we receive your deposit. If you purchase an early-bird ticket, the price is guaranteed only when full payment is received 2 months prior to departure. For current tour prices, visit www.ecovillagetours.com.

Included in the price of each tour: Sightseeing tours by an ET guide, and local guides when appropriate, including admissions to sights seen as a group; all group meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day of the tour; accommodations each night, often in rustic and rural settings; and all transportation from pre-arranged pick-up and drop-off points (does not include optional activities or independent travel during the tour).

Itineraries are subject to change: Life is full of surprises, and we need to be flexible enough to take advantage of whatever comes along so that we may provide you with the best possible tour. Uncompleted portions of the tour itinerary are not cause for refund.

Tour payments: To reserve a seat on a ET tour you must agree to these Tour Conditions and provide us with a deposit of $500 per person. We accept major credit cards for all tour payments. We also accept personal checks, bank drafts or money orders in US dollars drawn on a US or Canadian bank. Your final tour payment is due in our office at least 60 days prior to the start of the tour, in one payment. Your final payment due date will be listed on your initial confirmation letter and tour invoice. Missing the final payment deadline may result in your being removed from the tour. If you sign up for a tour less than 60 days before its departure, the entire tour price must be paid, and is non-refundable after 7 days.

Solo travelers and single supplements: If you are traveling solo, you need not pay the mandatory single supplement often required by other tour companies. You will most likely room with another tour member of the same or different sex. If you wish increase your chances of having a private room, we offer a limited number of optional single supplements for an additional fee. (Refer to your tour's web page at ecovillagetours.com for current single supplement prices.) If a private room is not available when we receive your tour order, we will notify you immediately, and you will have the option to cancel your reservation. Please note that a single supplement does not guarantee a private, larger or nicer room. We will do our best to give you a private room when possible, however the nature of some accommodations may not allow for a private room during every night of the trip. Single supplements are refundable if cancelled at least 60 days prior to tour departure; those cancelled later will be forfeited, unless you booked a tour less than 60 days before its departure date, in which case, the single supplement becomes non-refundable after 7 days, but may be creditable in the event of a medical or family emergency.

Returned payments: If a payment to ET is returned unpaid for any reason, we will assess a $35 returned-item fee per occurrence. The fee(s) will be added to the applicable tour balance, and must be paid in full prior to your tour departure.

Cancellations, refunds, and credits: Your tour deposit is 100% refundable for 30 days from the date it is received, unless noted otherwise. Deposits made 60–90 days before a tour departs become non-refundable on the final payment due date. If you book a tour less than 60 days before its departure date, the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after 7 days, but may be creditable in the event of a medical or family emergency. Once your deposit refund date has passed, your deposit will not be refunded under any circumstance.

All payments to ET become non-refundable on your final payment due date (60 days before departure). We may provide you a credit for future travel with Ecovillage Tours if you cancel your reservation for a creditable event, as outlined below, before the tour begins. If you cancel your reservation for a creditable event 31–60 days before the first day of the tour, your credit will be equal to 100% of your original tour price. If you cancel your reservation for a creditable event 1–30 days before the first day of the tour, your credit will be equal to 50% of your original tour price. The credit is not transferable and will expire on December 31, two years following the year of the originally scheduled tour (e.g. if you receive a credit for a tour set to depart in 2020, you may use that credit toward any tour(s) departing prior to December 31, 2022). This is not insurance and is not intended as a substitute for comprehensive travel and health insurance!

If we cancel a tour you have reserved, the entire amount you have paid to ET for the applicable tour will be refunded to you within 14 days after the tour's cancellation. Once this occurs, ET and its representatives have no other obligations to tour members on cancelled trips including any additional costs or fees related to the issuance and/or cancellation of airline tickets or other travel reservations not made by ET.

Creditable medical or family Emergency ("Creditable Event"): ET may provide you a credit for future travel with Ecovillage Tours if one of the following creditable medical or family emergency events requires you to cancel your reservation. A creditable event must first occur less than 60 days prior to your tour's start date. It is ET’s sole discretion to determine if your situation is a Creditable Event. For these purposes, we consider your traveling partner to be someone who shares the same accommodations with you and a family member to be your spouse, step-child, or blood relative in the first degree.

  1. You, your travel partner or a family member dies or suffers an unexpected and disabling injury or illness requiring hospitalization or urgent medical care prior to joining the tour.

  2. You, your travel partner or family member suffers a certifiable personal disaster (such as your home floods or burns down, or you are a victim of a serious crime) necessitating a change in travel plans.

  3. You or your spouse are called into active military service or have leave revoked.

  4. Loss of employment.

Credit request process: If you need to cancel your tour you must notify ET immediately in writing: sent via email to info@ecovillagetours.com. Cancellations become effective on the date received by ET. If you wish to request a credit for a creditable event and you have comprehensive travel insurance, you must first file a claim with your insurance provider before requesting a credit from ET. ET will only process your request for credit after you have filed a claim with your insurance provider and can demonstrate the final insurance payment or settlement. You also must provide the following documentation along with your cancellation notice: For an unexpected illness or injury, we require you to provide a letter from your attending physician, on the physician's letterhead, verifying the specific reason and date of the onset of the condition given for advice against traveling; in the event of a death, we require a death certificate or obituary; due to a crime, flood, fire or accident, you must provide a copy of a pertinent police, fire department or investigative report; for unexpected loss of your job, we require a letter signed by your employer specifying the date of termination, on the company's letterhead (including contact information).

Tour forms, obligations, and risks: To travel on a tour, and to qualify for cancellation credit, all tour members are required to review and accept a Release and Waiver Agreement prior to the beginning of a tour. Omitting important information, or altering the Release and Waiver Agreement, will render it invalid, and could result in expulsion from a tour at your own expense.

Participation: Although we want everyone to have a good time, it sometimes happens that someone participating in a tour can misbehave or do things that are incompatible with the safety, comfort, or convenience of other members of the tour. In those circumstances we have the exclusive right and discretion to expel someone (even you) from a tour at any time.

Tour member expectations: ET tours are physically active, our accommodations are rustic and may provide fewer American-style amenities, and our people policy emphasizes NO GRUMPS! These are essential characteristics of the Ecovillage Tour tour experience. On any Ecovillage Tour, you assume certain obligations and responsibilities to ET and your fellow tour members, including, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Be comfortable on your feet during walking tours, climbing lots of stairs, plus standing and walking for up to four hours inside and outdoors in all weather conditions. (If you have concerns about the physical demands of our tours, please call us!)

  2. Sleep in accommodations with no air conditioning and slow Wi-Fi connections or Wi-Fi only in common areas.

  3. Visit or be near working farms, including pets and livestock.

  4. Prepare some of your own meals as a group activity.

Pack light: Each tour member encouraged to bring just one airline carry-on-size piece of luggage (approximately 21" x 14" x 9") plus a small day pack or shoulder bag. You’ll receive a suggested packing list after registering.

Tipping Policy: Tipping is a personal expression of appreciation for exceptional service and is not included in the tour price. It remains entirely at your discretion, reflecting your satisfaction with our guide's effort to make your ecovillage tour experience memorable. While our guides are committed to excellence, if you wish to acknowledge their dedication, tipping is encouraged.

Suggested Tipping Guidelines:

  • Half-day tours: $5-$10 per person.

  • Full-day tours: $10-$20 per person.

  • Multi-day tours: $20-$50 per person for the entire trip, depending on your level of satisfaction.

Tips:

  • Tipping in local currency at the tour's end is preferred.

  • For group travelers, pooling tips as a collective thank you can be a considerate approach.

  • Remember, while appreciated, tipping is not mandatory. Our guides aim to provide a high-quality experience to all guests, irrespective of gratuities. Your engagement and feedback are also highly valued.

Ecovillage Tours LLC is registered with the State of Vermont as a provider and seller of travel (#601-035-937-001).