Terms and Conditions (Tours within India, Nepal and Bhutan)

Dear Guest,

Southern Travels Private Limited (STPL) makes every effort to provide you with the best of the services, making your tour more pleasant and most memorable one. We strive and Endeavour to provide safe and secured tour without any misunderstanding between the tour escort, company and you.

Please read and understand the booking conditions for your holiday tour packages before you book any of the tours. The terms and conditions given below, on our website, the tour registration form and any other printed material together with FAQ (frequently asked questions) forms the basis of our contract with you.

Brochure / Leaflet accuracy :

This "brochure" along with tour tariff. The information given in the brochure is as accurate as we can make it. All previous brochures, letters, Press Advertisement or any other modes of circulation stands cancelled. Errors and omissions may creep in. The maps used in the brochure are for reference only and are not to scale. We reserve every right to change any brochure information before or after the tour is booked due to any events beyond our control. The tour itinerary, price, departure date, and hotels are subject to change. If we are aware of the changes sufficiently before hand we will inform you in advance. Otherwise, our tour escorts or local representative will inform you about the change during the tour.

Definition:

• "Passenger / You / Guest / Customers / Clients, mean the person in whose name and on whose behalf booking and / or whole name is on the booking form is made
• Company / We / Us / Southern Travels Pvt. Ltd./ STPL. means Southern Travels Pvt. Ltd.
• Brochure means this brochure.
• Independent Contractor means “any hotelier / hotel owner / Vehicle owner/ Owner of any Airlines or any other person or organisation that has been selected by the company to render services to the passenger.
• Standard Package means A.C. Transportation, A.C. Accommodation (in a decent budget hotels and Deluxe Package means A.C. Transportation, A.C. Accommodation (except Hill Stations) in Hotel room equivalent to 3 Star facilities..

Note:

We are basically travel, tour and holiday organizers only. We do not control or operate any airlines or any other mode of transport like railways, motor, buses, coaches, etc. We also do not own or control any hotel (except Hotel Southern at New Delhi which is an associate of our's), transport or any other facility mentioned in the brochure. We take utmost care in selecting Restaurants / Hotels / Coaches / Vans / Boat Houses / Motels or Places of Stay for making your holidaying a comfortable one. We only select the Hotels/Motels or Places of Stay and do not have any control over them. Thus, we are not responsible for injury or personal harm, death or damage to personal property which may be caused by the act or default of the management or employees of any independent contractor, hotelier, airlines, coach owner/ operator, arising outside our normal selection and inspection process. It is imperative that all passengers travelling through STPL or any tours organised by STPL. abide, comply and strictly observe all the terms and conditions laid down herewith.

Meals :

There are preset menus for the meals provided on the tours. Packaged meals are served at some of the places. The types of meals are mostly South Indian vegetarian food . No complaints/ claims for refund in respect of the meals will be entertained and the company reserves the right to change the menu and arrangements of the meal without assigning any reasons therefore. In some places food & water will be provided en-route at the available restaurants. We do not have any control on those arrangements.

Hotels :

STPL has taken utmost care in selecting hotels which are comfortable. Most of the hotel rooms have private bath or shower and may be located in the centre or away from the city, but out of our vast experience, to provide good hotels at reasonable tariffs to your utmost comfort, engaging hotels away from city center becomes unavoidable. Air-conditioning, central heating, any other facility are at the hoteliers discretion, depending upon factors such as weather conditions, local circumstances. Triple sharing rooms are not larger than twin sharing rooms and third bed is (often a roll -away - mattress) put in Double bedded room. The passengers will have to abide by the check in and check out times of the hotels. Usually, the check in time in many of the hotels is 12 Noon and check out time is 10 AM. Early arrivals and late departure should be adjusted by the guests themselves as per the respective check in and check out time. If you reach before 12 Noon only fresh up arrangements are made while rooms are Terms allotted from 12 Noon. We will not be responsible or liable in case of loss of baggage or personal effects from the hotels. Safe Deposit Lockers are available in most hotels. You are advised to keep your valuables in the safe deposit lockers, at the time of check in and not in your hotel room. Any damage caused to the hotel during your stay shall be payable by you and the company will not be liable for the same.

Accommodation for Child up to 11 years of age :

A child below 12 years of age who is booked on the tour by paying the special rate without a bed will not be provided with a bed in the hotel while on the tour under any circumstances. In case the tour participant makes any changes in the rooming arrangement while on the tour, the company shall not make any refunds or pay any compensation to them. In case the tour participant decides to make any changes in the rooming while on the tour subject to availability, then he/she shall be bound to pay additional amount charged by the concerned Hotel directly to the Hotel.

Coach / Sitting :

There is a strict ''NO SMOKING”, “NO ALCOHOL” & “NO EATING” policy in the travel mode. Carrying of high value items in the bus will be at your own risk. We advise you not to leave them behind when you leave the coach. Company will not be responsible or liable incase of loss/ theft / damage of such items from the coach. Any damage caused by you to the coach during the travel shall be paid by you and the company will not be liable for the same.

We use air-conditioned or non air-conditioned 2 / 4 / 6 / 7 / 9 / 12 / 25 / 27 / 35 / 43 / 45 / 53 seater vehicles, Jeeps, Vans or Taxis depending upon the requirements of the tourists.

Management reserves the right to change the seating capacity of the coach, as per the number of bookings.

Health :

It is presumed that the tourist who have booked the tour have gone through the itinerary & is well aware about the same. It is presumed that the tourist is medically fit to undertake the said tour. The person who are medically fit to undertake the said tours shall join the said tour. The persons who are and/ or who have suffered from any ailments for which they have taken medical treatment have gone into check up hospitalization, shall not join the said tour. Many a times a tour manager is unable to pay any attention and / or to provide medical treatment for any tourist who requires medical attention. The tourist(s) will have to make their own arrangement on the tour for medical assistance. The tour manager may not be in a position to help the tourist. The tour leader have to proceed as per itinerary because of other members of the group may require his attention to follow the tour itinerary. The company shall not be responsible for any lack of attention on the tour.

Photographs or Video clips :

Company reserves the right to use photographs or video clips of the tourist taken on tour & / or given by tourist, for promotion of the company's business without obtaining prior permission of the concerned tourist.

Itinerary changes :

We may operate more than one coach on a specified date of the tour depending upon the demand for more bookings of the tour by the tourists. Sometimes we may change the direction, or slightly modify the itinerary. We will advise you of these amendments prior to the commencement of the tour or otherwise during the tour. In the event of passenger / joining passenger misses out on any part of the sight seeing tour, or any such tour, due to delay on his part, he will not be entitled to claim refund for the same.

Tour Price :

The price quoted in our brochure or proposal by mail / e-mail and any other mode of communication has been calculated as per the rates prevailing at the time of printing this brochure and also as per the prevailing Inter-state taxes / Fuel Charges etc.,. The company reserves the right to amend / alter the prices published in the brochure or quoted by any other means, in case of suppliers rate fluctuation, increase in fuel cost, increase in state taxes, or increase in any other item relevant to the tour before the date of departure. Any such increase in rate must be paid for by the tourist in full before the departure of the coach/bus/vehicle etc.

Tour inclusions and Exclusions :

Cancellations :

All services such as hotel accommodation & transportation are pre blocked well in advance. We are liable to pay penalties to all our suppliers / vendors / independent Contractors if these services are released within a mentioned time frame.

If the passenger has to cancel the tour due to any reasons they have to make an application in writing to that effect, along with the original receipt issued by the company. Such cancellations will attract cancellation charges as given below.

CANCELLATION RULES - Cancellation charges are applicable on Total cost

For Fixed Departure Package Tours (seat in coach basis)

Tour Codes:

CTV/CT/AD/AM/AMV/HR /HC /HRF /HB /VC /VAB /VJC /VJH /BC /BMS /CTM/CCT/CMKT /CGT

• 25% package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 48 hours of the departure.
• 50% package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 24 hours of the departure.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled within 24 hours of the departure date.

Tour Codes :

JA-V/JAPA-V/MUH-AC

• 30 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 72 hours of the departure.
• 70 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 48 hours of the departure.
• 90 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 24 hours of the departure.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled within 24 hours of the departure date.

Tour Codes :

SKM-V/MDK-V/KAS-V/BK-AC/BK-H /YGBK-AC/YGBK-H/AMAR-VH/ AVEX/RP

• 40% package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 15 clear days of departure date.
• 50% package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 10 clear days of departure date.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled within 10 clear days of the departure date.
• Note: In regard to BK-H, YGBK-H & AMAR-VH, the cancellation rules are applicable as per BK-AC, YGBK-AC, and AMAR-V on tour cost and the cancellation charges of Helicopter would be as per the rules of the respective Helicopter companies.

Tour code :

KTM, KTMP and KTP are as per the rules mentions in the detailed brochure

• 50% package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 10 clear days of departure date.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled before 7 clear days of the departure date.
• No refund for No shows after the commencement of the tour or delayed arrivals of participants for whatsoever reasons.

Tour Code:

KM-H:

• INR 20000 / US$ 340 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 45 days prior to departure date.
• INR 30000 / US$ 400 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 29-22days prior to departure date.
• INR 40000 / US$ 550 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 22-17days prior to departure date.
• INR 50000 / US$ 700 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 16-11days prior to departure date.
• INR 60000 / US$ 900 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 10-06days prior to departure date.
• INR 80000 / US$ 1300 will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled within 5days prior departure date.

Holiday Package tours

• 30 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 15 clear days of departure date.
• 50 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 12 clear days of departure date.
• 70 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 7 clear days of departure date.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled within 7 clear days of the departure date.

Tour Codes :

ED -05 and ED- 06

• 20 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 30 clear days of departure date.
• 50 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 30 to 15 clear days of departure date.
• 100 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 14 clear days of departure date.

Car, Vans, Jeeps, Tempo traveller & Coach Rentals:

• 25 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 72 hours prior the departure time.
• 50 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 48 hours prior the departure time.
• 80 % package cost will be charged as cancellation fee if cancelled before 24 hours prior the departure time.
• No Refund will be given if cancelled within 24 hours of departure time.

Chartered Helicopter

• The Terms & Conditions and Cancellations rules are applicable as per the respective Helicopter companies and the same are mentioned in their respective websites/their offices/our offices.

International Fixed/Group Departure Tours

• The Terms & Conditions and Cancellations rules are available and applicable as mentioned in our International Brochure /Website

Refund against online ticket cancellation :

In case of the online ticket cancellations done against the bookings made using the Credit card then the refund amount after deducting the cancellation charges as applicable will be credited back to the same credit card used while booking within 4 to 5 working days from the date of cancellation and if it was through Net banking then the refund amount will be credited back to the same bank account within 10-15 working days.

Compensation charges for Air/Rail reservations, tours conducted by independent contractors or agencies other than STPL, are applicable as per the rules of Air/Rail/Cruise and independent contractors or agencies. Any refund payable to the tourist will be given only after the receipt of funds from these agencies after deduction of necessary charges etc.

In case of State Government / Private Resorts / Hotels where full deposit has to be paid in advance to enable us to confirm the reservation, no refund will be given if services are amended / pre-poned / postponed/ cancelled/ or not utilized.

• The Company has liberty to change the type of vehicle mentioned in our Fixed Departure-Conducted Tours, in incase of less number of seats booked or any other reason. The company makes all the efforts to operate the package tour as you are all travelling from far of distances believing our company, however in some circumstances we are compelled to make certain changes. When the type of vehicle is changed to Hi-Tech/Mini/Tempo Traveller, refund would be made and in case of Innova & Cars there would be a nominal additional surcharge as we would be operating on loss. The cost details per person , as below :
• AM-V & AM / HR - Volvo To Hi-tech/Mini/Tempo Traveller, refund of Rs. 100/- and an additional surcharge for Innova-Rs. 300 / 250 respectively, for Car- an additional charge of Rs. 800/ 700 respectively to be paid.
• JA-V / JAPA & JAPA-P - Volvo To Hi-tech/Mini/Tempo Traveller a refund of Rs. 100/- / 200 and an additional surcharge for - Innova-Rs. 350/200 respectively, for Car- an additional charge of Rs. 400 / 1100/- respectively to be paid.
• MUH -AC / AVEX - Hi-tech/Mini to Tempo Traveller Rs. 200/ 300 and an additional surcharge for Rs. Innova- Rs 200 / 800 respectively, for Car- an additional charge of Rs. 500/1200/- respectively to be paid.
• MAN-V / SKM-V/ MDK-V /KAS-V / AMAR-H: Volvo To Hi-tech/Mini/Tempo Traveller Rs. 400/700/800/800/1100 respectively and an additional surcharge for Rs. Innova-Rs.150 / 600/900/1400/1700/- respectively, for Car- an additional charge of Rs. 600/1600/1500/3500/4000 respectively to be paid.
• BK-H & BK-/ YGBK-H & YGBK- Mini to Tempo Traveler Rs. 500/- / 900 and an additional surcharge for Innova-Rs. 1400 / 2400 respectively , for Car- an additional charge of Rs. 1400/4100 respectively to be paid.

Important conditions :

Passengers acceptance of the receipt while making the advance, full payment, passengers signature on the booking form, proposal, receipt, or paying the advance amount shall mean accepting in totality of the “terms and conditions” contained herein by the passenger(s).

There is no contract between the company and the passengers until the company has received the advance for the tour. Full payment must be received one week before the departure of the tour. In case the booking is made within one week, then full payment has to be paid at the time of booking itself. If the full amount is not paid up at the time of booking the tour, the company reserves the right to cancel the booking subsequently resulting in the loss of deposit and also apply the cancellation charges as mentioned herein. To amend, alter, vary or withdraw any tour.

Taxes:

Service taxes will be charged as applicable.

LIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY

The liability of the company is restricted only to the making reservation in accordance with the tourist requirements and no further. Company is not liable for any loss of person or property caused or damaged or suffered by the tourist or account of deficiency in services by any independent contractor. Any gesture of courtesy extended by the company to the tourist to minimize such loss or damage will not constitute an admission of such liability or a waiver. The company shall in no circumstances whatsoever be liable to the tourist or any other person for any loss or expenses incurred due to:

• Theft or any other reason whatsoever during the tour and the entire responsibility of taking care of their valuables shall be that of the tourist,
• Train or flight delays, on account of any reason whatsoever rescheduling or cancellation of train/ flights/ inter-connection meals not being served etc.
• Any overstay expenses on account of any delay or changes in air, bus, ship, train or cancellation of special bogie on account of force majeure including weather conditions, strike, war, quarantine, or any other reason whatsoever.
• Any personal injury, sickness, accident, loss, delay, discomfort, consequential loss and / or damage or any damage to baggage or personal effects howsoever caused.
• Death of the tourist while on tour and all applicable rules and procedures of law are to be followed strictly and all procedures pertaining to the death will have to be tackled and handled by the tourist or their relatives themselves at their own cost and consequences.
• Any injury, loss, personal harm, death or damage caused to any person or property by the act or default of the management or employees or agents of any independent contractor.
• Any damages, additional expenses for any consequential losses suffered by the tourist due to cancellation, amendment and or alterations of any of the services of the tour mentioned in the itinerary or brochure by the company after the registration or booking by the tourist.
• Any sight seeing missed and/ or the program being curtailed after commencement of the tour and / or before the due period on account of force majeure including any unavoidable circumstances and any reason beyond company control including political riots, natural calamity, Floods, Landslides,closure of monument for any reason, monuments under renovation, VIP movement and security, heavy rush at sight seeing places, road traffic congestion, etc, all the loss or expenses will have to be borne by the passengers.

EACH OF THIS CONDITION SHALL BE SEVERABLE FROM OTHER IF ANY PROVISION DECLARED INVALID, ILLEGAL OR UNENFORCEABLE, THEN REMAINING PROVISIONS NEVERTHELESS HAS FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.

complaints & Grievances:

If the passenger has any complaint in respect of the services provided by STPL or any other independent contractor, the passengers shall immediately notify the same in writing to the independent contractor and a copy thereof should be handed over to the Tour Manager to enable STPL to take up the matter with the independent contractor. Any claim or complaint by the passenger must be notified to the company in writing within seven days after the tour completion date. No claims from the passengers will be entertained by the company beyond seven days of completion of the tour. Also, the company shall incur no liability in respect thereof.

LTC / LFC Tours :

Southern Travels Pvt. Ltd. Is recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. Our receipts of L.F.C are approved by all Banks and Corporate Offices, including Life Insurance Corporation of India.

General Information :

The company reserves the right to unconditionally refuse a booking and terminate all services to a passenger on tour in the event of unreasonable behavior at any time. Single passenger traveling alone must pay single supplement charges (Single Adult in a room) mentioned in the brochure.

The company solely reserves the right to publish the passengers photograph or group photo taken during the tour or the comments given by them in the brochure. The information given regarding distances covered, Tour accommodation, prices or any other information in the brochure are on approximate basis and subject to change.

The seats of last row in some of our 9/27/35/41/45 seater coaches do not have push back facility. Please make a note of this point, at the time of booking the last row seats. No claim for non push back seats shall be entertained later.

Transport charges between Manali - Rohtang Pass and Travel by Pony (horse) or Doli and other incidentals from Gaurikund to Kedarnath / Janaki Chetti to Yamunotri / Katra to Vaishno Devi / Kufri to Ice Point and back are not included in the tour fare.

Additional expenditure per head in the tours towards pony, local transport within the City wherever our coaches are not allowed to ply are as follows: Shimla - Kullu - Manali Tour: Rs. 1500/- : Manali - Vaishno Devi Tour : Rs. 4,000/- : Chardham Tour Rs. 1500/- to Rs. 10,000/- Badrinath - Kedarnath Tour : Rs. 1,500/- to Rs. 7,000/- : This information is given to you for the sake of budgeting. The rates are subject to change and is only an approximate estimation.

In Hill Stations like Mussoorie and Pilgrim centres like Badrinath Kedarnath & Gangotri - Yamunotri, only smaller buses are allowed to ply in these regions on account of restrictions for Hill Fitness. We are operating 27 seater coaches to these places. Seats of last row in some of our 27 seater coaches (i.e., from Seat No. 23 to 27) will not have push back facility.

Please purchase entrance tickets from the monuments / Museums directly. Free entrance for children below 5 years. Tourists may carry their luggage in our buses at their own risk and responsibility.

Kindly adhere to the time schedule announced by our Tour Guide / Driver at every point to ensure covering of all places. If you happen to miss the bus, you will have to make your own arrangements to reach the next sight seeing spot/point.

Conveyance charges from the Bus alighting point to Monuments / Hotels and other places where the tourist buses cannot ply due to the traffic regulations / conditions, are to be borne by the tourists.

Air Conditions (A.C.) in the vehicle means, cooling will be provided in summers on the plain areas and A.C. will not function on hilly roads due to technical reasons. The Package tours mentioned in this leaflet do not include hotel accommodation, food and other incidentals at Delhi. All our buses start from our New Delhi Office to different destinations in respect of North India Tours and will come back to Delhi, after completion of the tour.

No Food will be supplied at Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Vaishno Devi as our Catering units cannot reach these places. You have to take food in the hotel at your own cost at these three places. Cloak Room and Safety Lockers facility are available at Hotel Southern, New Delhi. Tourists are at liberty to make purchases from anywhere they like. The company does not take any responsibility for their purchases and does not recommend any particular shop.

If the vehicle is held up due to land slides or any other reason en-route the tour, food and accommodation is to be borne by the tourists.

Jurisdiction:

For all claims, disputes of whatsoever nature relating to the tours operated, marketed / coordinated by Southern Travels Pvt. Ltd., the courts in Delhi shall alone have jurisdiction and the laws of Republic of India shall apply.