Reservations:
To make a reservation on a multiple day tour, complete and sign the booking form and the terms & conditions pages and return it to Southern Birding Services with your deposit. Provisional bookings are accepted via telephone or email and must be followed up with a completed, signed registration form and deposit payment within 7 days. Phone or email bookings will be taken for half-day and day tours and full payment is due on or before the day.

Payment:
Full payment of a multiple day tour cost is due 60 days prior to departure. Payment details are outlined on the booking form. For half-day and full-day tours full payment can be made on the day, in which case cash is acceptable. Payments are to be made in Australian Dollars only. Payment may be made by bank cheque, money order or cheque by prior arrangement. Payment may also be made by bank transfer, PayPal or credit card (using PayPal). Clients are responsible for any fees incurred at both ends: PayPal and credit card (using PayPal) payments attract a 2-4% surcharge (depending on the amount) and international bank transfers attract a AU$30 surcharge. Domestic bank transfers are free.

Cancellation:
All cancellations must be made in writing and signed by whoever signed the booking form and submitted to PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services. Refunds are made at our discretion as there may be deposits or payments made to ground agents that are non-refundable. No refunds will be made after 60 days prior to the commencement of a tour. There are no refunds for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features should you decide not to participate fully or should it be necessary to make changes during the tour. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services reserves the right to cancel any trip due to weather or other unsuitable conditions. In such a case full refund of the tour price paid to date will constitute full settlement to the passenger.

Insurance:
The purchase of travel insurance, including cancellation insurance, is strongly recommended.
PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services cannot accept liability for insurance costs, airline cancellations or delays or penalties incurred by the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for this tour.

PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services cannot accept liability for any insurance costs if a tour is cancelled.

Tour Prices:
The price of the tour is based on local prices in effect when the tour is designed and is subject to adjustment in the event of a large change therein.

What is included in the tour price:
For half-day and day tours, morning tea, any entry fees, and transport (if that option is taken) is included. No other costs, including meals (such as lunch) are included for half-day and day tours.
For multiple day tours, specifics about what is included in each tour are described in the tour itinerary and normally consists of all travel as noted in the itinerary, lodging in hotels/motels or their equivalent unless otherwise indicated, all meals unless otherwise noted, tour materials and the tour guide services of the leader(s).

What is not included in the tour price:
The tour price excludes all expenses incurred before the first official group assembly at the start of any tour and after the official end of the tour, travel insurance, passport charges, vaccination charges, visa charges, excess baggage charges, airport taxes, and meals and drinks en route to the tour. The tour price also excludes drinks (other than those provided), à la carte dishes on those occasions where the included meal is fixed-menu, breakfast upgrades from continental, snacks, laundry, telephone calls, private excursions, and anything else of a purely personal nature, including taxes, porterage, service charges and tips relating to such items.

In addition, should you decide not to accompany the group on a planned activity for any reason, you are responsible for the extra cost of any accommodation or meals while the rest of the group is involved in the planned activity.

Should you arrive or depart at other than the official times of the tour, any additional expenses you incur are not included.

Surcharges:
Unfortunately, the travel industry is suffering with uncontrollable and escalating costs relating to fuel, flights, and an erratic world economy. We would like to offer complete price stability and will make every effort to do this, but because of the possibility of substantial transportation/fuel price increases, changes in ground agent prices, tax increases or negative exchange rate changes, we cannot guarantee prices. While we will make every effort to avoid or absorb surcharges, PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services reserves the right to increase the price of a tour in the event of cost increases incurred by us that stem directly from increases in transportation costs (by air, land or water, and including increases in fuel costs), increases in government taxes, fees, dues or levies, or exchange rates.

Modification:
PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services reserves the right to modify the itinerary, number of participants, tour vehicle or any other aspect of the tour prior to and during any tour. While on tour if weather or other conditions require a change to the itinerary such a change will be discussed, as much as reasonably possible, with the clients but the final decision is made by the tour leader. If as a result of a change in the itinerary clients forgo an opportunity to see any particular bird species this does not entitle these clients to a refund. If as a result of a change in itinerary the total duration of the tour is shorter than that of the advertised itinerary by more than one (1) day this will entitle clients to a reasonable refund to be calculated by PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services. If due to local road, weather or other conditions the duration of the tour needs to be extended clients will not be charged commercial tour rates for the extension by PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services but clients will be required to pay for their own accommodation, food and all other expenses for the duration of the extension. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services will not be liable for any costs incurred by clients due to a tour returning to its final destination later than scheduled.

Bird species:
Birds are wild animals and no sightings of any species can be guaranteed. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services will not be held responsible for clients not seeing any particular species.

Liability:
The tour participant agrees that PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services is not liable for injury, death, damage, monetary loss or loss of property as a result of participating in any tour. Participants should make their own health and travel insurance arrangements. Travel insurance should cover unplanned costs, e.g., a plane not arriving due to inclement weather.
For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services, its agents, servants, employees, shareholders, officers, directors, solicitors and contractors as set forth herewith. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by bus, boat, airplane, or by other means, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for any reason whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in the carrying out the arrangements of the tour. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or charges in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall bear all such losses and expenses. PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary.

Restrictions on Participation:
Birding tours involve a variety of activities and can entail varying degrees of strenuous activity. Some destinations will require early morning starts and/or late returns as this maximizes our opportunities to find and see certain species. In preparation for each day, the activities will be described as accurately as possible. It may be necessary for participants to be able to complete walks of up to several kilometres over a wide variety of terrain, not necessarily on walking trails. While out in the field we may also encounter variable weather conditions including, but not limited to, heat, cold, wind, rain, and strong, bright sunshine. Participants should be in good health and if in doubt should consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you have questions about the physical requirements of a tour, please contact our office for further information. It must be emphasized that if you do have a health problem or physical limitation, we need to know so we can be prepared in the case of an emergency. Further, we cannot provide any assurances with respect to safety, quality or other issues with respect to excursions not within the direct control or supervision of PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services. The participant assumes all risks and liabilities of his or her own activities not under the direct supervision of PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services.

There will be the opportunity for those of you who wish, to opt out of any particular excursion and do your own thing at your own expense. Anyone wishing to partake of an activity not within our bird watching program may only do this at their own expense and if it does not in any way interfere with the group’s schedule.

Small groups call for consideration from all participants so that all may enjoy the experience. Any antisocial behaviour (swearing, smoking in non-smoking areas, alcohol abuse etc) that could be detrimental to the enjoyment of a tour by the other group members, shall be deemed to be unacceptable. If there are complaints from other tour members and the leader finds any person unable to conduct themselves in a manner seen fit, the leader reserves the right to send them home at their own expense.

Smoking is prohibited in tour vehicles, many public places and certain conservation reserves.

PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour for any reason.

Other:
Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the itinerary, and other pertinent matter recommended by PI & NL Waanders trading as Southern Birding Services. Each participant is responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended.


Contact details:

email

Phone +61(0)409 763172