Bhutan & Beyond Terms & Conditions for YTI 'Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Bhutan'.
Effective January 2025, the following T&C will now apply for all new YTI Bhutan bookings, made by Bhutan & Beyond. These will provide our tour members with more transparency & improved financial security, under the circumstances of travelling in a post-COVID-19 environment.It is both mandatory, and your obligation as a traveller, to read these T&C carefully and to fully understand your liabilities. This is essential for your own protection.
Our Bhutan & Beyond T&C now come in two sections. The first is the updated Terms & Conditions from our parent company, MTA Travel, via their pdf link below. The second section, further below, is our own revised Terms & Conditions peculiar to Bhutan & Beyond and covering specific T&C for the YTI Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Bhutan tour.
All sections of our T&C complement each other.
T&C Section 1: MTA Travel Booking Terms & Conditions
MTA Travel (Mobile Travel Agents) are the parent company of Bhutan & Beyond. As such we are initially bound by the MTA Travel Terms & Conditions.
It is both mandatory, and your obligation as a traveller, to read these T&C carefully and to fully understand your liabilities. This is essential for your own protection.
The MTA Travel T&C can be found on the pdf link below.
MTA Booking Terms and Conditions
T&C Section 2: Bhutan & Beyond – Additional Booking Terms & Conditions
It is both mandatory, and your obligation as a traveller, to read these T&C carefully and to fully understand your liabilities. This is essential for your own protection.
It is essential you carefully read and agree to these additional following Terms & Conditions. These form a component of the contract you enter into when making travel reservations to Bhutan with Bhutan & Beyond and our overseas partner suppliers.
It is important you are aware, and accept, that pre-planned arrangements may occasionally need to be amended at late notice due to events beyond the control of any operator involved in the provision of your travel related services.
1. Booking Form; Passport Scan & Recent Headshot Image.
It is mandatory that you fully complete our on-line tour booking form and submit this in order we can hold a reservation on your behalf. At the same time we require a quality scan of your passport photo page (regardless if it has expired or will expire before travel) which we use to ensure we have your name details 100% correct. We appreciate you limiting each passport scan to less than 2 MB in file size.
The 3 steps to make a booking with Bhutan & Beyond:
- Complete our on-line booking form in full and submit. Remember you must read our Terms & Conditions first for your protection!
- To our booking form please attach scanned COLOUR copies of your passport photo page/s. The full page margins must be inside the scan and please ensure the image is very clear. There should be no shadows or glare, and please keep each image size 2MB or less.
- When we request it (approx in April 26) we will require a recent image of your head & shoulders taken against a plain light coloured background. You can take a ‘selfie’ for this purpose, and email it to us for size editing, and it is used to gain your Bhutan visa.
2. Deposits & Final Payments:
Please note all our Bhutan & Beyond (referred to as B&B) land tour costs, and Bangkok-Paro-Bangkok airfares (when published), are quoted in US dollars and will be converted into Australian dollars, at the bank exchange IMT (International Money Transfer) rate of the day, when final payment is due.
USD = US dollars and AUD = Australian dollars. Please do NOT confuse the two!
Initial land tour deposits will be collected in Australian dollars, as quoted below, and in the accompanying table of fees. Final US dollar tour costs will be converted into Australian dollars, when due, using our bank exchange IMT rate of the day, less your Australian dollar deposit already paid.
Payment Options:
B&B accepts payment by EFT and IMT, along with selected credit cards. Please note we do not accept payment by cheque or cash. Credit Card payments incur merchant fee surcharges as follows:
Australian Credit Cards:
MasterCard 1.15%
Visa 1.35%
Amex 1.80%
Example of calculating CC merchant fees.
Just say you pay B&B a deposit of AUD1000.00 for 2 adults. You elect to pay by MasterCard at the rate of 1.15%. Please key 1100 into your calculator, multiply it by 1.15 and press the % key on your calculator. The CC merchant fee in this case is therefore AUD12.65. Please don’t press the = key!
All Overseas Credit Cards:
There is a flat merchant fee of 3% when we debit all overseas credit cards. (MasterCard, Visa or Amex).
Additional Deposit & Service Fee Information Specific to the YTI ‘Yoga & Meditation Retreat to Bhutan’:
Some of our airfares, particularly those into Paro, Bhutan, are also quoted in US dollars. These will be clearly advised to you when quotes are provided and bookings are confirmed.
- Of the Bhutan & Beyond land tour deposit of AUD500.00 pp, AUD250.00 per adult is non-refundable should cancellation be made for any reason. This is our Bhutan & Beyond service fee regardless of whether travel takes place or not.
- Additional fees of AUD250.00 pp will apply to cover Bhutan hotel and land tour operator service fees, should tour cancellation be made between 01JAN26 and 91 days prior to arrival in Bhutan.
- In some cases these non-refundable service fees may be claimable against your travel insurance.
- B&B requires your tour deposit within 7 days of your tour bookings being confirmed in writing.
- Final balance of land tour costs is due 90 days prior your arrival into Bhutan.
- Cancellation of your tour reservations may occur if your final payment is not received by the due date.
- Airfares will require earlier payment & be subject to their own T&C.
VERY IMPORTANT!
Travel insurance does NOT cover you if governments close international borders and/or the Australian Government places a ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ status on your destination via their Smart Traveller website, therefore preventing travel to be undertaken at late notice. These exclusions have always been in place pre-COVID-19, and are not new exclusions.
3. Voluntary Amendments & Cancellations to Your Land Tour:
Important Note: Should a continuing COVID-19 related situation force the late abandonment of this tour, it will be rescheduled for similar dates in June 2027. Refunds after final tour payment have been made will not be possible, however the credit value of your tour payments will be transferred to the 2027 tour.
Deposit date until 01JAN26: Loss of total AUD250.00 pp paid in initial tour deposit to B&B.
01JAN26 until 91 days prior arrival in Bhutan: Land Tour Deposit is totally non-refundable.
90 days or less prior to arrival in Bhutan: No Land Tour Refund Permitted.
Voluntary Travel Amendment Requests: Airline/hotel fees as applicable PLUS a B&B service fee of AUD60 per person.
4. Your Health & Travel Insurance:
ESSENTIAL READING PLEASE:
You are personally responsible for ensuring your general health & fitness is sufficient for your planned journey.
We strongly recommend you consult your personal doctor, or nearest Travel Medical Alliance (TMA) centre, at least 8 weeks before departure, for advice on vaccinations and medications. TMA can be contacted in Australia toll free on T: 1300 421142.
**MUST READ RE TRAVEL INSURANCE**
It is strongly recommended you hold adequate comprehensive travel insurance when you pay for your tour deposit, or no later than purchasing your ex-Australia air flight ticket for this journey.
Bhutan & Beyond can assist you with the provision of a suitable travel insurance policy. Please enquire. Should you purchase your own travel insurance independently please forward us the front page of your certificate of cover as soon as this is purchased.
Some travel insurance providers do NOT provide any cover at all for a range of adventure activities such as hiking over 3000 metres. On this YTI yoga tour the highest point you might hike to is 3120m Taktsang Monastery hike). It is essential you ensure your chosen insurance policy covers you for all the activities you intend to undertake whilst on your journey.
Many insurers now offer limited extra cover for COVID-19 Coronavirus related events. Please ensure you carefully review travel insurance Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) before you make your decision to purchase insurance.
Please BEWARE!
Travel insurance does NOT cover you if governments close international borders and/or the Australian Government places a ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’ status on your destination via their Smart Traveller website, therefore preventing travel to be undertaken at late notice. These exclusions have always been in place pre-COVID-19, and are not new exclusions.
ADDENDUM from GO Insurance (24JAN25) to clarify key points from their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
5. Enforced Itinerary Changes:
Bhutan is located in south Asia. This region can be challenging to travel in for a wide variety of reasons. B&B, along with our partner operators in Bhutan, reserve the right to make necessary changes to your pre-arranged and prepaid land tour itinerary structure, where unforseen circumstances dictate such changes. Depending on circumstances a refund may not be offered for such late changes and your travel insurance may cover for any financial loss.
6. Airline Flight Cancellations & Delays
Bhutan & Beyond, and our partner ground operators, take no responsibility for airlines amending flight times at short notice and/or cancelling and/or rerouting flights for operational reasons. No responsibility can be assumed for delay, cancellation or unavailability of a flight, or for missed connections. In such an instance any additional costs must be borne by the traveller and claimed via their travel insurance.
7. Bhutan & Beyond Tour Costs:
Our Bhutan land travel tour costs are always quoted in US Dollars. They are therefore subject to exchange rate fluctuation until converted into Australian dollars on the day you choose to pay your final balance due. Occasionally we reserve the right to increase prices after a trip has been quoted on, however this is only in instances beyond our control. An example of this is a foreign Government imposing higher tourism taxes, before travel has been undertaken, or an airline increasing fuel surcharges prior to ticketing.
Unless advised otherwise, your trip pricing does NOT include items of a personal nature such as tipping & gratuities, medications, travel insurance, telephone calls, laundry, visa charges (except Bhutan where visa fees are always included), excess baggage charges, daily incidental expenses or drinks (with the exception of bottled water daily and tea/coffee with some meals in Bhutan).
In Bhutan all meals are included in the tour costs.
8. Bhutan YTI Yoga Tour Payment Schedule & Service Fees:
Initial Bhutan Land Tour Deposit and B&B Service Fees:
In addition to the YTI tour deposit of AUD500.00, Bhutan & Beyond requires a deposit of AUD500.00 per person. This is due within 7 days of B&B confirming your reservation in writing.
Of this tour deposit AUD250.00 per person is totally non-refundable should tour cancellation be made for any reason. This fee covers the Bhutan & Beyond service fee. Additional fees of AUD250.00 pp will apply to cover Bhutan hotel and tour operator service fees, should tour cancellation be made between 01JAN26 and 91 days prior to arrival in Bhutan, when your final tour payment is required.
Should any tour member request amendments to their flights or stopovers or other tour related arrangements, after they have been fully paid, a service fee of AUD60.00 per person will apply along with any supplier fees incurred.
Costs for ex-Australia airfares to Bangkok & Travel Insurance:
These costs, to be advised when arrangements are booked and confirmed, are due at time of booking, or within 24-48 hours of booking, depending on the suppliers T&C.
Costs for Bangkok-Paro-Bangkok return airfares:
As these costs are still under review we anticipate payments will be required from mid-late 2025 and we will update you further in due course.
Final Balance of Bhutan Land Tour Costs:
This is due 90 days prior to your arrival in Bhutan. B&B will send you a final payment reminder approx 100 days prior arrival in Bhutan. B&B will send your final invoice in USD converted into AUD, using the rate of exchange of the day, and minus your previous deposits paid.
8. Minimum Participants for this small group tour in Bhutan:
The maximum tour size will be 17 persons and the minimum tour size is 11 persons.
9. Your Acceptance of Risk.
You acknowledge your journey to/from and through this region of South Asia comes with the usual risks of travel and, in some cases, additional risks that are associated with adventure activities and the specific nature of your chosen journey. You accept these risks and the possibility personal injury, death, property damage or loss may result from your decision to participate in such a journey.
You agree that should you be affected by any sickness, serious injury or other unforseen circumstance, that Bhutan & Beyond, and/or any of our overseas partner operators, can arrange any urgent medical treatment or emergency evacuation as deemed necessary for your safety and that all such costs will be borne by you and/or your travel insurer.
You also agree that upon completion of our tour booking form and payment of your deposit that you release all claims of liability against Bhutan & Beyond (and all staff) and any and all of our partner operators overseas , including all their staff, for any personal injury, death , property damage, loss or inconvenience sustained by you as a result of this tour, be it a private journey or as part of a small group tour.
10. Company Information:
All travel referred to on this site is arranged through James Irving & Nicola Irving t/a Bhutan & Beyond.
This business is owned and operated by James Irving & Nicola Irving, trading as Bhutan & Beyond ABN 17 802 191 944, under licence from MTA – Mobile Travel Agents Pty Ltd ACN 603 064 044 trading as MTA Travel & Mobile Travel Agents.
IATA number 0235190-4.
Postal Address: P.O. Box 691, Robina DC, Q 4226, Australia.
M: +61 412416111 James or +61 413598669 Nicola.
E: enquiries@bhutan.com.au W: bhutan.com.au