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Sunbird Reservations
Payments Refunds Transfer
of Bookings Financial Security and Bonding
Tour Cancellation Cost Increases
What the Tour Price Includes Tipping
Tour Alterations Passport,
Visa and Health Requirements Tour Materials
Flights Accommodation
Single Rooms Insurance
Restrictions on Participation Our
Responsibility Complaints Acknowledgements
Sunbird
Sunbird was created in 1979 as part of the Serenissima Travel Group
of London. In 1980, Sunbird joined forces with the successful American
bird tour operator WINGS, offering a wider choice of tours and with
each company taking responsibility for those destinations where
it had greater experience. In 1982, Sunbird was purchased from Serenissima
by WINGS who established a new company - Conderbury Ltd. - to act
as its United Kingdom Representative Office and to handle Sunbird's
operation. At that time Sunbird moved to Sandy in Bedfordshire. Steve Rooke took over as Managing Director from David Fisher in
2001. Conderbury's directors are Bryan Bland, David Fisher, Steve
Rooke, and Will Russell (USA).
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Reservations
Reservations for tours require a booking form and a deposit of £300
of which £50 is non-refundable. Occasionally, larger deposits
may be required, as in the case of cruises. Booking requests with
deposits will be considered by Sunbird in order of their receipt,
and for this purpose telephoned requests will be noted as from the
date of the telephone call provided that they are followed by receipt
of the appropriate booking form and deposit within ten days. The
Sunbird office's telephone number is: + 44 (0)1767 262522.
A booking is accepted and becomes definite only from
the date when Sunbird has confirmed acceptance in writing and issued
a Confirmation Invoice. At this point a contract between the company
and the participant comes into existence. The contract and all matters
arising from it are subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction
of the English Courts. Sunbird reserves the right to decline any
booking at its discretion.
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Payments
Payment of the balance of the tour cost is due 70 days before departure
date. We will send you an invoice before that time. If payment
has not been received by 60 days before departure we reserve the
right to treat the booking as cancelled and charge the appropriate
cancellation fees. Unfortunately we cannot accept payment by credit card.
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Refunds
Refunds for tours are made according to the following schedule:
if notice of cancellation is received in our office in Sandy more
than 70 days before departure, the deposit less £50, and any
penalties we incur due to your cancellation (such as on air or concert
tickets, which can be as high as 50% or even 100%) is refundable.
If notice of cancellation is received within 70 days of departure,
neither the deposit nor most of the balance of the tour costs can
be refunded, though we will refund separable costs such as individual
airline tickets or room charges, in so far as monies are returned
to us by the providers of these services. We cannot refund inseparable
costs such as those for ground transportation, leader's expenses
or other fixed-cost services. In most cases the refundable portion
will be less than 50% and often less than 25% of the tour cost.
Travel insurance protects you against the risk of loss due to cancellation
for medical and other unavoidable reasons (see below).
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Transfer of Bookings
The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations
1992, that came into force on 31 December 1992, created a new right
for tour participants to transfer their booking to another person
if they are prevented from proceeding with the tour due to sickness
or accidents suffered by them, or their close family, or for other
unavoidable reasons such as jury service. However, if there is a
waiting list for the tour the place must first be offered to the
people on that waiting list. If there is no waiting list and the
participant can find another person who wishes to take up the place
any additional costs incurred by Sunbird relating to the transfer
have to be paid for by the transferee. These are most likely to
relate to flights, as penalties are frequently charged for changes
of names on air tickets, and for a new insurance policy as names
cannot be changed on these. Reasonable notice must be given to Sunbird
about such a transfer and cannot be made within 28 days of departure.
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Financial Security and
Bonding
Conderbury Limited (trading as Sunbird and Sunbirder) is the holder
of Air Travel Organisers' Licence number 3003 and as such is fully
bonded in accordance with the requirements of the Government and
the Civil Aviation Authority. This means in the unlikely event of
Conderbury ceasing to trade, the money of people booked on tours
including flights is protected by the ATOL Bond.
For the small number of people who choose to book
tours without flights (by joining the tour in the country concerned)
we operate a Clients' Account into which all advance payments are
placed and are not withdrawn until after the completion of the tour.
This is in line with The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package
Tours Regulations 1992, which came into force on 31 December 1992.
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Tour Cancellation
We reserve the right to cancel any tour or tour extension for which
there are insufficient reservations 70 days before the departure
date. Please note that, although unlikely, this could occur after
the final invoices have been sent out if the tour is running on
small numbers and if someone cancels just before the 70-day deadline.
In case of cancellation, all deposits and other payments will be
refunded. Please also note that the cancellation of a tour's pre-tour
or post-tour extension does not alter your rights or obligations
with respect to the main portion of the same tour.
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Cost Increases
Cost increases may occur unexpectedly. When calculating our tour
prices six to eighteen months in advance we try to anticipate the
rising cost of air fares, ground transportation and accommodation,
but if unexpected rises occur, we may have to increase the tour
price. Price changes may also occur due to alterations in exchange
rates, which have been very volatile in recent years. These may
result in increases or decreases of the tour price. All prices on
this website were calculated at exchange rates in effect in July
2003. Sunbird will absorb changes of up to 2% of the brochure price,
but will pass on all of any greater fluctuations to the participant.
Should it be necessary to increase the tour price by more than 10%,
participants may withdraw without penalty. Any increase or decrease
in tour price will be shown on your final invoice 70 days prior
to departure.
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What the Tour Price Includes
The tour price includes all travel as noted in the itinerary, airport
departure taxes, accommodation with private bath or shower in comfortable
hotels or their equivalent, unless otherwise indicated, all meals,
tour materials, and the services of the leaders. The following items
are not included in the cost: travel insurance, passport costs,
visas, immunisations, excess baggage charges, optional excursions,
telephone calls, drinks, laundry, room service, snacks and anything
of a purely personal nature. If you have any questions about the
inclusion of any item, please contact us.
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Tipping
Sunbird includes all tour-based tips in the tour price. This means the leader will take care of tips for waiters and porters and also that we do not make collections from the group for drivers, local guides etc. at the end of the tour. The only tips you may want to give are for any personal service such as a drink in the bar or room service or any assisted activity outside the main framework of the tour. The leader will be able to advise you on a suitable amount for this.
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Tour Alterations
Changes in itinerary may occur even though our tours are carefully
planned. If major changes are necessary before the start of the
tour, participants will be informed and may withdraw, without penalty,
if they so choose. While every effort is made to make the tour descriptions
in our brochure as accurate as possible, participants should be
aware that, occasionally, factors beyond our control may result
in changes to the itinerary after the start of the tour. Should
a major change of itinerary or schedule be forced upon us while
the tour is in progress as, for example, by an airline strike, weather
delay or political crisis, the additional costs, if any, are the
responsibility of the participants.
Please note that when two leaders are listed, the
second may not accompany the tour if there are insufficient participants.
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Passport, Visa and Health
Requirements
All participants are responsible for, and must be in possession
of, a passport valid for six months after the conclusion of the
tour. In addition they must obtain any necessary visas and vaccination
certificates required for the tour. With confirmation of your booking,
we send you a pack of information about the tour which details all
of these requirements (see below).
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Tour Materials
General Information notes about your tour will be sent to you with
confirmation of your booking. These will contain all of the necessary
information about passport, visa, and health requirements as well
as details covering climate, clothing, recommended reading, etc.
A bird list will also be sent to you at this time. If a visa is
required the appropriate application form will be sent with your
invoice. Should you wish to see any of these documents before you
make your booking, copies are available on request from the Sunbird
office. Final Information, meeting instructions, flight details,
air tickets, luggage tags, and additional material, if any, will
be posted approximately three weeks before departure.
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Flights
For most of our tours we use scheduled flights. On a few tours we
use charter flights, normally because direct scheduled flights don't
exist (e.g. Goa) or because charter flights are more frequent or
more suitably timed. In every case we use Economy seats and we provide
you with a return ticket that has been paid for in full prior to
the start of the tour.
Sunbird does not make any arrangements for delays
that might occur at the airport on the outward or return flights.
Normally the airline will provide meals and any necessary overnight
accommodation. In addition, most travel insurance policies include
a limited benefit for the purchase of essential items in the event
of delays - full details will be given in the policy.
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Accommodation
On most of our tours we stay at good quality, medium-priced hotels,
in rooms with private toilets and showers. However, in some remote
regions we have to use accommodation that falls below Western standards,
and occasionally we use dormitory-type rooms and share bathroom
facilities, or even camp. Should such accommodation be necessary
it is mentioned in the brochure text. Bird tour participants should
be aware that in order to explore some of the remoter, wild parts
of the world it is sometimes necessary to accept lower standards
of accommodation than on more ordinary package holidays.
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Single Rooms
In recent years we have been receiving many requests for single
rooms. Unfortunately, some hotels are unwilling to guarantee more
than a few single rooms until quite close to the tour departure
date, when they can be sure that they have rooms to spare. Some
hotels will never give more singles than twins; a requirement that
has occurred on several recent tours. Participants should be aware
that while we will do our utmost to secure sufficient single rooms
this may not always be possible, and you might occasionally be asked
to share. A refund of the single room supplement in proportion to
the number of shared nights would, of course, be made.
Please note that if you are travelling singly, but
want to share a room, we will try to find someone for you to share
with. However, if there is no other single person on the tour who
wants to share we will have to charge you the single room supplement.
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Insurance
Travel Insurance is essential these days and we insist that suitable
cover is effected as soon as you book your tour. This will ensure
that necessary protection is provided against loss of deposits that
you would incur as detailed in our terms and conditions. In addition,
medical costs that might be incurred, should you fall ill during
the tour, can be so high as to make it foolhardy to travel without
such cover.
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Restrictions on Participation
Restrictions on participation are a matter of common sense and we
have no absolute ones. Our tours do not normally require strenuous
physical exercise, but if it cannot be avoided this is made clear
in the brochure description. Participants should be able to complete
gentle walks of up to half-a-day's duration and to meet the simple
schedule of the tour. If you have a health problem or other physical
limitation, please advise us in detail and in writing. We will provide
any information that you or your doctor may need to judge your capacity
to participate fully in the tour. Anyone failing to notify the Sunbird
office of matters which seriously affect their ability to participate
in the tour faces the risk of being sent home at the start of, or
during, the tour at their own expense.
On all our tours we ask participants to rotate seats
in the vehicles each day, taking it in turn to sit in the more popular
seats in the front and the less popular ones in the rear. This requirement
applies to everyone so if there is some reason why you can't take
your turn in the back of a vehicle (e.g. a bad back or travel sickness)
please inform the Sunbird office at the time of booking to see if
we can accommodate you on the particular tour of your choice. We
regret that anyone failing to inform us of such limitations before
the tour will be expected to rotate seats in the same way as everyone
else.
Small group tours can sometimes call for a certain
amount of toleration of, and consideration for, other participants
in order to ensure that everyone on the tour has an enjoyable time.
We reserve the right to send home, at their own expense, persons
unable or unwilling to conduct themselves in a manner compatible
with the satisfactory operation of the tour.
Please note that in line with widespread conservation
practices, the collecting of specimens of flowers and insects is
prohibited on our tours. The export of such material is illegal
in many of the countries we visit, as is its importation into the
United Kingdom.
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Our Responsibility
Many people and companies over whom Sunbird has no direct control
are involved in the planning and provision of your tour. Sunbird
has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the suppliers of all
services provided are of an acceptable standard. Sunbird accepts
responsibility for the standard of services provided to you. We
will also accept responsibility for any proven negligent acts or
omissions of our employees, agents and suppliers in respect of claims
arising as a result of death, bodily injury or illness to you or
any member of your party.
However, liability will only be accepted if you can
prove that the death, injury or illness was caused by the negligence
of Sunbird, its employees, agents or suppliers. No liability can
be accepted for negligent acts or omissions of air or sea carriers,
or providers of hotel accommodation, whose responsibilities are
governed by international conventions such as the Warsaw Convention
as amended by the Hague Protocol 1955, the 1961 Berne Convention,
the 1962 Paris Convention and the 1974 Athens Convention.
We cannot accept any liability for loss, damage, or
expense, resulting from war, threat of war, terrorist activities,
riots, civil unrest, natural and nuclear disasters, fire or adverse
weather conditions, closure of airports, industrial disputes including
air traffic control disputes, technical or maintenance problems
with transport, cancellation or changes of schedule by airlines,
financial failure of airlines, or for any unusual and unforeseeable
circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could
not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or
due to an event which, even with all due care, we could not foresee
or forestall.
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Complaints
Should you be dissatisfied with any aspect of your tour please inform
the leader straight away. If the leader is unable to solve the problem
to your satisfaction please inform the Sunbird office in writing
as soon as you return home.
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