How to book & booking conditions

The contract

Before booking your trip please take the time to read and understand these Booking Conditions. They apply to all bookings made with Wide Horizons LLC, trading as Tuul Travel Mongolia (“the Company”).

Upon purchase of a package, the terms and conditions set out here become a binding contract between the purchaser (“the Traveller”) and the Company. Acceptance of the contract occurs when the deposit or full payment is received by the Company.

Package prices

• Per person: Prices are per person, based on shared twin-room occupancy in hotels and tourist ger camps, and a shared ger of up to four beds at a homestay, unless otherwise indicated.
• Group size: The per-person price depends on the number of travellers in your group. The rate for each group size is shown on every tour page and in the booking form.
• Currency: Prices are quoted in US Dollars, based on current exchange rates, and are subject to change without notice until your booking is confirmed.
• Not included: items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcoholic and soft drinks, passport and visa fees, travel insurance, airport taxes and fees, international flights, tips and gratuities, optional activities and anything not specifically listed in the package inclusions.
• Fuel surcharges: Some package prices include fuel surcharges based on rates at the time of agreement with suppliers. These are subject to change without notice. The Company reserves the right to amend tour prices before your final payment if suppliers (airlines, tourist camps) impose increases. Domestic air fares are often not fixed until one or two months before travel.
• Single supplement: Available on most packages — as standard $50 per hotel night in Ulaanbaatar (4-star) and $30 per night at countryside ger camps, unless otherwise stated in your quotation.

Payment & deposit

• Two ways to pay when you book: a 40% deposit of the total trip price, or the full amount.
• Deposit: On receipt of your 40% deposit we send your booking confirmation. Tuul Travel Mongolia will then contact you to agree how and when to pay the remaining 60% balance. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit or full payment is received.
• Balance: Due on the date specified in your invoice — usually 30 days before the start date of your tour, or for day trips, on the day of the tour. Bookings made within 30 days of departure are payable in full.
• Payment methods: Visa / Mastercard online through Golomt Bank’s secure payment page, bank transfer, or international money transfer services (Western Union etc.). Payments can be made in US Dollars or Mongolian Tugrik. Bank details are provided with your invoice.
• Bank charges: All bank charges and transaction fees are paid by the Traveller.
• Special arrangements: Deposit, final payment and cancellation terms may differ for festivals, special events, selected hotels, tour packages and ticketing. You will be advised at the time of booking.

Cancellation by you

Once a partial or full payment has been made, cancellations are only accepted in writing. Cancellation terms are applied based on the date the written cancellation is received, as follows:

All cancellation fees exclude any card or transfer costs incurred. This is why travel insurance with trip-cancellation cover is mandatory — see “Your responsibilities”.

Postponement

All packages can be postponed to a later date up to 12 months from the original departure date. Packages including festivals or set events can be postponed for one year or amended by mutual agreement. Once a partial or full payment has been made, postponements are only accepted in writing.

The amount paid is transferred to a credit note, minus the fees below, and applied to your next booking. We reserve the right to amend the package price when it is re-booked on new dates. Postponement terms are applied based on the date the written notification is received:

Changes & cancellation by us

We may cancel a scheduled (group) departure if fewer than the minimum number of travellers book — usually four. If this happens, we will tell you no later than 45 days before departure and offer either:

• A full refund of all monies paid, or
• Transfer to an alternative scheduled departure of similar value, or
• Conversion to a private trip on the same itinerary (price adjusted).

For force majeure (war, natural disaster, border closure, etc.) we follow the same refund schedule, with appropriate adjustments for non-refundable supplier costs already paid.

Reservation of rights: The Company reserves the right to decline, accept or expel any person as a participant in travel, tours or trips arranged by the Company, if the Company deems it necessary for the safety or comfort of the other participants. Any person rejected or expelled is not entitled to a refund for unused services.

Your responsibilities

Details required for booking. Travellers must provide the information requested in the booking form and are responsible for ensuring the Company has correctly spelled names, passport details and contact details. Names on the invoice must exactly match the first and last name in your passport. If required information is not provided before the final-payment date, an administrative fee will be charged for any costs incurred as a result. If the information required for air tickets, permits or other inclusions is not supplied, the Traveller is liable for any resulting costs, fees or losses, and the Company may treat the booking (or the relevant component) as cancelled and apply reasonable cancellation fees. The Company is not responsible for fees incurred as a result of errors, omissions, late or incomplete information provided by the Traveller.

Insurance. Travel insurance is not included in any package and is mandatory. International travellers must hold adequate insurance against illness, injury, loss or damage to personal belongings, and not being able to travel on the confirmed departure date. Your policy should cover medical evacuation from remote areas and the specific activities on your itinerary (horse riding, trekking, etc.). Please send us a copy of your policy 30 days before arrival.

Travel documents & visa. Travellers are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate travel documents and must check with the respective consulate or visa agency whether a visa is required. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. Where a visa is needed, you can obtain it from the Mongolian embassy or consulate in your country using our tour confirmation letter, issued after the booking deposit is received. The Company can also provide an invitation letter covering the package dates, if required by the embassy or consulate.

Limited responsibility & liability

Limited responsibility. The Company acts only as a limited representative for Travellers or their agents in engaging the services of companies or other persons to provide transportation, lodging, tours, guides and other travel services. The Company and its employees are not principals, partners, agents or operators of any airline, carrier, hotel, guide service, outfitter or any other provider of travel services, and no provider should be considered an agent, employee, principal or partner of the Company. Neither the Company nor its employees, officers, directors, agents or affiliates will be responsible or liable for any loss, injury, death or damage to any person or property (i) arising out of arrangements made on behalf of any person by the Company, or (ii) caused by or arising out of travel or other activities undertaken as a result of such arrangements.

Liability. Each person who participates in travel or other activities arranged by the Company does so at his or her own risk and assumes complete responsibility for the inherent risks and dangers associated with the travel and other activities. These may be present at any time and include, without limitation: (a) adverse weather conditions and other hazards of nature; (b) strenuous physical activity; (c) accidents, whether related to travel or other activities; (d) disease or other physical ailments; (e) contact with dangerous animals and insects; and (f) political or civil unrest.

Privacy, images & marketing

Images and marketing. The Traveller agrees that while participating in any package, images, photos or videos may be taken by other participants, the Company or its representatives that may contain or feature the Traveller. By entering into this contract the Traveller consents to such images being taken and grants a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable licence to the Company to reproduce them for any purpose (including marketing, promotions and the creation of promotional materials), in any medium, without further obligation or compensation. Full-face images of travellers aged under 18 will not be used in marketing without prior permission. If you would prefer not to appear in any marketing, simply tell your guide or email us.

Privacy. The Company collects your personal information to deliver the package and services booked. The Company will only use and disclose the data reasonably required to enable the Company and its suppliers to provide the booked package, will not divulge personal information beyond what is needed to deliver the tour package, and will not sell personal information to third parties.

Applicable law

The laws of Mongolia govern these Booking Conditions to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with a trip or these Booking Conditions must be initiated in the courts of Mongolia.