Last update, February 22nd, 2021

RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENT: All reservation requests must be made by the travel agency chosen by the client, through a written note in which the hotels, tours, circuits, or any other service required are clearly and precisely detailed. Likewise, the full names and passport numbers of all passengers must be indicated. Once the request has been confirmed in writing by the Looking Travel operator, “the client” must pay to the tour operator abroad, through the travel agency and LOOKING TRAVEL, a deposit of twenty percent (20%) of the total price. The non-payment of this deposit implies the automatic cancellation of the confirmed services. The balance must be paid between ninety (90) and ten (10) days before the beginning of the services, according to the rules of each country and/or service providers abroad. Exceptions are those events that, due to their typology, are considered exceptional and therefore require stricter payment policies. This will be duly clarified in the confirmation of services. In the case of programs with payment at the destination, LOOKING TRAVEL will only charge the service fee, whose total amount shall not exceed six percent (6%) of the amount to be paid abroad. In case of modifications or cancellation of the reservation by “the client”, the operative cost that this generates will be charged. The documentation for the trip is uploaded to our web page https:www.lookingtravel.net a file enabled for “the client”. When “the client” requires the documentation to be sent physically and is domiciled in a city in the interior of the country, the documentation will be sent with payment at the destination, and the travel agency must add this cost to its charge for services.

RESERVATION COSTS: All the prices include the expenses that exist to make the reservations and to obtain the answers. In case of modifications or cancellation of the reservation by “the client”, the operative cost that has been generated up to that moment will be charged. In the case of special itineraries, 25 US Dollars per person and per destination included in the package or program will be charged, values that will be increased if there are changes before the cancellation is made.

SALES PRICES: All sales prices are published in U.S. Dollars, depending on the most used currency in the geographical area. In those countries where the parity of the local currency fluctuates against the U.S. Dollar, prices are subject to adjustment in the event of changes in the currency parity or increases in domestic prices. The airfares included in the programs that so indicate are those in effect at the time of printing of this manual; therefore, in case of increases or decreases at a later date, these will be applied. The prices of the tour extensions are valid only to be sold together with the basic program. The validity of each price indicates the last day to return. Any departure beyond the effective date may have a supplement or discount on the price.

SINGLE ROOM PRICE: The published price for a single room is for a minimum of two persons traveling together. When “the client” travels only in one program, he/she will have to pay a supplement for the difference in transfers and excursions that must be provided privately.

OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE: a) accommodation in the hotels indicated or of similar category and price, as confirmed before departure and as stated in the vouchers or other travel documents given to “the client”; b) accommodation taxes that are created at the time of printing the brochure or manual; c) meals indicated in the text of the itinerary, always based on fixed menus, not a la carte; d) transfers, visits and excursions as mentioned; e) land, air or sea transportation as detailed; f) local guide and/or escort -when so indicated; g) any other service expressly indicated.

THE PROGRAMS DO NOT INCLUDE: Taxes or fees that may be imposed by the Ecuadorian authorities after the printing of this manual or brochure; airport taxes or departure taxes of the countries that apply them; the “city tax” that several cities in the world charge directly to the guests; expenses or documentation procedures; extras of a personal nature (such as laundry and ironing of clothes, meals not mentioned, drinks, telephone calls, charges for special services in the hotels -such as the use of safes, cable channels, movies, etc.-); costs for the handling of excess handling charges in the hotels -such as the use of safes, cable channels, movies, etc.-); costs for handling excess handling charges in the hotels -such as the use of safes, cable channels, movies, etc.-; costs for handling excess handling charges in the hotels -such as the use of safes, cable channels, movies, etc.-. ); excess baggage handling charges and in general any service that has not been expressly detailed.

AIR TICKETS IN PACKAGES: The air tickets included in the tour packages are valid for travel on the dates for which they have been confirmed and which are indicated in their issuance. Once issued, airline tickets may be non-refundable if travel is not made on the scheduled dates. Some airlines, at certain times of the year, authorize changes of dates before the beginning of the trip, upon payment of a penalty fee. In case of delays due to force majeure, the intervening airline acts following these rules, providing in replacement of the accommodation that the customer fails to receive abroad, the necessary meals and lodging until it can transport him/her to his/her destination. “The client must have an insurance policy to cover expenses arising from any flight cancellations due to weather conditions.

EXCURSIONS and VISITS: Unless otherwise indicated, the excursions of all programs are provided on a regular service basis, in van, minibus or Pullman cars. The visits are panoramic and include entrance fees to monuments or sites of interest, when mentioned in the itinerary. Regular excursions generally start and end at a central point within each city, and the client must travel at his/her own expense between the hotel where he/she is staying and that point, both on the outward and return journeys. In case the client requires private services, the respective supplement will be quoted according to the number of passengers participating.

TIPPING: Those programs that include tips to porters in hotels and airports, have special mention in this regard. For groups, tips to luggage handlers at hotels are included for 1 bag per person, unless otherwise indicated; but not at airports, since most of them do not have this service, having replaced it with trolleys. Tips to drivers and guides are not included and it is a rule to give them when the service has been according to expectations. It is customary and customary for good service, an amount of 4 Dollars per person per day for both the accompanying guide and the driver and 3 Dollars for the local guides.

TRANSFERS: In all cases the transfers will be made only once and to the flights and schedules that have been informed to us. If passengers arrive on a different flight or more than one hour later than the scheduled time, they must make their way to the confirmed hotel, with no right to reimbursement for the transfer paid. (When there are connecting flights in Europe, unless there are 3 hours between one flight and another, we advise not to take the arrival transfer included, as experience shows that connections are missed and therefore the transfer is missed as well. Besides, in European airports there are enormous facilities for the provision of transfers at convenient prices). The price of the transfers includes the transportation of 1 suitcase of normal size with a maximum of 25 kilos, plus a handbag with a maximum of 8 kilos, per person. If there is additional luggage that does not fit in the vehicle assigned for the transfer, “the client” will have to pay the supplement for its transportation in an additional vehicle.

CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT TIMES AT HOTELS: Rooms are normally delivered afternoon (some hotels have a check-in time of 3.00 p.m.). If passengers arrive earlier than this time, the delivery of rooms is subject to the availability of space and each hotel’s policy. On the day of departure the rooms are also paid until noon, therefore, in case “the client” wishes to stay longer in the room, he/she must inform the hotel reception and make the respective arrangement. “The client” must take into account that, if he/she does not make a previous arrangement, the stay in his/her room beyond the check-out time, implies the automatic charge of an extra amount.

CANCELLATIONS AND PENALTIES: Any cancellation of a confirmed program must be made by the client in writing and through the travel agency where the reservation was made. Any cancellation of a confirmed program in the form requested by “the client” has expenses for processing and communications, which varies according to the destination or complexity of the reservation. For land tours, cancellation fees charged by foreign operators are as follows: More than 30 days before departure: normally there are no charges and if any are indicated at the end of the itinerary; between 29 and 16 days before departure: US$250 per person; between 15 and 10 days before departure: US$350 per person. Within 10 days before departure, and once the trip has begun, expenses will be variable and may reach 100 percent of the total value of the program, depending on the type of itinerary in question and the tourist season in which the trip is being made. The change of date of a confirmed program does not eliminate the cancellation charges that may apply for the confirmed departure, but is considered a new reservation. Some programs have stricter cancellation conditions; in these cases they will be informed at the time of requesting the reservation, so that “the client” is duly informed before entering the period of risk of incurring the charge. When “the client” cancels a trip that has already been contracted and canceled, the organizing operator will reimburse the balance, through the respective travel agency, after deducting the penalty applied by the company providing the services and its benefit.

REFUNDS: Any refund request must be made using a note from “the client” through the travel agency with which he/she has contracted the trip, no more than thirty days after the end of the services provided by the organizer. Our administration department will verify as soon as possible the veracity of the request and if applicable, will make the refund, always through the respective travel agency. Please note that NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE FOR SERVICES NOT VOLUNTARILY USED AND GROUP CIRCUIT NIGHTS CANNOT BE REPLACED as they are part of a “package price”. Services that are not rendered as a result of failures or misunderstandings caused by changes voluntarily made by “the client” once the services have started, will not be reimbursed.

DOCUMENTATION: The client is solely responsible for his/her documentation. He/she must have a valid passport and the required visas according to the chosen itinerary. When applicable, you must have the necessary vaccinations and health permits. Failure to comply with these requirements by “the client” will result in the loss of the right to any reimbursement and to suffer the consequences of its omission. The same applies when the authorities of any country refuse to allow entry for any reason.

LUGGAGE AND PERSONAL PURCHASES: The luggage and other personal effects of “the client” travel at his/her own risk, so that, under no circumstances, neither the selling agency nor the organizer will be responsible for the eventual loss or deterioration of the same. It is recommended that “the client” contract an assistance card or an insurance policy to cover this risk and other inconveniences inherent to the trip (health, accidents, loss of money). Given the great boom and specialization in robberies and thefts, cameras, jewelry, documents and other valuables should not be left unattended at any time. In almost all hotels there are safety deposit boxes, whose service is free or at a minimal cost. “The client is also solely responsible for any purchases that may be made in stores or other types of stores during the time of the excursions.

CHANGE OF ITINERARIES AND HOTELS: The organizer may, for reasons of force majeure (strike, weather phenomena, terrorist acts, unforeseen political events), fortuitous event or security, modify both the itinerary and the hotels for others of similar category and comfort, as well as the departure time of the trips, prior notice to “the client”. If a confirmed hotel is overbooked, “the client” will be accommodated in a hotel of a similar or higher category.

ACCOMMODATION SYSTEMS AND FAMILY PLAN: In Europe, South America and Japan it is common for hotels to have one bed per person (except for married couples), with a maximum of 3 persons per room. In these establishments, children under 12 years of age and over 4 years of age pay -with few exceptions- the same as adults. In the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Far East (except Japan) and the South Pacific, hotels usually have two double beds and allow up to 4 persons in the existing beds. In the case of married couples, they usually provide rooms with a king size bed. Hotels that apply a family plan allow two children under 12 years of age to stay with two adults in the same room, using existing beds, at no additional charge. If an additional bed is required, the amount of the bid must be paid directly by “the client” to the hotel.

ASPECTS TO EMPHASIZE IN THE CIRCUITS: The programs whose tours are made by Pullman car, minibus or van have special characteristics that are important to be known by the client: * Hotels: In some cities, the hotels used are usually not centrally located. This is due both to the limitations of circulation that exist for buses not based in that city, as well as to the low capacity of downtown hotels. In cities with a historic center, modern hotels used for tourist circuits are mainly built in semi-central or peripheral areas, always well connected by public transportation to the downtown area. Likewise, if the group’s stay in a city coincides with a large congress, fair or event in which the hotels are fully booked, the accommodation may be in a nearby city. In tourist, superior tourist and first standard category hotels, there is a tendency to reduce staff, which has led to the elimination of certain services, the clearest examples being in-room catering and porter service. * Rooms: In Europe, given the small size, triple rooms are not recommended since the third bed is usually an added cost, which takes up space intended for luggage. * Breakfast. In some hotels a buffet breakfast is served, which may be continental or European type, i.e. without hot meals. In these cases, those who wish to have an American buffet breakfast may choose, in each hotel, to pay the difference to have breakfast in the lounge for businessmen who request this service. In other hotels there is only one type of breakfast, which is the full buffet, including hot meals. * Transfers: Transfers are included for the scheduled start and end days of the programs. If “the client” modifies these dates, transfers are excluded, and “the client” must travel on his own by train, cab or in the authorized tourist buses. This is because the operators, for the start and end days of the programs, establish an operation with regular frequencies to and from the airport. * Restaurants: The meals included in the different programs are always based on a pre-established “fixed menu”, not a la carte. * Comments form: Several of the operators provide a form for the “client” to formulate his or her comments on the trip. Its return is important because it allows a computerized model of those aspects to be corrected in each program. * Changes of guides and buses: The strict rules of rest for drivers, in force in the European Economic Community, make it impossible for the same driver-guide team to make a long circuit. This implies that “the client” will travel, in most cases, with different buses, drivers and guides along a European circuit. * Stops: In the different stages between one city and another, approximately every two hours rest stops are made, in places with public restrooms. * Seat rotation: Most operators use the rotating seating system, to give all passengers a chance to sit at the front of the bus. * Spacing between rows of seats: Buses come from the factory with a standard size of the spacing between rows of seats. For people of large stature (6 feet or more), they are often uncomfortable for the legs. * Optional excursions: The accompanying guide offers optional excursions on each tour, which are “absolutely voluntary” and no one should feel pressured to take them. Our recommendation is to verify that the prices of the excursions offered are not higher than those advertised in the hotels. We also do not recommend buying items at the stores where the tours stop as they tend to have higher prices. * Luggage handling at the hotels: Unless otherwise indicated, tips are included for the handling of 1 suitcase per person at the hotels during the Pullman itinerary.

Some hotels, especially those of tourists, superior tourists and first standard category, have reduced staff for these tasks, which implies that there may be a delay of up to one hour for the luggage to be taken to all rooms. * Handling of excess baggage: The capacity of the luggage compartment of each bus allows for the transportation of 1 large suitcase per person, plus a carry-on bag. If the bus is not full, there may be capacity for additional luggage, in which case there will be an additional cost, on average, of US$5 per hotel, for luggage handling. * Punctuality: The departure times of the excursions must be handled with great punctuality, otherwise it is not possible to carry out all the programmed activities. The time of daily use of the bus is regulated by the electronic tachometer and counts from the time the bus starts in the morning until it stops at night and cannot exceed 9 hours. Passengers who are not at the time and place indicated will not participate in the activities scheduled for that day. * With some exceptions in Northern Europe, 4-star hotels are air-conditioned and most 3-star hotels are air-conditioned. However, this does not mean that this service is always in operation. In Europe they only operate it in the months of the year when the law allows it or when “they consider it hot”. The minimum temperature is usually higher than what is customary in America. * Special offers for early booking and special promotions, apply only for individual passengers, whose names are not changed and with a deposit of twenty-five percent of the total value of the tour. Not applicable for groups.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The operator LOOKING TRAVEL, explicitly declares that it acts as an intermediary between the client and the providers of tourist services, that is to say the companies or persons called to facilitate the services indicated in the itineraries, therefore declines all responsibility for any damage, injury, accident, delay, cancellations and irregularities that may occur during the execution of the services to the persons who make the trips through its intermediation, as well as the luggage and other objects that contain them; or due to bad weather conditions, political demonstrations, riots, terrorist acts, wars, rumors of war, alarms in general or for any other reason that constitutes a fortuitous event or force majeure and therefore, are not subject to the will of the parties. When the client travels by any means of transport, he/she agrees to expressly submit to the general conditions of the contract printed on the ticket or ticket, without any responsibility being attributed to LOOKING TRAVEL.

ACCEPTANCE: Any person who acquires any service or tourist product through LOOKING TRAVEL, expressly declares that he/she accepts the above terms and conditions and that they will be taken as a basis for settling any dispute between them. As proof of the acceptance of the present general conditions, the payment of the contracted services before the beginning of the trip in any form or modality or utilizing the use of any of the portions of the contracted services will serve as proof of acceptance of the present general conditions.

APPLICABLE LAW: This site is governed by the applicable laws of the Republic of Ecuador.

If you have any other questions or concerns about these Terms and Conditions, Address: Lagos del Batan km 6.5 via samborodon torre molinos piso 2 oficina 2 guayaquil, ecuador, e-mail info@lookingtravel.net