Terms & Conditions
Reservations and Payments: Reservations are initiated on receipt by Luminous Journeys of an e-signed registration form and minimum deposit per passenger. For Group Tours, the final balance is due no later than 90 days prior to departure. If a reservation is made within 90 days of the tour start date the full amount is due at that time. Reservations are subject to cancellation if final balance is not received by the due date, and subject to cancellation penalty as outlined below. Initial deposits must be made via PayPal, unless paying in full. It is not necessary to have a PayPal account, and credit cards/debit cards are accepted. We are happy to send a payment link on request. Final balances are to be paid by bank transfer. If a transfer is not feasible for some rare reason, we will suggest any available alternatives.
Cancellation and Penalties: All cancellations must be made in writing, and email is acceptable. In the unlikely event Luminous Journeys has to cancel a tour for lack of particpants, a
full refund less any Paypal or bank fees will be given. No refunds for unused rooms, food, flights, tour days, events or services during your trip. Please note the cancellation penalties described below are based on costs incurred by Luminous Journeys on your behalf, including non-refundable deposits or payments by hotels, airlines, etc.
All multi-day publicly offered small group photo tours are subject to the following, per person cancellation terms.
Minimum Initial Deposits: Refundable for a period of 7 days after deposit is made, less bank fees. After 7 days the deposit becomes a credit applied to your current photo tour. While it is not refundable for any reason, it is transferable to any future photo tour taken within 4 years of cancellation date. Cancellation must be made at least 90 days prior to tour start date.
Covid 19 Policies
* Luminous Journeys will in all cases follow the Covid 19 rules issued by the destination country or countries. At this time very few countries have restrictions, require proof of vaccine or testing. Only Myanmar requires vaccine proof and health insurance that covers Covid 19 related illness. If feeling ill before leaving home, we do recommend self testing, even if the destination country does not require it.
*All participants are highly encouraged to have
trip cancellation insurance that includes any & all reasons related to Covid 19 cancellation, either before the tour or after the tour has started. If a participant gets sicks and tests positive while on tour, they would be asked to self quarantine at their own expense until testing negative. Proper insurance coverage would cover the participant for such an occurrence. Such policies also protect the participant for various other reasons if they should have to cancel past a deadline. Be certain you know exactly what your policy covers.
Number of Participants:
Note that the number of participants is almost always limited to 10 per tour. The only exception is if there are already 9 participants and a couple sharing a room then joins. In such a rare case, the maximum number of participants is 11. Minimum number of participants is either 4 or 5, depending on the tour.
One Day Photo Tours require a 50% non-refundable deposit to book your photographer, plus 4% Paypal fee. Remaining balance is due 10 days prior to tou start date. No refunds inside of 10 days. In the event the tour is paid for in full in one payment, the same terms apply – 50% is non-refundable, with 50% remaining refundable up to the 10 day mark.
Final Payment Grace Period - - Cancellation for Lack of Payment (Excluding One Day Tours) - A 10 day grace period without late fees may be granted IF Luminous Journeys is notified by email no more than 3 days past final due date, AND agrees to terms of a limited extension. If Luminous Journeys is not notified within 3 days past final due date, a USD $50 per day late fee may be charged. Should Luminous Journeys NOT receive final payment and has not been notified by the reservation holder within 10 days past final due date, the reservation may be cancelled. Once cancelled, no refunds or transfer of funds to a future photo tour will be granted. Luminous Journeys will make multiple efforts by email and/or phone to contact reservation holders who are past due before a reservation is cancelled.
Long Term Deposits in excess of $15,000 USD are subject to a 4% cancellation fee + bank fees if held by Luminous Journeys 180 days or longer at time of cancellation. Above cancellation schedule of charges as per tour type also apply.
Promotional Material – Any images, including video and sound taken of Luminous Journeys guests while on tour, as well as any images submitted to Luminous Journeys, may be used as promotional material for Luminous Journeys only, and may not be sold to 3rd parties. All images will be credited and remain the property of the photographer.
Amendments to Tour Costs: All photo tour quotes are based on known costs and rates of exchange at the time of booking and any significant changes beyond the control of Luminous Journeys will be passed on to the clients. An increase in tour costs for any reason shall not be sufficient grounds for refund or alter the refund schedule or cancellation penalties.
Airfares: Airfares are subject to change without notice prior to ticketing. Luminous Journeys is not responsible for any airline schedule and airfare changes, cancellations, overbooking or damage of loss of baggage and property. All claims for any loss or injury suffered on any airline must be made directly with the airline involved. Air schedule changes may necessitate additional nights being added to your tour. These schedule changes are beyond the control of Luminous Journeys and any resulting additional costs must be borne by the client.
Items excluded in the Tour Price: Passport and visa fees, camera fees, (excluding Photo Tours), excess baggage charges, medical and evacuation costs, all items of a personal nature such as laundry, beverages (alcoholic, soft drinks, bottled water), client communication expenses, room service, optional excursions, or deviations from the scheduled tour, meals not included in the itinerary, and gratuities for the drivers, guides, and hotel porters. If any tour is delayed due to weather or road conditions, flight delays, illness, or other contingency over which Luminous Journeys or its agents or contracted tour operators have no control, the cost incurred by such delay is not included in your Myanmar tour cost.
Alteration of Tours: Luminous Journeys reserves the right to alter, amend or completely cancel the whole or portion of a trip itinerary as necessary if, in the opinion of Luminous Journeys or its service providers, such alterations or amendments are necessary for the safety of the traveler(s). In addition, due to uncertainties and last minute changes sometimes encountered in Asia, changes to the itinerary may be required. Sudden unavailability of tour leaders, guides or expected accommodation may require substitutions. There will be no refunds or credits for amendment concerning accommodation, trip itinerary, or necessary leader substitutions. Should anyone decide to opt out of any portion of the itinerary, any and all costs incurred are the responsibility of the individual. Luminous Journeys reserves the right to cancel any Group Tour due to inadequate sign up which could make the trip economically unviable to operate. If Luminous Journeys cancels a tour, a full refund will be given, less bank and/or Paypal fees. Luminous Journeys is not responsible for expenses incurred by the client in preparation for the trip. A trip cancellation for insufficient sign up would normally occur at least 60 days before your tour start date.
Responsibility: Luminous Journeys, its owners, agents, and employees act only as agents for the client with respect to services provided, including, but not limited to, hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, and all forms of transportation. All tour services are provided by independent contractors who are not owned or controlled by Luminous Journeys. Luminous Journeys assumes no responsibility or liability for injury, death, damage, loss, accident, delay or change in air or other service, irregularity, inconvenience or additional expenses which may be occasioned directly or indirectly by either reason or defect of any vehicle, act of war, insurrection, revolt, government restrictions and regulations, or other civil uprisings or disturbances, military action, quarantines, strikes, weather sickness, wars, theft, pilferage, force majeur, wild animals, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled overbooking, travel advisories, discrepancies or changes in transit, hotel and other services over which it has no control, or any act of God occurring in either the country of origin, destination or through passage, or for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts or default of any company or the persons engaged in conveying the passengers or in carrying out the arrangements of the tours. All such losses or additional expenses will be the sole responsibility of the member of the tour as the rates are provided for the arrangements only at the time stated. Should a tour need to be cancelled for any of the above reasons, any refunds will be subject to Luminous Journeys stated refund schedule. Luminous Journeys may not be held responsible for any loss or damage to luggage before, during, or after the tour program. On advancement of deposit to Luminous Journeys, the depositor agrees to be bound by the above terms and conditions. Luminous Journeys reserves the right to accept or decline any individual from participating on any of our tour programs for any reason. Luminous Journeys will not discriminate against any individual because of race, religion, sex, sexual preference, or nationality.
Airline Responsibility: The sole and exclusive responsibility and liability of any airline shall be in accordance with and as limited by the contract of carriage in the passenger’s ticket, the applicable tariffs and the provisions of the Warsaw Convention. The airlines shall not be responsible or liable for any act, omission, or occurrence during the time the passengers are not on board its aircraft or conveyance. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and such purchasers of these tours and/or passenger. Such conveyance, etc., is subject to the laws of the countries involved. Luminous Journeys is not responsible for additional hotel nights, transportation, or meals not specified in itineraries, which may be required en route, prior to or following a trip, caused by airline schedule changes or overbooking.
