Question 1

How much advance payment is required to confirm a booking?

Accepted Answer

Typically 25% of the per-person tour cost to hold your seats, with the balance due 30 days before departure for domestic trips and 45 days before departure for international trips. Your travel manager confirms the exact numbers in writing before you pay anything.

Question 2

What payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Bank transfer (NEFT/RTGS), UPI, and credit/debit card via a secure payment link. Card payments carry a 2% processing fee passed through by the gateway; bank transfer and UPI do not.

Question 3

Is GST included in the quoted tour price?

Accepted Answer

The price you're quoted already includes applicable GST — 5% on the base tour cost, per current tour operator rules. The one exception is TCS (Tax Collected at Source) on international tours, shown separately since it's refundable against your income tax.

Question 4

Can I book for a family member who isn't travelling with me right now, to confirm dates?

Accepted Answer

Yes — one person can hold and pay for the group. We just need each traveller's name and passport details (for international trips) before we issue final vouchers, and can accept these up to the balance-payment deadline.

Question 5

Can you customize a group tour itinerary, or only fully bespoke trips?

Accepted Answer

Fixed-departure group tours follow a set itinerary since the group travels together, but we can usually adjust arrival or departure dates by a day or two, or add a pre/post extension for your family alone. Full customization of pace, stops and hotel category is available on our bespoke holidays.

Question 6

How many destinations or cities does a typical itinerary cover in one trip?

Accepted Answer

We deliberately keep this modest — most 7 to 10 day itineraries cover 3 to 4 base cities, not 6 or 7. Fewer one-night hotel stays means less packing and unpacking, which matters more to our travellers than covering more ground.

Question 7

Can you build a slower-paced itinerary for elderly travellers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it's one of our most common requests. We can flag a "gentle pace" itinerary with fewer early starts, built-in rest afternoons, and hotels chosen for lift access and minimal walking between rooms and breakfast.

Question 8

Will I see a full day-by-day itinerary before I pay anything?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every quote includes a detailed day-by-day plan — flights, hotels, meals and inclusions — before any advance payment is due.

Question 9

Is pure vegetarian food available on all tours?

Accepted Answer

Yes — every group tour includes a pure vegetarian meal option at every included meal, and we flag this with hotels and restaurants in advance rather than requesting it on arrival.

Question 10

Can you arrange Jain food specifically, not just vegetarian?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We coordinate directly with hotel kitchens ahead of arrival for no onion, no garlic and no root-vegetable preparations. Please flag this at the time of booking so we can confirm it in writing with each property.

Question 11

What if someone in our group has a specific allergy, like nuts or gluten?

Accepted Answer

Let your travel manager know at booking. We pass allergy details directly to hotels and restaurants in advance and reconfirm 48 hours before each meal on longer tours — though on remote routes we'll be upfront if a full guarantee isn't possible.

Question 12

Are meals included, or do we pay separately at each stop?

Accepted Answer

Breakfast is included throughout on nearly all itineraries; the tour page for each trip states exactly which lunches and dinners are included versus at your own arrangement, so there are no surprises mid-trip.

Question 13

Do you help with visa applications, or do we handle that ourselves?

Accepted Answer

We handle it end to end for group tours — appointment booking, document checklist and application submission — for a service fee separate from the visa's own government charges. For bespoke trips, we advise and can manage it fully if you'd like us to.

Question 14

How far in advance should we apply for a visa?

Accepted Answer

We recommend starting 6 to 8 weeks before departure for Schengen and UK visas, and at least 4 weeks for most other international destinations. Peak season — April to June, October to December — can mean longer embassy processing, so earlier is safer.

Question 15

What documents will my family need to provide?

Accepted Answer

Typically a passport valid for 6 months past your return date, passport-size photos to spec, bank statements and income proof — the exact list depends on the destination and is sent to you as a checklist once you book.

Question 16

What happens if a visa is rejected?

Accepted Answer

It's rare when documentation is complete, but if it happens, we help you understand the embassy's stated reason and reapply where possible. Refund treatment for a visa rejection is set out in your booking terms and depends on how close to departure it occurs.

Question 17

Will there be a tour manager with the group throughout, or just local guides?

Accepted Answer

On escorted group tours, one GoTravelBlue tour manager travels with the group for the entire trip, from arrival to departure — not just local guides who hand you off at each stop.

Question 18

What's the group size on a typical departure?

Accepted Answer

We cap most group departures at 20 to 25 travellers specifically so the tour manager can know everyone by name and adjust the pace to the group — not the 40-plus coach groups common elsewhere.

Question 19

How much free time is built into each day?

Accepted Answer

Every itinerary includes at least one unscheduled block most afternoons or evenings — we've found families want to rest, shop or explore alone at their own pace rather than being on the move from breakfast to dinner.

Question 20

What if someone falls sick or needs medical help mid-tour?

Accepted Answer

Your tour manager is the first call and will arrange local medical care, coordinate with your travel insurer and keep the rest of your itinerary on track. We strongly recommend travel insurance for exactly this reason and can arrange it as part of your booking.

Question 21

What's your cancellation policy if plans change?

Accepted Answer

Cancellation charges scale with how close to departure you cancel — typically nothing beyond a processing fee more than 45 days out, rising in stages closer to departure. Your booking confirmation states the exact slab for your specific trip.

Question 22

Are there any non-refundable parts of a booking?

Accepted Answer

Yes — flight tickets and some fixed-date hotel or cruise bookings become non-refundable once issued, and we flag these clearly before you pay the advance that triggers them.

Question 23

If I cancel, how long does a refund take to process?

Accepted Answer

Once the cancellation is confirmed in writing, refunds to your original payment method are processed within 10 to 15 working days, though your bank's own processing can add a few more days on top.

Question 24

Can I transfer my booking to a different date or a different traveller instead of cancelling?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes — date changes and traveller-name changes are usually possible for a smaller fee than a full cancellation, subject to availability at the new date. Ask your travel manager before cancelling outright; a transfer is almost always the better option.

Most questions get answered right here

Booking & Payments

Itinerary & Customization

Food & Dietary

Visa & Documentation

On-Tour Logistics

Cancellation & Refunds

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