Please bear in mind that the reserve policies are subject to changes. When you reserve a trip, we Will send you an up-to-date reserve form which you should read fully before signing and returning. You Will be bound by the reserve form that you sign as this replaces the information on this website or in our printed catalogue. We will not consider a trip confirmed until we have received your deposit along with your signed and dated reserve form. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by e-mail to info@manakinnaturetours.com or by phone to (+57) 316 833 0833, (+57) 316 758 3083. You can send also a WhatsApp message at number (+57) 3134108818
MANAKIN NATURE TOURS
MANAKIN NATURE TOURS is committed to providing a trip itinerary, supplying a trip leader to guide expeditions and organize all travel and accommodation services. MANAKIN NATURE TOURS reserves the right to substitute other service providers for arranged services when it considers this necessary or convenient. The ticket used by the airline will constitute the only contract of trip participants with respect to international air-travel.
TRIP PRICING
The price of the trip includes all transfers, accommodation, trip materials and the services of a trip-leader, the cost of entry to the Parks and reserves mentioned in the itinerary, as well as the meals included in the final itinerary. The price represents a complete package; itemized pricing is not available. Flights between your home and the initial and final destinations of the excursion are not included. The domestic flights required by the itinerary are almost always included in the price of the trip, however, there are some exceptions in which it is worthwhile to combine them with the purchase of an international flight. All flights, whether included or excluded in the price of the trip, will be indicated in the final itinerary. Trip costs as with exit taxes, passports, visas, immunizations, insurance, medical costs, evacuations, optional excursions, room service, drinks, laundry services, baggage excess, tips, telephone calls and expenses of a purely personal nature or derived from the delay or extension of a trip due to forces beyond our control are not included. Routine advice about meals is included, but that advice given by porters, drivers, leaders and local guides is not included. If you have any questions about the inclusion of tips for any article of value, please do not hesitate to contact us.
TRIP PRICE INCREASES
As a result of the possibility of many circumstances beyond our control, the total cost of the trip is subject to change, although this is only as a last resort. Participants will be notified if any change in the cost of the trip is incurred. MANAKIN NATURE TOURS does everything possible to anticipate cost increases for services in each area in which we operate, but when there are unexpected increases, we reserve the right to increase our price by 10% of the trip price. If further increases are required, participants may withdraw from the tour without incurring cancelation penalties.
If you would like to avoid the cost of a single room (individual supplement), we will try to find you a roommate, but please consider that this is not always possible and that, should we be unable to find an adequate roommate, you will be asked to pay the individual supplement. Please have in mind that your accommodation preferences will be respected as far as possible but cannot be guaranteed. In some remote locations (for example in field stations), this is not always possible, and the arrangements put in place must be adjusted to. When MANAKIN NATURE TOURS is aware of these situations, participants will always be informed before booking. When an unexpected change is necessary (particularly in remote locations where communication is difficult), the lack of availability in a hotel or lodging in particular is not usually informed with prior notice and is only discovered upon arrival. In these circumstances, your leader will do everything possible to satisfy the preferences of the group.
BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS
To guarantee your booking, a refundable deposit of 30% of the total price of the trip is required at the time of confirming your itinerary, as is the signed booking form containing the risks and issuance sections. MANAKIN NATURE TOURS reserves the right to reject bookings for any motive, at our complete discretion. A booking will only be accepted from the date on which MANAKIN NATURE TOURS confirms its acceptance in writing and emits a receipt of confirmation and a payment schedule for the tour. Only at this point will a contract arise between the participant and MANAKIN NATURE TOURS. If the payments are not received in accordance with the payment schedule detailed in the booking form, MANAKIN NATURE TOURS reserves the right to treat these reservations as cancelled and charge the cancellation fees that are set out in the booking form.
The total outstanding payment must be made 29 days before the departure date. The payments for bookings made fewer than 29 days in advance of the departure date should be paid in their entirety at the time of booking. Regrettably, the failure to pay the deposits or other payments on time results in the cancelation of your booking and cancellation fees will apply.
IMPORTANT: WHAT A PAYMENT IS MADE, WHETHER IT BE AN INITIAL DEPOSIT OR A FINAL PAYMENT, YOU MUST INFORM US BY TELEPHONE, OR E-MAIL OF THE AMOUNT OF THE PAYMENT, THE PAYMENT FORM AND THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS SENT. THE FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL RESULT IN DELAYS.
CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT OF PAYMENT
We accept payments by bank transfer. We can accept payments by credit card using PayPal, but bank charges of 4.9% apply to cover commission by the credit card company, online.
INSURANCE
All trip participants are responsible for their own personal travel insurance to cover in the case of accidents, medical costs, evacuation, repatriation and loss of property. We suggest consulting the health policy to determine whether your insurance offers cover abroad. Furthermore, we strongly recommend taking out a policy covering trip cancelation/interruption. We cannot emphasize how important this can be to protect your investment. Please consider that the majority of travel insurance companies require policies to be bought soon after the booking is made, depending on the company, so please have this in mind at the time of making the booking.
CHANGES TO ITINERARY OR LEADER
MANAKIN NATURE TOURS reserves the right to make changes to the tour should the need arise due to unexpected circumstances. If the leader/guide on the trip decides that it is better to divert from the activities described in the trip program, they will take reasonable steps to substitute in a new activity of interest and comparable satisfaction to the participants on the trip. If significant changes are necessary prior to beginning a tour, the participants will be informed. If we are forced to make a change to the itinerary or way of operating for any reason, such as airline strikes, weather, political disturbances, the additional costs, whatever they may be, will be the responsibility of the participants.
Finally, MANAKIN NATURE TOURS reserves the right to assign or substitute any of its leaders to any tour.
GROUP SIZE
The maximum appropriate group size in order to enjoy a tour depends a great deal on the location and the type of habitats to be visited. In the established trips, the maximum number per group is 10, when there are more than 10 participants, a second leader will be provided. On trips in which the majority of the time is spent in forest environments, the maximum group size tends to be between eight and 10 participants on the tour, with one leader. Personalized tours may be arranged upon request with a participant-leader ratio matching the clients’ wishes.
MEDICAL ATTENTION
All trip applicants with medical problems that could interfere with or limit their participation on the tour, or with contagious diseases are obliged to inform us of them. The trip leader/guide has the right to disqualify any person at any moment from certain activities, should they have reason to believe that the person is not able to participate safely in the activity. MANAKIN NATURE TOURS does not guarantee that there will be a doctor on any trip in particular and does not assume any responsibility for the provision of medical attention. If a participant is injured or is taken ill, MANAKIN NATURE TOURS or the trip leader/guide can, at the cost of the participant, organize for medical evacuation or other emergency services.
RESTRICTIONS AND PARTICIPATION
Our tours normally do not involve really strenuous activity, but if this cannot be avoided, it will be made clear in the tour details. Notwithstanding, participants are expected to go on moderate walks for a number of kilometers per day, sometimes on irregular or slippery surfaces, to fully participate in the activities that from part of the excursion. To accommodate the needs of all levels of birder, our tours sometimes involve long days in the field and travelling long distances.
AUTHORITY OF THE TRIP LEADER / GUIDE
Please allow the trip leader / guide know about any problem or dissatisfaction. He / she will usually be able to remedy the situation. If it is necessary to change the schedule, he / she will normally consult the trip participants, however, should a change be necessary for reasons of safety or the adequate management of the trip, the leader’s decision is final. MANAKIN NATURE TOURS assumes no responsibility for participants who break the laws or rules of any place visited, that can be considered prejudicial to the safety or well-being of others on the trip, or whose conduct impedes the operation of the trip or the rights, wellbeing or enjoyment of the other participants on the trip. Such a person may be asked to abandon the trip and MANAKIN NATURE TOURS will not be responsible for any additional cost incurred by a person excluded from participating in a trip, including, among others, the costs of land and/or air transport.
TRAVELER RESPONSIBILITY
The responsibilities of trip participants include: selecting an appropriate trip according to their interests and abilities; determining that the destinations and specific activities are appropriate for them; determining whether they are in good enough health and with sufficient physical ability to carry out the trip and specific activities along the way; to obtain Passports, visas and any necessary immunizations; assuring they are covered by adequate insurance; to bring appropriate clothing and equipment; when passing through customs participants are responsible for the destination of personal effects they choose to bring on the trip. The main focus of our established trips is the observation of birds or the observation of fauna with a secondary focus in other aspects of natural history, culture and/or photography. Unless indicated to the contrary in the trip itinerary, these secondary objectives will not interfere with the main focus of the trip.
DOCUMENTATION
A Passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel is required for all trips. It is the responsibility of the traveler to determine the requirements of their visa for all destinations and countries visited as part of a tour, however, MANAKIN NATURE TOURS can help with this task.
IMMUNIZATIONS for COLOMBIA
We assume that you are up-to-date with your vaccinations. A vaccination certificate is not required upon entry to Colombia, however, it is important to bear in mind these recommendations:
- There are no big problems with mosquitos in the majority of reserves.
- Typhoid Fever and Hepatitis A vaccinations are recommended.
- Yellow fever is very rare in Colombia.
- Malaria is present in many low-lying areas in Colombia. Although it is not known to exist close to any of our reserves, it is present in some cities in the Western, Central and Eastern Andes regions, Magdalena, Santa Marta, Guajira and Chocó. In these areas it is best to reduce the number of insect bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers, and using insect repellent especially at sunrise and sunset.
- Dengue, although not frequent, is also a possibility and once again it is recommended to try and reduce the risk of insect bites and take into account the symptoms of this fever.
- Leishman’s disease, transmitted by bites from sand-flies is also a remote possibility in low-lying areas and, once more, visitors should learn the symptoms. There have only been rare cases in the communities in the Magdalena Valley, but not within the reserve.
- Chiggers (mites) are found in long Grass around the Caribbean coast away from major routes. Cover your legs, trousers, shoes and waist with insect repellent.
CANCELLATION BY THE TRAVELER
We require written notification of any cancellation, which will have effect upon receipt. If you need to cancel your booking, you must inform us immediately by e-mail or fax and we will confirm your cancellation. Depending on the date on which we acknowledge your notice of cancellation, cancellation fees will apply per person. The fee plan also applies to travel extensions before or after the trip, as well as transfers of extensions from one trip to another. In furtherance of this, the cancellation policies of MANAKIN NATURE TOURS are laid out as follows: 30% of the total value of the itinerary confirmed must be paid at the time of booking, of which 30% (less bank changes) is refundable in the event of a cancellation until 90 days before the start of a tour, 20% (less bank charges) until 75 days before the start of a tour, 10% (less bank charges) until 60 days before the start of a tour and 0% after 59 days before the start of a tour, but 10% of this deposit will be cumulable if you decide to make the trip in the future during 1 year
The remaining 70% of the cost of the tour must be paid, as desired by the client, between 59 and 30 days before the start of the tour. This payment will be refundable in the case of cancellations as follows: 70% (less bank changes) is refundable in the event of a cancellation until 58 days before the start of a tour, 50% (less bank charges) until 30 days before the start of a tour, 25% (less bank charges) until 15 days before the start of a tour and 0% thereafter, but 30% of this deposit will be cumulable if you decide to make the trip in the future during 1 year
CANCELLATION BY MANAKIN NATURE TOURS
We always try to embark on a tour, including when few people have registered for it, or are lost. Some tours are designated as “guaranteed outings”, which means that they will never be cancelled due to an insufficient number of bookings. Trip cancellations by MANAKIN NATURE TOURS are a last resort.