“When you start this ride, the focus tends to be on the riding. When you finish, the memories are all about the experience.” Don, QLD
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got questions? Find your answers here! Travel Collective Frequently Asked Questions, for small group tours, group travel, independent travellers or people looking to travel in Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Borneo, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, China, Africa, South America or Europe.
Use these links to jump to a specific question, or scroll down the page for more.
Accommodation | Age | Availability | Arrival Information | Brochure - How can I get one? | Cancellations | Communication with home while you're away | Currency | Employment | Existing Bookings | Family Trips | How do I find a trip? | Fitness | Flights | Food and Meals | Group Travel | How many people go on a tour? | How to make a booking | When should I book? | How to book a Travel Talk | Inclusions | Independent Travellers | Local Payments | Safety and Medical Information | Single Travellers | Travel Insurance | Tipping | Trip Notes | Trip Style | Visa Information | Weather | What to Pack | More Questions?
ACCOMMODATION >>
Accommodation on our tours varies from five star hotels to bed and breakfasts, local homestays or camping out under the stars. Our accommodation is selected to enhance your travel experience. Check the tour Fact Sheet for more details on accommodation.
It may be possible to extend your accommodation at the start or end of your tour if you’d like a couple of extra days to look around. Simply check with one of our Travel Consultants at the time of booking.
It may also be possible to upgrade your accommodation at an extra cost, depending on availability. Check with one of our Travel Specialists for more details.
AGE >>
Travel Collective offers tours and travel packages for travellers of all ages. Our oldest travellers have been 80+ years young! If you’re not too old to learn about new places, experience new cultures and try something outside of your everyday, then you’re not too old (or young!) for our tours. Typically, travellers range from 20 years to 70 years. As long as you have a sense of humour, a spirit of adventure and a curiosity about the world around you!
AVAILABILITY >>
Our travel packages cater to independent travellers, private groups or families and those looking to join a small group tour. For set group departures, the availability of places is indicated on the tour page as either ‘available’, ‘guaranteed’, ‘limited’ or ‘sold out’. A tour is guaranteed when the minimum number for departure has been reached. Limited availability means that there are only a few places remaining. If you’re looking at a tour which is sold out, please contact us to be placed on a waiting list if this is the departure you’re looking for – otherwise there may be another suitable date for you to join. Don’t be afraid to book if a trip is not yet guaranteed – your booking may be the one that guarantees its departure!
ARRIVAL INFORMATION >>
Please ensure you check with your pre-departure information that airport transfers are included in your package, as this is not necessarily always the case.
BROCHURE - HOW CAN I GET ONE? >>
You can download a Travel Collective brochure from this page, otherwise contact us with your postal address and we will mail you a copy.
CANCELLATIONS >>
If you need to cancel your booking, cancellation fees apply and may result in loss of your deposit. Please check with our Terms and Conditions for further details. Travel Collective may cancel a departure if minimum numbers are not reached, or for reasons beyond our reasonable control as set out in our Terms and Conditions.
COMMUNICATING WITH HOME WHILE YOU'RE AWAY >>
Will my mobile phone work on tour? Part of the appeal of a holiday is to get away from the hassles of everyday life! If you can’t leave home without your mobile phone, check before you depart that global roaming has been activated with your service provider. You may not always have mobile phone coverage, particularly if you travel into remote locations. It may be cheaper to purchase a local SIM card on arrival at your destination. For travel in Outback Australia, it's best to purchase a phonecard or calling card before you leave home, as most public telephones do not take coins.
Some towns may have an internet café or access to an internet terminal, so you may be able to check your emails from time to time while you’re away. If you don’t already have a web-based email account, it is a good idea to set one up before you leave, e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail.
CURRENCY >>
Currency, money matters and banking services vary depending on which country / countries you’re travelling to. Check with your pre-departure information for details on currency and a recommendation for daily spending money. If you’re on a small group tour with a guide or tour manager, they will be able to suggest the best places for you to get cash out for sections of the tour.
For currency conversions prior to departure, check online at www.xe.com for up-to-date conversion rates.
EMPLOYMENT >>
If you are interested in finding out how you can become part of the Travel Collective Team, please contact us. We may not have any openings at that particular time but can place your resume on file for future openings. We will need a written application, your resume and a reference. If you are applying for a guiding position, you will need to be Senior First Aid certified, you must also have passenger accreditation and hold an MR drivers licence.
EXISTING BOOKINGS >>
If you already have a booking with Travel Collective and wish to make alterations or need further information, please contact one of our Travel Specialists who made your booking for you. A small administration fee may apply to alterations on your booking.
Alternatively, please use the contact us page.
FAMILY TRIPS >>
We are more than happy to create a customised tour for your family, whether you wish to travel through Vietnam, Borneo, Cambodia, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, Africa or South America. Please contact one of our Travel Specialists to discuss the right type of tour for your family. Small group tours may not always be suitable for people travelling with children, so please discuss with a Travel Specialist at the time of enquiry. Children cannot travel unaccompanied on our tours and must be a minimum of 18 years old to travel without a parent or guardian.
HOW DO I FIND A TRIP? >>
Tours can be searched for by location, destination, brand, style of tour, or all tours by using the side bar and main menu bar on the Travel Collective website. Alternatively, you can use the ‘search for a tour’ button on the homepage, which takes you to our Tour Finder where you can drill down to regions, destinations, styles of tour, brands and departure dates.
FITNESS >>
Many of our tours have a focus on being active, whether this is physical activity such as walking, canoeing or cycling, or by engaging your mind in the cultural and historical aspects of your travel experience. Our mantra is ‘connecting people and places’ and we offer tour product that enables you to connect with the places you visit.
For the most part, if you have a good level of general fitness, can walk for several kilometres a day and are able to lift your own luggage in and out of transport when required, you shouldn’t have a problem with the majority of our tours. Some of our adventure tours require a greater level of fitness and stamina, particularly our longer cycling or trekking tours. There may be times when you’re required to carry your pack on our walking or trekking tours.
Our custom tours for private groups or independent travellers can be tailor-made depending on your requirements and how active you would like your tour to be.
FLIGHTS >>
Flights to the start and at the finish of your tour are not included in the cost of your tour package and will need to be booked at additional cost to your tour package. Our Travel Specialists can advise on flights if you require further information.
FOOD AND MEALS >>
Most meals will be included as part of our tours, however you may be required to purchase some meals as advised by the relevant Fact Sheet and/or tour guide. Our emphasis is on fresh food wherever possible and our meals are nutritious and varied, catering for an active holiday. If you are vegetarian or gluten intolerant we can cater for you, but if you have more specific dietary needs you will need to discuss this with us at the time of booking.
GROUP TRAVEL >>
Looking for a special tour for your family, group of friends, colleagues, school group or sporting group? Whether you want a private group tour on one of our existing itineraries, or would like a customised itinerary to take into consideration your travel requirements, we are able to work with you to create the perfect travel experience for your group!
Click here to enquire about a custom tour for your group.
HOW MANY PEOPLE GO ON A TOUR? >>
Our small group tours generally have between 6 and 12 people. ROC Tours trips usually take a maximum of 14 people. Africa safaris may take up to 12 people.
HOW TO MAKE A BOOKING >>
It’s easy to make a booking with Travel Collective, the hardest part is choosing where you want to go!
You can make a booking in the following ways:
Download a booking form: click on the green ‘Book Now’ button on the tour page, download the booking form, print it out and then fax, post or scan and email back to us.
Book online: click on the green ‘Book Now’ button on the tour page, and follow the link to our secure online booking form where you can enter your details and your credit card to make a deposit on a tour.
Contact us if you would like to speak with a Travel Specialists or have any questions before you proceed with your booking.
Can I book through a travel agent? Yes you can! If you have a favourite travel agent, simply book your Travel Collective tour through them.
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK? >>
It is advisable to book as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred departure date. Many trips book out so it’s best to let us know as soon as possible which tour you would like to book onto. It also may be possible to book on at the last minute – just check with one of our Travel Specialists!
HOW TO BOOK A TRAVEL TALK >>
Contact us if you would like to find out about booking a travel talk for your group of friends, or if you would like to find out about a travel talk happening near you in the future.
Be inspired, hear from the experts, learn more about a destination and even book your tour on the night.
INCLUSIONS >>
What is included in your trip? The land price of your trip includes all accommodation as listed on the tour Fact Sheet; all transport as listed on the tour Fact Sheet; sightseeing and entry fees as listed on the tour Fact Sheet; meals as indicated on the tour Fact Sheet; and the services of a guide or tour manager as listed on the tour Fact Sheet (if it’s a group or escorted tour).
The cost of your tour does not include:
> International flights or flights to/from the start/finish of your tour unless otherwise specified
> Local payments as indicated on your tour Fact Sheet
> Airport transfers unless otherwise specified
> Airport taxes ad excess baggage charges
> Meals other than those specified on the tour Fact Sheet
> Extra drinks or snacks
> Visa and passport fees
> Travel insurance (talk to us about getting a quote)
> Optional activities and sightseeing
> Personal expenses, souvenirs and shopping
> Tipping
INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS >>
We can organise travel for a minimum of two travellers for people not wanting to join a small group tour. Whether you want to use an existing itinerary, join several itineraries together or create a trip based just for you, we can create a package that includes accommodation, a local guide, transfers and transportation, sightseeing and activities such as cooking school, adventure activities or museums and cultural activities.
Many of tours can depart for two or more travellers on dates to suit. Check with the tour details page, and for further information contact one of our Travel Specialists.
LOCAL PAYMENTS >>
Some tours may have local payments to cover things like fuel levies, National Park entry fees or other surcharges. These are paid in cash directly to your tour guide. Check the Fact Sheet and booking form for more information on local payments and whether your tour has them.
SAFETY & MEDICAL INFORMATION >>
Our tours may take you to places that are not on the main ‘tourist trail’, and this is a large part of the appeal of travelling with us. Our tours are run in keeping with a general safety policy, and should relevant consulates and/or on-ground operations deem an area ‘unsafe’, itineraries may be redirected or, in extreme cases, tours may be cancelled to minimise the risk to your safety.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS >>
Travelling alone? Not a problem! You’ll find other likeminded travel companions taking part in our small group tours. If you’re a solo traveller on an accommodated (rather than camping) tour, you’ll most likely share a room with another traveller of the same sex, unless you opt for the Single Supplement (additional cost) which means you will have your own room wherever possible. Please note that because our tours sometimes visit remote places and stay with local people in homestays, it may not always be possible to have your own room. For ROC Tours cycling and adventure trips, camping is in single occupancy tent i.e. participants are not required to share.
TRAVEL INSURANCE >>
Travel insurance is compulsory for all Travel Collective travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. At a minimum your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability. We also strongly suggest it covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal belongings. You will need to provide proof of travel insurance prior to the commencement of your tour.
You can purchase your travel insurance through Travel Collective; go to the Travel Insurance page for more information or talk to one of our Travel Specialists.
TIPPING >>
Tipping is common practice in many countries, even though it may not be common practice where you come from. Your Pre-Departure information will have more details on tipping for your particular tour, and your guide or tour escort will be able to let you know when it is appropriate to tip and how much is appropriate to tip.
TRIP NOTES >>
You can download a Fact Sheet for a tour directly from our website, or one of our Travel Specialists can send you Fact Sheets by email or post. Simply click on the ‘Download Fact Sheet’ button on the tour details page.
Once you have booked onto a tour, you will be sent a more detailed Pre-Departure pack by email (or post on request) prior to departure. This contains more specific tour and destination information.
TRIP STYLE >>
We offer a range of tours in a number of different styles, including Walking, Cycling, Water-Based, Leisure, Luxury, Special Interest, and Cruising. To view all tours in a particular style, click on the ‘Style of Tour’ link on the top menu bar, and click on the style to bring up a list of all tours that apply.
VISA INFORMATION >>
Your Travel Specialist can provide details on Visa requirements depending on the tour you wish to participate in. You can also check Visa requirements with your travel agent.
WEATHER >>
Our set departure tours have been scheduled to take into consideration the best time of year to travel to that destination. This takes into account the season, rainfall, weather conditions and how this affects tour operation and transportation. For independent travellers departing on demand, please ask one of our Travel Specialists for further climate information and the recommended time of year to travel. Of course, we can’t ever control the weather and this only adds to the adventure and excitement of your travel experience!
For more general weather and climate information visit www.worldweather.org
WHAT TO PACK >>
For most of our tours, we recommend you bring a soft bag or backpack. We strongly advise against bringing a suitcase as they are bulky, difficult to stow on board vehicles or trailers and heavy. You may be required to lift or carry your own luggage from time to time, e.g. boarding trains, into accommodation etc and porters may not always be available. Any excess luggage may need to be stored or forwarded on to your final destination at your own expense.
Information about what to pack is included as part of your Pre-Departure information. Generally we advise that you pack as light as possible.
MORE QUESTIONS >>
For any questions not covered on this page, please feel free to contact one of our Travel Specialists who can further assist you.