☆ Immerse in Japanese history and culture in an unmatched way
☆ Discover Japan from off the beaten path
☆ Stay in super 5-star hotels or the best in town or village
☆Savor the local delicacies in some world famous Michelin restaurants
☆ Include 5 bullet train rides (Shinkansen) across Japan
☆ Enhance overall experience with “Hands-on programs” designed along the route
☆ ”White Glove” private butler service with executive Mercedes-Benz sedan or van at service throughout the journey
Tour Code: USEJ15
Duration: 15 Days
Optional Features and Upgrades: Since the seats are limited, we recommend you to choose optional and extension programs at the time of booking:
Extra Service: Travel Insurance Visa Service
1) Round-trip international flight from New York / Los Angeles / San Francisco to Japan for NO additional charge
The following departure cities are available for an additional charge:
Additional U$300/person | San Jose/ Washington / Boston / Las Vegas / Chicago / Houston / Seattle |
Additional U$500/person | Atlanta / Austin / Charlotte / Dallas / Denver / Detroit / Memphis / Miami / Milwaukee |
Additional U$500/person | Oklahoma City / Philadelphia / Phoenix / Portland / Sacramento / San Antonio / San Diego |
Land only package without round-trip international flight ticket: minus U$2000/person
2) Ground transportation between the cities (BY Bus/Train/Flight)
3) Hand-picked 5-star and best class hotel accommodations with daily breakfast
4) Sightseeing admission fees as listed on the agenda
5) Food as specified on the itinerary
6) Special cultural programs as specified in the schedule
7) Professional English speaking local tour expert
8) All tax and fuel surcharge
9) Gratuity
10) UTOvacation's Travel Assurance Program (Free Reschedule before 150 days prior to trip departure and before air tickets are issued)
1) Travel insurance
2) Any personal expenses
3) Tour Extensions and Optional programs
4) Single Supplement: U$7000 (*Our tour price is based on double occupancy and if a single passenger is travelling solo and not sharing room with any roommate for the entire trip, a single supplement fee is charged. If a passenger shares a room with travel partner(s) on the tour, such fee is waived.)
7) A no-show fee of $100 per person, per day will be issued if, for any reason, a customer does not attend the daily scheduled activities. This applies to all sponsored tours, packages and all discounted China tours, including this product.
ALL PRICES ARE IN USD
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
1. Deposit: U$3000/person at the time of booking
2. Final Payment: 150 days prior to the trip departure
GROUP SIZE:
☆ 2 - 10 people in each departure date
OPTIONAL PROGRAM AND UPGRADES:
☆ Since the seats are limited, we recommend you to choose optional and extension programs at the time of booking.
UPGRADE TO BUSINESS CLASS:( BEFORE FINAL PAYMENT)
☆ (Only Available For USA -- Asia International Round Trip) Cost Extra USD 3000/Person.
Fly to Tokyo from USA.
Arrive in one of Tokyo’s International Airports (Haneda or Narita). Our team will take care of you from the moment you exit the arrivals hall where you will be met by our transfer staff on arrival and be taken directly to your hotel in Tokyo.
After breakfast, check out and get ready to leave Tokyo. You will move onto a rural village by train and bus from Nagano city to a quaint place called Yudanaka Onsen in Nagano prefecture.
●Jigokudani Snow Monkeys: We will visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park to watch wild monkeys bath in the natural hot spring bath at the foot of the mountain. You will be walking up a scenic but long mountain pathway.so, wear comfortable and appropriate shoes!
●Japanese traditional Kaiseki dinner & Hot Springs (onsen) at your ryokan
*Tonight, you will be sleeping on a futon mattress on tatami flooring. If you have any issues or prefer to sleep on a regular mattress, be sure to tell us as early as possible! Most ryokans have only a few rooms with western style beds in them (if any at all)
After breakfast, check out of your ryokan and continue your journey to Matsumoto where we will visit the stunning Matsumoto Castle, an original samurai castle.
Then we will take a scenic bus ride (2.5 hours) through beautiful mountains and river valleys to Takayama.
Check into your hotel / free time
April & October Tours will experience one of Japan’s most impressive Street Festivals. Takayama’s Spring & Autumn Festival ranking as one of Japan’s three most beautiful festivals. It is centered around the Hie Shrine and is held to pray for a good harvest. Festival highlights include a parade of magnificently carved yatai or giant wooden floats, and mechanical puppets in colourful costumes who play out an ancient drama from within the yatai in a spectacle not to be missed. Early booking is highly recommended on these tours as this is the towns busiest time of year.
Your local guide will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast.
You will explore this beautiful city that has retained historical features on foot, visiting:
●Takayama Morning Market
●Kusakabe Folk Park
●Takayama Yatai Kaikan (Festival Float Hall)
●Takayama Jinya (preserved Government town hall)
You will have free time in the afternoon to walk through the streets by yourself, sampling the delicious street food and visiting local artisans’ shops.
After breakfast, we will head north into Toyama prefecture stopping in Gokayama, recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status for the traditional Gassho-zukuri houses in this area. Nestled along the deep gorge of Sho River, 33 Gassho-zukkuri houses have been preserved in the historic villages of Gokayama including Ainokura and Suganuma. Your day in Gokayama will allow you to experience a variety of rich cultural activities such as washi paper making and soba noodle making.
What to Expect:
● Washi paper making workshop (approx. 1-hour)
● Soba noodle making followed by lunch where you will be sampling your own creation (subject to tour numbers) – if we have less than 6 people on the tour, you will not be able to make Soba. Instead we will introduce you to a really great Soba place for lunch!
● Wander through the 400 year-old gassho-zukkuri farmhouse villages of Suganuma
Remainder of the day rest will be in Kanazawa, also known as ‘Little Kyoto’.
Kanazawa is a lovely small city close to the Japan sea coast. Until the turn of the century it was the 4th biggest city in Japan. However its wealth was built on rice production and traditional crafts such as weaving and gold leaf and with the full scale industrialisation of the country Kanazawa was somewhat left behind. Today the city is flourishing again and still maintains a lot of its old charms. There are several small geisha districts and one where you can go inside an old tea house and see where the clients were entertained and even take tea yourself (sadly no longer served by geisha!). There are also samurai house and the city’s most famous sight, the beautiful Kenrokuen garden rated as one of the three best stroll gardens in the whole of Japan.
Breakfast at your hotel
Check out of the hotel and leave your bags in a secure storage facility.
KANAZAWA Morning Tour including these popular destinations and activities:
●Kenrokuen Garden (considered one of the top 3 gardens in Japan)
●Higashi Chaya District (Geisha District)
●Omicho Market
●Authentic Tea Ceremony
Transfer to Kyoto by express train in the afternoon.
Arrive in Kyoto early in the evening. For the rest of the evening, you are free to explore this city full of historical beautiful structures.
Breakfast at your hotel
KYOTO City Sightseeing hits these popular destinations:
●Nijo Castle
●Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion)
●Lunch at a local restaurant
●Kyoto Highlight: Afternoon Tea with Geisha (Maiko)
●Fushimi Inari Shrine (10,000 Torii Gates)
Today will be a well deserved day off to spend as you choose in Kyoto. Suggested itinerary and access maps will be provided for you in your travel pack.
This morning we start a little earlier, at 7.30 am, in order to catch the most suitable shinkansen train to our next stop, Hiroshima! Just a swift two-hour journey on the speedy shinkansen: once you find your seat, we promise you can sleep again. These trains offer first class comforts unlike any train you may have been on in the western world.
In Hiroshima, follow your guide and listen to the story of how this humble city has rebuilt itself after the devastating A-Bomb blast of WWII. Emotions and perspectives may well move here, but we guarantee you will listen with keen interest and curiosity. Or you’re free to take the morning for yourself in this friendly and lively city.
We will continue on to Miyajima Island after lunch, another UNESCO World Heritage spot! Here, we will visit the impressive Itsukushima Shrine that seems to float so peacefully on the water along with the giant Torii Gates. Free time for shopping is included here, with overnight stay in a traditional ryokan with kaiseki dinner & onsen (hot springs) another treat for the day!
After a peaceful night spent on the island of Miyajima, you will make your way back towards Tokyo. But before hitting the high streets of the capital, you will spend one more night in another rural retreat in the heart of the Fuji National Park. After a long but comfortable journey along the Tokaido shinkansen line, you will arrive in Hakone before dinner time. Enjoy one last traditional Japanese dinner at your ryokan and make full use of the hot spring baths.
After breakfast, explore Hakone with your local guide. You will take a cruise on Lake Ashi followed by a ride across the mountains on a scenic cable car which will, weather permitting, afford us a perfect view of the majestic giant, Mt Fuji. Enjoy The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Japan’s first outdoor, open-air museum of art. Located in a lushly green 70,000 square meters garden with a view of the Hakone mountains, the museum has on permanent display some 120 masterpieces by famous modern and contemporary sculptors. Visit the museum’s five indoor exhibitions, including the Picasso Pavilion with its rotational displays from more than 300 Picasso pieces in this world-class collection, as well as the natural hot spring bath and the art in the outdoor plazas.
After this you will head back to Tokyo where you will have a free evening, with plenty of options at your doorstep.
Your final full day in Tokyo can be spent in many ways; revisiting some of the sights, exploring new places, some last minute shopping or a day trip to Kamakura or Yokohama etc. Your travel consultant or tour leader will be more than happy to oblige in helping you make your plan.
No matter what you do for the day, a farewell dinner will be arranged by your tour leader with the option to continue the night out at a local karaoke bar & Japan-style pub!
May & September tours will include tickets to see a live Sumo Tournament!!
After breakfast today, you will be provided with an airport transfer service from your hotel. Board your international flight back home filled with memories to last for a lifetime.
STAY LIKE A LOCAL-EXTENSIONS: (CHOOSE BEFORE THE TRIP)
1) Tokyo 1 Night Hotel and Flight Extension
Price: U$499/person
Single Supplement: U$499
Included:
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
- 4 - 5 star hotel accommodations with daily breakfast
2) Tokyo 2 Nights Hotel and Flight Extension
Price: U$999/person
Single Supplement: U$999
Included:
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
- 4 - 5 star hotel accommodations with daily breakfast
3) Return Flight Extension - 3 Days
Price: U$299/person
Included:
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
4) Return Flight Extension - 5 Days
Price: U$399/person
Included:
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
5) Return Flight Extension: 6 - 20 Days (Airport Drop Off Service Not included)
Price: U$399/person
Included:
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
- Please note the exact departure date may be selected at a later point prior to final payment or you may specify your preferred return date in the "Remark" Column.
6) Return Flight Extension: 6 - 60 Days (Airport Drop Off Service Not included) (Depart from other Asian Cities)
Price: U$599/person
Included:
- Return flight from Tokyo / Seoul / Taipei / Hong Kong / Beijing / Shanghai / Manila / Singapore / Kuala Lumpur / Ho Chi Minh City / Phnom Penh / Bangkok / Phuket
- Air Ticket change fee & fare difference from the original itinerary
- Please note the exact departure date or return city may be selected at a later point prior to final payment or you may specify your preferred return date in the "Remark" Column.
HAND-PICKED 5 STARS AND BEST CLASS HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
Tokyo: Hilton Tokyo Hotel / Park Hyatt Tokyo / Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo, an IHG Hotel / ANA InterContinental Tokyo, an IHG Hotel / Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo / The Westin Tokyo or similar
Nagano (Yudanaka Onsen area): Kanbayashi Senjukaku or similar (the highest class hotel in the area)
Takayama: Takayama Green Hotel or similar (the highest class hotel in the area)
Kanazawa: ANA Crowne Plaza Kanazawa, an IHG Hotel or similar
Kyoto: Hotel Okura Kyoto or similar
Miyajima: Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto or similar (the highest class hotel in the area)
Hakone: Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora, an IHG Hotel / Tensui Saryo / Hakone Kowakien TenyuOpens in new window / Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa or similar
INTERNATIONAL AIR: (*UTOVACATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONFIRM THE AIRLINES BELOW)
☆ United Airline ☆ American Airline ☆ Delta Airline ☆ Air China ☆ Air Canada ☆ Hainan Airlines ☆ China Eastern Airlines ☆ Cathy Pacific Airlines ☆ China Southern Airlines ☆ Xiamen Airlines ☆ Beijing Capital Airlines ☆ Sichuan Airlines ☆ Hongkong Airline ☆ Eva Air
Remark:
1) We reserve the right to modify the itinerary if necessary subject to the local conditions.
2) Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 2 travellers.
3) Price subject to change at the time of reservation.
4) For travellers under 12 years old are as follow:
Children between 2-11 years old with bed | Infant under 2 years old |
100% of adult tour fare | We don't suggest people bring Infants under 2 years old to participate in this tour |
5) Tour fare is based on American/Canadian adults (non-student group), twin share.
6)The hotels listed in the itinerary are subject to change and may be substituted with a similar category hotel without prior notice, if unavailable. Multi-carriers/airlines are used for the group tour airfare. Once the group tickets are issued the airline information may be released by the group ticketing department about 30 days prior to trip departure. Uto vacation can reserve the right to issue tickets without prior notice.
7) For Travel Visa service:
* If you choose UTO’s Visa Application Service with your booking, we will contact you by email about 60-120 days prior to trip departure for your visa application. Please call 1-855-526-1286 for more information.
* Please note: A final trip confirmation will be sent to the main contact passenger via email one month prior to departure that includes a day-by-day itinerary, hotel information, and flight information. If acquiring a visa on your own, the supporting documents will be provided from UTOvacation one month prior to the trip departure date. Supporting documents requested early are subject to a $50 administration fee.
8) Any deviations to other destinations and/or extensions are subject to a $150 change fee, plus any air fare difference---please call 1-855-526-1286 for detail information.
9) Reservation changes: changes to an existing reservation, whatever the cause, will incur a $100 per person charge plus any additional supplier fees. This includes name changes* and removal of any services such as optional tours and transfers. *Please note that name changes to airline reservations are subject to full cancellation and re-booking. See airline name changes section for specific information. Replacing a traveling passenger with another traveling passenger constitutes a cancellation, subject to cancellation penalties, and is not covered by this reservation changes policy. Changes or additions after departure are subject to local rates at the time of amendment and must be paid directly by the passenger to the service provider. There are no refunds for unused services.
10) All tour extension & optional programs require a minimum of 2 participants to commence. UTOvacation reserve the right to cancel the tour extension without prior notice. In the instance of cancellation, the tour extension or optional tours shall be refunded.
11) This tour requires some walking during sightseeing. Handicap facilities are not up to the North American standard. We ask all passengers to be careful of the small steps in the old shrines and temples.
Meals:
Japan does not require a visa for USA, Canada & Mexico passport holders.
Japan is one of the most
popular travel destinations in the world. It is a unique blend of traditional
and modern, with many temples and buildings from the past co-existing with
modern achievements in architecture and technology.
Before Packing:
Check the weather of your destination a week before your trip to get to
know the clothes you'll need, which depends on the purpose of
this trip. Better to make a packing list to rank the items according to
the importance. Leave your keys, contact information and a copy of travel
itinerary to family or friends.
Japan Packing List:
We suggest you pack as light as possible. Pack smart! Leave more space to
make your trip comfortable and pleasant.
Essential Items:
Passport, Visa, Insurance Policy and other necessary travel documents. Air,
cruise or train tickets. A guide book or a phrasebook with English. Map of
places you are going to visit. Emergency card with your detailed contact
information consisting of full name, address, phone number, etc. Credit
card, Traveler's checks, and enough cash (Japanese Yen will be perfect!).
First-aid kit. Your medical record and medicines like vitamins, Pepto Bismol
and Imodium chew-able. Toiletries. Alarm clock or watch with an alarm. Pocket
tissues.
Clothing/Weather:
The casual outdoor clothes are highly recommended. A pair of comfortable
walking shoes. Socks, pants, and underwear. An umbrella and
waterproof coat will be strongly recommended because it often rains in
Japan, especially in the mountainous area, such as Mt. Fuji. Laundry bag. Bring
clothes according to in which season you are traveling.
Spring (Mar - May): Western suites, sports coats, jackets, sweater, long sleeve
shirts.
Summer (Jun - Aug):
T-shirts, skirts, sandals, caps, rain wear.
Autumn (Sep - Nov):
Western suits, jackets, sports coats, light woolen sweaters, rain wear.
Winter (Dec - Feb): Down
garment, overcoat, thick woolen sweaters, lined coats, cap, gloves and
cotton-padded shoes.
*Late March to early
April is historically the best time to view cherry blossoms, but we can’t
guarantee that they will flower on these dates as they are highly seasonal and
subject to climatic conditions.
*From June to August, it
is the best time to view fresh spring greens and enjoy the warm climate.
*The middle of November
through the end of Nov is the best time to see crimson leaves in Autumn.
Other Items/Electricity:
Camera and batteries. And
please do not forget the adapter for Japan if you have a three-prong plug.
Hotel Preferred Bedding Configuration
- Twin Room (two separate beds)
- Double Room (one bed)
*Requests are not guaranteed and are subject to each hotel's discretion and availability.
What
Vacations do I need to Travel in Japan?
Based
on personal medical history and advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada,
the following vaccinations are recommended for travel to Japan:
The PHAC and WHO recommend
the following vaccinations for Japan: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid,
Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella
(MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles,
pneumonia and influenza.
Any of travel products or services that you purchase from UTOvacation contains a contractual agreement between you and UTOvacation and it represents that you have agreed to UTOvacation Terms and Conditions. Please make sure that you read carefully before making any payment.
Reservation
Online Reservations
Step 1. Visit UTOvacation website: www.utovacation.com, login or Register your account. (Learn how to book online Click Here)
Step 2. Choose your desired departure date and departure city
Step 3. Enter the travellers’ information according to their passport. Please identify and provide the contact information for the main passenger. All communication from UTOvacation will be sent to the main passenger only.
Step 4. Make a deposit online
A Non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required to secure the space. The initial deposit is USD$3000.00/pp at the time of booking, the USD$3000.00 deposit counts towards the final payment. Final Payment: 150 days prior to the trip departure.
Step 5. Finalize the booking.
Final Payment
Balance payment of any regular products or services is due 150 days prior to departure unless specified. If the full payment is not obtained by the due date, UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel such reservation and retain the pre-paid deposit to cover any expenses occurred.
* In addition, some products may require a second deposit before final payment. Please carefully review your product pages for reference.
Step 6. Trip Confirmation.
A final trip confirmation by email including day by day itinerary, hotel information, and flight information will be sent to the main contact passenger approximately one month before departure.
By booking your tour online with UTOvacation.com you acknowledge and agree to all three terms and conditions including the Internet Sales & Deposit Policy and the Sales and Cancellation Policy. You also confirm and agree that you understand that the deposit is non-refundable.
Offline Reservations
Step 1. Complete the reservation.
Call 1-855-526-1286 to request Booking Form. Fill out all the information on the Booking Form with an authentic signature and date on the bottom of the second page. It is the passenger's responsibility to ensure documentation accuracy and travel documents validity. You will be liable for the full loss caused by incorrect information. By the time you full-fill the booking form, you have agreed to receive correspondence from UTOvacation which might include newsflash, email blast or any other promotions in the future.
Email/Fax your current and valid Passport Copy with the Booking Form together to [email protected]/416-251-7778
Step 2. Finalize the booking.
Balance payment of any regular products or services is due 150 days prior to departure unless specified. If the full payment is not obtained by the due date, UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel such reservation and retain the pre-paid deposit to cover any expenses occurred. * In addition, some products may require a second deposit before final payment. Please carefully review your product pages for your reference.
Step 3. Trip Confirmation.
A final trip confirmation by email including day by day itinerary, hotel information, and flight information will be sent to the main contact passenger one month prior to departure.
Make the reservations. A Non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required to secure the space. We accept cash, cheque, money order, debit card, credit card, email transfer, TD transfer. A full payment is required when booking if the package is a special on-sale product.
By booking your tour offline with UTOvacation.com, you acknowledge and agree to all three terms and conditions including the Internet Sales & Deposit Policy and the Sales and Cancellation Policy. You also confirm and agree that you understand that the deposit is non-refundable.
Travel Visa
The following documents from the passenger are required if travel visa is applied through UTOvacation’s Visa Center:
*Remarks: If acquiring a visa on your own, the supporting documents will be provided from UTOvacation One Month prior to the trip departure date. Supporting documents requested early are subject to a $50 administration fee
Trip Cancellation and Eligible Refunds
Please ensure you have read the Trip Cancellation Policy in full and have not scrolled past or by-passed this section.
UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel or modify a tour prior to departure date. An alternative departure date will be offered for no extra charge should there be any travel restrictions, lock-downs imposed by governments, health organizations, travel bureaus. A full travel credit will be offered for future trip rebooking or rescheduling if there are extreme cases happening which are all beyond our control including but not limited to any global pandemics, regional epidemics, wars, or any other acts of god.
All passenger cancellation or change requests must be confirmed in written form by email or fax including your reservation number, full name and date of travel, cancellations will only be accepted in writing.
Any cancellation of the issued flight tickets before departure (all the segments are unused) would incur a penalty of a minium of USD 350.00 per ticket or the surface price of the ticket subject to the rules and regulations of airline company. A adminitration fee also applies. No refund will be available once travel has begun.
Cancellation terms will be applied based on the date that the written cancellation is received and based on the following dates prior to departure.
All reservations, except where specified:
Number of Days Prior to Departure |
Cancellation Penalty (Per Person) |
150 days or above |
$3000 as penalty |
90 - 149 days |
$3000 + 30% of tour fare as penalty |
30 - 89 days |
$3000 + 50% of tour fare as penalty |
0 - 29 days |
100% of the tour fare as the penalty |
No refund will be available on departure date and/or after the tour has commenced (Including denied and/or rejected by Immigration Department or Custom of destination or Cruise port terminal officer).
No refund or reimbursement will be available to passengers who voluntarily forego meals, cruise, tours and/or accommodations. A surcharge may apply should there be any additional fees occurred from services refused by the passengers. i.e. Since air ticket, cruise ticket, transportation, accommodation, and meals have to be arranged in advance during high season (i.e.Holidays, Special Events, and other important activities and conventions), no departure date changed is allowed. No refund will be available on departure date change and/or booking cancellation.
Any other charges, refunds or rebates caused by the acts of God, Force Majeure, natural disasters, fire, weather, governmental and local authority's order, political change, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations, damages or inquiry caused by accident is beyond the responsibility of UTOvacation and therefore, you agree to hold UTOvacation harmless and non-liable for any refunds or compensation outside of the previously defined refund structure. Furthermore, should the traveller violate any local/provincial or national laws during their travels, UTOvacation is not responsible or liable. By this signing the agreement the client agrees to any offer of a voucher, future company credit, or alternative arrangements as determined by management at that time.
No refunds will be offered for Travel notices except for complete travel bans (Canada Travel Advisory Level 4) (USA Travel Advisory Level 4) which have occurred after the date of booking. Should an outright travel ban be implemented by the departing or destination country/city, a full travel credit will be offered. Refunds will not be granted for pre-existing situations at the destination country at the time of the booking. Please note, should UTOvacation incur any unexpected costs from its suppliers, these costs would be subtracted from and balance/travel credit issued to the passenger
For whatever reasons if the refund occurs according to our terms and conditions, such as acts of God, force majeure, natural disasters, fire, weather, political riots, strikes, wars, quarantine, global pandemics/regional epidemics, government travel bans or a lack of enough trip participants i.e., minimum 10 pax for a regular tour to be commenced, the pre-paid amount will be returned in the form of the original payment to the payer.
Please note, any refunded amount will not include fees associated with Travel Visa’s which have already been issued or any services that have already been delivered.
All reschedule tours are consider non-refundable; regular cancellation policy does not apply.
Shopping During your Tour
Although we would be happy to assist your shopping needs, UTOvacation would not be responsible for price, quality, and service of any goods purchased during the tour.
Price Adjustments
After the booking is confirmed, if the price increased following the imposition of a surcharge on fuel by the carrier or an increase in the exchange rate, insofar as the exchange rate applicable before the date on which the services are provided has increased by more than 5% since the date on which the contract was entered into; and/or if the increase, without taking into account any increase in the provincial sales tax or USA Canada's goods and services tax, raising taxes, royalties or reauthorized charges by a competent public authority, is equal to or greater than 7% of the price of services, you may choose between a full and immediate reimbursement of the services or the provision of similar services.(except for acts of God, wars, national strikes, travel restrictions, significant inflations, global pandemic or anything beyond our control)
Tour Adjustments
UTOvacation retains the right to adjust, modify or reschedule tours if deemed necessary.
UTOvacation also reserves the right to adjust your tour date or itinerary if it feels it is in the best interest of its passengers especially in cases that involve the health and safety. This may include minor adjustments like the timing of a scheduled tour attraction visit to a complete date modification.
UTOvacation will do its best to notify you of any such changes before your departure (Or as soon as possible if you have already departed).
Stipulations. Please note, UTOvacation does its’ best to fulfill its tour obligations. However, UTOvacation is not liable for scenarios which impact room availability, tour execution, separate fees or other elements of the tour that is enforced by third party entities such as local and federal authorities.
Tour Credits
UTOvacation on some occasions may issue Travel Credits as either a reward or because of trip suspension.
Travel Credits may be used on any UTOvacation product except for Travel Visa’s or First Class flight fare upgrades
Travel Seat Arrangements
Seating/Cabin assignment: UTOvacation has no power to control the seating selection on the aircraft or cabin location on the cruise (unless where specified). All the spots are arranged by the airline/cruise line group department or randomly selected by the computer system. Therefore, UTO vacation cannot help the customers to change, reserve, pre-assign seats/cabins.
Preferred Seat Upgrade: UTOvacation will not be responsible for any preferred seat upgrade on aircraft (except for business or first class seats). Some cruise packages allow the selection of cabins at the time of booking for an upgraded price; please refer to the product page for details.
Reservation Adjustments
Changes to an existing reservation by the passenger for whatever the cause, will incur a $100 per person charge plus any additional supplier fees. This includes name changes and removal of any services such as optional tours and transfers. The deposit and/or full payment for any optional feature that is on an early bird or special sale promotion is non-refundable and non-transferable.
*Please note that name changes to airline or cruise line reservations are subject to full cancellation or re-booking. See Airline Name Changes section for specific regulations.
Replacing a travelling passenger is subject to cancellation penalties and is not covered by this Reservation Changes policy.
Changes or additional requests after departure are subject to local rates at the time of amendment and must be paid directly by the passenger to the service provider. UTOvacation will make its best effort to minimize these costs, however, all payment will be payable by request of the local service providers.
There are no refunds for unused services.
Travel Insurance
UTOvacation strongly recommends all tour members to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking. UTOvacation does not directly offer Travel Insurance. The Travel Insurance recommended by UTOvacation are facilitated and owned by third party operators. Any Travel Insurance purchased by the passenger is governed by the third party and UTOvacation is not liable or responsible for said insurance.
Flight upgrade
Once we are done issuing your flight tickets, our ticketing department will send you an email to confirm the details in time. UTOvacation shall take no responsibilities if airlines change schedules or change routings afterwards and no refunds shall be commenced because of such alterations.
Baggage
Each airline company has its own rules and regulations with the baggage weight, size, and number. The best way to find out the rules and regulations is to go visit the airline company official website.
Please note, some destinations baggage is not included in the fare. Refer to your specific tour product page’s terms & conditions for specific baggage allowances.
Tour Fare Includes
Tour Fare Excludes
UTO Assurance
By purchasing UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program, passengers may rebook/reschedule their scheduled tour without penalty.
• UTOvacation's Travel Assurance Program must be purchased within 14 days of initial booking.
• UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program: reschedule/rebook up to 150 days before departure $ 99 - $ 399
• UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program: reschedule/rebook up to 120 days before departure $ 199 - $ 499
• UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program: reschedule/rebook up to 90 days before departure $ 299 - $ 599
• Please note, upon purchasing UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program, you understand that this program is non-refundable and non-transferable.
Please note, when UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program is purchased, payments made by the customer will first be applied to the UTOvacation's Travel Assurance program and then to the remainder of the tour package.
Vaccinations
- Please be advised that the vaccination requirements are subject to change in each country and that it is the responsibility of the traveler and not UTOvacation to check about the requirements before the arrival of your destination.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that all travelers should be up to date with routine vaccinations. Following that, travelers should check that they have been fully vaccinated against measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis, and COVID-19 before starting their travel. Non-immunized or incompletely immunized travelers should be offered the routine vaccinations recommended in their national immunization schedules, in addition to those needed for international travel (e.g. yellow fever vaccine).
- The WHO recommends the following vaccinations for travelers to South America: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, and rabies. Some routine vaccinations are also recommended, such as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap), influenza, chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia, meningitis, and polio.
- Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required for some travelers, based on their specific itinerary. It is possible to find further details on the WHO website.
Additional Notes
The extra cost of schedule delay caused by Air Flight cancellation or change will be undertaken by passengers themselves. The missed itineraries will not be re-arranged. During the tour or cruise, it will be considered as surrendering application automatically if you do not attend the pre-arranged tour or check in the prearranged hotel or cruise.
All the extra cost will be undertaken by the client voluntarily. UTOvacation reserves the right to abandon any clients if such clients violate the law or damage the interest of tour groups If a travel visa is denied for any reason either applied through UTOvacation Visa Service Center or applied on your own, the tour cancellation policy applies when cancellation of the tour is requested. UTOvacation holds no responsibilities for any denied Travel Visa application.
If a child, 18 years old or younger, is travelling abroad with only one parent/guardian, children MUST carry a notarized consent letter signed by non-accompanying parent/guardian. If a child, 18 years old or younger is travelling alone, children must carry a notarized consent letter signed by both parents/guardian. Such a consent letter may be requested by immigration authorities when entering or leaving from a foreign country or by North American officials when re-entering into USA or Canada. Failure of presenting such document may result in the rejection of boarding aircraft or vessel for the children concerned.
UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel any booking/accommodation/flight arrangement if the customer fails to pay the compulsory tipping for the entire trip prior to departure date or the 1st day of arrival to the destination. (Please note, the tip is an industry-standard and is provided to the tour guides and bus drivers of the designated tours, to ensure our customers receive the best and high-quality service during the trip.)
Cruise lines reserve the right to cancel, modify or substitute any scheduled port of calls and the schedule at any time and for any reason whatsoever without prior notice due to the navigation authority and water conditions. Any additional expenses caused by the trip interruption should be paid by the customers, which includes but not limited to meals, transportation, hotel accommodations, personal expense, and lost baggage. UTOvacation shall not be liable for any loss to guests.
For children under 18 who will be occupying a bed, there will be an additional $100 supplement per child. Please note, this is only applicable China discounted tours or any trip that includes China discounter tours.
Please note, there is a minimum attendant requirement for optional programs and Pre and Post tour extensions, UTOvacation reserves the right to cancel or modify optional programs and Pre and Post tour extensions prior to departure date.
Safeguarding your payment(s) is our top priority. In order to prevent any rampant fraudulence or deception, we ask our customers to settle payment(s) through your account on UTOvacation official website at www.utovacation.com. Should you choose offline payment submission, Cheque/Money order/Bank draft/Credit card (with credit card authorization form filled out and signed) are accepted and the payee must be UTOvacation. Please be advised that UTOvacation has never been allowing Bank transfer/Email transfer for transactions and Cash is not recommended. If you find something suspicious regarding your payment, please call 1-855.526.1286 before any further actions.
Remarks:
1) UTOvacation reserves the right to impose relevant fuel/inflation surcharge if Brent Crude Oil Price Index or US/Canada Official CPI has jumped over 4% between your booking date and tour departure date.
2) UTOvacation usually sends out important notifications including but not limited to destination health protocols, travel industry policies, tour updates and safety alerts to our agents/customers by newsletter through email. We are not responsible for trip delay, service cancellation, price increase or any other types of loss caused by unsubscribing from our email list, wrong email address or a lack of checking email box/spam folder/junk folder on a regular basis. If you have not received our newsletter for a long time, make sure your email address is effective/valid and you are on our email list. OR contact us immediately at [email protected] for assistance.
UTOvacation strongly recommends that you purchase travel insurance for any future travel plans.
We have curated two reputable partners one in the USA and one for Canada. Once you have made your trip selection, please select the option of purchasing travel insurance.
For USA patrons, in order to qualify for the “Cancel For Any Reason” Option offered by John Hancock, you will need to purchase your insurance within 14 days of your initial deposit. Other insurance policies may be purchased later.
Please note, the travel insurance that is available for purchase is with our affiliate partners and not a direct product or offering of UTOvacation. For any questions or concerns, please contact the vendor directly.
American Travel Insurance (click for more details)
Canadian Travel Insurance (click for more details)