Terms & Conditions

The terms and conditions below apply to all bookings made on our website (www.3rdpoletour.com). Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have had the opportunity to read and have read these terms and conditions and agree to them.

In these booking conditions, "you" and "yours" means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date) or any of them, as the context requires and "lead name" means the person who makes the booking. "We", "us" and "our" means 3rdpoletour.com.

1. Validity

Dates, itineraries and prices are valid from 01 January 2015 until 31 December 2015. Beyond 31 December 2015 dates, itineraries and prices are indicative only.

2. Your Eligibility and Responsibility

To book a tour with 3rdpoletour.com, you must know that we never arrange private tours for those who are below 18 years of age. If you are under 18, you may book our tour only with involvement of a parent or legal guardian or other travel partners who are above 18. Travelers who are less than 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult throughout the trip. Before making the reservation with 3rdpoletour.com, it is your responsibility to read and understand all the terms and conditions of 3rdpoletour.com. If you have any questions, then please ask your travel consultant before signing the contract. After signing the contract, all the terms and conditions are bound by law.

3. Reservation Process

1) Once receiving your inquiry, one of 3rdpole tour experienced travel consultants will start to help you to create a tour plan around your specific requirements and interests within 24 hours. Your travel consultant will communicate with you 1-on-1 until you are happy with the tour plan.

2) After you confirm the tour plan with us, you are requested to pay the deposit to secure your booking (30 percent of the total price), once we receive your deposit, we'll secure your reservation and deal with your final booking immediately.

3) It is highly suggested you make the reservation at least 30 days prior to your tour date. Full payment is required to finish 20 days prior to your travel date.

4) Once your booking is confirmed, your travel consultant will send you a Confirmation Letter to inform you of the booked flights, hotels, and itinerary in details. In case of any emergency or force majeure after the confirmation letter, 3rdpoletour.com reserves the right to make changes and offer you the similar alternatives best for you.

Please Note:
Specific terms may apply to some promotions & deals. In this case please refer to the detailed terms and conditions specified on the certain pages of promotions.

4. Payment

We accept three ways of payment: 1) credit card; 2) wire transfer (bank transfer); 3) PayPal
Check out our payment guide for details or your travel consultant will offer you the details by email.

Please Note:
1.) You can find reference exchange rate at BOC EXCHANGE RATE.
2.) 3rdpoletour.com will provide you with quote calculated in Chinese currency-CNY, as well as the equivalent quote in USD based on the current exchange rate. Please note our quote in USD may change slightly due to the fluctuation of the exchange rate, though CNY quote remains the same.

5. Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit (down payment), which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. We do provide unlimited alteration, as we are motivated to satisfy all your requirements and interests as much as possible. The first two modifications will be free of charge. From the third modification onwards, we will charge a service fee of $20 for every new modification. The extra charge or loss incurred due to such changes will be borne by you. Late alteration might not be workable due to legal cancellation policies of service-providing individuals or organizations that we work with. Nevertheless, our professional guidance and experience promise you a satisfying tour right from the beginning without need of any alteration.

If you would like to add additional travelers in your group after it has been confirmed, we will only charge the difference in rates for the added travelers. Once the added travelers have been confirmed, the reservation cannot be changed or removed without a cancellation fee. To cancel a customer from a reservation, the regular cancellation policy will apply.

6. Cancellation and Refund policy

You may cancel the tour because of your personal or work issues, so your cancellation request should be in written and you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

a. If the tour has to cancelled because of permit closure or government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, then we will charge only USD50 per person or equivalent in CNY, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation.
b. If you cancel your tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person.
c. If you cancel your tour 30-15 days prior to your tour start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
d. If you cancel your tour 15-7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
e. If you cancel your tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
f. If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the tour cost.

7. Tibet Issues

Due to uncertainty of political, climatic and geographical situation of Tibet, tour cancellations might be resulted that is out of 3rdpoletour.com's control. Under such circumstances, there are two options for our esteemed customers:

1.) If you agree to cancel the tour, then we charge only USD50 per person as labor cost for the time spent during the planning session. (The cancellation fee charged by 3rdpoletour.com will be kept under your name (person who contacted us) for a usable period of 2 years. Within the applicable period you can use it for next time or you can kindly pass your authority to any of your family, friends or colleagues to use by booking a tour with 3rdpoletour.com. A certifying email from you is necessary to pass the cancellation fee to others, but it is only applicable for private group.) if you book the flight/trian tickes from us then the cancellation fee will be charged according to the Airline/Railway administration policy, and the refund service fee charge from the bank will count on your side.

2.) If you still want to continue a similar tour, then we will design a similar tour that meets your requirements in another opened area. Tibetan areas which in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces in mainland China have slightly different political and climatic situations, but are equally interesting, with rich Tibetan culture and amazing natural scenery, so we can design a similar tours in those areas, but you are responsible to pay cost differences occurred by such changes.

Once the cancellation is confirmed by both sides, we will need your bank account information and 3rdpoletour.com will refund the remaining amount to you within 10 working days. Please be informed that bank transfer costs will be counted on your side.

8. Force Majeure

Compensation won’t apply when the fulfillment of contract between clients and 3rdpoletour.com are hindered by the following events: risk or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorism, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, technical problems on transport, closure or congestion of airport or ports, cancellation or change of scheduled airlines etc. that beyond our control.

9. Limitation of Liability

3rdpoletour.com will make all arrangements involving transportation, sightseeing and hotel accommodation etc. as a coordinator. We does not own, manage, control or operate any transportation vehicle, hotel, restaurant or any other suppliers. All receipts and tickets are issued subject to the terms and conditions of the suppliers, and all services are provided subject to the laws indicating us act as an agent for the owner contractors and suppliers. 3rdpoletour.com assumes no responsibility for the loss, damage on person or property, any injury, illness or death, delays, transport failures which directly or indirectly caused by suppliers.

10. Travel Document

The clients have to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months to travel to all countries within our service scope. Clients are responsible for documentation accuracy, passport validity and dispatch of documents. Clients must offer us the exact full name on their passport; otherwise any delays, transport failure caused are not our responsibility. Also, travel insurance purchased in advance is strongly suggested for your own sake.

11. Luggage Allowance

As specified by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, check-in luggage for domestic flights is 20kg (44pounds) for the economy class, 30kg (66pounds) for the business class, and 40kg (88pounds) for the first class;

Hand luggage is allowed less than 5kg (11pounds) in total and within the size of 20×40×55 each piece(standards of different airlines may different slightly).

Please Note:
1.) You will be responsible for any excess baggage charges.
2.) It's requested by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China that all suitcases can be locked, otherwise the airport may refuse to load suitcases onto the aircraft.

12. For Disabilities

Our service embraces all people, regardless of color, physical conditions and belief. Our ultimate goal is to provide a beautiful experience and expand travel opportunities for people with special needs in the third pole regions. Because of the peculiar environment of highland, traveling in third pole regions is not suitable for some people, despite of our sincere care. You are responsible to verify with us before you book a tour with us to ensure that special arrangements can be made if required for your needs. 3rdpoletour.com is not liable for any incidences or consequences incurred during the tour or lawsuits or complaints after travel due to your failure to inform us of your special needs. You also have the responsibility to re-confirm with us after we reserve seats for you that special accommodation will be provided per your request.

13. Complaints and Claims

Whenever you are not satisfied with any service of 3rdpoletour.com, not matter before, during or after your tour, please let us know through your local tour guide or your travel consultant immediately, so that we can solve the problem in the first time and prevent it from happening again.