Frequently Asked Questions

  • Fair question. There are a lot of tour providers out there, so why should you choose Occidental Travel Co.?

    (1) Personalised service. You will deal with one person from your first point of contact right through to the start of the tour. That person will know your individual requirements and build a relationship with you. On the tour, the guide will look after you throughout the entire experience.

    (2) Low overheads. Occidental Travel Co. doesn’t have a large team of marketers, accountants and corporate executives, and doesn’t have a fancy website or a sleek downtown office. We keep our overheads low and pass those savings on to you. That’s why our tours are a lot cheaper than equivalent operators.

    (3) We know the areas well. We don’t offer tours in every niche and every country because we don’t know them well enough. We do know wine, food, golf and cricket, and we know our destinations, so we specialise in those areas.

    (4) Experience. With over a decade of organising tours, we know what is required for the planning and execution to give you just the right experience.

  • This will vary by tour and will be indicated clearly on the tour itinerary. Generally, the tours include accommodation, transportation throughout the tour (including airport transfers), a full-time guide, 24/7 personalised human phone support, an Opening Dinner and a Closing Dinner, tour merch, as well as activities/meals as indicated on the tour itinerary.

    Not included are flights to/from the tour start/finish, insurance, souvenirs, gratuities and personal items.

  • This varies from tour to tour, but we usually aim for around 20 people on each tour. This number works well because it allows for socialising and easy management but you don’t get lost in the crowd or have to wait around all day for people.

  • Absolutely! The beauty of Occidental Travel tours is that they are just as much fun for single travellers as they are for couples and groups.

    Our itineraries are designed to be enjoyed by the full group and many lifelong friendships have already been established by people who “flew solo” on one of our tours.

  • Yes, absolutely.

    You are very welcome to get a bunch of friends or clubmates together and let us take care of all the arrangements so you can just enjoy each other’s company.

  • The wine and food tours are quite relaxed, physically. The more active activities are optional. The golf and cricket tours obviously involve more exertion, although carts are available.

    Overall, fitness is not a requirement for most of the non-sporting tours.

  • Occidental Travel tours involve bookings with accommodation and activity providers, and we are bound by their cancellation terms. This helps protect both our guests and our partners. Your deposit is non-refundable (unless the tour is cancelled), and the balance is due 60 days before travel. If you cancel after full payment, we’ll aim to refund 50 percent of the total cost for cancellations made more than 28 days before your arrival. Within 28 days of travel, or once your tour has started, we’re unable to offer refunds.

  • The payment structure is quite simple.

    A US$500 deposit (or equivalent in your currency) will hold your spot. The balance is due 60 days before the tour starts.

  • We accept international bank transfers, Wise, PayPal, and all major credit cards. Some credit cards may attract a small processing fee.

  • These will be indicated on the tour itineraries. The wine and food tours are obviously focused on eating and drinking so they involve more meals.

  • Yes, absolutely. If you would like to extend your trip, either before or after the tour, we are happy to handle the accommodation and activity bookings. We don’t book international flights or travel insurance directly, but we’ll absolutely help you plan around them.

  • We suggest booking at least 6 to 12 months ahead, but we can usually make arrangements in shorter timeframes.

  • Our tour leaders are always experts in their field and know the local area intimately. They will be with the group from start to finish and will get to know everyone well so they can provide individualised service and guidance.

  • This varies from tour to tour but accommodation will always fit into the “premium” category. In India, we only stay at 5-star hotels. In South Africa, we often prefer lodges and more boutique accommodation. In New Zealand, we stay at 4- and 5-star hotels and lodges.

  • In most cases, this is no problem. Just give us advance warning and we will make the appropriate arrangements.

  • Travel insurance is highly recommended. We do not provide insurance.

  • Yes. We have chosen locations that we have visited frequently before and have a high level of comfort regarding safety.

    There are always risks travelling anywhere, but your safety is always our top priority and we make every effort to keep all of our tourists happy and secure.

  • Yes, you can pay a deposit to hold your space on a tour up to 12 months in advance. The balance is due 60 days before departure.