FAQs

While every group is different, Blue Dot tours are generally Australian travellers who are in their 50s, 60s and older. Groups usually include a combination of singles, couples and friends.

Blue Dot do not have any specific age limit on our tours. Most travellers are in their 50s, 60s and 70s, but whether you’re older or younger, you are welcome. The important thing is that you’re in good health and after a wonderful cultural experience.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to do sections of our tours unless it is a private tour. It is however, possible to meet up with the group from an overseas destination.

Mostly our itineraries provide full days of activities, visits, and sightseeing. Occasionally, there will be an afternoon or a day to enjoy some downtime in a particular location, especially should the destination lend itself to doing so. Travellers will need to keep in mind that the group has an itinerary to work to. Long travel days are sometimes necessary to reach the places we need to see. We’ll always try and balance these days with shorter days or rest days.

These are activities that we do not automatically include but are occasionally offered on the trip. Sometimes great opportunities just come up.

Some of our itineraries are available for private tours as they stand. Others require tailoring. We often arrange for private groups and are happy to plan a trip based on independent group requirements. Minimum number requirements may apply depending on the destination.

Generally speaking, the following costs are to be borne by the traveller; tourist visas, taxes and duties, foreign currency for personal use, local domestic airfares to the point of tour departure, personal expenses such as phone calls, and alcoholic beverages. Usually, but not always, breakfasts and one major meal is included in the tour costs. Meals which are included will always be listed on the itinerary.

The final payment for international trips is due 90 days before the departure. If you’ve booked your trip within 90 days of the scheduled departure date, full payment is required immediately. Importantly, if payment is not made within 90 days of departure, your place on the trip is jeopardised. Payment for flights – if booked as an individual ticket and not as part of a group ticket – are required at the time of booking. Expedition tours, cruises or tours with special permits may require an interim payment. We will notify you in advance if this is the case.

Yes, there is a 1.75% surcharge on all bookings paid by Amex, Visa or Mastercard. This fee is charged by the card services provider and cannot be waived.

Blue Dot Travel may earn commissions from suppliers such as airlines, cruise operators and hotels. The amount of commission will vary from supplier to supplier depending on numerous factors including, but not limited to, the volume of business placed with the supplier. If a tour is cancelled by the customer, or cancelled due to DFAT travel warnings, Blue Dot Travel is not obliged to refund any commissions earned. The commission system in travel is considered standard practice.

Final tour documents will normally be mailed around 21 days prior to departure, after the balance payment has been received. Prior to that, you will receive regular updates and information letters well in advance of departure.

Yes, you must take out adequate travel insurance for each of our tours. We do not accept travellers without travel insurance. It is up to each individual traveller to ensure that the insurance is right for them. Blue Dot Travel does not provide Travel Insurance.

We strongly recommend that all travellers read the Product Disclosure Statement provided by their travel insurer with special attention to “what is” and “what is not” covered by your insurance.

Immunisation requirements vary in each destination. We recommend you visit your local doctor to discuss health requirements for your trip. They will advise you about the appropriate immunisations. In some areas, anti-malaria medication may be required. Often the vaccines need to be administered a few weeks before departure, so please allow plenty of time.

All travellers accept there is a risk of contracting Covid 19, influenza or a respiratory virus while on tour. By joining the tour, you accept this risk and understand that you may travel with someone who has contracted one of these conditions at some stage of the tour. Blue Dot Travel is governed by the rules and regulations of the country we are travelling in. If a traveller contracts Covid 19 or a respiratory illness while on a Blue Dot tour, the traveller must make every effort to isolate wherever possible and practical. Subject to any local regulations in force at the time, if a group is due to move on to the next destination and a client is still isolating, that client will travel with the group. To reduce the possibility of transmission, the affected client will be seated at the rear of the transport, and all travellers should wear a mask (N95 preferred). On arrival at the next city, the affected client will continue to isolate and should not participate in activities with the group until the isolation period has ended. If a traveller tests positive on an expedition cruise, the person who has tested positive will need to abide by the policies and procedures of the cruise line. Any costs associated with isolation, medical treatment, transport to and from medical facilities, etc. will be borne by the traveller.

Our trips are designed to be enjoyed by anyone who is reasonably fit. You must be able to walk at least one thousand metres at a moderate pace without requiring a stop, be able to carry your own bags and be able to walk at least up three flights of stairs unassisted. Some trips visit remote areas where medical facilities are very basic, so you must be in good health.

On all holidays, a flexible, open-minded approach is essential. Unfamiliar customs and cultures can be unsettling and there will sometimes be other factors which may reduce your comfort, such as unsealed roads, humidity, traffic, and delays. Often you will be required to carry your own bags, an important factor to consider when packing.

Whenever you travel, you will be required to do some degree of walking. Some tours will require more than others. Our tour itinerary will indicate the level of activity on particular days for each destination. Many places of interest are located on hilltops, forts or old cities. Often there is a restriction on vehicle access to these places of interest. You don’t have to participate in visiting every sight or stop, and you will always have the option of staying with the bus and driver.

Yes, we can certainly try. Meal requests must be advised at time of booking or 21 days prior to departure. All efforts are made to accommodate reasonable special dietary requirements, like vegetarian meals and gluten free meals, however in some locations this cannot be guaranteed.

Our terms and conditions state that you agree to carry a mobile device so that the airlines can contact you directly and advise of any cancellations and disruptions regarding your flights.

Your phone should work in most major cities and even regional areas. Many of the Australian mobile phone service providers now offer “travel passes” which are a cheaper way of making and receiving calls whilst overseas.

It’s a good idea to check with your service provider before you go if they have a reciprocal agreement with the countries you are travelling to, and make sure you remember to get international roaming turned on. A note of caution, mobile roaming – both phone calls and internet data can get very expensive! A way to avoid high costs is to turn off data roaming before travelling and just use local Wifi for data.

Some of the places we stay do have laundry facilities, and those that don’t may have laundry facilities nearby, especially within cities.

Please visit our Terms and Conditions page on the web site for full details. Please ensure you have read and understood these prior to booking.

From time to time travel conditions in the countries we operate in can and do change. The safety and well being of our clients and staff is always of paramount importance to us and there are times when we are called upon to consider either cancelling trips or making changes to our itineraries to avoid problem areas.

• Blue Dot Travel (BDT) makes these decisions based on information obtained from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) travel advisory and our own local operators, who are able to provide us with up to the minute information on the situation in their country. Other important sources of information we consider include travel advisories from other foreign government websites including:  Britain, Canada, New Zealand, United States, World Health Organisation
  
• BDT will not operate tours when the Australian Government travel advisory reaches level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’.
  
• Where possible and safe to do so, BDT will reroute itineraries to avoid the areas concerned and additional costs may be incurred.
  
• Decisions to cancel or re-route upcoming tours are made on a rolling basis, as situations and DFAT advice can change at any time.  Where the advice is temporarily at ‘Do Not Travel’, we will review the status of our tours approximately 2 weeks prior to departure.