Tammie
As we strive to provide positive, unique, safe, and affordable travel options, we have some important updates for our tours in 2026.
Price Adjustments
Over the past two years, we have absorbed increased costs for accommodation and transport worldwide, especially in Europe, where accommodation costs have risen by 30%. Coupled with the low conversion rate of the Australian dollar, travel has become more of a luxury for Australians. To maintain the high quality of our tours, we will increase our prices by approximately 15% in 2026.
Affordable Tour Options
We remain committed to offering various tour solutions, including more affordable tours and retreats in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. For 2025, we are also offering a four-night Australian catch-up for women who cannot travel overseas. These options ensure we can cater to different budgets and travel preferences.
Operational Changes
To keep our prices affordable, we have made the following adjustments:
We will source use unique, enjoyable affordable accommodations.ย
For tours with seven or fewer participants, we will use in-country tour leaders. This change will only affect about 20% of our tours, as most of our 2025 tours already have a host attached. Please note that cancellations can happen, affecting hosting arrangements.
One benefit of offering tours without a host for smaller groups is that we can now guarantee departures for all our tours. This opens up new opportunities and destinations for you to explore. While you may need to entertain yourselves more after hours, our local tour operators need downtime after working around 12 hours a day. You will still receive suggestions for meals, free evenings, and relaxation time.
#### Benefits
Guaranteed Departures: All our tours will have guaranteed departures, offering more certainty and fewer cancellations.
Diverse Options: Affordable tour options in Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and domestic options in Australia.
Personalised Experiences: Smaller group tours means more connection with the communities we visit.
Cost-Efficiency: Adjustments like 3-star accommodations to keep prices manageable without compromising enjoyment.
Enhanced Support: For groups of eight or more, we have hosts in attendance, offering a more supportive and richer experience.
####Comparison with Competitors
While other tour operators manage increased costs by increasing group sizes, we prioritise maintaining smaller, more intimate group sizes to ensure personalised experiences for our guests. This allows us to offer a more tailored and enjoyable travel experience. Additionally, we never offer early bird discounts or special offers. Many competitors provide sales of up to 25% off their trips, but this could not be sustainable for us as we always keep our prices reasonable.
We believe our tours offer exceptional value and experiences. We offer payment plans and advertise our tours at least 12 months in advance to help make the payment process more manageable. We hope you continue to support us so we can make travel memories together.
