OPERATIONAL POLICIES:
# Package Tours / Price Setting: Packtours package prices refer normally to travel service without including plane tickets (air fares), we use to only include: accommodation at chosen hotel/room, including all compulsory hotel taxes and breakfast (Meal: B), airport transfer (IN & OUT) and some of the most important guided tours at each destination. The prices are normally per person, staying in individual room (SGL), or per person sharing a room with two (DBL) or more beds, and the initial proposal refers normally to accommodation at each hotel’s most simple accommodation, “standard room” (STD). The prices are normally defined / presented in two seasons; High season (approx December 15 to March, 1 & 1 to 31 of July) and Low season (approx opposite dates of the high season). NOTE: It occurs divergences from these general outlines, according to local interpretations / definitions of high/low seasons, holiday** packages and other policies, but you will receive more details during the process of quotation and in the confirmation of booked travel service.

# Holidays: Below a list of Brazilian holidays; during these holidays most providers change prices and conditions of bookings, prices may change and/or the hotels require a minimum of paying nights and sometimes require a pre-payment to confirm the booking.

HOLDAY / PACKAGE: DATE / PERIOD:
New Year’s Package: 26/Dec/2005 – 02/Jan/2006
Carnival Package: 24/Feb/2006 – 01/Mar/2006
Easter Package: 13/Apr/2006 – 16/Apr/2006
Tiradentes Day Package: 20/Apr/2006 – 23/Apr/2006
Labor Day Package: 28/Apr/2006 – 01/May/2006
Corpus Christi Package: 14/Jun/2006 – 18/Jun/2006
Independence Day Package: 06/Sep/2006 – 10/Sep/2006
Holy Mary’s Day Package: 11/Oct/2006 – 15/Oct/2006
Remembrance Day Package: 01/Nov/2006 – 05/Nov/2006
Republic Day Package: 14/Nov/2006 – 19/Nov/2006
Christmas Day Package: 22/Dec/2006 – 26/Dec/2006
New Year’s Package: 26/Dec/2006 – 02/Jan/2007

OBS: Most hotels or providers have special packages during these periods, please consult.

# HOTELS: The general check-in time is at 14:00 and check-out time at 12:00 (OBS: Some hotels might have divergences / other times of check-in & out, but this will be presented in the hotel voucher). Early check-in or late check-out can be requested according to your desires, but to guarantee early check-in or late check-out at specific time, then we normally have to charge extra for that service, according to each hotel’s policy. Normally they charge a half day rate (sometimes full day rate) for early check-in respectively late check-out. Upon request, we can also book special room preferences according to each client’s desires, but we can normally NOT give 100% guarantees that the hotel will fulfill them. Example of room preferences: the room’s location within the hotel (specific view, floor or rooms next to each other), bed size, non smoking rooms, etc. We can only inform the hotel about the guest’s desires, and only the day of check-in, the hotel’s front desk staff will attend the desires in best possible manner. NOTE: Included meals, normally only breakfast, are served within a time frame set by each hotel. Subject of divergences from these general rules and subject of availability until a requested booking is confirmed.

# AIRLINE COMPANIES: It is cheaper, in 99% of all cases, to buy plane tickets in the country of point of departure of the travel (NOT in Brazil). Therefore Packtours does normally NOT provide or include airfares in its package prices. See information about the Brazil Airpass, which is the most advantageous plane ticket for domestic flights. NOTE: The air pass is not marketed in Brazil; it can only be purchased outside of Brazil. If you are not able to confirm desired flight routing in your country, or if you may travel and need only one way ticket, then we may provide this plane ticket a part. Most flights in Brazil are ticket less or using electronic tickets. To able your check-in and travel, the airline companies require that you can show an original passport or for residents in Brazil “RG” or “RNE” (ID card) by the time of check-in. On the day of travel, you need to show up at the airline’s check-in desk, for domestic regular flights, at least one hour before mentioned departure time, and two hours before international regular flights. If you travel with chartered flights, we recommend that you add at least 30min to mentioned times of check-in. Remember that the rules and conditions of each purchased plane ticket vary a lot. Most travelers of leisure buy tickets with special discounts, not full price tickets, and consequently the rights and privileges (luggage limits, possibility to change timetable or routing, possibility to cancel & get refunded, etc) decrease corresponding to percentage of the price decrease. Verify with the plane ticket issuer, what rights and privileges you may have.

# RECEPTIVE SERVICES (Transfers, guided tour services & activities): Our airport transfer service is performed by uniformed drivers, and a driver or guide will be waiting for you inside the airport terminal, upon your arrival, showing a sign with your name; so the traveler has to watch for our representative at the airport. (More information of the service function will be shown in the voucher). Transfers, guided tour services and other activities can be performed on REGULAR basis (done together with other travelers) or on PRIVATE basis (only for you), and with bilingual staff; all according to your desires and needs.

# 3rd PART TOUR OPERATOR (Local Charter Packages): At Packtours it is possible to purchase travel service / package tours, provided by other local tour operators acting on the Brazilian market. The most common product of this kind might be charter packages, one week packages, with departures on Saturdays or Sundays. However, if Packtours resell a package tour or other travel service, provided by another tour operator; the “general conditions” presented on this page are NOT valid. The conditions are probably very similar, but will certainly have divergences from Packtours conditions. Separate conditions will be forwarded to you, in case of we resell a 3rd part tour operators travel service.

BOOKING & PURCHASE PROCEDURES:
# Book and Buy travel services: After you have sent us the internet inquiry, we will send you a draft of a proposal. This is the starting point of the dialogue with one of our travel agents. You will be able to modify the travel service until we have reached an agreement. When everything is defined, we will book requested travel service; and when all bookings are confirmed, we will send you an invoice. As soon as we received requested payment, we will be able to guarantee booked travel service and will send you vouchers and/or tickets of purchased service. NOTE: All documents (invoice, vouchers, etc) will be sent via e-mail, in the “PDF-format”, which can be opened by Adobe Acrobat Reader.

# Packtours prices are normally published in US Dollars and can, upon request, be converted to other currencies, using an exchange rate given by Packtours. The prices in our proposals are always subject to alteration without previous notice until a requested booking is confirmed. The price in the confirmation is valid until given deadline of payment.

# Packtours accepts following forms of payments: 1) Credit Card (VISA or MasterCard) via Packtours web-page, 2) International Wire Transfer (SWIFT/BIC system), or 3) National bank transfer/deposit ONLY available for those that have a Brazilian Bank Account.

# All bank fees must be covered by the purchaser. For International Wire Transfers, Packtours will add a fee of US$ 25,00, of each transaction. NOTE: In cases Packtours NOT receive the total of requested amount; then we will send you another invoice and charge extra for the missing amount, or we will discount some service to compensate the divergence, according to your preference.

# The last day of full payment should be done 30 days before the first day of travel. If the booking is confirmed and accepted by the traveler more than 30 days before the travel date, Packtours may request a down payment by the time the service is confirmed, and the rest of the payment has to be done 30 days before the first day of travel. Payment of bookings/confirmations with less than 30 days before first day of travel, Packtours may only accept payment by credit card. (VISA or MasterCard). Detailed pay-in information you will get in the confirmation of booked travel service.

RESPONSIBILITY:
Packtours Travel Service works only with selected service providers, but as we only resell other companies services we can not take any responsibility of third part’s operation. If an airline carrier i.e. cancels, changes or delays its flights, the damage that may cause the traveler is a problem between the airline carrier and the traveler. If the flight booking was done at Packtours, we may mediate the negotiation of claim compensations in the same way as we mediate the booking, but we can not guarantee the result of the negotiation, as the decision of clam compensation is totally the airline carrier’s.

The same principle is valid for other service providers like; hotels, transfers or guided tour services. Packtours can not take the responsibility of their technical operation (problems with AC, elevators, food, etc), but the travelers must forward its claims to Packtours as soon as possible (during the travel), so we have the chance to investigate the claim and present a solution. Another problem is “over-bookings” which is not permitted in Brazil, but some airlines and hotels are still practicing it, which sometimes cause inconveniences for the travelers. These actions are out of Packtours control as well, but if it happens, we will of course meditate the negotiation between the parts, providing a solution as good as possible.

OBS: If the traveler misses a flight and of some reason arrive a destination (city) in another flight or date, it is the traveler’s responsibility to notify Packtours of this change in advanced, to avoid charge of “NO-SHOW”, of airport transfers, accommodations and guide tour services. As we have hundreds of service providers and all of them have different conditions, it is difficult to set a general rule. However, Packtours works after the principle that we need to receive the notification 72-hours in advanced to avoid charge of “NO-SHOW”, which normally is the cost of the first hotel night and/or the cost of the transfer IN (cost of services within the next 48-hours). The travel MUST always reach / notify a Packtours representative of the change, by leaving a message personally by telephone, or at least leave a message at our voicemail: CALL: +55-11-5053-9810 or +55-11-9498-9388.

IMPORTANT: Cases of “force majeure” or accidents with injured or dead travelers, Packtours as travel arranger, take NO economical responsibility of that. This is a subject for each traveler to cover its claims in advanced by signing a travel insurance, which has to be purchased a part at any insurance company. NOTE: The service providers Packtours indicate operate legally under authorization by the Brazilian Travel & Tourism Ministry, named EMBRATUR and they pay compulsory taxes and insurances, but as their coverage are limited and as a person’s life is invaluable, each traveler must contract an individual insurance of desired coverage.

GENERAL POLICY OF CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS:

CHARGE OF CANCELLATIONS:
# In cases of cancellations of prepaid travel service, Packtours has to discount from the reimbursable amount: US$ 50,00 for Credit Card Payment done at Packtours www-page, and US$ 100,00 for (wire transfers) SWIFT / BIC payments, and R$ 20,00 for national bank deposits (for those that have bank account in Brazil). Payments done directly to an airline company or third part tour operator will be handled according each specific tour operator’s contract or each specific airlines airfare base / rule.

GENERAL POLICY OF REIMBURSEMENT:
# Cancellations 30 days or more, before the first day of travel, we reimburse 95% of pre-paid service.

# Cancellations 29 to 21 days before the first day of travel, we reimburse 90% of pre-paid service.

# Cancellations 20 to 08 days before the first day of travel, we reimburse 80% of pre-paid service.

# Cancellations 07 days before until the day of travel, we reimburse 50% of pre-paid service.

# Cancellations since the travel has started, we don’t reimburse.

EXCEPTIONS OF REIMBURSEMENT:
# Reimbursement of purchased plane tickets will be handled according to the rules that current airline company practice, and according to the specific rules of purchased plane ticket. Information of penalties and possibility to refund of plane tickets will be presented separately and do NOT involve the general policy of reimbursement above.

# Reimbursement of purchased package tour (travel service) at third part tour operator will be handled according to the contract of current tour operator and do NOT involve the general policy of reimbursement above.

# Special packages during high season, federal or local holidays, like New Year’s & Carnival packages are normally NOT refundable, independently how long time in advanced the service was paid.

# Some hotels (suppliers) require 50% to 100% down payment to confirm the booking and pre-paid down payments are NOT refundable.

OBS: All kind of exceptions from the “General Policy of Reimbursement” will be notified in your booking confirmation.

NOTE: We will also remember that Packtours always strives to provide as good solutions as possible for its clients and in case of a cancellation; it exists always the possibility to evaluate each case’s circumstances and conditions, and the result might be more beneficial than mentioned above.