Need To Know
Answers to common questions.
Health
An adventure holiday involving exercise, physical activity and at times extreme heat or humidity, requires greater commitment than conventional touring. To get the most out of your adventure it is important that you are up to the physical challenges, mentally flexible, and you are positive and eager to take on all the challenges that arise. It is your duty to make certain that you meet the activity and fitness levels required for the trip that you intend to book. Undertake adequate preparation and training, and check with your doctor to ensure that you are medically fit for your proposed activity.
TRAVEL AND HEALTH INSURANCE
By its very nature adventure travel involves an element of the unexpected. Similarly, your personal health may take an unexpected turn or you may sustain an injury. Please make sure you are covered for the unexpected by taking out personal travel insurance. You must check with your insurance company that you will be covered for the types of activities that you are planning to undertake. Ensure that your policy also covers the terms of our cancellation policy.
We have teamed up with a leading travel insurance company to provide you with travel insurance which covers you for the activities that we are undertaking. Ask us for more information.
TRIP AVAILABILITY
Most of our tour departure dates are flexible, if we are available we will take you where you want to go when you want to go with a few seasonal exceptions. These tours are our private tours, tailor made especially for you and your family or travelling group. (You do have an option of opening your private tour to other customers but we will discuss this in more detail once the booking has been made and only if you are interested in reducing your tour cost by accepting other travellers.)
Some of our adventure tours, primarily the international tours, have set departure dates. The set departure date tours are not private and are open to anyone. However, the same tours are also available as private tours departing at your convenience (subject to availability and seasonal restrictions). Please contact us using the website contact form if you are interested in undertaking one of our set departure date tours as a flexible independent private tour.
Look at our website calendar. The calendar will show you our set date departure tours as well as our availability to undertake any of our other tours (or your design-yourself-tour) with flexible departure dates. We conduct a few tours simultaneously with various members of our team, so it is possible to book a separate private tour even if a set tour is marked on the booking calendar. If anything is not clear, don’t worry, just contact us using our online contact form.
Our preferred method of contact is by email as we are often out of mobile range or are busy undertaking tours during the day.
HOW TO BOOK
Our tours are small and independent, as such we do not provide instant online bookings as we always need to ensure other services, like train tickets or accommodation, are also available before we can confirm your tour. We encourage you to contact us via our website contact form well in advance so that we can cross check availability to ensure that your adventure tour runs smoothly.
Once contact is made we will start a conversation with you to ensure that we develop a truely memorable adventure tour. We will also send you additional information and questionnaires relating to the type of adventure tour you are interested in and the type of activity(s) you want to undertake as well as your experience and fitness levels if appropriate.
Terms and Conditions
Payment
- Payment is by electronic bank transfer.
- Visa and MasterCard payments (+1.5%)
- 50% deposit is required to secure your booking.
- Final payment is due 6 weeks before departure. You will be advised when final payment is due after your tour is finalised.
Cancellations
- All cancellations will incur a fee of 10% of the full fare if made before 6 weeks of the scheduled departure.
- Between 2 and 6 weeks of the departure day, a cancellation fee of 50% of the full fare will be charged.
- Within 2 weeks a cancellation fee of 80% will be charged.
- Cancellations must be in writing by email.
TRIP CANCELLATION BY OUTBACK BEDS TOURS
If the minimum number of participants is not met for one of our fixed departure date tours (usually the Japan, South Africa and Austrian Alps tours) we reserve the right to cancel the tour and you will receive a full refund. (The minimum number of participants varies between tours but is usually between 6 and 12 persons per tour.) The decision to cancel the tour will be made as early as possible (approximately 4 weeks before the tour departure date). If a tour is cancelled, all payments made will be fully refunded. There can be no additional claims made against us if a tour is cancelled.
As the tour operator, we have the right to cancel or modify the tour if the trip is jeopardised, made difficult, or impaired due a natural calamity. Please insure that your insurance covers cancellation due to natural disasters. Normal wet weather or heat is not considered a natural disaster, and the tours (including mountain bike riding and scuba diving) will continue. However, the route may change due to road closure, localised flooding and so on. If a destination venue (such as a national park, mountain bike park, or associated Aboriginal guided tour) is closed, then we will endeavour to modify the tour to incorporate an additional activity. Similarly, if there are sea storms making scuba diving impossible for the day, then again we will endeavour to put together an alternate activity. In these and similar events we will discuss the options available with you.
Outback Beds Tours accepts no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss, damage, change of itinerary or inconvenience caused either directly or indirectly as a result of force majeure or other events which are outside of our control, including but not limited to: fires, floods, acts of nature, industrial action or commercial flight disruptions. Services provided by other operators such as hotels, motels, attractions, airlines and other transportation companies, are done independently of Outback Beds Tours. We are not liable for any loss, damage, omission or act of negligence or otherwise committed by these operators, or their assignees or agents. These issues are normally addressed in your personal travel insurance.
LUGGAGE LIMITS
Space is limited on all our Australian tours. Please limit your luggage to one medium size suitcase weighing less than 20 kg and one day pack sized hand luggage for hiking and carrying your immediate need goods in the vehicle. Please use soft bags such as sports duffle bags and not hard walled suitcases. Please limit the weight of your hand luggage to less than 5 kg per person. Luggage limits are enforced on every tour. Passengers will be asked to leave their excess baggage behind in the event that the weight of the luggage exceeds our limits. The luggage is entirely at the passengers’ risk during the tour.
For international mountain bike tours please limit your luggage to 1 bag of less than 16 kg, a back pack and your bike bag (if travelling with your bike). For bike riding in Japan, as we will be riding the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) and Japanese railway stations are extremely busy, please arrange for your bike bag to be couriered to and from the ride start/finish. We can help you to organise a courier.
For international scuba tours, please limit your luggage to 1 bag of less than 16kg, a back pack and your gear bag if you are brining your own diving equipment.
Australian tours
WHEN TO GO
The best seasons to travel are spring, winter and autumn. Summer travel is dependant on where you want to go. Travelling in the northern part of our outback region is generally too hot (our Corner Country Adventure Tour) but summer is a good time to do our Scuba Diving Tour. Mountain bike riding is possible in summer but usually we stick to the southern mountain bike riding areas. We may need to alter the schedule to avoid very hot days or have earlier starts and finishes to avoid the heat.
Telephone and wifi coverage in Australia
Wifi coverage is not available in all outback locations and if it is available, it is not always fast.
Remote phone company customers often do not get access to unlimited data packages like city customers do, particularly if they are getting their services via satellite. Make sure that your own phone’s package or travel SIM has plenty of data and if you have to hook into someone’s wifi then use it just for messages and simple searches.
Telstra phone company has the best coverage in Outback NSW.
On Australian tours at some point everyday you will have wifi coverage.
Money
Payment by credit card is widely accepted in Outback NSW and SW Queensland, but it is handy to also have some cash (AUD$ only). Most larger towns will have ATMs.
Weather
Generally, the area of the Outback covered by our adventure tour is characterised by hot to very hot dry summers and mild winter days with cold nights.
What to Bring
Your Australian based Outback Beds Adventure Tours are all-inclusive. With a few exceptions, identified in your itinerary, all food is provided and all accommodation will have linen and towels.
In addition to your clothes and personal toiletries and personal medications, you will need:
Sun hat
Sunscreen and moisturiser
Insect repellant (and a flynet headgear if you are really bothered by flies and other insects)
Swimming costume.
Sturdy walking shoes as well as sandals or thongs
Personal electronics and portable charging devices
- Personal music, podcasts, audio books, etc and headphones
Camera
A small torch
Lite sun-smart clothing in summer and warm clothing in winter
- A neck pillow if you like to use them while travelling
- Your enthusiasm, curiosity, interest in the world, sense of adventure and a general level of health (unless a high level of fitness is required for a specific tour).
Please limit your suitcases to 1 suitcase (or 2 small cases) to a weight of 20 kg and 1-day pack or similar for inside the vehicle.
NOTE: * Please ensure that you have full travel insurance.
For your health and our health: No smoking in vehicles or accommodation.
TOUR SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MOUNTAIN BIKE TOURS
Bring your own bikes or rent ours. Our mountain bike rentals include recent model duel suspension Norco Fluid bikes with helmet, water bottle, navigation system and lock. Our e- bike are recent model Merida eOne Sixty 500 bikes.
The bikes will have flat pedals. We do not rent cycling clothing or cycling shoes. Any sturdy flat soled sports shoe is suitable for mountain biking. You are welcome to bring your own pedals and even seat and we will attach them to your rented bike.
International Tours
Visas and Travel Documents
A visa will depend on which passport you have. Most European Union passport holders as well as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the US (plus many more) are granted visa free access for tourist stays up to 90 days to all the countries featured in our adventure tours. However, the situation changes so double check on the web.
Your bear sole responsibility for adhering to all legal regulations at home and abroad, particularly regulations about travel documents. When traveling across the exterior borders of the EU, your luggage must remain unlocked, to facilitate passage through customs.
When to go
Our add on tours to Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara can be taken all year round. As can our hikes on the Kumado Kodo (and Koyasan) and the Nakasendo trail. Our road/gravel bike riding tours are not undertaken in winter due to snow in the mountain areas. However, we can arrange for a few days of snow biking (and other snow sports) taken in conjunction with our add on tours if your only opportunity to travel is in the Japanese winter.
Food and dietary requirements
Japan has a very high standard of food quality and food hygiene practices. All water available at a tap or faucet would be potable except in a few rare instances where it will be labelled. Traditional Japanese food is flavoursome, varied and very healthy.
During your gravel bike tour you will often stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan (or inn) where you are likely to be served traditional meals including sashimi (raw fish served with pickled ginger), tempura (lightly battered, deep fried vegetables and fish) and sukiyaki (meat, vegetables and tofu cooked at the table). Japanese breakfast is a combination of rice, grilled fish, pickles and miso soup. Fruit and toast is also usually available.
Restaurant prices vary dramatically. If you are buying additional meals or for meals beyond the tour itinerary, as a guideline allow JPY 1000‐1500 for lunches and JPY 2000‐3000 for dinners. Noodle dishes are widely available and very popular with Japanese and foreigners. Soba (buckwheat noodles, served hot or cold), udon (thick wheat noodles) and ramen (wheat noodles in broth) are everywhere as is okonomiyaki (a type of savoury pancake cooked on a hot plate). Western and traditional snacks are widely available, small stores and and vending machines are common even in country areas. Coffee is everywhere but espresso coffee is less likely to be available away from the larger cities.
It is relatively easy to get vegetarian options but please note on the booking form if you have any specific dietary requirements.
Accommodation
Wherever possible we will stay in Japanese ryokans (inns) so you can enjoy more Japanese experiences. Your room will have private facilities, except on rare occasions in remote areas where facilities are shared. Generally you will be sleeping on a single futon on tatami mat floors. Japanese ryokans generally supply towels, disposable tooth brushes and shavers as well as ‘yukata’ (a casual kimono that Japanese people put on after a spa).
Riding experience and fitness
Both our bike tours and our add on short hiking tours are graded as moderate. The grading is based on the condition of the terrain, the altitude, the number of pass crossings and the length of the trip. However, our tours are not for beginners or for children. You will need to be a competent cyclist with a good level of fitness. You should be able to cycle comfortably for up to 4-6 hours a day and 65-90 km/day everyday. Most days will include good climbs and occasional riding on main roads. The tour is fully supported and if at any stage you feel like having a rest you will be able to ride in the support vehicle.
If you do not meet the requirement physically or mentally and can not achieve the daily distance, then you may need to partly or completely withdraw from the tour. We recommend a health check with your family doctor prior to signing up with us. No refund will be provided if you are required to pull out of the tour due to inadequate fitness levels, accident, theft or irreparable damage to your equipment, or natural calamity (extreme heat, rain, flood, fire, earthquake etc). Make sure that you are fully prepared for the tour and comprehensively insured for the types of activity you are doing.
Age limit
Generally 16 and over.
What to take while riding
While riding you will only need to carry a waterproof jacket, personal items (sunglasses, medication, money, camera etc), sunscreen and a sun cap to wear when not riding. These items you can keep in a small back pack or handlebar bag if you have one. In the cooler months, carrying a thermal jacket is a good idea.
Equipment
A support vehicle will be available throughout the entire tour. The support vehicle will carry your luggage, spare equipment and any tired or injured rider. Basic tools will be carried in the support vehicle and your tour leader will assist in the event of any mechanical difficulties.
You will be provided with GPS devices, maps and a GPS tracking smartphone application for checking each rider’s real time position.
High-performance carbon adventure gravel bikes (Cannondale SLATE) and high quality e- hybrid bikes (YAMAHA) are available for rental at a rate of 20,000JPY for whole tour.
A bike‐fit will be carried out at the start of the tour to make minor adjustments to the seat height and position of your handlebars. You are welcome to bring your own saddle and pedals which your guide can fit for you. We will ask for your height etc in the booking form to assist in supplying you with the right sized bike.
Money
Japan is surprisingly much more of a cash-only society than you might expect. Although credit card is widely accepted in bigger establishments, it is cash in the smaller stores, rural stores and for small purchases. Outside of the cities there are few opportunities to change money. It is recommended that you buy some yen prior to departure.
