Prices mentioned in the brochure are per person and based on a minimum of two adults sharing a room. Child and infant prices are shown individually for each tour. Although infants under 23 months are normally free of charge, a nominal charge will be made for a seat on the coach, as it is a legal requirement all person on board a coach are allocated individual seats.

Because of the importance of having adequate insurance cover we make it a condition of booking on all holidays that you are covered by an insurance policy. If you elect not to take out insurance, you agree to indemnify Sona Tours Ltd. for any costs that arise which would otherwise have been met had you had your own travel insurance

Sona Tours does not provide a specialist tours for the disabled, however every attempt will be made to accommodate you to our best ability. It is possible to bring along a folding type wheelchair which may be kept in the baggage hold of the coach. The driver will load and unload the wheelchair from the coach for the passenger however they will need to be physically fit enough to be able to embark and disembark the coach on their own. It is also essential that a capable person is accompanying such a passenger on the tour to push their wheelchair. Sona Tours will also request hotels for suitably equipped rooms; however, this is only on a request basis and cannot be guaranteed.

Passports with relevant visas; travel insurance policy; appropriate currencies. Long journeys are unavoidable and we recommend you wear comfortable clothing and carry essentials such as a jacket or jumper, snacks, water, tissues etc., as access to the luggage hold may not be possible until a comfort stop or arrival at your destination.

All coaches are fitted with arm rests, TV, VCR/ DVD & cassette player, and toilet facilities (W.C. facilities on coaches have limited capacities and therefore we advice passengers to use them only on an ‘emergency’ basis. We try and make sufficient stops to ensure comfort for passengers). On rare occasions your coach may not have a W.C. facility on board. All coaches are either air conditioned or air cooled. We have a strict “no smoking” policy on all our coaches. During transfers we may use an alternative vehicle (and smaller coaches) which may not have the above facilities.

Maximum weight allowed for luggage of each passenger occupying a seat is 20kg. Since there is no porter service provided, passengers will be required to carry their own luggage from the coach to the hotel rooms; and therefore one piece of main luggage and one small hand luggage is recommended. We also recommend that children or family members not sharing a room have separate luggage as rooms cannot be guaranteed adjoining or nearby.

It is advisable to put your name and address on each piece of luggage as many passengers have similar bags and this avoids confusion. If for any reasons your baggage or personal valuable is lost or stolen, you must report it to the tour guide, or in the absence of a tour guide to the local police or hotel. Sona Tours cannot accept any responsibility for your personal belongings.

Children and young infants are welcome to travel on our tours. Children under the age of two years will be charged an infant fare on all tours; a nominal supplement applies and will be advised at time of booking. Car seats are not provided on coaches and it is strongly advisable to carry your own. Some coaches will have cold or hot water available to heat up or cool milk bottles (cold water not suitable for drinking). However, this cannot be guaranteed and it is therefore the passengers’ responsibility to make sure of necessary arrangements for any children in their group. Milk and baby food cannot be provided by the hotel or restaurants and passengers are advised to carry prepared baby milk cartons whilst on tour.

Please also note that not all hotels provide a kettle so if hot water is required for warming milk etc in the hotel then it is advisable to carry a bottle warmer / kettle ( do not forget your adapter). Pushchairs can be kept in the luggage hold of the coach.

Escorted tours are accompanied by professional tour director or local guides throughout your itinerary. On rare occasions, your tour manager may not meet you at your dedicated pick up point but at a later stage; however, the driver will be there to take care of your needs. A number of itineraries include flights or rail journeys; it may be that you are not accompanied during these journeys; in this case, your Tour Director will meet you on arrival at your first destination. On rare occasions a tour director will not be available to accompany you; this would be either due to unavoidable operational issues or we will be utilising local guides for their wealth of experience. Furthermore, if minimum number of passengers are not reached on the set departure tours, there will be no accompanying tour director but rather local tour guides will be used.

The weather in some parts of Central and Northern Europe tends to be very similar to the UK. Yet in the Southern parts it can be hot and humid during the day and cool in the evening.

We recommend that you visit www.weather.com to ensure you have an idea of the weather at the time of the year you want to travel.

During summer months it is advisable to wear light garments during the day, but keep a light jacket or sweater in your hand luggage for the evening as it can be quite chilly. Also few other items which are highly recommended are a family sized umbrella, rain wear, pair of sunglasses, pair of trainers or comfortable walking shoes especially for certain excursions that involve a considerable amount of walking. Smart clothes will be required if you wish to go to a Casino or Nightclub. You may also be required to be ‘covered’ up when visiting certain places, If you are unsure what to take then please do discuss with our operators, who will only be too happy to assist.

All your tours that include flights are booked in economy class, with reliable airlines. Most of our holidays in the brochure are priced on departures from main London airport i.e. Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, City or Luton on contracted group rates. However, if you prefer to fly out from your regional airport, then please contact the office to check your options and supplements if applicable. Prices for flight holidays in our brochure are based on group contract seats, if for any reason they are not available at time of request, we will book the next available fare level and advise you of the additional cost. We cannot confirm specific seats at time of booking; you will need to check with each individual carrier their seat booking policy. We recommend you check-in for your flight three hours before the scheduled time for long haul flights and two and half hours for European destinations.

Note: please check baggage allowance for carry on and check in baggage at time of booking, as this varies from airline to airline.

If you book ground arrangements with Sona Tours, but make your own airline reservation, then all flight bookings will be your own responsibility and are subject to the terms and conditions of the airline involved. In the unlikely event of your flight being cancelled or changed by your airline, no refunds will be given for your holiday element booked with Sona Tours. Any extra costs incurred to alter your booking with us will be your responsibility. If you wish to make use of our airport transfers, please advise us. However, should your flight be delayed on arrival and you miss the transfer, then any costs incurred in getting to the hotel will be your responsibility.

Note: Booking specific seats on the flights are your responsibility and when you can book is different to each carrier, please check at time of booking the earliest that you can reserve your seats. Certain no-frill airlines have no facility for booking seats and only have a first come first serve option.

The hotels on our tours are carefully selected. Ensuring that a 3* category minimum is provided (overseas ratings are classified by countries own tourist boards) and can be located either in the city you are visiting or on the outskirt. Facilities vary from hotel to hotel and include en-suite bath or shower and generally a TV and telephone. Some of the rooms may have mini bars and 24 hour room service, use of these facilities will be charged to your account and payable by you on departure ( Most hotels may require a credit card to cover your extras or cash deposits) . Please remember that most hotels in Europe have small rooms unlike many other countries and also not all hotels will have air-conditioning or lift as standard. (If you have difficulty with stairs please advise us so we can try and request a room on a low floor). Rooms are also allocated as ‘run of the house’ so some guests may get larger or different type of rooms to other guests-we do not have control over this.

Note: Sona Tours reserves the right to substitute hotels whilst passengers are on tour to a similar standard due to unforeseen circumstances. Please note that hotel’s normal check-in times are from late afternoon, e.g. 3pm, and checkout around 11am, but it does vary from hotel to hotel.

Most hotels can only accommodate a maximum of three persons in each room however if you are a family of four, i.e. two adults and two children, (and prefer all to be in one room) then your first child will be given an extra bed but the second child will be required to share the bed as no extra bed can be provided. The extra bed provided will either be a sofa bed or roll-away bed. These extra beds may not be full sized double beds and are usually suitable for one individual only. The cost of the package is based on a minimum of two adults sharing one room. If your group consists of one adult and one child, the child must pay a full adult fare to make up the cost for the room required. (Please see below). Baby cots are not guaranteed.

*For Example: if tour cost was – Adult £200 / Child £100 / Child with no bed £80


*When you opt for two rooms, each room must have an adult accompanying a child as per regulations of the hotel. A child will always have to be accompanied by an adult in a room.

Breakfast is normally either continental or buffet and is taken in the hotel that you will be staying in. All other pre-booked meals will be either in the hotel’s own restaurant or at an outside restaurant and is not changeable. The meals will only include the food; all extras i.e. alcohol, beverages or any extra items requested by you will need to be settled by you directly with the proprietor. Any meals not taken will not be reimbursed under any circumstances.

Note: We endeavour to book Indian meals for dinner wherever possible, however due to local constraints if we are unable to do so, we will offer local vegetarian options. If you have any specific dietary needs or allergies you must inform us at time of booking, so we can inform the caterer. Passengers with severe food allergies are advised to make appropriate arrangements prior to commencing their tour. Sona Tours reserve the right to change meal arrangement in circumstances which are beyond our control.

Sona Tours works at times with intermediary agents (Airlines, Hotels, Transport Companies, Other Suppliers etc.) to arrange your holiday. If passengers have special requirements with regards to the service provided by the intermediaries such as a rooming request, seating request or a special meal request etc., then they should advice Sona Tours at the time of booking and we will endeavour to ensure the intermediary is advised of the request. It is important to note that Sona Tours cannot guarantee the request and that the passenger should confirm their request with the concerned intermediary themselves before their departure

We recommend that you take a credit or debit card on holiday with you, as it provides extra financial flexibility. Major international credit cards, such as Visa or MasterCard are accepted by many restaurants, shops and hotels. It is also possible to draw cash with your credit or debit card at some banks and cash machines, though this will incur a fee charged by your card provider.

Note: Advise your bank which countries you are visiting prior to travel so that you don’t run the risk of your card being refused and subsequent expensive phone calls to unlock it.

Currency of the EU Countries is Euros ("), Countries out the EU have their own currency e.g. in Switzerland the currency is Swiss Francs. (Currencies of countries you are travelling to will be advised on your confirmation). If you need more local currency when abroad, we recommend that you exchange money at a bank rather than at hotels as they will charge high commission rates. You may also need your passport for identification as you would for travellers’ cheques. Even though in Europe credit and debit cards are widely accepted, keep in mind the exchange rate may be poor and commission will be charged.

All passengers require a passport for travel outside the UK. It is the responsibility of each passenger to have a passport that is still valid for 6 months from the date of completing the tour.

Sona Tours will attempt to supply passengers with the most up to date information regarding the visa requirements for the destinations which they will travel. However, as visa stipulations change frequently, we advise passengers to inquire with the relevant consulate as to the exact requirements which they must fulfil in good time prior to their travel date. Sona Tours cannot take responsibility of cancellation due to lack of correct visa requirements as it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure that these requirements are fulfilled prior to their tour departure. For further information on visas please contact Sona Tours or visit www.sonatours.co.uk .

It is your responsibility to ensure that your property and valuables are safe at all times. If an item has been left in a hotel you will need to call the hotel and arrange with them directly for the return of your item. In case of theft you will need to advise your Tour Director immediately and report the theft to the nearest police personnel who will provide you with a police report or crime reference number. You are advised not to carry unnecessary valuables and to be vigilant at all times as tourist spots are well known targets for pickpockets.

Tips for all our European coach tours for the driver and tour leader are included. However, should you wish to tip separately, you are welcome to do so at your discretion.

For International Tours and Cruises, tips are NOT included, and will need to be paid locally and vary from country to country.

Since there is NO porter service provided on any of our holidays, passengers will be required to carry their own luggage throughout their entire holiday. If local porter service is available and you use this service then tips for this will need to be settled directly.

Almost all hotels will add a service charge to the cost of any phone calls you make from your room. This charge can be high, especially for international calls. It is always cheaper to use public telephones. If using your mobile phone, then please ensure you do not have your data roaming on as it can become quite costly. Your tour director if available will also advise you how to use the telephone if you are unsure.

Electrical currents vary between Britain, the European continent and North America. We suggest you carry a converter for your electric shaver, travelling iron, hair dryer, and other small appliances. We recommend that you purchase a universal electrical travel adapter to help prevent accidents and damage to your appliances.

These tours are operated by local ground operators who handle all the details within the various destinations. In most cases we will be able to arrange a tour on minimal group sizes of two to four confirmed travellers and as such you may not necessarily be accompanied by a guide from Sona Tours. You will be assisted by a local contact during your tour for emergencies and enquiries. Your local ground agent will not be present with you at all times. Many of your sightseeing excursions will be guided by a local agent, however at times you will be given free time to explore the destinations on your own. Your sightseeing excursions and tours will be conducted within a coach or mini-bus. There is no seat allocation on these tours and travellers will be accommodated within the vehicle based on the seats available. Sightseeing tours may be culminated with groups not booked through Sona Tours. Meals will be served at selected restaurants or during excursions. Restaurants will be located within walking distance from your hotels and passengers will be requested to attend meals at their leisure.

Sona Tours will not be held responsible if passengers are stopped or held by any government departments, e.g. Police, Customs, Immigrations or any other authorities of the destination country. The tour will continue and no financial or any other kind of responsibility will be accepted by Sona Tours.

All UK and EC Citizens will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to receive health care that may become necessary during your visit to an EEA Country or Switzerland. Please note that it is advised that you should still obtain travel insurance as a precaution. Information on health is available from the Department of Health website www.dh.gov.uk and from most Post Offices. Recommendations and requirements may change and you should check the up to date position with your GP or travel clinic in good time before departure.

The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 require us to provide security for the monies that you pay for the package holidays booked from this brochure and for your repatriation in the event of our insolvency. The air holiday packages/ flights in this brochure are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Sona Tours Ltd holds ATOL number is 9146.Please see our booking conditions for more information. ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services in this brochure. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

Sona Tours Ltd is a member of ABTA with membership number Y3020. ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan e.g. refund for a booking or repatriation costs in case of our insolvency. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s code of conduct. We can also offer you an arbitration scheme for the resolution of disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract. Further information on the code and arbitration can be found at www.abta.com.