Our Terms, Refund, and Cancellation Policy:

Thank you for your interest in our business and for taking the time to check out our refund and cancellation policy. We have just updated our refund and cancellation policy and made it much more flexible, easier to understand, and more accommodating to all customers who may wish to cancel or postpone any tours booked on our website. We are always happy to go the extra mile to accommodate our customers.

Terms, Cancellation, Refund Policy

 

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Term & Refund Policy READ MORE>

 

Generals Terms READ MORE>

 

Declined Transactions READ MORE>

 

Other terms and information READ MORE>

 

Additional Terms & Tips for visitors and hikers READ MORE>

 

More Terms and Miscellaneous READ MORE>

 

Our Terms, Refund, and Cancellation Policy are as follows:

Term & Refund Policy

 
  • 91% of the total amount will be refunded to your credit card if you cancel your trip at least 15 business days (weekends and holidays are excluded from this number) prior to the scheduled tour date. The remaining 9% covers the required transaction fees. (4.5% for the booking transaction and another 4.5% for the refund transaction) Our cancellation policy is far more generous than what you’ll get from most other tour companies.

  • 50% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 7 business days prior to the scheduled tour date. (weekends and holidays don’t count)

  • 15% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled tour date. (weekends and holidays don’t count)

  • No refund will be offered if the tour is canceled within 4 business days of the scheduled tour. This includes no-shows. (weekends and holidays don’t count)

Take Note:

  • All refunds are subject to credit card and merchant’s fees. The average credit or merchant fee may vary from 3.9 % to 9.8% of the total amount of your purchase, (per transaction) depending on the type of credit card used when booking your tour. These fees also depend on the credit card issuer, country of origin, and conversion fees we are subject to each transaction. Many foreign countries require additional conversion fees.

  • We reserve the date(s) you have requested and booked on our website especially for you. We decline taking other tours that request your reserved date(s). When canceling outside of our cancelation dates, we lose business and still have to cover all required fees.
    We also keep a tour guide and a luxury vehicle on hold and make all required reservations and arrangements for you and your party. So, please kindly be respectful when it comes to canceling, postponing, or changing the date(s) of your tour(s), as we have other customers and tours to honor.
    Also, since we provide and specialize in private tours, we dedicate all of our resources to your party, which maximizes our expenses. We don’t share your private tour with other clients, yet we still cover the fees and wages even when you cancel.

  • Do I Need Travel Insurance? Some customers confuse local small businesses like ours with large traveland insurance companies. As you know, like all other local small businesses, we don’t provide travel insurance and do not take into consideration any cancelations that result from medical or personal situations, flight/ travel plan interruptions or cancellations.
    We apologize in advance that we are not able to accommodate you in this regard. This is out of our hands as it is not permitted by our insurance services. We do not wish for anyone to get sick. We regret and understand how inconvenient that might be if it happens for any reason.
    Because medical travel insurance isn’t part of our services and not provided by our insurance companies, we highly recommend that you contact your bank, credit company, travel agent, or any travel insurance company to purchase your travel insurance and protect your trip.
    There are a range of travel insurance types provided by these companies, offering benefits and coverage for things like trip-cancellation, interruption insurance, flight insurance, medical travel insurance, etc. Thank you for understanding and for your cooperation.

 

General Terms

  • Reservation and Confirmation- As soon as you book online, a merchant receipt is generated automatically and sent to you via email. We will also confirm your reservation by email and send you a tour voucher or email confirming your booking date, tour, and pick-up time. This tour confirmation or voucher is only valid for the specific date(s) you reserved on our website and is only valid for the names listed on the booking. You can’t change names or ask for a different date, as we have other tours to honor. You may not change the tour date within 15 days from the date of the scheduled tour you booked. No alternative days will be offered under these circumstances.

  • In an effort to honor all tours, we reserve the right to partner with other tour operators, freelancers, and/or our sister companies. The exact name and contact information of your tour operator will be stated on your tour voucher and the trip confirmation will be issued especially for you after we receive your approved transaction.

  • Reservation and Tour Availability- All our tours are subject to availability, even when the transactions are approved, as we may get several tour requests at the same time. Approved payment transactions do not guarantee your tour unless it has been confirmed via email. We will get back to you as soon as possible and let you know if the required tour dates are still available.

  • All of our tours are conducted in English unless otherwise stated in the email or tour voucher confirmation that we send to you once your transaction is approved.

  • We reserve the right to offer you suitable substitutes or changes to your itinerary, tours, and/or services due to special events, weather conditions, road closures, vehicle breakdowns, unpredictable circumstances, unavailability, and/or due to last-minute reservations. We assume no responsibility for delays caused by any circumstances beyond our control. We do not guarantee to arrive at or depart from any point at a specific time for the same above considerations. However, we will do our very best to honor your tour itinerary and schedule accordingly.

 

Declined Transactions

Please note that when transactions are declined, we do not receive any information. Do not expect your reservation to be in place unless you receive written confirmation. Please contact us asap, but do not expect us to honor your tour without an email confirmation and tour voucher from us.

If your booking was declined by your bank, this is often due to a mismatch between your bank information (such as the name on the credit card, zip/postal code, or billing address) compared to the bank information you provided on our website when placing your order. Sometimes, transactions are declined due to insufficient funds as well. Your tour(s) will not be confirmed until the new transaction is approved by your bank. We apologize for the inconvenience, but your bank does so to prevent fraud and protect your credit card information.

 

Other Terms and Information

Wheelchair and Handicap Accessibility issues- We sincerely apologize, but our vehicles are not equipped with wheelchair access. There is no room for a wheelchair in our vehicles unless it is a very small and foldable wheelchair. However, our main concern is customer safety and the ability to get it in and out of the vehicle on top of liability considerations.

Our 1-day tour lasts 12 hours, door-to-door, but a 4 to 5-hour drive each way may be necessary. This time frame varies based on weather and traffic conditions. When children, seniors, and/or wheelchairs are part of the tour, this will slow down the trip and require  overtime. Your credit card will be charged for each additional hour added to the tour after 12 hours: $179 per hour for van tours and $129 per hour for SUV tours. We do offer a slight discount when paying with cash

Pets-Pets are not allowed in our vehicles out of respect for those who have allergies

Smoking-Our vehicles are also non-smoking.

Clothing-Please be prepared for cold weather, slippery roads, and hiking trails. Wear comfortable, waterproof hiking shoes to walk on the snow in winter and spring. This long day-tour is hard on children and seniors. We recommend the overnight tour package in this case.

Parks, Road, Monument, Attractions and Site’s Closures-We are neither responsible nor liable for road and weather conditions. State and national park closure can happen at any time and without prior notice, due to these considerations. No refund will be issued, regardless of the reason why the trip may not reach its destination. If you cancel or stop the tour for personal or medical reasons, there will be no refund or change of tour dates offered either.

Changes are frequent and out of our hands. There are always new laws and updates in each city, park, attraction, site, and road. It’s impossible to keep track of all changes regarding these things. We are unable to guarantee visting all the locations and palces mentioned on our website when they are not accessible to the public for the above same reasons.

Guided Tours in Foreign Languages- All tours in foreign languages are subject to extra fees to cover tour guides or freelancers we may hire to honor your tour in the required language.

Travel Agents- Travel agents are liable for 20% gratuity when their customer does not tip the driver or tour guides. We require the customer’s full name and contact information from the travel agent or the tour will be canceled. Travel agents are also liable for all overtime when their clients do not pay. A credit card will be needed on file. Due to the high cost of conducting business in California, we barely cover our business expenses and wages. Therefore, all our tours are at non-commissionable rates.

Gratuity- 15% to 20% gratuity is required and customary in the USA. Generally, a tip may vary between 15% to 20% of the total purchase amount. It can also be a flat amount that is near the appropriate percent, depending on the situation.

 

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Discounted private tours can be booked at any time subject to availability. The discount only applies to tour prices and does not include taxes, accommodation expenses, and other extra fees that are not part of the tours. We have to pay these fees and expenses to third-party businesses on your behalf.

We focus on private and small group tours because we understand how inconvenient large bus tours can be. By choosing Golden Horizon Tours, you can expect a comfortable, customized, and unique travel experience. Our reputation and reviews speak volumes about our efforts to provide customers with unforgettable, world-class tours.

Discount Policy & Terms:

  • All discounts must be approved by our office and may not be available.
  • The rates posted on our website are final, and they are the same rates you pay when checking out and booking on our website.
  • Discounts are not available during the peak season from March to November, weekends, and holidays. Please note that private tours are barely profitable due to the high cost of conducting private tours in California.

 

Additional Terms & Tips for visitors and hikers

  • If you are subject to motion or altitude sickness, please consider asking your doctor for recommended medication. Some visitors underestimate this aspect and end up completing only half of the tour as they suffer from these and make an excessive number of stops along the way. Please consult your doctor and ensure you have the appropriate medication in advance.

  • Consider leaving unnecessary luggage at your hotel and travel light so you have more room in the vehicle.

  • Wear clothes and shoes suitable for walking and hiking (Snowshoes in winter are recommended, and a swimsuit to enjoy the hotel’s swimming pool and hot tub).

  • Bring sunscreen, bug spray, extra memory cards, and batteries for your camera (if applicable).

  • Wear warm layers for cooler weather and a raincoat for summer showers.

  • Drink lots of water due to the high altitude. Don’t hike alone, as we offer fully-guided tours

  • We are not responsible for injuries or accidents that may occur during the trip in or out of Yosemite National Park. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

  • Expect rugged terrain with narrow, steep, and curving hiking trails. Also, be prepared for a downhill hike and then back uphill to the parking lot. The trail is very steep right at the beginning and on the way back up. Luckily, it mellows out as you get closer to the parking lot.
    The most popular trail is the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. The distance is about 2.5 miles (4 km) round trip and takes about 1.5 – 2 hours of hiking. We recommend this trail for everybody who can hike, including kids.

  • California Gold Country:When Tioga Pass road (located between Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra where a major highway leads to Tahoe) is closed due to heavy snow, (usually occurs as early as October until June or July) we will drive through the infamous, yet legendary, California Gold Country on day 2 and 3 of your adventure.

  • Please note that we may start in Lake Tahoe first, and then head to Yosemite National Park or vice versa. This will depend on the availability of hotels, the season, weather, and road conditions. We do not work on commission, so you are welcome to book your own hotel. If you would rather not deal with these details, we can take care of that on your behalf when you choose the option ‘hotel included’ from our shopping cart

Hotel Reservation and Terms: To keep the costs down, we offer several three-star hotels located in Yosemite, Redwoods national park, Mammoth Lakes and/or in Lake Tahoe basin. However, we may also manage to get a better hotel including casino hotels that come with extra amenities and more things to do in and around the hotel or resort. All hotel options depend on availability.

Yosemite Hotel Reservation-these are three-star hotels in and around the Yosemite Valley area. Please note that there are a limited number of hotels in Yosemite and they are often sold out 6 to 12 months in advance. So, the sooner you book, the better. However, we often manage to get a hotel reservation near Yosemite Valley in one of the small resort or motel-style hotels in the area in the event of a reservation closer to the tour date.

If you have high expectations regarding the hotel accommodation and wish to upgrade, we recommend that you choose your own hotel and book it directly with the required resort or hotel as we don’t work on commission and we do not profit from the hotel reservations. We focus on the tour experience instead.

Alcatraz and Muir Woods- Why must Alcatraz tickets be booked at least 8 weeks in advance?

Alcatraz Island and ferry tickets are limited and extremely hard to get. With millions of visitors each year, these tickets are often sold out months in advance. The sooner you book, the better.

Please note that Alcatraz’s schedule changes in winter and requires earlier departures. Also, there is no food service on the island, so it is advisable to bring a snack or have lunch before your visit. The temperature drops quite low on the island, so please dress in warm layers for multiple weather conditions. (wind and fog mostly in summer and rain in winter) With many stairs and hills on the island as well as prison property, it is best to wear comfortable walking shoes as well.

Alcatraz Island tickets are non-refundable and may only be used by the named ticket holder(s). Please refer to our full terms and conditions online or let us know if you have any questions.

The same goes for Muir Woods National Monument, air-tours, and Hearst Castle. 2 months advanc  booking is required. Muir Woods has become the first national park to require reservation in advance with special commercial and parking permits. No one can visit or access Muir Woods anymore without prior reservations and the required permits.

 

More Terms and Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous- Customer meals and tour guides/drivers’ gratuities are not included in our tour prices unless indicated on the tour voucher or email confirmation you receive from us upon completing your booking. Tour prices do not include additional fees such as wine tasting, accommodations, and entry fees to see attractions and sites unless otherwise indicated on your tour voucher or email confirmation.

  • All vehicles operated by Golden Horizon Travel, Inc. and its partners are non-smoking according to state and federal laws

  • Golden Horizon Travel reserves the right to hire independent tour guides/drivers, subcontractors and/or contractors to facilitate our tours, shuttle services, and travel packages.

  • In the event that we are unable to facilitate your tour due to weather and/or road conditions, we will attempt to reach each location, site, and destination using alternative routes, but we are not liable nor responsible for these unforeseen weather/traffic conditions. No refunds will be available.

  • All photos or videos taken by our staff of our customers or passengers, during the capacity of the tour, trip or transfer, may be included on our website. Customers hereby agree to the use of these photos and videos and under no circumstances can customers dispute.

  • No substitution or refunds for any unused part of the tour(s) will be issued. All sales are final.

  • No refunds will be issued for a no-show or unused portion of the tour.

  • All refunds and/or voided transactions paid on our website by credit or debit cards or via PayPal may take up to 2 weeks before you receive the funds back into your account.

  • Many clients provide emails or telephone numbers to which they don’t have access on a regular basis. Please be sure to provide your main email address and cell phone number. (not your home telephone number)

  • Rafting, air-tours, and horseback riding require that customers provide their exact weight for safety considerations.

  • Many places in San Francisco, as well as other destinations and sites we include on our website, may be off-limits and not accessible by vehicles. Some prohibit vehicles of 7 passengers. For more information, please refer to the description of the tour you are interested in on our website.

  • Our air-tours and hot-air balloon rides are not guaranteed to fly as the weather is unpredictable in the Bay Area. A partial refund and alternative tour options may be offered. This will be stated in detail on the email confirmation and tour voucher you will receive from our office after your booking is completed.
    Our hot-air balloon rides may not depart and arrive back in Napa Valley and are subject to last-minute cancellations for weather considerations. Golden Horizon Travel, Inc. reserves the right to fly anywhere within an 80-mile radius of Napa Valley depending on weather conditions.

  • We reserve the right to refuse service to any person or business who may refuse to comply with our safety instructions, tour itinerary, or to anyone who may pose a threat to our customers and/or tour guide-drivers. Screaming at or insulting tour guide-drivers, fellow passengers, or third-party businesses and subcontractors is not acceptable under any circumstances. We will terminate and cancel your tour without any refund. Discrimination against a customer or a tour guide/driver for any reason is not acceptable either, under any circumstance.

Yosemite national park hotel accommodation lake tahoe resorts and package deals.jpgCancellation due to unforeseen weather conditions– We reserve the right to offer you alternate tours under any of the following circumstances: Weather/Unforeseen Circumstances like fires, landslides, road closure, vehicle breakdown, employees or drivers’ medical emergencies or any other weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances

Modifications of these terms and conditions- Golden Horizon Travel and its affiliated websites or contractors reserve the right to change any of these terms and conditions under which this website is offered. We reserve the right to change our web content, update our terms and privacy policy anytime and at our discretion without prior notice.

Last update 6/22/2021

Authentic reviews from Trip Advisor

  • Lake Tahoe & Yosemite tour experience

    What an amazing trip around Lake Tahoe after a 3-day custom adventure of Yosemite national park sights and attractions - a wonderful destination.

    Chris G., Dallas, Texas

  • Lake Tahoe is stunning & spectacular!!

    Even if you’re not a fan of outdoors activities, Tahoe worth the long drive from San Francisco. This is a must-see destination with remarkable attractions.

    Martha Frierrs, Alabama

  • Tahoe & Yosemite; must-see destinations in California

    Tahoe is a must-see place & Yosemite is the crown jewel of California, they offer amazing outdoor activities for families with kids

    Jimmy & family, Belize

  • A 5-star Yosemite & Tahoe experience

    Our 3-day private tour package to Lake Tahoe wonders, Gold Country & Yosemite National Park top attractions was excellent, exciting & memorable!

    Nicky & Bannysh. Kolkata (Calcutta), India

  • Tahoe is a bucket-list vacation destination

    The Lake is pristine, wonderful, so clean, the air is so fresh & pure with magnificent surroundings, what an awesome paradise on earth?

    Lucia & Rogelio Mérida, Mexico

  • Our Incredible experience in Lake Tahoe and Reno

    Our adventure to Lake Tahoe and Reno from San Francisco was amazing and unforgettable thanks to Golden Horizon Travel attentive staff, and tour guide.

    Gabriela & Oscar Reyes, Lima, Peru

  • Dream vacation to Tahoe, Yosemite & Mammoth Lakes

    My wife and I want you to know how much we enjoyed our time in Tahoe & Yosemite, we loved travelling with your company

    Bob and Faith, Australia

  • A memorable Tahoe -Yosemite combo tour experience

    Trust their tour reviews on trip advisor 100%, they earned our satisfaction, they have a great customer service and amazing tour guides.

    Naina Kwok- Jakarta, Indonesia

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