Hey there, I'm Gary! My wife June and I had booked a 3-day tour package to Yosemite National Park with Yosemite Private Tours last year. Unfortunately, I faced a sudden medical issue that made it impossible for me to travel, leading to the cancellation of our tour. I knew I would not qualify for a refund, but to my surprise, this tour company not only agreed to postpone my private tour but also did it at no extra cost. They fully honored the rescheduled tour the following year in August, without any additional charges. We stayed at the Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite Valley.
Trust me, these guys are consummate professionals and genuinely care for their customers.
Highly recommended!
Gary R. Chester, Pennsylvania

At Yosemite Private Tours, we recognize that plans can unexpectedly change. While our policy outlines specific terms for cancellations and tour adjustments, we endeavor to offer flexibility beyond these details. We strive to assist our customers by providing refunds, arranging tour postponements, or adjusting arrangements to accommodate special circumstances to the best of our ability. Our priority is our customers' satisfaction, and we work diligently to fulfill their needs whenever feasible. These are our Terms and Conditions, encompassing our reservation, refund, and cancellation policies:

I. Refund and Cancellations Policy:

• If the tour is canceled at least 16 business days prior to the scheduled tour (or the date of the tour or service),

• 91% of the total amount will be refunded. The remaining 9% covers the required transaction fees (4.5% per transaction, as booking and refunding are 2 separate transactions). Weekends and holidays are not counted in the 16 business days' notice period.

• If the tour is canceled at least 8 business days prior to the scheduled tour or service,

• 50% of the total amount will be refunded. Weekends and holidays are not counted in the 8 business days' notice period.

• If the tour is canceled at least 6 business days prior to the scheduled tour,

• 15% of the total amount will be refunded. Weekends and holidays are not counted in the 6 business days' notice period.

• If the tour is canceled 5 business days or less prior to the scheduled tour or service,

• 0% of the total amount will be refunded. This includes no-shows. Weekends and holidays are not counted in the 5 business days' notice period.

Exceptions to Cancellation Policy:

Peak Season Reservations:For all bookings and tours scheduled during the peak season (from March to November and from December 15 to January 15) lasting more than one day, a written cancellation notice must be emailed at least 29 business days before the tour date. Please note that weekends and holidays are not counted as business days in the USA. Hence, all sales are final and non-refundable for multi-day tours if canceled within 28 business days.

Specific Tours: Tours involving air travel, hot air balloon rides, seaplanes or train tours from April to October are non-refundable.

Confirmation Voucher Terms: Most tours booked through our website are subject to specific terms and conditions detailed in the tour confirmation provided after booking.

Do I Need Travel Insurance? Do I get a refund if I cancel for personal or medical reasons?

In such situations, we regret that you have had to cancel your tour and understand how inconvenient it must be to cancel your travel plans for medical or other personal reasons.

• • However, our website terms and refund and cancellation policy are made clear at the time of each booking. We recommend that customers read these carefully and consider their individual circumstances before committing to a booking. In accordance with our business insurance, we are unable to make exceptions to these policies.

• • We do our best to ensure our customers are well-informed about our terms and refund and cancellation policy. In addition to making our booking policy available on our website (https://www.yosemiteprivatetours.com/yosemite-reservations.php), we also share this information by email when customers book. This information is also provided with the tour confirmation sent to our customers. These steps are taken to ensure you have a copy of our general terms, refund, and cancellation policy. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, some customers rush to claim a refund without having read our website terms and refund and cancellation policy.

• • Please do not confuse local small businesses like ours with large travel insurance companies. As per our policies, we DO NOT provide travel insurance and DO NOT take into consideration any cancellations that result from medical situations, personal or professional matters, flight/ travel plan interruptions. This is because we do not qualify for providing travel insurance, which is a different industry regulated by the federal government.

• • Travel insurance is available for all travelers and visitors through travel and insurance companies. It is NOT a service we provide. There are a range of travel insurance types provided by many insurance and travel companies, offering benefits and coverage for circumstances like trip cancellation, travel interruption insurance, flight insurance, medical travel insurance, etc. This is the shortlist of the best travel insurance options: Allianz Global Assistance, Travel Guard by AIG, USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured International, World Nomads, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, IM, AXA Assistance USA, Travelex Insurance Services, Seven Corners, etc. Note that these recommendations are based on a Google search. We are not liable for the use of these companies, and we are not affiliated with any of them. Please refer to your credit card company, travel agent, bank, or local travel insurance companies for more information. You may also check out the Federal Government website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

• • Again, please refer to our website terms, cancellation, and refund policy before committing to a booking. Be aware that we apply these policies to all customers regardless of the circumstances.

• • Thank you for understanding our situation as a small business. We appreciate you taking the time to understand our policies.

Why do I not qualify for a refund?

• Again, regardless of the reason for your cancellation (whether it’s for medical, business, weather, or any personal reasons), we treat everybody equally and apply the same terms, cancellation, and refund policy to all customers as stated on our website.

• Please understand that when you make a booking, we have reserved the tour dates for you and turned down other reservations to honor yours. Whether you show up or not, the tour guide and office staff wages, the vehicle, the tour itself, and all other services and arrangements we made on your behalf will need to be fully paid for by our business. As such, we must apply our refund policy consistently to account for this.

II. Online Reservation, Methods of Payment, and Transactions Policy

Methods of Payment and Accepted Credit Cards: We accept all major credit cards and payment options including MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, wire transfers, Debit Cards, Euro Cards, “Cartes Bleues”, PayPal Chinese Union Pay, and JCB.

What happens after we void or refund a transaction? Approved transactions: When transactions are processed on our website, and approved by your bank, it still takes about 7 to 10 business days before we receive the required funds transferred to our business merchant bank account. However, we will still honor your tour(s) as scheduled if your transaction is approved, even if the tour is scheduled for the next day, if the date of the tour is available.

Voided and refunded transactions: When a transaction is voided, or refunded, the charge is removed from the authorized transaction inquiry and never batched or settled because the funds never leave the customer’s bank account. However, all such transactions will still be shown on the customer’s bank statements as “pending” for up to 7 to 10 business days. This is because the funds are temporarily frozen by your own bank without leaving your account. Please take this aspect into consideration before you follow up with us.

To release the funds : you will need to contact your bank and handle this directly with them.

Common mistakes and misconceptions about voided transactions: Most customers are not aware of their bank’s policy and guidelines regarding online purchases. Funds from the voided charge will be inaccessible to the client for a full 10 business days. For that reason, clients often think that the charge was still placed on their credit card. However, it has never left their bank account and will be available again after 10 business days. In other words, voiding a credit card transaction will NOT remove the charge from the customer’s bank account immediately. So, please be patient before you follow up with us or call your bank in this regard. Banks usually take 7 to 10 business days to release these funds back to your account.

Declined transactions: Why was your reservation declined? When a reservation is declined by a client’s own bank, this is often due to a mismatch between the customer’s bank information (such as the name on the credit card, card number, expiration date, CVV, zip/postal code, or billing address). If any one of these verification factors don’t match the information you provided on our website, compared to the bank information when placing your order, your transaction is automatically declined by your bank. This is to protect your bank information from fraud. Sometimes, transactions are also declined due to insufficient funds as well. Your tour(s) will not be confirmed until your new transaction is approved by your own bank. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please understand this is a measure taken by your bank to prevent fraud and protect your credit card information.

Tip: Most credit card companies (including American Express) now require their clients to inform them in advance when making purchases online or out of town/state/country. Otherwise, they decline the transaction to prevent fraud. You may also get an email or text message alert asking you to approve or decline the transaction that has been declined before you resubmit it online. This is a requirement of many credit card companies for customers’ protection.

Tour confirmation: If your transaction is approved, you’ll first receive an automated email from our merchant provider sent via Authorize.net or Stripe Then, your tour/s will be confirmed by email and you will receive a confirmation tour voucher, also by email. No further reconfirmations will be sent or provided. After receiving these confirmations, you simply need to show up on time at the designated pickup location you have chosen (hotel, home, or other meeting place). Your tour guide will meet and greet you with a sign displaying your name.

-Note that we do NOT call customers prior to the trip unless in case of an emergency or cancellation. You can contact us at any time by email at any time, and we will respond promptly. Email is the ideal way to contact us. This allows us to keep a record of your queries and any special requests you may need or add. In addition, we have live chat on our website. Just leave us a message, and we will get back to you ASAP.

-Our tour guides do NOT take telephone calls during tours. They are driving and dedicating their full time to their customers. Please do not call your tour guide. Instead, use the contact information provided in the email signature you’ll receive from us when confirming your tour and reservation. Alternatively, click here to chat with us or leave us a message. 

To ensure everyone's safety, we do require advance disclosure of any disability or specific needs.

We reserve the right to decline service if this information isn't provided beforehand.

Unfortunately, our tours cannot accommodate full-size wheelchairs due to vehicle constraints and safety regulations. Limited accommodation might be possible for small, foldable wheelchairs.

Our emphasis on private tours, coupled with insurance limitations and strict regulations, prevents us from offering wheelchair transportation for the safety of all participants.

We encourage exploring specialized paratransit options for suitable accommodation. Safety is our utmost priority, and we reserve the right to refuse undisclosed requests for disability accommodation for the well-being of both our customers and employees.

Tour Confirmation and Pick-up Time: Yosemite Private Tours will provide either an email confirmation or a tour voucher prior to your scheduled trip. Although printing is optional, your approval of the transaction on our website indicates your acceptance of these Terms and Conditions: Reservation, Refund, and Cancellation Policy.

The email confirmation or tour voucher serves as conclusive confirmation for your Yosemite Private Tour and is valid exclusively for the specified customers, tour date(s), and time. It's crucial to note that our tour vouchers cannot be redeemed beyond the specified dates or times of your tour(s). The voucher holds no cash value, is non-transferable to individuals not listed on it, yet we do offer gift certificates upon arrangement. Furthermore, for specific tours, our email confirmation serves as a substitute for a tour voucher and stands as solid confirmation.

Reservations and Tours Availability: All tours are subject to availability. While we strive to accommodate your tour requests, we reserve the right to refund your transaction if the required tour or service isn’t available. We strongly recommend booking several weeks or months ahead, especially during peak seasons (April to October and holidays). Even if your credit card transaction is approved, we can't guarantee your tour's availability. In case of unavailability, we'll refund the amount to your credit card. To cater to your travel dates, we collaborate with sister companies like Alcatraz Tours Inc. and Golden Horizon Travel Inc. when we are sold out.

Tour Vouchers and Reconfirmation: Customers no longer need to reconfirm their trips once confirmed. Our email confirmation or trip voucher serves as your tour confirmation. Your tour guide-driver will meet you at your hotel lobby or designated location, holding a sign with your name, and will display business badges or name tags. If you didn’t receive a tour confirmation or receipt, contact us via Live Chat or call our office at 209-888-1141.

Non-Receipt of Confirmation: When transactions are declined, customers won't receive a merchant receipt or tour voucher from our office. Unfortunately, our reservation database system doesn't generate emails or information for declined transactions. To rectify this, kindly resubmit your reservation with a different credit card, ensuring your billing address matches your credit card and bank records to avoid declined transactions.

IV. Responsibility and Tour Change Liability

Our responsibility and liabilities cover various aspects:

• The right to cancel, change, substitute drivers, vehicles, tours, itineraries, routes, rates, or scheduled visits due to various reasons, including lack of time, traffic, weather considerations, or circumstances beyond our control.

• The right to remove any passenger causing disturbance or posing a threat to tour safety and enjoyment.

• Client responsibilities regarding time management during tours and any personal expenses not included in the tour price.

• Risks associated with physical activities during tours, such as hiking, walking, and other activities involving risks. Customers undertake these activities at their own risk, and we assume no liability for resulting injuries or health issues.

• Modification of tour times or dates by clients is subject to review, approval, and possible additional fees.

• Collaboration with sister companies to ensure tour availability.

V. High-Risk Activities and Tours Waiver and Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk

All participants, including legal representatives of others, such as children, spouses, relatives, passengers, and all occupants of hot air balloons, helicopters, seaplanes, or those engaging in activities such as horseback riding, safari jeep tours, rafting, skiing, tubing, or snowboarding, hereby and indefinitely release, waive, and discharge our business, including our partners, subcontractors, independent contractors, drivers, or pilots, as well as their assistants or volunteers, from any liability, responsibility, loss, or claims for damages or injuries resulting in death. This release extends to any acts of active or passive negligence on the part of our staff, managers, owners, contractors, hot air balloon pilots, or any other business partners providing tours and services.

We are not liable for any injury or damage incurred during horseback riding, whitewater rafting tours, hiking, walking, helicopter, seaplane or air tours, including but not limited to hot air balloon flights, launch, landing, setup, takedown, or transportation to or from any said activity or location.

All participants, including legal representatives of children, acknowledge and comprehend that engaging in activities such as hot air ballooning, air tours, air transportation, and river rafting inherently involve hazardous activities with potential risks, including but not limited to injury, death, or damage to personal property. Consequently, all participants assume these activities at their own risk. This release encompasses all claims of any nature arising from our hot air balloon flights, air tours, seaplane flights, horseback rides, hiking, or whitewater river rafting. Participants agree to indemnify, defend, and absolve our business, officers, staff, managers, owners, partners, or contractors from any actions, claims, liabilities, damages, or costs incurred due to their engagement in these activities.

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California. Participants confirm that they have no medical or mental conditions preventing them from participating in any part of these activities. By acknowledging the "Terms and Conditions" box on our reservation page, participants acknowledge, understand, and accept all terms and conditions, and hereby agree and sign this agreement on behalf of all members of their party, including relatives, children, spouses, friends, or colleagues.

This waiver is signed and agreed to by the undersigned, acknowledging the high risk associated with these activities, including hot air balloon and seaplane flights, and other aforementioned activities. Participants bear full responsibility for the safety of themselves, their family, relatives, friends, and all members of their party during these activities and release our business, subcontractors, and pilots from any liabilities arising from their participation.

VI. Website Disclaimer

• Website Liability Disclaimer:

All photos, videos, web content pages, designs, maps, and itineraries on our websites are copyrighted and solely owned by our business. Our logo and domain name are copyrighted, trademarked, and registered by the Secretary of State of California in Sacramento. While we strive for accuracy, some information, products, web content, and services on our websites may contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. We periodically update and correct these contents to ensure accuracy. We do not guarantee 100% accuracy and assume no liability for any misuse or misunderstanding of our website contents, tour information, or any other aspect related to the use of this website. We do not hold responsibility for inbound and/or outbound linking or endorsements from other websites.

• Copyright Web Material and Lawsuit - DMCA and WIPO Laws:

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) laws protect our copyright content and intellectual properties. The DMCA criminalizes and penalizes any violation and reproduction of copyright contents. This law limits the liability of online service providers like ours for copyright infringement by websites' users or owners.

• Modifications of Terms and Conditions:

Our business and its affiliated websites or contractors reserve the right to change any of these terms and conditions under which this website is offered. We hold the right to modify our web content, update our terms, and privacy policy at any time and at our discretion without prior notice.

Foreign Languages: Tours are primarily conducted in English unless otherwise stated on your tour confirmation-voucher. Other foreign languages may incur additional fees. While we aim to accommodate other languages, we cannot guarantee tours in advance in foreign languages. All tours are subject to availability even upon approved transactions. Refunds will be processed if the reserved tour, service, or travel package is unavailable.

Reservation and Confirmation: Inquiries regarding bookings can only be made by customers or credit card holders. Cancellations and confirmations should be communicated via email. Our live chat and call center exclusively manage reservations. As per Yosemite National Park regulations, we are unable to pick up customers within the park.

Miscellaneous: Meals and tour guide drivers' gratuities are not included in the prices unless stated otherwise. We reserve the right to hire independent tour guide-drivers, subcontractors, or contractors for our tours. No refund will be issued for unused parts of tours or for no-shows.

Booking Tours: To book tours, please visit our secure reservation page or follow the provided steps on our website. We appreciate your trust and confidence in our services and assure you of a secure and reliable booking process.

General Terms and Provisions: 

• Tour confirmation:

The tour confirmation-voucher sent via email acts as the official confirmation of your tour. Please note that the merchant and automated receipt generated upon booking on our website does not guarantee your tour, even if the transaction is approved. Ensure that you have received your tour confirmation voucher for validation.

• Currency: 

All transactions are in United States Dollars (USD). Please note that if a transaction is declined, we will not be informed of this by our Merchant account. It is your responsibility to ensure that your transaction is approved before you contact us. If approved, you will get an automated email from (emailreceipts@authorize.net) shortly after making the reservation on our website. Otherwise, please start over with a different credit card and ensure that you provide the correct bank and billing address information including your zip code (postal code).

• Approved transactions do not guarantee your tour:

All reservations are subject to availability. Popular tours like Alcatraz tickets require reservation at least 8 weeks in advance.

• 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 provide your tour in the required language.

• Gratuity:

A 15% to 20% gratuity of the total purchase amount is customary in the USA. A flat amount near to the appropriate percentage is also common, depending on the situation.

• Parks, Road, Monument, Attractions, and Site Closures:

We are neither responsible nor liable for road and weather conditions. Further, State and National Park closures can occur at any time and without prior notice. 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 option for a change of tour dates.

• Parks, Road, Monument, Attractions, and Site Laws and Regulations:

Changes and updates to laws and regulations are frequent and can occur without notice to our business. While we do our best to stay informed, we are unable to guarantee visits to all locations and places mentioned on our website if they become inaccessible to the public due to such changes.

• Disabilities and wheelchairs:

Our vehicles are not equipped for passengers with disabilities or wheelchairs. Thank you for understanding.

• Smoking:

Smoking is NOT allowed in our vehicles.

Pets:

Pets are not allowed in our vehicles out of respect for those with allergies.

• Minors:

Minors are NOT allowed to visit Alcatraz Island on our tours, unless accompanied by an adult. This may also apply to other parks and sites we include in our tours.

• Clothing:

Please be prepared for cold weather and to walk on slippery paths and hiking trails. Wear comfortable, waterproof hiking shoes to walk on the snow in winter and spring. Our day tours are long and action-packed, which may not be appropriate for children and seniors. We recommend considering an overnight tour package.

• Special terms and conditions:

Many of our specific tours and services are governed by special terms and other conditions. These are stated on the tour confirmation you will receive from us by email.

For inquiries or clarifications regarding these policies, feel free to contact us directly. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we aim to ensure a delightful and hassle-free experience for all our customers.