Local Payment & Kitty
Local Payments and Tipping Kitties.
The cost of some of our tours are split into two payments. The cost of the tour which you pay for before departure and the Local Payment or tipping kitty. Our Bex tours include a compulsory Local Payment. Details on this local payment are below. Our tours in Morocco, China, Egypt and Jordan include a compulsory tipping kitty.
Why have a Tipping Kitty?
For tours to Morocco, China, Egypt and Jordan.
A small tipping kitty may be operated by the tour leader in accordance with local custom. The tipping kitty will be collected at the pre-departure meeting at the start of the tour and will be managed by the tour leader. This takes the hassle out of searching for change and worrying about how much is the norm in a country where tips make up a large and important part of someones wages. This kitty does not include tour leaders wages.
Why we have a local payment
Travel Style: Bex
The cost of a Bex travel style tour comprises of two payments: tour price and local payment. The tour price is paid before you depart the local payment is paid directly to your tour leader on day 1 of your tour, in US dollars cash.
Please note: You are required to pay the local payment that is printed in the brochure current at the time of your tour’s departure. This amount may change from one brochure to the next on 1 October each year when the brochure is officially published. Please see your specific tour page on our website for the current amount if you are unsure about this.
There are several reasons why we structure the payments in this way. We have found that the vast majority of travellers prefer to pay a predetermined cost to cover day to day group expenses. Paying this money locally ensures tour leaders have a supply of money if access to banking facilities is limited or non-existent. Having a local payment also helps us to keep the cost of our tours competitive and save on operational and administrative costs so that we can pass the savings on to you.
What the tour price includes
Bex tours are led by an expert tour leader (and qualified driver for tours in South America). In South America, they travel on custom built overland expedition vehicles with all the essentials such as massive storage space, plenty of leg room and large windows. Cooking and camping equipment is provided (BYO sleeping bag and mat). In Asia, our Bex tours use public transport and local accommodation.
What the local payment includes
Your tour leader keeps an account of how the local payment is spent. In order to keep the cost of this Local Payment low, we have budgeted for every penny. Consequently no refunds will be available at the end of the tour. Most meals are included when camping and on travel days, and accommodation is a combination of camping and inexpensive hotels and hostels as specified in on each tour page.
What’s not included?
International flights and departure taxes, visas and vaccinations, travel insurance (this is compulsory and a copy of your policy will be collected by your tour leader), sleeping bag, camping mattress, tips for local guides, excursions and restaurants.
