As the travel landscape has changed dramatically in recent times, we are doing our best to stay ahead of further changes.

Travelling whilst Covid-19 is still active in the world comes with many barriers and hurdles. By mitigating risks and following health guidelines, travel is still possible and we will endeavour to provide you with great travel experiences.

We have setup an Urban Heartbeat Covid-19 Travel Policy which will ensure that our guests are prepared to travel but equally prepared for changes out of their control due to Covid-19. The policy can be viewed here by clicking this link.

You will be asked to sign an agreement to the terms of our Covid-19 policy upon registration onto any of our tours.

Our itinerary may be updated before or during the tour to incorporate changes out of our control. Please note that while we endeavour to follow the provided itinerary, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather, local circumstances or events and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route, schedule, amenities and modes of transport. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time, based on the aforementioned reasons.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all participants. Since the emergence of Covid-19, the landscape of travel insurance has changed dramatically, and is continuing to change. New policies are emerging that cover a traveller for cancellation, forced isolation and itinerary changes caused by Covid-19. It has never been more important to secure travel insurance than in this current environment. You should always check details of your insurance coverage, particularly how it applies to Covid-19 and travel disruptions.

We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including Covid-19 related medical expenses and emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.

You won't be permitted to join the tour until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number has been provided to us.

If you have credit card insurance, we will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. Ensure that your coverage is activated (EG. with necessary purchases on airfares).

It is important to purchase travel insurance as soon as you have confirmed your place on the tour, as it will cover you in case you have any accidents between when you book and the commencement of the tour.

If you do not have a valid passport, you will need to apply for one so that you can enter Australia. Please keep in mind that passport processing can take a number of weeks, so be sure to do this at your earliest possible convenience. We also recommend that you check the validity of your passport. Many countries require at least 6 months validity from the date of your departure. We may require that you provide us with a copy of your passport when you reserve a place on our tour.

Some countries' citizens do not require a visa to enter Australia. Please check the agreements between the country of your passport and Australian immigration.

The cheapest and most convenient way to acquire money is via an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) which are plentiful throughout Australia. This allows you to draw funds from your personal account at a superior exchange rate. Bank fees for these withdrawals can be either a flat rate or a percentage of the amount withdrawn. Check with your bank for information on their international fees. Some banks waive the withdrawal fees if you use their partner bank or if you have particular account types.

Alternatively, there are a number of prepaid debit cards you can purchase which allow you to pay for things in Australian Dollars.

Don't forget your PIN and make sure you know the telephone number for cancelling your card if it's stolen. Keep this in a safe place. When using your debit card, check your receipts and keep them to compare against your statement when you get home.

We will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While we will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we make no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that we have the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns.

When out drinking in bars please be responsible and take the same precautions you would at home. Don't accept drinks from strangers, and don't let your drink out of your sight. It is always a good idea to go out with a group and stick together.

PERSONAL MEDICATIONS:

Medical prescriptions written outside of Australia aren't accepted at pharmacies. Therefore, we recommend you bring along your personal medications in the necessary quantities for your trip.

Please make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel.

Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on our trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land, but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect to both ourselves and towards everyone we encounter, particularly the local people who make our destinations such special places. The exploitation of prostitutes is completely contrary to this philosophy. We reserve the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession or if they use prostitutes.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure on their trip. We don’t tolerate any form of sexual harassment at Urban Heartbeat, either between participants or involving our leaders or local operators. Sexual relationships (consensual or otherwise) between a guide and a participant are unacceptable. If you ever feel another person is behaving inappropriately please inform us immediately

Even though you are on holiday, you may still want to keep in touch with friends and family back home. There are an abundance of good options when it comes to global roaming these days. Should you require further information on these options, then we are happy to advise on what is available. If you would like a local sim card for use in Australia, we can organise one for you at an additional cost. This will allow you to make local calls, texts and access data services.

We highly recommend you install apps before you depart home such as Whatsapp, Viber and Skype to keep in touch with people back home. You will be able to use these services for free when you connect to WiFi. Free WiFi services are plentiful in Australia, including at at many cafes, restaurants and tourist attractions. We also recommend that if you have not organised a roaming plan before you go, that you switch off data-roaming services on your smart phone as this is the most common way that people accidentally accumulate a substantial bill whilst travelling.

As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travellers will comprise of people from different walks of life to you. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don't keep the rest of the group waiting. We believe that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well - this takes just a little effort on your part.

Currency conversions are an ever changing component of the world we live in, which comes in to particular scrutiny when travelling around the world. The prices mentioned in this website are in line with currency at the time of providing you with this information. Should currency fluctuate drastically prior to or during the tour, we may need to make changes to the itinerary. Should any fluctuation cause a major impact on the successful operation of the tour, then we will inform participants of such events and provide alternative options.

To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally no meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more flexibility regarding budget and preferences of cuisine. Please consider this in your personal budgeting for this trip. We will certainly provide you with suggestions on where and what to eat, however the final decision is up to each participant.