General Tour and Travel Terms

City Tours & Getaways

Cancelation Policy:
Please note that we do not charge the full amount of your tour via our website’s booking feature, but rather a small deposit fee, usually anywhere between 10-15% of the final ticket(s) price, in order to confirm your reservation. The remainder of your payment is only due on the day of your tour. All initial deposits to secure your reservation are final. Should have to cancel a tour with us, please notify us by emailing trips@thetravelingbeetle.com or by calling +52 55 80 40 36 89 in Mexico or + 1 646 593 8877 in the U.S. When possible we will try to reschedule you or offer you a credit towards a future tour. All tours that require prior reservations, admission ticket purchases and/or hotel bookings are not subject to refunds or credits. If you have any questions about our cancellation policy, please contact us.

Road Trip Vacations

What your trip includes:

Included in your trip are: your Beetle convertible (two people per car), accommodations (double occupancy) in charming hotels, haciendas or lodges in the cities and towns you will be traveling to, 1 meal per day (usually breakfasts) gas & tolls (when following the standard itinerary only), third party insurance, a group guide and 24/7 roadside assistance comprised of a mechanic and support vehicle (when following the standard itinerary only), and access to a cellular phone and radio during the duration of your trip.

What your trip does not include:

Airport transfers (although we will arrange them for you), any upgrades such as accommodation in single occupancy rooms or if you wish to travel alone in your Beetle (if you are traveling alone, you will be paired with another traveler unless you specifically request your own car and hotel room), lunch and dinner meals, international airfares, tips and personal purchases you may make during your stay, accommodation, meals, roadside assistance and repairs if you venture beyond the standard itinerary.

Single Travelers:

The standard rates of our packaged road trips are based on two people per vehicle and hotel room. If you are traveling alone and prefer not to share your car or room, you will be required to pay a single supplement fee (see our Travel Rates section below). If you are traveling alone and wish to share your car and accommodation, we will try our best to team you up with a travel partner of the same gender. If you cannot be paired with another traveler, you will be given the option to share a Beetle with your tour guide, but will be required to pay a single room occupancy supplement (for exact rates please see our Travel Rates section below). In rare instances (usually in the case of custom tours) single accommodations may not available.

Vehicle provided:

Upon arrival in the city where the tour is scheduled to begin, you will be handed over your vehicle: a classic Beetle convertible. The Beetle will be yours during the entire duration of your trip. Our fleet of Beetles is maintained on a regular basis by professional mechanics (before and after each trip). We therefore guarantee your vehicle will be in sound condition (chassis, body, engine brakes, suspensions and tires).

While the vehicle is in your possession, we ask that you take good care of it. You will be responsible for it and will be required to comply with local traffic rules and regulations. You are not permitted to:

Use your vehicle for other purposes than the one it was designed for
(e.g.you may not drive your Beetle off of paved roads unless permitted by
the group leader, you may not use it to haul, tow or push other vehicles,
transport any merchandise other than your luggage or drive it in a reckless
manner);
Drive while under the influence of alcohol or any prohibited substances;
Transport passengers other than tour group members;
Transport any explosive or illegal substances;
Drive the vehicle if it has been damaged in any way without prior approval
of your guide or mechanic;
Carry out any unauthorized modifications or repairs;
Modify, substitute or sell the vehicle or any of its parts;
Rent or loan the vehicle.

Driving requirements:

To drive one our Beetles, you must be at least 21 years of age, and carry a valid driver’s license. Most foreign licenses are accepted in Mexico. However, if your license is not written in roman characters, we suggest you obtain an international driver’s license prior to your departure (international driver licenses must be accompanied at all times by your original national license) so to avoid problems with local authorities.

Only the authorized drivers whose names appear on the Vehicle Terms of Use agreement form are permitted to operate our vehicles.

Roadside assistance:

In the event you experience a mechanical failure, our roadside assistance vehicle will come to your aid. The group mechanic will attempt to repair your Beetle on location so you can quickly get back on your way. However, if a roadside repair is not possible we will tow your Beetle to the closest facility where we can repair it. If the damages are such as they cannot be repaired within a reasonable timeframe (24 hours), we will offer you another Beetle to continue your journey. If no vehicles are available or within range of the group, we will substitute your car for a rental vehicle.

Damages & accidents:

While under your custody you will be responsible for your Beetle. Any damages your Beetle may suffer while under your care will be at your own expense. Normal wear and tear and minor scratches under 3 cms will not be charged. Any dent or other damage noted upon your return will be charged at its normal repair price (for more information on standard repair costs, please email us for a full list of average repair prices). In the event of an accident your will not be charged for repairs (or the vehicle’s replacement cost) if local authorities determine you are not at fault. Should you local authorities conclude you are at fault, you will required to pay for all repairs or the vehicle’s replacement cost of which the amount shall not exceed $5,000 (U.S. Dollars). Options to purchase additional insurance in order to limit your liability are available. For rates and information about insurance coverage, please read the paragraph below.

For further information on the rules that govern the use of our vehicles, please refer to our Vehicle Terms of Use agreement which is available upon request and must be signed by all travelers prior to departure.

Insurance (automobile and travel):

All our Beetles come with third-party liability insurance which includes; coverage in case of an accident (material damage and physical injuries inflicted to others, medical coverage for you and your passenger(s) and attorney fees in case your require legal assistance). Third-party insurance is included in the price of your trip.

Please note that third-party liability insurance will not cover damages you may cause to your Beetle. Any damage made to your car that is the result of your own negligence or responsibility in the case of an accident will be at your expense.

If you wish to limit your liability you may subscribe to full-coverage insurance which costs and additional $18.00 per day. This will limit your liability to $500 in the event you seriously damage your vehicle and $1,000 in the event the Beetle is damaged beyond repair.

Please note that if you pay with a credit card, your credit card company may offer you additional third-party insurance. Please check with your credit card company for details of such insurance.

Last, the Traveling Beetle requires you to have traveler’s insurance before you take one of our road trips. Such type of insurance is generally very cheap. If you need further information about traveler’s insurance, we will send you a list of insurance companies that offer short term travel insurance plans.

Medical emergencies:

If you were to fall sick during your trip, your group leader, guide and mechanic will have a list of the nearest doctors and hospitals than can provide you with good medical care. Mexico’s medical facilities are usually quite good and present in most, if not all, of the towns you will be visiting. Again you are required to have traveler’s insurance when joining one of our road trips. This insurance will cover your medical expenses and transportation to the nearest facility that is equipped to provide you with proper treatment.

Trip payment schedule:

Regular road trip departures:

20% of the trip’s total cost at booking time (availability will only be guaranteed once your down payment is received);

50% of the trip’s total cost is due 90 days prior to departure;

Full balance is required 60 days prior to trip departure.
Custom tours:

50% of the total trip costs will be due upon agreement of the itinerary (when you validate the circuit/itinerary);

Full balance is due 75 days before departure.

Trip preparation:

Once your deposit received, you will be sent an electronic traveler’s kit. Your kit will include a detailed itinerary, a suggested packing list, a visa kit (if required), insurance information (traveler’s insurance and automobile coverage), a medical waiver that must be returned to us, and other practical information you will need to prepare for your trip. Arrival and meeting instruction will be sent to you approximately two weeks before your departure.

Trip cancelation

Should you need to cancel your trip for any reason, the following penalties will apply. Please note that cancelations must be sent to us in writing.

From the time you book/reserve your trip to 90 days prior to your departure 10% of the total trip costs will be deducted from your initial deposit and the remainder refunded to your account (excluding any wire transfer fees).

Within a period of 89 to 60 days prior to departure 20% of the total trip costs will be deducted from your initial deposit and the remainder refunded to your account (excluding any wire transfer fees).

Within a period of 59 to 30 days prior to departure 50% of the trip’s cost will be due.

100% of the trips costs will be required if you cancel less than 30 days prior to departure.

No refunds will be issued for unused hotel rooms, meals, museums or other services included in your trip that you will not have used for any reason whatsoever. All road trips are priced as a package and credits or refunds are not issued for services not used.

Extending the use period of your vehicle:

The Beetle you are assigned will be yours to use during the entire duration of the road trip you will have signed up for. Should you wish to keep your vehicle beyond the end of the tour you may do so for a daily fee of $90 which includes third-party insurance but excludes gas, tolls and roadside assistance. All extensions are subject to availability and must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the tour’s ending date.

Cancellations & force majeure:

The Traveling Beetle reserves the right to cancel any road trip for any of the following reasons: insufficient number of participants, bad weather conditions, non-payment of required participation fees or any other reason that may prevent us from safely operating the trip. In such case, and whenever possible we will inform you at least 45 days ahead of your scheduled departure. Cancelations due to an insufficient number of participants will be fully refunded. In the case of cancelations due to weather conditions and other factors beyond our control, we will do our very best to either come up with an alternate itinerary (to avoid unsafe conditions) or will refund your tour minus any fees that we may have paid in preparation for your .trip

Delays & rate changes

The cost of delays is not included if any of our road trips is delayed due to bad weather conditions, road conditions, river levels or any other contingency for which The Traveling Beetle cannot plan for. Road trip rates are subject to price increases without prior notice, even after you have booked a trip. Such prices increases only occur in the event of sudden currency fluctuations or fuel prices changes. If our rates increase more than 15% once you have already reserved your trip, you will be given to option to cancel your trip and will be refunded the amount you have paid minus any bank wire transfer or credit card fees. Any exceptional price increases will be notified to you at least 30 days in advance.

Exchange rate and currency fluctuations

All transactions are conducted in U.S Dollars. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, there could be some variance between the amount initially debited against your credit card and the amount refunded when you return your vehicle. The Tour Company is not liable for such variations.

Photography and video footage

During our road trips, we may take photographs or videos in which you and other travelers may appear. As a participant, you automatically grant permission to The Traveling Beetle to use any photographs or footage for promotional or commercial purposes and without compensation of any kind.

Safety and responsibilities of each traveler

Travelers have certain responsibilities to The Traveling Beetle and other group travelers. When traveling with us, you will be expected to respect other drivers. You will be asked to operate your vehicle in a safe manner in order to avoid injuring yourself and/or others. Failure to operate your vehicle in a responsible way, acts of road rage, driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances or failure to comply with local traffic laws or regulations may result in you being excluded from the group. Exclusions based on poor traveler’s conduct will not be subject to refunds.

Liability limitations

The traveling Beetle’s owners, officers, employees, representatives and affiliates shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss or damage to person or property, death, delay or inconvenience in connection with the provision of any goods or services provided by its own care or performed by a third-party (e.g. hotel, restaurant, museum, government agency, etc.). occasioned by or resulting from, but not limited to, mechanical failure, road conditions, poor building or infrastructure conditions, strikes, criminal or terrorist activity, civil unrest, war, acts of government, force majeure, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, strikes, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, practice of any recreational activity while in Mexico, dangers caused by wildlife whether it be animals or vegetation, sanitation issues, food poisoning, lack of access to or quality of medical care, difficulty in evacuation in case of a medical or other emergency, illness, epidemics or the threat thereof or for any other cause beyond The Traveling Beetle’s control. Upon payment of a deposit for any road trip, you and your travel partners therefore agree to be bound by the above terms. Your participation is contingent on your signature of the above Terms & Conditions, a medical waiver, a proof of travel insurance and your vehicle’s rental form.

Arbitration

Any dispute concerning, relating or referring to our Terms & Conditions, to any literature concerning our road trips, or the trips themselves, shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration in an arbitration court of the city of Mexico (Mexico Distrito Federal).