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Western Australia: Wildflowers, Wineries and Private Gardens of the South West 2024

Status: limited

5 Sep – 17 Sep 2024

Other Departures
Overview

Western Australia: Wildflowers, Wineries and Private Gardens of the South West 2024
Tour Highlights

Horticulturalist, Sabrina Hahn, and botanical artist, Craig Lidgerwood, lead this diverse tour visiting WA’s best wineries, gardens and natural landscapes during the state’s famed wildflower season.

  • Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Kings Park International Park Breeding Program hosted by Senior Plant Breeder, Digby Growns.
  • Visit Albany, the Porongurup National Park and Fitzgerald River National Park; around 11,000 flora species are found in WA and over 75% are found in the south-west, one of the world’s top 10 biodiversity hotspots.
  • Attend the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show and visit the herbarium which holds over 3000 botanical specimens.
  • In the Margaret River region visit Bill Mitchell’s award-winning garden.
  • Enjoy a 3-course wine-paired lunch at Leeuwin Estate’s award-wining restaurant  and visit its art gallery and gardens.
  • Journey by 4WD to view the giant karri forests in Warren National Park and the Yeagarup Dunes to view coastal heath resembling ancient flora and many beautiful wildflowers in season.
  • Take the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants and enjoy a cruise with a local expert to explore the biodiversity of the Walpole Wilderness.
  • Enjoy a riverboat cruise of Oyster Harbour and the Kalgan River: learn about Aboriginal history, the exploration by early seafarers and settlers, and the diversity of flora and fauna.
  • View the natural geological features of Torndirrup National Park; we walk to the lookouts at both The Gap and Natural Bridge.
  • Explore Cypress Farm, the home of Professor Kingsley Dixon – Foundation Director of Science at Kings Park and Botanic Garden.
  • Visit the private garden of John Banasiewicz who is the president of the Western Australian Fern Society. His garden is a magnificent demonstration of his passion for plant collection.

Overnight Fremantle (2 nights) • Gnarabup Beach (2 nights) • Walpole (1 night) • Albany (3 nights) • Hopetoun (2 nights) • Katanning (1 night) • Fremantle (1 night)

Introduction

Kwongkan is the Noongar Aboriginal word for the geographical floristic region of the south-west of Western Australia. It covers the coastal and inland sand plains from Esperance to Albany and old growth Jarrah and Karri forests inland. This region contains 70% of the 8000 native plant species found nowhere else in the world. It has been decreed a global biodiversity hotspot and has rare and endangered fauna that has evolved alongside plant life in spite of some of the most impoverished soils on the planet.

The abundance and diversity of flora and fauna in the south-west evolved because it became a ‘biological island’ cut off from other flora; oceans surrounded the west and southern sides, and deserts hugged the eastern side. Most of the area we explore has remained above sea level for over 200 million years and with plant species adopting strategies to extract the very few nutrients available on these weathered, impoverished soils.

This tour will take you to remote and spectacular areas unlike anywhere else in Australia, from tall karri forests to vast coastal sand plains rich in diversity and the ancient granite domes of the Porongurup Range to some of the most prestigious wine areas of Margaret River.

Itinerary

Itinerary

The daily activities described in this itinerary may change or be rotated and/or modified in order to accommodate alterations in opening hours, flight schedules and confirmation of private visits. Participants will receive a final itinerary together with their tour documents prior to departure. The tour includes breakfast daily, lunches & dinners indicated in the detailed itinerary: B=breakfast, L=lunch and D=dinner.

Fremantle - 2 nights

Day 1: Thursday 5 September, Arrive Fremantle
  • Welcome Meeting and Drinks at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges

Meeting Point: Please meet in the foyer of the hotel at 6pm. Our tour begins at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges. The official check-in time for the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges is 2 pm. Tonight we meet at 6pm for welcome drinks at the hotel. (Overnight Fremantle)

Day 2: Friday 6 September, Fremantle – Perth – Fremantle
  • Exclusive tour of Kings Park breeding program of Australian native plants hosted by Digby Growns 
  • Kings Park Botanical Garden tour showcasing native Spring wildflowers
  • Orientation walk of Fremantle
  • Welcome Dinner

Kings Park covers an area of 400 hectares and is situated only minutes from the centre of Perth. The Botanic Garden consists of 17 hectares of outstanding display gardens featuring over 3000 varieties of West Australian native flora. Our tour starts with Digby Growns, Senior Plant Breeder at Kings Park International Park Breeding Program, giving us a rare behind-the-scenes tour of one of the world’s most exclusive and diverse plant breeding programs. This will be followed by a visit to Kings Park Nursery where we view some of the rare grafting techniques used to reproduce the most difficult to grow native species and explore the secrets of making and using smoke water as discovered by Professor Kingsley Dixon that is vital in germinating seed of many Australian bushland plants. Kings Park is also known for its wildflower plantings showcasing up to 40 species.

Our afternoon orientation walk takes us past the Fremantle Prison, built as convict barracks in the 19th century and the Roundhouse which is the oldest public building in the State of Western Australia. Opened in January 1831, just 18 months after settlement, the Roundhouse was built to hold any person convicted of a crime in the settlement and was used until 1886. We also visit the Fremantle Art Centre. Built by convicts on a grant of six acres, this splendid example of Australian Gothic architecture first opened its doors in 1864, as the Convict Establishment Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and Invalid Depot. We end our walk on the ‘Cappucino Strip’ with its mix of cafes, restaurants and pubs for which Fremantle is now famous.

Tonight we enjoy our welcome meal at a local restaurant. (Overnight Fremantle) BD

Gnarabup Beach - 2 nights

Day 3: Saturday 7 September, Perth – Dwellingup – Gnarabup Beach
  • Orondo Farm, Dwellingup: Guided tour of the private gardens & morning tea

This morning we travel to Dwellingup to visit Orondo Farm with its 25-plus acre private garden surrounded by woodlands and traversed with meandering watercourses. The fertile river valley, within which the garden sits, creates a perfect microclimate and provides the rich loam soils for growing rare deciduous and evergreen trees, flowering shrubs, such as rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas, and colourful perennials that have been planted over the years. The owners and creators of Orondo Farm, Bette and Bill Healy, will treat us to a guided tour and morning tea.

In the afternoon we continue our drive south to Margarets Beach Resort which is located 10km from the town of Margaret River on WA’s spectacular South West Coast. (Overnight Gnarabup Beach) B

Day 4: Sunday 8 September, Gnarabup Beach – Yallingup – Margaret River – Gnarabup Beach

We journey to Yallingup to visit the award-winning garden of Bill Mitchell, Gardening Australia Magazine’s 2016 ‘Gardener of the Year’. Situated on the clifftop of Smiths Beach and surrounded by the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park with heathland flora, Bill was driven to create a fire-resistant garden. The result was ‘Fire and Beauty’, a five-year-old garden mass-planted with fire-retardant plants, such as succulents and cacti. Drifts of bird attracting aloes, huge dragon trees, rare and unusual succulent varieties have been combined with local stone mastering the art of a lower maintenance garden without sacrificing colour and beauty. The achievement of this non-gardener’s concept and design is inspiring.

Nearby we visit the privately owned Gunyulgup Galleries. Gunyulgup is an aboriginal word meaning ‘resting place near water’. The art gallery is set in a peaceful rural setting, overlooking a tranquil lake.

This afternoon we enjoy a 3-course lunch at Leeuwin Estate showcasing the best local and South West produce complemented with matching wines. Leeuwin Estate is also famous for its gardens and its art collection of paintings and artworks including works by John Olsen, Arthur Boyd, Sir Sidney Nolan, Lloyd Rees, Albert Tucker and Fred Williams. (Overnight Gnarabup Beach) BL

Walpole - 1 night

Day 5: Monday 9 September, Gnarabup Beach – Pemberton – Walpole
  • BBQ lunch
  • 4WD Ecotour visiting Beedelup National Park, Yeagarup Dunes & coastal heath at Warren River

This morning we journey south to the tingle forests of Greater Beedelup National Park, near Pemberton, where we will have a BBQ lunch surrounded by karri trees, of which some specimens are believed to be in excess of 400 years old. The park takes its name from the Beedelup Brook running through it, possibly deriving from the Nyoongar word Beedja, which means ‘place of rest’ or ‘place of sleep’.

After a short walk to the rocky granite cascades of Beedelup Falls, our 4WD Ecotour begins by driving to Lake Yeagurup and over the Yeagurup Dunes, the largest land-locked mobile dune system in the southern hemisphere. From the dunes we continue by 4WD to the beach at the mouth of the Warren River. Along the way karri forests and coastal heath will be admired. We reconvene with the bus at the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, so named after being pegged in 1988 as part of Australia’s bicentennial celebrations. The pegging enables it to be one of three fire lookout trees open to the public in this area.

We continue south to the Tree Top Walk Motel in Walpole. Dinner will be served at the hotel. (Overnight Walpole) BLD

Albany - 3 nights

Day 6: Tuesday 10 September, Walpole – Valley of Giants – Albany
  • The Horsetail Walk, Visitors Centre Walpole-Nornalup
  • Cruise with a local expert to explore the biodiversity of the Walpole Wilderness
  • Valley of the Giants: Tree Top Walk & the Ancient Empire Walk

Following a short flora walk in the vicinity of the Walpole-Nornalup Visitors Centre, we embark on a wilderness ecotour to explore the Walpole Nornalup National Park, home to tingle forests that occur nowhere else in the world. We will be travelling by boat along the waterways of the Walpole and Nornalup Inlets Marine Park which is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and fed by the Franklin and Deep rivers. Its remote wilderness feel is due to the untouched nature of the park, its wildlife and scenic quality.

There will be time at leisure for lunch in Walpole before travelling to the Valley of the Giants. These ‘giants’ refer to the tingle trees that make up this spectacular forest, which only occur in this area and can grow to a height of 75m and have a circumference of up to 25m. To achieve the full experience of their majestic grandeur, we will walk amidst the canopy on a walkway positioned 40m above the ground. The Ancient Empire Walk allows us to see the red tingle trees (Eucalyptus jacksonii) from a boardwalk along the forest floor and is based on the theme of the lost era of Gondwana. The origins of some of these plants date back to this period in time, that is 65 million years ago.

We drive to the Albany Motel and Apartments, our home for three nights. (Overnight Albany) B

Day 7: Wednesday 11 September, Albany Area
  • Porongurup National Park
  • Desert Mounted Corps Memorial: Albany Heritage Park & Apex Lookout
  • Torndirrup National Park: The Gap & Natural Bridge Lookouts

This morning we explore the wildflowers and natural landscape of Porongurup Range and National Park, known for its massive granite domes that rise 670 metres up from the plains. One of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, it was formed in the Precambrian about 1,184 million years ago likely due to a collision between the Australian and Antarctic landmasses. Around 55 million years ago during the Eocene period when the sea levels were higher, the Porongurup Range became an island. It lies within the traditional lands of the Minang group of the Nyungar people.

The National Park is characterised by its diverse and endemic plant species, including more than 700 native plant species, as well as its rich array of wildlife. There have been 80 species of birds identified since becoming a national park. The karri forests of the Porongurup Range are found on the upper slopes on the deep red loamy soils. As a result of being separated from the rest of WA’s karri forests about 5000 years ago, these karri trees have evolved to become slightly different genetically. If it is a clear day, we may have spectacular views of the Stirling Range and the Southern Ocean.

In the afternoon we return to Albany where we visit the ANZAC Desert Mounted Corps Memorial located near the top of Mount Clarence. A walkway takes us through the Albany Heritage Park to the Apex Lookout from where we may enjoy spectacular panoramic views across Princess Royal Harbour, King George Sound and Middleton Bay.

We end the day with a visit to Torndirrup National Park, known for its rugged coastlines which feature coastal heaths, granite outcrops, sheer cliffs and steep sandy slopes and dunes. Here we follow a raised pathway across the top of the exposed granite ramparts to the lookouts at The Gap and Natural Bridge, both providing outstanding views of the Southern Ocean and the coast from Bald Head to West Cape Howe. (Overnight Albany) BL

Day 8: Thursday 12 September, Albany Area
  • Kalgan Riverboat Cruise
  • Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

This morning we enjoy a four-hour riverboat cruise of Oyster Harbour and the Kalgan River. During our cruise we learn about Aboriginal history and Dreamtime stories, exploration by early seafarers and settlers, and the diversity of local flora and fauna which includes pelicans, dolphins, sea eagles and fur seals. Around 7km up the Kalgan River we may disembark for a pleasant walk along the short riverside trail to view wildflowers and old Aboriginal fish traps. Morning refreshments including homemade damper will be provided.

This afternoon we walk through the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve heritage trail which tracks through peppermint woodlands and the remote and untouched beach. This is home to the critically endangered Gilberts potoroo and the noisy scrub bird and we may be lucky enough to hear them. It is a mecca for bird lovers and fishermen. This has been listed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with azure blue water, massive granite boulders and pure white sand. The coastal heathland plants have been carved by the wind and many species have adapted in unusual ways to compensate for salt laden winds and sandy soil. (Overnight Albany) BL

Hopetoun - 2 nights

Day 9: Friday 13 September, Albany – Fitzgerald River National Park – Hopetoun
  • Fitzgerald River National Park: a Biodiversity Hotspot

The Fitzgerald River National Park is the largest and most botanically significant national park in Australia, featuring more than 1,800 species of plants, 75 of which are found nowhere else in the world. There are 184 bird species, 22 mammal species, 41 reptile species and 12 frog species living in the park. A number of species have only recently been rediscovered here, including the Dibbler and Heath rat. During the winter months southern right whales shelter close to shore with their newborn calves. We will divide the trip into two main areas and walk from the car park at Mount Barren to Sepulcralis Hill, and then separately to No Tree Hill.

In the afternoon, we drive to the Hopetoun Motel and Chalet Village, our home for the next two nights. (Overnight Hopetoun) BLD

Day 10: Saturday 14 September, Hopetoun – Ravensthorpe – Hopetoun
  • East Mount Barren, Fitzgerald River National Park: Guided walk with Nathan McQuoid, specialised ecologist
  • Wildflower Show, Ravensthorpe
  • Dunns Swamp Road, Hopetoun: Guided walk

This morning we drive through the stunning coastline to East Mount Barren to see the endemic and often spectacular wildflower species. We will have a guided walk with ecologist Nathan McQuoid through eucalyptus woodlands and wildflower country.

The afternoon we visit the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show where Sabrina will take us around and explain different plant groups and how they evolved. There are over 1000 different species of plants collected from two national parks and over 3000 species in their world class herbarium.

As we travel south back to Hopetoun, we stop along Dunns Swamp Road that has a collection of unusual and endangered eucalypts that should be in flower. (Overnight Hopetoun) BLD

Katanning - 1 night

Day 11: Sunday 15 September, Hopetoun – Jerramungup – Badgebup – Katanning
  • Orchids of Jerramungup Sports Ground
  • Long Table Lunch at Badgebup
  • David & Sue Thompson’s Moojepin Farm, Katanning

This morning we travel to the town of Jerramungup, located in the Great Southern agricultural region, 454km southeast of Perth. Here we hope to view several species of orchids including Caladenia pulchra (Slender spider orchid) and Caladenia radialis (Drooping spider orchid) which are endemic to the south-west region of Western Australia.

From Jerramungup we continue 134km west  to Badgebup, a small wheat-farming town located between the towns of Katanning and Nyabing in wildflower country. Our hosts will provide us with a long table lunch in the Budgebup Hall where we will taste the local produce.

This afternoon we meet with David and Sue Thompson at their mixed cropping and sheep farm near Katanning. In addition to selling mutton, they have established ‘Moojepin Bushfoods’, selling saltbush, samphire, ice plant, pig face and beach banana. We tour the farm’s plantations and greenhouses before continuing to Katanning for the night. (Overnight Katanning) BL

Fremantle - 2 nights

Day 12: Monday 16 September, Katanning – Waroona – Fremantle
  • Cypress Farm, Waroona incl. buffet lunch
  • Farewell Dinner at Bathers Beach House Restaurant

This morning we visit Cypress Farm, the property of Professor Kingsley Dixon and Lionel Johnston. This garden is a ‘work in progress’ at the early stage of its redevelopment, and comprises largely uncleared Jarrah/Marri forest and Swan River Blackbutt. However, being one of the wettest places in the south-west, Cypress Farm takes advantage of the abundant water supply, the area’s clay-based soils, and cooler climate in order for the most diverse range of European and Australian plant species to be grown and displayed at their very best.

In the late afternoon we arrive at the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges, our home for the last night. Tonight we enjoy our farewell dinner at Bathers Beach House, a seafood restaurant located on the beachfront. (Overnight Fremantle) BLD

Day 13: Tuesday 17 September, Fremantle – Jandakot – Perth Airport
  • Private garden of John Banasiewicz, Jandakot
  • Transfer to Perth Airport arriving at 12.30pm

This morning we travel to Jandakot to visit the private garden of John Banasiewicz. John is the president of the Western Australian Fern Society and his garden is a magnificent demonstration of his passions for plant collecting. Paths weave around the garden, densely planted with the understory filled with a wide collection of ferns, palms, thousands of bromeliads, cycads, cordylines and heliconias, creating the effect of a tropical and lush haven. Pockets of bamboo, ponds containing water lilies, many cactus plants and a fascinating display of Bonsai trees add to the many facets of this beautiful garden. Overall the garden is designed in shades of green with  splashes of colour from bromeliads and some unusual anthuriums.  There are several shade houses containing his collection of tassel ferns and elkhorns. There is also a productive vegetable patch, and fruit and nut trees, all contained in acres of natural bush, with the drive way showing off many cultivated and tended native plants.

From Jandakot we transfer to the Perth Airport where our tour officially ends at approximately 12.30pm. B

Accommodation

Accommodation

All hotels/motels provide rooms with private facilities, except in Hopetoun where some of the rooms include a shared bathroom. A hotel list will be given to all participants prior to departure, in the meantime a summary is given below:

  • Fremantle (2 nights): 4-star Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges located in the heart of Fremantle overlooking the parklands and harbour. www.rydges.com
  • Gnarabup Beach (2 nights): 4-star Margarets Beach Resort – located 10km from Margaret River, on WA’s spectacular South West Coast, and just 500m from pristine Gnarabup Beach. www.margaretsbeachresort.com.au
  • Walpole (1 night): Tree Top Walk Motel – located in the centre of Walpole, 17kms from the famous Valley of the Giants. treetopwalkmotel.com.au
  • Albany (3 nights): Albany Motel & Apartments – centrally located in the harbour town of Albany, close to cafés, restaurants, shops and foreshore. www.albanymotel.com.au
  • Hopetoun (2 nights): Hopetoun Motel & Chalet Village – located in the heart of town, a short walking distance from shops, restaurants and cafés. Accommodation is provided in a mixture of motel rooms, chalets and townhouses. www.hopetounmotel.com.au
  • Katanning (1 night): Premier Mill Hotel – housed in a beautifully restored, iconic former flour mill. premiermillhotel.com
  • Fremantle (1 night): 4-star Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges located in the heart of Fremantle overlooking the parklands and harbour. www.rydges.com

Note: Hotels are subject to change, in which case a hotel of similar standard will be provided.

Single Supplement

Payment of this supplement will ensure accommodation in a double/twin room for single occupancy throughout the tour. In Hopetoun, where accommodation is extremely limited, some of the rooms share a bathroom. The number of rooms available for single occupancy is extremely limited. People wishing to take this supplement are therefore advised to book well in advance.

How to book

How to Book

ASA RESERVATION APPLICATION FORM

Please complete the ASA RESERVATION APPLICATION and send it to Australians Studying Abroad together with your non-refundable deposit of AUD $500.00 per person payable to Australians Studying Abroad.

Practical Information

Practical Information

The number of flags is a guide to the degree of difficulty of ASA tours relative to each other (not to those of other tour companies). It is neither absolute nor literal. One flag is given to the least taxing tours, seven to the most. Flags are allocated, above all, according to the amount of walking and standing each tour involves. Nevertheless all ASA tours require that participants have a good degree of fitness enabling 2-3 hours walking or 1-1.5 hours standing still on any given site visit or excursion. Many sites are accessed by climbing slopes or steps and have uneven terrain.

This 13-day Natural Landscapes & Garden Tour of Western Australia involves:

  • Most days involve walking on uneven terrain, and includes guided walks through the Porongurup National Park, Fitzgerald River National Park, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and the wildflower trail at Ravensthorpe.
  • Transportation includes daily excursions by air-conditioned coach; 4WD to the Yeagarup Dunes; boat tour of the Walpole Wilderness, and Kalgan Riverboat Cruise.
  • The daily schedule generally involves an early-morning departure (between 8.00-8.30am), concluding in the late afternoon (between 5.00-5.30pm)
  • A mixture of hotel and basic motel accommodation; in Hopetoun some rooms include shared bathrooms.
  • In Albany and Hopetoun, breakfast will be arranged via a local bakery  as the motels do not offer this service.
  • You must be able to carry your own hand-luggage. Porterage is NOT available at some of the motels.

It is important to remember that ASA programs are group tours, and slow walkers affect everyone in the group. As the group must move at the speed of the slowest member, the amount of time spent at a site may be reduced if group members cannot maintain a moderate walking pace. ASA tours should not present any problem for active people who can manage day-to-day walking and stair-climbing. However, if you have any doubts about your ability to manage on a program, please ask your ASA travel consultant whether this is a suitable tour for you.

Please note: it is a condition of travel that all participants agree to accept ASA’s directions in relation to their suitability to participate in activities undertaken on the tour, and that ASA retains the sole discretion to direct a tour participant to refrain from a particular activity on part of the tour. For further information please refer to the ASA Reservation Application Form.

Tour Price & Inclusions

Tour Price & Inclusions

AUD $8290.00 Land Content Only – Early-Bird Special: Book before 30 September 2023

AUD $8490.00 Land Content Only

AUD $990.00 Single Supplement

Tour Price (Land Content Only) includes:
  • Accommodation in twin-share rooms with private facilities in a combination of hotels and basic motels. Note: in Hopetoun where accommodation is extremely limited, some rooms include shared bathroom facilities.
  • Meals as indicated in the tour itinerary where: B=breakfast, L=lunch & D=dinner
  • Wine at welcome and farewell meals. Other meals do not include alcoholic beverages
  • Bottled water for all daily excursions
  • Transportation by air-conditioned coach; 4WD to the Yeagarup Dunes
  • Boat tour of the Walpole Wilderness Day 6, and Kalgan Riverboat Cruise Day 8
  • Porterage of one piece of luggage per person where available (not all hotels and motels offer this service)
  • Lecture and site visit program
  • Entrance fees as per itinerary
  • Use of audio headsets during the site visits
  • Tips for the coach driver, local guides and restaurants for included meals
Tour Price (Land Content Only) does not include:
  • Airfare to Perth
  • Porterage at some of the motels
  • Personal spending money
  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Luggage in excess of 20 kg (44 lbs)
  • Travel insurance
Tour Map

Tour Map

Gallery
Terms & Conditions
Deposits

A non-refundable deposit of $500.00 AUD per person is required to reserve a place on an ASA tour.

Cancellation Fees

If you decide to cancel your booking the following charges apply:

  • More than 75 days before departure: your initial deposit of $500.00 is non-refundable**
  • 75-31 days prior 50% of total amount due
  • 30-0 days prior 100% of total amount due

**$250.00 of this amount (ie 50% of your deposit) may be credited to another ASA tour departing within 12 months of the original tour you booked. We regret, in this case early-bird discounts will not apply.

We take the day on which you cancel as being that on which we receive written confirmation of cancellation.

Unused Portions of the Tour

We regret that refunds will not be given for any unused portions or services of the tour, such as meals, entry fees, accommodation, flights or transfers.

Will the Tour Price or Itinerary Change?

If the number of participants on a tour is significantly less than budgeted, or if there is a significant change in exchange rates ASA reserves the right to amend the advertised price. We shall, however, do all in our power to maintain the published price. Occasionally circumstances beyond the control of ASA make it necessary to change airline, hotel or to make amendments to itineraries. We will inform you of any changes in due course.

Travel Insurance

ASA requires all participants to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. A copy of your travel insurance certificate and the reverse charge emergency contact phone number must be received by ASA no later than 75 days prior to the commencement of the tour.

Final Payment

The balance of the tour price will be due 75 days prior to the tour commencement date.

Limitation of Liability

ASA is not a carrier, event or tourist attraction host, accommodation or dining service provider. All bookings made and tickets or coupons issued by ASA for transport, event, accommodation, dining and the like are issued as an agent for various service providers and are subject to the terms and conditions and limitations of liability imposed by each service provider. ASA is not responsible for their products, services, terms and conditions. If a service provider cancels or does not deliver the product or service for which you have contracted, and does not give a refund, your remedy lies with the service provider, not ASA.

ASA will not be liable for any claim (e.g. sickness, injury, death, damage or loss) arising from any change, delay, detention, breakdown, border closures, cancellation, failure, accident, act, omission or negligence of any tour service provider or authority however caused (contingencies). You must take out such travel insurance as is available against such contingencies.

ASA’s liability in respect of any tour cancelled or changed will be limited to the partial refund of amounts you have paid, less an administration fee of $500 and other costs and charges of third party service providers. No compensation will be payable to you by ASA where ASA cancels or changes a tour, or any part of a tour.

ASA reserves the sole discretion to cancel any tour or to modify itineraries in any way it considers appropriate and in the best interests of health, safety and wellbeing of tour participants. Tour costs may be revised, subject to unexpected price increases or exchange rate fluctuations.

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