Risk free travel in a post Covid world
Social Cycles is Ready to Ride!
Risk Free Post Covid Travel
2022 is here and it’s time to look forward! Covid-19 has all but destroyed the travel industry, and for those with itchy feet. We’re proud to announce that Social Cycles is still here and super keen to get back on the bike with you again! You can book holidays with confidence once again.
1. Do I have to be vaccinated?
The short answer to this question is yes. It’s almost impossible to travel anywhere in the world without proof of vaccination. Some countries may offer exemptions, however, in these cases, you will most likely need to quarantine on arrival which pretty much defeats the purpose of a short term holiday. It’s important to ensure your vaccination is accepted in your destination country too. Social Cycles policy also states that all riders will need to be vaccinated, for the comfort and peace of mind of other riders in the group. Should you feel that an exemption should apply, please get in touch with us directly.
2. Are Visas difficult to get now?
Countries vary with the visa process. There is more often than not, a requirement to have either a PCR negative Covid test 72 hours prior to travel or at least a Rapid Antigen test on arrival at the airport. The visa process is generally the same. Cambodia still accepts a tourist visa at airports but not currently at land crossings. The Vietnam visa process is the same as it was pre-pandemic. Iran is also still accepting visas but requires double vaccination certificates and tests on arrival and departure. Mongolia are accepting tourist visas and travellers are subject to tests at the border. Samoa has currently closed it’s border to foreigners and is not expected to open until at least after Easter 2022, if not later.
3. Insurance in a post COVID world
Insurance has always been compulsory for Social Cycles tours, but it has never been more important to have than now. Although we don’t recommend one particular broker over another, we suggest you scrutinize the cancellation policy. You might not find the answers you’re looking for on the back of the sales brochure, so dig deep in the terms and conditions. Don’t hesitate to email them (don’t call) and clarify your question in writing (and hopefully an answer). Make sure to ask, if you are doing a multi-country holiday, that you are covered if one of the countries goes into lockdown after the start of your holiday.
4. Deposits and refunds
If you’re booking a holiday with Social Cycles, then you can book with confidence and know that your money is safe. During 2020, we had many cancellations. Everybody either got all their money back in full, or chose to transfer their credit to another date (which has unlimited date changes and no expiry). COVID is not your fault and we know you want to travel as much as we do. This policy doesn’t change in 2022 either. Be wary of your flights though as many airlines aren’t as flexible. Another reason to choose your insurance carefully!
5. Guaranteed Departures
We really want to guarantee all our departures, to give you the peace of mind that you can go ahead and book flights etc. However, some tours just don’t work with just one person. The logistics just don’t make sense. Most tours we can put on with just two people. So if you want to join, and can bring somebody along, your tour is virtually guaranteed to depart. This is very much the case in Cambodia, Mongolia and Iran. For Samoa, Laos and Vietnam we need a minimum of four people and for Colombia, we need six riders. Please get in touch to learn more.
6. Scheduled Tour Dates
We have a list of tour dates on the website for all of our destinations. Should you not find what you’re looking for, we might be able to change the dates for you, or create a new tour date entirely. more often than not, we can put on a private tour and then vary the itinerary to cater for your exact needs. We could increase or decrease the cycling or change the route entirely. We very much pride ourselves on our flexibility and are passionate about creating unforgettable experiences. Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll use our local knowledge to give you the best experience possible.