Please call our reservations line on 1300 880 340 or contact your travel agent who will request a reservation on your behalf. All requests for reservations are subject to availability. Any special meal requests will be made on a request basis only. McLachlan Tours cannot guarantee special meal requests nor will it assume any responsibility or liability if passengers’ special meal requests are not fulfilled.

All rates are in Australian dollars and are cash/cheque rates. Unless noted as a ‘Guaranteed Departure’, tours are based on a minimum number of passengers travelling. In the unlikely event of price increases from our suppliers, increased taxes or a reduction in the numbers of passengers travelling to below the minimum passenger numbers, McLachlan Tours reserves the right to pass on these increases in costs to passengers. This may occur with or without warning to the passengers. In the unlikely event that a tour fails to attract the minimum passenger numbers, the tour may be cancelled at the discretion of McLachlan Tours. McLachlan Tours may also cancel, at its discretion, any tour for operational or other reasons. If a tour is cancelled, monies already paid by passengers will be refunded or credited towards future travel. McLachlan Tours will not be responsible for any other travel arrangements affected by, or any additional costs imposed because of, our cancellation.

McLachlan Tours reserves the rights to correct any errors in rates quoted or calculated, or any omissions made at any time during your booking. Any verbal quote given is an indication only of the final price and is subject to confirmation in writing.

Once a customer has paid in full, the price of the tour is guaranteed, subject to any tax changes or levies imposed by any government or their agencies or any airline. McLachlan Tours reserves the right to make alterations to itineraries and prices due to circumstances beyond its control.

A non-refundable deposit of $1000 per person per tour for Group Tours and 30% per person per tour for the Western Front Explorer Tours and Flexi Tours, is required to secure your place  within 7 days of booking. For tours that include domestic flights or permits, payment in full is required at the time of deposit. Some hotels may require pre-payment in peak seasons. You will be advised of this at time of booking. For bookings under the value of $300, full payment is required to secure your place.

Final payment is due no later than 90 days prior to departure on your tour unless otherwise specified.

Credit card payments attract a merchant fee of 1.1% for Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

1 These terms and conditions (“Conditions”) form the basis of the contract between You and Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours (“We”, “Us” or “Our”) (“Contract”). It is important that You read the Contract carefully to ensure that You understand Your rights and obligations. Your Contract may also include additional terms and conditions applicable to a special offer or promotion.

2 You confirm Your understanding and acceptance of the Conditions and the Contract by paying Your Booking Deposit or otherwise paying any part of the price of Your Tour.

3 If You make a Booking on behalf of any other person, You represent to Us that You have their authority to make the Booking on their behalf and to legally bind them to the terms of the Contract, including the Conditions. Each reference to “You”, “Your”, “Guest” or “Passenger” means the person who makes the Booking and each other person covered by the Booking.

4 Your transportation on any river cruise vessel during Your Tour will also be subject to the Cruise Conditions of the Operator of the vessel. The Operator is a separate legal entity and business.  You can obtain a copy of the Cruise Conditions by contacting our customer service team.

5 Your Itinerary does not form part of the Contract.

6 We may amend these Conditions from time to time. If We amend the Conditions, We will publish the amended version on Our Website. We will also provide the current version of the Conditions to You upon request. You will be bound by the current version of the Conditions at the time You make Your Booking.

All cancellations must be received in writing. If cancellation is received more than 90 days prior to departure, the deposit will be forfeited. If cancellation is received between 90 and 45 days prior to departure, a cancellation fee of 50% of the total booking cost will be charged. If cancellation is received less than 44 days prior to departure, a cancellation fee of 100% of the total booking cost will be charged.

Domestic flights, permits and any accommodation that requires pre-payment must be paid for in full at the time of deposit and are non-refundable.

Any change or substitution of a nominated passenger’s name after the final payment has been made will be deemed a cancellation, and the applicable cancellation fee will apply. The departure date is the date indicated on the McLachlan Tours’ confirmation. If a nominated passenger does not join the tour on the departure date the cancellation fee will be 100% of the total booking cost. If a nominated passenger withdraws from the tour after commencement for reasons of illness, they must obtain a medical certificate in support of any insurance claim. McLachlan Tours makes no representations or guarantees concerning reimbursement of funds paid by a nominated passenger or paid by a representative of a nominated passenger under any insurance claim.

The above mentioned cancellation fees are in addition to any that may be charged by travel agents, airlines, hotels or other tour operators.

Amendment fees will apply to any change on an existing booking.

To the extent permitted by law, no refund is available for cancellations after travel has commenced or in respect of any tours, accommodation, meals or any other services not utilised.

Travel documents will be sent to you approximately 21 days prior to departure (providing full payment has been received). If you are leaving home earlier, please advise us so that we can deliver your documents before you depart.

Tours marked as ‘Guaranteed Departures’ are guaranteed to depart, regardless of passenger numbers. Please note that we reserve the right to withdraw this guarantee for a force majeure event including but not limited to terrorist attack, economic downturn and war.

On tours that offer airport transfers as an inclusion, an airport transfer to/from your hotel will be provided on the arrival and departure day of the tour (within the ground suppliers operating hours).

Flight details must be provided to McLachlan Tours no later than 21 days before departure. Once transfers are booked they cannot be changed. Only one inbound and one outbound transfer will be included. In the event of flight delays outside McLachlan Tours’ control, the transfers will be deemed to be cancelled. All transfers are based on group transfers, and no refund is available for missed transfers or passengers not using the transfer service. Airport transfers are provided as a service to passengers and it is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure that any airport transfer will allow them enough time to connect with their flights. McLachlan Tours will not be responsible for any flight delays or cancellations caused by the late arrival or departure of an airport transfer, or for cancellation fees associated with a missed flight.

Descriptions of tours, attractions and accommodation provided on this website are based on information provided by hotels and suppliers. Any facilities shown as included may change at any time. McLachlan Tours makes no representation as to the standard, class or description of accommodation or services provided by third parties. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided to passengers; however, McLachlan Tours cannot be held responsible for typographical errors, or errors arising from unforeseen circumstances.

Maps are shown for general information and do not necessarily reflect actual routings, locations or services provided. Photographs may show places in the general area visited, but not necessarily included in the tour. Many of the images on our website and brochure are supplied courtesy of tourist bureaux, hotels and tour operators.

It is a condition of travel that each passenger is adequately covered by an appropriate travel insurance policy. Please also check the contingencies of your prospective insurance cover and ensure you are aware of its conditions and omissions. We strongly advise travel insurance from time of booking to provide full cover.

All customers are required to familiarise themselves with any health requirements specific to countries being visited.

It is the responsibility of the passenger to have a valid passport (which is valid for at least six months from your last day of travel) and all visas, permits and certificates required for the selected tour. Ask your travel agent for further information.

Please check with your airline for applicable baggage allowances. On all tours passengers are limited to 1 suitcase and 1 piece of hand luggage per person. Where a tour includes hotel porterage, this includes one standard suitcase per person, and only applies when the passengers are travelling as part of the group. Porterage is not included when passengers check in and out of a hotel at the start and end of a tour.

All baggage and personal effects are at all times and in all circumstances at the risk of the tour participant. Baggage insurance is recommended.

On Group Tours, if you are travelling as a single passenger, you can request that we try to match you in a twin share room with another single passenger of the same sex. Should we not be able to match you in a twin share room by the final tour balance payment date, the single room supplement rate will apply. Should you be matched with another person we cannot be held responsible if the choice is not to your satisfaction. Any twin match must understand that the room must be treated as a non-smoking room unless both parties agree otherwise. Single rooms may be smaller than twin rooms. The single supplement represents a fee passed on to us by the hotels for sole use of a room.

If McLachlan Tours reasonably considers that a passenger is physically incapable of participating in any tour, or that a passenger may be disruptive to the safety or comfort of passengers or staff it may, in the reasonable exercise of its discretion, refuse to carry that passenger on the tour. Passengers are required to advise McLachlan Tours, at the time of booking, of any physical, medical or other special needs that require accommodating. McLachlan Tours does not employ medical personnel. Any necessary medical attention will be provided by a local facility at the passenger’s expense. McLachlan Tours is not responsible or liable for any losses or costs incurred as a result of medical services obtained while on tour, or for the quality of the care or services received.

*We are unable to carry children under 5 years of age. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

In the reasonable exercise of its discretion, McLachlan Tours may remove a passenger from our tours if one or more of the following have occurred or if McLachlan Tours reasonably believes may occur:

(a) The continued presence of the passenger may endanger the safety, health or materially affect the comfort of other passengers;
(b) The conduct, age, mental or physical state of the passenger is, or reasonably seems, such as to : require special assistance which cannot be reasonably provided; cause discomfort or make the passenger objectionable to other passengers or accompanying personnel; involve any hazard or risk to the passenger, other passengers or accompanying personnel or property.

All possible effort will be made to adhere to the published touring itinerary. Occasionally circumstances beyond our control will force cancellations, changes, amendments or modifications to the itinerary and its inclusions such as particular events and services. McLachlan Tours cannot be held responsible for any omissions or modifications to the itinerary or the inclusions made as a consequence of these changes.

You must provide a telephone number, email or address where you can be reached, if necessary, within 24 hours prior to your departure from Australia.

Anything not specifically included in the tour is at your own expense. Tours sold as ‘land only’ do not include airfares.

Air travel is subject to the conditions and limitations set out in the airline’s conditions of carriage. McLachlan Tours has access to wholesale airfares with specific airlines which are available to passengers who book on one of our tours. Wholesale fares will usually be cheaper than an equivalent full retail fare, but occasional special discounted fares offered by airlines may be cheaper than our wholesale fares. It is the passenger’s responsibility to compare available airfares and to select the product that is most appropriate for their needs. Wholesale fares apply to specific routes and dates only and are subject to availability. Airfares are subject to change at any time.

Advertised airfare savings are based on the difference between our wholesale airfare and the cheapest available retail airfare on the same airline on a specific date of booking and departure. Depending on the date of booking, departure date and availability, the saving between our wholesale fare and an equivalent retail fare may be less than the advertised amount.

The person making a booking will be deemed to have accepted these booking conditions on behalf of everyone named in the booking. Only the person making the booking is authorised to make changes to or cancel the booking. All communications from us will usually be sent to your travel agent. Your travel agent is responsible for forwarding payments made by you to us.

To the extent permitted by law, McLachlan Tours excludes all liability for any loss or damage whatsoever (including but not limited to physical and psychological injury, and loss or damage to property of whatever nature) that may arise in any way in connection with the offer or supply of goods or services through McLachlan Tours or any third parties, or in connection with the supply of such goods or services. If the law implies a condition or warranty that cannot be excluded, McLachlan Tours’ liability for a breach of the conditions or warranty will be limited as determined by McLachlan Tours to the re-supply or payment of the cost of re-supplying the relevant goods or services. Except where otherwise stated within these terms and conditions McLachlan Tours excludes liability for any loss or damage that may be caused by cancellation, abandonment, alteration, amendment, modification or termination of the tour.

If a tour cannot proceed due to a force majeure event including but not limited to flood, earthquake, war or civil strife, acts of terrorism, hurricane, cyclone, industrial disturbance, strike, fire, lock out, epidemic, failure or delays of scheduled transportation facilities, or other Acts of God, or any law, order, decree, rule or regulation of any government authority, or for any reason whether of a similar or dissimilar nature beyond the control of McLachlan Tours, this agreement shall terminate and there shall be no claim for damages by either party against the other.

McLachlan Tours makes no representations as to the safety, conditions or other issues that may exist at any destination. You should obtain travel advice, including from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (www.smarttraveller.gov.au).

Should you have a complaint while on the tour, you should inform your Tour Manager, Tour Guide or Historian immediately. If the matter cannot be resolved after their best endeavours to do so during the tour, your complaint must be made in writing to McLachlan Tours.

McLachlan Tours cannot be held responsible for issues that were not brought to our attention during the course of a tour.

It is the Travel Agents’ responsibility to ensure that all invoice and itinerary details and documentation issued by McLachlan Tours are correct and that the customer is aware of amendment and cancellation conditions and other clauses in these booking conditions.

This agreement shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of New South Wales, Australia.