Coronavirus Travel FAQs

The wellbeing of our travelers is our top priority. That’s why we’re updating our vaccination policy to require all travelers on Contiki trips to be fully vaccinated to travel with us until the end of 2022.

As well as keeping our travelers safe, a core principle of how we operate is protecting the communities we visit. It’s vital that we make sure those communities also feel safe, and that we all minimise, as much as possible, anyone’s chances of travelling with, picking up or passing on COVID-19. This is part of operating responsibly - especially in countries with more vulnerable populations or low access to vaccines.

Additionally, many venues around the world are now requiring proof of vaccination for indoor activities such as dining in restaurants or visiting museums. We want everyone who travels with Contiki to have the best experience possible, so when faced with having to exclude travelers from activities, we feel that requiring all travelers to be vaccinated is the most responsible choice.

Your final vaccine dose must have been administered a minimum of 15 days prior to the start of the trip. We will continue to monitor the local requirements and update the policy accordingly.

For more information see below.

Travelers will also need to comply with specific requirements imposed by airlines and/or governments which may differ from the above.

Our Policy is as follows:
- You must be fully vaccinated to travel with us.
- Fully vaccinated travelers must have proof of vaccination showing they received their last required dose at least 15 days before the start of the trip.
- Proof of vaccine must show the traveler’s full name and must match the name on the passport or any other recognized travel document. Proof of vaccine can be in either printed or digital format.
- In the event you are unvaccinated or are unable to receive vaccination, we will work with you to postpone your trip until you have been vaccinated.

As always our team of experts are on hand to help on the phone or web chat if you have any questions about traveling with Contiki, need help with an existing booking or want any more info.

If you are required to present a PCR test to travel to your destination of choice and you test positive on this test you should self-isolate and delay travel. You will be unable to join your trip with a positive PCR test and we recommend you contact your local health department and health care provider.

If you cancel within 30 days of departure then you will be liable for cancellation penalties. See Booking Changes below for more information.

You will be asked to show an authentic COVID-19 vaccination certificate (electronic or paper showing date and time of the vaccination(s)) with the final dose given at least 14 days before the start of your trip, to your Trip Manager upon arrival and before joining the trip. We recommend taking a picture of any paper vaccination certificates in case of loss of the original.

Different countries are following different protocols, and guidelines are constantly evolving. We continue to monitor and adapt our operations to changing regulations. If you are traveling to a destination that requires a quarantine period, you will be responsible for arranging accommodations, as well as the cost associated with the extended stay. For up to date guidelines, you can check the latest COVID-19 travel regulations, quarantine policies and border statuses for destinations around the world here.

Your Trip Manager will be with you for the duration of your trip and will facilitate any testing requirements while you are on the trip. Currently testing requirements differ from country to country so the situation is still unclear. Rest assured, your Trip Manager will clearly communicate what is required and what you need to do while you are on your trip, and as policies are confirmed we will of course keep travellers informed and up to date.

You will have your Trip Manager with you for the duration of the trip and if a COVID test is required prior to your return flight home your Trip Manager will be able assist and support with all respective protocols.

At this time, you will need to wear a mask whenever your Trip Manager advises it is mandatory to do so. All travellers will be required to comply with local travel requirements, which your Trip Manager will clearly explain to you.

Our coaches have state of the art air filtration and industry leading cleaning protocols, but should you wish to wear a mask while travelling on-board, you are welcome to do so.

Please note that airlines and other establishments may not accept washable cloth masks but only medical masks.

Depending on the airline you travel with, you may be required to show proof of vaccination and/or testing, and similarly the destination you are travelling to may have specific requirements with regards to the vaccine and / or testing. Contiki requires all travellers to be fully vaccinated to travel on our trips so whilst you may only be required to take PCR tests to travel to your trip start point, this will not replace the Contiki requirement for proof of full vaccination.

The decision to suspend trips has not been taken lightly, but our first priority is and always will be the well-being of our travellers, team members and the local communities we visit. If your trip has been suspended then you will be contacted by a member of the Contiki team. If you booked through a travel agent you’ll be contacted by your agent directly.

You will have a travel credit automatically available to you for the full value of your trip, to use for travel any time before 31 December, 2022. This credit does not include the cost of your travel to reach your Contiki trip.

If your trip has been suspended as a result of COVID 19 travel restrictions, don’t worry! You’ll have a travel credit automatically available to you for the full value of your trip, to use for travel any time before 31 December, 2022.

You’re eligible to either:
Rebook now and change your travel dates or destination to any trip in 2021 or 2022 without penalty. Any discounts (of up to 25%) that had been applied to your original booking will be transferred and applied to your new booking.
OR
Elect to hold a Future Travel Credit* of the full amount paid for the land portion of the suspended vacation, redeemable against any new booking for travel to any destination departing before December 31, 2022.

*Future Travel Credits can be redeemed with Contiki or another TTC brand (such as Costsaver or U by Uniworld) on any destination or trip for travel before December 31, 2022.

Please note: These policies are subject to change at any time.

If your trip is running our team or your travel agent will be in touch to give you departure information and you can expect to receive your documents in advance and then prepare to travel!

Make sure you submit your vaccination status to our team in advance.

If you do want to reschedule your trip, to give you more flexibility we’ve temporarily changed the terms of our cancellation policy. This means you have even more time to make decisions about your future travel plans without worrying about increasing penalties.

Effective immediately and until further notice - we are temporarily waving our cancellation penalty until 30 days before departure. As long as you reschedule your trip at least 30 days before departure there will be no cancellation penalties or fees and you will not lose your deposit.

(This applies to land bookings only. Please note: Airlines may impose different change policies).

Exceptions apply to this cancellation policy for the following trips – Africa, Special Trips and Detour. Please see here for the cancellation policy for these trips. Booking Conditions

We aim to keep our website as up to date as possible whilst tracking the global COVID situation in each of our regions. Because the pandemic is causing almost weekly or daily changes to government imposed restrictions, at times we have to make decisions on the operation of trips that are less consistent with our pre-COVID processes. Keep checking the website if you're watching a particular date but also know that once you've put down your deposit, you can change the date of your trip as many times as you like without penalty. That's the benefit of our Flexibility Promise.

Our decision when to operate trips again is being led and determined by the health authorities and local governments of each country we visit. We continue to monitor and adapt our operations to changing regulations as protocol details are different from country to country, but we also remain ready to resume our trips as soon as restrictions allow, ensuring that our travellers’ well-being is the absolute priority. You can use the trip search on our site to see what trips are operating in specific months, and we will continue to keep our travellers updated as more destinations open up.

If you realize you won't be able to go on a trip, you have up until 30 days prior to departure to change your dates and/or trip if you need to. The Contiki Flexibility Promise means there are no fees to change your date or choose a different trip (when changed up to 30 days prior to departure), you’ll only ever need to pay the difference in price for the re-booked trip, if applicable.

If the trip is set to operate and you are unable to arrive in the starting location due to your government's travel restrictions, we offer the option to amend your trip without fees up to 30 days before your departure.

If you cannot make it to the start destination for your trip due to COVID 19 government enforced restrictions, we will waive all applicable cancellation fees.

If you are unable to travel before 31 December 2022, please contact us to discuss your options and we will review your request on a case by case basis.

If you do not purchase your travel insurance through us, please be aware that Contiki requires that you obtain travel insurance ahead of joining our trip. We offer several insurance plans, or you can choose to buy travel insurance from another provider. If you choose the latter, please be sure you are covered for the complete dates of your trip and please validate that you have the appropriate level of coverage in the currency for your country of origin, in the following categories: Trip interruption; (to cover the cost of your trip, including air); Trip Delay; Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation; Medical Expenses from illness (covering individual or pandemic event etc.)