Booking Inala Nature Tours With Confidence
Inala Nature Tours are thrilled to once more be travelling with you and helping you to organise your nature and birding adventures as the world begins to re-open. We know that you will have questions about many aspects of travel in this period of uncertainty. Hopefully we can help answer any concerns below however please don't hesitate to contact us with further questions so you feel confident to travel with us and share in the joy of nature.
ON TOUR
Please Note: We take every precaution to ensure the safety of our guests. We keep up to date with the latest Covid advice and will only commence a tour if we are confident that the risk of guests contracting Covid-19 while on tour is negligible.
Inala Nature Tours takes the following measures to manage the risks of exposure to COVID-19 while on tour:
- We minimise contact with large groups of people - we spend most of the touring time out in nature.
- Where accommodation and meals are included in the tour, we work with providers to minimise contact where practicable e.g. working with one person at accommodation venues, having meals in outdoor settings, having meals delivered.
- Increased hygiene measures such as more frequent cleaning of vehicles and any shared items,
- Ensuring maximum possible physical distancing
- Increasing ventilation when touring in vehicles by opening windows where practicable and having air conditioning set to external flow.
- Reducing the number of shared items to a minimum. (For example, you will be issued with a distinctively marked cup to use while on tour with us but you are welcome to bring your own reusable travel mug if you prefer.)
- Requesting that all guests wear N95 masks when inside the tour vehicles ( and other indoor confined spaces ) for at least the first three days of the tour to mitigate the risk of the spread of any air-borne illnessses including Covid.
- Our guides and staff are all fully vaccinated and we have implemented a Covid-safe workplace plan throughout our organisation.
INALA ACCOMMODATION
Inala accommodation options (Inala, Nairana and Lyenna cottages) are well spaced apart and isolated. Guests can choose to have minimal contact with other people and cottages are rigorously cleaned and well ventilated between each booking.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please be committed to following through with your tour booking. If you have any questions or concerns please discuss these with Inala staff prior to making your booking. Illness whilst on tour can result in considerable disruption and expense and have many other flow on effects. Please be assured that we will take every precaution to mitigate the risk of contracting Covid-19 and we also have Covid-19 Response protocols in place should a guide or guest show symptoms while on tour (see below).
Please help us to manage the risks to the health and safety of our staff and other participants by cooperating with the measures we have outlined above. Do the same things for us that you are doing to keep your own family and friends healthy and well. This includes frequent handwashing, covering your nose and mouth when you need to cough or sneeze with the crook of your arm or clean tissue and observing rules for physical distancing.
We would strongly advise you wear N95 masks for air travel and airports. Please do travel with your own mask, guides will also have N95 masks available on tour should you require them.
Tour guides will wear N95 masks while in vehicles with guests and all guests will be encouraged to wear a well-fitting N95 mask while in the tour vehicles for at leat the first three days. Please contact us if this is problematic for you, so we can make special arrangements.
The latest Covid-19 information can be found on the Australian Department of Health website.
CANCELLATIONS
During the first few years of Covid we worked closely with every guest who had reservations with us to ensure maximum understanding and flexibility around their bookings.
However in this next phase of the pandemic we are reverting to our standard cancellation terms for both covid and non-covid related issues. Unfortunately this won’t cover inability to travel because of illness (even Covid-related), refusal of admittance for testing positive for Covid at an airport or border or simply changing your mind. For this reason we strongly encourage you to take out Travel & Medical Insurance for all your travel and tours and for most of our international tours travel insurance is compulsary.
COVID-19 RESPONSE WHILE ON TOUR ( for tours 3 days or more)
Prior to the tour commencing, we ask guests to purchase their own Rapid Antigen Test kit and bring that with them on the tour. Guides will also have a few extra test kits on hand.
In the unlikely event that someone in the tour party shows Covid symptoms while on tour, your guide will ask the symptomatic guest(s) to take a Rapid Antigen Test. If the result is positive, the guide, in consultation with the whole group, will assess the risk based on such factors as:
●Distance from civilisation
●Severity of symptoms
●Medical status e.g. compromised immune system
●Age of the unwell person
If symptoms are mild, the group can collectively choose to continue the tour and assess the situation day by day. The guide will make regular contact with the Inala office team to mitigate the impact to the whole tour including possible adjustments to the itinerary/accommodations to minismise risks and for the overall benefit to the group. We strongly recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover any such event.
