ABOUT OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Terms and Conditions presented below are a very important part of the booking procedure.
Here you will find everything you need to know about our tourism policies.
PRICES
The prices are valid for tours from January, 1st to December, 31th of each year. Rates are quoted in BRAZILIAN REAL, free of taxes, and are correct at the publication time. Prices can be changed at Private Shuttle in Rio discretion.
RESERVATION POLICY
Customers can book their tours directly through our Booking Forms, which can be found on every page of our website. After choosing the tour, simply click on RESERVE or BUY button, displayed in the right corner of each tour page. Customers will need to fill out the form and then pay the required deposit. Forms contain the request for basic information, such as: CUSTOMER'S NAME, TOUR, TOUR DATE, NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS and RIDE TIME. According to the tour, details such as weight, height and some other information will have to be provided, especially for sports like: ASA DELTA, PARAGLIDING, PARACHUTE and DIVING. After making the payment, customers can print their tickets or simply take them on their cell phones and show them to the guide responsible for the tour.
Please note that some excursions may not be automatically available for bookings. In this case, customers will have to send us an availability request through contact page, located on the right side of our homepage footer, next to our telephone number. We always charge a deposit, and the rest is paid in cash at the beginning of the tour. To request availability for a tour, simply fill out the contact form with your name and email address. In the comments box, write your basic information such as the intended trip, date, and number of participants. After receiving our confirmation, simply go to the tour page and fill out the booking form. You will be asked to read and agree to our terms and conditions before checking and paying the deposit. Fill in all the fields, otherwise the booking form will not pass.
After the payment is registered, booking procedure is complete and the customer will receive a payment receipt by email.
Most tours require at least 2 people to happen, but you have the option of buying a single ticket. If this happens, you can do the tour alone with our guide. We also have values on the site for tours with only one customer.
If the customer changes the hotel or changes the original receiving address in Rio, he or she should send us an email with the new address through our contact page, contact us by phone or by WhatsApp. In case of changing the tour date, please consult the tour date change policy below.
PAYMENT POLICY
Your participation on the tour is guaranteed after the deposit payment on the website.
Accepted payment methods: Private Shuttle in Rio accepts credit cards on PayPal and electronic bank transfer (only by Brazilian banks). If you wish to make an electronic bank transfer, please request our bank account information by email, telephone or WhatsApp. When customers check out our booking software, they are taken to a PayPal environment outside our site.
Payments through international bank are accepted in some rare cases, but usually a transaction fee is applied.
Customers can choose to pay full amount. In this case, we also use PayPal or bank transfer.
WE DO CHARGE A 7% FEE FOR PAYMENTS IN PAYPAL.
Payments with PayPal must be made with a credit card, debit card (for Brazilian customers) or e-checks. In the case of electronic check payments, please note that this type of payment takes at least 5 days to process, so if your visit is scheduled for the next 4 days, you will have to use a credit card.
The value remainder is always paid in cash at the tour beginning. Groups with more than 12 people (same group) will be kindly invited to bring all the payment in an envelope, to avoid confusion and delays during the tour beginning.
For helicopter rides, the value remainder can be paid with a credit card.
If a travel agent is involved, payments are still made by PayPal or bank transfer, but in this case, we require 50% of upfront payment, then 50% until one day before the activity, through PayPal, bank transfer or in cash at the tour beginning. We do not accept payments after the date of the tour, especially from foreign travel agents.
RESPONSIBILITY
Private Shuttle in Rio is not responsible for any loss, damage, accident, injury, illness or schedule change due to weather, strike or any other cause beyond our control. We will make every effort to safeguard our customers and their personal property, but we can not be held responsible for personal events beyond the tour operators control or damages caused by tourists, including those occurring outside the tourism program. Private Shuttle in Rio acts in good faith and can not be held liable for any agent, hotel, bus operator, tour guide or any other person or company, acts, defects or delays. Therefore, we advise all customers to have comprehensive travel insurance to solve all contingencies.
Private Shuttle in Rio reserves the right to change routes, itineraries or departure times, without prior notice, if necessary.
Our goal is to provide excellent customer service and, in order to do so, we maintain strict quality monitoring. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your tour, we want to hear about it. We recommend that you contact us as soon as any incident arises. If you are unable to do so at this time, you must inform Private Shuttle in Rio by email within 48 hours after the event. Failure to do so may jeopardize your right to an indemnity. If clie customers are still traveling, we can extend the contact to our office for up to 5 consecutive days after the event, as long as customers can prove they were still traveling (with airline tickets or hotel reservations).
All information on the website is subject to change. Private Shuttle in Rio reserves the right to change or correct errors that may appear on the site or in published price lists.
Private Shuttle in Rio also assumes no responsibility for any act of negligence or omission of any company whose services are used as part of the provided packages.
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATION MADE BY PRIVATE SHUTTLE IN RIO.
Rio de Janeiro has a very heavy and unpredictable traffic condition, as well as sudden weather changes and, therefore, Private Shuttle in Rio reserves the right to change the route or itinerary of any of its excursions and to organize alternative routes to those announced, if necessary. The main tourist sights will be preserved, but the route we use to access these points can be changed according to our needs. All tours will happen in rainy or cloudy days, unless it is a bad storm with high-speed winds that can pose risks to our groups and employees.
If a decision is made, in terms of itinerary changes due to unforeseen circumstances such as forest fires, floods, traffic jams, heavy rains, thunderstorms or anything else that can not be foreseen at this time, everything will be left to the responsible guide's discretion.
If a sightseeing tour or an adventure tour needs to be canceled right in the middle of it, due to sudden changes of weather that may put our customers at risk, then we will take the customers back to their address in Rio. If customers can reschedule the tour, a 10% fee will be charged, to cover our expenses on that particular day that the tour is being canceled. If customers can not reschedule the tour, we reserve the right to keep the deposit already paid.
If the tour needs to be canceled by Private Shuttle in Rio before it start, for any possible reason, a full refund will be given to customers by PayPal, bank transfer or cash (if the deposit was made in cash). The group can also choose another alternative date for the tour. In this case, the previously paid deposit will be counted and the value remainder will be paid in cash on the new tour date.
CANCELLATION MADE BY CUSTOMERS.
Excursions and most of the sports and outdoor activities in Rio operate in rain, or even in hazy conditions. Customers can not cancel a ride based on their own assumption that weather poses a risk, or simply because they wish to take a ride on a sunny day and still expect a refund. Also, for sightseeing tours, we can not guarantee visibility, especially in places like Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. If guests cancel the trip before the start or less than one week before the tour date, we reserve the right to withhold the previously paid deposit. In case of illness or any other type of problem or emergency that may prevent the client from participating in the tour, the same rules will apply and no refund will be given if the attempt to cancel the trip occurs a week or less before the tour date.
In case of free flight ramp is too full, delays can happen. In special times and holidays like Carnival, World Cup, Olympics, New Year and any other city major event, the ramp can have a large amount of people waiting to fly. In some cases, customers wait for more than 6 hours and can not fly in the end. If the customer decides not to wait more, he or she will have the deposit refunded. These long wait cases are rare, but they can happen and there is nothing we can do, like people from all over town who sometimes arrive at the same time, which can make the place extremely crowded.
Private Shuttle in Rio can not be held responsible if such an event occurs. The departure time shown on the ticket does not guarantee that the flight will happen.
REFUND POLICY
Private Shuttle in Rio offers full and partial refunds in the following cases:
1. – Customers request a refund for any reason, within the acceptable time listed below, in the Cancellation Notice section.
2. – Tour cannot happen due to weather issues or natural disasters (storms, heavy rain, high speed wind, floods, mud or rock slides, trees fall, etc), noted a day before, or even on the tour date, before the tour starts (sudden weather changes).
3. – Tour cannot happen, due to a logistic problem (mechanical failure with our vehicles during pick up), sudden illness that may prevent the tour guide from guiding the tour, or any other similar event that may prevent us from operating the tour.
4. – Some kind of accident during a tour, or any issues or discomfort that clients may feel during the trip, that can justify the request as a compensation for the caused problem. In this particular case, clients MUST REPORT IT to our office no later than 48 hours after the event, only by e-mail. If it is proved, after we analize the case, that an issue with safety or any discomfort were caused by a member of our staff, a refund will be issued. In these cases, a full or a partial refund will be issued, it will depend on the circumstances and how our office staff will judge the case.
Refunds are paid within 15 days through paypal, once the request is aproved by us.
No refund will be given in case of any delay, either during pick up or drop off, caused by traffic jams or mechanical failure, as long as it is not more than 60 minutes.
Exceptions: Skydiving, Asa Delta and Paragliding. If clients cancel the jumps and flights at the ramp or inside the airplane, they will have to pay for the flights and jumps entirely.
Cancellation notice – Valid for Groups or Individual Customers
More than four weeks before the tour date: full refund.
Less than four weeks before the tour date: 75% refund.
Less than three weeks before the tour date: 50% refund.
Less than two weeks before the tour date: 25% refund.
Less than one week before the tour date: no refund.
* Refunds are paid within 15 days after the request is made.
* Refunds are related to the amount paid as deposit and not to the full price of the tour.
RESERVATION CHANGES POLICY
In case the customer needs to change the pick up address or increase the participants number, he or she must make the request by e-mail. There is no fee charged for these requests.
Discounts are given based on the group size, so that in case of customers number is reduced for any reason, remainder group may be subjected to an increase, according to the price related to the new group size, displayed in our website.
All requests for a reservation date changes must be made by e-mail, from the person who submitted the booking originally.
A fee of 20% of the tour price will be charged for date changes requested in less than 7 days prior to tour date.
However, the administration fee will be waived if changes are requested in more than 7 days prior to tour date.
CHILD POLICY | AGE RESTRICTIONS
Minimum ages change according to the sightseeing tour or adventure tour you choose.
Check below.
Minimum ages required for tours:
Asa Delta in Rio, Paragliding in Rio, Parachuting in Rio: 16 years or more.
Walks in Rio and Rafting in Rio: 12 years or more.
Tours in Rio: No age restrictions.
Children under 18 years old are not allowed to travel, unless accompanied by an adult.
DISCOUNT POLICY
CHILDREN DISCOUNT
Children between 7-11 years has a 50% discount only in sightseeing tours. Children up to 6 years do not pay for sightseeing tours, as long as they do not occupy seats. There are no discounts for adventure tours, except for hiking trips.
Children with 12 years or more pay full rate on any activity they may be eligible to attend.
We reserve the right to have at least two adults paying the full price, in order to issue discounts and free passes for children.
Discount policy regarding children may vary from one tour spot to another. We have no responsibility over the amount of discount given to children by the administration of places such as Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, as well as museums and any other tourist spot.
GROUP DISCOUNT
Group Discounts can be applied to a group of 3 or more people, each tour has a different rate for discount. According to the group size, discounts can be higher or lower. Unlike other adventure tour operators in Rio, during high season or special events in Rio (except for asa delta and paragliding), we normally do not increase our prices, therefore, we will not offer discounts to groups during these special seasons.
ABILITY AND PARTICIPATION
Our adventure tours in Rio are active and most of them require a reasonable level of ability. NOTE: Tours classified as Medium and Hard are only suitable for very fit and active people who enjoy outdoor sports. They are not suitable for children. If you have any doubts about your capability of participating on a tour, please contact us by email or phone and we will be happy to assist you. People with history of heart or lung disease shall not participate in any adventure tour.
BEHAVIOR
Private Shuttle in Rio may refuse to carry a person whose behavior is detrimental to the group enjoyment. By travelling with Private Shuttle in Rio, you agree to accept the guides authority and accept their decisions. Our staff is entitled to a safe working environment and our passengers are entitled to enjoy a pleasant holiday. Any threats to safety, being physical or verbal, or inappropriate behavior may result in removal of the passenger from the tour. If a guide requires a passenger to leave the vehicle, no refunds will be given and that passenger will be responsible for his/her own travel costs and arrangements from that point.
MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CAPACITY
Each tour has a minimum and a maximum passenger capacity. Please check that at reservation time. Some activities are considered collective activities, when there is a guide or an instructor taking care of a group of people. Examples: a group of hikers with one guide or a group of people in a rafting boat with one guide. Some activities are called solo activities because it can only hold one person per guide, instructor or pilot. Examples: asa delta, paragliding or parachute.
If a customer books a tour that requires at least 2 people, this booking will be considered a pre-reservation, and he or she will have to check if other people have joined the tour, no later than 24 hours before schedule. In case no one has joined it, the customer will have the option of pay more for a private tour or request a refund for the paid deposit.
Most of our tours and adventure sports require a minimum number of 2 passengers to operate at a regular rate. Solo travelers can participate by paying more if they wish.
OPERATIONS DAYS
In your trip to Rio, please note that we operate tours 7 days a week, under request, all year, except on December, 31st and January, 1st . Some tours operated outside Rio may not work in certain holidays like Carnival, due to long traffic jams.
ABOUT TOUR CONFIRMATION, SCHEDULES AND DELAYS
Some sports we provide require confirmation, because they depend on weather and wind conditions. If you book asa delta or paragliding, you need to contact us usually from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to check the conditions first. If wind is weak, for example, we can either reschedule the passenger or issue a refund through paypal, in case the passenger is not available some other time.
The vouchers (tickets) issued after payment, always have a departure time. For tours, departure time is the average time the vehicle will arrive at the hotel or address in Rio. Depending on the neighborhood, there may be a difference of 30 minutes. Pick ups usually start in the south area (Copacabana in general), and the vehicle collects customers to the southern area, including Ipanema and even Leblon. So, if your ticket says 9 a.m., that is a standard time that considers Copacabana as a start point. Pick ups in ipanema and Leblon, for example, will happen around 30 minutes later.
ABOUT ASA DELTA AND PARAGLIDING
When customers reserve Asa Delta in Rio and Paragliding in Rio, the departure time on the ticket means the time they will leave the hotel or apartment. It does not mean that customers will fly right away. If the ramp is busy and crowded, it can delay the flights. In normal days, customers wait from 30 to 60 minutes before they are able to go up to the ramp and fly. In busy days, the wait may be longer, perhaps 90 minutes to 2 hours.
In very busy days, like carnival season and world cup for example, the wait can be up to 4 hours. Once up there at the ramp, customers can fly right after the equipment and aircraft are mounted and ready, as long as wind does not change its conditions and as long as ramp is not crowded. If the conditions change before take off and the ramp is closed, customers must wait at least 60 minutes before they can decide to cancel the flight and be eligible for a refund.
When we have groups of 2 or more people to fly, we reserve the right to use 1 pilot for every 2, 3 or even 4 passengers, according to the group size and time of the year. Couples sometimes wish to fly together, one after the other with 2 different pilots. This situation can only happen if we have pilots available for that. At booking time, customers need to understand that they can fly with 2 different pilots or they can fly with the same pilot. In case they fly with the same pilot, one will have to wait for the pilot to return to the ramp. This process takes around 45 minutes. Same thing goes for larger groups of 6, 8 or 10 passengers.
ABOUT THE HELICOPTER TOUR
During special seasons, when airport traffic is very busy, the administration creates a lot of restrictions. We cannot wait for our clients for more than 10 minutes after the schedule, otherwise we pay an expensive ticket to the airport administration. In this case, the aircraft has to take off empty in order to avoid that ticket. Clients will not be eligible for refunds in case they miss the flight.
Take your passport with you. This is an airport and Federal Police can prevent tourists from getting inside without it. No copies will be accepted by the police and the flight will not happen. Money paid for the flight will not be refunded in this case.
Out of these special seasons, we have a 30 minutes tolerance after the schedule, in case there is no other group booked next.
