Embarking on a Tour

Travel with confidence, knowing the details are thoughtfully managed. From preparation and logistics to health, safety, and support along the way, we’ve designed every aspect of the journey so you can focus on the experience itself.

General Safety Guidelines for Victor Emanuel Birdwatching Tours

At Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, your safety is our top priority. While birding often takes us to remote and beautiful natural areas, we ask all participants to follow these basic guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience:

Follow your leader’s instructions. Our expert guides are trained to manage field conditions and will advise you on safe practices throughout the tour.
Be aware of your surroundings. Trails, forests, and wetlands may include uneven terrain, slippery surfaces, or sudden weather changes.
Stay with the group. Avoid wandering off alone for your safety and the group’s efficiency.
Respect wildlife. Observe animals from a safe distance. Do not approach, feed, or disturb wildlife.
Prepare for the environment. Bring appropriate clothing, footwear, sun protection, insect repellent, and water. Notify your leader if you feel unwell.
Travel documents and health requirements. Ensure you meet all vaccination, health, and travel insurance requirements for your destination.

By following these practices, you help ensure a safe and rewarding birdwatching experience for everyone.

Health & Safety Guidelines

Consult your doctor or the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta (800.232.4636) concerning health precautions and any inoculations or shots that may be necessary to enter the country you will be visiting. Country-specific health information can also be found in the Health section of our tour itineraries.

Travel Insurance

When you register for a tour with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, you invest in a travel experience of the highest quality. It is an investment you will want to protect. To safeguard against losses due to illness, accident, or other unforeseen circumstances, we strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as soon as possible after making a deposit. We've partnered with Redpoint Travel Protection and their comprehensive Ripcord plan, which includes cancellation coverage, medical assistant, and emergency evacuation. For those interested in medal transport coverage only, VENT recommends Medjet Assist plan. Medject is not an insurance company, and Medject Assist is not an insurance product; rather Medjet is a membership-base air-medical transport company spoiling in moving hospitalized travelers from an admitting hospital to a medical facility of choice. Medjet does not provide medical evacuation service from the point of injury or illness; yet the MedjetAssist plan offers robust enough travel protection to satisfy the medical evacuation insurance requirement in place for many VENT tours. See below for further detail about these protections and how to contact the providers directly.

About Ripcord

Ripcord is a fully integrated travel insurance program with a single point of contact for emergency services, travel assistance, and insurance claims. Benefits include comprehensive coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, medical evacuation from the point of injury or illness to your hospital of choice, medical expense coverage, death of pet coverage, and more.

Optional expanded coverage is available and may include evacuation due to natural disaster, political or security reasons, a waiver for pre-existing medical conditions exclusion, and a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) benefit. Ripcord is available to United States and non-United States residents.

For a price quote or to purchase travel insurance, please visit the VENT page at Ripcord or call 415.481.0600. Pricing is based on age, trip cost, trip length, and level of coverage.

To be eligible for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver and the optional CFAR upgrade, you must purchase your policy within 15 days of making your first trip payment. The CFAR benefit reimburses 75% of covered costs and increases the policy premium by approximately 50%.

Policies may be purchased for the full value of the tour fee at the time of deposit or in segments as payments are made. This pay-as-you-go approach reduces upfront expense and ensures that insurance coverage aligns with payments made toward the tour. To maintain CFAR eligibility, each payment must be insured within 15 days, and all non-refundable trip costs must be covered.

Please refer to the policy for a full description of coverage.

Redpoint considers COVID-19 illness the same as other seasonal respiratory illnesses. A positive COVID-19 test alone may not be considered a covered event under the terms of the policy. Redpoint maintains a Coronavirus FAQ page addressing common questions related to COVID-19 and coverage.

About MedjetAssist

MedjetAssist is a membership program that functions similarly to AAA for motorists. The company’s primary service is air medical transport.

Key benefits include 24-hour assistance, all-expenses-paid air medical transport within the United States and internationally to a medical facility of choice regardless of medical necessity, repatriation of remains, and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

For travelers under 75, MedjetAssist is available as short-term memberships of 8, 15, 21, or 30 days, or as regular annual memberships from 1 to 5 years. Travelers aged 75–84 may purchase a Diamond Membership, which follows the same program with additional conditions.

For pricing or to purchase MedjetAssist, visit the VENT page at Medjet or call 800.527.7478. Pricing is based on membership type and term.

Guaranteed Departures

In the world of nature travel, certainty is rare. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours is one of the few companies to guarantee departures.

All United States and Canada tours will operate as scheduled, regardless of the number of participants. This allows travelers to book flights, arrange time away, and prepare with confidence.

With more than 40 departures to choose from, you can plan knowing your journey is secure.

Choose your guaranteed departure today.

Payments & Refunds

What is the deposit policy?

Tours in the lower 48 US States require a deposit of $500 at booking. All other tours require a $1000 booking deposit and a second deposit of 30% of the remaining balance 180 days before departure.

What is the refund policy?

Refunds may be requested up to 120 days before departure. Refunds are 50% of the total deposit amount plus 100% of any additional payments made at the time of cancellation. No refunds within 120 days unless the tour is cancelled (see your itinerary for details).

How/when can I make payments?

Most payments are made by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) through our secure online payment link. Full payment is due 120 days before departure on all tours.

Cruises and Special Departures

Each has its own cancellation policy. Please refer to the itinerary or contact the VENT office.

VENT Responsibility Statement

Cancellation by VENT

If VENT cancels a tour prior to departure without cause, a full refund will be issued.

If a tour is canceled or delayed due to a Force Majeure event, VENT will use reasonable best efforts to refund payments on the balance of the tour fee. VENT is not liable for delays or cancellations resulting from events beyond its control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, war, government actions, labor disruptions, or transportation shortages.

This policy does not apply to air tickets purchased through VENT or to special arrangements outside the tour itinerary.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours is not a participant in the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund. This business holds a bond issued by Travelers in the amount of $50,000. CST #2014998-50.

We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance to protect yourself.