Cancellation & Refund Policy

Last updated: August 2026

This policy applies to all tours booked with Explore Unexplored, whether reserved online, by phone, or through a Trip Captain or Campus Ambassador. By paying a booking deposit, you agree to these terms.

How to cancel

Cancellations are accepted only in writing — email hello@exploreunexplored.in with your booking reference and traveler name, or message us on WhatsApp. The cancellation date is the date we receive your written request, not the date you stop responding or fail to pay the balance.

Cancellation charges

The booking deposit is non-refundable under any circumstances — it secures your seat and is applied toward vendor commitments (hotels, transport, permits) made on your behalf as soon as you book. Beyond the deposit, charges scale with how close to departure you cancel:

These are the standard terms printed on every tour's itinerary document — the same numbers your Trip Captain or the itinerary PDF will quote you.

Refund processing

Eligible refunds are processed to the original payment method within 7–14 business days of us confirming your cancellation. Bank processing times beyond that are outside our control. Costs already paid to third parties on your behalf — flights, trains, permits, or non-refundable hotel deposits — are deducted from any refund regardless of which cancellation tier applies.

Rescheduling to a different batch

We'll do our best to move you to a different departure date at no extra fee if you request the change more than 15 days before your original departure and a seat is available on the new batch. Requests inside 15 days are treated as a cancellation under the table above, and a fresh booking is required for the new date.

If we cancel a departure

Batches require a minimum number of travelers to run (typically 10). If a batch doesn't reach that minimum, or a trip is cancelled due to circumstances within our control, you'll get a full refund including the deposit, or the option to move to another batch or tour of equal value — your choice.

Force majeure

For cancellations caused by events beyond anyone's control — landslides, roadblocks, extreme weather, government-mandated closures, strikes, or similar — we'll work with our vendors to secure the best possible refund or credit, but cannot guarantee a full refund where our own hotel, transport, or permit partners don't return their share of the cost to us.

Medical emergencies

If you need to cancel due to a genuine medical emergency (yours or an immediate family member's), share supporting documentation with us. We review these case by case and, at our discretion, may waive part of the standard cancellation charge — though the non-refundable deposit and any non-recoverable third-party costs still apply.

Travel insurance

We strongly recommend independent travel insurance covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and evacuation — especially for trekking and high-altitude itineraries. Insurance is not included in our tour price and is your responsibility to arrange.

Questions about a specific booking

This page covers our standard terms. If a tour's itinerary document quotes different figures, those tour-specific terms take precedence. For anything booking-specific, reach out and we'll walk you through it — see our Contact page.