1- Who will join my tour?

All my tours are private, for your party alone. You are not part of a larger group and no strangers will be joining your tour. However, if you wish to share the tour cost with other people you may organize your own “private group” using popular travel sites such as the Tripadvisor Forums, Fodor’s or Cruisecritic. It’s your choice, for I don’t arrange such groups.

I also work for solo travellers, however note that my fees are per tour, not per person: a solo traveller must still pay for the full tour amount, or find someone to share costs – I cannot help you finding tour companions nor add you to one of our existing groups.

2- On tour duration, tour start, meeting place, cruise passengers

Basic city tour takes up to 4 hours. Basic daytrip around 7 to 8 hours. This schedule can be modified to suit your needs.

Tour start time: to be arranged beforehand. I am very flexible.

Meeting and ending point is to be agreed with the client upon reservation, in order to be able to offer a tailor made service.

My fees include pick-up/drop-off points on a previously agreed place, your hotel or address in town will often work as meeting point, but you can also choose to join me at a site that is more convenient for our itinerary. I can finish at your hotel/apartment, or in some restaurant, or in the last site we visit. Again, I am flexible!

Pick-up/Drop-off in suburbs may not be included: fees may apply and they will be calculated depending on the location where you need to be picked up.

If your lodging is in a pedestrian area forbidden to vehicles, I will indicate the closest meeting point, as entry with a vehicle to these areas is controlled by traffic cameras issuing heavy fines to non-authorized vehicles.

Getxo/Bilbao cruise pier terminal: pick-up/drop-off is included for up to 4 persons. Cruise passengers are usually required to be back on board no later than 1 hour before departure, so tours will adapt to itineraries adapting to this schedule. In case of late arrival at the port and missed boarding time due to force majeure circumstances beyond my control, clients will be responsible for their transfer to the next port and under no circumstances will I be obliged to perform this transportation.

Airport and/or airport hotel pick-up/drop-off is not included in the standard fees. The transfer to/from the airport into Bilbao city center takes around 20 min.

3- Do I cancel tours because of weather?

I don’t cancel tours except for unavoidable reasons. Tours don´t depend on weather conditions, except on general alerts.

Sometimes there may be events like sport competitions, local festivities or occasional road closures that may lead to a change in plans. Of course, I’ll try to follow the planned itinerary as much as possible, but in any case, unexpected changes may happen during the itinerary.

4- External services

Very exceptionally I may need to refer you to an external guide if I am not able to provide a tour for you by force majeure (pedestrian tours only). If so, you’d be dealing directly with him/her and you’d be paying him/her directly according to his/her own conditions.

5- Tickets to sites and monuments, skip the lines

Entrance fees are not included, except otherwise indicated. I am entitled to skip lines in most museums and monuments as a licensed guide.
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6- Walking issues, gift shops

Walking distance depends greatly on each itinerary: check the tour description for details and please consider that walking/mobility issues and use of wheelchair may force us to reduce the itinerary. You are booking a tour guide service for a certain number of hours, not an itinerary to be completed no matter what: if you or someone in the party slows down the pace of the group up to the point that there is no time to see everything in the plan, the service still has to finish at the agreed tour ending time and you will not be entitled to any sort of compensation. Please consider booking extra time if you think it will be needed to adapt to your pace.

I don’t plan for gift-shop stops during our tours (I encourage you to shop after the tour is over), nevertheless it’s usually easy to improvise a short coffee stop at some point. Please note that too many stops or too long ones will definitely affect the pace and timing of the itinerary, causing your guide to speed up or to shorten the itinerary.

7- About food

Your lunch (for city tours and day trips) and pintxos and drinks (on food tours) are NOT included, except otherwise indicated.

During full day tours, the client can choose if they want to stop for lunch at some point, or if they’d rather keep touring for the whole time. In 7 to 8h-tours, a stop for lunch will be scheduled around 2pm, lunch time still counting as touring time (not as a break).

My goal is to TAILOR the perfect tour for you, not to take you on a closed itinerary that is the same for everyone, but may not be a match for you. I don’t get any commissions from any establishments -not my way of working-, and I prefer instead to recommend the places I like.

Food is not included in my tours unless otherwise indicated, which allows me to cater for special needs but that may not always be easy. Please notify in advance if you or anyone in your party has special dietary needs, so I can plan accordingly.

In the Basque Country it is customary for the guide to eat with you and for you to pay for his/her meal, but if this represents a problem for you, please inform him/her beforehand so that he/she can walk you to your restaurant and meet you at the end of your meal.

I would appreciate no eating at the vehicle, unless you have any dietary needs.

8- Payment and currency, tips, fees.

A 50% deposit is necessary to book the tour exclusively for you, via either PayPal, a secure credit card link, bank transfer or any other valid means. No tour will be accepted without this deposit.

Payment options:

• Option 1, 50% deposit via credit card (VISA or MASTERCARD only), PayPal or wire transfer on acceptance of the tour, rest in cash at the end of the tour. No extra charge for card payment of deposit.
• Option 2, 50% deposit via credit card, PayPal or wire transfer on acceptance of the tour, rest via credit card or wire transfer one month prior to date of first tour (+5% extra on total amount if full credit card payment).

I will send the details for payment once everything is agreed, please do not make any payment until you receive the specific instructions for the chosen means of payment.

The only valid currency in Spain are Euro, which is the currency I use to calculate my fees. Make sure you carry enough EUR to pay for some petty expenses, although credit card payment is widely available. Cash can be exchanged in banks (mornings Mon-Fri only!), ATM´s and hotels (commissions charged). Credit cards are widely accepted almost everywhere in Spain, but in some cases American Express may not be accepted.

Tips and gratuities are not included. Guides, drivers, waiters/waitresses appreciate them, but it’s understood that they have to deserve it!

In Spain, every company is free to set the prices and fees that they consider the adequate for the services they offer. In my case, I have chosen not to compete in price but in quality. Taxes in Spain are high, and fees must include by law a 21% VAT (except certain cases of B2B, where VAT is not applicable. If this is your case, please kindly inform be beforehand).

An increase of +10% on gas price of 1.60EUR/liter (taking the average of the month prior to the tour) will imply a 3% increase on total price of tour if vehicle use is involved.

9- Cancellation and refund policy

Any cancellation must be initiated by contacting me by e-mail at tbb@toursbybasques.com or by WhatsApp at +34 618 55 03 95, and will be confirmed by the same means. Cancellation notifications by phone will not be accepted.

Weather conditions: Tours are carried rain or shine. Bad weather is not a valid reason to cancel a tour.

TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY (for any reason whatsoever): Over 45 days prior to date of tour, full return of the deposit. Between 30 and 45 days prior to date of tour, 50% return of the deposit. Less than 30 days prior to date of tour, there´ll be no return of the deposit. In case I can’t honor the tour, full return of deposit is guaranteed. In the event of a no-show by the customer, payment of full amount of tour is obligatory.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

By booking tours or services through ToursByBasques you agree to the FOLLOWING terms and conditions.

CLIENTS are responsible for travel arrangements to or from tours organized by ToursByBasques and to inform on meeting point.

Clients are responsible for their own safety in walking and indoor tours: crossing roads, steps, etc.

Clients are responsible for themselves and children wearing a seat belt in tour vehicles. No food or drink may consumed in tour vehicles except under permission of the driver.

The guide, driver or operator reserves the right to terminate any tour for unreasonable behavior.

ToursByBasques is insured for public liability in touring environments only.

ToursByBasques is not liable for reduced itineraries owing to late start or delays by the client.

ToursByBasques is not liable for reduced itineraries owing to unscheduled closures by attractions.

ToursByBasques is not liable for reduced itineraries owing to extreme weather conditions, or delays or diversions caused by circumstances beyond my control.

The vehicle used for the tours is subject to potential punctures that need time to be repaired. This is an unavoidable situation and the car is conveniently insured to cover this circumstance.

LUGGAGE: my vehicle has a very large luggage compartment, but please inform previously if you think that your luggage may exceed the capacity of the vehicle due to volume or quantity.

Clients should acquire adequate insurance to cover any loss because of flight cancellations, personal illness, or circumstances causing the tour to be cancelled beyond the control of ToursByBasques or partners. Please notice that your driver or guide will not assume automatic responsibility for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity and he is not responsible for any resulting additional expenses. Baggage and personal effects are carried entirely at the owner’s risk.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED (unless otherwise specified on the quote)

• Entrance fees and sites reservations.
• Taxi, subway and bus rides.
• Travel arrangements to or from tours organized by ToursByBasques are not included either.
• Lunch. Drinks and food in Pintxos Tours, if not clearly stated in the quote.
• Paypal fees, if the client requests to pay via Paypal. Credit card commissions.
• Personal expenses: souvenirs, personal beverages and snacks, other items…
• Medical expenses and personal insurance, IT´S ADVISABLE TO CARRY YOUR OWN INSURANCE.
• Tips/Gratuities. In Spain, tips may not be expected but appreciated and they are considered a sign that you enjoyed a service. Giving a tip or not at the end of the service remains your personal choice.
• Other incidental expenses, incurred because of your booking: visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, non-refundable flights/transportation tickets, loss of enjoyment, phone calls, etc.

And please, feel absolutely free to ask anything before, during and after your visit!!

TOURS BY BASQUES, Bilbao, conditions valid from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2025.
Last edited January 2025

These General Conditions will be understood as accepted upon booking any of my tours.