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How do we keep costs low?

Our philosophy is to give you amazing adventures at the best possible price. Below are some of the ways we make sure you don’t need to pay over the odds for your adventure.

5 Ways we keep costs low?

Care for the environmment

The environment is important to us. We don’t produce expensive glossy brochures anymore and have won the World Travel Award for South America’s Leading Green Tour Operator. All of our amazing products are up-to-date and on our website.

Use of Local Suppliers

We use small local hotels and suppliers who aren’t marking up prices to cover international marketing, sales executives or international travel shows they attend.

We’re Independently owned

We remain small and independently owned. There are no hidden costs split between different brands or mark-ups to suit investors and stakeholders.

We use Local Payment

We include a Local Payment on the majority of our tours. This keeps the initial tour price low and saves administration fees and bank charges. Read more about our Local Payment below.

No Hidden Costs

We do not charge credit card fees when processing payment for our tours. Read more about our payment options below.

Price Match Guarantee

Tucan Travel offer our tours for sale through many travel agents and websites. Our guarantee offers Tucan Travellers peace of mind to make sure that you’re not paying too much when booking direct with us.

If you find a better price for one of our tours online, then please email or call us and we’ll match the price you have received as long as it is currently available and not a mistake.

Make sure you have a valid written quote or screenshot of the offer. It must be in the same currency and have the same Booking Conditions.

The Local Payment

The majority of our tours are divided into two separate payments. The tour price is paid directly to your consultant when you book and before you depart for your tour and the second amount is the Local Payment, which is paid locally when you join the tour.

The Local Payment ensures your Tour Leader has a supply of cash to run some of the tour if access to banking facilities is limited or nonexistent. This helps to save operational and administrative costs, which in turn helps to keep the cost of our tours competitive so we can pass the savings on to you. The Local Payment also helps us get cash directly into local businesses to provide communities with an immediate economic benefit.

The Local Payment is a portion of the total tour cost and must be paid directly to your Tour Leader. The currency of the Local Payment will be indicated on your tour notes and on your voucher. The Local Payment is not optional and failure to pay this money in cash may result in you being excluded from starting the tour.

What tours don't have a Local Payment?

There is no Local Payment on some of our Europe tours, Cuba, Antarctica, or our Tailor-made tours. These tours are operated by trusted partners. Please note: Some of our trekking products that are run by local specialists do not include local payment.

Tipping Kitty

A Tipping Kitty is required for tours in Morocco which is paid on the first day of the tour. Tipping on all other tours is optional but generally expected and your Tour Leader will give you guidance on this. Equally, your Tour Leader will appreciate a tip if they have done a great job on your tour.

Tour Deposits

We have fantastic low deposits meaning you do not need to break the bank to secure your adventure of a lifetime.

Australian dollar – A$
Group Tours:A$ 200

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

A$ 400

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

A$ 400

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed 

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

A$ 3000
Great British Pound – GBP – £
Group Tours:£ 100

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

£ 200

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

£ 200

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

£ 1500

 

Euro – €
Group Tours:€ 120

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

€ 250

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

€ 250

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

€ 1800

 

Canadian Dollar – C$
Group Tours:C$ 200

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

C$ 400

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

C$ 400

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

C$ 3000
New Zealand Dollar – NZ$
Group Tours:NZ$ 200

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

NZ$ 400

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

NZ$ 400

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

NZ$ 3000

 

US Dollar – $
Group Tours:U$ 140

Additional deposit


Any tour including Machu Picchu or Gorilla Trek

U$ 300

Additional flight deposit


AJV | ACJ | AAZ | ACV | ANZ | AKN | AKA | AJW | AVC |
ANV | AKZ | AJC | AJJ | ACC | AKV | ANC | AKC | BUMH |
BUMT | CHA | CMH | CMP | CPA | CMA | CPS | CMS |
CCX | CCC | CCE | HBRC | HBR | HPS | HSF | HBA | HPC |
HSL | HAC | HSE | HSH | HCS | HPSB | HPSR | HPLB |
HPLR | ICVH | ICTM | ICCV | ICLT | ICBS | ICVL | ICHA |
ICCA | ICAE | INIH | INRT | INTW | ININH | INDK | INIAN |
MEEJ | MEEJI | PEIA | PEIL | PEJI | PEPT | PECL | PELL |
PECP | PEIH | PEMP

U$ 300

Tours including cruises to the Galapagos
and Antarctica per person:


30% of total booking.

Value listed

For Tailor-made Tours per person:


30% of total booking. Minimum spend of:

U$ 2100

 

Payment Options

Tucan Travel accepts 6 different currencies including AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, NZD and USD. We prefer payments by direct bank transfer and the details will be on your invoice depending on the country you are booking from.

Tucan Travel accepts personal debit and credit cards (without any surcharges) including Visa, MasterCard and American Express (Amex is UK only). However please note that all payments are processed in the United Kingdom in your local currency and some banks (especially in Australia) charge an international transaction fee of up to 3% so check with your bank before you pay.

Make sure YOU are 3D Secure™
Tucan Travel uses 3D Secure™ (or 3DS) which is a secure online payment service available through your bank under the name “Verified by Visa”, “Mastercard SecureCode”, or “SafeKey” for American Express (GBP only accepted) . The authentication procedure is simple and involves 3 steps. Please contact your bank or card issuer before making a payment if you are not sure this is setup correctly or your transaction may fail.

1. Make your booking and enter your debit or credit card information. This is off the Tucan Travel website and will have a different URL created by the Payment Provider.

2. If the security system is activated for your card, a 3D Secure™ window will open. Your bank will ask you to verify your identity by entering an authentication code. In most cases, this is a single-use security code that is sent to you by SMS on your mobile phone. It may be a password or PIN you have setup or your bank may automatically authorise the payment if it follows a pattern they deem as a low risk transaction for you.

3. Once you enter the correct security code and your payment is accepted, your payment is confirmed. N.B. After 3 failed authentication attempts, your transaction will be canceled and a hold will be placed on your card. In this case, you will have to contact your bank or card issuer.
 
4. If your payment fails two times, we recommend giving us a quick call and we can take your payment over the phone securely.