Terms & Conditions

These Terms & Conditions govern the relationship between you, the guest, and Serif Yenen Travel.

By making a booking through our website, by email, by phone, or through any other written communication, you agree to these Terms & Conditions on behalf of yourself and all guests included in the booking.

If you are making a booking on behalf of other guests, you confirm that you have the authority to accept these Terms & Conditions on their behalf and that you will share all relevant information with them.

Any variation to these Terms & Conditions must be expressly stated in writing by Serif Yenen Travel.

Payments

Serif Yenen Travel may accept payment by credit card, bank transfer, or other payment methods as stated in the written offer or booking confirmation.

Credit card payments may be processed by YENEN Turizm ve Yayıncılık Paz. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti., a Turkish limited liability company.

The total tour price, deposit amount, payment schedule, balance due date, and applicable cancellation terms will be stated or made available before payment, including through these Terms & Conditions.

Unless otherwise stated in the written offer or booking confirmation, the remaining balance for Non-Overnight Tours & Services is due 14 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the service.

Booking Deposit

To confirm a booking, Serif Yenen Travel may require a booking deposit of approximately 20% of the total tour price, unless otherwise stated in the written offer or booking confirmation.

The booking deposit is applied toward the total tour price and covers administrative work, planning, reservation handling, guide scheduling, payment processing costs, card transaction fees, accounting procedures, tax obligations, and other arrangements made in connection with the booking.

The booking deposit is non-refundable, except where a refund is required by applicable law or expressly stated in the written offer or booking confirmation.

Cancellation Policy

The applicable cancellation category is determined by the nature of the booked service.

1. Non-Overnight Tours & Services

This category applies to tours and services that do not include overnight accommodation arranged by Serif Yenen Travel, regardless of destination. These may include tours and services in Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, or other destinations, including but not limited to:

  • Private guided tours
  • Museum and site visits
  • Daily excursions
  • Private transportation
  • Boat arrangements
  • Local experiences, workshops, or similar services
  • Lectures, talks, presentations, and speaking engagements
  • Virtual presentations or online cultural programs
  • One-day tours or multi-day arrangements without overnight accommodation

Cancellation terms:

  • If you cancel at least 10 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the service, the booking deposit will be retained.
  • Any amount paid in excess of the booking deposit will be refunded, subject to any documented non-refundable third-party costs and committed arrangements.
  • If you cancel less than 10 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the service, the full service price will be payable and non-refundable.
  • If the full service price has already been paid, no refund will be made.
  • If the full service price has not yet been paid, the guest remains responsible for paying the outstanding balance.
  • These rules apply except where a refund or different treatment is required by applicable law or expressly stated in the written offer or booking confirmation.

2. Group Tours & Extended Travel Programs

This category generally applies to group tours and extended travel programs, especially outside Istanbul, that include accommodation, transportation, flights, or other supplier arrangements.

These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Multi-day group tours, overnight cultural tours, and extended travel programs
  • Programs including hotel accommodation, domestic flights, or intercity transportation
  • Programs involving supplier commitments, advance reservations, or non-refundable third-party costs

Cancellation terms:

  • If you cancel at least 30 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the program, the booking deposit will be retained.
  • Any amount paid in excess of the booking deposit will be refunded, subject to any documented non-refundable third-party costs and committed arrangements.
  • If you cancel less than 30 calendar days before the scheduled start date of the program, the full program price will be payable and non-refundable.
  • If the full program price has already been paid, no refund will be made.
  • If the full program price has not yet been paid, the guest remains responsible for paying the outstanding balance.
  • These rules apply except where a refund or different treatment is required by applicable law or expressly stated in the written offer or booking confirmation.

Third-Party and Committed Costs

Non-refundable third-party costs and committed arrangements may also be deducted or charged where applicable and to the extent permitted by law. These may include, but are not limited to:

  • Domestic flight tickets
  • Hotel deposits, prepayments, or cancellation fees
  • Special permits
  • Museum or site tickets
  • Transportation arrangements
  • Boat arrangements
  • Supplier cancellation fees
  • Other committed arrangements made in connection with the booking

Written Cancellation Required

All cancellations must be made in writing. Cancellation refunds, where due, will be calculated as of the date Serif Yenen Travel receives the written cancellation request.

A cancellation or amendment is considered confirmed only when Serif Yenen Travel confirms it in writing.

Refunds, where due, will be processed within the period required by applicable law.

Late Arrival and No-Show

After booking, you will receive a confirmation email with the meeting location, meeting time, and other relevant details. Guests are asked to arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

It is the guest’s responsibility to arrive at the meeting point on time. If you or your travel companions are running late or need assistance finding the meeting point, please contact the emergency number provided in your confirmation email. We will do our best to assist you, but we cannot guarantee delayed departure or additional guiding time.

Late arrival may result in a shortened tour. Failure to arrive at the agreed meeting point within a reasonable time may be treated as a no-show, and no refund will be made.

Cruise Ship Changes

If your cruise ship does not dock at the agreed port, or if the cruise line changes the route in a way that makes it impossible for you to take the booked tour, Serif Yenen Travel will offer, where possible, to reschedule the tour or provide an alternative service.

If rescheduling or an alternative service is not possible or not accepted, the amount paid for the affected service will be refunded, excluding any documented non-refundable third-party costs where applicable.

Booking Amendments

Any request to change the date, time, itinerary, number of guests, or other details of a booking must be made in writing.

Serif Yenen Travel will do its best to accommodate amendment requests, subject to guide availability, supplier availability, site opening hours, transportation arrangements, and any other practical limitations.

Additional costs arising from amendments, including but not limited to supplier fees, transportation changes, ticket changes, or increased guide time, will be the responsibility of the guest.

An amendment is confirmed only when Serif Yenen Travel confirms it in writing.

Valid Identification

Guests are responsible for carrying valid identification on the day of the tour.

This is especially important for guests who qualify for a reduced entrance fee based on age, student status, or other eligibility criteria. Students should carry a valid student ID.

Any additional costs resulting from the lack of valid identification will be the guest’s responsibility.

Unused Services

Tours and travel services arranged by Serif Yenen Travel are priced as a complete service or itinerary. No partial refund will be made for any part of a service that a guest chooses not to use, arrives too late to use, or is unable to use for reasons not caused by Serif Yenen Travel.

If a guest has independently purchased tickets, tours, site visits, or similar services from another provider, Serif Yenen Travel is not responsible for reimbursing, prorating, or replacing those costs.

Travel Insurance

Serif Yenen Travel strongly recommends that all guests arrange comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation, travel delays, medical expenses, loss of baggage, loss of personal belongings, and other unexpected travel-related issues.

Travel insurance is the responsibility of the guest. Any insurance claim must be made directly to the insurance provider and not to Serif Yenen Travel, its guides, suppliers, or local partners.

Itinerary Changes and Force Majeure

Serif Yenen Travel reserves the right to make reasonable changes to the itinerary when necessary due to circumstances beyond its control, including but not limited to site closures, security restrictions, traffic conditions, adverse weather, strikes, public events, official decisions, natural disasters, health emergencies, or other force majeure events.

Where possible, Serif Yenen Travel will offer a suitable substitution or adjustment of similar interest and value.

If a significant part of the booked service cannot be provided due to circumstances beyond the control of Serif Yenen Travel, any refund or alternative arrangement will be determined according to these Terms & Conditions, the written booking confirmation, supplier policies, and applicable law.

Health, Mobility and Accessibility

Guests must inform Serif Yenen Travel in writing, before booking or as soon as reasonably possible, of any medical condition, mobility limitation, pregnancy-related concern, disability, allergy, dietary restriction, or other circumstance that may affect participation in the tour or require special arrangements.

Some historic sites, streets, museums, vehicles, restaurants, and destinations may not be fully accessible. Uneven surfaces, stairs, hills, crowds, heat, long walking distances, and limited seating may be involved.

Serif Yenen Travel will make reasonable efforts to accommodate guests’ needs when informed in advance, but cannot guarantee full accessibility or special assistance at all sites.

Guests are responsible for determining whether a tour is suitable for their personal health and fitness level. Serif Yenen Travel may decline or discontinue participation where, in its reasonable judgment, a guest’s condition may create a safety risk for the guest, other participants, the guide, or suppliers.

Medical Treatment

Serif Yenen Travel is not responsible for the cost, availability, or quality of medical treatment that a guest may require before, during, or after a tour.

Guests are responsible for arranging appropriate medical and travel insurance and for carrying any medication or medical equipment they may need.

Guest Conduct

Serif Yenen Travel may refuse participation in, suspend, or terminate a guest’s participation in a tour if the guest behaves in a way that is abusive, threatening, offensive, unsafe, illegal, disruptive, or likely to affect the safety, comfort, or enjoyment of other guests, guides, suppliers, or the public.

In such circumstances, Serif Yenen Travel will have no obligation to provide a refund for the unused portion of the service.

Third-Party Suppliers

Some services may be provided by independent third-party suppliers, including but not limited to transportation providers, hotels, restaurants, museums, site operators, activity providers, ticketing providers, domestic airlines, and local partners.

Serif Yenen Travel may act as an arranger or intermediary for such services. Third-party services may be subject to the terms, conditions, limitations, and cancellation policies of the relevant supplier.

Serif Yenen Travel is not responsible for the acts, omissions, delays, schedule changes, service failures, safety standards, or policies of third-party suppliers, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Shops, Merchants and Personal Purchases

Some tours may include visits to shops, artisans, workshops, markets, galleries, or merchants. Any purchase made by a guest during a tour is a private transaction between the guest and the seller.

Serif Yenen Travel is not responsible for the quality, price, authenticity, shipping, customs, return, exchange, warranty, or after-sales service of any goods purchased by guests, whether or not the merchant was included in the itinerary.

Liability

Serif Yenen Travel is an A-class government-licensed travel agency in Türkiye.

Serif Yenen Travel will make reasonable efforts to provide the services described in the written booking confirmation. However, Serif Yenen Travel shall not be liable for loss, damage, injury, delay, inconvenience, additional expense, or failure to perform where caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, by the acts or omissions of the guest, by third-party suppliers, or by events such as weather, traffic, strikes, public authorities, site closures, illness, security incidents, natural disasters, or other force majeure events, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions shall exclude or limit any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Türkiye.

In the event of a dispute, the parties will first seek to resolve the matter amicably. Where applicable, mandatory consumer dispute resolution procedures, mediation requirements, consumer arbitration committees, and competent Turkish courts shall apply in accordance with Turkish law.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is held to be invalid, void, or unenforceable by a competent authority or court, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect to the extent permitted by law.

Entire Agreement

These Terms & Conditions, together with the written offer, booking confirmation, invoice, itinerary, and any written special conditions provided by Serif Yenen Travel, form the entire agreement between the guest and Serif Yenen Travel regarding the booked service.

In case of any inconsistency, the written offer or booking confirmation for the specific booking shall prevail, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us before confirming your booking.

For non-urgent matters, the best way to reach us is by email at info@serifyenen.com. We aim to respond as soon as reasonably possible.