Where we plan, and what planning costs.
Fees are fixed and agreed before we start, and shown below as the full amount including GST — never a starting figure with extras added later.
Four we planned recently
Shared with permission. Costs shown are for the trip itself, excluding our fee and flights.
Ten days, Tropical North Queensland
Rainforest and reef, two people, built around the tides rather than a fixed itinerary.
Twelve days, Tasmania
Self-drive with two guided sections, paced slowly enough to actually see the forest.
Three weeks, Japan
A family of four in spring, built around rail passes and four bases rather than nine stops.
Twelve days, northern Portugal
Slow, food-led, one hire car and three places. The cheapest of the four to plan and one of the best-loved.
Three ways to use us, full price including GST
Fees are separate from the cost of the trip itself, which is passed through to you at net rate with no margin added. No commission, no drip pricing — the figure below is the whole fee.
A planning session
total, incl. GST
Two hours with a planner who knows the region, plus a written outline itinerary. Book it all yourself afterwards.
Full trip planning
total, incl. GST
Route, itinerary, two rounds of changes, all bookings at net rate, plus the travel pack and the emergency line.
Small group trips
total, incl. GST, land only
A handful of departures a year, ten people at most, led by one of us. Price shown is the real minimum total per person.
Four things in every planned trip.
Included in the planning fee, not sold as extras: a written day-by-day itinerary with honest notes on each choice, costs shown at net rate with no margin added, a full travel pack of confirmations and offline maps, and a number that is answered while you are away — not a call centre.
Which parts of a booking carry financial protection is set out in writing before you pay a deposit, trip by trip.
The questions we are actually asked
Everything here has come up on more than one first call.
Are you a licensed travel agent?
Travel agent licensing was abolished nationally in 2014, so no operator holds that licence any more. We work under a written planning agreement instead, agreed before any fee is paid.
Do you take commission from hotels or airlines?
No. Every price we pass on is the net rate the supplier gave us, with our fee shown separately.
What happens if we cancel?
Our fee is earned once planning starts and is non-refundable from that point. Supplier cancellation terms vary and are stated in writing before you book.
Can we book it ourselves after the planning session?
Yes — the written itinerary is yours to book entirely on your own. We will not withhold it to force a booking through us.
How far ahead should we start?
Six to ten weeks for a complex trip, less for something simple. Peak-season trips benefit from more lead time.
Is there a call-out number while we travel?
Yes, included in full trip planning and small group trips — answered by one of us, not a call centre.
An hour on the phone, free, before any fee is agreed.
Bring a rough idea. Half of what we do on that call is narrowing it down.