WHAT IS A PRIVATE TOUR?
A private tour means that you don’t have to “share” your guide/transport with anyone else. Private tours are interactive, more like a discussion than a lecture. You get your guide’s full attention. You get to ask as many questions as you want. Your guide will take as many photos of you posing in different poses. Furthermore, you don’t have to find the “meeting place” because we will meet you right at your door step.

WHY IS THE PRIVATE TOUR PRICES ARE HIGHER THAN GROUP TOUR?

• Our private tours are exclusive, boutique tours that are built from scratch and include experiences you can’t find in a guidebook. There is no flag-following on our tours and in fact, most people don’t feel like they are on a “tour” at all. We want you to feel like you are traveling with family and having a good friend show you around.
• Custom travel planning: With so many things to see and do, you might need a little extra help in planning your trip. We can go over your “must-see’s” and help your organise and prioritise them in a logical and efficient way, and suggest some other options based on your tastes and interests that you may not have considered. This can include sights, shopping, dining, and entertainment.
• You get more than just a tour guide: We help you plan the rest of your stay with dining and sightseeing suggestions. We will help you figure out the best way to manage your time, which place need reservations and where you can just show up. Basically, we are your walking ‘lonely planet’ guidebooks.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
Generally, a package will include:

• Accommodation: We select only the best and most convenient place for you to stay during your holiday.
• Transportation and travel partner: Our range of luxury vehicles are driven by experienced travel partner that will not only be your driver but also your guide, photographer and partner throughout your journey with us.
• Admission fees to the listed attractions: You don’t have to worry about any “last minute” costs when travelling with us as all admission fees listed in the itinerary is already included in the price. All you need to do is just show up and enjoy your day.

WHAT IS THE AGE RANGE TO BE CONSIDERED AS A CHILD?
We are following the standard guideline in Australia. A person can be considered as CHILD if he or she is between the age of 4 – 12 years old.

DO YOU PROVIDE BABY CAR SEAT FOR THE TODDLERS AND KIDS?
Yes we do. It is a strict regulation to have child restraints and booster seats for children from birth up until 7 years of age. We offer FREE baby and child booster seat for our private tour clients.

ARE YOUR TOURS DISABLE-FRIENDLY?
Yes and no, depending on the activities you opt for. Most tourist areas that we visit provide ramps and pathways for disabled people, unfortunately our vehicles are not equipped with accessible wheelchair ramps, thus an able bodied passenger may need to assist them when getting in and our of the vehicle. Xplorevic practices personal touch in every possible ways. We are able to organise FREE WHEELCHAIR usage throughout your tours.

CAN WE COMBINE GROUPS FOR CHEAPER RATES?
We don’t exercise that method in our services. All packages are priced per head.

DISCOUNTS
While we don’t emphasise on giving away discounts, we do offer special rates during non busy periods.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO PROVIDE?
When you click the ‘Plan Your Trip’ button, it will direct you to the booking form. Fill up as many information you have on you for the trip. This will help us to plan and organise your booking accordingly.

HOW MUCH DEPOSIT DO I NEED TO PAY?
At the time of booking we ask for a deposit payment of 50% from the total cost. The deposit amount will be calculated automatically and displayed on the payment invoice.

WHEN DO I NEED TO PAY THE BALANCE OF THE PAYMENT?
The balance for your payment for tours in Australia is due 14 days prior to the start date or if you have made a reservation inside the 14 days, it is due upon you receiving a confirmation document for your tour. The balance due date is displayed on the costs page of your payment invoice. Do note that different due date is applicable for tours with 12 or more passengers and New Zealand tours.

CAN I USE CREDIT CARD TO PAY FOR MY BOOKING?
Yes you can definitely pay using your Visa/Mastercard. Do note that there is a 1.5% surcharge for any payments using Visa/Mastercard.

WHAT SORT OF WEATHER CAN I EXPECT ON MY TOUR?
The weather seasons in Australia are:

• Summer: December to February (warm to hot)
• Autumn: March to May (mild)
• Winter: June to August (cool to brisk)
• Spring: September to November (cool to mild)

You can see the forecast temperatures, wind and rainfall on this link (www.bom.gov.au). Melbourne has a reputation for its changeable weather. A tip for any visitor is to be prepared for anything – take an umbrella and wear layers that can be worn or removed as needed. As a general rule, Melbourne enjoys a temperate climate with warm to hot summers, mild and sometimes balmy springs and autumns, and cool winters.

DO I NEED A VISA TO ENTER AUSTRALIA?
Unless you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, you will need a valid Australian visa to enter the country. New Zealand passport holders can apply for a visa upon arrival in the country. All other passport holders must apply for a visa before leaving home. You can apply for a range of visas, including tourist visas and working holiday visas, at your nearest Australian Embassy or Consulate. You can also apply for certain types of visas on the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.

WHAT TYPE OF TOURIST VISA SHOULD I APPLY FOR?
There are a variety of visas available to travelers to Australia. The type of visa you should apply for depends on the length of your stay, your passport and the purpose of your visit.

• eVisitor (subclass 651): This is a free visa for multiple visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to three months at a time within a 12-month period. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of European countries and it cannot be extended.
• Electronic Travel Authority visa (subclass 601): This visa allows you to visit Australia as many times as you want, for up to a year, and stay for three months each visit. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions, who live outside Australia. There is no visa application charge for an ETA, however a $20 service charge applies for online applications only.
• Visitor visa (subclass 600): The Visitor visa is designed for people who are not eligible for the eVisitor or Electronic Travel Authority visa. This visa allows you to visit Australia, either for tourism or business purposes, for up to three, six or 12 months. The base application fee for this visa ranges from $135 to $340.

For more information visit the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.

WHAT ITEMS AM I PROHIBITED FROM BRINGING INTO AUSTRALIA?
Australia’s customs laws prevent you from bringing drugs, steroids, weapons, firearms and protected wildlife into Australia. Some common items such as fresh or packaged food, fruit, eggs, meat, plants, seeds, skins and feathers are also prohibited. For more information visit the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN I BRING INTO THE COUNTRY?
There is no limit on the amount of currency that you can bring into Australia, but you will need to declare amounts over $10,000. Find out more and obtain a reporting form on the AUSTRAC website at www.austrac.gov.au/travellers.

WHAT HAPPENS TO GOODS YOU DECLARE?
Goods that you declare will be inspected by a bio-security officer, who will assess the level of risk associated with the goods. In most cases, goods are low risk and will be returned to you after the inspection. However, if a bio-security officer deems the goods to have some risk you can pay for the goods to be treated, pay to export the goods, or voluntarily dispose of the goods.

WHAT IS THE DUTY-FREE CONCESSION LIMITS FOR PEOPLE ENTERING AUSTRALIA?

• General goods: $AUD 900 worth of goods per adult (18 years or over); $AUD 450 worth of goods per child.
• Alcohol: Up to 2.25 litres (0.5 imperial gallons or 0.59 US gallons) of alcoholic beverages (liquor, wine and Champagne) per adult.
• Tobacco: 50 cigarettes or 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of cigars or tobacco products per adult.

DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR MY TOUR?
We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance. There are many factors that could cause you to cancel or amend your trip and so ensuring you have cover for extra costs or cancellation fees imposed should this happen is wise. For example if you purchase a travel insurance policy which has cancellation and interruption cover and your flight to Australia is cancelled or delayed then any costs incurred in rearranging your tour or fees imposed for late cancellations should be covered. We recommend purchasing your travel insurance locally at the same time you book your tour and flight. This will make dealing with your claim should this be necessary that much easier when you return home.

DOES THE PACKAGE COST INCLUDE INSURANCE?
No, the cost of the package does not include travel insurance. As a tour operator, we are insured for public liability insurance, which covers our services here in Australia. However, not when you are flying from your home country to Australia. Therefore we recommend you to purchase your travel insurance locally.

WHAT SORT OF CLOTHING SHOULD I PACK FOR MY TOUR?
Comfort and practicality is the key. Pack clothes that travel well and can be added and removed in layers to adjust to the conditions. A rain/wind proof jacket may be required. Australia weather conditions change regularly even in the height of summer. Don’t forget to pack a hat to protect you from our sun – the UV is particularly strong in Australia (especially during summer).

WHAT IS THE ELECTRICITY VOLTAGE IN AUSTRALIA?
Australia operates on 240 volts (50hz). Appliances that operate on other voltages will need a transformer. Check with the manufacturer. You will also need an adapter to suit Australian sockets for other appliances.

SHOULD I PURCHASE SOME CASH BEFORE ARRIVING INTO AUSTRALIA?
It is a better idea to bring enough Australian dollars before you arrive so that you don’t need to spend time at the airport or at a bank on your first day. It is advisable to exchange the currency at your home country. Australia has one of the highest credit card usages in the world and so paying for virtually anything in this method is possible and probably the best and safest way when travelling. However, since August 1, 2014, Australia has implemented ‘no pin no pay’ for the security purposes. Please ensure you check with your credit card provider for your pin code.

SHOULD I USE ROAMING OR BUY THE NEW SIM CARD IN AUSTRALIA?
Mobile roaming charges in Australia can be very expensive. It is recommended that you buy and use Australian mobile SIM card to make overseas and local calls at the cheaper calling rates. For calls and data usage (internet), get from Optus or Vodafone mobile providers. Please note, all SIM card will require you to activate. For your convenient, purchase the SIM card at the telco shop, or any mobile phone shop that can help activate your SIM. Prepaid SIM card will cost AUD2, and minimum recharge is AUD10 (depending on the provider).