FAQ
Have questions about how The Nomadic Network runs their tours? Find the answers here! If you have a specific question about a specific tour, each tour page offers a tour-specific FAQ section at the bottom of each tour page. If you don’t see the answer to your questions, email us by using the contact form here.
Tour Groups
While many tour companies take up to 50 or 60 people on each tour, we prefer smaller groups. Our tours require a minimum of 10 participants and have a maximum of 16 participants in order to ensure the best small group tour experience. With such a small group, you’ll be able to enjoy unique, rewarding activities that would not be accessible with more people.
Our guides differ from destination to destination. Our expert tour leaders are fully licensed guides. They’ll be responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the trip, handling all of the local logistics, and dealing with any unforeseen situations that may arise. Our tour leaders are always on hand, every day of the trip, to provide additional information, create spontaneous activities, join the group for non-included activities and meals, and ensure that the trip is as memorable, fun, and informative as possible. During the course of the trip, we also may use other guides for some of our walking tours, food tours, excursions, and other activities.
You must be at least 18 years old to travel with us. Our tours see people from 22 to 75. They really run the gambit. In the past, the average age on our tours has been about 40. As we’ve found age is only a number, the variety in ages has never been detrimental to the group dynamic — actually it feels like it’s enhanced it.
Note: We have no upper age limit though we remind you that some of our trips can be physically demanding and passengers must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow participation. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain proper and detailed medical advice beforehand.
Unfortunately, we’re not set up to allow for the level of accessibility needed to ensure wheelchair users can join our trips. Accessible trips are something we’ll be looking to add in the future.
We want everyone to feel comfortable as they travel with us and we know that some of our travelers are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Being aware of the local laws and customs in the destinations we visit in crucial as some have discriminatory law in effect. We recommend visiting Equaldex for up-to-date advice and LGBTQIA+ information.
Note: We do not tolerate any form of discrimination, violence, or harassment, between travelers or involving our leaders, partners, or local people. If you feel that someone is behaving inappropriately, please let your tour leader or local guide know as soon as possible.
You will be required to carry your own luggage, sometimes upstairs and on and off transport. Therefore, we recommend you travel with a backpack or something light.
Maybe. The Nomadic Network’s founder, Nomadic Matt, has joined dozens of our TNN tours. As a travel blogger and New York Times best-selling author, he has lots of commitments that make it hard for him to join all of our tours as we continue to expand our offerings. He does pop in and out whenever he can. We cannot tell you if he’ll stop by your tour ahead of time.
YES! Many other tour companies target couples and families and while we don’t discourage people from coming with someone they already know, we are aware that many people in our community are solo travelers through and through.
In fact, many of our travelers join because they are traveling solo and want to meet and share experiences with like-minded people. So we cater to the kind of independence and curiosity that solo travelers have become accustomed to on the road.
Out of all the tours we’ve run so far, solo travelers make up a little more than half the group too so it’s very easy to make friends! Don’t worry, you won’t be the odd person out if you’re coming alone!
No, you’ll be responsible for your own airfare. The airports to fly into and out of can be found on that specific tour’s page.
Yes. We make every effort to run all of our scheduled tours. Sometimes, we must cancel a tour for reasons beyond our control. If we must cancel a tour, we will contact you immediately to offer a full refund of all monies (deposit and balance payments) paid to us. If a tour must be canceled, we do so 90 days or more before the start of the tour. Alternatively, you will have the option to move any payments to a different tour date.
By booking a spot on our tour you’re booking a shared room. If you are traveling solo, you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender. In the case that your gender identity differs from what is indicated on your passport, please contact us so that we can discuss rooming options with you.
If you would like to be placed with a partner or friend, we can assign you to the same room – just tell us beforehand! If you want to share a bed, let us know at the time of booking. We can’t guarantee a double bed, but we’ll do our best to accommodate you. In some destinations, the option may be two single beds pushed together to form a ‘double’.
If you’d like to get your own private room, you can do so as well. They run on a first come, first served basis. At checkout you’ll have the option to add that on for a fee.
You will receive your hotel information around 60 days before your tour departs and you will be able to book your extra days directly with the hotel.
Daily Activities
You will receive detailed information about your tour 30-60 days in advance. It will include information on the hotel(s), the country’s currency, general packing ideas, the outlet adapter you may need, WiFi, and phone service during the tour, the WhatsApp group you’ll use, directions to the hotel (if your tour doesn’t include an airport transfer), and more.
If you would like to opt out of a tour activity, that is okay. You will simply have free time to explore or choose another activity on your own. We provide ideas for additional activities beforehand, and your guide is also a great resource to ask.
Of course! We hate tours that book every minute of your day. While we will be busy, there will also be plenty of time for you to explore on your own (though the amount of time differs from tour to tour). Travel is about adventure and discovery, so we emphasize that on our tours. We want you to see and experience things that interest you specifically.
All our tours have lots of walking tours involved that last between 2-3 hours each. While there is not strenuous hiking involved on most of our tours, you should be prepared to be on your feet a lot. If we do include a hike, it’ll be an easy trail and you can always opt out of joining.
If you have mobility issues, feel free to contact us before booking so we can share more about the physical requirements for the specific tour you’re considering.
Our guides will be on hand to give you suggestions, help you decide what to do, and be around. If you want to go off on your own, we get that. We want you to explore and break out of your comfort zone! Our guides are here to help and, after you join the tour, you’ll be emailed a list of potential activities you can do on your own.
We follow the itineraries as best as possible. There may be weather or other issues that cause us to move the start time of an activity as well as have to shuffle things around. Your Tour Leader will make that call should something come up (though it is very, very rare that that happens).
We also like to leave space for flexibility in case an extraordinary opportunity arises (have you ever been invited to sleep under the stars in Petra?) and we all want to experience it!
On the individual tour pages, we’ve provided some tipping guidelines for each destination. Additionally, your welcome meeting on the first night is a great place to ask your tour leader about the local customs and tipping advice for restaurants, accommodations, and local guides.
At the end of your trip, if you’re happy with the service you received, providing a tip for the tour leader – though not compulsory – is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it means a lot to the people who take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an longstanding expectation in the tourism industry.
We aim to offer as sustainable an experience as we can. Trash is recycled whenever possible. We avoid mass tourism activities that cause harm to the environment and/or do not benefit local communities. If our tour does include an animal activity, we use ethical places that have great reputations for handling animals.
Health & Safety
All dietary restrictions can be accommodated with enough prior notice. Let us know prior and we can accommodate you.
Yes, all travelers will be required to have travel insurance for the duration of the trip. We’ll be asking for proof before departure. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to continue on the tour.
Possibly. It’s important to look up the vaccine requirements for all the countries you will visit on a tour. Some countries require proof of vaccination to enter the country.
The Nomadic Network does not require any extra vaccinations as a tour operator.
Our tours are currently open to all travelers. We will closely monitor any new policies and comply with any new restrictions or requirements needed. If the rules change, we’ll let you know. Should COVID testing be required as a condition of entry or exit, we will help you find testing locations, though you are responsible for the cost of the COVID test and for booking your own tests.
If you get sick on the tour, we’ll ask that you test for COVID. If you test positive, for the safety of our other participants, tour leaders, guides, and locals, you’ll be required to leave the tour and find accommodation at your own expense.
However, as we require travel insurance, your policy will probably cover any added costs. Please email us if you have any questions about this.
Logistics & Payments
Your passport must be valid for a full 6 months after the end of your tour, otherwise there is a good chance you won’t be allowed into the country. If your passport expires earlier than 6 months after, please renew your passport as soon as possible, and expedite if necessary.
We use your passport to expedite the hotel check-in process and, depending on the tour, book internal flights. It’s common for tour companies to get passport information from guests and, by having the info already on file, the hotel can check you in quicker. We delete these files immediately after the tour.
Look on the specific tour page to find out more about the country you’re visiting. Depending on your country of citizenship, you may require a visa. If you do, you’ll need to get that in advance at your own expense.
Since this process differs person to person, we do not offer any help in this area. You are responsible for obtaining and have in your possession all the required documentation and identification required for entry, departure, and travel to each country or region. This includes a valid passport, all travel documents required by us and/or the relevant governmental authorities including all visas, permits and certificates (including but not limited to vaccination or medical certificates) and insurance policies.
*Jordan tours: We do secure the Jordan Pass for participants and then they use that at border control to get their visa for free.
Yes, just like with any tour company you’ll be required to fill out and sign a liability waiver releasing us from any and all liability related to the tour. We’ll send this to you about 3 months before your tour departs.
Generally, we recommend using an ATM to take out cash at your destination. This way, you won’t have to carry around large amounts of cash and you’ll receive the best exchange rate possible. However, please check with your home bank as many banks charge foreign transaction fees every time you withdraw money from an ATM overseas. Learn how to avoid paying extra fees here.
If using an ATM machine is not an option, the second-best method is to simply bring Euros or U.S. dollars in cash that you can exchange at money exchange booths or banks located all over the country.
Unfortunately, we can’t refund the difference of a trip that is now on sale.
To secure your spot on any tour, you must pay at least a deposit of 25% of the price of your tour. That deposit is refundable for up to 30 days.
Yes, all prices you see on our website are in US dollars.
YES! We offer a few different payment plans to help spread out your tour payments depending on how far in advance you book your spot. You’ll see the different options when you go to check out for a specific tour.
Once you book your spot, a simple account will be created to help manage your payments. Feel free to log into that account to check on your scheduled payments, update your basic information, or change the card you want used for future payments.
Know that whichever card you use to pay the first time, will be used for the subsequent automated transactions, unless you login to your account and change the card details. For each transaction, you will receive an automated email.
If you have a specific question or an extenuating circumstance, feel free to write to us here.
Each tour requires 10 participants to run. We will send a confirmation email as soon as we have met that minimum and the tour is confirmed. You will be notified at least 90 days before the tour’s start date or, in many cases, much earlier.
Except in special circumstances, deposits cannot be transferred to other tours.
We understand plans change. Deposits are refundable up to 30 days after purchase, unless within 60 days of the tour’s start date.
As for the rest of the payments, see the most up to date information here.
If you still have questions, feel free to message us directly using this contact form.