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Booking information

This page mostly relates to booking overseas holidays as ATOL-protected packages. For UK holidays and breaks there are different arrangements, mostly involving booking the hotel accommodation yourself. When we run these, there is more more information on each UK break web page.

Honeyguide doesn't take internet bookings - we'd prefer to talk to you - but you can certainly register your interest in a holiday by e-mail to chris at (at = @) honeyguide.co.uk or phone 01603 300552. We quite often take 'pencil' bookings, pending a booking form and deposit to follow during the next week.

Deposits can be paid by cheque or, most commonly now, by bank transfer - for the latter, please ask for Honeyguide's bank details, which are not given here, for obvious reasons. We don't take payment by credit/debit card.

Booking forms

You can download two types of booking forms here. The first is a traditional paper booking form, here.

The second is a 'form field PDF'. First, download the form and save it on your computer. Second, complete the form on your computer, and save it. Third, you then email the completed form. This is ideal for Honeyguide regulars as the form can then be updated for future bookings, without the need to re-write most of the details, such as names, addresses, passport details, if they are unchanged.
[Note: this works with Adobe Reader 11, but not Adobe Reader 9.]
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Also you can download booking details here.

A paperless booking is therefore possible by emailing the 'form field PDF', or a scan of a written booking form, and paying your deposit by bank-to-bank transfer. Please ask us for details.

Airport hotels and parking

Gatwick Airport: Honeyguide's Holiday Information sheets offer ideas for accommodation at Gatwick. Honeyguide leaders usually stay at The Corner House Hotel www.thecornerhouse.co.uk tel 01293 784574 in Horley. Best to book direct and not via a hotels website. There is usually a discount for booking through the hotel's website.
Tip: ask for a room in the main hotel building and not across the road, if possible. A little more convenient, I find.

Alternatively at Gatwick but especially elsewhere our experience is that Holidays Extras www.holidayextras.com gives a good service and a keen price for airport hotels and parking (but see right about Luton Airport parking). Or phone Holiday Extras on 0800 630 0287 (free of charge) quoting HX132 which identifies you as being with Honeyguide. This is an introducers' code, and not a discount code: if you have a discount code (e.g. emailed to you as previous booker) try that and it should improve the price. Other discounts e.g. for AA members may also be available.

For Stansted, you can request a copy of our information sheet summarising Honeyguiders' experiences of accommodation in the Stansted area. Personally (writes Chris), I use one of the two hotels within walking distance of the terminal, the Hampton-by-Hilton or Radisson Blu, booked according to the deal on availability/price/ parking. The Hampton-by-Hilton is often not available on Holiday Extras, though can be booked directly or via one of the usual websites for hotel bookings.

Travel Insurance

We encourage everyone travelling with Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays to have travel insurance. It's not essential to give your insurance details on your booking form, though we encourage you to arrange it soon after booking as it can cover you for cancellation, for example ill health or the ill health of someone dependent on your care.

Whose insurance? The choice of insurance is yours: there are many options. As rule of thumb, if you travel 2-3 or more times a year, an annual policy is likely to be the best value for money. The Man in Seat 61 suggests Staysure.

Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays is not allowed to assist you in any way in the arrangement of your travel insurance or give any advice. We have no formal arrangement with an insurance company or broker, though we have a longstanding link with Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd. Global Travel is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and its status can be checked on the FCA Register by visiting www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 9966, 'Firm Ref' 305686.

Premiums charged vary by destination, age group and time period of the cover. Global Travel Insurance also offers annual multi trip products up to age 80.

Contact details: Global Travel Insurance Services Ltd, 59/61 Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, BN11 2DB
Telephone: 01903 235042

Email enquiries@globaltravelinsurance.co.uk
www.globaltravelinsurance.co.uk

Coronavirus: some insurances specifically exclude from their policies' cover any claim relating to Coronavirus (Covid-19). It could be worth asking if any policy you are looking at provides Covid-19 cover for cancellation prior to travel, for curtailment of your trip, for medical expenses while overseas related to Covid-19 and costs if you have to extend your stay to self-isolate. All of the products sold by Global Travel Insurance include Covid cover.

All monies paid by you for our air holiday packages are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 3253. Click on the ATOL logo if you want to know more (this takes you to ATOL information from the Civil Aviation Authority).

You can read more about ATOLs here and this web page has booking terms and conditions related to Honeyguide's ATOL.

Atol Protected

You can read the ATOL 'Peace of Mind for Air Travellers' information here.

ATOL information

Atol Protected Information on Honeyguide's ATOL is at the bottom of this page and here, including booking terms and conditions related to Honeyguide's ATOL.

Health

We recommend that that anyone on medication or with a medical allergy (e.g. antibiotics) takes full details on holiday, written so it can be read by a foreign pharmacist. We would prefer to have any information that will help us to help you on the holiday.

To make it easy to record medical information, you can download and complete our medical report form (PDF format). The same form in Word is here: that can be downloaded and it may be easier if you wish to type or cut-and-paste information.

See also our Travel Tips page.

Frequently Asked Questions
■ Hold luggage: when flights are booked for you, as they are for nearly all Honeyguiders, we also book one item of hold luggage. This is normally up to 20kg (yes, even Ryanair), sometimes more.

■ Reserved seats: usually seats are reserved as part of the process when Honeyguide buys flights. If we know you have a preference e.g. for a window seat, it helps to know sooner rather than later. For extra leg room, that is likely to cost more, and you will probably not be seated with the group, Our groups are generally booked to be seated near each other; there is scope to swap seats on the plane by mutual agreement.

■ Speedy boarding or the equivalent and meals are not normally included. Longer flights e.g. to Africa include meals.

■ Passort details: The Honeyguide booking form collects Advance Passenger Information (API), namely date of birth, passport numbers, issue dates and expiry dates, which in turn is needed by airlines.

Parking at Luton: what’s offered through Holiday Extras is five miles away and beyond the M1, so seriously inconvenient especially if you’re coming from the east. A choice of short, mid or long stay car parks are offered via www.londonlutonparking.com with significant savings for booking in advance.

Short-toed eagle by Roger Tidman

Glossy Ibis by Carol Leigh (Firecrest Wildlife Photography)

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... where there are many holiday photos to enjoy.

Atol protected

The air holidays shown are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 3253. ATOL Protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom. Click on the ATOL logo if you want to know more.

Helping you enjoy wildlife – Helping you protect wildlife