About

There are general classifications we tend to use that sometimes overlap due to the large number of suppliers we have listed.

• Backpacker Tours: Generally indicates a small group tour using basic camping, bush camping, semi or permanent camping or multishare dorm accommodation. Vehicles used are usually either troop Carriers or 21-24 Seat Mini-Coach. These tours have a loosely based itinerary which will vary from guide to guide and access to the attractions may be seasonal. Generally speaking people 18-35 perfer these types of tours.
• Safari in Style’: Safari accommodation (large permanent twin share tents) with proper beds, pillow, linen, towels, fans and lighting. Campsites have permanent cooking facilities, screened eating areas, share showers & toilets. Kings Canyon.
• Luxury Campsite/Deluxe Campsite: Generally purpose-built "Safari Tents". They are locally designed for our tropical climate. The walls are of canvas and the windows of insect screen. The floors are wood and are raised above the ground. They have been specifically designed to keep cool and comfortable. A tent has two standard size single beds, each with a traditional Australian bushman's swag and high density mattress, linen, blankets and pillow.
• Australian Safaris: A safari (from Swahili word meaning a long journeyor trip) is an overland journey. Nowadays, it's often used to describe tours through national parks to watch Wildlife (fauna),flora and geological formations.. Reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safari_(travel)
• Australian Overnight Tours: A tour starting early morning or midday on day one and finishing miday or early evening day two.
• Australian Extended Tours: We class this a a tour over 20 days generally combining more than one tour.
• Australian Returning Tour: This is a tour that say may start from Darwin and returns to Darwin when it has finished.
• Australian Oneway Tour: This is a tour that say may start from Melbourne and finishes at a different city such as Darwin.
• Australian Cultural Tours: This is a tour that experiences true Aboriginal Culture sometimes in the Aboriginal Communities such as Bathhurst Island off Darwin or other times at natural wonder such as Uluru at Anangu Waai Tours at Ayers Rock.
• Australian Adventure Activities: Examples we class -4WDing, 4WD Adventures, Aeroplane ATV Quad Bike, Ballooning, Bush Walking, Camel Riding, Camping, Horse Riding, Island Jetski, Kayaking, Scuba Diving/Snorkelling, Skydive, White Water Rafting.
• Australian Sightseeing: One day coach trips to say The Blue Mountains, The Great ocean Road, National Parks, or Scenic Flights, one day diving, one day sailing, one day cruises.
• Australian Event Touring: Tours to a specific event such as the Tamworth Music Festival, Mt Isa Rodeo or Birdville Races.

Tours Glossary We Use:
.......................... Sometimes what we say will vary to a term you may recognise. Please note these are terms we use or recognise in our sites and may differ to other specialists and operators.

• Tour: Any pre-arranged, prepaid journey to one or more destinations and returning to the point of departure. usually includes transportation, accommodation, meals, sightseeing, and other components, and is sold as a unit without price break-outs by component. Reference 'GroupTravel' Author Martha Sarbey de Souto. Also 'tour' maybe regarded as a regularly scheduled guided group visiting one or more destions and seeing natural and cultural places of interest along the way. This journey may be a returning or oneway tour.

• Extended Touring: We class this a a tour app. over 20 days generally combining more than one tour in a oneway direction..

• Returning Tour: This is a tour that say may start from Darwin and returns to Darwin when it has finished.

• Oneway Tour: This is a tour that say may start from Melbourne and finishes at a different city such as Darwin.

• Trip: Is a journey from start to finish.

• Travel: Is how you make your way around on the journey from start to finish you take on your holiday.

• Charter: To hire by contract the entire capacity of an motorcoach with the driver/guide basing a trip plan on the needs and desire.

• Personalised Tour: Again the same as to hire by contract the entire capcity of an motorcoach with the driver/guide.
  

• Tour Operator: This is a tour company that you travel with on tour. A tour operator is the person who supplies the guide/host/driver, the vehicle, the back-up support, the camping equipment, the accommodation arrangements, the food.

• Our Eticket: A electonic ticket via email. consisting of 3 pages. the first is for you to sign and return to us via fax or scanning confirming your ticket details. pages 2-3 you take with you and hand to the driver at pickup.

• Our Quote: An email sent by us usually around 2-3 pages details a specific tour.

• F.I.T: (foreign Independant Traveller) - An international preplanned, prebooked, and prepaid trip with an itinerary and componentss planned to the traveller's specifications. Custom-designned itinerary, as oppsoed to buying an existing tarvel package. Reference 'GroupTravel' Author Martha Sarbey de Souto.

• Adult Prices: This is usually for a person aged 12/14/16 and over in australian land based tours. Your quote will specify the exact age for child or adult pricing. The age will vary between tour operators.

• Childs Prices: Generally children between 4-12 up to 16 depending on the particalur tour operator.Your quote will specify the exact age for child or adult pricing. An example is her from the operator ' Adventure Tours Australia'. Children over 12 years of age pay full adult fare. * Children aged 8-12 years receive a discount on most tours. Prices available on application. * Children under 16 years of age are not permitted to unless accompanied by an adult

• Infant: Generally a child under 2 years old.

• Adventure Traveller: - Trips designed for the active traveller often including hiking, trekking, rafting, camping, terrain exploring. For the fit and adventurous who want to get off the beaten track.

• Soft Traveller: Those who prefer the more comfortable facilities yet still travelling to experience all Australia has to offer and can hike 5-9kms a day over uneven terrain often in high temperatures.

• Extreme Adventurer: Hikes up to 9kms or more per day. Warning: Tours graded with ‘3 Boots’ are only suitable for very fit people who enjoy basic bush camping and can hike 5-9kms a day over uneven terrain often in high temperatures.

• Bus: Generally a 45 front facing seat vehicle with air-conditioning.

• Mini Coach: Generally a 21-24 front facing seat Toyato vehicle with 'NO' toilet on board

• Coach: Is a motorcoach or deluxe bus with a toilet on board. Generally a 45 front facing seat vehicle with air-conditioning.

• Troopie: This is reffered to a Toyota Troop Carrier. With 3 seats including the drivers in the front and 2 side facing cushioned bench seats (4 pax) on each side in the back. please not the vehicles are airconditioned though often we find guides like to drive with the window's down as the tour passengers and jumping in and out of the vehicle so often the guides want the passengers to get aclimatised to the area. generally last day on the way home the a-c goes on.

• Flynet: A net pulled down over ones face to protect themsleves from annoying flies.Mostly used seasonally in Central Australia. Cost App $8.

• Depart: This is usually a 5.30 -7am start from a city. In our tickets and quotes we will clarify this.

• Pickup: The address of where you begin the tour.

• Finish:This is usually at the end of the tour. Finishes times are generally 5-8pm unless specified in your quote. Exception would be some of our Ayers Rock tours which finish at midday at the rock..

• Deluxe tour: A term that varies betweens tour operators. We generally say this to be the best of the tours that particular tour operator has to offer. This will either have accommodation or best quality campsites.

• Luxury tour: As with Deluxe tours this is the same. A term that varies betweens tour operators. We generally say this to be the best of the tours that particular tour operator has to offer. This will either have accommodation or best quality campsites.

• Luxury camping: A term that varies betweens tour operators. We generally say this to be the best camping facilities of the tours that particular tour operator has to offer. This will have campsites with hosts and cooks. The meals will be not be fine dinning but better quality than basic camping. The tents will be slightly bigger with beds frames, pillows, mattresses and linen. Some will have lights and fans.

• Bush camping: Generally - no facilities other than those that are carried on the vehicle. Passengers sleep in swags (Aussie bedroll). The tour will stop along the way at roadhouses for clients to have a shower etc.

• Permanent camping: Generally - have permanently erected tents (multi-share), permanent cooking facilities and purpose-built fire pits, screened eating areas, share showers and toilets.

• Semi permanent camping: Generally - tents must be erected by guide and passengers, share showers and toilets, no cooking facilities except those carried on the vehicle.

• Basic camping: Generally - tents must be erected by guide and passengers, share showers/toilets or some/all nights no showers/toilets , no cooking facilities except those carried on the vehicle. (Specified in the itinerary section of your quote whats availabile- if not please ask us). As tour companies may tend to move campsites these facilities change.

• ‘Safari in Style’/Deluxe Campsite - Safari Accommodation (large permanent twin share tents) with proper beds, pillows, linen, towels, fans and lighting. Campsites have permanent cooking facilities, screened eating areas, share showers and toilets.

• Pax: Generally one person who is on a tour.Passangers

• Per Person: Generally the price of a single adult or child

• Small Groups: We usually say this for number from 5-24 passengers

• Medium Groups: We usualy say this for numbers from 30-55 passengers in a tour.

• Large Groups: We usualy say this for numbers from 55+ passengers in a tour.

• Guide: Person licensed (wherein necessary) and employed to take tourists on local or interstate sightseeing and adventure excursions. Not to be confused with the host.Usually also your driver on a tour. This person will accompany you on the itinerary walks and explain abouth the local flora, Fauna and cutural aspects of that area. The guide may not be a walking dictionary though he generally will have a sound knowledge of the area.

• Host: The person accompaning the guide or driver. This person is licensed (wherein necessary) and employed to generally be know as the tour groups manager and explain the sights.We find this term 'Host' seems to vary betweens companies.

• Driver: Is usually your guide. The drivers responsibilyt is for the driving of the tour clientele throughout the tour. He is generlly responsible for the maintanene whilst on tour.

• Breakdowns: This is when a tour vehicle breaks down during a tour. A driver must follow protocol and his operations managers guidelines. Often that may be to delay the trip and wait for a replacement bus or spare part or service emchanic. Even a new bus can develop difficulties. The more remote the trip usually longer the wait. As vehicles are service regularly this is not a common occurance. the Australian Tourism industry prides itself on providing reliable vehicles.

• Sightseeing: Generally a term we use for a very soft adventurer or large coach group on tour. This we feel means guided tours of sights easily accessed. We acknowledge this term can be described in many ways. We don't strictly adhere to this definition.

• Admission fees: includes fees to National Parks, Musuems, Cultural Centres and attractions.

• Hostel accommodation: Ever noticed there is only one letter different between hotel and hostel. - 4 or 6 or 12 bed Dorm rooms or Twin/Double rooms with shared facilities. Shared facilites may be a common kitchen, toilets and showers (toilets/showrs same sex generally).

• Budget accommodation: Generally - Each room is air conditioned and contains bunks or a double bed and bunks, two people in each.  There is also table and chairs in the room but no en suite or private facilities. Budget accommodation guests share a shower and toilet block near the rooms. Bed linen and pillows are supplied.

• Hotel accommodation: Generally - Hotel/Lodge accommodation is three star. Each room is large, airy, air conditioned and has private bathroom facilities.

• Waiting List: people on a list for an last minute opening occurs

• Cancellations: We a client contacts us and says they wish to not go on the tour anymore after they have booked. Tour operator - no no cancellation policy is the same between Tour Operator. A rule of thumb may be - Up to 30 Days - agents deposit crditied for another booking. 48 Hours - 30 Days is 25% of Fare Plus Deposit. 24 Hours - 48 Hours - 50% of Fare Plus Deposit. Within 24 Hours or No-Show 100% of Fare Including Plus Deposit

• No-Show: If it is departure time and a tour passenger has not arrived, there is no alternative but to go on without the passenger - a no show.

• Credit Card Fee: Currently only one tour company has a credit card fee. This is Adventure Tours and they have a 1.5% fee on all amounts taken by them using a visa or mastercard.

• Rack Rate: Published -regular rates of a tourism service.

• Gross rate: Rate prior to deducting any commission

• Net Rate: Is the rate wholsale rate before any markups.If payment is taken as a spilt system (see payments) then generally speaking in our tickets we will show this as the amount the supplier requires.

• Twin Share: All tours with camping or accommodation tend to be twin share or even dorm share. Our tours have this listed. Some tours offer optional extra upgrades so a person be be accommodated alone.

• Single Supplimentary Charge: When you have a single adult travelling and the tour is based on twin share. This person then requests if available a single tent or room to themselves paying the difference for upgrading.

• Optional Tour: This is where a passenger may choose a option not part of the tour itinerary such as a flight over the Kakadu escarpment or Quad 4WD-ing on a tour from Hobart.

• Addon: A supplementry charge. This is explain when offered in detail.

• GST: The Australian Goods and Services Tax. This is 10%

• YHA: Youth Hostel Association member

• VIP: A Membership of a backpackers Association

• Backpacker: It used to be some one with their travel and personal items in a canvas bag strapped onto their back in a napsack, travelling in a oneway direction on a limited budget exploring different nations and cultural as they travelled through that country. Nowdays it can include such people as a couple of professionals (with the backpack) on a limited time frame travelling just one country wanting to explore it's icons and highlights with a very generous budget staying in 4 star hotels.

• Packaged tour: Pre-arranged combination of such as hotel, air, sightseeing and social events packaged together and sold as an all-inclusive package.

• Specials: This is generally speaking a package or tour with a set time to pay and to travel by that has been discounted.

• Transfers: Usually this means the mode of transport from your hotel to the tour starting point or finishing or airport. Not generally used in our tours. Except mught be used when you fly into Seven Spirit Bay or Bathhurst Island tours.

• Force Majeure: From the French, literally a stronger force. In the context of a tour operator's responsibility clause, referring to something beyond one's control, as in an act of God.Reference 'GroupTravel' Author Martha Sarbey de Souto.
  

The Selfdrive Glossary We Use:

• 4WD Hire: Generally a large current model standard Toyota Land Cruiser Station Wagon or similar Nissan. An example of a operators 4WD clause would be as follows: Four Wheel Drive Vehicles can also be driven on recognized gazetted unsealed tracks but may only travel to the following remote areas with the express written permission of Apollo: Any Islands, Tasmania, Simpson Desert, Gunbarrel Highway, Cape York (North of Daintree River), Oodnadatta Track, Birdsville Track, Tanami Track, Gibb River Road, Kalumburu Road, Warburton Road, Strzelecki Track, Cape Leveque, Bungle Bungles and any other remote area. No Vehicle is permitted on the last 2 kilometres of the Lennard River Gorge Road, the Canning Stock-route, The Lost City in Litchfield Park and the Telegraph Road section of the road to Cape York.

• 4WD Camper: A 4WD campervan is a 4 Wheel Drive vehicle with a rear cabin for sleeping and sometimes a dining and meals preparation area. There is also a storage area for personal belongings, stoves and fridges.

• Camper: A 2WD campervan is a 2 Wheel Drive vehicle with a rear cabin for sleeping and sometimes a dining and meals preparation area. There is also a storage area for personal belongings, stoves and fridges.

• Campervan: A campervan is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out for use as accommodation. They are considered as an alternative to the purpose-built recreational vehicle or motorhome because they are smaller and handle like most vans. Reference- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campervan

• Motorhome: Generally a luxurious long body vehicle with over a 2 Metre height factor and is a Two Wheel Drive Vehicle that can only be driven on sealed/bitumen roads or well maintained access roads less than 5 kilometres long to recognised campgrounds. Motorhomes accommodated from 1-6 people with generous room to move around and has a mains 240V airconditioners, toilet and shower.

• RV: Recreational vehicle is a vehicle used for the personal pleasure of selfdrive travel- we tend to use this in the same reference as the motorhome.

• Hire + Rentals: Both words actually mean different things in the dictionary though in the selfdrive industry we generally recognise them as the same meaning. That is to engage in a rental contract in hiring a vehicle the the hirer will drive themselves from agreed start and finish location with agreement in writing to the suppliers Terms and Conditions.

• Selfdrive: A vehicle 2WD or 4WD that the driver is the traveller.