These Terms and Conditions apply to all tours, transfers and custom trips booked directly with TravelMestia (through our website, WhatsApp, Instagram, email or in person). By booking with us, you confirm that you have read and accepted these terms.
Bookings made through GetYourGuide or Viator are covered by that platform's own terms and cancellation rules. See section 15 below.
TravelMestia is operated by Individual Entrepreneur "Travel Mestia", identification number 01017048939, registered at 16 Botanikuri Street, Krtsanisi District, Tbilisi, Georgia, represented by Luka Kakhiani.
We are a local tour and transfer company based in Mestia, Svaneti. We run guided day tours, private tours, shared group tours, transfers across Georgia and custom multi-day trips in the Svaneti mountains.
Contact: travelmestia@gmail.com / WhatsApp +995 599 70 44 77 / travelmestia.com
Our services include guided day tours with 4x4 transport, a driver and, where stated, a local guide, on the destinations and routes described in our offer (for example Ushguli, Koruldi Lakes, Chalaadi Glacier, Mazeri Waterfall, Shkhara Glacier and Tetnuldi), point to point transfers across Georgia, and custom multi-day trips built to your request.
Unless clearly stated in the specific tour description, the price of a standard tour or transfer does not include: travel insurance, personal expenses, entrance fees not listed, meals, drinks, accommodation and travel to and from the meeting point.
Custom tailor made trips work differently. If you wish, we can arrange almost the whole trip for you, including accommodation, meals and the full logistics. The only things we do not provide are your private travel insurance and public transport tickets (including flights, trains and buses), which remain your responsibility.
The exact meeting point, start time and what is included are confirmed to you when you book.
A booking is confirmed only once we have confirmed availability to you and payment has been received according to section 4. A message or request on its own does not hold your date.
We work with a small fleet and a limited number of drivers and guides, so dates and vehicles are reserved on a first paid, first confirmed basis.
Prices are shown and charged in the currency stated at the time of booking (Georgian Lari for standard tours and transfers, or Euro or US Dollar where agreed for international and custom trips).
Standard tours (shared and private), booked directly: full payment (100%) is made in advance, either through a secure payment link or online through our website. Your date and vehicle are confirmed once this payment is received.
Transfers: point to point transfers (for example Tbilisi to Mazeri, or Ushguli to Kutaisi) are paid in full (100%) in advance, by payment link or through our website, to confirm the car and driver.
Custom tailor made trips: a deposit of 40% of the agreed price is required to confirm the trip, paid by payment link or bank transfer. The remaining 60% is paid in cash on the first day of the trip. We start reserving vehicles, guides and accommodation for your trip only after the deposit is received.
Cash on the day (exception): in exceptional cases, and only if we agree to it in advance, payment for a standard tour or a transfer may be made in cash on the day. In that case no advance payment is held, and the cancellation terms in section 7 do not apply: if you do not show up, the booking is simply released and nothing is owed by either side.
Price accuracy: we take care to show correct prices, but if an obvious error appears in a listed price, we may correct it before confirming your booking. If the corrected price is higher, you are free to cancel and receive a full refund of anything already paid.
Please be at the confirmed meeting point at the confirmed time. So that the day can run on schedule, we can wait up to 10 minutes, and at most 15 minutes, before the group has to leave.
If you arrive after that, or miss the meeting point, this is treated as a no show under section 7. Catching up with the group afterwards is at your own cost and cannot be guaranteed.
Some shared (join in) tours run only once a minimum number of participants is reached. If that minimum is not reached for your date, we will contact you and offer one of: a new date, the same tour as a private tour at the private price, or a full refund.
Beyond that refund, we are not responsible for other costs you may have in this case, which is why we recommend keeping your travel plans flexible.
We understand that plans change. Because we block vehicles, drivers and guides ahead of time, and because we work in a remote mountain region, the notice you give us directly affects whether we can offer that slot to someone else. The terms below reflect that.
All cancellation requests must be sent to us in writing (by email, WhatsApp or Instagram). The time of cancellation is the time we receive your message.
Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method within 7 working days of us confirming the cancellation. Depending on your bank or payment provider, it can take a few more days for the money to appear on your account. Any bank or payment transfer fees charged on the refund are paid by you and are deducted from the amount we send back.
These terms apply to all standard day tours booked directly, whether shared (join in) or private.
| When you cancel | What you get |
|---|---|
| 72 hours or more before the start | Full refund, or a free change to another date |
| Between 24 and 72 hours before | 50% refund, or move the full amount to another date |
| Less than 24 hours before, or no show | No refund |
These terms apply to standalone point to point transfers. Transfers that are part of a custom trip follow the custom terms in section 7.3.
| When you cancel | What you get |
|---|---|
| 48 hours or more before pickup | Full refund, or a free change of date or time |
| Between 24 and 48 hours before | 50% refund |
| Less than 24 hours before, or no show | No refund |
The 40% deposit is what secures your vehicles, guides and accommodation, often across several days and several villages. The 60% balance is only ever paid on arrival, so nothing beyond the deposit is owed if you cancel.
| When you cancel | What happens to the deposit |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more before the start | Deposit fully refunded, or moved to a new date, minus any non refundable third party bookings already made at your request (for example prepaid guesthouses) |
| Between 14 and 30 days before | 50% of the deposit is refunded |
| Less than 14 days before, or no show | Deposit is non refundable |
We do not charge any fee for changing the date of your tour or transfer. A free change is offered where the tables above allow it and where we have availability on your new date. If your new booking costs more, you pay the difference. If it costs less, the difference is kept as credit toward the booking and is not refunded.
For any tour or transfer, you may pass your place to another person at no cost, as long as you tell us before the start and the new participant accepts these terms. This is often the easiest solution if you cannot come yourself.
Mountain conditions in Svaneti can change quickly. We reserve the right to change the schedule, order, route or content of a tour, or to cancel it, for reasons of weather, safety or road conditions.
Where we change or cancel, we will always try to offer a reasonable alternative, for example a different route or another date. If we cancel and no alternative is agreed, you receive a full refund for the part that did not take place. Beyond that refund, we are not responsible for other costs you may have (such as flights, accommodation or connecting travel), which is why we strongly recommend travel insurance.
Our tours run in high mountain terrain. Snow, rain, rockfall, river levels and road closures can affect access, especially outside the main summer season.
The driver and guide may adjust or shorten a route on the day for safety reasons. A decision made on safety grounds is final. If a route becomes impossible to complete safely, we treat it under section 8.
By booking, you confirm that you and everyone in your group are in a health condition that allows participation in mountain tours, and that you have chosen a tour that fits your ability. If you are unsure whether a route suits you, ask us before booking and we will advise honestly.
If you or anyone in your group has a medical condition, allergy, dietary need or mobility limitation that could affect participation, tell us before booking so we can confirm whether the route is suitable. We cannot be responsible for problems arising from information that was not shared with us in advance.
During the tour you agree to follow the reasonable instructions of the driver and guide, in particular on matters of safety. We may decline to continue with a participant whose behaviour puts themselves or others at risk, without a refund.
You are responsible for having valid documents for travel in Georgia and for any personal medication or equipment you need.
Our tours take place in high mountain terrain, sometimes in remote areas where access to medical help can be delayed. By booking, you accept the nature of this environment and the normal risks that come with mountain travel and hiking.
You confirm that you and everyone in your group hold valid travel insurance that is current and appropriate to the conditions of the tour, including mountain and hiking activities, medical treatment and evacuation. Insurance and personal expenses are your responsibility and are not included in our prices.
You are responsible for your personal belongings during the tour or transfer. We are not responsible for items lost, left behind or damaged in our vehicles or on the route, except where this is caused by our own fault.
We may take photos and video during our tours and use them to promote TravelMestia, including on our website and social media. If you prefer not to appear in this content, tell your guide or write to us before or during the tour, and we will not use recognisable images of you. This does not affect photos you take yourself.
We are responsible for providing our services with reasonable care and skill. We are not responsible for services provided by third parties that we do not run ourselves, such as accommodation, restaurants, other operators or flights, even where we helped arrange them.
Neither you nor we are responsible for failure to perform caused by force majeure, meaning events outside reasonable control, including natural disasters, extreme weather, road closures, epidemics, strikes or decisions of public authorities.
Except where the law does not allow it, our total responsibility to you for any booking is limited to the amount you paid us for that service. Nothing in these terms limits liability where it cannot be limited by law.
If you booked your tour through GetYourGuide or Viator, your contract for that booking is with the platform, and the cancellation and refund rules shown on the platform apply (these platforms generally allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start). The terms on this page apply to bookings made directly with TravelMestia.
Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult, who is responsible for them throughout the tour. Some routes are not suitable for young children. If you plan to travel with children, tell us in advance so we can confirm the route is appropriate.
We process your personal data only to arrange and deliver your booking. We do not share it with third parties except with our drivers and guides to the extent needed to run your tour. You can contact us at any time to ask what data we hold or to have it removed.
Our services are provided on the territory of Georgia and these terms are governed by the law of Georgia, regardless of where you live or where you booked from.
We will always try to resolve any issue with you directly and fairly. If you have a complaint, tell your driver or guide straight away so we have the chance to fix it on the spot, and send us any written complaint within 14 days of the end of your tour or transfer. If we cannot reach agreement, the dispute is subject to the competent court in Tbilisi, Georgia.
If any part of these terms is found to be invalid, the rest stays in force. These terms are written in English, and the English version is the binding one. Together with your booking confirmation, they form the whole agreement between you and TravelMestia.
We may update these terms from time to time. The version that applies to your booking is the one published on the date you book. The current version is always available on this page.
Individual Entrepreneur "Travel Mestia" - Mestia, Svaneti, Georgia
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