The safety and security of our tour participants is our top priority. We wish to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable tour experience.

We monitor and follow government travel advice through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Smart Traveller website and adhere to these guidelines for the relevant destinations. Should advice change in the lead up to, or during, the tour appropriate changes will be made. We ask all participants on our international tours to register their details through Smart Traveller.

We require all participants to have travel insurance to cover them for any unexpected events.

For school tours, and if requested, a detailed tour risk management plan is developed in conjunction with the school, for the school’s approval prior to departure. This plan outlines all possible events that could occur on tour and response protocols.

In an emergency, the tour manager will liaise with local authorities and follow any directions given. Teachers remain in charge of the pastoral care of the students, and the steps outlined in the tour risk management plan will be adhered to. Teachers will also contact the school and the school will, in turn, contact parents.

The school and supervising teachers decide whether it is the students’ responsibility to manage their own passports, or if the teachers will keep them together in safe locations in each hotel.

If property is lost, this may be able to be claimed back on travel insurance. If property is stolen, a police report is required in the location of the incident and then can be claimed on travel insurance upon return home.

If a passport is lost or stolen overseas, an emergency passport needs to be issued by the closest Australian consulate/embassy. A teacher and/or tour manager will accompany the student to the appointment. For students under 18 years, parents will also need to attend their closest embassy to sign on behalf of the child. We recommend all participants keep a photocopy of their passport in order to make this process more efficient.

Supervision of students is the responsibility of the teachers on tour, it is their primary role. Each school may take a slightly different approach, but it is common that any free time will be structured, short and in a specific area. Clear meeting times and locations will be provided. Head counts will be done after every stop. Usually in the evening, teachers will be on duty in case they are needed by students followed by a lights-out time and room checks.

Libertas Travel provides a full list of the inclusions with your pre-tour documentation. For student tours, each school may request slightly different inclusions; however, these will generally include economy airfares, accommodation, land transportation, activities, tours, entrance fees, tipping and some meals. Travel insurance may be included depending on the school’s requirements.

• Excess baggage charges.

• Spending money.

• Meals and activities not stated in the itinerary.

• The cost of obtaining passports and visas.

• Personal travel insurance, including coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.

Each airline has its own luggage requirements; however, most international airlines allow one piece of checked luggage and one carry-on bag to take onboard, plus a handbag or satchel. We recommend the weight of the checked luggage is kept under 20 kilograms. The carry-on should be under 7 kilograms.

For the checked luggage, a standard size, hard cover, four-wheeled bag is recommended; however, large backpacks or sports bags will also do the job.

Handbags or satchels are carried by all students each day on tour and should be large enough to contain wallet, phone, camera, notepad, water bottle, hand sanitiser etc. They should have a secure fastening (such as a zipper) for security. A cross-body strapped bag is ideal. We do not recommend a backpack as a daily bag as many sites and museums do not allow these inside and they would need to be stored in lockers.

Yes, we will provide you with a suggested packing list for your specific tour with your pre-departure documentation.

There are restrictions to what can be taken in your carry-on bag for international flights. These restrictions apply to liquids, gels and aerosols. Specific information will be provided in your pre-departure documentation.

If you need prescription medication, this must be carried in its original packaging with the prescription sticker on the box.

Over the counter medication is generally fine to be carried either on board or in checked luggage. Again, it is best to keep it in its original packaging.

Rooming arrangements are a decision for the school and teachers. Teachers know and understand students’ friendship groups and circumstances, and will usually allocate rooms accordingly. Rooming configurations may change from hotel to hotel. There is a strict rule on same-sex rooming – females sharing room, males sharing rooms. Rooming arrangements for non-binary or trans students are for the school to decide on, in conjunction with parents, prior to travel.

For Syllabus tours, groups generally stay in centrally-located hotels with students in twin, triple, or quad-share rooms and teachers in single rooms.  Accommodation for Service Learning tours and excursions varies depending on location and students may be in twin, triple or quad-share rooms in hotels or in multi-share cabin/dormitory-style accommodation in outdoor education centres or tourist caravan parks.  Students on sports tours may stay in hotels or be billeted by the school with local families.

If changes need to be made to the itinerary due to delays caused by flight times or traffic, the tour manager will do so in consultation with the supervising teachers. We endeavour to ensure that no activities are missed due to travel delays; however, sometimes things can happen outside of our control.

Lost luggage is dealt with before leaving the airport by the tour manager and teachers. It is the responsibility of the airline to provide adequate compensation and ensure the bag reaches the traveller, even if they have already left the vicinity.

This is impossible to know and will depend on destinations and seasons. We will provide you with an idea of expected weather on tour and appropriate clothing with your pre-departure documentation.

We know that the best tour itineraries are those that have a good mix of included activities and free time. When we design each individual tour with the teachers, we ensure that the participants will have at least some ‘downtime’ every day. Free time is always structured with parameters of time and location.

We understand that having souvenirs to take home as memories or gifts for family and friends is very important. Our itineraries are designed so that there should be some free time each day, which may include souvenir shopping. This time would be managed in consultation with teachers.

For Syllabus tours, groups generally stay in centrally-located hotels with students in twin, triple, or quad-share rooms and teachers in single rooms.  Accommodation for Service Learning tours and excursions varies depending on location and may include hotels, outdoor education centres or group multi-share accommodation in tourist caravan parks.  Students on sports tours may stay in hotels or be billeted by the school with local families.

The only reason a student would not participate in any aspect of the tour is due to feeling unwell or as agreed to by a teacher. If there are activities that may cause anyone discomfort, teachers may allow students to opt out and remain with a teacher. For example, if students experience claustrophobia or an aversion to heights, we would not recommend they climb the dome in Vatican City.

Libertas handpicks its Tour Managers to suit the requirements of the group and the content of the tour. Their role is to ensure the smooth operation of the tour. They manage all the logistics and in any given day will be coordinating hotel check-ins and outs, liaising with suppliers, checking travel routes, confirming bookings, buying tickets, providing information, leading walking tours, checking special meals, consulting with teachers and dealing with any issues that may arise.

This is a decision made by the school and its governing body.

This is a decision made by the school and supervising teachers.

Sometimes. It depends on the airline and the way they manage their group fares.

We assume most students will travel with their mobile phone devices. Please check with your provider if you need to unlock Global Roaming and what the additional charges will be when using your phone overseas. Global Roaming data can be very expensive and we recommend using local free wi-fi, where available, to avoid high fees. The tour manager will advise how to connect to local wi-fi where available.

We also recommend using free communication apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype etc to connect with your kids on a daily basis; however, please bear in mind that we don’t want them to be glued to their phones whilst on tour. Why not set up an appropriate time each day with respect to time zones (either before breakfast or after dinner) so you can check in on their day and update them on news from home.

We will also provide you with the contact details of each hotel the group will be staying with. Most hotels have in-room phones on which to call your student. We do not recommend the student calling out from these phones, as they can be quite expensive.

Yes. Parents and students will each have a copy of the itinerary so you know what will be happening each day along with the contact details of each hotel.

If a student is not feeling well on a tour day, they can remain in the hotel along with a supervising teacher. If they are unwell and need medication, they will be taken to a local pharmacy by a teacher and/or tour manager.

If the illness requires medical attention, usually a doctor can be called to the hotel and may be covered by insurance.

If a student needs to go to hospital for treatment, a teacher and/or tour manager will accompany them. If the student needs to remain in hospital for multiple days, a teacher will also remain in that location. In a severe medical situation, a parent may be required to accompany the student home.

Each country has different requirements. This information can be sourced on the government’s Smart Traveller website. We will advise all tour participants about the specific requirements for their tour in their pre-departure documentation.

We can arrange catering for any special diets or food allergies. This information must be provided to us on the traveller’s booking form at time of booking. We will then advise all airlines, restaurants and hotels to ensure that special meals are prepared throughout the tour. Students are not able to change their special diet whilst on tour as meals must be pre-ordered. The tour manager will ensure all students with special diets receive their meals.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to cater for each individual’s food preferences. Whilst on tour, most meals are served to the entire group and we ask that tour participants be open to trying new, local foods.

A pass port is required for all international travel and it should be valid for six months after the return date of the scheduled tour. We will check your passport validity at time of booking and advise you if you will need to have your passport renewed.

You should apply or renew for your passport at least four months prior to your departure. For details on how to apply for your passport, visit the Australian Passport Office website.

Each country has different visa requirements. We will advise you of any required visas for travel in your pre departure documentation. This information is also provided on the government’s Smart Traveller website

Travel insurance is designed to protect you from unexpected events happening whilst on tour. Each travel insurance policy can be different. If your school is providing its own insurance for students, please consult with them.

Our included travel insurance provider is Covermore. To review the Product Disclosure Statement, visit their website: Cover-More Australia

If you have any specific questions regarding travel insurance, you will need to discuss this directly with the issuer.

Any claims must be made on return to Australia. The issuer will have claim forms to complete and Libertas Travel can provide the appropriate supporting documentation.

You can pay an additional premium to cover most pre-existing medical conditions. This needs to be discussed directly with the insurance issuer.

If a student withdraws from the tour, the amount of their non-refundable deposit may be applied to a ‘replacement’ student making a new booking. While we endeavour to negotiate with suppliers to reduce cancellation charges for anyone withdrawing from the tour, we reserve the right to pass on any cancellation and related charges to the School. If the student is not replaced, then the tour may need to be re-priced and the School is liable for any increase. In the event the student withdraws within 42 days of the tour and cannot be replaced, then any refund to the School will be at the discretion of Libertas Travel.

If a tour cannot proceed due to any event which neither Libertas Travel or its suppliers could have foreseen or avoided - for example, DFAT advice against travel, pandemics or adverse weather conditions – then our contract with the school is terminated and we will refund all payments made by the school that have not been expended less the non-refundable deposit. Any further refunds or travel credits received back from third party suppliers will also be passed back to the school.

The tour price is confirmed when we receive a signed contract from the school.  We do, however, reserve the right to amend the tour price if there are any increases in airport flight taxes.  If so, we advise the school prior to final tour payment.  A reduction in the number of students travelling may also necessitate tour re-pricing and the school may be liable for any increase. 

Final payment for the tour is due to Libertas Travel 90 days prior to the tour’s departure.

Each tour will be slightly different depending on the inclusions and destinations. We will provide you with an estimate of additional money needed at the Tour Information Evening and in the pre-departure documentation.

We recommend that students have a small amount of local currency with them for everyday purchases like snacks, with the majority of funds accessible electronically.

Every-day Australian EFTPOS and credit cards will work in most overseas destinations; however, we do recommend you check with the bank for any additional fees and surcharges, as well as currency conversion fees for using a card overseas. It is also worth asking how quickly cards can be replaced if lost or stolen whilst travelling.

Another option is to carry a prepaid travel currency card. Many financial institutions offer these which allow you to convert Australian dollars into the local currency prior to departure. These funds can then be accessed for ATM withdrawals or in-store purchases in local currency. This allows an easier way to budget money and avoid additional fees. The Cash Passport card available through Australia Post and other outlets is available to travellers of any age, you just need a passport to have it issued.