Booking Terms and Conditions

Your trip is arranged by Harmony Bridge USA, LLC, doing business as Harmony Bridge Travel, a Texas company based in The Woodlands, Texas ("Harmony Bridge", "we", "us"). We design trips in China and work on the ground with licensed Chinese inbound tour operators, guides, hotels and transport companies. These terms apply to every booking made with us directly or through a travel advisor or tour operator.

We sell trips to travelers living in the United States and Canada. For now, travelers who live in California, Florida, Washington or Hawaii book with us through a travel advisor. Ask us and we'll connect you with one.

Your booking is confirmed when you have signed our quote and we have received your deposit. The quote lists your trip, dates, travelers, price, what is included and your payment dates. Please check it carefully, including names exactly as they appear in each passport.

• A deposit of 25% of the trip price, with a minimum of $500 per person, confirms your booking. This applies to private trips and guaranteed departures alike.
• The balance is due 60 days before departure. If you book within 60 days of departure, the full price is due when you book.
• If the balance is not paid on time, we will contact you first. If it still isn't paid, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you under section 6.

You can pay by card or by bank transfer (ACH) through the secure payment link in your quote. We encourage ACH for balance payments. All prices and payments are in U.S. dollars.

Credit card and bank transaction fees are not refundable, because they are not returned to us if a payment is refunded. Today they are about 2.9% plus $0.30 for each card payment and 0.8% (capped at $5) for each ACH bank payment. ACH costs far less, which is why we encourage it.

Prices are per person, sharing a twin or double room, unless your quote says otherwise. A single supplement applies if you want a room to yourself.

Unless your quote says otherwise, the price includes all travel inside China, hotels, meals, licensed English-speaking guides, scheduled activities and entry fees, and gratuities. It does not include international airfare, travel insurance, visa costs, alcohol, optional extra activities or souvenirs.

Travel in June, July and August, over Lunar New Year, and in the national holiday weeks that start on May 1 and October 1 is priced separately, because these are China's busiest domestic travel times.

Guaranteed departures have one price per person, and it does not change with the number of travelers who book. Private and tailored trips are priced for your group size.

Once your booking is confirmed, we will not raise the price, except where you change the booking (section 7) or a traveler in a private trip cancels (section 8).

Tell us in writing (email is fine). We count days from the day we receive your message.

• More than 60 days before departure: we refund 100% of what you've paid, less the card or bank processing fees on your payments, which our payment provider does not return to us.
• 60 to 30 days before departure: 100% of what you've paid becomes credit toward any Harmony Bridge departure that starts within 24 months.
• Less than 30 days before departure, or if you don't show up: payments are not refundable.
• Passing your place on: up to 15 days before departure, you can give your place to someone else instead of cancelling. The new traveler takes on the booking under these terms. Domestic flights inside China that are already ticketed can't change names, so the new traveler pays for any new flight tickets at the current fare. Any other change fees from our partners in China are passed on at cost. We'll tell you the full cost before we make the change.

Travel insurance with cancellation cover is the best way to protect yourself inside 60 days.

We are happy to make changes when we can. More than 60 days before departure, changes are free unless a supplier charges us. Within 60 days, each change costs $100 plus any supplier charges.

The price of a private trip depends on group size, which sets the vehicle and how costs are shared. If one traveler in your group cancels, the remaining travelers share any resulting price increase. We will tell you the new price before anything changes.

Our guaranteed departures run with as few as 2 travelers. If we ever have to cancel a departure, we refund everything you have paid us in full, or you can move to another date.

Weather, road conditions, safety advice, closures and government decisions sometimes force changes in China. If something on your itinerary can't go ahead, we will replace it with something of similar value and tell you as soon as we can. If we have to make a major change before departure, such as a different route or dates, you can accept it, move to another trip, or cancel for a full refund.

We strongly encourage every traveler to buy travel insurance that covers medical care, emergency evacuation and trip cancellation. It is not required. If you book with us directly, we can help you arrange it. If you book through a travel advisor or tour operator, they will arrange it with you.

• Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your trip ends and have blank pages.
• China offers visa-free options for U.S. and Canadian passports, including the 240-hour transit stay when you fly on to a third country or region. Some itineraries go to places the visa-free policy does not cover and need a tourist visa, and Tibet also needs a special travel permit. We note this clearly before you book and can help you apply. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your dates before you book. Getting the right visa or entry permission is your responsibility.
• Please tell us about any health conditions, mobility needs, dietary needs or allergies when you book, so we can plan around them. Some places on our trips are at altitude (Lijiang is about 2,400 m, or 7,900 ft). Check with your doctor before you travel.

If you booked through a travel advisor or tour operator, they are your main contact and may have their own terms as well. If you contact us directly, we will send you back to them, and your booking stays with them.

We choose our suppliers with care and check them regularly. We are responsible for arranging the services in your booking. Hotels, airlines, railways, transport companies and attractions are independent businesses, and we are not responsible for their acts or omissions, except where the law says otherwise.

We are not responsible for failing to provide a service, or for extra costs, caused by events outside our control, such as severe weather, natural disasters, epidemics, government action, strikes or civil unrest. If such an event stops your trip from going ahead before departure, sections 9 and 10 apply.

We ask every traveler to respect local people, customs and laws, and to follow your guide's advice on safety. We do not include activities that exploit animals (see our Animal Welfare Policy). Harmony Bridge is a Top Member of The Code for the protection of children in travel and tourism. Please read our Child Protection Policy, which includes simple guidance for travelers and where to report a concern. We may end the trip of anyone whose behavior puts others at risk or breaks the law, without refund.

By booking, you agree that we may take photos and short videos during your trip and use them to share and promote our trips. If you would rather not appear in them, tell us in writing before or during your trip and we will not use images that show you.

If something isn't right during your trip, tell your guide or us straight away so we can fix it. If you're still unhappy, write to us within 30 days of your return and we'll respond within 14 days.

We use your personal information to arrange your trip and share it only with the suppliers who need it. See our Privacy Policy.

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas. On every trip we also follow the laws and rules of the countries we travel in, and we ask our travelers to do the same.

Harmony Bridge USA, LLC, The Woodlands, Texas. bobby@harmonybridgetravel.com, +1 (281) 790-4015.