At Physis Photo Tours, we believe that planning a photography journey should feel exciting, clear, and reassuring from the very beginning.

Our photography programs are private and carefully designed around each traveler’s dates, photographic interests, travel style, and confirmed itinerary. Because many arrangements require advance reservations and commitments with accommodations, transportation providers, specialized photography locations, local guides where included, and other partners throughout Costa Rica, we use a simple and transparent payment structure.

Our goal is to make the process easy to understand, give you flexibility in managing your payments, and provide clarity about what happens if your plans change.

The following terms apply unless different conditions are specifically stated in your individual proposal or booking confirmation.

1. Prices and Program Start Date

Unless otherwise stated, all Physis Photo Tours prices are quoted and payable in U.S. dollars (USD).

Your proposal or booking confirmation will clearly indicate the total program price, the services included, any services not included, and your payment schedule.

For payment and cancellation purposes, the program start date is the first date shown on your confirmed Physis Photo Tours itinerary.

2. Confirming Your Photography Program

A 30% deposit of the total program price is required to confirm your reservation and secure your travel dates.

Your booking is considered confirmed once:

1. Physis Photo Tours has received the required deposit; and
2. We have sent you written confirmation of your reservation.

Once your program is confirmed, our team begins securing the arrangements included in your itinerary. Depending on your individual program, these may include accommodations, transportation, specialized photography locations and sessions, local guides, entrance fees, and other travel services.

Your deposit is applied in full toward the total price of your program. It is not an additional fee.

Because these arrangements often involve advance commitments made specifically for your trip, the 30% deposit is non-refundable if you decide to cancel your reservation, except where otherwise required by applicable law or expressly agreed to in writing by Physis Photo Tours.

By confirming your booking and submitting your deposit, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and accepted the payment, cancellation, and refund terms associated with your program.

3. Why We Use WeTravel

Your comfort and confidence when making a payment are important to us.

For this reason, Physis Photo Tours uses WeTravel as our primary and preferred booking and payment platform.

WeTravel is a specialized travel technology and payment platform designed specifically for tour operators, travel companies, destination management companies, retreat organizers, and other businesses operating multi-day travel experiences.

Founded in California in 2014, WeTravel has grown into an international travel technology company serving thousands of travel businesses and partners around the world. The company maintains a corporate presence in the United States, including its San Francisco office, as well as an international team and operations in several countries.

We chose WeTravel because it provides both Physis Photo Tours and our travelers with a professional and transparent way to manage reservations, payments, payment schedules, and transaction records in one place.

Payment Security

WeTravel uses established global payment processors, including Stripe and Airwallex, to process transactions.

Sensitive financial information such as credit card and bank account details is not stored directly on WeTravel’s own servers. This information is securely transmitted to its payment providers using encrypted connections.

WeTravel states that it maintains recognized payment and information-security standards, including PCI-DSS compliance and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, as well as CASA Tier 2 security verification.

Its payment partners also maintain industry security standards applicable to payment processing.

Business and Account Verification

Businesses accepting and transferring funds through WeTravel are subject to identity and business verification procedures.

These verification processes help WeTravel meet regulatory requirements and provide an additional layer of accountability for businesses operating on the platform.

Physis Photo Tours completes the verification requirements applicable to businesses using WeTravel to receive and manage traveler payments.

Clear Payment Information

One of the reasons we appreciate WeTravel is the visibility it gives travelers throughout the payment process.

Your booking can clearly show your:

• total program price;
• initial deposit;
• remaining balance;
• scheduled installments;
• payment due dates; and
• completed payments.

This means that you do not have to rely solely on emails or personal records to understand the financial status of your booking.

You can access your WeTravel reservation and review the payment information associated with your program.

An Established Independent Payment Platform

WeTravel is an independent third-party platform and is not owned or operated by Physis Photo Tours.

Payments made through WeTravel are also subject to WeTravel’s applicable terms, payment procedures, privacy practices, and the rules of the financial institutions and payment processors involved in the transaction.

If you ever have a question about a payment related specifically to your Physis Photo Tours reservation, you are always welcome to contact us first. We will help you understand the payment status and, when necessary, guide you toward the appropriate WeTravel support resources.

We want you to feel comfortable not only with the photography program you are reserving, but also with the way your reservation and payments are managed.

4. Flexible Payment Plans

One of the advantages of using WeTravel is the ability to make the financial side of your trip easier to manage.

After your initial 30% deposit, the remaining balance may be organized through a scheduled payment plan.

Depending on how far in advance your program is confirmed, your payment plan may include:

• your initial 30% deposit;
• scheduled installment payments;
• monthly payments, when appropriate; and
• a final payment.

The exact amounts and payment dates for your reservation will be clearly displayed in your WeTravel booking.

This can be particularly helpful when a photography program is reserved many months in advance, allowing the remaining balance to be distributed over time rather than requiring one large final payment.

Regardless of how the installments are structured, your photography program must be fully paid no later than 90 calendar days before the program start date.

You may also make your next scheduled payment early or pay your remaining balance in full before the scheduled due dates.

If your reservation is made within 90 calendar days of the program start date, full payment is required to confirm the booking.

WeTravel may send payment reminders and other notifications associated with your payment schedule, helping you keep track of upcoming payments throughout the booking process.

5. Automatic Payments for Added Convenience

For travelers who prefer a more convenient approach, WeTravel offers automatic billing for supported payment methods.

When auto-billing is enabled, your saved payment method is automatically charged according to the payment schedule associated with your booking.

Depending on the WeTravel options available for your reservation, automatic billing may be enabled as part of the payment plan or selected by you for your remaining installments.

WeTravel provides notifications related to scheduled automatic payments, helping you remain informed about upcoming transactions.

If an automatic payment is unsuccessful, WeTravel will notify you and Physis Photo Tours so that the payment method can be updated or the installment can be completed manually.

A failed automatic charge does not immediately cancel your reservation.

We will communicate with you first and give you an opportunity to resolve the payment. The scheduled payment will, however, remain due.

Automatic billing does not change the price of your program, your agreed payment schedule, or the cancellation and refund conditions associated with your booking. It simply provides a convenient way to manage scheduled payments.

6. Alternative Payment Options

While WeTravel is our primary and preferred payment platform, we understand that some travelers may prefer or require another payment method.

Alternative payment options may be available upon request.

If you would like to explore an alternative to WeTravel, please contact Physis Photo Tours before making a payment.

We will explain the options currently available so that you can decide which method is most convenient and appropriate for you.

For your security, banking or payment instructions for alternative methods are provided privately and should always be verified directly with Physis Photo Tours before funds are sent.

A payment made using an alternative method is considered received once the funds have been credited and are available to Physis Photo Tours.

Please allow sufficient processing time when making a payment close to a due date, particularly when using a bank transfer or another method that may require additional processing time.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, selecting an alternative payment method does not change the deposit requirement, payment schedule, cancellation conditions, or refund policy associated with your booking.

Banking, transfer, processing, intermediary, currency conversion, or other third-party transaction fees associated with a payment method selected by the traveler may be the responsibility of the traveler.

7. If a Payment Is Delayed

We understand that payment issues can occasionally occur.

If a scheduled payment is not received by its due date, our first step will be to contact you and determine whether the situation can be resolved.

A missed payment does not automatically cancel your reservation.

However, because accommodations and other services may already have been reserved specifically for your photography program, we cannot guarantee that arrangements can be held indefinitely if payments remain overdue.

Our goal will always be to communicate with you first and provide a reasonable opportunity to bring your payment schedule up to date before making changes to your reservation.

8. If Your Plans Change

We understand that even carefully planned journeys can sometimes be affected by unexpected circumstances.

If you need to cancel your photography program, please notify Physis Photo Tours in writing.

The effective cancellation date will be the date on which we receive your written cancellation notice.

Unless otherwise required by applicable law, the following conditions will apply:

More than 90 calendar days before your program start date

Your initial 30% deposit remains non-refundable.

Any eligible payments you have made above the required 30% deposit will be refunded, subject to any non-refundable third-party payment or transaction costs where applicable and legally permitted.

90 calendar days or less before your program start date

Once your program is within 90 calendar days of its start date, the program becomes 100% non-refundable.

By this stage, Physis Photo Tours will normally have made substantial arrangements and financial commitments for the services reserved specifically for your photography program.

This structure allows us to secure the accommodations, transportation arrangements, photography locations, guides where included, and other services that form part of your confirmed itinerary.

9. Late Arrival, Early Departure, No-Show, or Unused Services

Your Physis Photo Tours itinerary is planned and reserved as one complete photography travel experience.

For this reason, refunds are not normally available for services that are missed or voluntarily not used after the program has begun, including circumstances such as:

• arriving after the scheduled program start;
• failing to arrive for the program;
• departing before the program is completed;
• choosing not to participate in a scheduled activity;
• unused accommodation;
• unused transportation;
• unused meals;
• unused photography sessions;
• unused entrance fees; or
• unused guide services.

If an unexpected situation occurs during your trip, please speak with us.

Our team will always do its best to assist you and explore reasonable alternatives whenever possible.

10. Eligible Refunds

Whenever a refund is due under these terms, Physis Photo Tours will process it as promptly as reasonably possible.

Where practical, refunds will be returned using the same payment method originally used.

Payments and refunds processed through WeTravel may also be subject to WeTravel’s procedures and the processing times of its payment providers and financial institutions.

Payment processing fees, banking charges, currency conversion costs, intermediary bank fees, or other third-party transaction costs that were not received or retained by Physis Photo Tours may be non-refundable, subject to the rules of the applicable payment provider and applicable law.

If applicable law provides greater refund rights, those requirements will take priority.

11. If Physis Photo Tours Needs to Cancel Your Program

Our intention is always to operate every confirmed photography program as planned.

If Physis Photo Tours must cancel an entire program before it begins for a reason directly attributable to us, our first step will be to explore whether a suitable alternative can be offered.

If no reasonable alternative can be provided or accepted, Physis Photo Tours will refund the payments we have received for the canceled program, including the deposit.

This is separate from the non-refundable deposit provision that applies when a traveler chooses to cancel.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Physis Photo Tours’ financial responsibility for such a cancellation is limited to amounts paid directly to us for the program.

Independent arrangements purchased separately by the traveler — such as international airfare, accommodation outside the Physis itinerary, visas, insurance, photography equipment, or other personal travel expenses — are not included in the program refund.

For this reason, we recommend purchasing flexible airfare whenever possible and obtaining comprehensive travel insurance.

12. Circumstances Beyond Our Reasonable Control

Travel — and nature and wildlife photography in particular — sometimes requires flexibility.

Weather, wildlife activity, road conditions, natural events, park or reserve closures, government actions, transportation disruptions, health or safety concerns, supplier availability, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Physis Photo Tours may occasionally require changes to a confirmed itinerary.

When this happens, our priority is to protect your safety and preserve the overall quality and photographic purpose of your experience.

Whenever reasonably possible, we will adjust the itinerary and seek appropriate alternatives rather than simply canceling an activity or service.

If circumstances beyond our reasonable control make a service or part of the program impossible to operate, Physis Photo Tours will work with the relevant suppliers to determine what alternatives, substitutions, credits, or refunds may be available.

Any resulting refund or credit will depend on the circumstances involved, services already provided, amounts that can reasonably be recovered from suppliers, non-recoverable commitments already made for the program, and applicable law.

The unpredictable nature of weather, wildlife, natural environments, and field conditions is part of photography travel, and itinerary adjustments may sometimes be necessary to make the best use of the conditions available.

13. Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance as soon as your photography program is confirmed.

Travel insurance provides valuable protection for circumstances that neither you nor Physis Photo Tours may be able to control.

Depending on your personal circumstances and the policy selected, we recommend considering coverage for:

• non-refundable trip costs;
• trip cancellation;
• trip interruption;
• international medical expenses;
• emergency medical evacuation;
• flight delays or cancellations;
• lost, damaged, or delayed baggage; and
• photography equipment.

Because insurance policies, limits, exclusions, and eligibility requirements vary considerably, travelers are responsible for reviewing their policy carefully and selecting coverage appropriate to their individual needs.

Travel insurance provides an additional layer of financial and travel protection. It does not replace the booking, cancellation, or refund terms associated with your Physis Photo Tours reservation.

14. Our Commitment to Clear and Fair Terms

Our goal is to make every part of your experience with Physis Photo Tours as clear and straightforward as possible — from planning your journey and confirming your reservation to traveling through Costa Rica and completing your final photography session.

These terms are intended to give you a clear understanding of your reservation while allowing our team to make the advance arrangements required to deliver a carefully planned private photography experience.

If you ever have a question about your booking, payment schedule, installment options, automatic payments, cancellation conditions, or a possible change in your travel plans, please contact us.

We will be happy to review your booking with you, explain the process clearly, and help you understand the options available for your particular program.

Nothing in these terms is intended to limit any mandatory consumer rights available under applicable law. If any provision conflicts with a right that cannot legally be waived, applicable law will prevail.