Money/ Visas and other official matters.

Updated: 14 Dec 2011

• Duration: Arrival day 10 December in Delhi, the last day is around 24th January in Katmandhu. To get back to Delhi takes aboit 2 days so it is better not to book your return before the 28th. Alterntively you can fly back from Katmandhu to Delhi for about $120 in that case you could book your return flight from 24 night tim. If you like to see other places like Taj Mahal add sufficient days.
  
  The only real option is to come for the whole tour but if you really want to come and due to time constraints you can't, we may be able to adjust. People who come full time will have preference and you are expected to adjust with the group as to minimise the impact of arriving late and or leaving early. (see footnote 1)
  
  
• Cost: EU1400 (EU1200 if paid in full before the 15th of September). A minimum deposit of EU 350 is needed to confirm your participation. If the EUR will drop badly we may have to adjust the rates or change them to USD. Once you make your deposit your fee will not increase unless something really extreme happens.
  
  
• Minimum requirements: To be able to have a nice flow it's important that we all do the same practices. So if you are not yet initiated in Ananda Marga meditation please find a Dada or Didi to teach you. It's good if you are at least familiar with the basics of our practices and have practiced the meditation. As India is already intense it's a bit much if the meditation is also completely new. If you really can't make it before, we can teach you on the tour but be prepared for a lot of good, but new, things. You'll also need to be physically fit and healthy. Minimum age is 18 maximum 28. We do make exceptions if convinced you'll have no trouble getting along with the program. Also you need to speak sufficient English for basic communication.
  
  
• Further discounts: We like everyone to be able to come so in case this amount is a real problem please ask your Acarya to write on your behalf so we can see what to do. We do have to cover our tickets so exceptions only when possible and really needed. No bargaining please! We organise this tour for you and not for profit, however we do need to cover our own expence. There is no special discount for LFTs but in case they really help out, really help as one should expect of an LFT and clearly putting in more than other participants there may be an extra discount in the form of a EU100 refund at the end of the tour.
  
  
• Included: All accommodation, food, travel, and any other collective expenses (such as a Rafting day and Camel safari :-) for the entire trip. Naturally it also helps with Didi's and my expenses. To protect you from individual requests we also make some donations on behalf of the tour at the various projects we visit.
  
  
• Excluded: Visa for India and Nepal ($40), your flight ticket to and from Delhi, DMS fee if you like to attend and any personal expenses including bottled water. (We have a water filter for those ready to pump) You can manage your personal expences with as little as EU200 as things are still cheap in India. But bring more according to your spending habits... Definitely bring more if you'll stay longer after the tour, if you want to bring lots of presents or buy personal or commerce items.
  
  Depending on which trek we will do in Nepal we may need an additional $75 to help with the flight back to Pokara or tour operator in case we go outside the area where we can manage without bringing our own food.. In case we decide to go to Agra the visit to the Taj Mahal will be included ($25), however the Agra Ford ($25) and Fatipur Sikri ($15) will be optional and on your own expence. We are not planning to go to Agra this time. If you do want to see it book your return flight so that you have some extra days.
  
• Deposit & Payment: A EU350 deposit has to be paid before the middle of September. As this deposit secures you a place on the tour it's best not to wait till the last moment but to make the deposit once you have decided. For us it helps in organising, see that you are committed and know the tour can go ahead as we need minimum 6 people. Trains can be fully booked out even months in advance. So your deposit will also allow us to try to book ahead. We need to book all the tickets together and 3 months in advance so we sit in the same compartments.
  
  Unless you already paid in full the remaining amount should reach by the middle of November otherwise you can pay in cash on arrival in Delhi. (big denomination notes: EU50 or EU100 and no Traveler Checks)
  
  To receive your deposit and or payments I have several options, click here for details. A discount applies if you pay in full before the 15th of September. If your deposit reaches us before the middle of June the discount will apply even if you pay the balance later than September. The sooner we have 6 people confirmed the sooner we can confirm the tour and everyone can book flights early. Early booking can safe quite a bit of money.
  
  
• Refunds: Only in very exceptional cases can there be a refund once the tour has started. In such case the refund will be 50% of the daily rate, minus the initial EU350 deposit. This is normal practice with any organised tour. And indeed it's needed as the viability of the tour depends on the number of people joining. It's also so you will think carefully as the tour is a commitment to yourself and the others in the group. What is exceptional, is completely up to the descretion of the organisers.
  
  
• Plane ticket: Book ticket so that you arrive in Delhi on 10 December 2012. In case some of you arrive earlier I’ll try to be there from 8th December. Naturally all expences before the tour are yours. But best to arrive on the 10th itself. Do check if there is place on the tour before you book your ticket.
  
  
• Information we need: Please e-mail me (Dada Krpasundarananda) your:
  Legal Name (first, last):
  Sanskrit Name:
  Year of initiation:
  Name of your Acarya:
  Email of your Acarya:
  Are you an active margii:
  Local Acarya/BP reference: (e-mail or phone)
  Your address and phone:
  Passport details (Nationality and Number)
  Date of birth:
  Emergency contact details: Name (both legal and if you have, Sanskrit)
  Exact details of your arrival & departure (Flight number and time)
  Any medical indications or dietary restrictions. (footnote 2)
  Also inform when you are making your deposit/payment as I often can't from the bank statement where a deposit comes from.
  
  
• Passport: Valid at least until the end of 2013. Check with the embassies if in doubt.
  
  
• Photo's: Do bring four passport photo's for Nepal visa and trekking permits just in case. Please don't forget!
  
  
• Visas: Get a 6-month multiple entry tourist visa for India. Apply by the beginning of November as in some countries it can take up to 3 weeks to get it. (sometimes the 6 month are counted from the date of issue so don't apply too early either...) Enquire at the nearest Indian Consulate for the latest information. In most counties one has to apply on-line and then make appointment for an interview. Sometimes it can also be done through an agency.
  
  We get our visas for Nepal at the border. Check if you need a visa for any other countries you may have to travel through. Some places you need transit visa even if you don't leave the airport. Bring at least 4 passport photo's for Nepalese visa and trekking permit. Also if you want to get a local sim card for your phone you need a pasport photo.
  
  
• Money belt: It is good idea to keep your valuables (money, passport) on your body and under your clothes at all times.
  
  
• Changing Money: Change your local currency into EUR, USD or GBP before leaving. In India you will get the best exchange rate value for EUR-USD 50 or 100 notes. You can also bring Travellers Checks for your personal expenses but realise that away from the main cities they are not always easy to cash. Additionally: If bringing USD notes make sure they are the new ones, old ones are often not accepted and if they are you may get a much lower rate. Now a days there are also ATM machines in many places. There is often a charge ($5 or so) for each withdrawal. You can check with your bank.
  
  
• Travel Insurance: We do not have a group insurance and everyone is responsible for any extra personal expenses such as medical. So we strongly encourage you to make arrangements in this regard. Ours is not an ‘official’ group tour, as you can understand we are not in the position to take legal responsibility. Naturally we’ll try to do everything to help when anyone is in need, make minor adjustments the schedule if some need recover. We will ask you to sign a waiver form on arrival.
  
  
• Inoculations: Partcipants from Africa and South America need to bring proof of inoculation for Yellow Fever and maybe others. Normally you have to show a Yellow 'pasport' with the neccesary stamps. Again check with the embassy or travel agency if in doubt. If this proof is needed and you don't have it immigration will keep you 10 days in quarantiene!
  
  
• Agreements:
  1. Team spirit and participation in all activities.
  2. Rules and instructions presented at the tour by the tour organisers are to be followed otherwise it will lead to the termination of your participation with all costs involved born by the participant.
  3. Alcohol, non prescription drugs, smoking of any type or tamasik foods are not permitted at the program. It's appriciated if you also avoid Rajasik foods.
  4. Be respectful, polite, considerate to each other and your self. Adopt a playful, positive and fun attitude to fully enjoy and learn from our program.
  5. Participants should refrain from romantic and intimate behaviour during the tour. To prevent confusion... this means no hugging, massages or other physical contact between brothers and sisters. Feel free to ask me why. But if you feel this is a problem, please reconsider as the tour maybe not what you want.
  6. In case a (married) couple joins we also expect them to respect point 5. at least while with others. We can only give a room together when possible, practible, and officially married. No exceptions! Again if this is a problem, please reconsider as the tour maybe not what you want.
  
  
• Please read the waiverform.

footnotes:

1. The three options:
   1) From 10 Dec till about 7th Jan when we go to the Himalayas.
   2) From Chrismas till the end; from around 27 Dec till 24th Jan
   3) Other...
   
   In case you arrive late you are responsible to catch up with us. I will try to help with the travel arrangements. In case you leave early you'll have to make your own travel arrangements back to Delhi.
   
   The cost in EU will be: 1) 1000, 2) 1000, 3) to be calculated. (EUR 200 discount applies if you pay in full before 15 September)
   Intentionally, the per day rate is more than when coming for the full tour.
   
   Naturally when you come shorter you'll miss out on some places, can't help it!
   
   When places are limited those who join longer have priority, also younger and newer margiis get preference as the tour is organised for them..
   
   
2. Though we will try, we may not be able to adjust to your special food needs. For example many things in India use milk products so a vegan diet may sometimes be hard for us to cater for. When cooking with one pot we can not always let the whole group adjust to one or two people. Again, naturally we will try to make everyone happy with the food, just be prepared that sometimes it may not work out.
   
   The medication you need may not be available so also here be prepared, we can not take responsability.