Opportunity: 5-Country Alps and Bernina Express Route Tour (All Tours Included)

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENT

This tour is organized with a minimum participation requirement of 40 people.  If sufficient participation is not achieved, the final cancellation notification date is 20 days before the start of the tour. A tour canceled due to insufficient participation will be notified to you through your agency.

VISA

Ordinary Passport  - Visa required                         

Green Passport -  Visa not required

Service Passport -  Visa not required 

You must have a passport valid for 6 months from the end date of the trip and issued no more than 10 years ago.

HEALTH

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for entering Switzerland. We do not anticipate any health-threatening issues with the food served at good restaurants and hotels in the region. Nevertheless, we recommend that you be careful about eating and drinking when you are not with the group, consume only bottled water, avoid ice, milk and dairy products, eat meat and fish products that you are sure have been thoroughly cooked, and choose fruits that can be peeled, such as bananas and pineapples.

FLIGHT DURATIONS

Istanbul - Zurich 3 hrs 25 min

Basel - Istanbul  3 hrs 25 min

OPTIONAL TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Optional tours and activities are organized by the local agency from which we receive services, with a minimum participation requirement of 20 people, and participation is not mandatory. If the required number is not reached, the excursions may not take place, or the prices, content and vehicles used for optional tours / activities may vary according to the number of participants. In addition, the dates and times of optional tours / activities may be changed by the guide depending on whether the museums, archaeological sites or venues at the destinations are open or closed, as well as on weather conditions.

ACCOMMODATION

During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events and sports tournaments, hotels may be used at distances exceeding the stated kilometers. 

Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and in such rooms, the bed provided for the 3rd person may be smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed and 1 additional bed. Since additional beds consist of beds referred to as folding beds and coach beds, participants making reservations for a 3rd person and/or child are deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the possible lack of space in the rooms and the bed type.

Child discounts are valid for one (1) child staying with 2 adults and belonging to the age group specified in the pricing section. 

Breakfasts included among the services provided in the tour program are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country visited and generally consist of a limited menu of butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee, known as a continental breakfast, and may be served in a separate room allocated to the group.

CURRENCY

The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF), while the European currency is the Euro (EUR). It is advisable to carry Euros (EUR) with you.

TIME ZONE

Switzerland, France and Italy are 3 hours behind Turkey during daylight saving time and 2 hours behind during standard time. For example, when it is 18:30 in Turkey in summer, it is 15:30 in Italy.

CLOTHING AND NECESSARY ITEMS

If traveling during the summer season, we recommend bringing t-shirts, short- and long-sleeved shirts, cotton trousers, shorts, comfortable walking shoes, a light jacket and a thin sweater for the evenings, all of which can be easily put on and removed. In addition, you may bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, earplugs in case of possible noise, a camera, a video camera, their chargers and spare memory cards. During the winter, we recommend clothing that allows you to move comfortably and keeps you warm.

 FOOD CULTURE

Swiss cuisine is influenced by French, German and Northern Italian cuisine, as well as by Switzerland's history, primarily as an agricultural country. Many traditional Swiss dishes tend to be relatively simple and are made from basic ingredients such as potatoes and Swiss cheese. 

With roots dating back to the Middle Ages, French cuisine has a rich culture. French cuisine, whose fame has spread throughout the world with its renowned wines and various cheeses, is known for meat dishes cooked with different sauces and famous desserts such as crème brûlée, macarons and soufflé. 

Italian cuisine, which varies by region, is among the world's richest cuisines, enriched by Mediterranean influences. It offers a wide range of options, from snacks prepared with fresh tomatoes, greens and cheeses unique to the country, to superbly flavored pizzas, pasta made with a great variety of sauces and seafood.

 IMPORTANT NOTES

Having a valid passport and/or having obtained a visa (for destinations/passports where a visa is required) does not mean that you will be allowed to enter the country. Passport control officers have the authority to refuse you entry into the country. The agency is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the passenger.  

The agency acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol of 28.09.1955. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and charter flights, or flight times may change before the existing tour and flight. The agency is obliged to notify you of these changes as soon as possible. Our passengers have purchased the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change. Children between 0 and 2 years of age do not pay airport taxes or airport service fees. 

Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours lasting no more than 2–3 hours, organized for a general introduction to the cities and conducted panoramically with the guide's narration from inside the vehicle, without including museum or archaeological site entrances. If panoramic tours, including the other tours specified in the program, cannot take place because local authorities do not permit visits to or entry into the relevant places on the corresponding day and at the scheduled time, or because roads are closed due to any event, or if the tour becomes impossible due to weather conditions, the agency is not responsible for the inability to conduct these tours. Some tours may be conducted by public transportation or on foot, where possible, at locations with closed roads or where vehicle access is not permitted.