If you are unable to find the answer to your question in our F.A.Q. please do not hesitate to contact us
- Q. What is expected of me on the Hippie Trail?
- Q. Whilst travelling, what facilities will be available for me to
communicate with home? - Q. Who are my fellow passengers?
- Q. How long beforehand should I book?
- Q. Are the destinations that we visit safe?
- Q. Can you help arrange my travel visas?
- Q. Will I be able to charge my phone/iPod etc?
- Q. I only speak English, will this be a problem on this trip?
- Q. My parents did the Hippie Trail in the 60s. Would we be
following the same route?
Q. What is expected of me on the Hippie Trail?
A. All we ask is that you keep an open mind. There will be all different types of people travelling on the Hippie Trail, so meeting them all is the best way to experience this trip. We ask that you be on time in line with your Leader’s requests and, that you respect the local customs in each country. You will also need to carry your own backpack / bag and load it on the coach.
Q. Whilst travelling, what facilities will be available for me to communicate with home?
A. Email/Internet cafes can be found on most routes fairly regularly and are the cheapest way to communicate with family and friends. If you do not already have an email address, set one up before you go: Yahoo! and Hotmail are the most popular. Some café connections can be slow and in remote areas it is still fairly expensive so ask friends to refrain from sending any emails that have pictures or music to download. This way you can make the most of your time telling everyone about your travels and still have time to fit in sightseeing. Phoning from abroad is expensive wherever you travel and often lines are bad; email bypasses a lot of these problems and lets everyone know where you are.
Q. Who are my fellow passengers?
A. Your fellow passengers come from a variety of backgrounds – usually a mixture of British, Irish, Australian, New Zealanders, European and North American. There’s normally a fairly even mix of sexes. Most passengers come as individuals, while others book with friends. Either way, you will find yourself amongst new found friends from all over the world.
Q. How long beforehand should I book?
A. It's difficult to say. Trips often book up quite early. It's advisable to book at least 5-6 months before departure.
Q. Are the destinations that we visit safe?
A. As with all trips, whether it’s to Tunbridge Wells or Turkey, we can never guarantee that an area is one hundred per cent safe. However, we take the safety of our travellers, and our tour leaders, extremely seriously, and would not operate in an area where we consider there to be a significant risk. When deciding matters like this, we take advice from both the British Foreign Office and our local operators, to make sure that we base our decisions on the most up to date and accurate information.
Q. Can you help arrange my travel visas?
A. Requirements for travel visas vary depending on your nationality. Although we are unable to arrange visas on your behalf we recommend using the services of a visa processing company.
Q. Will I be able to charge my phone/iPod etc?
A. Yes, provided you have an international adaptor, there will be power in your room everywhere we stay on the Hippie Trail
Q. I only speak English, will this be a problem on this trip?
A. Not at all, in many places on the Hippie Trail, English is widely spoken, but just in case, we provide an English speaking local guide in each country to help us through.
Q. My parents did the Hippie Trail in the 60s. Would we be following the same route?
A. There was no exact route for backpackers back then, but we do follow the main route across Turkey and into Iran. With Afghanistan now not an option, we actually see much more of Iran and then travel into Pakistan and onto India and Nepal, the same as your parents would have, although most likely with far less hiccups.
OzBus believes in sustainable eco-tourism and support, using wherever possible, other organisations who feel the same way. They'll get you up close and personal with the local people and wildlife as safely as they can, as well as help you understand the culture without damaging the delicate eco-systems
We believe that tourism should be about interacting with other cultures, not exploiting them. When possible we employ the use of local guides and stay at small, privately owned guest houses which ensures much needed income reaching local hands.