FAQ

Q: I am travelling to country. Why isn't it available?
Simply put, world domination takes time. We are currently focusing on one area of the globe at a time to ensure that there'll be good coverage, but we are planning to expand worldwide. Contact us and let us know where we should go next.

Q: Is it safe to enter my credit card information?
Our payment processor, Stripe, is the best in the business. We don’t store any of your credit card information and we will never share your personal information with anyone else.

Q: How does the matching work?
Our matching algorithm matches travellers to tour operators/agencies based on the information you provided in your travel request so it is important that it's accurate and up-to-date to ensure the best fit. It is also important to specify any additional details since tour operators will be looking carefully to put together the best offer for you.

Q: Can I modify my travel request after I've created it?
You can modify everything except for the country right up until you accept an offer. To do so, click Edit from the My Trips page. If you are visiting a different country, you can de-activate this request and create a new one.

Q: If I create a travel request, are tour operators going to have access to my personal information? Am I going to get spammed?
We do not share any personal information with tour operators. Other than making you an offer, tour operators are unable to contact you unless you ask them a question or accept their offer.

Q: Who are these tour operators and how do I know I can trust them?
All of the tour operators and travel agencies you receive offers from are reputable, experienced travel companies. Each company has been manually reviewed and approved by our partnerships team. In general, we wouldn't partner with someone if we wouldn't travel with them ourselves. Having said that, past experience doesn't necessarily speak for the present and we can't guarantee the services of the tour operators. Read carefully, ask questions, get things in writing, and use your discretion. Like the adage "if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is". Our tour operators follow strict policies. Any attempts to mislead or solicit travellers is against the terms. Report any issues to [email protected].

Q: Can I turn off email notifications?
We promise not to spam you or send you unnecessary emails. We only notify you of important information such as when you receive an offer or you’ve received a message from a tour operator. There is no way to turn this off as it is essential to the service. If you feel you are receiving irrelevant notifications, please contact us and send your feedback to [email protected].

Q: I’ve accepted an offer but now I need to cancel. What can I do?
We understand there may be reasons that you may need to reschedule or cancel your trip. If it is within the terms of the cancellation policy specified in the offer, you can Cancel for a full refund of the deposit from the My Trips page. Unfortunately, if it is outside of the cancellation period, there is no refund. 

Q: I've accepted an offer and paid the deposit. Why was the booking declined by the tour operator and will my deposit be refunded?
A tour operator may have multiple offers to different travellers for the same dates and the most common reason they may decline a booking is to avoid double-booking. If a tour operator declines the booking, your refund will be fully refunded.

Q: I've accepted an offer and paid the deposit, but it says "pending confirmation". What does that mean?
Congrats, you've done everything you need to. The tour operator now needs to confirm the booking. This is necessary because since the time that the offer was made, the tour operator may have accepted other offers. I'm sure we all want to ensure they still have the capacity to run your tour, that the hotels are still available, and avoid any overbooking.

Q: I've accepted an offer and the tour operator has confirmed. Now what?
Start packing! You're all set! Exchange contact information with the tour operator and discuss any trip details such as pickup location. Make sure your passport is valid (for 6 months from the start of your trip as a general rule) and you have all applicable travel visas.

Q: Are there fees to use the service? How do you make money?
No, this service is completely free and there are never any fees for travellers. Our mission and commitment is to provide resources our members and the travelling community. We take a nominal finder fee from the deposit that is paid to the tour operator.

Q: What are reviews and how do they work?
Reviews are a reliable way to see what other travellers are saying about this tour operator and may influence in your decision to choose one offer over another. All reviews are from verified travellers who have booked a trip through our service. It is important to leave a review for your guides, especially if they did a great job. It will be very helpful for them and our community of travellers.

Q: How can I help?
We're always looking to partner with other travel lovers. If you like us and the services we provide, the best thing you can do is help us get the word out. Share us with your friends, colleagues, on your favourite forum or blog. If you are a blogger or group owner, reach out to us and we can see how we can help each other. Email us at [email protected].

Q: How do I close my account?
We’re sorry to see you go. Your feedback will help us to improve. Drop us a note at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Q: What does the name 43km mean?
The name 43km was inspired by the difference in diameter between the equator and the poles, also known as an equatorial bulge. On Earth, that is roughly 43km. At 43km, we are travel lovers and our hope is that everyone can fulfill their dreams to see the world from equator to poles.

Q: What is 43km and what services do you provide?
All of us at 43km are seasoned world travellers and passionate about all things travel.

That is why we created 43km as a resource for the travelling community and to connect travellers alike.

We provide three main services:

Free itineraries that are inspired by our own travels and the research that we have done. We handpicked and curated all of the itineraries ourselves and you won’t find these anywhere else.

Find a Travel Buddy – We connect likeminded members with similar travel plans travelling to the same destination

Find a Tour – We match travellers looking for a local tour experience with expert tour operators in their destination

Q: Is 43km a travel agency? Do you operate tours?
43km is a community of travellers. We provide a means to connect travellers to each other and with tour operators. We are not a travel agency and we do not operate tours. We do not share traveller contact information and it is up to travellers and tour operators to exchange information once a booking is confirmed. For full details, see our privacy policy.