Cancellation and Refund Policy

This Cancellation and Refund Policy (“Policy”) sets out the rules that apply when a booking with Nomichi Explorers Private Limited(“Nomichi”) is cancelled, postponed, or transferred. It should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, Booking Policy, and Privacy Policy. By making a booking, you accept the cancellation charges and refund process described below.

1. Scope

This Policy applies to all Nomichi trips and services, including:

• Group Trips (Community Trips and Nomichi Exclusive trips), both Domestic and International
• Private Curated Trips, both Domestic and International
• Any add-on services, optional activities, or upgrades booked through Nomichi

For the purposes of this Policy, “Domestic” means any trip operated entirely within India, and “International” means any trip operated wholly or partly outside India. The classification of each trip will be confirmed on the trip Itinerary and quotation.

2. How to Cancel

• Send a cancellation request in writing (by email to hello@thenomichi.com or via WhatsApp) at the earliest. Verbal requests are not accepted.
• The effective date of cancellation is the date on which Nomichi receives the written request during working hours. Requests received outside working hours will be treated as received on the next working day.
• Cancellation charges are calculated on the total Trip Cost, excluding any discounts or promotional offers availed, and irrespective of the amount paid at the time of cancellation.
• Nomichi will acknowledge the cancellation in writing and share the applicable refund or charge calculation.

3. Cancellation by the Traveller: Group Trips

Each Group Trip publishes its own cancellation schedule on the trip Itinerary, because the slabs vary by duration, destination, and operating cost. The general framework below applies to all Group Trip cancellations:

3.1 Domestic Group Trips

For Group Trips operated within India, the cancellation slabs are published on each trip Itinerary. Most domestic Group Trips follow one of two patterns: short trips use a single cut-off (booking amount forfeited if cancelled before the cut-off; 100% charge if cancelled after), while longer destination trips use a tiered schedule (typically full refund of the balance more than 30 days before, 50% charge 15 to 30 days before, no refund within 15 days). The Itinerary for your specific trip will state the exact slabs that apply.

3.2 International Group Trips

For Group Trips operated outside India, the cancellation slabs are published on each trip Itinerary and typically use longer notice windows to account for non-refundable airfare, visa processing, and overseas vendor commitments. The Visa Rejection clause in Section 5 also applies to International Group Trips.

In the event of any conflict between this Policy and the specific cancellation schedule stated on a trip Itinerary, the schedule on that Itinerary will prevail for that booking. The universal protective clauses in Sections 5, 6, and 7 apply to all Group Trips regardless of the per-trip schedule.

4. Cancellation by the Traveller: Private Curated Trips

Private Curated Trips are governed by two cancellation schedules based on whether the trip is Domestic (within India) or International (outside India). In all cases of cancellation by the Traveller, 25% of the total Trip Cost is treated as the non-refundable booking advance and is forfeited regardless of when the cancellation is communicated.

4.1 Domestic Private Curated Trips

4.2 International Private Curated Trips

The longer notice windows for International Private Curated Trips reflect the lead times required to lock in airfare, secure visa appointments, and confirm overseas accommodation. The Visa Rejection clause in Section 5 also applies.

4.3 General Rules for Private Curated Cancellations

• If the applicable cancellation charge is less than the amount paid by the Traveller, the balance will be refunded.
• If the applicable cancellation charge exceeds the amount paid, the amount paid shall be fully forfeited, and any shortfall where the Trip Cost has been incurred by Nomichi on the Traveller’s behalf may be recovered from the Traveller.
• A date change, destination change, or trip transfer requested after confirmation shall be treated as a cancellation and rebooking, and the charges set out above will apply.
• Where actual third-party charges incurred by Nomichi (including non-refundable airfare, visa fees, hotel deposits, permit costs, and similar) exceed the slab percentage above, the higher figure will apply.

5. Visa Rejection

For trips that require a visa, including all International trips and certain Domestic destinations requiring permits, the following applies in the event of a visa rejection by the relevant consulate, embassy, or permit authority:

• Visa application support, where offered, is limited to documentation assistance. Visa approval is at the sole discretion of the consulate or embassy and Nomichi cannot guarantee approval.
• Travellers must apply for visas within the timelines advised by Nomichi. Delays caused by late submission of documents will be treated as a regular cancellation, not a visa rejection.
• In a visa rejection scenario, the non-recoverable third-party costs already paid on the Traveller’s behalf (airline tickets, hotel deposits, visa fees, permits, insurance premiums, and similar) will be deducted in addition to the penalty above.
• Where the trip can still operate without the rejected Traveller (for example, a group booking where one member is rejected), the remaining Travellers’ trip will proceed and any single-supplement or twin-share cost increase shall be borne by them.

6. Charges Apply Regardless of Reason

The cancellation charges set out in this Policy apply regardless of the reason for cancellation, including but not limited to visa rejection (which is governed by Section 5), denied boarding, no-show, late cancellation, incomplete documentation, illness, change of plans, personal emergencies, or any inability to travel, except where (a) the cancellation is initiated by Nomichi (Section 8), (b) the cancellation is caused by a Force Majeure event (Section 9), or (c) applicable law requires otherwise.

Travellers are strongly encouraged to obtain comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies, baggage, evacuation, and Force Majeure events.

7. Non-Refundable Components

Irrespective of the cancellation timeline, the following components are non-refundable once booked or paid on behalf of the Traveller:

• Airfare, train fare, and ticket fees, which are governed by the respective carrier’s policy
• Visa fees, visa processing charges, and consular charges
• Insurance premiums
• Permits, entry tickets, and government levies that have been issued or paid
• Customised products and pre-paid third-party services that are non-cancellable
• Bank charges, payment gateway charges, and currency conversion charges, where applicable

Refunds for these components, where any are recoverable from Principal Service Providers, will be passed on to the Traveller net of cancellation charges and service fees.

8. Cancellation by Nomichi

Nomichi may cancel a confirmed booking in the following circumstances:

• Low participation, where the minimum batch size for a Group Trip is not met
• Operational constraints, including non-availability of accommodation, transport, or permits
• Safety concerns, including weather, health, or law-and-order conditions at the destination
• Withdrawal of operating permissions by any government or local authority

In any of the above cases, Nomichi will offer one or more of the following, at the Traveller’s choice:

• A full refund of all amounts paid, including the booking amount
• Transfer to another available batch or trip of equivalent value (subject to availability)
• A travel credit, valid for use within 12 months from the date of cancellation, for the full amount paid

9. Force Majeure

Nomichi shall not be liable for any cancellation, curtailment, or alteration caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural calamities (landslides, floods, cyclones, heavy rainfall, snowfall, earthquakes), pandemics or epidemics, war, terrorism, civil unrest, strikes, bandh, curfew, government restrictions or permits, flight or ferry cancellations by operators, fuel shortages, and technical breakdowns.

In a Force Majeure event:

• No refunds will be provided where Principal Service Providers have already incurred costs or imposed non-refundable charges
• Where possible, Nomichi will offer rescheduling, alternative arrangements, or a travel credit valid for 12 months, for the recoverable portion of the Trip Cost, net of unrecoverable third-party costs
• Costs of stranded extensions, additional accommodation, alternative transport, and emergency expenses will be borne by the Traveller and are strongly recommended to be covered by travel insurance

10. Missed Services, Unutilised Services, and No-Show

• Missed or unutilised services such as sightseeing, meals, activities, hotel nights, and transfers, whether due to late arrival, early departure, illness, personal choice, or any other reason, are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• A “No-Show” occurs when a Traveller fails to arrive at the designated pick-up point on the trip start date and has not communicated a cancellation in writing in advance. A No-Show is treated as 100% cancellation with no refund.

11. Refund Method, Currency, and Timeline

• Refunds, where applicable, will be processed to the original mode of payment used for the booking.
• For Group Trips, refunds will be processed within 7 to 10 working days from the date of refund confirmation.
• For Private Curated Trips, refunds will be processed within 10 to 14 working days from the date of refund confirmation.
• Refunds are paid in Indian Rupees (INR). For trips priced in or with components in foreign currency, the refund value will be calculated using the Rate of Exchange (ROE) prevailing on the date of cancellation, not the date of booking. Any foreign exchange loss arising from the difference will be borne by the Traveller.
• Currency conversion losses, payment gateway charges, bank charges, and similar transaction costs (where applicable) will be borne by the Traveller and deducted from the refund amount.
• Where a refund is delayed by a Principal Service Provider, the refund will be processed to the Traveller within 7 working days of Nomichi receiving the same.

12. Credit Notes

• Where a Traveller elects to receive a travel credit instead of a cash refund, the credit will be valid for use against any Nomichi trip booked within 12 months from the date of issue.
• Travel credits are non-transferable, non-refundable, and cannot be combined with other discounts or promotional offers unless expressly permitted by Nomichi in writing.
• Unused travel credits expire at the end of the validity period.

13. Insurance and Third-Party Recovery

Travellers are strongly encouraged to obtain comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies, baggage, evacuation, and Force Majeure events. Where a cancellation is caused by an event covered by the Traveller’s insurance, the Traveller is responsible for filing and recovering the claim from the insurer. Nomichi will provide reasonable documentary support on request.

14. Disputes

Any dispute relating to a cancellation or refund must be raised in writing to hello@thenomichi.com within 30 days of the date of cancellation or completion of the trip, whichever is earlier. Disputes will be addressed in accordance with the Grievance Redressal and Dispute Resolution clauses of our Terms and Conditions.

15. Acceptance

By confirming a booking and making payment, the Traveller acknowledges that they have read, understood, and accepted this Cancellation and Refund Policy, the Terms and Conditions, the Booking Policy, and the Privacy Policy, and agrees to be bound by them.