WONDROUS WALES

Wales: Wales is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England, the Irish Sea, and the Bristol Channel. Its population is about 3.1 million. Wales has over 2,700 km of coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon, the highest summit. Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations. The country was annexed by England in 1535. At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the mining industry transformed Wales from an agricultural society into an industrial nation, but now the mines are closed and the economy depends on the public sector, service industries, and tourism. Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of Britain and most people speak English as a first language, but the country has retained a distinct cultural identity and is officially bilingual. Over 560,000 Welsh language speakers live in Wales, and the language is spoken by a majority of the residents in parts of the north and west. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the “land of song”, in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games, Wales had its own national teams, but at the Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete as part of a Great Britain team. This tour is our second comprehensive visit to Wales, previously offered in 2019. We have partnered again with a British tour operator who has created this unique itinerary featuring lesser-known sights of Wales with personal experiences that put you in touch with the people.

Documentation: A passport is required for this tour and must be valid until your return to Canada. A Canadian citizen does not require a visa to enter the United Kingdom. An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is required and is applied for online about 2 months before arrival.

Tour director & guides: A Wells Gray tour director accompanies you throughout the tour. A British guide is with you for 13 days in Wales and England. Local guides are hired for some cities to provide in-depth commentary and a regional insight.

Currency & Expenses: The currency in Wales is the British Pound and, as of October 2025, a British Pound will cost you about $1.88. You should order pounds from your bank 2 weeks before departure, or plan to use ATMs, or exchange funds after arrival. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Costs for meals and attractions you choose yourself are generally higher than in Canada.

Flights: to London cannot be booked until late October 2025. After that, we can advise you of the airline and flight schedule.

Flight seating: We are unable to take requests for window or aisle seating on the planes. The airline will not accept them, as group seating is assigned as a block. If this is important to you, we suggest you take the “No Flight” option and we can quote the fare reduction in November 2025. Then you can book your own flights which allows seat selection.

Flight upgrades: Please enquire about current prices for upgrades on the flights between Vancouver and London. Premium economy and business class may be available.

Flight delays or cancellations: In the event flights are delayed or cancelled by airlines due to weather or other reasons, there may be additional costs to you. Wells Gray Tours will not pay for hotel rooms and meals during the delay. Most travel insurance policies cover expenses incurred for flight delays.

Rooms for singles: are often a different style or smaller size than twin rooms. Many hotels limit the number of single rooms for a group. Only 9 single seats are available. Please book early if you prefer to travel single.

Food Allergies: You must notify us no later than at final payment if you have a food allergy. This tour goes to some remote places where restaurants may not be able to satisfy all food allergies. An allergy causes medical distress, a preference does not. For some allergies, please consider bringing your own snacks or food items so you are not dependent on what restaurants are able to serve.

Gratuities: The gratuities to the British guide, local guides, and coach drivers are included in the tour fare. The customary gratuities to the Wells Gray tour director and Canadian drivers are not included and are left to your discretion.

Payments: deposit of $800 per person is requested at the time of booking and balance is due June 4, 2026. By paying the deposit, you agree to the Terms & Conditions, Activity Level, and Cancellation Policy outlined. Payments can be made by online banking or cheque (3% discount on tour fare), or by Visa or Mastercard.

Early Booking Bonus: Receive a $300 discount on the first 8 seats and $150 on the next 4 seats for booking early with deposit. The discount is not offered after June 4, 2026.

Cancellation Policy: Up to May 4, 2026, the cancellation charge is $100 per person. From May 5 to June 4, the cancellation charge is $300 per person. From June 5 to July 3, the cancellation charge is 30% of the tour fare. From July 4 to August 4, the cancellation charge is 80% of the tour fare. After August 4, there is no refund.

Itinerary and Fare Changes: Our many suppliers may notify us about changes to the itinerary prior to departure and sometimes during the tour. We do our best to substitute a similar service if something cancels, but occasionally the only alternative is to provide a refund for the missed activity. Please note that if we are forced to cancel a tour component due to an issue beyond our control, the current penalties still apply if you choose to cancel the entire tour. Fuel surcharges and changes to taxes, currency exchange rates, or other tour costs can occur at any time, therefore Wells Gray Tours reserves the right to increase fares due to such changes up to departure. The flight to and from London Heathrow cannot be booked until late October 2025, so that cost has been estimated in order to release this tour a year before departure.

Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Insurance policy is available through Wells Gray Tours and coverage is provided by Travel Guard. Policies purchased at deposit include a waiver of the pre-existing condition clause for medical and cancellation claims, otherwise policies can be purchased no later than at final payment. Medical questionnaire is not needed. Please contact us for details. If you have your own travel insurance, please read the policy carefully to be sure that you are adequately covered for medical, cancellation, interruption, and luggage.

Photo Credits: Unsplash (Pulteney Bridge) and © Crown copyright (2025) Cymru Wales (all others).

Experience Points or E-points:: This tour earns 250 e-points. Each time you travel on a Wells Gray tour, you earn e-points that are added to your account after the tour returns. One e-point equals $1. Redeem your earned points on select tours or accumulate enough points to earn a free tour! Redemptions offered until June 4, 2026.

Consumer Protection BC Licences:: Kamloops 178, Vernon 655, Kelowna 588, Penticton 924, Victoria 65842

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