Cancellation & Refund Policy

EkaRa operates an independent online tour-booking marketplace. EkaRa currently offers tour packages only. We do not sell individual standalone bus tickets, train tickets, flight tickets, or hotel stays outside of published tour packages.

Independent travel agents and tour operators (“Travel Agents” or “Tour Operators”) create, price, and publish tour packages on EkaRa. The respective agent or operator is solely responsible for delivering the booked tour and managing all on-ground operational arrangements, including transport, accommodation, route stops, and tour guides.

EkaRa provides the technology platform, tour discovery interface, booking workflows, payment gateway integration, itemized invoices, and customer communication facilities. When a traveller requests a cancellation, EkaRa records the request, facilitates communication between the traveller and the responsible travel agent, and coordinates the payment and refund process as applicable. EkaRa is not the direct tour operator.

Every tour package has its own applicable cancellation policy configured directly by the independent travel agent or tour operator.

There is no single universal cancellation rule or blanket percentage that automatically applies across all tours on EkaRa. Because operational arrangements differ widely—such as between a one-day heritage tour and a multi-day high-altitude expedition—the specific policy set by the travel agent for the chosen tour takes precedence for that booking, subject to applicable Indian law.

Customers can view the exact cancellation terms and refund conditions applicable to any tour:

• On the public Tour Details page under the Cancellation Policy section prior to booking.
• Within the booking and checkout flow before completing payment.
• In the booking confirmation and invoice issued after reservation.

Traveller Responsibility: Please carefully review the cancellation policy displayed on your selected tour before confirming and paying for your booking.

To cancel a tour booking, travellers must follow this verified platform process:

1. Sign in to your EkaRa account and navigate to Bookings in your traveller dashboard.
2. Select the relevant tour booking you wish to cancel.
3. Click Request Cancellation and review your booking details.
4. Confirm and submit your cancellation request through the interface.
5. Your request is immediately recorded in our system along with its exact submission date and time. Please retain your Booking Reference (EK-BK-XXXXX) and cancellation confirmation for your records.
6. The responsible travel agent or tour operator reviews the request and determines refund eligibility under the tour’s published policy.
7. EkaRa facilitates the communication and coordinates the refund process where eligible.

If you encounter any difficulty accessing your account, you may submit a written cancellation request by contacting EkaRa Support at info@ekaratravel.com, providing your booking reference. Verbal requests made directly to drivers or hotel staff do not constitute a recorded cancellation request.

When a cancellation is reviewed, the financial calculation clearly distinguishes the following components:

Calculation Basis: The applicable cancellation charge is calculated strictly according to the specific policy configured by the travel agent for that tour and the applicable booking and payment arrangement. Cancellation charges are not arbitrarily calculated; they reflect the rules published on the tour page at the time of your reservation.

If the amount paid by the customer exceeds the applicable cancellation charge determined under the tour policy, the difference represents the Refund Amount. If the applicable cancellation charge equals or exceeds the amount paid, no refund is payable, and any remaining unpaid balance is cancelled.

It is important to understand the distinct responsibilities involved in processing refunds:

• Agent / Operator Determination: The independent travel agent or tour operator reviews the cancellation request, verifies the timeline against their published tour policy, and determines refund eligibility and any applicable deductions.
• EkaRa Marketplace Facilitation: EkaRa records the request, communicates with the agent, and coordinates the payment and refund process according to the actual settlement arrangement.
• Payment Initiation & Banking Processing: Once a refund is determined eligible and approved, the refund is initiated through our payment gateway, Razorpay, back to the customer’s original payment method.

Processing Timelines: The time required for an agent to review a cancellation request is distinct from the time required by banks and payment networks to process a refund. After a refund is initiated through the payment gateway, the customer’s bank, card issuer, or UPI service provider requires additional processing time to credit the funds. Interbank settlement times depend on the financial institution involved.

Where a tour supports advance payment options (such as a 25% or 50% deposit at booking, with the balance due before departure):

• The cancellation charge is determined under the tour’s published policy and applied against the amounts paid and due for that booking.
• If the customer has paid 100% of the booking amount, any net refund after deducting the cancellation charge is refunded to the customer.
• If the customer paid an advance deposit (e.g. 25% or 50%), and the cancellation charge under the tour policy equals or exceeds that deposit, the deposit is applied toward the cancellation charge and no cash refund is payable.
• Once a cancellation is confirmed, any outstanding unpaid balance is cancelled on the platform, relieving the customer of further payment obligations for that booking.

The tour-specific policy and applicable law govern various special cancellation situations:

• Agent / Operator Cancellation: If an independent tour operator cancels a tour departure (for reasons such as failing to meet minimum participant requirements or operational issues), the customer is entitled to a full refund of payments made or may agree to an alternative date or tour offered by the operator.
• Major Disruptions & Unavoidable Circumstances: If severe weather, natural events, road closures, or official travel advisories affect the itinerary, the agent assesses the situation according to the tour’s policy and safety guidelines. EkaRa facilitates coordination between the traveller and the operator to determine available options.
• Customer No-Shows & Missed Departures: If a customer fails to report at the designated pickup point at the scheduled departure time without having cancelled in advance, the booking is treated as a no-show under the tour policy.
• Requests Close to Departure: Cancellation requests submitted very close to departure are subject to the specific time windows and conditions set by the agent in the tour policy.

If you believe that a cancellation request or refund determination has not been handled in accordance with the published policy of the tour you booked, EkaRa provides customer support coordination to help resolve the matter.

You may contact our support desk with your Booking Reference, cancellation details, and any relevant communication. EkaRa will review the published tour policy, recorded submission times, and agent records to facilitate fair communication and resolution.