A SAFE RETURN TO ADVENTURE
The health and well-being of our travelers, our guides and the communities we visit is and has always been our top priority. Since last year, the travel industry has been thoroughly challenged, but our commitment to our fundamental principles and to you, our adventure travelers, remains unaffected. As we started returning to running trips, we at Trails Beyond are committed to do so in a safe and responsible way.
We have therefore reviewed all our health and safety policies and we have implemented new enhanced protocols that emphasize increased hygiene and sanitation. These are in-line with and even exceed the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travel protocols for tour operators as well as the local policies set by the National Public Health Organization.
The family of Trails Beyond experts, partners and local guides is here to guide you through the local guidelines, help you plan your so dreamed and well-deserved adventure and enjoy the utmost of your holidays in Greece, while we do our best to keep you safe, healthy and happy!
We are constantly monitoring national and international updates and protocols and implement enhanced ones when necessary, so you can book & travel with peace of mind.
In the meantime, before travelling, we recommend you check your government’s travel advisory and the World Health Organization website for the most up to date information. You can also consult Greece’s official page for up-to-date information about traveling to Greece.
LATEST UPDATE ABOUT TRAVELING TO GREECE(LAST UPDATE MAY 7TH, 2021)
We are glad to announce that, as of May 15th 2021, we will be resuming all tours, following the government’s decision to re-open its borders to international travelers. We are happy to welcome you to Greece again!
Announcement regarding arrivals from foreign countries to Greece:
Greece is opening its borders gradually, in a safe and doable manner as of April 19th, 2021. Passengers from EU countries and the Schengen area, the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Federation and Israel are allowed to enter Greece without a 7 days quarantine as long as they meet one of the following requirements:
a) Show a negative molecular test (PCR) for COVID-19, taken up to 72 hours before their entry.
b) Hold a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19, issued by a national authority in the English language, AND a fourteen (14) day period has elapsed since these passengers were fully vaccinated.
In any other case, they will have to self-isolate for 7 days as a precaution, at home or at their sojourn address stated in the PLF form. If they remain in Greece for a period shorter than seven days, then they will have to self-isolate until their departure. In case their test result is positive, they will be quarantined for 14 days. The same (7 days quarantine) applies to ALL international travelers arriving to Greece, except from residents of the above mentioned countries.
It is important to remember that all travelers must complete their PLF (Passenger Locator Form) until the day before entering the country and leaving the country.
More information about eligible ways and means of transport and movement permits within Greece is available on forma.gov.gr. This does also apply to Greek citizens, permanent residents of Greece and travelers for essential professional reasons (source and more info at https://travel.gov.gr/#/).
YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY
| Healthy Small Groups | Physical Distancing |
| At Trails Beyond we have always been proud for having some of the smallest group sizes in the industry, with an average of 8-10 travelers per group. When you join one of our guided tours, expect to travel in a “small group bubble”, where every member of your group has completed a declaration prior to travel, to state they are free of COVID symptoms and any known exposure and will be asked to take a temperature check in the first 12 hours upon arrival (unless different policies apply by the Greek government, such as the need to present a Negative PCR COVID-19 test). | At all times on a trip we comply with local regulations on physical distancing and permitted group sizes. As a general rule, we follow the recommended guidelines of 1.5m/5ft apart from others. When necessary, we will make changes to itineraries to avoid crowds by visiting attractions or travelling outside of peak times. We understand that keeping physical distancing continuously between group members when on a trip would be difficult and impractical. This is why we have put temperature checks upon arrival in place for travelers and leaders as well as other COVID-19 protocols such as enhanced hygiene and sanitation to help reduce the risk of group travel (see below). |
| Outdoor Activities | Private Transportation |
| Besides traveling to non-touristic areas, when you choose a Trails Beyond adventure, you will most probably engage into outdoor activities, such as hiking, rafting, kayaking, sailing, swimming etc., which keep you away from strangers and let you enjoy the fresh air! What a better way to travel in this new era?! | We use spacious, private vehicles restricted to your group members only. We also recommend travelers to use the same seat for all journeys in one day. The vehicles are carefully cleaned before and after every trip and daily throughout your trip. Hand sanitizers are available on board and travelers are recommended to use them each time they get on board. Same applies when your means of transport is a sailing boat. |
| Far from the Crowds | Reliable Partners |
| Our aim has always been to show you Greece’s hidden gems and take you to the less touristy places, far away from the crowds. When you travel to remote villages or you sail across the Aegean Sea on our sailing yacht, you are naturally protected from packed places, therefore your exposure to COVID-19 is reduced as much as possible! | When it comes to our partners, whether it is the accommodation you will stay, the vehicle that will be used, your meal providers as well as our outdoor activities partners, we have personally assessed that all of them comply with the Health Protocols set by the National Public Health Organization. So, you can rest assured that both us and our partners are doing our best to keep you safe and healthy. |
| Travel Private | Flexible Bookings |
| In case you wish to minimize your exposure to others, then simply go private! Take your own family or group of friends, choose your preferred adventure and travel dates and leave the rest on us. We are proud to offer all our trips as private with a very low minimum number of participants (3-4 travelers). | We understand that sometimes plans change, nowadays more than ever! For this reason and because we don’t want this to obstruct you from booking your so sought-after holiday, we have implemented even more flexible bookings terms. You can now book with confidence and peace of mind and stop worrying about what’s next! |
INCREASED HYGIENE & SANITATION MEASURES
Our guests’ health and safety has always been our top priority and our staff has been trained to follow specific hygiene and safety procedures. However, in the coronavirus times that we are all going through, we have implemented extra hygiene measures to protect our guests’ and staff’s health.
- Use of face masks whenever we are in indoor spaces (such as in our vehicle, at a hotel’s reception etc), during meals’ preparation by our staff or when the local guidelines or guests request so.
- Use of gloves when preparing meals, which are regularly changed.
- Regular disinfection of surfaces whether you are on one of our land tours or on a sailing yacht (i.e. handles, doors, activity equipment, food preparation areas).
- Readily sanitation equipment, such as face-marks, hand sanitizers, thermometer etc. You are asked to bring your own face covering and hand sanitizer, however, your tour leader will have some extra pieces available for your convenience.
- Open windows to facilitate fresh air circulation.
*Detailed health protocols for adventure tour operators for HATEOA members (Hellenic Association of Tourism Enterprises of Outdoor Activities) can be found here.