EUROPEAN EXPLORER

Mantra Tour Code - EUEP

 

Mantra Advance Booking Offer

 

Book Before 8 Weeks	£15 OFF per adult & child
Book Before 6 Weeks	£10 OFF per adult & child

 

The Mantra Twist

 

• Mount Pilatus –

  Entrance included, with the opportunity to enjoy its breathtaking Alpine views.

• Zurich Chocolate Factory –

  Admission included, offering a sweet insight into Swiss chocolate-making traditions.

• River Rhine Cruise -  Enjoy a scenic cruise along the iconic River Rhine surrounded by picturesque landscapes.

 

Mantra Highlights

 

Belgium

 

• Photo Stop at the Atomium Structure - Capture memorable shots of Brussels’ most iconic structure

• Mini-Europe – Entry included to the miniature park featuring Europe’s most famous landmarks in 1:25 scale

 

Germany

 

• Scenic Drive through the Black Forest Region -Enjoy the enchanting landscapes that inspired fairy tales

• Free Time at Lake Titisee – Relax by this picturesque lake in the heart of the Black Forest

• Cologne Cathedral

  – Marvel at one of Germany’s most iconic Gothic landmarks, renowned for its stunning architecture and intricate stained-glass windows.

• Rhine River Cruise –

  Glide past medieval castles, charming villages, and lush vineyards along the scenic Rhine River.

• Heidelberg Castle –

  Explore the romantic ruins perched above the Neckar River, offering panoramic views and a glimpse into Germany’s rich history.

 

Switzerland

 

• Rhine Falls – The largest plain waterfall in Europe

• Zurich Chocolate factory– Entrance to the Lindt Home of Chocolate.

• Zurich Photo Stop – Capture stunning views of the city’s iconic churches, including Fraumünster and Grossmünster.

• Mt. Pilatus Excursion - Experience breathtaking alpine scenery with entrance included.

• Lucerne City Tour - View the Lion Monument & the historic Chapel Bridge

• Bern City Tour - Free time to enjoy the peaceful charm of Switzerland’s capital

 

Luxembourg

 

• Luxembourg city tour – Discover the highlights and key sights of this elegant European capital.

 

Mantra Inclusions

 

• Round-trip transportation in an executive air-conditioned coach from your chosen pick-up point

• Round-trip channel crossing by Ferry or Eurotunnel

• 4 night’s accommodation in 3/4* hotel with breakfast

• 4 Indian dinners included

• Entry fees and sightseeing as detailed in the Highlights

• Premium services of dedicated Mantra Tour Manager

 

Mantra Important Notes

 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the routing of this tour may be amended. However, all aspects of the itinerary will be covered.

 

Mantra Pick up & Drop off details

 

Departure Points	Time	Return (Per person)	One way (Per person)
HOUNSLOW – Outside Hounslow West Station, Bath Road, TW3 3DH	05:00 HOURS	FREE	FREE
HARROW – Outside McDonalds, 363 station road, Harrow, HA1 2AW	05:30 HOURS	FREE	FREE
KENTON – Mantra Holidays, 296 Kenton Road, Harrow, HA3 8DD	05:45 HOURS	FREE	FREE
ILLFORD - Outside Coral Shop, Chapel Road, Bus Stop P, IG1 2AF	06:30 HOURS	FREE	FREE
MAIDSTONE - Maidstone Services, Junctions 8 on M20. Kent, ME17 1SS	07:20 HOURS	FREE	FREE
FOLKESTONE – Stop 24 services, Junction 11 on M20, Stanford, CT21 4BL	07:40 HOURS	FREE	FREE
DOVER - Eastern Docks Coach Park, Outside Passengers Terminal, Dover. CT16 1JA	08:15 HOURS	FREE	FREE
BIRMINGHAM - Outside Birmingham Digbeth Coach station, Mill Ln, B5 6DD	01:30 HOURS	50 GBP	35 GBP
LEICESTER - Outside Asda Petrol Station, Fosse Park Avenue, Braunstone Town, LE3 2LL	02:00 HOURS	45 GBP	30 GBP
COVENTRY - Outside NEXT, Ricoh Arena Retail Park, Classic drive, Foleshill, CV6 6AS	02:15 HOURS	40 GBP	25 GBP
NORTHAMPTON - Northampton Services Southbound, M1 at Junction 15A, NN4 9QY	03:00 HOURS	30 GBP	20 GBP
MILTON KEYNES - Newport Pagnell Services Southbound, M1 between J14 & J15, MK16 8DS	03:30 HOURS	30 GBP	20 GBP
LUTON - Outside Travelodge, 641 Dunstable Road off M1 J11 on A505, LU4 8QR	04:45 HOURS	20 GBP	15 GBP
BRISTOL - Bristol Parkway Station (car park) Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PU	02:45 HOURS	80 GBP	50 GBP
SWINDON - Premier Inn Swindon West (car park), Great Western Way Swindon SN5 8UY	03:30 HOURS	70 GBP	45 GBP
READING - Outside costa coffee - Reading Gate Retail Park, Reading RG2 0QG	04:15 HOURS	50 GBP	30 GBP
SLOUGH - Opposite slough railway station, outside The Porter Building, 1 Brunel Way, Slough, SL1 1FQ	04:45 HOURS	30 GBP	20 GBP
CALAIS - Pidou Superstores, 190 Rue Marcel Dassault, 62100 Calais, France	TBC	FREE	FREE
BRUSSELS - Outside Planetarium of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, Av. de Bouchout 10, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgium	TBC	FREE	FREE

 

Note:

• All services pickups will be from Southbound Services and all drops will be at Northbound Services.
• Infants aged 0-23 months will be charged 50% of the adult price. You will have to carry your own child seat
• All times shown are estimated and final times will be given one day prior to departure.

 

 

 

DISTANCE CHART

 

Days	ITINERARY	DISTANCE
1	LONDON - CALAIS - BRUSSELS	835 KMS
2	COLOGNE - BOPPARD - HEIDLEBERG	413 KMS
3	LAKE TITISEE - RHINE FALLS - ZURICH	313 KMS
4	Mt PILATUS - LUCERNE - BERN	385 KMS
5	LUXEMBURG - CALAIS - LONDON	845 KMS

 

PICK UP POINTS

 

Pick up points cannot be changed 7 days or less prior to departure date. However, in case of an emergency if you need to change the pick-up point within a week of travel, please advise our office immediately in writing and we will endeavour to assist. Please note that there will be an administration fee of £10 per person if pick up point changed within 7 days. Timings shown in our brochure and website are for indication purposes only. All other pick-up points are subject to minimum numbers, and some may incur a supplement charge as specified on our pickup section. It is imperative that you are at the pick-up point at least 15 minutes before the coach departure time as the coach or pick up vehicle will not wait for passengers coming late. For those who are arriving at the pick-up via taxi, we recommend that you book the taxi the night prior to departure day as trying to get one on the day may be difficult or impossible. If you miss the pickup at the appointed time, it will be your responsibility to get to the next destination on your itinerary at your own expense. No refund will be allowed in any circumstances if you do not continue with the tour. Please be on time, as Mantra Holidays cannot be held responsible or liable for any loss or expenses suffered if you miss the coach.

Note: For logistic reasons Manta Holidays reserves the right to change the timings of any pick up one day prior to departure and the right to change coaches during the trip.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

 

Because of the importance of having adequate insurance cover, we suggest all our clients to be covered by an insurance policy before travelling on your booked holiday. If you elect not to take out insurance, you agree to indemnify Mantra Holidays Ltd. for any costs that arise which would otherwise have been met if you had your own travel insurance.

 

WHEELCHAIRS

 

Mantra Holidays does not provide a specialist tour for less abled, however every attempt will be made to accommodate you to our best ability. It is possible to bring along a folding type of wheelchair which may be kept in the baggage hold of the coach. The driver will load and unload the wheelchair from the coach for the passenger however, they will need to be physically fit enough to be able to embark and disembark the coach on their own. It is also essential that a capable person is accompanying such a passenger on the tour to push their wheelchair. Mantra Holidays will also request hotels for suitably equipped rooms; however, this is only on a request basis and cannot be guaranteed. All wheelchairs need to be collapsible and electric wheelchairs cannot be stored on any of our coaches.

 

ESSENTIALS TO CARRY WITH YOU

 

Passports with relevant visas, travel insurance policy, appropriate currencies. Long journeys are unavoidable, and we recommend you wear comfortable clothing and carry essentials such as a jacket or jumper, dry snacks, water, tissues, chargers, power bank etc., in your handbag as access to the luggage hold may not be possible until a comfort stop or arrival at your destination. Hot foods are not allowed to be carried or consumed inside the coach.

 

COACHES

 

All coaches are fitted with armrests, TV, DVD & CD player, and WC facilities. WC facilities on coaches have limited capacities and therefore we advise passengers to use them only on an ‘emergency’ basis as once it is full it will be locked. We will try to make sufficient comfort stops. On rare occasions, your coach may not have a W.C or TV/DVD facility on board. All coaches are either air-conditioned or air-cooled. We have a strict "no smoking" policy on all our coaches. Consumption of alcohol is prohibited on all our coaches. During transfers, we may use an alternative vehicle (smaller coaches) which may not have the above facilities.

 

BAGGAGE ON COACH

 

Each Passengers occupying a seat is allowed to carry one piece of luggage whose maximum weight should not be more than 20kg and not exceeding dimensions of 90 x 75 x 43cm / 35 x 29 x 16 inches and one piece of hand luggage whose weight should not be more than 8kg and not exceeding dimensions of 20 x 20 x 48 cm / 8 x 8 x 19 inches which can fit under their seat or in the overhead compartment. The main luggage will be placed inside the coach locker and the passenger will only get access to the same when we reach the hotel in the night. The driver will load & unload one piece of luggage per person from the coach. Since there is no porter service provided, passengers will be required to carry their own luggage from the coach to the hotel rooms and therefore one piece of main luggage and one small hand luggage is recommended. We also recommend that children or family members not sharing a room have separate luggage as rooms cannot be guaranteed adjoining or nearby. It is advisable to put your name and address on each piece of luggage as many passengers have similar bags and this avoids confusion. If for any reasons your baggage or personal valuable is lost or stolen, you must report it to the tour manager, or in the absence of a tour manager to the local police or hotel. Mantra Holidays cannot accept any responsibility for your personal belongings. If your baggage is over and above, the limits mentioned here or if you arrive with extra luggage an additional fee of £10 per bag per day will apply (subject to availability). All baggage is placed at the owner's risk, and Mantra Holidays or its suppliers accept no liability for loss or damage to bags caused anyhow.

 

CHILDREN & YOUNG INFANTS

 

Children and young infants are welcome to travel on our tours. Children under the age of 23 months will be charged an infant fare on all tours. Car/booster seats are not provided on coaches by Mantra Holidays, and it is strongly recommend carrying your own which can fit within the coach seats. Coaches will not provide any cold or hot water to heat up or cool milk bottles. It is passengers’ responsibility to make sure of necessary arrangements for any children in their group. Restaurants or hotels will not provide any milk or baby food and passengers are advised to carry prepared baby milk cartons/powder and baby foods whilst on tour. Please also note that not all hotels provide a kettle so if hot water is required for warming milk etc. in the hotel, then it is advisable to carry a bottle warmer / kettle (do not forget your adapter). Pushchairs should be foldable and will be kept in the luggage compartment of the coach. Children’s or infants will not be seated at the front of the coach.

 

TOUR MANAGER

 

Professional tour manager/Driver or local guides throughout your itinerary accompany all our escorted tours. On rare occasions, your tour manager may not meet you at your dedicated pick-up point but at a later stage; the driver will be there to take care of your needs. On rare occasions, a tour manager will not be available to accompany you; this would be due to unavoidable operational issues, or we will be utilising local guides for their wealth of experience. On rare occasion on some of our tours, there will be no accompanying tour manager and our expert driver or local tour guide will conduct the tour.

 

WEATHER, CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

 

It is recommended to always carry an umbrella and a jacket. We recommend that you visit www.weather.com to ensure you have an idea of the weather at the time of the year you want to travel and can be well prepared by ensuring that you are carrying appropriate clothing, footwear, and accessories. Passengers should also be aware that some sightseeing would be done after dusk. During summer months, it is advisable to wear light garments during the day but keep a light jacket or sweater in your hand luggage for the evening, as it can get quite chilly. Also, few other items which are highly recommended are a family sized umbrella, rain wear, pair of sunglasses, pair of trainers or comfortable walking shoes especially for certain excursions that involve a considerable amount of walking. We also recommend passengers to carry a small travel iron, hairdryer, kettle etc. as not all hotels may provide the same in the rooms. You may also be required to be ‘covered’ up when visiting certain places, if you are unsure what to take then please do discuss with us and we will be happy to assist.

 

HOTELS

 

The hotels on our tours are selected carefully to ensure that a minimum 3* category is provided (overseas ratings are classified by countries own tourist boards) and can be located either close to the city you are visiting or on the outskirts. Facilities vary from hotel to hotel and include en-suite bath or shower and generally a TV and telephone. Some of the rooms may have mini bars and 24-hour room service. You will be charged to use any payable facilities at the hotel to your room and payable on check out. Most hotels may require a credit card to cover your extras or cash deposits. Please remember that most hotels in Europe have small rooms unlike many other countries and not all hotels will have air-conditioning or lift as standard. If you have difficulty with stairs, please advise us so we can try to request a room on a low floor. Rooms are allocated by the hotel so some guests may get larger or different type of rooms to other guests. We do not have control over this. Some hotels may provide with 2 single beds joined together as Double bed.

Note: Mantra Holidays reserves the right to substitute hotels whilst passengers are on tour to a similar standard due to unforeseen circumstances. Please note that hotel’s normal check-in times are from late afternoon, e.g., 3pm, and checkout around 11am, but it does vary from hotel to hotel.

 

ROOM CONFIGURATION

 

Most hotels can only accommodate a maximum of three persons in each room. If you are a family of four, i.e., two adults and two children, (and prefer all to be in one room), then your first child will be given an extra bed, but the second child will be required to share the double bed as no extra bed can be provided. The extra bed provided will be either a sofa bed or rollaway bed. These extra beds may not be full sized as double beds and are usually suitable for one individual only. The cost of the package is based on a minimum of two adults sharing one room. If your group consists of one adult and one child, the child must pay a full adult fare to make up the cost for the room required. Baby cots are not guaranteed. When you opt for two rooms, each room must have an adult accompanying a child as per regulations of the hotel. A child will always have to be accompanied by an adult in a room. We will try our best to get these 2 rooms next to each other but can’t guarantee the same. Where a quad room is not available for your group, a reduction will be given as stated in the itinerary. Note that quad rooms have limited space and additional beds may not be suitable for tall adults. Any damages within the room or Hotel you are staying in, will be payable at the time of checkout by passenger.

 

MEALS

 

Breakfast is normally continental buffet, which will be served in the hotel that you will be staying. All other pre-booked meals will be either in the hotel’s own restaurant or at an outside restaurant and is not changeable. Passengers may have an option to choose from vegetarian or non-vegetarian (wherever possible Jain/Halal) meals. The meals will only include the food; all extras i.e., alcohol, beverages or any extra items requested by you will need to be settled by you directly with the restaurant. Any meals not taken will not be reimbursed under any circumstances. Lunches are vegetarian only and will be served outdoors at a service station/rest area where limited or no seating is available. Lunch is served in a picnic style buffet arrangement. On some days, you may be provided with packed lunches or dinners to suit the itinerary of a particular tour. We endeavour to book Indian meals wherever possible, however due to local constraints if we are unable to do so, we will offer local vegetarian options. If you have any specific dietary needs or allergies, you must inform us at the time of booking, so we can inform the caterer. However, special arrangements for food cannot be guaranteed for allergies or requests such as Halal or Jain meals. Passengers with severe food allergies are advised to make appropriate arrangements prior to commencing their tour. Mantra Holidays reserves the right to change meal arrangement in circumstances that are beyond our control.

If for any reason we are unable to provide the meal, we will refund the passenger with 10 GBP/EURO for lunch and 12 GBP/EURO per dinner.

 

SEATING, DIETARY OR ROOM ALLOCATION AND OTHER REQUESTS

 

Mantra Holidays works at times with intermediary agents (Airlines, Hotels, Transport Companies, Other Suppliers etc.) to arrange your holiday. If passengers have special requirements such as a rooming request, or a special meal request etc., then they should advice Mantra Holidays at the time of booking. Any special requests cannot be guaranteed by Mantra Holidays. Seating requests are not taken under any circumstance. Seating is allocated by booking reference number however, there are some exceptions to this, i.e., group sizes, coach size, promotional seating, H&S Laws, pickups, company discretion etc. We do not, promise or guarantee any specific seat on the coach, and we have the sole right to assign your seats. Any indication is for reference only and is subject to change regardless of whether given in writing or any other means. Seat numbers will be allocated to all passengers on the day of departure. Groups with children will not be seated in the front of the coach even if they have booked very early. Some seats in the coach may not recline. Passengers who do not wish to book together but wish to travel together, they must inform Mantra Holidays at the time of booking so they can be seated next to each other. Any medical, and or personal grounds are not considered when allocating seats, unless explicitly stated by law or governing bodies.

 

CREDIT CARD & CURRENCIES

 

We recommend that you take a credit or debit card on holiday with you, as it provides extra financial flexibility. Many restaurants, shops and hotels accept major international credit cards, such as Visa or MasterCard. It is also possible to draw cash with your credit or debit card at some banks and cash machines, though this will incur a fee charged by your card provider. Note: Advise your bank which countries you are visiting prior to travel so that you do not run the risk of your card being refused and subsequent expensive phone calls to unlock it. Currency of the EU Countries is Euros. Some countries use their own currency along with Euros e.g in Switzerland the currency is Swiss Francs. We recommend all our passengers to convert any spending money they need before their travel, as we will not be able to take you to a money exchange place. If you need more local currency when abroad, we recommend that you exchange money at a bank rather than at hotels, as they will charge high commission rates. You may also need your passport for identification as you would for travellers’ cheques. Even though in Europe credit and debit cards are widely accepted, keep in mind the exchange rate may be poor and commission will be charged. Always carry some EURO coins whilst on tour as you may need to pay for toilets in many parts of Europe.

 

PASSPORTS & VISAS

 

All passengers require a passport for travel outside the UK. It is the responsibility of passenger to have a passport that is valid for 6 months from the date of completing the tour. Mantra Holidays will attempt to supply passengers with the most up to date information regarding the visa requirements for the destinations that they will travel. However, as visa stipulations change frequently, we advise passengers to inquire with the relevant consulate as to the exact requirements, which they must fulfil in good time prior to their travel date. Mantra Holidays cannot take responsibility of cancellation due to lack of correct visa requirements, as it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure that these requirements are fulfilled prior to their tour departure. For further information on visas please contact Mantra Holidays or visit www.mantraholidays.co.uk

 

LOST PROPERTY & THEFT

 

It is passenger’s responsibility to ensure that your property and valuables are always safe. If an item has been left in a hotel, restaurant, coach etc. you will need to call the respective supplier and arrange with them directly for the return of your item. Mantra Holidays will not carry anyone's left property across international borders whether it is authorized in writing or by any other means. In case of theft, you will need to advise your Tour Manager immediately and report the theft to the nearest police personnel who will provide you with a police report or crime reference number. You are advised not to carry unnecessary valuables and to be always vigilant, as tourist spots are well known targets

for pickpockets. Mantra Holidays recommends all passengers to have valid travel insurance, including EU citizens.

 

PHONE CARDS & VOLTAGE

 

All phone calls made from your hotel room phone are chargeable. This charge can be high, especially for international calls. It is always cheaper to use public telephones. If using your mobile phone during tour, we suggest that you check with your service provider if it will incur any charges. Electrical currents vary between Britain, the European continent, and North America. We suggest you carry a converter for your electric shaver, travelling iron, hair dryer, and other small appliances. We recommend that you purchase a universal travel adapter before travel to charge all your gadgets.

 

LONG DISTANCE JOURNEYS

 

As the distance in Europe is vast, some journeys will be long, and they are unavoidable when travelling from one city to another. Hence, Mantra Holidays recommend on such long journey days to wear comfortable clothes. As most part of these days will be spent inside the coach, we advise passengers to carry all necessities that they may need for the day such as water, dry snacks, tissues, medication, power bank, chargers etc. with them in their hand luggage.

 

EXCURSIONS

 

Due to many visitors, there may be waiting times and queuing times involved, which can be anything up to 4 hours. These times may be modified without notice by the management due to exceptional events, unfavourable weather conditions, large numbers of visitors, or a Force Majeure event. Access to the excursions/monuments depends on the type of ticket purchased, and all exits are final no re-entries are permitted. No refunds will be made if access is restricted due to poor weather conditions or a decision by the Public Authorities. Tickets issued are for immediate entry. In the case of loss or theft, the tickets cannot be reimbursed. Certain excursions may restrict access due to saturation.

 

ITINERARY & TIME KEEPING

 

The tour manager reserves the right to modify the itinerary during the tour. These changes may occur due to unexpected delays, major local events that can often arise or a Force Majeure event. Time keeping is the most important aspect of a group tour and all passengers must adhere to the timings given by their tour manager. All our holiday packages are subject to governance by DVSA for driving hours hence it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure all departure times are respected. Mantra Holidays will not take responsibility for passengers left behind due to not adhering to itineraries and times stated by the tour manager for whatsoever reason, and any subsequent impact this may cause financially or non-financially. It is a passenger's responsibility to ensure that they are clear in understanding of the departure time from any given point. If in any doubt, please make sure that you recheck the departure timings again with your tour manager and follow the same.

We request you to go through the general information and Terms & Conditions before booking and travelling.