1.Our operators must operate their trips themselves. No agencies or trip packagers allowed.

When we're planning a trip, we hate to pay more than we need to. And we hate for you to do the same. That's why we work only with local, on-the-ground operators, not the resellers or agencies who contract with them. We help you connect directly with the local tour operator, saving hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on your trip.

All Avid Operators guarantee you the same price on AvidTrips that you would get by calling them direct in India or Tibet or Chile or Colorado. And when you book with AvidTrips, you pay for your trip however you'd like, avoiding international transfers and fees. In addition, your transaction is processed right here in the US, allowing us to offer you a flexible refund and cancellation policy.

2.Our operators must have been in business for at least three years.

You'd think this is a no-brainer, but many operators are new to the business, without the depth of experience and inside knowledge that makes for a truly special trip. That's not to say that new operators aren't great (many are, and we hate to turn them down). But from what we've learned, there's nothing like having a track record of on-the-ground operating experience to prove you can run a seamless adventure trip and keep customers coming back again and again.

3.Our operators must come recommended by prior customers.

Let's face it, it often requires traveling heel-to-toe with an operator to know whether they're great or simply good. That's why all operators on our platform must be personally recommended by adventurers who've traveled with them before. We've posted these reviews for you to see for yourself on the operator's profile page. We continuously review feedback on all of our tour operators and any operators who fail to meet our standards are removed from the site.

4.Our operators must be fully registered and licensed in the countries where they operate.

Not only must our operators have deep experience and be loved by their customers, they need to be properly registered and licensed to do business wherever they run their trips. In addition, they must carry liability insurance as required by law. All of our operators must provide this documentation before they can upload trips to our site. Once they do, we make these documents available for you to review on the operator's profile page.

5.Our operators must give back to their local communities.

As adventurers, we love traveling to the far corners of the world, immersing ourselves in local cultures and exploring the natural environment – and we're conscious about how we do so. Our operators follow the same philosophy, typically employing locals, taking steps to protect the environment, and in many cases, giving a portion of their proceeds back to the communities they serve.

You can learn more about the practices of each of our operators on their profile pages. And if you want to learn more about a specific operator and how they give back, go ahead and ask them yourself. You can contact each of our operators directly via the "Ask the Operator" feature.