Is it mandatory to sign a formal agreement before starting my tour?

Yes, you should sign a formal booking agreement or terms of service contract before you finalise the payment. This document is crucial for setting cancellation policies, liability limits, and the exact inclusions for your trip.

A professional contract helps both the traveller and the operator because it establishes clear expectations; it also makes decisions in a more direct way. It explains what happens in force majeure situations, it lays out the refund process, and it explicitly states what is excluded, like certain entrance fees or chauffeur-guide gratuities. Proceed with extreme caution if an agency asks for a large transfer based only on a casual email thread, like no real document, no signatures.