Details
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read our general
FAQs, where you can find essential information that applies to all of our programs.
Resources to Learn & Teach about Central Europe
Visit our
recommended reading page to see the list of books GEEO recommends reading before your program (this is not required reading). We also have
lesson plans and
Pinterest boards that may be useful for you as you learn about your destination and prepare to bring lessons back to your classroom.
Terms and Conditions
It is very important for you to visit our
Terms and Conditions page before signing up for this program.
GEEO Program Confirmation Process
Most GEEO programs are officially confirmed to run once 4 participants have registered. If at least 8 people sign up by our designated deadline, the program will run as a private GEEO trip. Should enrollment fall between 4 and 8, the trip will still take place, but it may transition into a
shared departure with our partner tour operator, G Adventures. In this scenario, the itinerary, dates, and pricing for those who have already registered will remain unchanged, although additional travelers from outside GEEO may join the trip.
A large majority of GEEO programs remain private for just educators, retired educators, and their guests. We encourage you to sign up for any program that interests you, and we’ll keep you updated throughout the process—first when 4 participants have registered and again once 8 people have signed up. As always, we recommend exercising caution when making non-refundable travel arrangements (for example, booking flights with flexible change or cancellation policies) until your program is confirmed to run.
Cancellation Policy
Below is the cancellation policy for most GEEO programs and participants.
(Exception for participants who receive grants from our university partners: To address disruption caused by cancellation from grant recipients, deposits paid by grant recipients are forfeited upon cancellation.)
- If you cancel 90 days or more before your program begins, your $350 deposit will remain on file for future use and never expires. Any additional payments you have made will be refunded.
- If you cancel between 30 and 89 days before your program begins, your $350 deposit will remain on file for future use and never expires. You will also receive 50% of your remaining program cost as a travel credit; alternatively, you can request a refund of the travel credit, minus a 2% administrative fee. The other 50% of your remaining balance will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
- If you cancel within 30 days before your program starts, your $350 deposit will remain on file for future use and never expires. The remaining balance of your program cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
Please submit your cancellation request in writing via email to travel@geeo.org. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your written cancellation request, please call us at +1 347-433-6674.
Trip Notes & Expectations
Before you decide to travel with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the information about the program contained on this page. Our programs are quite adventurous, and we find that clients who read the trip details in full are happier with their experiences.
- WINTER TRIPS: Some sites, museums, and restaurants may be closed over Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. It is recommended that you check the operating hours of any sites or establishments that you plan to visit to avoid disappointment. It is also common for prices for meals and other services to increase during peak tourist seasons or holidays, including Christmas and New Year’s. Additionally, we may need to alter the itinerary on and around these holidays to maximize your time during your trip. Hopefully, you will be able to experience some local customs and traditions and see how people in other parts of the world experience the holidays. Traveling over Christmas and New Year’s can allow you to see a destination in a different light. You may be able to attend local festivals, try traditional foods, see special decorations, and participate in cultural activities that can add an extra layer of festivity and cheer to your trip.
- ACCOMMODATION: Our program fees are based on double-occupancy accommodation (see "Single Travelers" below if you do not have a travel companion and would be interested in a private room). Accommodation in Europe tend to be quite different to other areas of the world you may have traveled in. Buildings and rooms are generally old and may not have been renovated or maintained to the highest standard. Often downtown hotels in Europe were not build to be hotels but rich owners houses, which have been changed into hotels. Therefore unusual room sizes are common as large rooms have been partitioned in the past, resulting in rather "thin" walls. On this trip you can expect to stay in small family-run hotels or pensions, which will vary a little in standard and facilities: some may not have elevators, air-conditioning or English-speaking staff, but most importantly all are locally-run, with some traditional character, and in excellent central locations to give you maximum time for exploring the sights. You can expect to find clean, safe, simple accommodation in convenient locations.
Important: Single room accommodations in European hotels are often smaller, and may not be to the same service level as double-occupancy rooms.
- TRANSPORTATION: We use a mix of transportation that gets our guests from location to location safely. Sometimes you will have full days and nights of transportation as our trips tend to cover a lot of ground. The transportation will often be an adventure in itself.
- LUGGAGE: In Europe, it can be rare to find elevators in train stations, hotels, or other public places. We use public transport on this trip, which means you will need to carry your luggage from platform to platform, in and out of trains, and also possibly up several flights of stairs. You will also need to be able to stow your luggage safely on trains. You should be able to comfortably walk for 10-30 minutes at a time with your luggage. It is essential, therefore, that you pack light and bring luggage that is compact and lightweight. The carrying of your luggage remains your responsibility at all times.
- ACTIVITY LEVEL: Make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities. This trip includes light walking and hiking that is suitable for most fitness levels. In the cities, you can split apart from the group to go at your own pace. We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.
- GROUP LEADER: Please make sure you understand the role of your tour leader on this trip. All GEEO/G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of G Adventure's group leaders, which they refer to as Chief Experience Officers (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. Our itineraries often have plenty of free time to explore on your own. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting – we think it’s the best of both worlds.
Single Travelers
Half of GEEO’s participants travel by themselves, so please don’t worry if you do not have a travel companion for your trip. Our program fee is for one traveler in double-occupancy accommodation, and GEEO can find you a roommate of the same gender if you do not have a travel companion. Most of our programs have a “My Own Room” option, also known as a “Single Supplement,” which is an extra fee that you can pay to have a room to yourself. You will only incur an additional charge if you specifically request a single room. To see the price for the “My Own Room” option, please find your program on our
extra services page. If you want to room alone, please email
travel@geeo.org to request a single room.
Emergency Contacts
Should you need to contact G Adventures during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call their local G Adventures office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
G Adventures Berlin office: +44 7817 262559
If you are unable for any reason to contact the local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with the 24-hour Sales team, who will happily assist you.
Toll-free, from calls within North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from within UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from within Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from within Australia: 1 300 796 618
Calls from within New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999
Packing List
Please read this article on GEEO’s blog for our staff’s suggestions on the best gear to pack for your upcoming travels. You must be prepared to carry your own bags and be comfortable carrying them up and downstairs, on and off transportation, and to hotels. As a rule, we try not to have to walk more than 15-20 minutes with your bags, which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 22-30 lb. Most travelers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size. No XXL bags please! A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person plus a daypack per person.
Suggested (click to expand)
- Raincoat and/or umbrella
- Personal clothing for cold weather
- Sturdy walking shoes
- Daypack
- Sunblock
- Sunglasses
- Water bottle
- Watch or alarm clock (or use your phone)
- Toiletries – important: some hotels do not give you soap and shampoo
- Camera (or use your phone)
- First-aid kit, including lip salve, Aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking
Optional (click to expand)
- Travel pillow
- Light weight silk sleep sheet
- Money belt
- Phone/Tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi
- Chargers for electronics as well as converters/adapters, if needed
- AirTags or Tile trackers
- Packing cubes
- Earplugs
- Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can buy snacks when you get there too, so don't go crazy here
- Ziplock bags
- Reading/writing material
- Hand sanitizer/baby wipes
- Light fleece top
Documents (click to expand)
- Passport (with photocopies)
- Travel insurance (with photocopies)
- Airline tickets (with photocopies)
- EUR/USD cash
- Credit or debit card
- G Adventures vouchers, pre-departure information and dossier
- Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
- GEEO Classroom action plans for your group – this is sent 10-30 days before departure
Laundry
Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge.
Passports and Visas
All GEEO programs require that the participant have a valid passport. Please see our general
FAQ for information on obtaining a passport. As with all of our trips, we try to provide the most accurate information we can, but governments sometimes change visa rules. It is your responsibility to double check the information we provide below by searching
the U.S. State Department's International Travel Guidance.
PASSPORT
In Europe's
Schengen area, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry. At present, the Schengen area includes most European Union (EU) countries, except for Cyprus and Ireland.
VISA
Currently, U.S. citizens can enter Schengen Area Countries visa-free for up to 90 days. The
European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which approves entry for short-term stays into the European Union for visa-exempt visitors, was expected to go into effect in 2022 but has been continually delayed and is not scheduled to be implemented until late 2026. No action is required from travelers at this point, and the EU will announce a start date for ETIAS several months prior to its launch. If this changes and ETIAS will affect your trip, GEEO will let you know, and you will need to apply online and pay €7 for a travel authorization (see more
here).
Money Exchange
As currency exchange rates fluctuate, we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com. ATMs are also widely available that distribute the local currency, and this is what we recommend as your primary source of cash while traveling. Please make sure you bring at least $200 USD in cash as emergency money just in case you have trouble with the ATMs or lose your bank card. Major credit cards are accepted in most shops, but they may charge a 2-4% transaction fee. Visa and MasterCard are useful for cash advances in an emergency situation. Please note: If carrying U.S. Dollars, they should be in good condition (i.e., not torn, wrinkled, or marked on in any way) and printed recently.
Tipping
It is customary to leave a small tip for service providers, such as waiters, if you are pleased with the service. Tipping is an expected, though not compulsory, component of this program and an expression of satisfaction with the people who assist you on your trip. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels.
There will be opportunities during the trip to tip your local guides or drivers. You may do this individually, or your tour leader may offer to collect the money and give a tip on behalf of the group. Ask your tour leader for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and expectations. Also, at the end of your program, if you felt your G Adventures tour leader did an outstanding job, a tip would be appreciated. Tipping amounts are entirely your personal preference, but as a guideline:
- Service providers/Waiters: €1-2 EUR for snacks or 10% of a meal bill
- Local guides and drivers: €3-5 EUR per person per day
- Tour Guide (CEO): €30-40 EUR per person per week
Flights
We find the best prices for flights are often available 60 days before departure, but of course this varies greatly from route to route and year to year.
We advise that you wait until this trip is confirmed before booking non-refundable and non-changeable flights. GEEO and G Adventures bear no responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed.
Your trip begins in Berlin and ends in Vienna. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Berlin. You can arrive at any time of the day you choose, however, we strongly urge you to arrive by 6:00 p.m. on Day 1 for our group meeting. You can depart from Vienna at any time on the final day of the trip.
Plugs and Converters
There are two components to provide external power to your device: adapters and transformers. The adapter is the plug, adapting the prongs on a standard U.S. two to three-pronged power cord to match the prongs required by the local outlets. The transformer changes the local voltage to that required by your device.
Germany and Austria use a European-style two circular prong plug. Their voltage is 220-240 Volts. U.S. outlets are 120V. Most new devices (phones and laptops) can handle the different voltage rates, but some devices only work on the U.S. standard of 120V. Check your device to see what voltage range it handles. Most transformer blocks will have an "Input" line that defines its voltage capacity. For example, "Input: 100-240V" means that it will work on voltages from 100V to 240V. If your transformer can't handle the different voltage, you'll need to purchase a voltage converter. You can find world regional voltage converters power packs at various vendors.
Weather
The weather at all of your destinations will be similar: cold (average highs in the upper 30s) with a possibility of rain and/or snow.