REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY
Last updated: August 28, 2026
This Refund & Cancellation Policy applies to purchases and bookings made with Rio Gay Guide, including digital products, the Insider Pass, private tours and travel consulting services
It should be read together with our Terms & Conditions.
Nothing in this Policy excludes or limits any right that cannot legally be excluded under applicable Brazilian consumer law.
1. Online Purchases and Statutory Right of Withdrawal
Where applicable under Brazilian consumer law, customers who enter into a contract online may exercise the statutory right of withdrawal within 7 (seven) days, counted in accordance with applicable law.
Requests must be made through one of the official contact channels provided on our website and should include sufficient information for us to identify the relevant purchase.
When a statutory right of withdrawal validly applies and is exercised within the applicable period, amounts paid will be refunded in accordance with applicable law.
The provisions below govern voluntary cancellations outside or after any mandatory statutory rights that may apply.
2. Insider Pass and Other Digital Products
Digital products may provide immediate access to proprietary content, recommendations, curated information and other digital benefits.
Customers experiencing a technical problem accessing a purchased digital product should contact us so that we can first attempt to restore or provide access.
After any applicable statutory withdrawal period has expired, a digital product that has been correctly delivered or made available is generally non-refundable, except in cases of defective or failed delivery or where a refund is otherwise required by applicable law.
A change in travel plans, failure to use the information, failure to attend recommended events, or dissatisfaction resulting solely from a customer’s personal preference does not automatically entitle the customer to a refund after the applicable cancellation period.
Individual recommendations, events, discounts, guest lists and partner benefits may change during the validity of a digital product. The unavailability of one individual recommendation or
third-party benefit does not automatically make the entire digital product refundable where the essential product remains available.
3. Private Tour Cancellations by the Customer
Subject to any mandatory statutory rights that may apply, the following voluntary cancellation conditions apply to confirmed private tours:
More than 72 hours before the scheduled start: 100% of the tour deposit will be refunded.
Between 72 and 24 hours before the scheduled start: 50% of the tour deposit will be refunded.
Less than 24 hours before the scheduled start: The deposit is non-refundable.
No-show: The deposit is non-refundable and any amounts already committed to non-refundable third-party services may also remain payable where legally applicable and previously disclosed.
A cancellation becomes effective when the request is received through an official Rio Gay Guide communication channel.
4. Rescheduling Private Tours
Requests to change the date or time of a confirmed tour are subject to availability.
Where possible, Rio Gay Guide may allow one rescheduling without an additional rescheduling fee when requested sufficiently in advance.
Approval of a rescheduling request is not automatic and depends on guide availability, transportation, third-party reservations and the nature of the itinerary.
Once a new date has been accepted by both parties, the booking remains subject to this Policy and to any specific conditions communicated and accepted at the time of rescheduling.
Repeated rescheduling requests may be treated as a cancellation and new booking.
5. Late Arrival
Customers should be ready at the agreed meeting point at the confirmed starting time.
A customer’s late arrival does not automatically extend the scheduled ending time of the tour.
Where operationally possible, additional time may be offered at the applicable additional-hour rate and subject to guide and transportation availability.
If a customer’s delay makes part of the original itinerary impossible, the itinerary may be reasonably modified.
A delay or missed portion of a tour caused by the customer’s late arrival is not refundable, except where otherwise required by law.
6. No-Show
A customer will generally be considered a no-show when they fail to appear at the agreed meeting point and do not provide reasonable notice or respond to reasonable attempts to contact them.
Rio Gay Guide will make reasonable efforts to contact the customer using the contact information provided with the booking before treating the booking as a no-show.
No-shows are not eligible for voluntary refunds, without prejudice to mandatory legal rights.
7. Weather
Ordinary rain, cloudy weather, heat or other normal weather variations do not automatically cancel a tour.
Where weather affects only part of an itinerary, Rio Gay Guide may reasonably adjust the order, timing or location of activities or offer an appropriate alternative.
Where conditions make the planned service materially impractical or unsafe, Rio Gay Guide may propose rescheduling or an alternative itinerary.
If Rio Gay Guide determines that the contracted service cannot reasonably or safely be provided and no appropriate alternative or rescheduling can be agreed, the affected amount will be refunded or otherwise handled in accordance with applicable law.
If the service remains reasonably capable of being performed but the customer independently decides not to participate because of ordinary weather conditions, the standard customer cancellation rules apply.
8. Attraction or Event Closures
Rio Gay Guide does not control the operation of independent attractions, events, venues, restaurants, clubs or other third-party establishments.
Unexpected closure, capacity restriction, cancellation or schedule modification affecting one component of an itinerary does not automatically cancel the entire tour where a reasonable alternative can be provided without materially changing the nature of the contracted service.
When possible, an equivalent or appropriate alternative will be proposed.
Any third-party ticket refund will also depend on the applicable provider’s terms and mandatory legal rights.
9. Cancellation by Rio Gay Guide
If Rio Gay Guide cancels a confirmed service for reasons attributable to us and no acceptable rescheduling or equivalent alternative is agreed, the customer will receive a refund of the amount paid for the service or portion of the service that cannot be provided, as applicable.
The customer will not be required to accept a replacement date or materially different service instead of a refund where applicable law gives the customer the right to reimbursement.
10. Events Beyond Reasonable Control
A service may be affected by circumstances outside reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disasters, government restrictions, public safety incidents, strikes, civil disturbances, major transportation interruptions, road closures or unexpected closure of essential attractions.
When such circumstances occur, Rio Gay Guide will make reasonable efforts to offer an appropriate solution, which may include an alternative itinerary, rescheduling, credit or refund depending on the circumstances, the portion of the service affected and applicable law.
11. Travel Consulting
Cancellation and rescheduling conditions for personalized consulting may depend on whether the consultation has already begun and whether personalized work has already been prepared.
Where a statutory right of withdrawal applies, it will be respected.
After the applicable statutory period, completed consulting sessions and personalized materials that have already been delivered are generally non-refundable except where required by law.
For scheduled live consultations, cancellation or rescheduling conditions disclosed at the time of booking will apply.
If Rio Gay Guide cannot provide a paid consulting service and no acceptable alternative date is agreed, the amount corresponding to the service not provided will be refunded.
12. Third-Party Costs
Some services may involve tickets, reservations, transportation or other products supplied by independent third parties.
Where a customer has been informed in advance that a particular third-party cost is non-refundable or subject to separate cancellation conditions, reimbursement of that amount may depend on the third party’s applicable rules and applicable law.
Rio Gay Guide will not retain as a cancellation charge an amount that has actually been refunded to us by the third-party provider where the customer is legally entitled to receive that amount.
13. How to Request a Cancellation or Refund
Refund and cancellation requests should be sent to:
Email: jonh@riogayguide.com.br
or through another official customer-service channel identified on our website.
Please include:
- the name used for the purchase;
- booking or order information, where available;
- the product or service concerned; and
- a brief description of the request.
We may request additional information when reasonably necessary to locate the transaction, prevent fraud or verify the identity of the purchaser.
14. Refund Method and Processing
Approved refunds will normally be returned through the original payment method whenever technically possible.
The time required for the refunded amount to appear in the customer’s account may vary according to the bank, card issuer, payment processor or financial institution involved.
Rio Gay Guide is not responsible for additional processing time imposed exclusively by those financial institutions after the refund has been correctly initiated.
Currency conversion differences, exchange-rate fluctuations and independently imposed bank or payment-provider fees may affect the final amount displayed in the customer’s account.
This provision does not reduce the amount Rio Gay Guide is legally required to refund.
15. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes
Customers who believe they have been incorrectly charged or have not received a purchased service are encouraged to contact us so that the issue can be investigated promptly
Rio Gay Guide reserves the right to respond to payment disputes and chargebacks with relevant evidence, including transaction records, booking confirmations, communications, access records and evidence of service or digital delivery.
Nothing in this section restricts a customer’s right to dispute an unauthorized, fraudulent or improperly processed transaction.
16. Relationship With Other Policies
This Policy forms part of our Terms & Conditions.
Digital products are also subject to our Digital Delivery Policy.
Where a provision of this Policy conflicts with a mandatory right established by applicable law, the mandatory legal provision will prevail.
17. Contact
Questions about cancellations, refunds or rescheduling may be sent to:
Email: jonh@riogayguide.com.br – WhatsApp: +55 21 97279-8617