What is a private tour guide agreement?
Private tours are booked by message and email, and the details get lost: which entrance to meet at, whether tickets are included, what happens if the group is late or the weather turns. A short agreement signed when the client pays the deposit puts everything in one place and settles the questions that cause refund disputes before the day arrives.
This template lists the date, start time, length, meeting and end points, group size, language and how you get around, the itinerary stop by stop and the activity level. It sets out what the price includes and doesn't, the price for the group or per person, an optional deposit and an optional hourly rate for extending the tour. You choose the free-cancellation period and the charge for later cancellations and how long you wait for late arrivals. It covers cancellation by the guide, route changes and severe weather with a fair refund, the group's health, clothing and safety responsibilities, children, third-party suppliers, and responsibility and insurance, without limiting the client's consumer rights.
- Best for
- Independent guides and small tour companies running private tours
- Signed by
- The guide and the client who books for the group
- Price
- For the whole group or per person, with an optional deposit
- Length
- About 3 pages
When to Use a private tour guide agreement
- A private walking tour of a city's old town
- A food, wine or market tour for a family or group of friends
- A day hike or nature walk with a local guide
- A driving tour in the guide's vehicle
- A private museum or gallery tour for a corporate group
What You Fill In
28 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: guide, client.
1 The parties
- Guide (person or tour company)*
- Guide phone or email*
- Guide licence or accreditation
- Client's full name*
- Client phone or email*
2 The tour
- Tour*
- Tour date*
- Start time*
- Length of the tour*
- Meeting point*
- Tour ends at
- Itinerary*
- Group size (up to)*
- Language*
- Getting around* on foot · in the Guide's vehicle · by public transport · in a vehicle the Client arranges · as described in the itinerary
- Activity level
3 What's included
- Included in the price*
- Not included*
4 Price
- Currency*
- Price*
- Price basis* for the whole group · per person
- Deposit to confirm the booking
- When the balance is paid
- Rate for extending the tour (per hour)
5 Cancellation
- Client can cancel free up to (days before)*
- Charge for a later cancellation*
- Guide waits for late arrivals (minutes)*
6 Other terms
- Governing law*
7 Who signs
- Guide signature and date · The guide or tour company.
- Client signature and date · The person booking the tour for their group.
What the private tour guide agreement Covers
- The tour
- What is included
- Price and payment
- Changing or cancelling
- Weather, safety and changes on the day
- The Group's responsibilities
- Responsibility and insurance
- General
Using the private tour guide agreement, step by step
1 Describe the tour
Enter the tour name, date, start time and length, the meeting point (be specific — "by the clock at the main entrance"), and where it ends. List the itinerary one stop per line, and describe the activity level honestly so the client can check everyone is fit for it.
2 Say what's included
List what the price covers — the guide, any tickets or tastings — and what isn't included, such as meals, other entrance fees, transport to the meeting point and gratuities.
3 Set the price and cancellation terms
Enter the price and whether it is for the group or per person, an optional deposit and when the balance is paid. Choose how many days before the tour the client can cancel for a full refund, what they pay after that, and how many minutes you wait for late arrivals.
4 Send for signature
Add your contact details for the day, any guide licence, and the governing law, then send it to the client to sign when they pay the deposit.
Tips Before You Send It
- Ask about mobility, health and dietary needs when the client books, not on the day.
- Check whether the city, park or site where you guide requires a licence, and add the number.
- Share a map pin of the meeting point with the signed agreement.
- Check that your insurance covers guiding, and any vehicle you use to carry clients.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Private tour guide agreement: frequently asked questions
What happens if it rains?
The guide may adjust the route or swap part of the itinerary for a comparable alternative. If severe weather or an official warning makes the tour unsafe, the guide offers a new date or a full refund, and if the tour has already started, a fair share of the price for the part that couldn't go ahead.
What if the group is late or doesn't show up?
The guide waits for the number of minutes you set and tries to contact the client. A late group still finishes at the planned time. If no one arrives and the client hasn't been in touch, it is a no-show and the full price is payable.
What if the guide has to cancel?
The guide tells the client as soon as possible and offers a suitable replacement guide or another date. If the client doesn't accept, everything paid is refunded in full.
Is an electronically signed tour booking valid?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary contracts like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.