What days are your tours?
Click here to see days. More days might be added during the season.
Where is the departure point for the tour?
Tour 1, 4 and 8: Departure from Manhattan at 2nd Avenue between 80th & 81st Street. By the H&H Midtown Bagels East. Please come 10-15 minutes early to check in.
Tour 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7: Departure from Manhattan at 8th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Street. By the Duane Reade. Please come 10-15 minutes early to check in.
Do you cancel if the weather is bad?
Only if the weather is extremely bad we will cancel the tour with a 100% refund to participants.
We do not cancel the tour just because of a little rain. Usually on rainy days or days after rain that is when the waterfalls are most spectacular.
Which tours usually have a smaller group?
Tours held on weekdays as well as early in the season will often have smaller groups than other times.
Is there any parking close to the departure point?
Tour 1, 4 and 8: Street parking is available on some of the side streets free of charge. You can also park in a garage at 305 East 80th Street. (Between 1st.and 2nd. Ave. closest to 2nd)
Tour 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7: Comming soon!
Are there any age restrictions for children?
All Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Age restrictions for each tour can be found at our home page.
Can I smoke on the bus?
No, smoke stops will be made.
Does the bus have restrooms?
The buses we use are usually equipped with a lavatory. Once in a while we do use smaller buses/vans without lavatory. In this case frequent toilet stops will be made.
What language is spoken on your tour?
All tours are guided in English. Upon prior request for groups of 12 people or more we will provide a translator. A translator is really not needed; the beauty of mother nature speaks for itself.
Who is your tour designed for?
Our tour is structured to satisfy anyone with just a little love for nature. Whether you are a stressed out New Yorker caught in the fast pace of the city life, a tourist looking for something else than the usual tourist attraction such as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building, or someone who feel like doing something really romantic for a significant person in your life, Hines Tours is your answer!
Do I need to be in great physical shape to join your tour?
No, our tours are based on leisure adventure. Anyone in relatively good health can participate. We strongly recommend though that people with the following medical conditions DO NOT join our tour:
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Recent surgery
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Muscle injuries effecting walking
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High blood pressure
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Previous heart conditions
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Difficulties with ascending and descending stairs
Tour 1: The hike to the Kaaterskill Falls is a relatively short hike, approximately 25 min one way, and you can walk it at your own speed. (adequate time is given). Some of it though is relatively steep and rocky, if you have any concerns our other tours might be a better option for you.
Tour 2: The hiking part can be self guided or you can walk with one of our guides. This tour will suit both the experience hiker and a beginner.
Tour 3: Only a little walking on this tour. People with back problems should not join this tour.
Tour 4: The guided hike to the Bash Bish Falls is relative short and easy. If you wish to participants in the hike by North-South Lake, you should be in a fairly good shape and not have any problems with ascending and descending stairs. (A little climbing is involved)
Tour 5: This tour is one of least strength full tour. Almost no walking is involved.
Tour 6: Very little walking on this tour.
Tour 7: Very little walking is involved in this tour. Participants must be able to swim.
Tour 8: The hike to the Ice caves is a 3 mile round trip on a relative easy trail.
Will your tour accommodate an individual in a wheelchair or with a stroller?
Due to the fact that most of the venues visited are natural habitats, there is only wheelchair or stroller accessibility for tour 5. Wheelchair has to be in the luggage room under the bus during the bus ride.
How safe are the tours?
All possible steps are taken to ensure your safety. All our tour guides have basic first aid qualifications. Hines Tours prides itself on running safe tours and reserves the right to change the tour itinerary without any notice to protect participants from any injuries. The tours are carefully structured to minimize any potential injuries and there are rules to be followed to ensure your safety. Joining our tour is at your own risk.
What is the lunch like?
We do the best to ensure that your lunch will always be a quality experience. Dependant on the tour, lunch will either be at a diner/restaurant or box/picnic lunch outdoors in the nature.
Non-alcoholic beverage will be served during lunch. Vegetarian options will always be provided.
Can I/we consume alcohol or take drugs during or before a tour?
No. Apart from essential medication, drug use and consumption of alcohol is NOT permitted prior to or during our tour. Only exception is our wine tasting tour.
Participants suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to join our tour. Participants suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the tour will be removed.
What does your tours include?
Please see our "Home Page"
Will I have to sign a release form?
Yes, All Hines Tours participants are required to sign a liability release form.
Should I tip my tour guide?
Gratuities for bus driver, local guides and waiters are included; tipping your tour guide is left to your discretion.
I usually drive on my own, why should I join your guided tour?
Our guided tour have many advantages, some of them are:
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You will not have to plan anything in advance
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We know the area; you will see things you might not discover on your own
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You will learn about the history of places we visit on the tour
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You will spend your day more efficiently, with no wasted time
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Last, but not at least. You will have a great opportunity to meet new friends
What do I need to wear and bring on your tours?
Please check for each tour individual at the bottom of each "Tour Details" page.
Tour 1 Tour 2 Tour 3 Tour 4 Tour 5 Tour 6 Tour 7 Tour 8
What exactly does Eco Tours mean?
Eco is a short for Ecology.
Eco Tours or Ecotourism means: "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people."
Is it safe to use my credit card over the Internet?
Yes! We have a secure connection. We use Verisign as our SSL certificate issuer. Your information can’t be read by anyone outside of our company when you make your reservation.
Customer information is strictly confidential. Credit card numbers are submitted directly to the credit card organizations.
If you are unsure about the safety of this method, you can also fax your order form to the following number: 1-646-349 9605. (See our fax order section!)
How secure is my Credit Card information?
All of your credit card information is kept very private and secure.
We use your information solely to process your credit card payment, to communicate with you, and to periodical compile broad demographic and web site usage information about our customers in general that does not contain anything that could be used to identify you personally. (See our Privacy Policy)
The only exception, we are obligated to fully cooperate with federal and international authorities that prosecute credit card fraud. We will give complete information on all fraudulent credit card transactions. This is for your protection! We want to make sure that no one unauthorized uses your card.
What kind of payments do you accept?
We accept credit cards, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and US Postal Money orders. All credit cards must have a valid expiration date. Send all US Postal Money orders made payable to:
Hines Tours Inc.
333 East 75th Street Suite 2J
New York, NY 10021
PLEASE NOTE: When you make your reservation, make sure that your billing address matches your credit card billing information. We use Address Verification System; if your address does not match we will not be able to process your reservation.
How can I make my reservation?
The fastest and easiest way is to make your reservation is here on our web site, you will also avoid a $6 surcharge which applies for phone, fax and mail reservations. If you want to reserve by mail, use the previously cited address (using US postal money order), by fax at 1-646-349-9605 use our Fax/Mail reservations form or by phone at 1-646-403-5653.
Note. If you prefer to pay by sending a money order it is advisable to call or email first to reserve your seat. Your reservation will not be confirmed until before we have received your payment.
I am not very good with computers. Can you guide me with making a reservation?
Please click here to get help with making a reservation.
Do you accept International reservations?
Yes we do.
Do I have to pay tax or any other fees?
No. The price we have listed is final. Only if you make your reservation over the phone by fax or by mail a $6 surcharge will apply. We do advise you to bring a little cash though. See the answer to "what do I need to wear and bring on your tours".
How far in advance should I make my reservation?
It is advisable to reserve as soon as possible. Always check our website for added tours in case of sellouts. Please contact us up to the day before the tour for any cancellations.
When will I receive my ticket?
You will NOT receive a paper ticket for the tour; if you make your reservation here on our website, you will receive a confirmation email within 20 minutes. You can print it and bring it with you. (Yahoo email accounts might takes a little longer to go through due to Yahoo's security system)
Any discount if we are a group of people making a reservation?
You can save money by forming your own group of minimum 6 people and a 7th person will travel for free on our regular tour dates.
We will also make special arrangements for groups outside our regular tour dates for all groups such as companies, youth organizations, church outings, etc.
What are cookies, and do I have to accept them?
HinesTours.com only uses cookies with temporary information to keep track of what you have in your internet shopping cart. They do not contain any personal or private information, and we do not store any data into your computer. Cookies cannot harm your computer.
You must accept cookies to shop at our website. CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO ACCEPT COOKIES
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Frequently Asked Questions