Who We Are

Sanchari Travels is a group travel organizer based in Yelahanka, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. We organize weekend group trips from Bangalore and are operated by three co-founders (Manju, Akhil, and Abhi).

We operate this website and communicate with customers primarily via WhatsApp. For privacy questions, contact us at hello@sancharitravels.in.

Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when booking a trip or contacting us:

We do not collect payment card numbers, bank account details, or passwords. UPI payments are processed directly through your UPI app — we only receive the transaction ID as confirmation.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and confirm your trip booking
• Send trip details, pickup times, packing lists, and updates via WhatsApp
• Coordinate with our vendors (bus operators, homestays, activity partners) to arrange your trip
• Verify payment and manage booking records
• Respond to enquiries and provide customer support
• Send notifications about new trips and early-bird offers (only if you opted in or have previously booked)
• Improve our services based on feedback

Information Sharing

We share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Trip vendors: We share names, phone numbers, and food preferences with bus operators, homestays, and activity providers (e.g., scuba dive center) solely to arrange your trip
• Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or governmental authority
• Safety: To protect the safety of our participants or the public in an emergency

We do not share your data with marketers, advertisers, data brokers, or any other commercial third parties.

Data Storage & Security

Your booking data is stored in Google Sheets (via Google Forms / Google Apps Script integration), which is secured by Google's infrastructure and protected by our Google Workspace account.

WhatsApp communications are stored within WhatsApp's own infrastructure, subject to Meta's privacy policies.

We take reasonable precautions to protect your data but cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted over the internet.

Retention: We retain booking records for 3 years for accounting and legal compliance purposes. Communication data is retained for 1 year. Health/medical forms collected for scuba diving are deleted after the trip.

WhatsApp & Communication

We use WhatsApp Business as our primary communication channel. By booking a trip, you consent to receive trip-related messages on your WhatsApp number.

• We will send you trip confirmation, payment receipts, pre-trip instructions, and post-trip follow-ups
• With your consent, we may add you to our WhatsApp broadcast list for upcoming trip announcements
• You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by messaging "STOP" or "Remove me"
• Essential trip communications (pickup time changes, safety updates) cannot be opted out of for active bookings

Cookies & Website Analytics

Our website is a static HTML site. We may use basic analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand visitor behavior — pages visited, time on site, traffic sources — to improve our content.

Analytics data is aggregated and anonymized. We do not use cookies for advertising tracking or cross-site profiling.

The booking form submits data to Google Apps Script. Google's privacy policy applies to data processed through their infrastructure.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
• Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@sancharitravels.in or WhatsApp. We will respond within 10 working days.

Children's Privacy

Our trips are designed for adults (18+). Participants under 18 may join with explicit written consent from a parent or guardian.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us immediately for deletion.

Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. For significant changes, we will notify active customers via WhatsApp.

Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

This policy is governed by the laws of India, including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and applicable rules thereunder.