privacy policy
privacy policy
(Effective May 3, 2026)
Introduction
Essential History Expeditions, operated by Birchwood Tours ("we," "us," or "our"), respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.historyexp.com (the "Site"), book a tour or expedition, or otherwise interact with our services. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using our Site or services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide to Us
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you book a tour, register for an expedition, fill out a contact form, sign up for our newsletter, or otherwise communicate with us. This information may include:
• Contact Information. Your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number.
• Booking and Travel Information. The number of rooms requested, dietary restrictions, mobility or accessibility requirements, and other logistical preferences relevant to your trip.
• Passport and Identification Data. If your trip requires flights, ferries, trains, or hotel reservations, we may collect passport information following your initial registration. By proceeding with your booking and providing such information when requested, you consent to our collection and use of this information for travel arrangement purposes as described in this Privacy Policy.
• Health and Accessibility Information. We may request information regarding dietary requirements, health conditions, and mobility considerations as necessary for trip logistics, such as arranging appropriate accommodations. Collection of health information is voluntary, and we will obtain your express consent before collecting such information. You may decline to provide this information, though doing so may limit our ability to accommodate certain needs.
• Communications. Any messages, inquiries, or other content you submit through our contact forms or by email.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, certain information may be collected automatically, including:
• Analytics Data. We may use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics or Vercel Analytics, to collect information about how you interact with our Site, including pages viewed, time spent on the Site, and referring URLs.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies. Our Site may use cookies or similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and collect usage data. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Payment Information
We do not directly collect or store payment card information. All payment transactions are processed through third-party payment gateways, such as PayPal, which are integrated through our booking platform, Bookeo. These payment processors have their own privacy policies governing their collection and use of your payment information.
How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
• Fulfilling Bookings and Providing Services. To process your tour reservations, arrange flights, ferries, trains, hotels, and other travel logistics, and to accommodate your dietary, health, or mobility requirements.
• Communications. To respond to your inquiries submitted through our contact forms or by other means.
• Marketing. To send you newsletters and marketing communications via email if you have opted in to receive them. If you participate in a personal (open or private) trip, we will provide you with the option to opt in to our marketing distribution list at the time of booking. If you participate in a corporate or university trip, we will not add your email to the marketing distribution list without your express consent.
• Analytics and Site Improvement. To analyze how visitors use our Site in order to improve its functionality and user experience.
How We Share Your Information
We may share your personal information with the following categories of third parties:
• Travel Suppliers. We share guest names, passport information, and relevant accommodation needs (such as mobility requirements and health-related dietary restrictions) with airlines, ferry operators, train operators, restaurants, and hotels as necessary to fulfill your travel arrangements. We require these third parties to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information and to use it only for the purposes for which it was disclosed.
• Service Providers. We use third-party service providers to support our operations, including:
• Bookeo – our booking engine, used to collect and store guest registration and booking data;
• Mailchimp – our email marketing platform, used to store email addresses and send newsletters and marketing communications;
• Makeswift – our website editor, which stores information submitted through contact forms and newsletter opt-ins;
• PayPal and/or Stripe – our payment processors, which handle payment transactions through our booking platform;
• Datto Workplace – our secure document storage platform, used to store passport and other sensitive guest information.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
International Data Transfers
The majority of our tours and expeditions take place outside the United States. As a result, your personal information, including your name and passport data, may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the United States in connection with fulfilling your travel arrangements. We take reasonable steps to ensure that your information receives an adequate level of protection in the jurisdictions in which we process it. By booking a tour with us, you acknowledge and expressly consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside of the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your home country.
Data Storage and Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Our security practices include the following:
• Password Protection and Access Controls. Our booking platform (Bookeo), website editor (Makeswift), and document storage platform (Datto Workplace) are all password protected, and we control user access to each system.
• Time-Sensitive Sharing. When we share passport information with hotels, we use a feature in Datto Workplace that provides time-sensitive access controls, limiting the period during which the information can be accessed.
• Email Marketing Security. Email addresses stored in Mailchimp are subject to Mailchimp's own security practices and protocols.
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. In the event of a data breach that compromises your personal information, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Specifically, we retain booking and travel information for 7 years after the completion of your trip to comply with tax, accounting, and legal requirements. When you request deletion of your data, we will take reasonable steps to delete or anonymize your personal information from our active systems within 90 days, subject to any legal obligations requiring us to retain certain records. We will confirm completion of your deletion request in writing.
Your Choices
Marketing Communications
You may opt in to receive our newsletter and marketing emails through our website or during the booking process. You may opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link included in each marketing email or by contacting us directly. Please note that opting out of marketing communications will not affect transactional or service-related communications regarding your bookings.
Cookies
Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. You can usually modify your browser settings to remove or reject cookies. Please note that removing or rejecting cookies may affect the functionality of our Site.
Access and Correction
You may contact us at any time to request access to, correction of, or deletion of the personal information we hold about you. We will respond to your request within forty-five (45) days of receipt, and will provide you with the requested information or an explanation if we cannot fulfill your request. If additional time is needed, we will notify you of the extension and the reason for it. You also have the right to request information about the categories of personal information we collect, the sources from which it is collected, the purposes for which it is used, and the categories of third parties with whom it is shared.
Children's Privacy
Our Site and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent as required by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without proper parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at info@historyexp.com.
Third-Party Links and Services
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, services, or platforms, including those of our travel suppliers, payment processors, and booking partners. This Privacy Policy does not apply to any third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Essential History Expeditions
9533 Mountain Ridge Drive
Boulder, CO 80302
In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans.
For your convenience, we offer a Travelex Insurance Services protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For more information on the available plans click here or contact Travelex Insurance 800-228-9792 and reference location number 06-0263.
The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc CA Agency License #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535, state of domicile: New York), 1299 Zurich Way, Schaumburg, IL 60196. Coverages available to residents of U.S. States and the District of Columbia only. Certain coverages are not available in all states.
