Last Updated: August 22, 2026
Welcome to Gathering Wonders accessible at https://gatheringwonders.com/. Your privacy matters to us, and this Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices and rights available to you.
By using Gathering Wonders, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Site.
1. Who We Are
Gathering Wonders is a travel, food, and lifestyle blog run by Shiva, covering travel tips, destinations, food, and lifestyle content for readers around the world, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Contact us: Email: contact@gatheringwonders.com
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Contact Form: When you reach out to us through our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message.
- Comments: When you leave a comment on a blog post, we collect your name, email address, and any information included in the comment itself.
- Newsletter Subscription: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your name and email address through our email service provider, ConvertKit.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Analytics Data: We use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to understand how visitors use our Site. This may include your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, time spent on the Site, referring URLs, and general location data (such as country or city).
- Cloudflare: We use Cloudflare for content delivery and security purposes, which may process technical information such as your IP address to help protect and speed up our Site.
2.3 Information Collected by Third Parties (Ads, Affiliates & Embeds)
Advertising Networks: We display ads through networks including Google AdSense, Mediavine, Raptive, Ezoic, and Journey by Mediavine. These networks may use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to serve personalized or interest-based ads and measure ad performance.
Affiliate Links: We participate in affiliate marketing programs, including Amazon Associates, Booking.com, and other relevant affiliate networks. When you click an affiliate link, the affiliate network may place a cookie on your device to track referrals and conversions. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
YouTube Embeds: Some pages may include embedded YouTube videos. YouTube (Google) may collect data and set cookies when you interact with embedded video content, in accordance with Google’s own privacy policy.
Important Note on Cookies: Gathering Wonders does not directly set tracking cookies on our own. However, our advertising partners, affiliate networks, analytics tools, and embedded content (such as YouTube) may place cookies or similar technologies on your device through their own systems when you interact with links, ads, or embedded content on our Site.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to your inquiries and messages submitted via our contact form
- Publish and manage blog comments
- Send newsletters, updates, and promotional content (if you’ve subscribed)
- Analyze site traffic and improve our content, layout, and user experience
- Display relevant advertising through our ad partners
- Track affiliate referrals and commissions
- Maintain the security and performance of our Site
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not sell your personal information for money. Certain data-sharing with advertising and analytics partners may be considered a “sale” or “share” under CCPA/CPRA definitions. See Section 7 below for your rights regarding this.
4. Sharing Your Information
We may share your information with:
Service providers who help us operate the Site, such as our web host, ConvertKit (email marketing), and Cloudflare (security/performance)
Analytics providers, such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console
Advertising networks, such as Google AdSense, Mediavine, Raptive, Ezoic, and Journey by Mediavine
Affiliate networks, such as Amazon Associates and Booking.com, for tracking referrals
Legal authorities, if required to comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own independent marketing purposes.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, including:
Contact form submissions: retained as needed to respond to and document inquiries
Comments: retained for as long as the associated blog post remains published, unless removal is requested
Newsletter data: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
You may request earlier deletion of your data at any time (see Section 8).
7. Your Privacy Rights
7.1 GDPR Rights (EU/EEA/UK Residents)
If you are located in the EU, EEA, or UK, you have the right to:
Access the personal data we hold about you
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Erase your personal data (“right to be forgotten”)
Restrict or object to our processing of your data
Data portability: receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
7.2 CCPA/CPRA Rights (California Residents)
If you are a California resident, under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), you have the right to:
- Know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
- Delete personal information we have collected from you
- Correct inaccurate personal information
- Opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information (including for cross-context behavioral advertising)
- Limit the use of sensitive personal information
- Non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
Because our advertising partners (such as Google AdSense, Mediavine, Raptive, Ezoic, and Journey by Mediavine) may use cookies for interest-based advertising, this may be considered “sharing” under CPRA. You can opt out of this by adjusting your ad/cookie preferences or using your browser’s privacy settings.
7.3 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the rights above, please contact us at contact@gatheringwonders.com. We will respond to verifiable requests within the timeframe required by applicable law.
8. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
While Gathering Wonders does not directly set its own tracking cookies, our third-party partners (analytics, advertising, affiliate, and embedded content providers) may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies when you interact with our Site. These may include:
Google Analytics & Search Console cookies (site usage tracking)
Advertising cookies from Google AdSense, Mediavine, Raptive, Ezoic, and Journey by Mediavine
Affiliate tracking cookies from Amazon Associates, Booking.com, and other affiliate partners
YouTube cookies when embedded videos are viewed
Managing Cookies: You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that blocking cookies may affect certain features of the Site or third-party content (such as embedded videos or personalized ads).
For more information on how Google uses data from sites that use its services, visit: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
9. Third-Party Links & Services
Our Site contains links to third-party websites, products, and services, including affiliate links and embedded content (such as YouTube videos).
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
10. Data Security
We use industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:
SSL/HTTPS encryption across our Site
Cloudflare security and network protection
While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. Children’s Privacy
Gathering Wonders is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at contact@gatheringwonders.com.
12. International Data Transfers
As our audience includes readers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) for such transfers.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The updated version will be indicated by a revised “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:
Email: contact@gatheringwonders.com Website: https://gatheringwonders.com/
This Privacy Policy is provided for general informational purposes and is designed to align with common requirements under GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and general online privacy practices. It is not a substitute for legal advice. We recommend consulting a qualified attorney to ensure full compliance with all laws applicable to your specific situation.