|
Your Contract
Your
contract will be with Hidden Trails Ltd. These booking conditions form the sole
contract between Hidden Trails Ltd. and the person signing the reservation form
the “Traveler” (who must be over the age of 18) and shall be deemed to sign this
form on behalf of all persons named therein. The person signing the booking form
(which incorporates these booking conditions) warrants that he/she and all such
persons are fully aware of and accept these conditions. If clients book by
telephone, internet or fax they will be deemed to have read the booking
conditions and are in agreement with them. This contract is subject to Canadian
law with British Columbia Courts having exclusive jurisdiction.
Deposit payment
By making a reservation with Hidden Trails either by fax,
mail or internet submission, you accept the Hidden Trails Booking Conditions and
enter into a legally binding commitment. Once we receive your reservation, we
will confirm availability and if available charge the pending payment to your
credit card. Only once we have secured the deposit, will your reservation
be confirmed to you in writing (e-mail). Your actual participation in the trip
is not confirmed until Hidden Trails Ltd. has received all the signed booking
and liability release forms. A deposit of 25% of the total balance (50% for
group bookings of 6+) with a minimum of US$ 350 per person is due at the time of
booking (higher deposits are required for certain trips). The final balance is
due 70 days prior to the departure date. If the booking is made within 70 days
of departure the full amount is required at the time of booking. No deposit will
be charged if we cannot confirm your trip. A full refund will be made in case we
have to cancel your trip for any reason.
Last Minute Bookings
If you make your reservation less than 5 days before the travel date, there is a
5% supplemental fee to offset our additional expenses.
Group
Bookings/Discounts
Many of our trips offer discounted rates
for groups. In order to qualify for these discounts, we will need one group
leader to make the reservation for the whole group - individual reservations
will not qualify regardless of total number of participants. Payments (deposit
and final payment) should also be made with either one credit card, check or
bank transfer.
Payment of the balance
Once we have confirmed
your trip (not at the time of submitting your reservation), we will process the
payment due to your credit card. The deposit will be treated as part payment of
the total amount due. If your reservation is made less than 70 days out,
full payment is due at time of confirmation. After we have processed or received
the deposit, you will receive a Final Invoice showing the total cost of your
vacation and the balance owing. Hidden Trails will automatically process
the final balance when it is due (70 days prior to arrival) on your submitted
credit card, unless you instruct us otherwise in due time. If the balance is not
paid/ received 70 days prior to the date of departure, Hidden Trails Ltd. shall
have the right to cancel the booking without further notice, and cancellation
charges as set out below will apply.
If you cancel your booking
If you find it necessary to cancel your booking, you must advise Hidden Trails
Ltd. in writing, the letter being signed by the person who signed the original
booking form. Cancellation charges will be calculated as follows (period before
departure date within which written notice of cancellation is received):
71
days or more: deposit (deposits are non-refundable)
70-61 days: 65% of total
price or deposit if higher
under 61 days: 100 % of total balance
If cancellation falls within the
terms of an insurance policy you may be able to claim for cancellation charges, therefore we highly recommend to purchase trip cancellation insurance. Insurance premiums will not be refundable.
If after
acceptance of the booking you wish to alter the confirmed arrangements a
minimum fee of US $75 per person for each change may be charged if such change
is possible. If the alteration is less than 90 days prior to departure the
cancellation charges shown above may be applied. Any changes to the original
booking will not be effective until it is received and agreed in writing by
Hidden Trails Ltd. Any additional costs imposed by our suppliers may also be
charged.
If we
change your vacation
When you have made your contract with Hidden Trails
Ltd., we will use our best endeavors to ensure that none of the ingredients of
your vacation arrangements have to be altered. However, as the arrangements are
planned months in advance, sometimes changes may have to be made. In case of a
significant change, you will be informed when you book or, if you have already
booked, as soon as possible, if there is time before your departure. You may
then a) accept the change, or b) book any other available trip from this
brochure (where the price is less Hidden Trails Ltd. will pay you the
difference, but where the price is more you will be expected to pay the
difference) or c) cancel your booking and receive a full refund of all moneys
paid to Hidden Trails Ltd. In addition, you will receive a compensation as
follows (except where the change is caused by Force Majeure, see below):
Compensation per person
before balance due date nil
2-8 weeks US $ 20
less than 2 weeks US $ 40
Should Hidden Trails Ltd. have to alter your
arrangements after departure, we will make every effort to make suitable
alternative arrangements. Where those arrangements are less expensive, you will
be refunded the difference. Where they are more expensive, Hidden Trails Ltd.
will bear the cost.
Force Majeure
Compensation payments do
not apply where our contract with you cannot be carried out because of unusual
and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of Hidden Trails Ltd. or its
suppliers, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even with the
exercise of all due care. Examples include war, threat of war, riot, civil
strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster,
fire or adverse weather conditions, technical or maintenance problems with
transport, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an
airline, the alteration of the airline or aircraft type or other similar events
beyond the control of Hidden Trails Ltd.
Cancellation of your
vacation
Hidden Trails Ltd. acts only as agent on behalf of you, the
Traveler, in order to obtain accommodations, transportation or other services.
The tour may be canceled at any time, even after you, the Traveler, have
departed the USA or Canada, for reasons beyond the control of Hidden Trails Ltd.
Hidden Trails shall have no responsibility for any such cancellation, except to
refund that which has been paid to Hidden Trails Ltd. by you, the Traveler.
Hidden Trails shall have no responsibility to you, the Traveler, for any
inability to complete the tour by reason of travel restrictions, travel delays,
quarantines, medical or customs regulations, delays or cancellations of or
changes in itinerary or schedules of carriers, or injury to or inability of
Traveler. Hidden Trails Ltd. reserves the right to cancel, without any
obligation to refund, make alternative arrangements, or pay compensation, where
the customer fails to make payment (see “Payment of the balance”) or otherwise
the customer’s behavior brings the vacation to an end.
Prices
Hidden Trails can only process US$ funds on your credit card. We do accept Can$
and US$ checks. We can also bill you in Euros for trips that are based on the
Euro - only to be paid via bank transfer to our Euro account in Germany.
US$ prices for trips outside the USA are based on the foreign currency
amount for that country. The set US$ rates are subject to change due to currency
fluctuations. The trip cost in the foreign currency is listed on our website and
will be shown on your invoice. If your trip is based on a foreign currency
(other than US$) we will adjust your invoice, at time of final payment,
according to the current exchange rate of that day - as given to us by our
exchange broker.
Rates may also be adjust due to reasons beyond our control
- i.e. transportation costs etc.
Dealing with complaints fairly
In the event that you have a complaint about any of the vacation
arrangements, you must tell the local suppliers at the time, or call Hidden
Trails Ltd. (we will accept reverse charge calls, but may not be available on
weekends) in order that we are given the opportunity to rectify the matter
during your vacation. Failure to complain at the time or to us in this manner
will result in the customer’s ability to claim compensation from Hidden Trails
Ltd. as it will be extinguished or at least reduced. In any event, any complaint
about the trip must be made in writing to us not later than 28 days following
the completion of the vacation.
Insurance
Riding horses and
other adventure trips like those offered by Hidden Trails Ltd. is at all times a
dangerous sport. Accidents can and do occur occasionally. Therefore, Hidden
Trails Ltd. insists that you carry your own health, accident, emergency
evacuation and liability insurance or agree in writing to assume responsibility
for any injuries. Travel insurance is mandatory for all clients and clients are
responsible for arranging their own insurance. Clients are responsible for
ensuring that they are in possession of travel insurance with protection for the
full duration of the vacation in respect of medical expenses, injury, death,
repatriation, as well as cancellation and curtailment. Clients making their
arrangements must ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection
for the type of activities included in their vacation. Clients should be certain
that any travel insurance arrangements, made through any agency or individuals,
are sufficient for their requirements and should arrange supplementary insurance
if necessary. If Hidden Trails makes the insurance arrangements for you
initially, it is still your responsibility to check with the insurance company
that you are adequately insured for the right time and amount. Hidden Trails
only initiates the insurance and is in no way involved in the following
contract.
Liability
Hidden Trails Ltd. does not carry
liability insurance and cannot assume any responsibility for accidents whether
caused by your fault, the horse, equipment, guide, or other persons on the trip.
You ride and travel at your own risk. For most trips you will receive a “waiver
of liability form” at the time of your booking (see Riding Tour Agreement on
right hand page). Please be sure to read it carefully, sign it, and return it to
Hidden Trails Ltd. no later than at the time of final payment. You may not start
these rides or other trips unless this form has been returned to us. Changes may
not be made to the liability form unless you receive prior authorization from us
in writing. Hidden Trails Ltd. assumes no responsibility for actions or
omissions by carriers, organizers, hotels, etc. Hidden Trails Ltd. assumes no
responsibility for actions or omissions by any contractor or other persons. The
Traveler agrees that Hidden Trails Ltd. in any case shall not be liable or
responsible for death, personal injury, loss or damage of any nature to the
Traveler or any personal property or baggage of the Traveler, or for any cause
that directly or indirectly relates to the tour, including transportation
arrangements to and from the tour, for any reason or cause whatsoever.
Liability
Release
By making a reservation with Hidden Trails, the Traveler agrees
to all the terms of the Hidden Trails “Recreational Activity Release and Indemnity Agreement”. The traveler agrees
to forward a signed copy of this release to Hidden Trails eight weeks before
starting the trip. Failing to do so may result in cancellation.
Documents
You must make separate arrangements for travel to and from
the starting point of the tour. You must carry with you a valid passport, the
necessary visa and vaccination papers. Any information from Hidden Trails
regarding visas etc., are guidelines only. The traveler is responsible for all
necessary visa, vaccinations and legal documentations.
Riding Ability
The Traveler(s) must disclose accurate information on
their riding ability with their reservation. The Trek Master has full authority
to exclude a rider from the trip for inability to ride according to the riding
level indicated for the tour or behavior which endangers the other riders or
horses. No refunds will be made under these circumstances.
Special
Request or Medical Problems
Although Hidden Trails Ltd will endeavor to
forward any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier, we regret we cannot
promise that any request will be complied with unless we have
specifically confirmed this in writing. Confirmation that a special
request has been noted or passed onto a supplier or the inclusion of the special
request on your confirmation or any other documentation is not confirmation that
the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed all
special requests are subject to availability.
Photography
Hidden Trails may wish to use photographs or film taken during your holiday with
Hidden Trails to promote the trip on our website or publications. If you are
opposed to this, please let us know at time of booking or before starting your
trip.
Hidden
Trails Ltd.
659A Moberly Road Vancouver, BC Canada V5Z 4B3
Toll Free:
1-888-987-2457
Phone: 604-323-1141
FAX: 604-323-1148
e-mail: info@hiddentrails.com
|