Conditions

Booking Conditions

Please read the following conditions carefully

1. All bookings are made with Alpine Guides Ltd, company number 4901552, whose registered office is at 13 Farnley Lane, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 2AB and whose directors are Alun Powell and Richard Cross.
2. In compliance with the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, all advance payments made by clients are held in an independent trust account until the course finish date or until such time as either party cancels, subject to the cancellation conditions detailed below.
3. We only accept bookings from persons over the age of 18 at the time of booking. Bookings by or on behalf of persons under the age of 18 may be accepted on certain courses when accompanied by written parental consent.
4. Your booking must be accompanied with a deposit of £150 per person per course booked, or if booked within 42 days of the course start date by the full payment. When we have received payment and checked all information contained within your booking form, we will accept your booking. You will then be sent a booking confirmation receipt, together with further course information.
5. Balance of payment is due 42 days prior to the course start date. We prefer you to pay full balance by cheque or debit card. All credit card transactions incur a 2% transaction fee. If full payment is not received by this date we reserve the right to cancel your booking without refund.
6. For courses taking place outside the United Kingdom you must purchase specialist mountaineering insurance covering helicopter rescue, medical treatment and repatriation (plus on and off piste skiing for ski courses). You are required to send us a photocopy of your insurance certificate when you make final payment. We reserve the right to cancel your booking at any time if we are not satisfied you have adequate insurance in place. You must bring all insurance documentation with you on the course.
7. If you wish to cancel you must notify us in writing, where upon the following charges will be applied from the date we receive your notice of cancellation: More than 6 weeks (42 days) before start date – loss of deposit. Between 3 and 6 weeks (21-42 days) before start date – 50% of course fee.Less than 3 weeks (21 days) before start date – full course fee
8. Requests for course transfers must be made more than 42 days prior to original start date and are subject to availability and a £25 administration fee. Clients also have the right to transfer their booking to another person who satisfies all conditions for the course (including health, fitness and experience requirements), subject to the same conditions above.
9. We reserve the right to cancel any course due to insufficient numbers, or transfer bookings between courses to make numbers viable. In either event clients will be informed of our decision as soon as possible and not less than 21 days before start date. You will be offered either a free transfer, a full refund, or a mutually agreed alternative program. You must inform us as soon as possible which you choose to accept.
10. At the discretion of the course director, guiding ratios may be varied from the stated course ratio to cover eventualities such as staff illness or absence, so long as this does not breach accepted local guiding ratios or other professional guidelines laid out by the British Association of Mountain Guides.
11. Whilst we maintain high professional standards of client care and safety, you must realise and accept that climbing, mountaineering and skiing take place in remote and hazardous mountain terrain. All clients must be aware that taking part in such activities involves an acceptance of objective risks and taking responsibility for ones own actions.
12. When booking on expeditions to remote areas lacking formal rescue and healthcare facilities, you may be asked to agree to a mutual medical consent form. This means that you agree to providing and receiving medical treatment from the guide or other team members in case of accident or illness, whilst evacuation plans are put into effect. Although you do not have to give consent to such an arrangement, if we believe that in doing so your own safety or that of others may be compromised during the expedition, we reserve the right to cancel your booking with a full refund.
13. All information contained within our website, brochure and other publicity is for guidance only. Whilst making every effort to ensure accuracy, we cannot be responsible for any inaccuracies or alterations beyond our control. Should any changes occur, clients will be notified before a booking is accepted.
14. Although we adhere to planned itineraries wherever possible, changes may occur to both travel and guiding itineraries due to external factors beyond our control. In particular, the guide has total discretion to alter programs at any time in the interests of client safety, mountain or weather conditions.
15. By booking you agree to abide by instructions and decisions made by the guide regarding individuals and the group as a whole. Our guides reserve the right to exclude individuals from a planned activity on the grounds of health, safety or the success and enjoyment of the rest of the party. Any individuals so excluded are not entitled to a refund. Any individual contravening the decisions or advice of their guide, or undertaking independent mountain activities during the course shall forfeit all protection and duty of care from the guide.
16. We accept no liability for the consequences of strikes, riots, acts of war or terrorism, disease outbreaks, government intervention, natural disasters or adverse weather conditions. If such occurrences cause us to have to cancel a course or trip we will offer an alternative holiday if possible, but accept no liability for return of fees paid prior to cancellation or curtailment.
17. Prices are based on exchange rates, taxes, fees and transport costs at September 2003. In the event that these rates change considerably, we may make a price revision (up or down) as follows: The Company accepts up to 5% change in total course fee due to such variations. Thereafter a refund or surcharge may be made to clients amounting to the additional saving or cost exceeding 5% of the total course fee. You will be informed of any price revision not less than 30 days prior to course start date and may cancel your booking with full refund should any surcharge exceed 10% of the total course fee.
18. If you have a complaint about the service you receive at any point during the course you must notify ourselves or the local service provider involved as soon as possible to give us the opportunity to put things right. None of our service providers have authority to promise refunds or compensation on behalf of Alpine Guides Ltd. Only the company directors are authorised to make such decisions.
19. All terms and conditions between clients and Alpine Guides Ltd are to be governed by and held under the exclusive jurisdiction of English Law.
20. Making your booking implies that you understand and accept the booking conditions and agree to abide by them.