Terms & Conditions

Before making a booking please read our How to Book page and understand our Terms and Conditions outlined below.

1. Booking: Our minimum age on a Tracks and Trails trip  (excluding a Family Adventure or a Private Group) is 18 years old at the time of travel. Anyone under the age of 18 years old at the time of travel must be accompanied by an adult and subject to the written consent of their parent or legal guardian.

2. Booking Conditions: By booking with Tracks and Trails Ltd you accept to be bound by the terms and conditions outlined herein. Where one person makes a booking on behalf of a group of individuals all participants within the group agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

3. Legal Jurisdiction: All terms and conditions between clients and Tracks and Trails Ltd are to be governed by and held under the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

4. Contractual Responsibility: All booking arrangements are made with Tracks and Trails Ltd, which is a Private Limited Company registered in England with Companies House under the Registration Number of 7596893.

5. Deposit: Your booking must be accompanied by a deposit per person of £300. If booking within 56 days (8 weeks) of the date on which the trip starts full payment will be requested. Deposits are non-refundable if you choose to cancel. When Tracks and Trails Ltd has received your initial payment your booking is accepted. You will be sent a booking confirmation receipt together with further information regarding the trip you have booked. 

6. Balance of Payment: Balance payments are due 56 days (8 weeks) prior to the trip start date. If full payment is not received by this date Tracks and Trails Ltd reserves the right to cancel your booking without any refund of the trip deposit.

7. Your Holiday Price and Exchange Rate Fluctuation: Tracks and Trails Ltd reserves the right to adjust pricing of our products and services displayed on our website and marketing materials. You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed. Upon receipt of your deposit the price of your total trip cost is fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges.

8. Minimum Numbers: We reserve the right to cancel trips or activities where the minimum number of participants has not been reached. We will not cancel your trip less than 56 days (8 weeks) before your departure date, except where necessary due to Force Majeure, failure by you to provide adequate insurance cover for your chosen trip, or failure by you to pay the final balance due.

9. Security of Pre-Payments: Your funds made available to Tracks and Trails Ltd through your booking are protected by a trust account. Tracks and Trails Ltd has in place the package operator’s trust account in accordance with the "European Union Package Travel Regulations of 1992". This account is administered by HSBC Bank plc, 1 High Street West, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 8AL, United Kingdom into which all trip payments are placed and will remain until the trip is complete. In the event of financial failure before your departure, all monies paid, excluding insurance premiums and travel, will be refunded to you. If financial failure should occur, all sums will be applied to the completion of the trip.

In addition, as of the 1st November 2019, in accordance with "The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018" all passengers booking with Tracks and Trails Ltd are also fully protected by Financial Failure Insurance for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Tracks and Trails.

There is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips, and none is provided. This insurance is only valid for packages booked and DOES NOT include flights.

This Insurance has been arranged by International Passenger Protection Limited and underwritten by Certain underwriters at Lloyd’s. For further information please go to www.ipplondon.co.uk 

Consumer aware: Your booking is insured by IPP Ltd and its panel of insurers. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay directly with/to Tracks and Trails Ltd. If you have booked and/ or paid direct to a Travel Agent for a holiday with Tracks and Trails Ltd please request proof of how the booking is secured as this will not be covered by IPP Ltd in this instance.

10. Insurance: It is essential that you, the client, ensure adequate insurance cover is in place before departure. It is a condition of booking that you have insurance which covers medical expenses, injury, illness, death, cost of repatriation and personal accident risks. This must include cover for the activities to be undertaken during the trip, as well as trip cancellation and curtailment. For tours taking place in a country other than the United Kingdom you must ensure that your insurance includes rescue from the mountains, including helicopter rescue. Costs incurred by you, the client, due to an evacuation, rescue or other emergency event shall be your responsibility. Any subsequent costs incurred for expenses, not limited to but including such costs as hotels, food, transport, etc shall be borne by you, the client. You are responsible for ensuring that any insurance cover is adequate for the needs of your chosen trip. We do not check insurance policies. You must be fully aware of the implications involved in arranging your own travel insurance and understand the limitations and exclusions of the policy.

All baggage and personal effects, including bicycles, are at all times taken at your own risk. We will not be responsible for any loss, damage or accident to any luggage or property, however incurred.

If you are booking on behalf of other people it is important you ensure that appropriate insurance has been arranged by ALL OTHERS included on your Booking Form.

Please ensure that your insurance covers you to the maximum altitude given on your trip itinerary. The maximum altitude for any trip can be checked on the 'At A Glance' box on each trip page.

Most of our trips have a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres, if necessary ask Tracks and Trails for specific details. Please bring a copy of your insurance details with you, and carry it at all times. Your insurance must be valid for the entire duration of your trip. Failure to provide proof of insurance, if requested, will mean you will be asked to leave the trip. We reserve the right to cancel your booking at any time, with no refund, if we are not satisfied that you have adequate insurance in place. This is for your own financial protection in the event of an injury or an accident.

By agreeing to our Terms and Conditions you are authorising Tracks and Trails Ltd or person employed to lead the trip for Tracks and Trails Ltd to instigate rescue and/or helicopter evacuation procedures without previously obtaining the permission of the company issuing your insurance policy.

Please visit our trip Insurance pages for more information. 

11. Client Cancellation: If you wish to cancel you must notify Tracks and Trails Ltd in writing, whereupon the following charges will be applied from the date they receive your notice of cancellation:

  • More than 56 days (8 weeks) before departure: Loss of deposit

  • 56-30 days before departure: Loss of 50% of total trip cost 

  • Less than 30 days before departure: Loss of 100% of total trip cost

We advise you to take out insurance to cover cancellation of your trip and baggage loss. 

11a. Curtailment of Trip: If you are forced to end your trip before it is due to finish then we cannot refund the cost of any trip arrangements you have not used. If you curtail your holiday and return home before it is due to finish in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your holiday not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.

12. Trip Cancellation: We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 6 weeks before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. We may cancel your holiday before this date if, for example, the minimum number of clients required for a particular trip to be guaranteed to run has not been reached. In this case we will not be liable for any travel or other expenses that you may have incurred in expectation of the trip taking place. If we have to make a major change to your trip or cancel the trip, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of:
 
1. Accepting any changed arrangements. 
2. Having a refund of all monies paid 
3. Accepting an offer of transferring to another trip if a trip is available. We will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value than your original booking. 
 

13. Booking Transfer: Should you, the client, be unable to participate in a trip having made a booking then Tracks and Trails Ltd will endeavour to facilitate the transfer of your place to another person should you wish us to do so. Such a transfer of your place to another person requires they satisfy all the conditions for the trip (including health and fitness requirements). While Tracks and Trails Ltd will endeavour to facilitate a transfer of a booking, it does not guarantee that in all circumstances this will be possible and is subject to their discretion. Any transfer will be subject to an administration fee of £30.

14. Personal Risk: Tracks and Trails Ltd maintains high professional standards of client care and safety. In choosing to undertake activities in a mountain environment you accept that these activities may pose a danger of personal injury or even death. All clients must be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement in such activities.

15. Medical Care: By booking a trip you (and, in the case of a group booking, all other members of your group) attest to being in good medical health and able to participate in your chosen trip. If you suffer from a medical condition that may prejudice your participation you must provide a medical certificate from your doctor stating that he/she believes you may safely undertake the trip you have booked at the time of making the booking. In booking a trip you accept that in case of accident or illness Tracks and Trails Ltd may need to execute evacuation plans or provide for medical treatment. It is your responsibility to inform Tracks and Trails Ltd when booking the trip if you do not feel you can give consent to such an arrangement. If Tracks and Trails Ltd believes that in doing so your own safety or that of others may be compromised during the trip, we reserve the right to cancel your booking with a full refund.

16. Itinerary: Tracks and Trails Ltd adheres to planned itineraries wherever possible, however changes may occur to both travel and guided itineraries due to external factors beyond its control. In particular, the person leading the trip has complete discretion to alter programmes at any time in the interests of client safety. In respect of Bespoke/Private trips any changes to the itinerary will be paid by the client. With regard to Scheduled Departures any changes made by the guide/company will be borne by Tracks and Trails Ltd. 

17. Duty of Care: By booking you agree to abide by instructions and decisions made by the person leading the trip. Tracks and Trails Ltd reserves the right to exclude individuals from a trip on the grounds of health or safety. Any individuals so excluded are not entitled to a refund. Any individual contravening the decisions or advice of the person leading the trip, or undertaking independent activities not authorised during the trip, relinquishes the protection and duty of care of the person leading the trip for Tracks and Trails Ltd.

18. Leaving a Trip: It is understood that if you decide to voluntarily leave a trip Tracks and Trails Ltd shall not be held liable for your safety, well-being or costs incurred following your departure from a trip.

19. Fitness: By booking a trip with Tracks and Trails Ltd you confirm you have understood the level of fitness and ability required for your chosen trip. If your fitness or ability does not meet the minimum requirements prior to embarking on a trip, or during participation in an activity, we reserve the right to ask you to discontinue your participation.

20. Publicity: All information contained within the Tracks and Trails website and other publicity is for guidance only. Whilst making every effort to ensure accuracy, Tracks and Trails Ltd cannot be responsible for any inaccuracies or alterations beyond their control. Should any changes occur clients will be notified before a booking is accepted.

21. Complaints: If you have a complaint about the service you receive at any point during your trip you should notify Tracks and Trails Ltd as soon as possible to give us the opportunity to rectify the situation to a mutual agreement. If the complaint is unresolved to your satisfaction during the trip you should detail your complaint in writing within 28 days of the trip finishing. 

22. Unavoidable Occurrences: Tracks and Trails Ltd does not accept liability for the consequences of strikes, riots, acts of war or terrorism, disease outbreaks, government intervention, natural disasters or adverse/unusual weather conditions. If such occurrences cause Tracks and Trails Ltd to cancel a trip we will endeavour to offer an alternative, but accept no liability for return of fees paid prior to cancellation or curtailment. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute 'Force Majeure',  an unavoidable occurrence.

23. Accommodation: Accommodation is usually in twin or double rooms unless otherwise stated. We request that solo travellers share a twin room. Single rooms are often available on our trips, but if you request a single room it will incur a supplementary fee. Mountain hut accommodation is frequently in dormitory rooms.

24. Visa and Travel Requirements: You will need a valid passport if travelling outside your country of residence. Nationals of the EU, the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia do not require tourist visas to visit Switzerland as long as the period does not exceed three months. Visitors from the USA and Canada travelling to Switzerland must be in possession of a travel document that meets both of the following requirements: the validity of a travel document must extend at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen area; and the travel document must have been issued within the previous 10 year period. Nationals of other countries not mentioned heretofore should check the visa requirement with the relevant embassy or consulate. It is advisable that you have 3-6 months on your passport to cover any unforeseen circumstances that might occur whilst you are away such as: injury, illness or long delays.

It is the clients responsibility to ensure they have the correct visa and passport validity for the destination that they are visiting. Individual country requirements can be changed at any time by the country in question.

25. Our Partners: Tracks and Trails Ltd has developed partnerships with other well-established travel companies. This constitutes a standard practice in the travel industry and increases the probability a trip will run, such that the chosen trip will take place as planned. We only work with partners who have corresponding values and standards of service as Tracks and Trails Ltd. Our partners are: KE Adventure Travel, The Off Piste & Telemark Ski Company, Cloud 9 Adventure and Col di Lavacchio. You can read more about this policy here.

26. Third Party Providers: Tracks and Trails Ltd has researched to the best of its ability the practice of the providers of activities, accommodation and transport it utilises. In the event of any unforeseen circumstances, accident or event due to the actions of a third party Tracks and Trails Ltd shall not be held liable.

These terms and conditions contained herein shall apply to all bookings made with Tracks and Trails Ltd as of 24 March 2020.

Please print off and retain a copy for your own records. If you do not understand any of the Terms and Conditions please contact us for clarification.