Booking Conditions

Please read these booking conditions carefully: they form an important part of the contract for your tour. Salamander Treks Ltd (‘‘the Company’’, “we”, “us” and “our”) accepts bookings subject to the following conditions.

Salamander Adventures: Booking Conditions

 

Please read these booking conditions carefully: they form an important part of the contract for your tour.

Salamander Treks Ltd (‘‘the Company’’, “we”, “us” and “our”) accepts bookings subject to the following conditions.

1. Your tour contract

The contract is between the Company and you (’Salamander Treks’ and ‘you’ in these conditions). All tours detailed in the Salamander Adventures website are operated by Salamander Treks Limited (registered in England & Wales under company No. 6060750). All tours operated by Salamander Treks are sold subject to the following conditions.  Except where expressly stated, these conditions only apply to tour arrangements booked by you with us and which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of their contract with the client. All references in these conditions to ‘tour’, ‘booking’, ‘contract’ or ‘arrangements’ mean such tour arrangements unless otherwise stated. Please note, the information appearing in the sections headed ‘About Us’, ‘How to Book’, ‘Accommodation’, ‘FAQ’, ‘Trip Dossier’, ‘Tour Prices’ and ‘Departure Dates’ and any other relevant information on our website also form part of your contract with the Company.

2. Travel and cancellation insurance

Adequate and valid travel insurance is compulsory when you travel with us and it is a condition of accepting your booking that you agree you will have obtained adequate and valid travel insurance for your booking by the date of departure. We recommend that you take out insurance as soon as your booking is confirmed. This is particularly relevant due to the constantly evolving travel rules and national and local lockdowns due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Your insurance policy should have a built-in level of COVID-19 cover.

You and your belongings are at all times solely at your own risk. You are wholly responsible for arranging your own insurance. You must ensure that you have personal travel insurance with protection for the full duration of the tour in respect of at least medical expenses, injury, death, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment, with adequate and appropriate cover including medical emergency helicopter repatriation. The insurance policy must include specific cover for COVID-19 related issues and incidents which may affect your travel arrangements. You should ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting or excluding protection for the type of activities included in your tour. You should ensure that the insurance policy covers you for guided and/or self-guided activities and treks in the region you are visiting. You should ensure that the insurance covers you when hiking at the highest altitudes reached on your tour. You must ensure that all travel insurance purchased meets your particular requirements and you should arrange supplementary insurance if need be. We strongly recommend you to take out insurance against irrecoverable cancellation costs. You are required to carry proof of insurance with you and obliged to produce it if requested by Company employees or suppliers.

It remains your responsibility to read and understand the insurance policy and ensure that it is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses suffered by you in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

3. Your Financial Protection

Your money is protected when you book with us. Any monies paid by you to us are held in trust by the Travel Trust Association (TTA). Only when your tour has finished are we able to obtain your money from the TTA trust account.

The price of your tour includes the amount of £2.73 per person as part of the TTA Safe Seat Plan that we pay to the TTA. This charge is included in our advertised prices. You are issued with a TTA Safe Seat Plan Certificate when your booking is confirmed by us and this confirms that you money is protected if we fail.

We are a member of the TTA, membership number U8457. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you set by the TTA’s code of conduct.

4. To secure your booking

To make a booking you must complete the on-line booking form and pay a deposit of 20% per person of the tour. The deposit is not refundable. The person making the booking (the ‘lead name’) must be 18 years old or over and possess the legal capacity and authority to make the booking and has read and accepts the booking conditions on behalf of everyone in their party.  Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into force, we reserve the right to increase or decrease tour prices. Once the payment has been received we will send you an e-mail confirmation.  We will then invoice you for the remainder of the cost, which you must pay not later than 70 days before departure. If you book less than 70 days before departure, full payment must be made at the time of booking. The booking is not accepted and no contract exists until the date shown on the confirmation issued by the Company.  If you do not pay the balance of your tour cost within 70 days of departure your booking will be terminated and you will lose your deposit.

5. How to pay

Payments are to be made in British Pounds (GBP). You can pay by bank transfer, credit or debit card or with a Sterling cheque. Cheques should be made out to Salamander Treks Ltd.

If you wish to pay by bank transfer, please let us know and we will send you the account details by e-mail.

If you wish to pay by credit or debit card payment it must be in GBP. We do not accept payment via AMEX.

Please indicate how you wish to pay on the booking form.

Please note that any money paid to us by you is safe when you book with us. All monies are deposited and held in trust by the Trustees of the Travel Trust Association (TTA). Only when your tour has finished do we receive your money.

Please use your surname as a reference for any bank transfer.

Please note that your booking is not confirmed until we have received payment in cleared funds. Any bank charges incurred when sending money to us are to be paid by you.

6. If you cancel your booking

Notification of cancellation must be made to the Company in writing by e-mail.

If you cancel your booking more than 70 days before departure we will not refund your deposit.
If you cancel your booking after you have paid in full the following cancellation charges will be made:
• Between 56 and 70 days before departure: 40% of the tour cost.
• Between 43 and 55 days before departure: 60% of the tour cost.
• 42 days or less before departure (or fail to join the tour): 100% of the tour cost.
These dates refer to our receiving written notification of your cancellation.

Cancellation by you due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances

You have the right to cancel your confirmed tour before departure in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your tour destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the tour or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a refund of the monies you have paid, less any non-refundable charges imposed by our suppliers, but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation.  Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions, which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.

Coronavirus / COVID 19
If you are booked to travel on one of our tours and are unable to do so because you or your travelling companion/any member of your booking party is diagnosed with COVID-19 or you are required to self-isolate (in accordance with then applicable your government coronavirus guidance), you (and/or the person(s) concerned) may cancel your booking on the terms listed below. We agree to waive our usual cancellation charges as set out in these booking conditions.

Please note that you must take out adequate and valid travel insurance as part of your agreement when booking with us: your insurance policy should have a built-in level of COVID-19 cover for which you may be able to claim in case of cancellation.

You may cancel for a COVID-19 reason within 21 days of departure up to and including the day of departure.

We will offer you a cash refund of any recoverable costs of your tour where we are reasonably satisfied that you are cancelling for a COVID-19 reason. Non-recoverable costs may include, but are not limited to, hotels, vehicles and staff that we are contractually obliged to pay in advance. There is a sliding scale of how much we are already committed to and paid for: the closer you are to the date of departure, the more non-recoverable costs will have been paid for. As a general rule, the nearer to departure the more we will have committed to and so the less you will receive.

The right to cancel in accordance with these terms applies to any new booking until further notice. We reserve the right to withdraw our COVID-19 promises at any time.

We have the right to refuse to allow you to cancel and receive a cash refund where we are not reasonably satisfied that you are cancelling for a COVID-19 reason.

A cash refund means a refund to your credit / debit card or bank account (depending on how payment was made originally) of the amount you have paid us for your booking. If you have paid the full cost of the tour, in addition to any non-recoverable costs, we will deduct £50 from your payments to cover the administrative costs associated with the cancellation. If you have paid only the deposit of the tour, in addition to any non-recoverable costs, we will deduct £10 administrative costs. Any non-recoverable costs will be deducted to calculate your refund.

You must notify us of your need to cancel for a COVID-19 reason in writing (which can be by e-mail) as soon as possible. At the same time, you must provide us with appropriate written official evidence of the coronavirus diagnosis or need to self-isolate (for example the confirmation of the test result). Please note that evidence must be provided so if you have what you believe to be COVID-19 symptoms, you must arrange and take a test as soon as possible. In the event that there is insufficient time to take a test before your departure on holiday, please call us by telephone or contact us by e-mail as soon as you can.

Your COVID-19 reason must prevent your departure on holiday taking account of the then applicable coronavirus guidance from your government on the period for which you are required to self-isolate.

The lead name is deemed to have the authority of all persons named on the booking.

7. If you change your booking

If after the confirmation of your booking has been issued you wish to make a change to your existing booking we will make an amendment charge of £25 per booking for each change.  Any changes are subject to availability.  Any alteration by you within 70 days of departure will be treated as a cancellation and subject to cancellation charges. Any request for a change must be made in writing by e-mail.

8. If the Company cancels or changes your tour

While the Company will do its best to operate all tours as advertised, we reserve the right to change and correct errors in any of the facilities, services or itineraries described on our website at any time before or after your booking is confirmed. Most changes are minor.

We reserve the right to cancel a tour in any circumstances but will not cancel a tour less than six weeks before the start of a tour except for force majeure (see section 17) or your failure to make all payment when due.

Please note, our tours require a minimum number of participants to enable us to operate them. If any tour does not have the minimum number of participants required to make it commercially viable, we are entitled to cancel it. We will notify you of cancellation for this reason not less than six weeks before the start of your tour.

We will let you know as soon as we can if, through no fault of your own, we are forced to significantly alter or cancel your tour. In these circumstances you can choose one of the following options:
a) Accept our offer of a replacement tour (if available); or
b) Ask us for a refund of the money you have paid. The maximum we will refund you is the money you have paid to us.

Your decision about which alternative you accept must be made as soon as possible after we notify you (and no later than 7 days after).

We strongly advise you not to incur any non-refundable incidental expenses, such as travel arrangements, until minimum numbers are reached and the tour has been guaranteed by us. We will notify you as soon as the tour has reached minimum numbers.

9. Information and descriptions

A general indication is provided on our website of the itinerary for each tour, the type of accommodation used, what is included in the price, passport and visa requirements. Changes in all of these items may be made at any time and we will notify you of any changes that we become aware of as soon as we are reasonably able to do so.

Any information or advice provided by the Company on matters such as permits, visas, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc. is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of the Company, and the passenger accepts responsibility for obtaining any necessary visas and travel documents required for the tour.

10. Food and meals

We are able to cater for clients with meat and vegetarian diets. We are not able to cater for other dietary requests that may include, but is not limited to, vegan and gluten-free. We would encourage clients who have specific diets to bring their own food supplements, though we will not be able to ask the hotels to cook separately for you.

11. Left luggage and luggage transfers

On a number of our tours your main luggage will be transferred from one accommodation to another accommodation. Your luggage must be clearly labelled with your full name, address, mobile telephone number and that you are on a Salamander Adventures tour. It is your responsibility to label your luggage. Your luggage must be securely locked at all times when not in your possession.  This is essential as hotels have luggage storage rooms that are used by other tour companies.

Please ensure that no valuables are left in your main luggage. This includes, but is not limited to, cameras, telephones, computers, tablets, passports, airline tickets and travel documents, jewellery and money. We cannot accept any responsibility for any items left in your main luggage.

12. Participating in an ‘adventure’ tour

Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you realise the hazards involved in this kind of tour, including injury, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. The hiking will be mostly on good trails but you may hike on trails that are not clear. It is likely that you will encounter some rougher ground during your tour which may include rocky steps, loose rocks, tree roots and wet conditions. The trails are not generally maintained by a park authorities. You must be aware of all mountain hazards that include, but are not limited to, all types of weather conditions, snow, avalanche, rock-fall, mud slides, rivers, conditions underfoot, conditions of paths, wild and domesticated animals, vehicles and other trekkers.

The whole philosophy of this type of travel is one which allows alternatives and a substantial degree of on-tour flexibility. The Trip Dossier given for each tour must therefore be taken as an indication of what each group should accomplish, and not as a contractual obligation on the part of The Company. Changes in itinerary may be caused by local political conditions, flight cancellations, mechanical breakdown, weather, border restrictions, sickness, landslides, snow or other unforeseeable circumstances. Pro rata refunds will be given for services not utilised.

It is a fundamental condition of joining any tour that you accept this flexibility, and acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results, such as inconvenience, discomfort, or disappointment, are possible: we will always endeavor to provide suitable alternative arrangements. If it is impossible to make alternative arrangements or if a passenger is unable, or does not choose for good reason, to complete an itinerary outlined for a tour, the Company is not liable to supply alternative itineraries, excursions, accommodations, services or staff for the period when the client is not present with the group, but in these circumstances we will arrange transport back to your point of departure if you wish.

13. Tour participation, acknowledgement of risk, and client responsibility

On an adventurous tour it is necessary that you abide by the authority of the Tour Leader, who represents The Company. Completing our booking form signifies your agreement to this, and if you commit any illegal act when on the tour or if, in the reasonable opinion of the Tour Leader, your behaviour is causing or likely to cause danger, distress or annoyance to others we may terminate your travel arrangements without any liability on our part.

You should be fully aware of the fitness levels needed to complete the trek you have booked. If you are not completing the daily hikes in the suggested/recommended times, you may have to retire from the trip. Poor weather or other members of your group having to wait too long for very slow members of the group can all add to the Tour Leader’s decision to recommend that you retire from all or part of the trek: the safety and enjoyment of the individual and the group is paramount.

If you are affected by any condition, medical or otherwise, that might affect your or other peoples’ enjoyment of the tour, you must advise us of this at the time of booking.  If in the opinion of any such person(s) or any other person in a position of authority (such as, for example, a hotel manager), the health, level of fitness or conduct of a client at any time before or during a tour is endangering or appears likely to endanger the health or wellbeing of the client or any third party (including any other clients of the Company) or the safe, comfortable or happy progress of the tour, the client may be excluded from all or part of the tour without refund or recompense. Where a client is excluded, the Company will have no further responsibility towards them (including any return travel arrangements) and we will not meet any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the exclusion. In the case of ill health, the Company may make such arrangements as it sees fit and recover the costs thereof from the client. If a client commits an illegal act (including, for example, causing any damage) the client may be excluded from the tour and the Company shall cease to have responsibility to/for them as above. No refund will be given for any unused services. When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier or to us as soon as possible. If the actual cost of the loss or damage exceeds the amount paid where estimated, you must pay the difference once known. If the actual cost is less than the amount paid, the difference will be refunded. You will also be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us and all costs incurred by us (including our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises. If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour or the tour arrangements of any other person or have any special requirements as a result of any medical condition or disability (including any which affect the booking process), please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the proposed tour and/or making the booking. In any event, you must give us full details at the time of booking and whenever any change in the condition or disability occurs. You must also promptly advise us if any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour, or the tour arrangements of any other person, that develops after your booking has been confirmed.

Please note that by making a booking with us, you acknowledge that you have booked your holiday and are travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as such you confirm:

you acknowledge and accept that there is a heightened risk associated with travelling during a global pandemic, including a risk that you may contract COVID-19;

you have checked and are aware of the latest travel advice from your government in relation to your chosen destination;

you shall comply with all rules, regulations, laws and requirements imposed on you, whether by governmental or regulatory authorities, suppliers, airports or ports, in relation to COVID-19, including (but not limited to) any requirement on you to self-isolate, whether in destination or upon your return to your home country; to submit to a COVID-19 test (including temperature testing or a swab test); or to provide contact details for the purposes of track and trace.

 

If you book a self-guided tour you have chosen to book and undertake the tour in the knowledge that you do not have a professional Mountain Guide or International Mountain Leader. The Company will reserve your accommodation and will provide luggage transfers on certain days of your trek. You should be fully aware of the fitness levels needed to complete the trek you have booked.

On a self-guided tour you are responsible for your own safety and route finding throughout. Any Route Notes provided by us are a rough outline of what to expect on your trek and are given in good faith; we cannot be held responsible for errors. We are not responsible for any route-finding errors that you make. You must be able to proficiently read and interpret a map, irrespective of conditions or weather.

On a self-guided tour you must be aware of all mountain hazards that include, but are not limited to, all types of weather conditions, snow, avalanche, rock-fall, mud slides, rivers, conditions underfoot, conditions of paths, wild and domesticated animals, vehicles and other trekkers. We are not responsible if you are forced, or choose, to take a different route due to conditions you find in the mountains. We are not responsible if you choose to terminate the trek at any time. Any costs incurred due to forced, or chosen, changes or if you chose to terminate the tour will be paid for by you.

On a self-guided tour all hotels, mountain refuges, inns and auberges have been inspected and comply with national safety guidelines. You must familiarise yourself with fire escapes and what to do in case of fire. You should be mindful of stairways, low beams, slippery floors, hot water, kitchens and any other hazards found in all hotels, refuges and auberges.

On a self-guided tour we are not responsible for any public or private transport you take, whether we recommend it or you chose to take it through your own choice. This includes, but is not limited to, cars, buses, trains, cable cars, bicycles, paragliders and water rafts.

On a self-guided tour you must have adequate insurance that covers you for this kind of holiday. You must ensure that it covers you for multi-day, non-guided trekking to altitudes up to 3000m. The insurance should include, but is not limited to, helicopter rescue in all the countries you visit, full medical care and repatriation to your home. If for any reason you find yourself in an emergency situation, you are responsible for your safety and organising any kind of rescue or emergency procedures.

14. Joining and leaving the tours

Guided Tours

All of our group tours have start places and times. If you fail to meet your group at the specified place and time, for whatever reason, you must inform our office immediately.  We will assist you as much as possible in joining your group but the responsibility and any extra cost involved will be solely yours.

If you choose not to take the group transfer from the start point to the first night’s accommodation you must inform our office in advance. We will supply you with directions to the accommodation and approximate timings of when the rest of the group will arrive.

Each group tour ends at the end point on the last day of the tour. You should arrange your onward travel based on this location and timing.

Guided & Self-Guided Tour du Mont Blanc

The start and end point for guided and self-guided clients booked on the Tour du Mont Blanc is at the first night’s hotel and then the last night’s hotel. It is the client’s responsibility to travel to the hotel. If you are delayed you should advise the hotel of your expected arrival time.

15. If you have a complaint

If you have any complaint about the tour, you must make it known at the earliest opportunity to the Tour Leader and/or our local representative or to our office, who will normally be able to take appropriate action and we will do our best to resolve the problem. It is only if we and our representatives know about problems that there will be the opportunity to put things right. If you don’t complain on the spot this may affect your ability to claim compensation. If at the end of the tour, you feel your complaint has not been properly dealt with, we shall try and agree a settlement with you, but you must first notify us of your complaint in writing within 28 days of your scheduled date of return.

16. Our responsibility for your tour

Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you appreciate and accept the possible risks inherent in adventure travel and that you undertake the tours, treks or expeditions featured in our programme at your own volition.

(1) We promise to make sure that the tour arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide, as applicable, as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these conditions and the other information which forms part of your contract with us, we will accept responsibility if, for example, your contracted tour arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted tour arrangements. Please note, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers).

You acknowledge that our employees, agents or suppliers providing your tour will need to comply with national and/or local guidance and requirements relating to COVID-19 and have implemented certain measures as a result. This will likely include specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment, such as use of facemasks by staff (and you may be required to wear a facemask as well), social distancing, maximum number restrictions on the use of certain facilities, designated alternative entrance and exit routes, mandatory hand sanitisation, limited entertainment options and limited food/drink availability and temperature testing. We do not expect these measures to have a significant impact on your enjoyment of your tour and all measures will be taken with the purpose of securing your safety and those around you.

(2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (including loss possessions and loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: –
the act(s) and/or omission(s) you or any member(s) of your party or the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your tour and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or ‘force majeure’ as defined in clause 17.

(3) Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which any supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract. Any optional excursions or activities booked during your tour do not form part of our contract as these are all arranged by you directly with the suppliers concerned – please see clause 18: Optional Excursions and activities below. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you.

(4) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract – and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred – will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. Please bear in mind that standards of, for example, safety, hygiene, and quality may vary throughout the destinations, services and transport your tour involves and may be lower than or different to those applicable in the UK. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with the local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the UK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holidaymaker to refuse to take the tour in question.

(5) As set out in these conditions, we limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any claims you may make against us. Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have to pay you is £500 per person affected. You must ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect your personal belongings.
For all other claims which do not involve death or personal injury, if we are found liable to you on any basis, the maximum amount we will have to pay you is twice the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your tour.

(6) Where any claim or part of a claim (including those involving death or personal injury) concerns or is based on any travel arrangements (including the process of getting on and/or off the transport concerned) provided by any rail or road carrier, the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited. The most we will have to pay you for that claim or that part of a claim if we are found liable to you on any basis is the most the carrier concerned would have to pay under the international convention or regulation which applies to the travel arrangements in question were that claim made against it (for example, COTIF, the Convention on International Travel by Rail). Please note: where a carrier would not be obliged to make any payment to you under the applicable international convention or regulation in respect of a claim or part of a claim, we similarly are not obliged to make a payment to you for that claim or part of the claim. When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the carrier or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

(7) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally we cannot accept liability for any expenses or losses incurred by or relating to any business including self-employed loss of earnings.

(8) You must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require. You must also tell us and the supplier concerned about your claim or complaint as set out in clause 15: ‘If you have a complaint’. If asked to do so, you must transfer to us or our insurers any rights you have against the supplier or whoever else is responsible for your claim or complaint (if the person concerned is under 18, their parent or guardian must do so). You must also agree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers want to enforce any rights which are transferred.

17. Force majeure

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, meaning any event beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease including any mutation or variation of, and  the ongoing effects of, COVID-19 or SARs-COV2, at the travel destination or natural disasters such as, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination,  the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned control.

Brexit Implications: please note that certain travel arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. Please be rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise our customers as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Force Majeure, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements or refunds where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.

 

 

18. Optional excursions and activities

We and our Tour Leaders and representatives may provide you with information (before departure and/or when you are on tour) about optional activities and excursions which do not form part of your pre-booked tour arrangements and which are available in the area you are visiting. We have no involvement in any such activities or excursions which are not run, supervised or controlled in any way by us. They are provided by local operators or other providers who are entirely independent of us and they may or may not have their own public liability insurance. They may require a waiver form to be signed. Optional excursions and activities do not form any part of your contract with us even where we suggest particular operators / providers and / or assist you in booking such activities or excursions in any way. Where the Tour Leader collects payment for or otherwise assists in booking any such activity or excursion for you, we and the Tour Leader act solely as booking agent for the local operator / provider of the activity or excursion with whom you will have a contract. The local operator / provider’s terms and conditions will apply. We cannot accept any liability on any basis in relation to such activities or excursions and the acceptance of liability contained in clause 16(1) of our booking conditions will not apply to them. We do not, however, exclude liability for the negligence of ourselves or our employees resulting in your death or personal injury.

We do not guarantee that any optional activity or excursion mentioned in our website or elsewhere will be available to book during your tour and / or will operate as advertised as these services do not form part of our contract and are not under our control. They may not be available for various reasons. Any prices given in advance are indicative only. We will not be liable if you cannot, for whatever reason, book any such activity or excursion or if the activity or excursion does not operate as advertised.

19. Privacy Policy

Salamander Adventures (Trading name for Salamander Treks Ltd) Privacy Policy sets out what information we collect, how we collect it, and what we do with it. Our Privacy Policy applies to you. In all your dealings with us you must ensure that others you represent (such as those on your booking) are aware of the content of our Privacy Policy and consent to you acting on their behalf.

Your information

This refers to a combination of information such as your name, contact details, flight / arrival information and special needs/disabilities/dietary requirements that you supply us and any information about other persons you represent. Your information is collected when you request information from us, contact us (and vice versa), make a booking, use our website, connect with us via social media and any other engagement we or our business partners have with you.

We will update your information whenever we can to keep it current, accurate and complete.

Our use of your information

1. We may pass on specific and relevant information to third party companies for the purpose of providing you with our services, including your holiday, security, incident/accident management, etc. Your information will not be shared with any unrelated third party. Please note that if you choose to share your personal details with your group and/or guide (some people may wish to stay in touch after the tour), this is a private arrangement and therefore will not fall under the protection of our privacy policy.
2. Information (such as health) may be considered ‘sensitive personal data’ under the General Data Protection Regulation of 2018 (GDPR). We collect it to provide you with our services, to cater to your needs or act in your interest, and we are only prepared to accept sensitive personal data on the condition that we have your positive consent. By booking with us you also agree for your insurers, their agents and medical staff to exchange relevant information and sensitive personal data with us in circumstances where we/they need to act on your behalf or in the interest of passengers or in an emergency.

If you do not agree to our use of your information above, we cannot engage/do business with you or accept your booking.

Marketing material

1. Unless you have told us not to, using your information, we may from time to time contact you or make available to you (directly or indirectly) information on offers of goods and services, brochures, new products, forthcoming events or competitions.
2. We will assume you agree to allow us to email you when you make an e-booking or provide us with your email in other situations such as promotions and social media. However, we will always give you the opportunity to opt out when you provide your details and you can always subsequently unsubscribe from our emails (see ‘Your Rights’ below).
3. If you do not wish to receive such information or would like to change your preference, please refer to point (2) of ‘Your Rights’ below.

Your rights

1. You are entitled to a copy of the information we hold about you and to correct any inaccuracies.
2. You have the right to ask in writing not to receive direct marketing material from us. Please email or write to us.

Use of your image on our website

It is assumed that, by agreeing to our Booking Conditions, you give consent for any likeness, image or video of you secured or taken on any of our tours may be used by the company without charge in all media (whether now, existing or in the future invented) for bona fide promotional or marketing purposes, including without limitation promotional materials of any kind, such as brochures, fliers, slideshows, video shows and the internet.  Any written feedback supplied to the company may also be used for promotional purposes as detailed above. If you do not agree to the above please notify us in writing before your tour commences.

Use of tools/”cookies” and links to other websites

If our contact and dealing with you is via our website(s) or other e-platforms where our advertising is displayed, cookies may be used. By using our website(s), you consent to our use of cookies.

Our website(s) may contain links to third party websites or micro-sites not controlled or owned by us. For example, reference sites or ancillary products and services sites.  It is your responsibility to check the status of these sites before using them. Please read their applicable terms and conditions, etc. carefully.

Monitoring

To ensure that we carry out your instructions accurately, improve our service and for security and fraud, we may review, monitor and/or record: (1) telephone calls; (2) transactions and activities at all points of contact; and (3) web and social media traffic, activities, etc. All recordings and derivative materials are and shall remain our sole property.

Security Statement

We have taken all reasonable steps and have in place appropriate security measures to protect your information.

Changes to this Policy

Any changes to this Policy will be posted on our website and/or made available on request.

20. Law and jurisdiction

We both agree that English law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us. We both also agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or not involving any personal injury) will be dealt with by the Courts if England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland only. The booking conditions may only be waived or amended by written mutual consent.  No employee of the Company other than the Director has authority to vary or omit any of these terms.  No promise of a discount or refund will be binding on us unless confirmed by us in writing.  When you complete the booking form you agree to accept all these conditions, and when we accept your booking we agree to carry out our obligations to you as defined in the information provided to you.

21. Website/advertising material accuracy

The information contained on our website and in our other advertising material is believed correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication or printing.  However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change.  You must therefore ensure you check all the details of your chosen tour (including the price) with us at the time of booking.

22. Promotional offers: terms and conditions

Only one offer can used at any time. We reserve the right to withdraw any offer at any time without notice. Any offer must be claimed at the time of booking and clearly stated on the booking form. No offer can be claimed retrospectively and cannot be applied to existing bookings. Any offer discount will be deducted from the final payment due. The deposit required will always remain 20% of the full tour price before any discount is applied. Discounts are non-transferrable and hold no cash value. All discounts given are at the discretion of the Directors.

Please print and retain a copy of our Booking Conditions for your records.

ISSUE DATE: 14 July 2023

Salamander Treks Ltd. Registered Company no.6060750.