Booking Conditions

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

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

1.Insurance.
Please Note:  Adequate and valid travel insurance is compulsory for all travellers 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.

Your personal safety is of paramount importance to us and therefore it is imperative that you advise us at the time of booking of any condition, medical or otherwise, that might affect your or other people’s enjoyment of the trip.

2.Prices and Surcharges
All prices we advertise are accurate at the date published but we reserve the right to change any of those prices on occaision. Changes in transportation costs, including without limitation the cost of fuel, dues, taxes or fees chargeable for services such as landing taxes or visa fees, hotel taxes and exchange rates mean that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked. Especially due to fluctuations in the pound due to Brexit, the rate of exchange will be fixed at the time of booking. This could mean that there could be an increase in the cost of the trip at the time of final payment. Due to the nature of the treks being located in various countries around the world, from time to time governments and national parks will impose an increase in taxes and permit costs. If this is the case then this will have to be passed on to the customer at final payment. Dates and itineraries shown for tours are indicative only and subject to change.

3.Cancelation conditions

Should you need to cancel your trip, notice of cancellation will needed in writing and will be effective upon receipt of this. As we start to incur costs from the time the contract is confirmed ie. national park fee, permits, hotels transportation etc, we will retain your deposit and in addition will apply other cancellation charges as shown below. These charges are based on how many days before your booked departure we received your cancellation notice. These charges are a percentage of the total cost of your trip, eg. if your trip costs £2000 the cancelation fee is a percentage of the full £2000 and not just the amount which you have paid up to the point of cancelation.

4.If we Change or Cancel your Booking
We reserve the right to cancel your booking or change any of the facilities, services or prices. We plan the arrangements for your tour many months in advance and may occasionally have to make changes, most of which are minor. Flight timings and carriers shown in the itinerary are for guidance only and are subject to change. 

We may also have to cancel your holiday arrangements. Operation of all tours is dependent on a minimum number of persons booking the tour. If that number is not achieved, we reserve the right to cancel the tour. In the unlikely event that this occurs we would attempt to accommodate you on another expedition that we offer, of your choosing. 

Further reasons for your trip being cancelled include force majeure (as defined below) or failure on your part to pay the deposit and/or final balance, or any other reason beyond our control eg.where a service or supplier in-country ceases to operate. In the event of the above scenarios we will endeavour to recoup all available funds however, due to the nature of the location and suppliers (national parks, transportation etc.) some or all of the funds may not be available for refund .

In the event that we have to cancel However we will not cancel your tour less than 4 weeks before the scheduled departure date except for reasons of  force majeure (as defined below) or failure on your part to pay the deposit and/or final balance, or any other reason beyond our control. 

Circumstances amounting to "force majeure" include any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not even with all due care, foresee or forestall such as (by way of example and not by way of limitation) war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, industrial disputes, actual or threatened terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks and pandemics, acts of God, unavoidable and unforeseeable technical problems with transport for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers, closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential adverse weather conditions, unforeseen terminal or critical illness of a supplier, and any other similar events.

Dom Picket Expeditions cannot be held liable for delays in transportation which then have a knock-on effect for other booked aspects of the trip eg. a delay in the international/internal flight out of our control or bus or train break down or time change out of our control, which then has the knock-on effect of us missing our scheduled reserved hotel, national park mountain huts, permits etc. In this event we will do everything possible to accommodate and reschedule so that the trip can continue but it must be held in mind that many of these reservations are made up to a year in advance. Other arrangements will be made where possible however, this could mean cancelation of the trip where funds are non-refundable.

 5.Our Liability, Conditions of Carriage & Limitations

Standards of, for example, safety, hygiene and quality vary throughout the transport and destinations that your trip may involve. Sometimes these standards will be lower than those which would be expected in the UK. The suppliers of the services and facilities included in your holiday should comply with local standards where they are provided.
  
We shall have no liability where the cause of the failure to provide, or failure in, your holiday or any death or personal injury you may suffer is not due to any fault on our part or that of our agents or suppliers, because it is either attributable to you, or attributable to someone unconnected with your holiday and is unforeseeable or unavoidable, or is attributable to our employees, agents, subcontractors and suppliers and their staff whilst acting outside the scope of their employment.

If you purchase any optional activities that are not part of your pre-booked itinerary, the contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and the activity provider. The decision to partake in any such activity is entirely at your own discretion and risk. If you do have any complaint about, or problem with, any optional activity purchased overseas your claim should be directed to the activity provider and not to us.  

If you are joining the trip locally (i.e. not starting with the group from the UK) our responsibility does not commence until the appointed time, we shall not be responsible for any additional expenses incurred by you to meet up with the group.

We may operate trips in regions where standards of accommodation, transport, safety, hygiene, medical facilities and other infrastructure may, at times, be lower than those you normally expect. Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you realise the hazards involved in this kind of holiday, including injury, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. The whole philosophy of this type of travel is one that allows alternatives and a substantial degree of on-trip flexibility. The outline itineraries given for each expedition must therefore be taken as an indication of what each group should accomplish, and not as a contractual obligation on our part. Changes in itinerary may be caused by local political conditions, flight cancellations, mechanical breakdown, weather, border restrictions, sickness, or other unforeseeable circumstances.

We operate all our trips in accordance with the recommendations from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). If you are booking from outside the UK you should recognise that the FCO advice may not always be aligned with the advice from your own consulate or government travel authority. Should the FCO advise against “all travel” or “all necessary” travel to you destination then the trip will be cancelled as per the conditions regarding force majeure.


Details of Insurance
Adequate and valid travel insurance is mandatory for all clients while on one of our tours. You are strongly advised to insure yourself against any possible risk that may occur and in particular to ensure that you have sufficient insurance in respect of dependent relatives on whom your trip may depend. You are required to carry proof of insurance with you and produce it if reasonably requested by Company employees or suppliers; failure to do so may result in your being prevented from  participating in certain activities without the right to any refund.  


6.Visa, Health, Passport, Travel Documentation
Whilst we are able to provide basic advice to clients regarding passports and visa requirements, you should check with the appropriate embassy, consulate or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the exact requirements for your chosen tour and date of travel. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct passport and visas to gain access to any country/region included in the travel arrangements which you purchase from us including, but not limited to, checking that your passport has the required period of validity left on it. If you fail to do so, we have no liability to you for any cost, loss or damage which you suffer, nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements. In some cases, countries will refuse entry to clients who have criminal records. Should you be concerned about this, please check with the embassy or consulate of the countries to which you are travelling.  You are entirely responsible for ensuring that you have the correct and valid documentation for travel. We cannot accept responsibility for any failure to comply resulting in any costs or fines being incurred and we advise you to check with your passport office or the consulate in question if you have any queries. Clients travelling overland to certain destinations may need to also pass through controls of other countries en-route so this should be allowed for with any passport/visa applications.

When travelling to or via the U.S. you must have the correct passport to travel on the Visa Waiver Programme or have obtained the correct visa, valid for your stay. Each person wishing to visit the U.S. must have either: i) an e-passport (if your passport is issued after 26 October 2006), or a machine readable passport (containing a digital photograph) if your passport is issued after the 26 October 2005 and a Visa Waiver Form or ii) a valid passport and a valid visa which must be obtained before travel from the U.S. authorities. The U.S. authorities require passengers travelling to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Programme to register on the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). If you have not applied for and received travel authorisation via ESTA prior to travel you may be denied boarding, experience delayed processing, or be denied admission at the U.S. port of entry. However, neither possession of a visa nor meeting the basic requirements for travelling visa-free on the Visa Waiver Programme guarantees admission to the U.S. As with most countries, the final decision is made by immigration officials at the port of entry. You can apply online by completing the application form at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta and paying a fee. If you are refused boarding or denied admission at the U.S. port of entry, you will still be subject to our cancellation charges in accordance with the terms of our contract with you. For additional specifics about the Visa Waiver Programme please consult the Visa Waiver Programme information on the U.S. Embassy London website https://uk.usembassy.gov. We recommend that you carry your ESTA approval with you when you travel and recommend you register at least 72 hours before departure. Please Note: when you register for ESTA you must have a valid passport at the time of registration and for any travel to the USA your passport must be an e-Passport that contains the microchip and the e-passport symbol. If you have applied for a post dated passport (for example to reflect a change in name) this passport will not be valid until the effective date noted in the passport. Children and minors wanting to travel with a Visa Waiver Form must hold their own machine readable passport or e-passport. Please note that the nationals of some countries can only travel to the U.S. if they have a valid visa as they are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Programme. There is a $14 fee per person charge which is payable by credit or debit card when applying. As announced by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, this fee will recover the costs incurred by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection of providing and administering the ESTA system and is in addition to the mandatory $10 travel promotion fee established by the Travel Promotion Act of 2009. This is subject to change.  

Please note that for some trips we need to request special permits, and as such we will require your passport details prior to accepting your booking. Furthermore, if you renew your passport after you have booked, you may be required to take your old passport with you to maintain the validity of the permit.

We are able to advise on mandatory health requirements; however, we are not medical experts. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain proper and detailed medical advice at least two months prior to travel for the latest health requirements, recommendations for your destination and any costs. Where you do not do so and either are not allowed to enter any country, or suffer personal injury or death as a result, we have no liability to you for any cost, loss or damage which you suffer nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements. Clients with existing medical problems, pregnant women and anyone who has recently visited other countries should check requirements with their general practitioner. You must advise us and you may need to be cleared for travel from your GP (who may charge you for such and, for the avoidance of doubt, we are not liable for any such charges or related costs).

When assessing whether holidays will operate we use information from our local offices in conjunction with advice from the Foreign Office and other relevant government bodies. It is your responsibility to acquaint yourself with the travel advice provided by these government bodies.

7.Local Laws & Customs & Travel Aware
Laws and customs of the country/ies you visit can be very different to those in the UK. Be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend, especially if you intend to visit religious areas. There may be serious penalties for doing something that might not be illegal in the UK. You are strongly advised to check with the appropriate embassy, consulate or British and Commonwealth Office or https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for further information regarding local laws and customs of the country/ies you plan to visit. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with, and respect local laws and customs. If you fail to do so, we will have no liability to you for any cost, loss or damage which you suffer nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements. You are also recommended to read the Foreign Office’s “Travel Aware” guidance to familiarise yourself with Government advice for overseas travel. This advice can be found at https://travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/

8.Privacy Policy

OUR DATA PROTECTION COMMITMENT

We understand the concerns about how data may be stored, sent and used by companies. We are committed to complying with all data protection laws and want you to feel confident in the measures we are taking to uphold your data privacy rights.

This privacy policy explains how we collect and use your personal information. In it we explain the types of information we collect, how we collect it, what we use it for and who we may share your personal information with. We also let you know what rights you have over your information.

WHAT INFORMATION MIGHT WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU?

We do our best to keep the information we collect about you to the minimum necessary.The information we collect depends upon how you are interacting with us. For example, if you’re booking a holiday or tour with us we are likely to ask for more information than if you’re only requesting an itinerary or browsing our website. We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal information about you, which we have summarised in the box below.

• Details about you: Your first and last name, marital status, title, gender, e-mail address, telephone number, date of birth, your reasons for travel, meal and other travel preferences or dietary requirements.
• Identification documents: Your passport number, the country in which your passport was issued and the expiry date. 
• Details about your booking with us: Details such as where you are flying from and to, your booking information (including anyone else on the booking), any onward travel details if relevant, details of experiences or excursions booked through us, meal preferences or requirements, details of any special assistances required and any other relevant information.
• Special types of data: We need to collect information from you that is deemed sensitive. For example, we collect:
• Data about your health. Knowing your dietary requirements and any medical conditions you have will ensure your safety on the trip and that the trip is suitable for you.
• Information about your religion (for example if you specify a meal preference that indicates a particular religion, such as a kosher or halal meal).

We try to limit any sensitive personal data we collect to the minimum possible. Unless we have a specific lawful reason to use this information, we will ask for your consent to collect it. 

HOW DO WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION AND WHY?

Depending upon your interactions with us, we might collect information in the following ways:

Direct Interactions: You may give us your identity, contact and financial data by filling in forms or by corresponding with us by post, phone and email or otherwise, This includes personal data you provided when you:

• sign up to receive email updates
• provide us with information about an accident, illness or incident that occurred or some other feedback;
• contact us on telephone, social media, post, email or instant messenger. Automated technologies or interactions

Third parties or publicly available sources - We may receive personal data about you from various third parties eg.airlines, hotel providers or other parties we work with if you make a complaint to them;

WHAT DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR?

Under data protection laws we are allowed to use personal information only if we have a proper reason to do so such as:

• to fulfil a contract we have with you or;
• when it is our legal duty or;
• when it is in our legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interested or
• when you consent to it

Generally we do not rely upon consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data other than in relation to sending our own direct marketing communications to you via e-mail. You have the right to withdraw consent to marketing at any time by contacting us.

We have set out below a description of all the ways we plan to use your personal data, and which of the legal bases we rely on to do so. Note that we may process your personal data for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your data.

• To manage your booking with us: We will use your information to provide you with any travel or event services that you request or purchase. This entails booking your flights, accommodations, organising tours, transportation and car hire and providing you with your tickets (on the basis of performing our contract with you) and providing you with any special assistance you require (where you give us your consent). 
• To contact you with information about your bookings and support services: We will use your contact details to send you communications which relate to your booking or services you have requested.The types of information usually included would be: e-mails responding to enquiries, providing you with tickets, alerting you to changes in itineraries or responding to any complaints you have. We do these things in order to fulfil our contract with you and on the basis of our legitimate business interest of providing you with customer service.
• To send you marketing communications: We will use your information to contact you in order to keep you up to date with the latest news, offers, events, that we consider may be of interest or relevant to you. We will usually only do this when we have your consent to do so or on the basis of our legitimate interest to provide you with customer service. Please see the Marketing section below for more information.
• To ensure security and protect our business interests: In certain circumstances, we use your information to ensure the security of our services, buildings, and people, including to protect against, investigate and deter fraud, unauthorised or illegal activities, systems testing, maintenance and development (on the basis of our legitimate interests to operate a safe and lawful business or where we have a legal obligation to do so);
• To use data analytics to improve our website, products/services, marketing, customer relationships and experiences: This is necessary for our legitimate interests (to define types of customers for our products and services, to keep our website updated and relevant, to develop our business and to inform our marketing strategy)
• To conduct research: We use your information to carry out aggregated and anonymised research about general engagement with our services and systems (on the basis of our legitimate interests to improve our products, services and customer service); and
• To comply with our legal obligations: In certain circumstances, we will need to use your information to comply with our legal obligations, for example to comply with any court orders or subpoenas (on the basis of our legitimate interests to comply with a legal obligation).

WHAT ABOUT OUR MARKETING PRACTICES?

When we will get in touch with you

One of the other reasons we sometimes collect your information is so that we can form a view on what may be of interest to you. With this information we decide which products, services and offers may be relevant for you and what marketing you may be interested in. We keep you up to date with our latest offers that we think might be of interest/relevance to you.

We will only contact you in this way if:

• You have signed up to receive marketing communications from us or
• You have expressed an interest in a previous trip and have not told us that you do not want to hear from us.
• You have made a booking with us and have not told us that you do not want to hear from us.

What if I don’t want to receive marketing?

We never want to send our marketing to someone who isn’t interested in receiving this content. If you have decided that you no longer wish to hear from us, you can unsubscribe from marketing by clicking on the ‘unsubscribe’ link or by contacting us.

Third parties and marketing

We do not pass your information to other parties for marketing purposes unless you agree to us doing so. 

WHEN DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

In order to provide you with the services and on the lawful grounds described above, we may share your personal information with third parties such as:

• Third party suppliers we work with to provide your booking and our other services to you. We may share your information with parties such as travel agents, booking agents, airlines, hotels, tour operators, transport companies, excursion providers, airport authorities, insurance companies, car hire companies, ground handling agencies, and cruise companies.
• Other suppliers that we work with in connection with our business. We share your information with third party suppliers that we use to provide services in connection with the experiences we offer to you. This might include IT developers, service providers and hosting providers, site analytics providers, medical service providers and credit card screening companies;
• Airports, immigration / border control and/or other government authorities. Sometimes we have to provide ‘Advance Passenger Information’ about you to border or immigration authorities of the country of your travel destination. This would usually be the basic information contained in your passport but the laws of certain countries may require additional information. We will provide this information when we are required to do so.
• Credit references and fraud prevention agencies.
• Courts or advisors. We may have to share your information with other third parties (such as legal, accountants or other advisors, regulatory authorities, courts and government agencies) to enable us to enforce our legal rights, or to protect the rights, property or safety of our employees or where such disclosure may be permitted or required by law; and
• We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.

WHEN DO WE SEND YOUR DATA OUTSIDE THE EEA?

We will only send your data outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”) to:

• follow your instructions
• comply with a legal duty
• work with our suppliers and third parties who we use to help deliver our services

Some of our external third parties are based outside the EEA so their processing of your personal data will involve a transfer of data outside the EEA.

YOUR PERSONAL DATA RIGHTS

What are your rights?

We want you to feel reassured that you have control of your personal information. With this in mind, we have explained below the rights you have in relation to the personal information we hold about you:

• The right to be advised of how we will use your personal information. This is set out in this privacy policy and we do our best to provide you with as much information as we can at the point at which you pass us your data.
• The right to ask us to correct any information you believe is incorrect.
• The right to ask us to not to use your information for marketing purposes.
• The right to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you or to request that we transfer this to another service provider.
• In certain circumstances, the right to ask us to stop using information about you.
• 

  Dom Pickett Expeditions
  60 Whittucks rd, Hanham, Bristol, BS15 3PT - Tel.07954198947 Email.info@dompickett.com

  © 2018. Dom Pickett Expeditions brand and logo are trademarks of Dom Pickett Expeditions Ltd
  Dom Pickett Expeditions Ltd, Registered in England & Wales, Company Number. 09805283

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