TERMS & CONDITIONS

The following Terms and Conditions apply to all expeditions booked under the “High Bearings” brand or website, collectively referred to as “the Company”, “the Operator”, or “We”.

1. The Booking Form and Deposit

(a) To make a booking for an escorted group expedition with the Operator the Client must send a completed booking request form or a booking application form with a deposit of the program fee plus any non-refundable hard costs that must be paid in advance (such as domestic flight tickets). The deposit amount may vary depending on the tour. The exact deposit amount will be communicated to the Client after being accepted to book and is also specified on the booking page. 

(b) The Contract between the Operator and the Client will be final and binding on both parties with effect from the date that the Operator or High Bearings acting as the booking agency receives the deposit from the Client.

(c) We reserve the right for whatever reason to return the deposit to the client and refuse acceptance of the Client’s application. The Contract is subject to the following terms and conditions.

(d) Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.

2. Balance of Payment

(a) The Client will pay the balance of the tour price no less than 60 days before the departure date. If this booking is made less than 60 days before the departure date the Client must pay the tour price in full upon booking.

(b) All tour prices are set in US Dollars and may change based on local exchange rates, inflation, and external economic factors beyond our control up until the point of booking. 

(c) If an Operator decides that due to economic circumstances beyond their control, such as hyperinflation, economic collapse, embargos, and or sanctions, they are no longer able to run a tour, any tour fees, including the deposit will be returned to the Client. No further payments will be made beyond what the Client has paid to the Operator through High Bearings. 

(d) Any payment not made on High Bearings platform is unproHigh Bearingsted and neither High Bearings nor any of our partners or subsidiaries may be of assistance to the Client. 

3. Failure to pay the Balance of Payment When Due

If the balance of the payment due from the Client to the Company is not paid 60 days prior to departure, we will treat the Contract as cancelled by the Client and retain the deposit. Up to a two-week grace period may be offered by the Operator to the Client at the discretion of the Operator. 

If the Operator fails to bill the client, then the tour will not be considered cancelled and the client will have a two-week grace period to pay for any late invoicing from the date of the invoice due to the Operator’s tardiness in billing. 

4. Accepted Payment Methods and Conditions

(a) All payments must be made through High Bearings or one of its subsidiaries in order for this contract to be binding. Any payments made directly to a third-party operator or to a partnered operator within High Bearings lie outside and beyond the enforcement of these terms and conditions. High Bearings is unable to intervene or mediate in these situations. 

(b) All payments may be conducted securely and online via a major credit card (Visa or Mastercard). Payments made by international credit card may be subject to a 3.5% processing fee. Payments made by Canadian credit card may be subject to a 2.5% processing fee. This fee may or may not already be included in the quoted prices online; it is at the discretion of the Operator if they would like to include it in their pricing or add it after providing a quote. 

(c) Additional accepted forms of payment include inter-bank wire transfers (international) as well as Interac eTransfers (Canada only). International wire transfers are subject to a fee of $35 per transaction. 

(d) In some circumstances partial or full cash payments may be necessary, especially if banking options are suspended or do not exist in the country you are visiting. This is rare, but a possible scenario. You will be informed in advance if cash payments are necessary and or accepted. Usually, cash payments are not accepted as the risk is higher for both the Client as well as the Operator. 

5. Passports, Visas and Health Matters

Medical vaccinations, passports, visas, etc are entirely your (the Clients’) responsibility and must be arranged before departure. We can take no responsibility for the cancellation of your trip in the event that you are not allowed to fly or continue your tour. If you are unable to travel due to not being able to obtain (or not having) the appropriate visa we reserve the right to retain the cost of the trip according to our standard cancellation policy.

6. Cancellation by the Client

(a) The Client acknowledges that payment for the tour is an intrinsic part of the tour’s income and contributes to the overall cost of equipment, running costs, staffing, administration, rentals, etc, and that the Operator will have incurred the largest part of its costs before the actual date of departure. Cancellation by the Client must be in writing.

(b) All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you (the Client) cancel your booking, cancellation charges will be imposed as shown below:

• 60 days or more prior to departure – loss of deposit. Any balance already paid to the Company by the Client, with the exception of the deposit amount, will be returned to the Client minus a remittance fee of 3.5% to account for credit card fees imposed on the Operator.
  

• 59-30 days before departure – 50% of the total tour cost, minus a remittance fee of 3.5%.
  

• Less than 30 days, including no-shows – 100% of the total tour cost (no refund offered).

All cancellations must be in writing and be made by the person who signed the booking form.

(c) After the departure date, no refund for any unused portion or part of the tour or services to be provided will be given. If the client of their own volition makes any alterations to or departs from, any portion of part of the tour, such alteration or departure will be entirely at the Client’s expense and liability and the Client will forthwith communicate in writing the reason for leaving the tour guide.

7. Cancellation by the Operator

(a) The Operator reserves the right to cancel your tour. However, each Operator in our network will normally not do so unless the Operator is forced to do so by virtue of unforeseen circumstances such as flight cancellations, civil or political unrest, or “force majeure”, or on group tours where minimum numbers have not been reached.

(b) In the event of cancellation for any reason on the part of the Operator that is within our control (a reason besides Force Majeure), the Company will offer you a full refund of all payments made to the Operator, in so long as these payments were made to High Bearings. You may also elect to convert your payment into a transferable credit to be used on another tour operated by High Bearings Expeditions, or any Operator listed on our platform. 

(c) Any payments made directly or indirectly to a third-party operator, and not through High Bearings, regardless if they are a High Bearings Partner, will not be honoured through the Company. 

(d) We do not accept liability from any incidental expenses You may incur as a result of cancellation or for any other loss or damage howsoever caused out of cancellation, including but not limited to flight changes, ticket fees, vacation time, etc. For this reason, we recommend that you purchase travel insurance.

(e) If a trip is forced to be cancelled due to an act of God, natural disaster, political upheaval, or any unforeseen issue that is beyond our control (Force Majeure), we will work with you to recover costs where possible and or reschedule a trip if possible.

(f) For group trips and set departure community trips, the Company will determine a minimum number required for the tour to take place and shall notify the client not less than 60 days prior to departure that the minimum numbers have not been enrolled and the tour is cancelled. In this event, all payments made to the Company will be reimbursed.

(g) In the event of an airline cancelling a flight, forcing the Operator to cancel a tour, the Operator will only reimburse funds it can retrieve. It is up to the Client to have suitable insurance to cover any additional losses.

8. Changes to a Tour Program or Itinerary by the Operator

(a) Itineraries and tour programs, while as accurate as possible, are frameworks and are not necessarily followed exactly as written. Local conditions such as holidays, road closures, protests, strikes, events, and politics can force an itinerary to change, and your guide and the Operator will work with you in a transparent manner to address unforeseen and unanticipated changes you may encounter.

(b) The client agrees that the nature of the tours offered by the Operator requires a degree of flexibility and that the contents and timings of the tour may be materially and consequentially affected as a result of Force Majeure, weather, local political conditions, natural disasters, strikes, entry or border difficulties, mechanical breakdowns, flight cancellations, cancellations of permits, elevated risk of danger, sickness or other unforeseen circumstances. You must be prepared to accept this flexibility and to accept that We cannot be held responsible for delays and alterations in the schedule, or for expenses incurred as a result of any delay or alterations arising from any such circumstances.

(b) Itineraries are therefore always subject to change. We retain the right to make changes to the itinerary when necessary due to local conditions and safety while working hard to maintain the integrity and spirit of the original itinerary.

(c) For independent trips (non-group tours), the Client(s) may also request changes on the ground and guides will try their best to be accommodating, but cannot guarantee requests for changes. 

(d) Additional costs due to forced changes or changes requested by the Client are to be borne by the Client.

(e) For tours that are forced to be moved within 7 calendar days of the original date due to unforeseen and or uncontrollable circumstances, the Operator shall inform the Client in writing of the change as soon as possible and work in good faith with the Client to ameliorate any consequences caused by a date change. If a tour or itinerary is forced to be moved by more than 7 calendar days from its original start date, the client may request full compensation for all payments made to the Company. 

(f) The Operator reserves the right to alter itineraries after departure, without refund if it is in the interest of the Client to do so. No refund or compensation will be payable in respect of any unused hotel accommodation, air tickets, or any other unused services on a tour.

9. Company and Client Responsibility

(a) The Client’s booking is accepted on the understanding that they realize the potential risks and hazards that can be involved in tours of this kind including injury, loss or damage to property, discomfort, and inconvenience.

(b) Before a deposit is collected, the Client must sign a Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement, which is a binding contract. Signing this contract is voluntary. Refusal to sign this contract will result in the Company rejecting the booking request and opting to not engage in any provision of service to the Client. 

(c) The Client agrees that the obligation of the Company to the Client is to select competent, vetted, independent Partners and sub-contractors to provide reasonable services given local conditions and any other services related to the Tour and to exercise reasonable care in selecting such suppliers.

10. Travel and Medical Insurance

(a) The Client will effect and maintain sufficient and appropriate cancellation, curtailment, rescue, medical expenses, and third-party liability insurance in respect of the Client and dependant relatives, and insurance to cover loss of, damage to or theft of the Clients’ baggage, no later than the date on which the balance payment is due. The tour is a journey of a hazardous nature and the Client must be satisfied that such insurance fully covers all personal requirements including medical expenses, repatriation, helicopter rescue, and air ambulance in the event of an accident or illness.

(b) The insurance policy and the receipt of premiums paid there will be produced to the Operator prior to departure and to the Guide on day one of the tour. If you join the tour without adequate insurance you may not be allowed to continue on the tour, with no right to refund. If circumstances give rise to a claim the client will forthwith pursue his remedies under such policy(ies). Having insurance will enable your Guide to offer more help should an accident happen or you get sick and need to be admitted to hospital or evacuated.

(c) We understand that obtaining insurance, depending on your nationality and country of residence, may be difficult if not impossible for visiting countries under travel warnings or sanctions from your government. In this circumstance, the Client understands that they are travelling at their own risk, and should they require evacuation, assistance, emergency response, or medical attention they are responsible for covering all of these costs on the spot. The Operator is not responsible for loaning funds, covering medical expenses, or evacuating the Client. Medical insurance should be obtained regardless of the location of the tour, as it would be necessary even in a third country outside the Insurance provider’s fine print. It is the responsibility of the Client to provide themselves with the appropriate coverage. Any recommendations made by the Company or any of its Partners or subcontractors are not guaranteed to fulfill the requirements of the Client and each Client should conduct their own research and due diligence regarding the purchase of insurance. 

(d) The Client will also produce to the Company prior to departure the details of the name, address and telephone numbers of their next of kin or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.

(e) The insurance cover should extend for the planned duration of the tour and at least an additional day.

11. Acceptance of Risk

The Client acknowledges that there is a significant element of personal risk in participating on this tour. The Client accepts and consents to the personal risks inherent in the implementation of this contract, and accepts the limitations of the Company’s liability set out herein as being reasonable. The Company reserves the right at any time to require the Client to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that the Client is fit to participate in the tour.

12. Expedition Leader and Staff Changes

(a) The Operator will appoint the Tour Leader(s) and or Guide(s) who will represent the Company, and the Client agrees to accept the decisions of the Tour Leader who shall have absolute discretion and authority to secure implementation of the Company’s obligations under the Contract. If your physical condition or behaviour is such as to affect the well-being of yourself or other members of the group, you may be asked to leave the tour without recourse to refund or other compensation.

(b) In general, We try to avoid changing staff on a trip and plan out our schedules months in advance to make sure this does not happen. However, some things are beyond our control. People can get sick or injured, last-minute things may pop up, and we may be forced to make changes to the tour leader of a trip.

13. Compliance with Local Laws and Cultural Customs

(a) The Client will comply at their expense and their liability with all local laws, visa requirements, and immigration, customs, and foreign exchange regulations of the countries visited. Should there be any failure to comply or any contravention by the Client of such laws, requirements, or regulations, subject to the provisions of this contract, the Company shall have the right to require the Client to leave the tour without recourse to refund or other compensation.

(b) Within reason, the Client shall comply with all local customs at the urging of their Guide or the Operator. This may include dress, behaviour, demeanor, etc. Should there be any failure to comply or any contravention by the Client of such customs, requirements, or regulations, subject to the provisions of this contract, the Operator shall have the right to require the Client to leave the tour without recourse to refund or other compensation. The Guide shall work with the Client to resolve any issues related to cultural conformity and attempt to, whenever possible and keeping the safety and security of the Client(s) in mind, provide flexibility in this regard. 

14. Complaints and Conflict Resolution with a Partnered Operator

(a) We will always strive to resolve a complaint as it arises. Please let the Operator know as early as possible of the issue you have run into so that a Company customer service representative may help resolve the problem with you. Inform the guide you are with first and foremost, so that they may work with the Operator as well as High Bearings as the booking agency to help resolve any complaints you have. 

15. General Conditions

(a) No persons, except with the express permission in writing of a Company Director of High Bearings has the authority or is empowered to waive or vary any of these conditions.

(b) The Client acknowledges that prior to the Contract, they have been given general information on passport and visa requirements for the tour and of the health formalities required, and knows of no reason that would cause the client to be unable to comply with these requirements.

(c) This contract shall be construed in accordance with Canadian law in the Province of British Columbia and the parties irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Canadian Courts to settle any disputes, which may arise out of or in connection with this contract.