Tastes and Trails of Scotland

A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation. We do not offer any refund on monies paid for a cancellation made by you, therefore we strongly advise you to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation fees.

If you leave, or have to be removed from a trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. There are no exceptions to this cancellation policy, including for reasons related to weather, terrorism, civil strife, family or medical emergencies, or any other circumstances beyond our control.

Cancellation by H&I Adventures

We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or other external events it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary. If we cancel your trip, you can transfer amounts paid to an alternative departure date or alternatively receive a full refund. In circumstances where cancellation is due to external events outside our reasonable control, refunds will be less any unrecoverable expenses and non-refundable deposit paid. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking including, but not limited to, visas, vaccinations, travel insurance excess, or non- refundable flights, train or bus tickets.

Booking amendments

If you wish to transfer from one trip to another you must notify us at least 60 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of GBP £50 per person per change will apply. If you notify us less than 60 days prior to the proposed departure date the refund policy applicable to cancellations will apply. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 10 days of departure.

Acceptance of risk and responsibilities as a tour Participant

You acknowledge that the nature of a mountain bike trip is adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives. We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all possible relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary. You

acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you assume the personal risks attendant upon such travel.

You also acknowledge and clearly understand that during the course of the trip certain risks and dangers may occur, including but not limited to the hazards of travelling in mountainous regions. You agree to assume all risks associated with the journey and agree that no liability will attach to H&I Adventures or to any member of the tour group in respect of death, personal injury, illness or delay of the passenger, or for any loss of or damage to the property of the passenger during the course of the trip, howsoever caused. H&I Adventures reserves the right to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of any party at any time.

Indemnification

I agree to indemnify (meaning to defend and to pay or reimburse) H&I Adventures against any claim by anyone arising in whole or in part from an injury or other loss suffered or caused by me in connection with my participation in an H&I Adventures tour.

Limitation of liability

H&I Adventures acts only as an intermediary for certain independent suppliers that provide lodging, meals, transportation, and other activities or goods and services connected with your tour (‘Supplier’ or ‘Suppliers’). You acknowledge that you are aware and clearly understand that these Suppliers are independent contractors, are not managed by H&I Adventures, and are not agents or employees of H&I Adventures. A Supplier’s services are subject to the Supplier’s own terms and conditions and the local laws and regulations of the relevant country. H&I Adventures will not provide any refund for a Supplier’s delay, cancellation, overbooking, or strike.

H&I Adventures shall not be held responsible for any damages caused by the total or partial failure to carry out the contract if such failure is due to the theft of bicycles or injury as a result of cycling either on- or off-road, and in particular, injuries as a result of either inadequately maintained and services personal equipment, or failure to wear the correct safety equipment, most notably cycle helmets.

Force Majeure

H&I Adventures will not be deemed in breach of this agreement or otherwise liable to you, by reason of delay in performance or non-performance of any of its obligations under this agreement to the extent that any such delay or non-performance is due to any Force Majeure. ‘Force Majeure’ means any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of H&I Adventures, including without limitation acts of God, terrorist activities, insurrection, explosion, flood, tempest, forceful wind, fire or accident, war or threat of war declared or undeclared, sabotage, civil, disturbance, labour strikes, requisition, sickness, quarantine, government intervention, weather conditions, and unforeseen circumstances.

If H&I Adventures and/or any of its Suppliers are affected by Force Majeure, they shall be entitled to, and may in their sole discretion, vary of cancel any itinerary or arrangement in relation to the tour. Regarding civil unrest, once H&I Adventures has investigated the prevailing situation, as it deems fit, it shall remain in H&I Adventures’ sole and absolute discretion whether to proceed with the tour.

Minimum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips the minimum age is 18 years. In exceptional circumstance we may allow children between 12 and 18 years-old, accompanied by a responsible adult, to join one of our tours. This decision will be at the discretion of H&I Adventures.

Maximum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips we have no upper age limit though we remind you that our trips can be physically demanding and a Self-Assessment form is required for all clients 65 years and over.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all H&I Adventures travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it.

Pre-departure documentation

It is important that you read carefully all trip-related documents that you receive from us as soon as you receive them. It is your responsibility to contact us if any information is incorrect. We cannot accept liability if you do not notify us of any inaccuracies within seven days of your receipt of those documents. This agreement, a waiver of liability and assumption of risk agreement and, if required, a medical statement must be submitted by you. If you fail to submit this and other necessary documentation prior to departure, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you and impose the cancellation fees described in this agreement.

Passport and visas

You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents are valid and effective and in your possession for the entire tour. Passports are required for travelling abroad and should be valid for at least six months after your date of return. We suggest that you apply for or renew a passport early. Other required documents may include visas, permits, and vaccination certificates. You assume complete responsibility for checking and verifying any and all passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements. You are also solely responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from incomplete or defective documentation. While we may provide information or advice on matters such as visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, and special equipment in good faith as a courtesy to you, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions as to the information provided.

Flexibility

You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of this type of travel requires considerable flexibility and you should allow for alternatives. The itinerary provided for each trip is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries,

amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events.

Change of itinerary

While we endeavour to operate all trips as described we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary. Please refer to our website before departure for the most recent updates to your itinerary.

After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure as a result of weather, local circumstances or events outside of our control. In such emergency circumstances the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you: please refer to the Trip Notes for your trip for details of Emergency Funds which you agree to carry, to be used in such instances.

Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itinerary such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

Authority on tour

Our group trips are run by an H&I Adventures guide. The decision of the guide is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating in the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a guide, or interfere with the well-being of the group, the guide may order you to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. In such a circumstance, where a traveller is removed from the trip, H&I Adventure accepts no responsibility for their transfer back to the tour end point or any costs incurred therein. Any transport arranged for the traveller in question will be at the sole discretion of H&I Adventures.

We may also elect not to carry you on any future trips booked. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our responsible travel guidelines.

Errors and omissions

Although we have made a concerted attempt to verify the accuracy of statements made in our trip documentation including brochure, website and trip brochure we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.

Complaint procedure

If you have a complaint during your tour, you must promptly notify H&I Adventures or your tour leader of the problem so that they can attempt to remedy the situation. Failure to do so while you are on tour will extinguish or reduce your ability to claim compensation from H&I Adventures. Further, if you attempt to address the problem on your own without using this notice procedure, you assume responsibility of added costs you may incur and forfeit any potential refunds.

If you are not satisfied after using this notice procedure, you must submit your complaint in writing to H&I Adventures within 14 days of the tour’s end date. H&I Adventures will not accept liability for claims received after this period.

Tour start date

A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation. We do not offer any refund on monies paid for a cancellation made by you, therefore we strongly advise you to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation fees.

If you leave, or have to be removed from a trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. There are no exceptions to this cancellation policy, including for reasons related to weather, terrorism, civil strife, family or medical emergencies, or any other circumstances beyond our control.

Cancellation by H&I Adventures

We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or other external events it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary. If we cancel your trip, you can transfer amounts paid to an alternative departure date or alternatively receive a full refund. In circumstances where cancellation is due to external events outside our reasonable control, refunds will be less any unrecoverable expenses and non-refundable deposit paid. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking including, but not limited to, visas, vaccinations, travel insurance excess, or non- refundable flights, train or bus tickets.

Booking amendments

If you wish to transfer from one trip to another you must notify us at least 60 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of GBP £50 per person per change will apply. If you notify us less than 60 days prior to the proposed departure date the refund policy applicable to cancellations will apply. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 10 days of departure.

Acceptance of risk and responsibilities as a tour Participant

You acknowledge that the nature of a mountain bike trip is adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives. We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all possible relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary. You

acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you assume the personal risks attendant upon such travel.

You also acknowledge and clearly understand that during the course of the trip certain risks and dangers may occur, including but not limited to the hazards of travelling in mountainous regions. You agree to assume all risks associated with the journey and agree that no liability will attach to H&I Adventures or to any member of the tour group in respect of death, personal injury, illness or delay of the passenger, or for any loss of or damage to the property of the passenger during the course of the trip, howsoever caused. H&I Adventures reserves the right to decline, to accept, or to retain any person as a member of any party at any time.

Indemnification

I agree to indemnify (meaning to defend and to pay or reimburse) H&I Adventures against any claim by anyone arising in whole or in part from an injury or other loss suffered or caused by me in connection with my participation in an H&I Adventures tour.

Limitation of liability

H&I Adventures acts only as an intermediary for certain independent suppliers that provide lodging, meals, transportation, and other activities or goods and services connected with your tour (‘Supplier’ or ‘Suppliers’). You acknowledge that you are aware and clearly understand that these Suppliers are independent contractors, are not managed by H&I Adventures, and are not agents or employees of H&I Adventures. A Supplier’s services are subject to the Supplier’s own terms and conditions and the local laws and regulations of the relevant country. H&I Adventures will not provide any refund for a Supplier’s delay, cancellation, overbooking, or strike.

H&I Adventures shall not be held responsible for any damages caused by the total or partial failure to carry out the contract if such failure is due to the theft of bicycles or injury as a result of cycling either on- or off-road, and in particular, injuries as a result of either inadequately maintained and services personal equipment, or failure to wear the correct safety equipment, most notably cycle helmets.

Force Majeure

H&I Adventures will not be deemed in breach of this agreement or otherwise liable to you, by reason of delay in performance or non-performance of any of its obligations under this agreement to the extent that any such delay or non-performance is due to any Force Majeure. ‘Force Majeure’ means any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of H&I Adventures, including without limitation acts of God, terrorist activities, insurrection, explosion, flood, tempest, forceful wind, fire or accident, war or threat of war declared or undeclared, sabotage, civil, disturbance, labour strikes, requisition, sickness, quarantine, government intervention, weather conditions, and unforeseen circumstances.

If H&I Adventures and/or any of its Suppliers are affected by Force Majeure, they shall be entitled to, and may in their sole discretion, vary of cancel any itinerary or arrangement in relation to the tour. Regarding civil unrest, once H&I Adventures has investigated the prevailing situation, as it deems fit, it shall remain in H&I Adventures’ sole and absolute discretion whether to proceed with the tour.

Minimum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips the minimum age is 18 years. In exceptional circumstance we may allow children between 12 and 18 years-old, accompanied by a responsible adult, to join one of our tours. This decision will be at the discretion of H&I Adventures.

Maximum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips we have no upper age limit though we remind you that our trips can be physically demanding and a Self-Assessment form is required for all clients 65 years and over.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all H&I Adventures travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it.

Pre-departure documentation

It is important that you read carefully all trip-related documents that you receive from us as soon as you receive them. It is your responsibility to contact us if any information is incorrect. We cannot accept liability if you do not notify us of any inaccuracies within seven days of your receipt of those documents. This agreement, a waiver of liability and assumption of risk agreement and, if required, a medical statement must be submitted by you. If you fail to submit this and other necessary documentation prior to departure, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you and impose the cancellation fees described in this agreement.

Passport and visas

You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents are valid and effective and in your possession for the entire tour. Passports are required for travelling abroad and should be valid for at least six months after your date of return. We suggest that you apply for or renew a passport early. Other required documents may include visas, permits, and vaccination certificates. You assume complete responsibility for checking and verifying any and all passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements. You are also solely responsible for any adverse consequences resulting from incomplete or defective documentation. While we may provide information or advice on matters such as visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, and special equipment in good faith as a courtesy to you, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions as to the information provided.

Flexibility

You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of this type of travel requires considerable flexibility and you should allow for alternatives. The itinerary provided for each trip is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries,

amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events.

Change of itinerary

While we endeavour to operate all trips as described we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary. Please refer to our website before departure for the most recent updates to your itinerary.

After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure as a result of weather, local circumstances or events outside of our control. In such emergency circumstances the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you: please refer to the Trip Notes for your trip for details of Emergency Funds which you agree to carry, to be used in such instances.

Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itinerary such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

Authority on tour

Our group trips are run by an H&I Adventures guide. The decision of the guide is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating in the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a guide, or interfere with the well-being of the group, the guide may order you to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. In such a circumstance, where a traveller is removed from the trip, H&I Adventure accepts no responsibility for their transfer back to the tour end point or any costs incurred therein. Any transport arranged for the traveller in question will be at the sole discretion of H&I Adventures.

We may also elect not to carry you on any future trips booked. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our responsible travel guidelines.

Errors and omissions

Although we have made a concerted attempt to verify the accuracy of statements made in our trip documentation including brochure, website and trip brochure we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.

Complaint procedure

If you have a complaint during your tour, you must promptly notify H&I Adventures or your tour leader of the problem so that they can attempt to remedy the situation. Failure to do so while you are on tour will extinguish or reduce your ability to claim compensation from H&I Adventures. Further, if you attempt to address the problem on your own without using this notice procedure, you assume responsibility of added costs you may incur and forfeit any potential refunds.

If you are not satisfied after using this notice procedure, you must submit your complaint in writing to H&I Adventures within 14 days of the tour’s end date. H&I Adventures will not accept liability for claims received after this period.

Tour start date