TERMS & CONDITIONS

When you make a booking and we accept it, a legally binding contract is made. When you complete a booking via our email you agree to accept all of these Terms and Conditions, you also acknowledge that you have read the trip itinerary for your chosen expedition. A contract will exist as soon as state your place is confirmed. The following Terms and Conditions apply to all bookings:

In these Terms and Conditions the words ‘AGA Adventures’ ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ mean or refer to AGA Adventures Ltd. The words ‘client’, ‘you’, ‘participant’, ‘your’ and ‘the lead name’ mean or refer to any person who enters into a contract with AGA Adventures. The words ‘travel arrangements’, ‘expedition’, ’tour’ or ‘trip’ mean or refer to any activity, transport, accommodation or package trip organised by AGA Adventures. The word supplier(s) is any person(s) or organisation(s) that supplies AGA Adventures with services, activities or products. The words ‘your party’ or ‘your group’ mean or refer to any other person on whose behalf you book a trip with AGA Adventures.

When we send the booking confirmation it will give instructions for final payments or deposits. You will also have access to all relevant information, including a kit list, trip itinerary & details in the AGA Adventures pdf file. All other important information regarding your trip will be formally delivered using the email address registered upon booking. The contract will continue until the tour, along with any booked extension, has ended but such expiry shall not affect the accrued rights and liabilities of the parties nor any continuing obligations. You should accept these Terms and Conditions only if you have carefully read and understood the contents. The moment we receive your deposit we start processing your application and, therefore, it is non-refundable however your deposit is transferable under the Lifetime Deposit terms in section 6. There may be additional conditions that apply to a specific tour, in which case these additional conditions will be displayed on the specific trip page on our website. There will be specific clothes and equipment that you will be required to bring with you on a tour. Some, but not all equipment will be available to rent or purchase in the area you trek. We recommend that you source your own equipment. Clients booking by telephone will be deemed to have read these Terms and Conditions and by making a booking over the phone you will automatically be bound by these terms and conditions. Should there be a discrepancy between the information in the brochure, trip guide and the website, then the information on the most recent email from AGA Adventures Ltd supersedes that in the brochure or trip guide and will be considered the most up-to-date and accurate.

1. How to Book

To make a booking you can contact us either by: Email, Telephone, our via our Website. 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 accept these Terms and Conditions on behalf of everyone in their party. You will need to pay a non-refundable deposit for each person per trip. The lead name is responsible for the accuracy of any information provided. AGA Adventures Ltd cannot be held liable for any problems that may occur from incorrect information that you provided. If you are under 18 you must be accompanied by a responsible adult over 18 years of age.

2. Prices

All prices we advertise are accurate at the date published although we reserve the right to change our prices. Prices on our website are updated regularly. Before you make a booking we will give you the up-to-date price of your chosen trip including any extensions or extra services you have requested.

3. Acceptance of Booking and Final Payments

Payment of the full balance of the trip price is due 60 days before the tour start date. Any Deposits must be made 90 days before unless booking is made before 90 days from trip date, the whole payment will be due. You must make all payments by their due date. If we do not receive all payments due in full and on time we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you and retain all deposits and monies paid, or due at that time. We will add a 10% admin fee to all late payments. When you receive the confirmation booking please check the details carefully and inform us immediately if anything is incorrect.

4. What Your Trip Includes and Does Not Include

Details of the items included or not included in the price are stated on the trip itinerary on our website.

5. FORCE MAJEURE

In these Terms and Conditions ‘force majeure’ means any event that we, or the supplier of the services in question, could not foresee, or avoid, even with all due care. Such events include, but are not limited to war, the threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, hostilities, political unrest, government action, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, acts of God, adverse weather conditions, pandemics or other unforeseen circumstances.

6.a If You Cancel Your Trip

You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. If you cancel a trip after making a booking you will lose some or all of the money you have paid for the trip, even if the circumstances are beyond your control. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation by letter or email of the cancellation. Cancellation charges as shown below will be applicable. Please be aware that bookings for 8000m peaks have a different cancellation policy, please email for more information.

• 90 days or more before your initial trip booking: loss of 100% of the deposit paid
• Between 60 and 90 days before your initial trip booking: loss of 50% of the trip cost
• 60 days or less: Loss of 100% of the trip cost

It is strongly recommended that you obtain insurance that includes cover under certain circumstances against the loss of deposit or cancellation charges. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. Additionally, you will remain responsible for the full amount of your insurance premium and this will not be refunded in the event of your cancellation. You may however be able to transfer this cover to another trip. If you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services.

6.b Minimum Numbers T&C’s

When a trip requires a minimum number of participants (for instance Kilimanjaro) to enable us to operate it, we reserve the right to cancel the trip where this minimum number is not reached. You will be advised before your booking if your trip requires a minimum number of bookings to operate. When you book onto a trip that requires minimum numbers you will be required to pay the full balance 4 months before your trip date. This is contrary to our other payment terms laid out for other trips. Failure to achieve the minimum number does not, however, oblige us to cancel the trip. Therefore, you will be advised if the trip is to go ahead or not, by the date that full payment of your trip is due to be received by us (4 months before the trip start date). Please note that we will not be liable for any costs, expenses or losses you incur (for example, in respect of flights) as a result of the cancellation of any trip due to lack of minimum numbers. We therefore recommended you do not incur any non refundable expenditure until you have received confirmation that your trip is guaranteed to proceed.

6.c What happens if my trip is cancelled?

If we cancel your trip due to the lack of minimum numbers reached you may be offered an alternative date to book onto. If you choose an alternative date your deposit will not be refunded. If we cancel the trip after you have paid and we confirmed it was to proceed, you may have the option to move your trip to an alternative date or receive a full refund.

6.d What happens if I cancel my trip?

Please refer to 6.a.

7. Minor Changes in Itinerary Before the Start of the Tour

In the types of trips that AGA Adventures provide, arrangements and participants have to be flexible. Itineraries given for each trip must therefore be taken as an indication of what each group should accomplish, and not as a contractual obligation on our part. It is a necessary condition of you joining any of our tours that you accept this flexibility. It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your travel arrangements, but we plan the arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor and we will notify you or your travel agent of them as soon as reasonably possible. In the case of such changes there is no entitlement to cancel without penalty and you will be subject to the cancellation charges listed in clause 6.a. Examples of minor changes include change of accommodation to another of the same standard, using slightly different modes of transport or completing the activities in a different order to the itinerary.

8. Major Changes to Your Trip Before Start of Tour

If we have to make a major change to your trip such as changing the locality of your trek due to adverse weather or a change resulting in a significant inconvenience with regard to your trip, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your trip commences. When a major change occurs, you will have the choice of either accepting the change, or accepting a replacement tour from us of equivalent or similar standard and price.

When a major change or cancellation occurs due to force majeure we will do our best to provide a suitable alternative, this may be at an alternative location and date. It may not always be possible to offer you an alternative and in this case the terms of force majeure apply – see section 5.

If we have to cancel a trip due to force majeure 90 days or more before your trip you will lose 100% of your deposit. Please see above 6.a for before 90 days. You are advised to take travel insurance to minimise your financial loss in these circumstances.

We reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your travel arrangements. However, in no circumstances will we cancel your tour less than 30 days before the scheduled start date except for reasons of late cancellations from other persons on your tour, force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance or obtain adequate insurance cover. We cannot be held responsible for any non-refundable costs you incur through booking your own flights or otherwise should we be forced to cancel your trip.

9.Changes in Itinerary After the Start of the Tour

We reserve the right to change an itinerary after the trip commences due to local circumstances or events outside of our control or anything amounting to force majeure. In such emergency circumstances you will pay for the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations. If due to force majeure or any other circumstance beyond our or our suppliers’ control we have to cut short your trip no refund or compensation will be made for any unused hotel accommodation, hire equipment, or any other unused service or feature of the trip.

10. Adventure Travel

This is adventure travel, and many of AGA Adventure destinations are in remote areas, within developing countries. Many of the places that we visit do not have the same quality of emergency health and safety services that we are used to in the developed world. Road transport can be uncomfortable and unreliable. We will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to you or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel arrangements.

AGA Adventures takes every precaution to ensure the safety of all participants. However, by undertaking a trip with AGA Adventures, you are assuming the risk of any injury, including death. AGA Adventures and/or its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers and their employees cannot be held responsible for any injury caused to you, or by you to others, resulting from your failure to follow an instruction(s) or recommendation(s). It is your contractual obligation to AGA Adventures to at all times act in a safe, responsible and courteous manner, comply with all safety procedures, listen and be present at all safety and information briefings; to immediately inform your guide / tour leader or any other person responsible for the provision of your activities of any equipment or site deficiencies or any other concerns relevant to the safety of you as an individual or the group as a whole; and to dress and/or equip yourself suitably for any event or activity as advised by your trip leader or any other individual responsible for the provision of your activities.

Our liability except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to the cost of your travel arrangements. Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you realise the hazards involved in this type of trip, including death, injury, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. Our obligations, and those of our suppliers providing any service or activity included in your trip, are to use reasonable skill and take reasonable care when providing such services and activities. You must demonstrate that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make any claim against us. The services and activities included in your trip will be considered provided with reasonable skill and care if they comply with any local regulations that apply, or, if there are no applicable local regulations they are reasonable when compared to the local standards and accepted customs. We will not be liable for any loss of profit, or loss of business, or any form of consequential loss or damage, whether or not arising as a result of physical damage to property and/or person and regardless of the cause and nature of such loss or damage.

AGA Adventures liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to any relevant International Convention (for example, the Geneva Convention in respect of carriage by road, the Montreal Convention in respect of travel by air, the Athens Convention in respect of travel by sea, the Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail and the Paris Convention in respect of the provision of accommodation) which limit the amount of compensation that you can claim for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, damage and delay to luggage. For the avoidance of doubt, this means that we are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitations of compensation contained in any of these Conventions or any other international conventions applicable to your trip. Where public transport (including taxis) is used we cannot be held responsible or liable for its standards or any damages, loss, injury, or death incurred during the use of such transport.

Occasionally our local suppliers may need you to sign an ‘Acceptance of Risk’ form prior to accepting your participation for an activity or service. The purpose of the form is to indemnify the supplier and AGA Adventures from any claims made by you for incidents arising due to circumstances outside the supplier and AGA Adventures reasonable control.

On all of the tours we operate, we at times stay in very primitive accommodations that are built to no known standards. It is part of the fun of this type of travel but it does come with risk. We do however try to inspect accommodation beforehand and we look to stay in nice homely places with character that are of the best standard compared to what is available locally. For example, in some circumstances we stay in village homes where the people have built the houses themselves. You need to accept the fact that there may be defects with the structure of the buildings we stay in, for example uneven floors, cracks in windows, no fire extinguishers, and electrical fittings that are not fitted to UK standards. Travel in any underdeveloped nation requires you to be more aware and cautious of your surroundings. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the general layout of accommodation so as to become aware of any specific risks or lack of safety features.

There will be wildlife, domesticated and wild animals in all of the areas we visit that can attack without warning. AGA Adventures or any of its employees or suppliers cannot be held responsible for any injury or death that occurs from you being attacked by any wildlife, domesticated or wild animal, you must accept the risks of injury or death from wildlife or animal attacks.

11. Optional Activities

Optional activities (marked as ‘optional activities’) on your itinerary or any activity not included in the price of your trip do not form part of your trip supplied by AGA Adventures. For any optional activity or other service that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the activity or service and not with us, and the decision to partake in any such activity is entirely at your own discretion and risk. If you do have any complaint or problem with any optional activity purchased, your claim should be directed to the activity provider and not to us.

You accept that any assistance given by your tour leader or local representative in arranging optional activities will not render AGA Adventures or its employee(s) liable.

12. Links to Other Websites

We have placed links to external sites on our website that we think you may find interesting, but neither AGA Adventures nor any of its employees or agents shall have any responsibility or liability of any nature whatsoever for these sites or any information contained in them. None of these sites have been verified or endorsed by AGA Adventures. The link does not apply an association with our site.

13. Errors & Omissions

Although we have made every effort to verify the accuracy of statements made in our trip documentation including brochure(s), website and trip notes we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.

14. Data Protection Act

We work in compliance with the Data Protection Act.

We will not pass information on to anybody who isn’t responsible for part of your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, dietary or religious requirements. If you have any sensitive information, you can discuss with one of our staff in privacy and they will make sure that any specific requirements or health concerns are dealt with on a strict need to know basis. We ensure that proper measures are in place to protect your information.

15. If You Transfer to Another trip

If after our booking confirmation has been issued, you wish to transfer to another trip, we will try to arrange this but it may not always be possible. You should contact us as soon as possible as costs will increase closer to the date of departure. You cannot transfer your trip less than 60 days prior to departure. 

16. Tour Leader Authority

By completing a booking you accept these Terms and Conditions and you agree to abide by the authority of the tour leader, who represents AGA Adventures. The decision of the tour leader as to the conduct, itinerary and objectives of the tour is final. If, in the opinion of the tour leader, your behaviour or physical condition is putting the wellbeing of other people at risk, or if the tour leader considers your general wellbeing to be at risk by continuing the tour, or if you are caught breaking the local law, you may be asked to leave the tour without the right to any refund for unused services the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation and we will have no further responsibility to them including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination. AGA Adventures clients must only use the accommodation that we provide for you. You are not permitted to let anyone else stay in your room. You are responsible for the cost of any damage caused to your accommodation, its contents and any other item you damage or lose whilst on one of our trips. These charges must be met by you and have to be paid locally. You accept that you may not participate in part of the itinerary if you are late for an activity or part of your travel arrangements. If you miss a transport connection you will be responsible for catching up with the group and all costs associated with rejoining the group. You must not do anything or fail to do anything that is reasonably likely to bring AGA Adventures into disrepute.

16. Tour Leader Authority

By completing a booking you accept these Terms and Conditions and you agree to abide by the authority of the tour leader, who represents AGA Adventures. The decision of the tour leader as to the conduct, itinerary and objectives of the tour is final. If, in the opinion of the tour leader, your behaviour or physical condition is putting the wellbeing of other people at risk, or if the tour leader considers your general wellbeing to be at risk by continuing the tour, or if you are caught breaking the local law, you may be asked to leave the tour without the right to any refund for unused services the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation and we will have no further responsibility to them including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination. AGA Adventures clients must only use the accommodation that we provide for you. You are not permitted to let anyone else stay in your room. You are responsible for the cost of any damage caused to your accommodation, its contents and any other item you damage or lose whilst on one of our trips. These charges must be met by you and have to be paid locally. You accept that you may not participate in part of the itinerary if you are late for an activity or part of your travel arrangements. If you miss a transport connection you will be responsible for catching up with the group and all costs associated with rejoining the group. You must not do anything or fail to do anything that is reasonably likely to bring AGA Adventures into disrepute.

17. Our Responsibility

Our responsibility to you does not commence until the start date of your tour and you have arrived at the starting point of the tour as stated on the trip itinerary. The starting point of an AGA Adventures tour is normally the airport in the country that your tour commences. We offer complimentary airport to hotel and hotel to airport transfers on all our trips. Please note you can arrive in the country of your tour before the start date and also depart after the finish date and we can arrange accommodation for you but it will be at your cost. Please note there may be no AGA Adventures representative available to meet you and we will have no responsibility to you outside the official publicised dates of the tour unless agreed otherwise. You are responsible for arranging your own flight or transport to arrive at the starting point of a AGA Adventures tour although we do provide recommendations if required. Under no circumstances can AGA Adventures be responsible for you missing the start of a tour. We will not refund any money to you, pay you any compensation or pay for any transport arrangements for you to catch up with the tour group if you do not arrive at the starting point on time, nor will we pay for any accommodation or other expenses that you incur. You will not receive any money back for activities that you missed. However, we have an in-country agent that will assist you in every way possible (transport, accommodation etc) to catch up with the tour group at your expense.

You will be given emergency telephone numbers of all representatives of AGA Adventures and be given a list of times and places the tour group will be present, in order to catch up with the group. If your arrival flight is delayed but it will still arrive on the same day we will still come to the airport to collect you. If it is delayed and will not arrive until the next day we will try to supply you with a pickup if the group itinerary and staffing levels allow it. If the group has moved to the next destination on the itinerary or we do not have the available staff to pick you up you will be responsible for catching up with the group. You will be given all the details of contacts for emergencies or meeting points in case you ever need to catch up with the group. If the airline you travel with loses your baggage you need to report it immediately at the airport. Under no circumstances can the start of the tour be delayed or disrupted in any way waiting for your baggage. AGA Adventures cannot be held liable for any problem that arises from the loss of your luggage. We therefore recommend that you keep all your valuables and essential kit in your hand luggage and wear any important clothing on the airplane. We are not responsible for any of your belongings and we will not accept responsibility for them if they are lost, stolen or damaged at any point on your trip however so incurred.

If you are unable, or choose not to complete part of your itinerary AGA Adventures is not liable to supply alternative itineraries, excursions, accommodations, services or staff for the period when you are not present with the group or refund any monies. If you do not take part in the group activities or itinerary or if you wander off on your own we will not have any responsibility for you whatsoever.

For expeditions where passengers have a domestic flight as part of the package this will be paid for by AGA Adventures. However if it is a Domestic or international flight that is part of the expedition route and not the package, we reserve your place on the plane and you then need to pay for the flight locally. AGA Adventures do not sell flights and therefore we will not be responsible for any losses, inconveniences, injuries, death, delays or any other problem that result from a flight you take or a plane ticket you buy. You must also be aware that standards of internal flights in countries we visit may not be of the same standard you would expect in Europe or North America.

AGA Adventures will not be held liable nor accept any responsibility for any injury, death or problem that occurs while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We have a zero tolerance policy towards drugs.

18. Passport, Visas, Travel

You must carry a valid passport and have obtained all of the appropriate visas, for the countries that you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the trip. The lead name is entirely responsible for ensuring that all members of the group have the correct and valid documentation for travel. 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. There are restrictions on the amount of times you can enter certain countries in a year and also restrictions to certain nationalities. Your behaviour at a border can also stop you from entering a country. In some cases countries will refuse entry to clients who have criminal records, please check with the embassy or consulate of the countries that you are visiting. AGA Adventures will not be held liable, nor can we assist you if you have been rejected entry to a country for any reason. You will not be able to continue with the itinerary of your tour and you will not be entitled to any refund or compensation. Please check your trip itinerary and the relevant countries government website for Visa information.

In booking a tour with us, you acknowledge that you are responsible for making yourself aware of the level of safety in the countries and areas which you will be visiting. Information can be found from your country’s Foreign Office or State Department warnings and other sources available to you.

You are responsible for making your own decisions accordingly.

19. Health

[Content continues exactly as provided…]

20. Travel and Cancellation Insurance

[Content continues exactly as provided…]

21. Photos and Marketing

You consent to us using still and video images of you taken during the trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose (now and future invented). You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes. You also consent to us using any written feedback you give us in any form of marketing we choose. You also consent to use by third parties.

22. Transfers & Refunds

Transfer of bookings are at the sole discretion of AGA Adventures and is only granted upon exceptional circumstances.

Any refunds made by AGA Adventures are usually made within 30 -45 days of the refund being agreed, however this may extend depending on the circumstances at the time of the agreed refund.

23. Complaints Process

If you have any complaint during your trip you must inform our local representative or your tour leader as well as our team in the UK and the relevant supplier of the service immediately. If you are not happy with the agreed action in response please contact us within 28 days of your return home by writing to us at: AGA Adventures Ltd, City Road London, EC1V 2NX, UK. If you do not give us the opportunity to resolve any problem locally at the time of the issue by reporting it to the tour leader then we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint during your trip and this may affect your rights under this contract. Agents and representatives, other than a Director of AGA Adventures are not entitled to promise refunds for whatever reason, and AGA Adventures will not be bound by any such promises. We will acknowledge a complaint within 7 days of receipt.

These Terms and Conditions may only be waived or amended by a Director of AGA Adventures. Such waivers or amendments will only be made in special circumstances and must be made in writing to be effective.

These Terms and Conditions and any contract to which they apply, are governed in all respects by UK Law. They shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England / UK. If any part of these Terms and Conditions is determined by a court to be unenforceable, the remainder of the Terms and Conditions shall be unaffected and shall continue in full force and effect.

AGA Adventures is dedicated to giving you the best possible service and ensuring that you have an enjoyable trip. All communications relating to this contract must be from the Lead Name in writing and in English and delivered by hand, email or sent by recorded delivery post to AGA Adventures Ltd, 128 City Road London, EC1V 2NX, UK.