BOOKING CONDITIONS

NOTE: This page will shortly be updated for 2008.

We aim to treat all our customers fairly. Our booking conditions set out our obligations to you when you book with us, and also tell what we expect from you. Please read them carefully. All holidays on this site are operated by Bike Adventures (hereafter called "the Company", "we" or "us"), and are operated subject to the following conditions:

1. Booking a Holiday. All bookings are made subject to the terms set out in these conditions. The booking form must be signed by one person acting for the people listed on the booking form and the form should be sent to us together with a deposit of 20% of the cost of the holiday before we will confirm your booking. Confirmation of the booking will normally be sent within 7 working days, a booking is not accepted nor is a contract deemed to exist between us before the date shown on the confirmation invoice. We reserve the right to refuse a booking without explanation, and will refund in full any monies paid. Any changes that are made after the booking has been confirmed will be subject to a fee of £10, or £25 for any changes to flights.

2. Cooling off Period. Information provided in our brochure or on our website is given in good faith but due to a lack of space certain information is not included. When your booking is confirmed you will receive further information on the holiday, including any changes to the price or itinerary. If, after receiving this information, you feel the holiday is not suitable for you, or that the changes are unacceptable, then you have the right to cancel the holiday or transfer the deposit to another holiday without any penalty, providing that you do so within 7 days of the date on the confirmation invoice. After this time normal cancellation rates will apply. A 'Cooling Off' period is not permitted on bookings made within 8 weeks of the departure date, clients booking late should ensure that they are satisfied that the holiday is suitable for them, if necessary by requesting a Holiday Information Sheet, before booking.

3. Payments. An invoice will be sent for the remainder of the cost of the holiday and this must be paid no later than 8 weeks before the departure date. If you book less than eight weeks before departure full payment must be made at the time of booking. If the balance is not paid on time we reserve the right to cancel the booking and apply the cancellation charges given below.

4. Cancellation By You. If you wish to cancel a holiday this must be done in writing by the person named on the booking invoice, and the following cancellation rates will apply:
   

   56 Days or more: Deposit Only
   29 to 55 Days: 50% of the holiday cost
   Less than 28 Days: No refund
   

   (These rates do not include the insurance premium which is non refundable once a booking has been accepted).
   If you are prevented from travelling on a tour by circumstances which would normally permit you to make a claim on a travel insurance policy, you may transfer the booking to another person provided that they are suitable for that tour. A fee of £25 will be charged for such changes, or £50 if the change is made less than 4 weeks before the departure date. Additional costs for changing airline tickets may also be charged.

5. Cancellation By Us. We will not cancel your holiday unless
   

   1. we are forced to do so by unusual or unforseen circumstances, war, civil or political unrest, or what is usually known as 'force majeure', or
   2. if the minimum number of people required to operate the holiday has not been reached.

   In the latter case you will be advised no less than 28 days before the departure date. If we cancel a tour you will be offered an alternative holiday if possible. If this is not acceptable then a full refund will be given. However we will not be liable to refund any incidental expenses you may have incurred such as visas, vaccinations, or additional travel arrangements including non refundable connecting flights, and no compensation will be paid.

6. Minimum Number. If the number of people booked on a Fully Supported Holiday is less than the minimum number required to run the holiday, and would normally cause us to cancel the trip, we reserve the right to reduce the number of staff accompanying the group rather than cancel the holiday. This may mean that there is no tour leader cycling with the group, however other aspects of the holiday will not be affected, and you will be advised of any changes prior to the start of the trip.

7. Price Guarantee. The cost of holidays featured on this site may be changed due to changes in exchange rates, transport or accommodation costs, or government action etc. Prices may be changed at any time up until a booking has been confirmed. Once a confirmation invoice has been issued we guarantee that the price shown will not be increased, and any subsequent price increases or surcharges will be absorbed by us.

8. Information. Any information or advice provided by the Company on matters such as visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, equipment etc is given in good faith but we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. The client is entirely responsible for obtaining any necessary medical vaccinations or other preliminary travel arrangements, including visas or permits, and any additional costs incurred. The Company cannot accept any responsibility for the consequences should visas or vaccinations not be obtained before the departure of the trip.

9. Insurance. Before you come on any tour you must be covered by travel insurance, which must include adequate cover for baggage, personal liability, cancellation and medical expenses and the cost of repatriation should you become too ill to continue with the holiday. We have an insurance scheme specifically designed for this kind of travel and we strongly recommend that you use it, although you may make alternative arrangements should you prefer to do so. Any claims concerning matters for which you are insured should be made directly with the insurance company.

10. Travel Arrangements. Any travel arrangements booked by the Company, on your behalf, to or from a holiday are subject to the conditions of the airline, ferry or bus company concerned, (the “Carrier”) which in general limits the Carrier's responsibility in accordance with international law and conventions. The Company is not responsible for any problems with the Carrier (including delays, alterations to schedules, a failure or refusal of the Carrier to transport you or your cycle, or any loss or damage to your luggage including cycles), or their results, including the consequent curtailment or amendment of planned itineraries. Any claim should be made directly to the Carrier or your insurer. Cycles are usually transported as part of the passenger’s general luggage allowance, but clients are responsible for ensuring that the Carrier’s conditions for the carriage of cycles are adhered to, and shall be liable for any additional charges that the Carrier shall make for the carriage of their cycle.

11. Transfers. Airport and other transfers are only included if you make all your travel arrangements through us and travel with the main group from the UK. Otherwise you will be responsible for making your own way to the start of the tour. If you fail to arrive at the agreed place at the agreed time we shall not be responsible for any additional costs incurred by you to meet up with the group.

12. Responsibilities. Cycling on or off the highway is a potentially dangerous activity. All persons participating in a tour do so at their own risk and should be aware of the potential hazards involved. There is a need to be flexible on a holiday of this kind. The itineraries outlined for each tour must be taken as an aim and not a contractual obligation on the part of the Company. Changes to the itinerary may be caused by local political conditions, weather, mechanical breakdown, border controls, sickness, flight cancellations, or loss or damage to property. It is a fundamental condition of joining any of the tours described in this brochure that you accept the potential hazards and the need for flexibility, and acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results, such as inconvenience, discomfort or disappointment, are possible. All participants must agree to observe local laws and customs, and abide by the authority of any tour leader. Signing our booking form signifies your agreement to this, and if you commit any illegal act while on tour, or, if in the opinion of the tour leader your behaviour is causing or likely to cause danger, distress or offence to others you may be a sked to leave the tour without the right to a refund. If you are affected by any condition, medical or otherwise, that might affect your or other people's enjoyment of the tour, you must advise us of this at the time of booking.

13. Problems. No refund or compensation will be given for any unused portions of the holiday, including travel arrangements, accommodation, food and services, should a customer be unable, or choose not to complete a tour or remain with the group. On Independent Holidays we act as booking agents for any accommodation and cannot be held responsible should there be a failure of any establishment to provide the accommodation booked.

14. Complaints. If you have a complaint regarding a Supported Tour you should make it known to the tour leader who will normally take the appropriate action. However if, at the end of the tour, you feel that your complaint was not dealt with properly you must not ify us of your complaint in writing within 28 days of your scheduled date of return. On Independent Holidays any complaint concerning accommodation should be made to the owners or manager of the establishment concerned at the time of your stay and a letter outlining the complaint sent to us on your return. Any other complaint should be made in writing within 28 days of your return.

15. Liability. The Company shall not be held liable for any damages caused by the total or partial failure to carry out the contract if such failure is:
    

    1. attributable to the passenger, or
    2. unforeseeable or unavoidable and attributable to a third party unconnected to Bike Adventures, or
    3. as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the Company such as strikes, war, civil or political unrest or what is usually known as 'force majeure', or
    4. a result of an event that even with all due care and attention we could not foresee or forestall, or
    5. due to the theft of bicycles or injury as a result of cycling either on or off road, and in particular injuries received as a result of either inadequately maintained and serviced personal equipment, including privately owned bicycles, or the failure to wear appropriate safety equipment, notably cycle helmets.

    Where the Company is found to be liable for damages in respect of it's failure to carry out the contract, the maximum amount of such damages will normally be limited to the price paid for the tour.

16. Contract. By signing the booking form you agree to accept all these conditions and by accepting your booking we agree to carry out our obligations as defined in this brochure and other information supplied to you. This agreement is made subject to, and must be interpreted and enforced according to English law in an English court.

BIKE ADVENTURES Cycling Holidays, PO Box 667, Slough SL5 8XT, UK
Tel: (+44) 01344 886989 Fax: (+44) 01344 8886532 E-Mail: info@bikeadventures.co.uk