Trip Terms and Conditions

Welcome to your trip!
If after reading our material and talking with our staff you decide to travel with Journeys, please provide us with a deposit and Reservation & Information form .  Most people find it advantageous to book both land and air with us directly.  This enables us to handle your questions directly by phone rather than by a third party.

Pricing and Payment
Reservations are accepted and confirmed after we receive a deposit and a Reservation Form signed by each adult on the trip, and if space is available. In most cases the deposit is $500 per person per trip, though for some trips it may be more.

The minimum deposit requirement for custom trips is $800 per person. A trip planning fee of $250 is also charged to cover costs of preparing the itinerary. This fee is credited to the cost of the trip, but is nonrefundable if you do not do the trip. Custom travel during the holiday seasons will require a deposit prior to trip confirmation. Be advised that land and air costs during this time may be higher. An invoice will be sent with your reservation confirmation. An additional deposit of $800 per person is due four months prior to departure. It may be necessary to adjust prices up to 30 days before departure, to allow for changes in group size or rooming status. Your invoiced balance, however, is due in full 60 days prior to departure regardless of whether extensions or other arrangements are pending. If late, a 2% late penalty will be added. Failure to deliver complete payment 30 days prior to departure will be considered notification of cancellation by default and is subject to cancellation charges as stated below.

Both trip deposits and land cost payments may be made by check. Visa and MasterCard are acceptable only for trip deposits and final payments received 60 days prior to departure and airfares not already included in land costs. You will be requested to authorize in writing these credit card payments each time the payment is due. Payment for airfare is required at time of ticketing. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be imprinted by the bank as payable in U.S. funds. Discounts that may be offered are not available toward bookings received through travel agencies. JOURNEYS reserves the right to refuse acceptance or deny participation prior to departure of anyone whom it deems unsuitable for a trip.

Note: Trip costs are subject to change both before and after sign-up due to currency exchange rate fluctuations, fuel surcharges and other circumstances beyond our control.

Late Signups
We try, but cannot guarantee, to accept late sign ups. In the event we are able to accept deposits less than 45 days before a trip departure, a $100 per person late sign-up fee will be assessed to cover express delivery, telephone, fax and administrative charges necessary to process your reservation and transmit your departure materials. Full payment will be due at time of booking.

Reservations
Early reservations are encouraged. Some trips and flights fill several months before departure. We cannot confirm your space on a trip without a deposit and a signed Reservation and Information Form. This form includes a detailed assumption of all risks. A final trip packet including last minute reminders, tickets, and local contact information for your destination will be mailed approximately 2 - 3 weeks prior to the trip departure date. If you are leaving your home address before the scheduled trip departure date, it is your responsibility to inform JOURNEYS so final details can be sent in time for your departure.

Cancellations & Refunds
If you must cancel before departure, money will be returned less the cancellation fees as follows:


Some trips require different deposits and cancellation fees from those listed above. These differences will be noted on the trip specific itineraries.

Departure is defined as the date of the first flight from the continental 48 states, or the trip departure date as indicated on our Trip Schedule, whichever comes first. Cancellation and determination of cancellation fee is effective on the date of receipt of your written notification. In addition, you are responsible for all airfare and transit accommodation cancellation penalties, which are not included above. Payments due at the time of cancellation remain the responsibility of the client. There may additionally be cancellation fees charged by hotels that were booked when trip reservations were made.

No partial refunds are possible for unused hotel rooms, air or land travel, trekking days or other sight-seeing arrangements included in the land cost. Deposits or cancellation costs cannot be applied to future trips. JOURNEYS strongly recommends you purchase trip insurance including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which may reimburse you for cancellation penalties and extra trip expenses should a circumstance covered by the policy force you to cancel or interrupt your trip. In the event JOURNEYS cancels a trip, for any reason, all money for services described in the Trip Notes, less airline ticket cancellation fees will be refunded.

Air Fares
We can handle both air and land arrangements. If you prefer to fly on dates other than those listed as trip dates, Journeys will assist you in booking the flights that suit your needs. If you decide to make your own arrangements, you will be required to furnish Journeys with a complete copy of your itinerary showing departure and arrival flights and times.

If you arrive at your destination other than the group arrival time, you may be charged an additional fee to cover the separate transfer, contingency, and coordination costs which frequently arise from arrival and departure on flights different from our regular bookings. If you must change your air routing within one month of travel or after ticketing, whichever comes first, there is a charge of $50 per change, in addition to change or cancellation charges levied by the airlines. You should arrange your own air if you are using mileage credit or originating outside North America. Some tickets on airlines that do not offer commissions may require ticketing fees.

Transfers Between Trips
You may transfer between some trips upon written request. More than 90 days before departure, the deposit transfer fee is $100 per person plus any cancellation fees charged by hotels or ground service providers. Less than 90 days before departure, full cancellation penalties from the original trip apply. In the event we cancel a trip, you may transfer the full amount of your land payments to another trip without penalty.

Expenses Covered
Due to rare factors beyond our control we reserve the right to change our prices without prior notice, even after you have signed up. We do our best to avoid increasing prices after receipt of your deposit. Normally, we include the cost of all guides, leaders, permits obtained after arrival, land accommodations, food and entry fees as specified, and all surface transportation associated with the planned itinerary.

Expenses Not Covered
Costs not included in the price includes some meals as noted in the Trip Notes or itineraries, and prior to arrival in base cities; transfers if not arriving or departing on the scheduled group flights; soft drinks, bottled water, and liquor; medical expenses, costs of hospitalization or evacuation from remote areas; laundry; airport departure taxes not included on your ticket; accommodations en route to base cities; visas; airfares; gratuities and insurance. If a trip must be extended or an itinerary modified due to weather, road conditions, lack of transportation, political or civil disputes, medical emergency or other causes beyond our control, all associated costs including any nonrecoverable costs are not included in the trip rates or refunds. You must obtain trip cancellation insurance to cover these costs.

Tier Group Pricing
Many trips are guaranteed to go at prices published in our catalog with as few as two participants. However, in some cases it is necessary to adjust prices to reflect small group size. We do everything we can to make a trip go even with a single participant. Small Group Tier Pricing amounts vary from trip to trip. Final decision to cancel a trip due to insufficient signups is made 30 days prior to departure.

Pre-Departure Services
After receipt of your deposit we forward a pre-departure information packet. This contains medical and immunization information, visa and other permit forms, a recommended personal insurance policy, checklist, reading list, cross-cultural information, and an initial invoice for the balance due. You may call our office at any time for additional information. We can book your extended land travel arrangements before and after your trip.

Accommodations
Accommodations will be double occupancy hotel rooms, tents or other facilities as described or otherwise noted in the itineraries. We will attempt to book specific accommodations, if specified, but we reserve the right to book and confirm equivalent standard accommodations, if necessary. Clients, in some cases, may request alternative accommodations, but we do not guarantee the price or ability to confirm such alternative requests. If you are traveling alone, but would prefer a roommate, we will attempt to match you with one. If this is not possible, you must pay the Single Supplement. It is not possible to guarantee single accommodations on all trips.

Medical Requirements
Good physical and mental health are essential for the enjoyment of these trips. In many cases participants travel in rugged areas remote from modern medical facilities. Good physical conditioning is recommended as preparation for all trips, especially those involving trekking or climbing. Most trips require some walking. By forwarding the deposit and signed Reservation Form, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any physical or other condition of disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other passengers. It is essential that any participant with a medical condition requiring regular treatment or which may be affected by vigorous activity, high altitude, heat, cold, other natural phenomenon, or particular foods, notify JOURNEYS and the trip leaders in writing at the time of deposit.

We assume no responsibility for medical care nor for special dietary requirements or vegetarian needs. Participants may be required to furnish a doctor's statement of good health. The company's or leader's judgement shall provide the ultimate determination of an individual's fitness to embark upon, or to continue a trip. Once a trip has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. All participants must be covered by a current major medical insurance policy for the duration of their trip. Proof of such coverage may be requested.