Booking T’s  & C’s

Introduction

Please read these booking conditions carefully, as they set out the terms and conditions of the contract between you (meaning all persons named on a booking) and Western Discoveries Limited, referred to as ” Western Discoveries ” or “we”, “us ” or “our”.

If you do not understand any of the information or have any questions, please contact us.

We are Travel and Booking Agents as well as a Tour Operator and thus act as an agent on behalf of Suppliers. We bring together component parts of the holidays we organise, to create a package and as such, bookings will form a direct contract between you and the relevant supplier and will be subject to the terms and conditions of the supplier concerned. We shall not be liable for any act or default on the part of the supplier or its agents.

This contract is in accordance with English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England & Wales.

Website Accuracy 

We take care to provide accurate information on our website. All information and descriptions are based on the latest information available and are given in good faith. We are not liable for deviations from these descriptions.

Booking and Payment 

All services are subject to availability and are not guaranteed until confirmed.

A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total value is required to confirm a booking. The remaining balance is due 30 days before the start of the holiday.

If a booking is made within 30 days of the holiday start date, full payment is required.

All of our prices are in GBP and are exclusive of any bank charges or fees taken from intermediary handlers. When payment is sent in a foreign currency, we are not responsible for varying exchange rates and any discrepancies between the cost of the holiday and the amount received by us. All outstanding balances should be paid in cash upon arrival.

Lead Booking Person & Group Bookings

Bookings are made under the name of one person, referred to as the Lead Booking Person. All communications regards bookings (including emails) should come via this person and it is their responsibility to pass on any relevant information to group members. This includes details on itineraries, rooms and accommodations, transfers and booking terms. It is also the responsibility of the Lead Booking Person to arrange payments from group members.

Alterations

Alterations by Western Discoveries

Occasionally we are forced to make alterations to packages and reserve the right to do so. Such alterations can be ‘significant’ or ‘minor’. Significant alterations include surcharges of more than 10%, change of destination area, change of accommodation to a lower category. Minor alterations are all other changes and may be made at any time. This includes exchanging accommodation for similar accommodation. We will however endeavour to inform you of any such alterations before your arrival.

In the case of significant alterations, you will be informed as soon as possible and be provided with 4 alternatives:

1. arrangements of a similar nature, standard and price, if available.
   b) arrangements of a lower standard, whereby the difference in price will be refunded.
   c) more expensive arrangements, whereby the difference in price will be paid by you.
   d) cancellation with a full refund.

Alterations by a supplier

Western Discoveries has no direct control over its suppliers. Where the supplier makes significant alterations, we will attempt to inform you as soon as possible but accept no liability for such changes.

Alterations due to circumstances beyond our control

We will not be liable for any alterations or cancellations resulting from unusual or unforeseeable situations outside our control. These include road closures, path diversions, bad weather, problems with national parks or hotels and security considerations, technical problems with transport, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights, strikes, sickness, war, quarantine, force majeure, political unrest, natural disasters, acts of God, epidemic or terrorist activity.

In the event of any of the above, you will be responsible for any additional costs incurred although some costs may be recoverable from your insurance policy.

Alterations by you

If you want to alter any part of your booking, we will do our best to make the alteration, but it may not be possible. There is a minimum £15 fee for alterations plus any further costs, subject to availability.

Cancellation

Cancellation by Western Discoveries

We reserve the right to cancel your holiday and charge cancellation fees (as defined below) should you fail to pay the balance when due, or if you behave in an improper manner (as defined below).

We also reserve the right to cancel your holiday up to 60 days before commencement for any reason. After this we will not cancel your holiday unless it is for a reason outside our control. If we have to cancel your holiday we will offer you:

1. a) arrangements of a similar nature, standard and price, if available.
   b) arrangements of a lower standard, whereby the difference in price will be refunded.
   c) more expensive arrangements, whereby the difference in price will be paid by you.
   d) a full refund.

Cancellation by you

If you decide to cancel your holiday you must notify us as soon as possible. Any notification by telephone must also be confirmed in writing or by e-mail within 24 hours and is effective from the day we are notified provided that written confirmation is received by us within 24 hours of the original notification.
Cancellation charges are as follows:

More than 30 days before arrival: loss of deposit.
21 – 30 days before arrival: 50% of total cost.
10 – 20 days before arrival: 75% of total cost.
Less than 10 days before arrival: 100% of total cost.

Any bank fees or transaction fees incurred by refunds will be paid by the recipient, not by Western Discoveries.

Western Discoveries accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from cancellations.

We strongly advise you to take out full insurance that covers the refund of monies paid in lieu of cancellation.

DURING YOUR HOLIDAY

Surcharges, Upgrades & Extras

Should a client wish to upgrade the standard of accommodation once a tour has begun, a supplement is necessary. Upgrades are not guaranteed.

We will not be responsible for any extra costs relating to group or individual requests/demands, without our prior consent. This includes changes to accommodation, taxis, food and beverage etc. If there is a problem that you are unable to resolve at source, please contact us so that we can help.

Your Responsibilities and Behaviour

Suppliers reserve the right to refuse any person participation in activities, or to terminate the holiday and neither the supplier nor Western Discoveries will be liable for resulting expenses and no refunds will be given. This is only likely to happen when behaviour is deemed likely to cause danger, inconvenience or hazard to any third party.

Liability

We accept no responsibility for any illness, injury, death, loss or damage of any nature to persons or property, arising directly or indirectly from any aspect of your holiday. This includes slips, falls and any other injury. Should you suffer an accident, we will do our best to help you but accept no responsibility or liability for injuries suffered or expenses incurred.

Travel and outdoor activities have inherent risks associated with them and clients participate at their own risk.

Covid-19

If you or any member of your party test positive for Covid-19 we reserve the right to cancel any remaining parts of your holiday. In such cases we will not be able to provide any refunds and we will do our best to help you source alternative accommodation where you can safely isolate for as long as necessary. Unfortunately we will not be able to cover the costs of any additional or alternative accommodation (we strongly advise taking out appropriate travel insurance).

Luggage

Unless otherwise agreed, your holiday includes one item of luggage per person, and these must not exceed 20kg. Please contact if you wish to bring extra bags as these may incur additional costs.

Additional items such as jackets, trainers and walking poles should not be attached to bags via handles, straps or wedged in open pockets. If you do not inform us of additional items, they may not be delivered with your luggage and in such cases we will attempt to deliver the item with your luggage on the following day but this is not guaranteed. If you need the additional item urgently, we suggest calling the accommodation provider and arranging a taxi delivery at your own expense.

Luggage transfers are provided between 9am and 4pm and bags must be ready for collection by 9am. In the case of delivery personnel arriving before 9am and luggage not being ready for collection, they will be unable to wait and you will then be responsible for making alternative delivery arrangements.

We are responsible for your luggage only whilst it is in our possession. Prior to collection and after delivery, we accept no responsibility for any damage, theft or loss. We ensure that luggage is left indoors (either in the main building or a secure out building) or handed over to an appropriate person. After such time and until the following collection, your luggage is out of our care and we therefore accept no liability.

Arrival & Departure

When initial and final transfers have been included in your package, these are limited to between 2.30pm and 8pm for arrival and 7.30am and 10am for departure. If you require a transfer out of these times, we are happy to help arrange taxis but you will be responsible for paying the taxi. In such cases will make sure that your info packs are either delivered to the B&B prior to your arrival or by 10am the following morning.

We cannot accept arrivals after 9pm unless informed at the time of booking. In such cases that you are unable to arrive before 9pm and did not inform us at the time of booking, you may forfeit your first night’s accommodation and transfer and will be responsible for making alternative arrangements.

You must inform us of your arrival time at least one week before travel. If there are any delays or your arrival time changes, please inform us immediately. If these changes occur on the day of travel, you must call us immediately on 01736 362763 (+44 1736 362763 when calling from non UK phones). In the event that you do not call us and your arrival is more than 40 minutes later than scheduled, we may not be able to provide the transfer. In such circumstances we would help arrange a taxi transfer but you would be responsible for the cost (information packs would be delivered to the B&B the next morning).

If you arrive earlier than scheduled and do not call in advance, we will try to provide the transfer as soon as possible but it may be necessary to wait until the scheduled time.

Supplier’s Conditions

Suppliers have their own booking conditions and you will be bound by these so far as the relevant supplier is concerned. Some of these conditions may limit or exclude liability on the part of the relevant supplier.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with any service or facility provided, you must immediately inform your representative (guide, tour leader, driver, agent, owner) and allow them to attempt to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

If a representative has been informed and the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, a formal complaint can be made to Western Discoveries in writing. This must be done within 28 days of completion of the tour. We accept no liability for complaints not notified in accordance with this.

We will not be responsible for any extra costs relating to group or individual requests/demands, without our prior consent. This includes changes to accommodation, taxis, food and beverage etc. If there is a problem that you are unable to resolve at source, please contact us so that we can help.

Insurance

It is your responsibility to arrange adequate and effective insurance for the entire duration of your holiday.