Booking terms and conditions

Introduction

• 1. Please read these terms and conditions (“terms”) carefully prior to making any booking with Wild Rides Cycle Tours Ltd, company no: 14877664, registered office at 61 Cromwell Road, Bristol, BH6 5HA (“we”, “our”, “us”). These terms, alongside our Privacy Policy, any information provided about your specific tour at the time of booking, and any other information we bring to your attention before confirmation of booking, form the basis of your contract with us. These terms apply to the named person on any booking and any person on whose behalf the booking is made (“you”, “your”). 

Booking and payment

• 2. A booking is made when a completed and signed booking form is sent to us, the deposit is paid, and a booking confirmation is issued by us to you by email.

• 3. By making a booking, you confirm that you, and anyone who the booking is made on behalf of:

1. a. Will be over the age of 18 on the planned date of departure

2. b. Has read and understood these terms and conditions, has the authority to, and agrees to be, bound by them

3. c. Consents to our use of information as per our Privacy Policy

4. d. Accept jointly and severally responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking

• 4. Submission of a booking form and payment of a deposit does not constitute a booking, if a booking confirmation has not been sent by us, and we reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a booking confirmation.

• 5. Once a booking confirmation is issued by us, please check to ensure the information is correct, including the date and time that the tour begins (the “start date”) and ends (the “end date”), and inform us within seven days if you identify any errors so we can correct these promptly. All start and end dates will be provided in local time in the country where the tour operates. 

• 6. The full balance for the tour will be payable not less than 60 days prior to the start date of the tour (or at the time of booking if less than 60 days before the start date). If this balance is not paid, we reserve the right to cancel your booking, in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 18 below will apply. 

Your responsibilities

• 7. Arrival on the start date

It is your responsibility to arrive at the correct location at the specific time and date for the start of your tour (the “start time”), and you must inform us as soon as possible of any potential delay. 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to delay the tour for late arrivals. You will be liable for any travel or other expenses incurred by you to join the tour at a later time, date and/or location, and we will not provide compensation or refund for any services or accommodation which you were unable to use due to your late arrival (as per clause 16).

We therefore strongly advise that you book your travel and/or flight arrangements allowing plenty of time for delays, and that you ensure your travel insurance provides cover in the case of cancellation or delay by your airline. 

• 8. Acceptance of risk.

We cannot take responsibility for the inherent risks associated with our tours, including, but not limited to, the below risks, and by booking with us, you therefore agree that you:

• a. understand that cycling, both on tarmac and gravel roads, is an inherently risky activity and that you take part at your own risk

• b. understand that our tours take place in remote regions where access to medical emergency service response can be slow, limited, costly, or not available, and that you accept the risks associated with this

• c. understand that our tours take place in regions where both wild and domesticated animals are present, and accept the inherent risks associated with this

• d. accept that our tours take place in regions with potentially disease-carrying insects (e.g. mosquitos) and the risks associated with this

• 9. Your insurance. 

By booking with us, you agree to ensure that you are adequately insured by a valid insurance policy which covers cycle touring in the regions where the tour will operate and which provides insurance in respect of:

• a. Medical expenses

• b. Emergency repatriation in the event of injury or illness

• c. Personal liability (third-party cover)

• d. Legal expenses

• e. Cancellation charges

• f. Missed departure, delay and abandonment

• g. Personal injury

If, for any reason, you have failed to purchase adequate and valid insurance, we will not be liable for any costs which could have been covered by such insurance. 

• 10. We require that you provide us a copy of your insurance documentation 40 days prior to departure (or at the time of booking, if less than 40 days prior to departure). If you are unable to provide this, or your purchased insurance does not cover the points set out in clause 9, we reserve the right to cancel your booking. We will not be able to issue a refund for your booking in these circumstances (as per clause 16), and we would therefore encourage you to ensure you will be able to purchase adequate insurance cover prior to making a booking. It’s vital that we are able to confirm that you are adequately insured, and that we are able to contact your insurance provider in case of an emergency. All information will be stored securely in line with our privacy policy. 

Your preparation and fitness

• 11. We aim for our tours to be challenging but rewarding, but that balance will be determined to a large degree by your own fitness. It’s also important that you are properly prepared to ensure the tour can run smoothly. By booking with us, you therefore agree:

  1. a. to ensure you meet the visa, health, and passport requirements to visit the country or countries in which the tour you have booked operates

  2. b. to ensure you have sought advice from a medical professional regarding the tour and received the necessary and recommended vaccinations and medical treatments required for the country or countries the tour operates in

  3. c. that you possess the necessary fitness and general state of health for the tour in question, and that you will follow our guidance on any pre-ride training. Please contact us before booking if you are unsure whether a tour is suitable for you, we’ll be more than happy to discuss the tour and how it may compare to other tours or rides you have experience of

  4. d. to inform us of any medical conditions you have which may affect your ability to complete the tour including, but not limited to, any conditions affecting any major organs, whether you have had any operation in the 12 months prior to the departure date and the nature of that operation, and any condition which requires you to take prescribed medication while on tour. We reserve the right to require a doctor’s certificate indicating that you are fit to participate in the tour. 

  5. e. to ensure that any prescribed medication you bring with you is legal in the country where the tour is operating

Your bicycle and equipment

• 12. If you are bringing your own bicycle, you will ensure your bicycle is fully operational, serviced, and safe to ride for the tour in question. Although we will endeavour to assist with any mechanical issues, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to fix any problem with your bicycle and will not be able to provide a replacement should your bicycle be either unsafe or unrideable. We will provide information on the correct bicycle to bring on your tour at the time of booking and we will be happy to chat through your bicycle in detail - please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

  1. a. You will be responsible for building and repacking your bicycle should you begin/end the tour by transporting your bicycle by plane, but we will be able to provide you with advice and tips

  2. b. Every tour will run with a qualified mechanic, and while we will do our utmost to fix any mechanical issues to ensure you can complete your tour, our tours operate in remote areas and not all problems can be fixed at the roadside. We cannot be responsible for your inability to complete the tour due to a mechanical issue with your bicycle or for any losses incurred due to said issues. If you are unable to complete the tour by bicycle, you will be given the opportunity to travel in our vehicle.

  3. c. An unsafe bike puts you and others at risk. We take safety seriously and reserve the right to refuse participation in a tour if we deem your bike to be in an unsafe condition to ride. In such circumstances, you will have to complete the tour in our vehicle.

  4. d. We strongly advise that you have your bike professionally serviced by a qualified mechanic prior to the tour, to ensure that it is in good condition for a tour in remote areas.

  5. e. We will provide an essential kit list for you for each tour. It is your responsibility to ensure that you bring all items included in the essential kit list, for your own safety.

  6. f. You are required to wear a cycle helmet when on tour, which you must ensure conforms to the latest European safety standard.

  7. g. We accept no responsibility for any loss, theft and/or damage to your personal clothing and equipment whilst on the tour, whether those possessions are carried on tour or secured at another location. We recommend you bring a lock to secure your bicycle and equipment. 

  8. h. We will take all reasonable care when transporting equipment, but will not be responsible for any damage caused to your equipment either during the tour or during storage or transport.

• 13. If you choose to hire a bicycle from us, we will provide separate terms and conditions in advance of booking, which will also form part of our contract.

Your behavior and responsibilities on tour

• 14. Navigation

We believe that people should ride at their own pace, and know that some people prefer to ride with the open road in front of them instead of following a tour leader. We will therefore provide navigation instructions on each day of your tour, and you will be expected to follow either:

• a. A set of clear instructions

• b. A map or GPX track

Checkpoints will be provided each day. If you are unsure of the correct direction, you must not follow a direction you are unsure about, but should instead wait for directions. If you are repeatedly found to be leaving the planned route, we will have no choice but to ask you to leave the tour, at which point our responsibilities towards you will end (as per clause 16).

• 15. Your behavior

• a. We want everyone to have the best possible time on a Wild Rides adventure, and you therefore must understand that group travel involves compromise to diverse desires, travel goals, personalities, and physical abilities of all group members. We may be required to improvise and exercise good faith, use discretion, and/or make decisions based on group consensus. These decisions may not always please each individual, but are intended to satisfy the larger desires of the group.

• b. You may not bring with you or use any firearm, fireworks, illegal substances, knives or similar items on tour. If you bring such items, we reserve the right to confiscate them, dispose of them, and ask you to leave the tour, ending our responsibilities to you (as per clause 16)

• c. We believe everyone should ride at the pace they feel most comfortable riding. However, we reserve the right to require you to stop riding and travel in our vehicle if we consider that you are either unfit to ride, or will be unable to complete the day’s planned activity in a reasonable time. 

• d. By booking a tour with us, you agree to take reasonable care of any items provided by us - or by our suppliers and accommodation - during the tour, including, but not limited to, tents, sleeping equipment, camping seats, cooking facilities, and other equipment.

• e. It is your responsibility to ensure you comply with the laws of the country in which your tour operates, including road traffic laws when you are cycling.

• f. You must abide by the authority of, and cooperate with, the Tour Leader at all times. We reserve the right to ask you to leave the tour at the Tour Leader’s discretion if your behavior is deemed unacceptable for any reason. Our responsibility towards you will then cease and we will not be responsible to refund any costs incurred by you due to this, nor will you be entitled to any refund for unused services (as per clause 16). 

• g. Discriminatory statements or actions of any kind, made to tour participants, leaders, or the general public, will not be tolerated. 

• 16. Failure to meet these terms. 

Should you breach any of the terms outlined above, we reserve the right to ask you to leave the tour, at which point our responsibilities to you will end. We will not be responsible for any costs arising from your breach of these conditions (for example, your onward travel) and will not provide compensation or refund for any unused services if we have to ask you to leave the tour due to your breach of these terms. You will be responsible for refunding us any extra costs incurred by us as a result of your breach of these terms, including any legal costs. 

Cancellation and transfer

• 17. Cancellation by us in advance of the tour

We will only cancel your tour in advance in the following circumstances:

• a. Cancellation due to insufficient bookings

Like most tour operators, we can only run our tours if a minimum number of participants sign up at least 60 days before the start date. Our minimum number of participants is 5. We will therefore inform you no later than 58 days before the start date whether a tour will or will not go ahead. We advise that you do not book any flights or accommodation or purchase any visas, vaccinations, or insurance until we have confirmed that the tour will run (although you may wish to make inquiries to ensure you will be able to purchase insurance, as per clause 9. We will not be liable for any costs associated with our cancellation prior to 58 days before the start date. 

• b. Cancellation due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

For example, but not limited to, war, threat of war, civil or political unrest, adverse and dangerous weather, change in travel safety advice by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, illness or injury to tour leader, or other unforeseeable actions by a third party or parties which mean we are unable to offer the tour safely. 

In the event of our cancellation of the tour in advance of the start date for the above reasons, we will refund all payments made to us in respect of your tour, but we will not be liable for any additional expenses incurred by you (e.g. travel expenses, visas, vaccinations) due to your trip being cancelled. You should therefore ensure your insurance policy (see clause 9 above) covers cancellation in such circumstances.

• 18. Cancellation due to your failure to comply with these terms. In such circumstances, we will not be responsible for any costs arising from your breach of these conditions, nor will we be obliged to refund you for any costs already incurred by ourselves in respect of your booking. Please see clause 16 above for more information. 

• 19. Cancellation by you in advance of the tour

1. a. If you wish to cancel your tour, this must be done in writing, by emailing keirgallagher@gmail.com or post to our address as listed above. You will be liable for the following cancellation charges:

1. i. Cancellation more than 80 days prior to departure: 10% of your deposit (i.e. we will refund 90% of your deposit)

2. ii. Cancellation between 79 and 60 days prior to departure: loss of deposit

3. iii. Cancellation less than 60 days prior to departure: loss of entire tour cost.

2. b. Unfortunately, we must charge for the entire cost of your tour should you cancel less than 60 days prior to departure. This is because, from this point onwards, we will have committed to other participants that the tour is going ahead, and your cancellation may therefore result in the tour operating at a significant loss if we do not retain your full tour cost. Please note that if you cannot attend the tour at short notice, you do have the option to transfer the tour to someone else, as per clause 20. You may also find that if you are required to cancel your tour, your travel insurance will provide cancellation cover in certain circumstances (see clause 9).

3. c. We will deduct the above cancellation charge(s) from any money you have already paid us. 

• 20. Transferring your tour

Should you wish to transfer your tour to another person, you may do so (provided that person meets the requirements set out above and agrees to these terms and conditions). You must notify us not less than 28 days in advance of departure, and you will be responsible for any costs incurred by us or imposed by our suppliers due to this change. 

Cancellation during the tour

• 21. Cancellation by us during the tour

We will only cancel the tour, during the tour, due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

For example, but not limited to, war, threat of war, civil or political unrest, adverse and dangerous weather, change in travel safety advice by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, illness or injury to tour leader, or other unforeseeable actions by a third party or parties which mean we are unable to offer the tour safely. 

In the event of our cancellation of the tour in such circumstances, we will endeavor, as far as possible, to transfer you to the end point of the tour. We will refund you for any unspent money due to the cancellation, but will not be able to refund you in respect of any costs already incurred by ourselves. You should therefore ensure your insurance policy (see clause 9 above) covers cancellation in such circumstances.

• 22. Cancellation by you during the tour

If you choose to withdraw or cancel your participation in a tour once it has begun, for whatever reason, you must inform us in writing by emailing keir@wildridescycling.com. At this point, our responsibilities to you will end, and you will not be entitled to any refund for unused or used services. You should ensure that your travel insurance covers your cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances such as bereavement or family illness.

Changes to the tour

• 23. Changes in advance of the tour

We naturally plan our tours far in advance, and at times we are forced to make minor or major changes to a planned tour. 

• a. “Minor” changes would include:

1. i. change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard

2. ii. change of accommodation for one night to a lower standard and for a separate night to a higher standard (such that the total number of nights at each standard would not change)

3. iii. change of route within the same region, not significantly affecting the areas visited or accommodation used (for example due to a local road closure outwith our control)

• b. In the event of a minor change, we will inform you as soon as is reasonably possible, but we will have no further liabilities or obligations to you

• c. “Major” changes would include

1. i. change of accommodation to a lower standard for one or more nights of your tour, without separate nights being changed to a higher standard

2. ii. change of itinerary missing out one section of the tour entirely

3. iii. change to the overall length of your tour by 24 or more hours

• d. In the event of a major change, we will inform you as soon as is reasonably possible. If possible, we will offer you a choice to either:

1. i. Accept the proposed changes, which you must do within 7 days, in writing. Failure to respond will be considered to amount to acceptance of changes. We will refund any price difference if the alternative offer is of lower value

2. ii. Cancel your tour at no cost to you, with all monies refunded. However, we will not be liable for any incidental expenses incurred by you such as transport, equipment, insurance or similar costs. You should therefore ensure your insurance will provide cover in such circumstances. 

• 24. Flexibility and changes during the tour

The nature of cycle touring means that we must be flexible and adapt to local conditions. Once a tour begins, we therefore reserve the right to change or cancel the tour if the tour leader deems it necessary for your safety due to unforeseeable circumstances. For example, due to adverse weather, war, civil strife or other force majeure.

Equally, itineraries must be taken as a general indication as opposed to a complete contractual obligation. By booking and joining a tour, you accept the need for this flexibility and acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results, such as inconvenience, discomfort, or disappointment, are possible.

If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the services that you have booked with us after the start date of the tour, we will make alternative arrangements as similar as possible to the planned itinerary at no extra charge, but will not be able to provide any refund, except in the case where our costs have been reduced, in which case we will refund you the difference.

• 25. Jurisdiction and applicable law

These terms and conditions and any contract made with us by you are governed in all respects by English law.

• 26. Force majeure

We will not be liable to pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you cannot be fulfilled due to events which we or our suppliers could not have foreseen. For example, but not limited to, war, threat of war, civil strife terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster and adverse weather, sea, ice and river conditions and all similar events. Advice from the UK Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure.

• 27. Complaints

We work carefully to ensure you have the best experience possible, but should you wish to make a complaint, please speak to your Tour Leader in the first instance who will endeavour to resolve matters. If not resolved, please email keir@wildridescycling.com, indicating the nature of your complaint.

• 28. Photography

We may choose to take official photography and video during the tour, and by joining our tour, you agree to this, and grant us permission to use this without charge or compensation.

• 29. Travel regulation insolvency protection

At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with The Package Travel, Package Tours Regulations 1992, all passengers booking with Wild Rides Cycle Tours Ltd will be insured for their deposit, and any monies paid to us, in the event of our insolvency. This includes repatriation if required due to our insolvency. Details of this insurance will be provided in advance of any booking.

If you have any questions about any of the above terms or conditions or want to talk about anything else, please get in touch - we are friendly folk and always happy to chat about exploring the world by bike.