Terms and conditions
Terms and Conditions (Trip Booking Agreement)
1. THE CONTRACT:
Terms and Conditions before making a booking of the trip are important. These terms and conditions here stand to guide you about your bookings. By booking a trip, you agree to them, the cancellation policy, and certain liability limitations. Both parties agree to these terms to resolve potential disputes during the trip.
2. Booking Trip and acceptance:
The itineraries and touristic activities, such as trekking, tours, climbing, and short trekking, featured on this website are the company’s products. Booking any of these activities online implies acceptance of the terms and conditions presented on this website.
Upon acknowledging the terms and conditions for booking any of the introduced or related touristic services, the client must fill out an online booking form to provide the necessary information that the company further needs for applying the trekking permits, climbing permits, hotel bookings, ticket bookings, etc. Or the information can be sent from the email ID of the organization which has been carried in general communication.
Once the company sends the booking invoice to the client’s email, the contract is established, and the booking will be considered confirmed. If the booking is in the process of confirmation or the terms of the contract come into action, the company reserves the right to increase or decrease the trip cost.
It is to be noted by the client that the company is not liable for any warranties or agreements other than those explicitly expressed here.
3. Advance payment for confirmation of Trip booking:
(a) Nepal Trips:
With means of a credit card, wire transfer, online transfer, or other available electronic media, 20% of the non-refundable deposit shall be paid into the account of the company (provided in this contract paper) for booking the trip or the product of the company. The remaining amount of the booked trip shall have been paid upon arrival in Kathmandu, but before the trip comes into operation.
For tailor-made tours and trek bookings, a 30% advance payment is required. If you need more information about the booking terms, please contact the company and speak to their expert.
(b) India/Tibet/ Bhutan Trips:
When booking tourist activities for India, Tibet, or Bhutan, a 40% deposit of the total amount is required at the time of booking. However, if the booking is made less than 30 days from the date of departure, the full amount must be deposited at the time of booking.
Concerning the terms and conditions of tour/activities booking, following the details of the booking, you must provide a passport copy that has been valid for more than 6 months from the date of arrival in the destination country.
4. Method of Payments:
For booking and settling the final payment, you can use bank transfers, credit cards (Visa and MasterCard), online transfers, or other government-authorized payment methods. Please note that a full and final settlement of the payment is required to be done to come to the booked service in operation.
(1) Payment by Credit Card (MasterCard or Visa Only)
Please complete the form (click here to download) with all necessary information, including your credit card details and a signature matching the one on your passport. Then, please scan and email the completed form to us. We will use the information to charge the specified amount to Aaozora Travel & Trekking Private Limited, on your behalf, through Alpine Travel Service’s Credit Card Division. Please note that using a credit card will incur an additional 4% charge by Alpine Travel Service for handling fees.
Please remember the following: Please do not forget to send us a copy of your passport or other ID to help us verify the signature of the card owner. We kindly request that you do not send the form and other related documents directly to Alpine Travel Service (Credit Card Division).
(2) Payment via Wire/Bank Transfer
Our Bank Details for the wire Transfer:
NPR Account
Name of the Beneficiary: Aaozora Travel & Trekking (P). Ltd
Bankers Name: Rastriya Banijay Bank., Balaju Branch
Banker Address: Sagarmatha Bazar, Mandala Street, Thamel, Kathmandu
Account No.:
Swift Code:
USD Account
Name of the Beneficiary: Aaozora Travel & Trekking (P). Ltd.
Bankers Name: Himalayan Bank Ltd., Sorakhutte Branch
Bankers Address: Sorakhutta, Nayabazar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Account No.:
Swift Code:
Note: We are not liable for any bank charges further with loss or delay of the transfer process. If any of such are due to be lesser than the chargeable amount such are to be fulfilled upon arrival in Kathmandu to equivalent the amount.
Upon completion of the transfer, kindly send us the reference number or remittance slip through the email which is needed for the record of the bank as well as in the record of the company of beneficiary (Aaozora Travel & Trekking P. Ltd.)
5. The remaining Payment (Balance Payment):
(1) Nepal Trips
Please note that any outstanding payments for booked tours and tourist activities such as trekking, tours, climbing, jungle safari, and rafting must be settled upon arrival in Kathmandu before the activities begin. Final payments can be made using a traveller’s check or cash (through notes after 2009), but any amount paid by credit card (Mastercard or Visa) will incur an additional 4% charge.
(2) Bhutan/India/Tibet/ Trips:
Any of the trips booked for Bhutan, Tibet, and India will have to be paid before 30 days from the date of trip departure, and the terms of payment through the credit card (Visa & Master) shall be with plus 4% handling charges.
6. Changes in the itinerary under Delays of Flight:
Most domestic flights to and from Kathmandu are subject to unexpected cancellations due to the unpredictable Himalayan weather conditions in Nepal. Flights directed to Kathmandu from Lukla, Phaplu, or Juphal are particularly prone to cancellations, requiring passengers to wait for a day or even a few days until the weather improves.
If a scheduled flight is cancelled at Lukla, Phaplu, or Juphal airports, dinner with night accommodation at a local guesthouse near the airport will be arranged by Aaozora Travel and Trekking for the night of the cancelled day, and if the cancellation continues therefrom the day all the expenses will be the responsibility of the client itself.
If a flight is bound for a remote area from Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Dhangadhi, or Bhairahawa, any expenses incurred due to cancellation will be the responsibility of the client. This also applies to flights bound for any of the airports mentioned in the preceding line.
7. Cancellation of the booked Trip By the Client:
(1) Please be informed that all cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to the company. Approval from Aaozora Travel & Trekking P. Ltd. is required for any cancellations. If a trip is cancelled at least 20 days before the departure date, a 25% deduction will be applied to the advance payment. Refunds will be processed through the recipient’s account, and any bank charges will be the responsibility of cancelling individuals/ clients/organizations.
(2) Any cancellation of a reserved trip will be processed through the documentation process of Aaozora Travel & Trekking P. Ltd and formally approved with confirmation sent to the requester. However, for any booked trip that is cancelled less than 20 days from the date of departure, no refund of the advance payment will be provided, under the condition that the client does not have to pay any further amount for the booked trip.
(3) No refund will be issued for trips cancelled with less than 20 days notice before departure.
(4) If you decide to leave the trip for any reason, it will be your responsibility. No refunds will be provided for leaving the trip for any reason, even if it is due to a violation of the law. Please note that you will not receive refunds for any unused items such as accommodation, meals, guide services, flight tickets, bus tickets, or private vehicle charges.
(5) In a booked trip, if there is a need to accommodate additional items or changes at the request of the customer, we will make a fair effort to do so, but it cannot be guaranteed. However, depending on the nature of the changes, whether whole or partial, additional costs may be incurred.
(6) If you are unable to take the booked trip due to genuine reasons such as serious illness of the passenger or close relatives, redundancy, jury service, or the death of someone close, you can postpone the trip or transfer it to someone else. If you postpone the trip for a few days and there is no impact from any recent price hikes, the trip will be managed at the same cost you originally booked. Otherwise, the portion of the price hike shall be topped on the original price. However, if the trip is transferred to someone else, changing the documents/air tickets/other booking into the name of the person endorsed incurs the price, and such cost shall be either covered by you or by the person of endorsement 2 weeks earlier than the date of tour/trekking/climbing departures. In this type of event, a customer of the concern shall provide a genuine reason with proof.
8. Tibet/Bhutan/India Trip Cancellation & Booking Changes
(1) Cancellation notice for trips to India/Tibet/Bhutan must be submitted in writing at least 25 days before the trip departure date, along with a valid reason for cancellation. The cancellation process will be initiated by the company upon approval, and 40% of the total advance payment will be deducted. The remaining amount will be refunded to your account, with any banking charges to be borne by you.
(2) If a customer leaves a trip before it is completed, whether by choice, involuntarily, or due to a violation of the law, no refund will be provided for any unused items of the package or partial trip.
(3) If a customer requests additional requirements for their booked trip, the company will make a fair effort to accommodate the request but cannot guarantee that it will be possible. If the request can be accommodated, there will be an additional cost for the items to be added. If the request is to completely change to another program and the request is made less than 25 days from the date of departure, the customer will be responsible for 80% of the total cost of the new program.
(4) If you have a genuine reason to postpone your trip or transfer it to someone else, please provide a written explanation. We will make every effort to accommodate your request, but we cannot guarantee it. If the postponement request is accepted for a few weeks or months, any price increase before the trip commences must be paid. If the trip is transferred to someone else, any associated costs such as air tickets and government permissions must be covered by you or the transferee.
(5) Any unfortunate reason preventing you from joining the trip on the departure date will not allow for postponement or trip cost refund.
9. Physical, Mental, and Medical Conditions and Requirments:
Physical fitness and stamina are essential for travellers visiting Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. The tours, trekking, and other activities in the region often occur in remote areas without access to medical facilities. Therefore, we always ask our tour trekkers to consult a physician before embarking on their adventure. It is the responsibility of tour trekkers to inform Aaozora Travel and Trekking about their physical condition. Those under medication for chronic diseases must provide all necessary details, as advanced medical facilities are not readily available in the region’s remote areas. Therefore, failure to notify us before booking the trip may result in a refusal to travel, and in such cases, the full cost paid will be non-refundable.
Some of the trips booked from the published packages may not be suitable for all clients due to their physical and mental conditions. At Aaozora Travel & Trekking, we always recommend that our clients check their health condition before booking. For example, while it’s not necessarily bad for an elderly person to attempt to climb a mountain, it’s equally important to assess their health condition, particularly as all activities are conducted at high altitudes where oxygen levels are lower. Walking in the mountains requires stamina, so the individual undertaking the trip should be strong enough and able to endure any situation that may arise along the way.
The health booths or medical facilities in these areas are comparatively scarce, and sometimes not accessible within a day’s walk. Because of this, the company makes it clear to its clients: please choose the program or activities that suit your physical and mental condition. Otherwise, it may cause disturbances when joining group activities, which could lead the company to cancel the program while it’s running.
10. TRAVEL INSURANCE:
To travel to any destination in Nepal, everyone must have purchased a travel insurance policy that fully covers any kind of accident, illness, injuries, etc., including pre-existing medical conditions. Trekking, climbing, expeditions, hiking, short trekking, and more take place in remote areas where access to road transport is rarely easy. If any emergency occurs during ongoing activities, individuals may need to be airlifted by helicopters and cure the problem with high expense. In case the insurance is not covering to its critical extent the potential of the risk at this moment will be high.
It is required to have a valid insurance policy that covers the entire duration of the trip. Before departure, a copy of the policy must be provided to the company and the ground handling in charge. This is to ensure that assistance can be obtained in the event of an emergency evacuation. Furthermore, it is important to inform the client that if they do not have insurance coverage for the entire trip, they will be responsible for all related costs. The company reserves the right to cancel the trip without any refund if the insurance policy covering the entire travel period in Nepal is not purchased at the discretion of the tour trekking nature.
11. VISA and PASSPORT:
The client at Aaozora Travel & Trekking must have obtained the appropriate travel visa and possess a passport with more than 6 months of validity beyond the booked trip period.
For any trips booked to Tibet and Bhutan, Aaozora Travel and Trekking Company will arrange all necessary arrangements upon request. However, for trips to India, the client must acquire a visa from the Embassy of the domicile country.
Please go through the links for more on visa information:
Nepal Visa information
Bhutan Visa information
Tibet Visa information
India Visa
12. CHILDREN
Children under the age of sixteen must travel with their legal guardian. Children below 4 years old will not incur extra costs; however, those between 4 and 8 years will be charged half the cost. Any child over 8 years old who accompanies the trip with a legal guardian will be charged the full cost.
Note that the child or children travelling with their parent or with a legal guardian shall have insurance to cover the entire period of the trip and any situations that may arise during the trip.
13. INJURIES AND EVACUATION:
In the event of any accidents, injuries, illnesses, calamities, or loss of belongings during the trip, the cost charged by Aaozora Travel & Trekking does not include the cost of insurance to cover these incidents. Therefore, clients need to purchase an insurance policy that will cover all their needs including medical and evacuation expenses in case something happens during the trip.
14. SERVICES MISSED OR UNUSED:
No discounts or excuses will there be nor a refund of the amount if the client voluntarily or involuntarily leaves the trip or leaving is needed by violation of law or whatever other reason there could be.
Moreover, the refund of the trip will not be there for joining or coming to attend other than fixed timing or forceful to start the premature departure of the trip.
15. PUBLICITY
It is agreed that Aaozora Travel & Trekking will have full rights to use the photos and images taken during the trip with you for promoting its business through its website or in other forms for selling its products to other clients. You agree that you will not object to the use of these images and testimonials and have no right to claim compensation or restrict its publication on the website or in any form.
16. CHANGES TO YOUR HOLIDAY AND PRICING
When travelling with Aaozora Travel & Trekking Company, it’s important to be aware that circumstances may change unexpectedly. This could be due to factors such as flight delays, cancellations, natural disasters, political unrest, or extreme weather conditions including others which is beyond the control of the operator company or ground handling in charge. As a result, the mode of transportation and accommodation may be altered without prior notice, and certain activities or tours may be cancelled even after they have begun. In such situations, Aaozora Travel & Trekking Company will not be able to issue refunds, as the tour operates on payment of the full amount. However, the company fairly endeavours to arrange a possible alternative to the package, or activities disrupted.
Further, the company Aaozora Travel & Trekking does not accept any responsibility for the delays of the flight being the cause of loss of employment, nor any the company become liable for compensating any items lost during any of the above-mentioned situations.
All accommodations included in packages and activities are based on double occupancy. Clients without a roommate will be responsible for additional charges.
The company hereby declares that the published price is based on prevailing market prices. If the foreign exchange rate fluctuates significantly or if the government decrees a price hike, the company reserves the right to adjust the price accordingly without prior notice.
17. Responsible responsibility:
We, at Aaozora Travel & Trekking Company, provide exceptional service, understanding that everyone embarks on their journey with hard-earned money, hoping to create lifelong memories. Our commitments align with company policy, and we prioritize transparency in everything we do. Rest assured.
However, in the event of uncontrollable circumstances such as natural disasters, political unrest, government restrictions, floods, road blockages, flight cancellations, or accidents, additional costs may be incurred. In some cases, alternative methods may need to be used or there may be a possibility of cancellation without refunds.
18. PRIVACY
When booking a trip with Aaozora Travel & Trekking, you will need to provide personal information. The booking expert handling your reservation may ask for additional personal documents and information to help obtain the necessary documents. Any information you provide during the booking process will not be disclosed to anyone unless required by the government courts or other similar entities.
19. COMPLAINTS
If you have any complaints during your trip, please reach out to the tour leader first. If you feel uncomfortable addressing the issue in person, you can call the office responsible for your tour directly. The office’s contact information is on their visiting card or pamphlets. It’s encouraging to report any complaints as soon as possible.
20. UPDATING OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The terms and conditions of Aaozora Travel & Trekking and its proprietorship will remain with the company and so depending on the situation it may be changed at any time without prior notice. It is the client’s responsibility to stay updated with the current terms and conditions. Please ensure that you have a copy of the terms and conditions with you when you book your trip. The terms and conditions will remain hosted throughout the session through the website www.onlinetourinfo.com.