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Inca Trail 4 day Trek Booking Terms & Conditions
2012 (Mar-Dec)
INCA TRAIL TREK TERMS AND CONDITIONS
(updated 10 January 2012)
1. CANCELLATION OF TREK BY THE CLIENT
Please note that the trek deposit is non-refundable. The deposit is
used to reserve space within the group. Once we have made a trek
reservation with the government authorities we cannot then change
any details of the reservation (your name, passport number or
departure date). If
you have to cancel your trek booking government authorities will
not let us fill your cancelled spaces with other clients, we just
have to depart with a smaller less-economic group. The trek
permit once purchased is non-refundable & non-transferable.
(i) Trek cancellation prior to 7pm two days prior to trek
departure (after having paid the trek deposit): Loss of trek
deposit. All other payments will be refunded in full. Note that if
the trek balance is not received prior to 7pm two days before trek
departure then the trek will be deemed to have been cancelled and
the deposit cannot be returned. Once we have bought the trek
permits it should be noted that we cannot then substitute other
trekkers in your place if you have to cancel. The Inca Trail trek
permit, bus ticket and train ticket will not be returned.
(ii) Trek cancellation between 7pm two days before trek departure
and prior to actual trek departure (i.e. once you have paid for
the trek in full): Only the unused Inca Trail trek permit will be
returned as well as the train ticket from Aguas Calientes to
Ollantaytambo and the bus ticket from Machu Picchu down to Aguas
Calientes. If you have hired the services of a third of a porter we cannot refund
your payment and the porter will continue on the Inca Trail as
originally contracted to do so. If you have hired a sleeping bag
we will refund this amount in full.
iii) Once you have started the Inca Trail (i.e. once you board the
bus in the morning) we can only return your train ticket
from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and your bus ticket from
Machu Picchu down to Aguas Calientes. We cannot make any cash refunds.
Failure to be able to continue with the trek will be treated as a
cancellation. Any costs associated with returning to Cusco or
returning to Ollantaytambo and then continuing to Aguas Calientes
and then onto Machu Picchu must be met by yourselves. These costs
include all transport costs (you, the guide and any friends
accompanying you), hotel accommodation and any medical expenses
(thankfully this is a very rare event).
In the event of any trek cancellation Peru Treks will
be happy to cooperate in providing any necessary documentation to
enable a legitimate insurance claim.
2. CANCELLATION OF THE TREK BY PERU TREKS
It should be noted Peru Treks is a professional,
responsible tour operator with an excellent reputation for quality
and service. We have no intention of cancelling any of our clients
trek reservations.
(i) Cancellation of Trek due to failure to purchase your Inca
Trail trek permit: If in the event that Peru Treks has
to cancel your trek due to failure or inability to purchase your
trek permit we will notify you by email as soon as we become aware
of such matters. We may offer you an alternative trek departure
date. If an alternative date is not acceptable to you we will hold your
trek deposit payment for your
collection in our office in Cusco. If you are unable to come to
the office to collect your deposit we will return it to you by PayPal or Western Union
less the transfer charges related with sending it to you.
(ii) Cancellation of Trek due to matters outside of the control of
Peru Treks (Force Majeure). See section 7 below. If in the event
that Peru Treks has to cancel your trek due to Force Majeure Peru
Treks will do its best to offer an alternative 4 day trek in place of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.
We will obviously try to include a visit to Machu Picchu as part
of any alternative trek itinerary but depending on the
circumstances this may not always be possible (i.e. if Machu
Picchu is closed or routes to and/or from Machu Picchu are not
passable). If Peru Treks is
unable to offer an alternative trek (i.e. a strike or road block
prevents the group from leaving Cusco) then we will refund only
the proportion of the cost of the trek that has not already been
spent or committed to operating the trek. The amount spent or
committed to operating the trek could include, but not limited to,
entrances fees, train tickets, guide and porter wages, contracted
buses, perishable goods, office overheads, PayPal/bank charges etc You will have to reclaim the remaining
proportion from your travel insurance. Unfortunately the trek
deposit and trek balance (if paid) will not be refunded to clients if the trek is cancelled
due to Force Majeure and the client decides not to participate in
an alternative trek although Peru Treks will provide clients with
suitable documentation so that clients can claim a refund from
their insurance companies.
3. PRICES AND SURCHARGES
As we publish our prices well in advance, we may occasionally be
faced with significant cost increases due to factors over which we
have no control. As such we reserve the right to impose surcharges
(or price decreases) up to 2 days before departure due to
increases in Inca Trail trek permits (entrance fee), unfavourable
exchange rates, increases in train fares or other transport costs,
taxes, or if government action should require us to do so.
Our Inca Trail trek prices are based upon the following third
party costs which are outside of our control: (info updated 10
January 2012)
1: Inca Trail entrance fee is
300 Peruvian Soles (S/.254 + S/.46 sales tax) which is about
US$112
(US$35 discount for students with ISIC cards and children <16yrs)
and 43 Soles, about US$16 for all of our porters. The price paid
for the entrance fee is clearly marked on the trek permit. This
price includes entrance to Machu Picchu. The government reserves
the right to increase the entrance fee at any time and may only
give us one or two weeks notice.
2: Included in the price of the trek
is the one-way journey on the train from Aguas Calientes to
Ollantaytambo on the Peru Rail Expedition service 84 which currently
costs US$37 per person Mar-Apr & US$50 (May-Dec). (details of service and price can be
checked on the Peru Rail website
www.perurail.com).The Peru Rail website states that
they reserve the right to change the price at anytime. There is
also the possibility that Peru Rail will no longer sell a one-way
ticket and will only sell return tickets i.e. Ollantaytambo -
Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo. If this is the case it is
possible that the price of the ticket could double!! However this
is unlikely. We will try to do everything in our control to keep
the price of the ticket to as low as possible but clients must be
prepared for such increases in the price of the train ticket. Peru
Rail currently runs a monopoly service so we don't have an
alternative (Peru Rail is 50% owned by Orient Express, a British
company which is registered in Bermuda and listed in the NY stock
exchange). The price paid for the train ticket is clearly marked
on the ticket.
3. Included in the price of the trek
is the bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
which currently costs US$9 per person. It is not anticipated that
these costs will increase during 2012, and if they do they are
unlikely to increase by more than US$2 per person. The price paid
for the bus ticket is clearly marked on the ticket.
4. Local sales taxes known as
IGV are included in the price of the Inca Trail trek. The
currently rate of IGV is 18%. It is not anticipated that this rate
will increase during 2012.
5. Exchange Rate. The Inca Trail trek price for 2012 is
based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 2.75
Peruvian Soles. Although we accept payment for the trek in US
dollars the majority of our expenses are in Peruvian Soles (trek
permits, office & porter wages, food, taxes). Peru Treks will absorb any change in
costs up to 15 points difference from
2.75. i.e. if the exchange rate falls to 2.60 we will not ask you
to pay any additional surcharge. If however the value of the US
dollar falls below 2.60 we will ask you to pay a US$15 surcharge,
if the value falls below 2.55 we will ask you to pay a US$20
surcharge, below 2.50 we will ask you
to pay a US$25 surcharge etc etc. Peru Treks will have to show any
calculations to clearly justify such surcharges.
If any of the third party costs
listed above change to increase the cost of the trek we will
immediately update the trek price listed on our website (apart
from the exchange rate which can continue to go up and down
throughout the year so the website will not be updated to reflect
these cost changes). Clients will be liable for paying any increased cost of the Inca Trail trek
upon arrival in Cusco.
4. ACCEPTANCE OF RISK
Peru Treks trek itineraries have been designed to
provide participants with an exposure to the true nature of the
environment visited and therefore involve an element of personal
risk and exposure to potential hazards over and above those
associated with normal "package" holidays. The client acknowledges
that the nature of the tour is adventurous and that such
activities may involve a significant amount of personal risk.
5. AUTHORITY ON TOUR
At all times the decision of the company's guide or representative
will be final on all matters likely to endanger the safety and
well being of the tour group. The client must at all times
strictly comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug
regulations of Peru. Should the client fail to comply with the
above, or should the client interfere with the well being of the
group then the guide or company representative may order the
client to leave the tour without recourse to any refund.
6. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
The client must be in possession of a valid passport and all visas
required for the whole of the journey and the client accepts
responsibility for obtaining the same. Any information or advice
given by the company on visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing,
baggage, special equipment, etc is given in good faith but without
responsibility on the part of the company.
We will buy your Inca Trail trek
permit using the passport numbers that you send us with your trek
booking application. You must bring these same passports with you
to Cusco and take them on the Inca Trail. If the number in your
passport is different from the number on the trek permit, the
government authorities will not allow you to start the trek and
you will not be entitled to a refund.
7. FACTORS OUTSIDE THE COMPANY'S CONTROL (FORCE MAJEURE)
The company will do its best to minimize the effects of matters
outside its control, but cannot accept any liability for these
matters which include political disputes, industrial action,
unforeseeable climate, road blocks, landslides on the Inca Trail,
problems with the railway between Aguas Calientes and Cusco,
delayed trains etc. In order to avoid strike action which has been
planned on certain days the group may have to depart for the Inca
Trail in the evening before the planned trek departure date. Peru
Treks will not be responsible for any costs associated with unused
or partly used accommodation services due to this earlier than
planned departure. Failure to agree to depart at this earlier time
will be considered a trek cancellation by the client.
If all or part of the Inca Trail or Machu Picchu is closed due to
Force Majeure then Peru Treks will do its best to provide an
alternative trek itinerary which may or may not include a visit to
Machu Picchu. Unfortunately the
trek deposit and balance (if paid) will not be refunded to clients if the trek is
cancelled due to Force Majeure although Peru Treks will provide
clients with suitable documentation so that clients can claim a
refund from their insurance companies.
8. INSURANCE
It is the client's responsibility for obtaining sufficient
personal travel insurance. The client is willing to accept full
responsibility for insurance up to limits that the client may
require. This insurance must cover personal accident, medical
expenses, air ambulance, loss of effects, repatriation costs and
all other expenses which might arise as a result of loss, damage,
injury delay or inconvenience occurring to the client. It is
compulsory that all clients have personal travel insurance. When
obtaining travel insurance the client must ensure that the insurer
is aware of the type of travel to be undertaken.
9. RESPONSIBILITY
The Company shall not be liable for any damage or loss if the
failure to carry out the contract is: 1) attributable to the
client 2) attributable to a third party unconnected with the
provision of the services contracted for and the event is
unforeseeable or unavoidable 3) due to unforeseen and unusual
circumstances beyond the company's control, the consequences of
which could not have been avoided even if all due care had to be
exercised. 4) due to political disputes, industrial action,
climate or other matters of a similar nature and any other force
majeure. 5) due to an event which the company, even with all due
care could not foresee or forestall. Any liability is limited to
the full price paid for the tour. In all cases the company
specifically excludes all liability for indirect or consequential
loss or expense, including loss of profits.
10. CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS
If a client has a complaint against the company the client must
first inform the trek guide or company representative while on the
tour in order that the guide/representative can attempt to rectify
the matter. Any further complaint must be put in writing to the
company within 7 days of the end of the tour.
11. LOCAL CONDITIONS
Due to political and cultural differences, as well as generally
tougher physical conditions, travel to the areas we visit involves
risks other than those we take in our daily lives. It is important
clients make themselves aware of the risks involved, and are
responsible for making their travel plans accordingly.
12. PERU TREKS
At all times your contract will be with Peru Treks.
The name Peru Treks refers to either
Peru Treks & Adventure E.I.R.L (licensed Inca Trail tour operator
540 Avenida Pardo, Cusco) or Inca Trail Peru Treks S.A.C
(licensed Inca Trail tour operator 540 Avenida Pardo, Cusco). Both
companies operate the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek and offer the same service and price.
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