Please take the time to read and understand the conditions of booking set out below prior to booking a trip with us. We strongly recommend that you also read the Essential Trip Information relating to your trip prior to booking to ensure that you understand the itinerary, style and physical demands of the trip you are undertaking.
1. Our agreement
These booking terms and conditions apply to bookings you make with Australian Adventure Group Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN 661 075 163) trading as Adventure Tours Australia (whether over the phone, by email or with our call centre) as well as online bookings you make on our website or on our related sites (including travel agents and partners) offering our products. We will rely on the authority of the person making the booking to act on behalf of any other traveller on the booking and that person will bind all such travellers to these terms and conditions.
2. Payment
You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $250 per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed ($500 for packages), with the remaining balance of your trip due 30 days prior to your travel departure date. If your booking is made within 30 days of the departure date, then the full amount is payable at the time of booking.
3. Change of itinerary
For operational or other reasons beyond our control, we may need to operate substitute vehicles or change activities in tours. We will give you as much notice as possible of any such changes.
4. Fees and surcharges
Our trip prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. This means our trip prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions and availability. It is likely that different passengers on the same trip have been charged different prices. Your best option if you like the price you see is to book at that time. Any reduced pricing or discounts that may become available after you have paid your deposit will not apply. If you wish to cancel your booking to take advantage of a cheaper price, full cancellation conditions apply. The most up to date pricing is available on our website.
Public Holiday Surcharge: Tours operating over a public holiday may be subject to an additional surcharge payable at the time of booking.
Credit Card Surcharge: A credit card surcharge of 2.4% plus 30c may be charged if you use a credit card to pay for your booking.
5. Cancellation by the traveller
If you cancel some or all portions of your tour/s cancellation fees may apply. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation.
If you cancel a tour:
- 30 days or more prior to departure, we retain the deposit.
- Between 8 and 29 days prior to departure, we will retain 50% of the total booking cost.
- 7 days or less prior to departure, we will retain 100% of the total booking cost.
Note: Note that different cancellation conditions apply to third party-operated tours and additional services. You will be advised of the different cancellation charges at the time of booking. You are strongly advised to take out travel insurance which covers you for cancellation, at the time of booking. If you leave a tour for any reason after it has commenced, we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund will be provided. If you have booked through a travel agent, which may also include other travel components, please contact them directly.
Packages: The accommodation and Greyhound bus components in packages are 100% non-refundable and non-transferable (no date changes allowed)
6. Cancellation by us
We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability, relevant government advice, or other external events if it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary.
- If we cancel your trip due to reasons other than a force majeure event you will receive a full refund.
- If we cancel your trip due to a force majeure event you will receive 100% credit to use for a future trip or a refund, less unrecoverable costs.
7. Booking amendments
If you wish to transfer from one tour to another or transfer your booking to a third-party you must notify us at least 28 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of $200 per person per change may apply (in addition to any charges levied by providers such as third-party operators). If you notify us less than 30 days prior to the proposed departure date, the cancellation policy will apply. Transfers to a third party are only permitted, where the transferee meets all the requirements in relation to the tour. Transfers to another departure can only be made to a departure within the current validity period i.e. departures operating between April 1 – March 31. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 7 days of departure.
8. Information from you
The terms of our access to National Parks require us to collect certain information in respect of each customer participating on a tour. If you do not provide the required information, we cannot finalise the booking.
Requests to bring luggage in-excess of our luggage policy, or additional items on the tour vehicle, must be raised with the reservations team in advance of the tour. Failure to do so may result in us being unable to accommodate your requirements on the day of the tour.
Personal information is collected and managed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
9. Inclusions
The price of your tour includes:
• All accommodation as listed in the Essential Trip Information
• All transport listed in the Essential Trip Information
• Sightseeing and meals as listed in the Essential Trip Information
• The services of a tour guide as described in the Essential Trip Information.
10. Exclusions
The price of your tour does not include:
• International or internal flights unless specified
• Airport transfers, taxes and excess baggage charges unless specified
• Meals other than those specified in the Essential Trip Information
• Visa and passport fees
• Travel insurance
• Optional activities and all personal expenses.
11. Age & Health requirements
Minimum Age: For the majority of our tours, the minimum age is 8 years of age at the time of travel. All travellers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, or in lieu of a legal guardian, by a responsible adult over the age of 18, appointed by their legal guardian. The legal guardian will be responsible for the traveller under the age of 18 for their day-to-day care. Please note we cannot guarantee triple or adjoining rooms/tents for families; accompanying adults may be required to share with others in the group.
Maximum Age: For the majority of our tours we have no upper age limit. Please be aware that our tours can be physically demanding and passengers must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow full participation. Passengers aged 70 years or older at the time of departure are required to review and sign our medical form. Due to the remote locations and challenging nature of our extended camping tours, it is essential that older travellers consider their health and ability to participate for the safety and the benefit of the whole group.
12. Small groups & combination trips
At times we can have groups with small numbers of travellers. Many of our trips are designed to fit with other departures to create a longer “combination” trip; this means that some of your group may have already been travelling together for some weeks when you commence your trip. If you would like to know how many people are booked on your trip or any combination trip it is part of please ask prior to making your booking.
13. Travel insurance
Travel insurance is mandatory for all our travellers. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of AUD$300,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide your travel insurance policy number and the insurance company’s 24-hour emergency contact number on the first day of your tour; you will not be able to join the tour without these details.
If your travel insurance is connected to your credit card or bank account please ensure you have details of the participating insurer, the insurance policy number and emergency contact number with you as the bank or card details alone do not suffice.
14. Authority on tour
Adventure Tours Australia may refuse to carry a person whose behaviour is detrimental to the enjoyment of the group. By travelling with Adventure Tours Australia, you agree to accept the authority of the guide and accept their decisions. Our staff are entitled to a safe working environment and our passengers to a safe and great holiday. Any threats to safety, being physical, verbal, or inappropriate behaviour may result in removal from the trip. If a guide requires a passenger to leave the trip no refunds will be given and that passenger will be responsible for their own travel costs and arrangements from that point
15. Acceptance of risk
You acknowledge that the nature of the trip is adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal and physical risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives. We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However, it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary. You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you are aware of the personal and physical risks attendant upon such travel. You acknowledge that the assumption of risk and warning above constitutes a ‘risk warning; in accordance with relevant legislation.
16. Limitation of liability
We contract with a network of companies, government agencies and individuals to assist in the running of our trips as agent for these third parties. We are not responsible for the acts and omissions of these third parties. In consideration of your participation in the trip, to the extent permitted by law, you:
- (a) release and will release us from all claims that you may have or may have had but for this release arising from or in connection with participation in the trip; and
- (b) release and indemnify us against any claim which may be made by you or on your behalf for or in respect of or arising out of your death whether caused by the negligence or breach of contract by us or in any other manner whatsoever; and
- (c) indemnify and will keep indemnified us to the extent permitted by law in respect of any claim by any person:
- (i) arising as a result of or in connection with your participation in the trip; and
- (ii) against us in respect of any injury, loss or damage arising out of or in connection with your failure to comply with the trip or our rules and/or directions, save that the above releases and indemnities shall not apply to the extent that the loss, damage or injury that is the subject of the claim is caused or contributed to by the grossly negligent act or omission by us.
To the extent an Implied Warranty cannot be excluded, our liability in respect of the Implied Warranty is limited to (in our absolute discretion): (i) the provision of a similar trip to an equivalent value; or (ii) a refund of the total amount received by us from you in connection with your booking. Any claim by you is excluded to the extent that it is for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profits or economic loss, however it arises, or for indirect, special, punitive or exemplary damages.
17. Optional activities
Optional activities not included in the tour price do not form part of the tour or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your tour guide or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them in any way. The contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and the activity provider.
18. Claims & complaints
If you have a complaint about your trip please inform your tour guide or our local representative at the time in order that they can attempt to rectify the matter. If satisfaction is not reached through these means, then any further complaint should be put in writing to us within 30 days of the end of the tour. Complaints made outside this timeframe may not be considered.
19. Severability
In the event that any term or condition contained in these Booking Conditions is unenforceable or void by operation of law or as being against public policy or for any other reason then such term or condition shall be deemed to be severed from this contract or amended accordingly only to such extent necessary to allow all remaining terms and conditions to survive and continue as binding.
20. Photos and marketing
You consent to us using images of you taken during the trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable licence to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes
21. Privacy policy
Any personal information that we collect about you may be used for any purpose associated with the operation of a trip or to send you marketing material in relation to our events and special offers. The information may be disclosed to our agents, service providers or other suppliers to enable us to operate the Trip. We will otherwise treat your details in accordance with our privacy policy (available for viewing on our website).
22. Applicable law
The laws of Victoria, Australia govern these Booking Conditions to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with a trip or these Booking Conditions must be initiated in the courts of Victoria, Australia.
23. Be COVID-safe
The health and safety of our guests, staff and community are our priority and as such we will continue to follow a government health department directives to ensure we minimize risk. We recommend guests refer to the relevant State, Territory and Federal Government websites for information regarding any current travel restrictions prior to making any bookings. https://www.australia.gov.au/ Covid safe practices include extra precautions taken with respect to catering preparation. Guests will be asked to sanitize their hands every time they board the vehicle and all vehicles are cleaned and sanitized after each trip. Guests must be free of any cold or flu-like symptoms and those displaying symptoms will not be permitted to board. Any guests who have booked travel and which fall ill are asked to contact our team as soon as possible.
24. Feedback
We welcome feedback from all of our customers. Feedback on tour can be given to your tour guide. If wish to provide feedback after your tour please contact us by email on reservations@adventuretours.com.au or by telephone on +61 3 9125 3630.
25. Credit vouchers
Guests who hold a credit voucher must contact our office to secure their preferred date of travel, which is subject to availability. Guests wishing to use their credit voucher for travel on a tour which runs over a public holiday may be subject to a public holiday surcharge.
Credit vouchers are not a ticket to travel until a date of travel has been secured with our office and a confirmation has been issued. Once a date of travel has been secured, the booking will then be subject to our regular terms and conditions. Any credit voucher which is not used before it’s given expiry date will be forfeited without refund. Credit vouchers are valid for 12 months, unless otherwise stated.