How to book

HOW TO BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE WITH TRACKS AND TRAILS 

Choosing your holiday

Before booking a trip and to ensure that you choose a holiday that is suited to your experience and ability level it is important that you understand the Trip Grade of the activity that you are considering. Please read these details carefully and be sure you are comfortable with both the effort and skill level involved. If you know that you have any medical conditions, or previous injuries that may affect your ability to complete your holiday we strongly suggest that you consult your doctor before booking. We are always happy to answer any questions which you might have about the suitability of any trip. Just contact us and we will get back to you to discuss any queries or concerns either by email or better still arrange a time to talk about it over the phone. 

Before booking

Before you complete a Booking Form, please ensure that you are aware of the following. With regard to insurance you can refer to the Insurance page on our website for suggested companies who provide cover for the activities we offer. 

    • Activity Insurance Once your trip is 'guaranteed to run' it is mandatory to have insurance cover for mountain rescue, medical costs and repatriation. If you are not insured by the time of the departure for your chosen activity we reserve the right to refuse to take you on the trip.  Mountain rescue insurance is not required in the United Kingdom. 
    • Trip Cancellation Insurance We advise that you take out insurance to cover any losses, delays and cancellations. If you, the client, wish to cancel your booking you must notify Tracks and Trails Ltd in writing, whereupon the cancellation charges outlined in Clause 10 of our Terms & Conditions will apply.
    • Financial Failure Insurance You are fully protected against our insolvency as all bookings made directly with Tracks and Trails for a package holiday of more than a day in length are covered by our financial failure insurance. 
    • Passports Some countries you visit may require you to have at least 6 months validity on your passport on the date you finish your trip. We recommend that you have more than 6 months to cover unforeseen circumstances which delay you leaving the country you are visiting.
    • Visas Check if the country you are visiting requires an Entry Visa and allow adequate time to arrange this before departure. You must allow at least one free page in your passport for any visa required.

MAKING A BOOKING 

1. Scheduled Departures

When booking on to a Scheduled Departure select the trip that you would like to join, go to the Dates & Prices section and select your preferred dates by clicking the relevant BOOK button. Please select carefully as some trips have multiple options for the same date offering different inclusions. Trips can be searched for via the different website category pages or by using the Trip Search or Trip Calendar pages. Within the Trip Search function the 'search keyword' box can be used to refine your search by using specific terms such as 'Mont Blanc' to find all trips that visit the Mont Blanc area or if known you can use this box and enter the three lettered 'trip code' which can be found under the dates and prices section for example: MBH which relates to Mont Blanc Highlights.

2. Tailormade Trips

To book a bespoke holiday or private guiding then please email, phone or use our Contact Us page to discuss the details. Once the details are confirmed we will send you a link to your personal Tailormade holiday page where you will be able to view and confirm the trip details, book and make payment. You can use our Tailormade holidays section for trip ideas, for daily guiding fees and to make an enquiry.

3. Complete our online Booking Form

Once on the trip you would like to book go to the Dates and Prices section and the relevant BOOK button relating to the dates that you wish to join. You will then be asked to complete our Booking Form. We require a form per person or per group/couple/family etc. Where one person makes a booking on behalf of a group all participants within the group agree to be bound by our Terms and Conditions. Please indicate the number of travelers in your party and complete any details requested on their behalf on the same booking form.

4. My Account

When booking a holiday you will need to create a Tracks and Trails ‘My Account’ area. This can be done before or after booking your trip.

Having an account allows you access to view any current or previous booking information at anytime enabling you to:

  • View your booking details
  • Confirm any payments made
  • Confirm any outstanding balances
  • Make payments
  • Add and edit yours and any traveling companions Contact Details, Next of Kin, Insurance and Travel information
  • Provide details for any hire requirements for specialist equipment that will be required for your holiday

We ask that all of the information is completed at least 6 weeks prior to the departure date.

This information can only be accessed by you, as the lead traveler, and our staff as your account is password protected.

You can access your ‘My Account’ at anytime by going to the Tracks and Trails website and clicking on to ‘My Account’ at the top right of the page

5. Read our Terms and Conditions 

It is important that you read our booking Terms and Conditions and that you understand the implications. If you have any questions about any of the points raised then please contact us so that we can clarify these details with you.

6. Trip Status

You can check the trip status of any given departure in the Dates & Prices section of each trip. Once you have made a booking the trip status and number of places will automatically change on the website.

Please note that your booking will only be confirmed when your deposit payment has been received and your place has been confirmed by our bookings administrator.

DO NOT BOOK TRAVEL YET

Each trip requires a minimum number of guests to book, pay their deposits and then we need the accommodation to agree that they can take our group before we can confirm it will go ahead.  We confirm trip departures as soon as possible and will make the final decision on whether a trip is going ahead usually no later than 8 weeks prior to the trip start date. If we cancel your trip due to insufficient bookings you can choose to have any deposits fully refunded or transfer your deposit free of charge to another trip. We cannot be held liable if you have booked travel without checking with us that your trip is guaranteed. If you choose to book travel regardless of whether your trip is 'Guaranteed to Run' or not then we would always urge that you buy fully refundable tickets.

You should not make any travel arrangements until you hear from us by email confirming that your booking and payment have been received and that your trip is guaranteed to run.

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

Take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'. The price of any trip can change depending on a variety of factors, However, Tracks and Trails will guarantee that the price of your holiday will not change after you have booked and paid your deposit. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next year.

Financial Protection

In accordance with "The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018" all passengers booking with Tracks and Trails Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Tracks and Trails. There is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips, and none is provided. This insurance is only valid for packages booked and DOES NOT include flights. This Insurance has been arranged by International Passenger Protection Limited and underwritten by Certain underwriters at Lloyd’s. For further information please go to www.ipplondon.co.uk

MAKING PAYMENTS

To confirm your place on a trip a deposit is required or if less than 8 weeks to departure full payment will be requested. You can make payments either by: bank transfer, debit or credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Upon request we can also receive payment by bank transfer but only from a UK based bank account. At the time of booking the amount to confirm your place or places on the trip will be indicated on the booking form along with payment methods.

  • After sending us your Booking Form you will receive an automated response from our website confirming your booking. 
  • Our Programme Manager will next advise you of the trip status and provide any additional travel advice.
  • Trip places are only confirmed once Deposit Payments are received, or if less than 8 weeks prior to the departure date the Full Payment is received.
  • Once your trip has been guaranteed to run you can make further payments at any time, via your ‘My Account’,  where you will be able to see the outstanding balance. 
  • An ‘automated reminder’ will be sent to you 10 weeks prior to the departure date to ensure that the holidays full costs are paid 8 weeks prior to departure. If we do not receive payment by the date shown on the reminder, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and apply any cancellation charges.

CONFIRMED BOOKINGS

When we have written to you confirming that your trip is 'Guaranteed to Run' it is at this point we suggest that you make your travel arrangements. Final Joining Instructions will be sent out approximately 3-4 weeks prior to the trip start date detailing: how and where to meet your guide, the accommodation details, any updates on travel arrangements, a contact number should you be delayed and any other information relevant to your trip. After we have sent out the Joining Instructions we will not send any further information prior to the trip start date unless any important changes or useful information that you should know become apparent.

 

CHANGES TO YOUR BOOKING

If the information which you have supplied on your Booking Form should change it is important that you advise us. If you develop an injury or illness please contact us directly by phone or via email so that we can advise you further.

TRANSFERRING YOUR BOOKING

We understand that circumstances change and we will always do our best to accommodate requests to transfer your booking. If you request to transfer a booking to an alternative departure date or holiday an administration fee of £100 plus any further costs incurred will be charged. We reserve the right to refuse your request to transfer if it means the trip onto which you are already booked will no longer have the required minimum numbers to be 'Guaranteed to Run'.

Updated: 26 June 2024