Consent
Access to and use of the services of LenkaTraveler.com (“LenkaTraveler”) and its website is subject to acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. By accessing, using or obtaining any content, products, or services through our offices or through our website, you, the purchaser / traveler (“you/your”) agree to be bound by these terms.
READ THE TERMS BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE. These terms and conditions govern the relationship between you and LenkaTraveler. These terms restrict your rights and remedies and provide protection to LenkaTraveler. These also include warranty disclaimers and liability exclusions.
IF THERE IS ANY PART OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH, PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE OR LenkaTraveler services.
Pricing and Payment
Reservations are accepted and confirmed after we receive a non-refundable booking deposit and a Reservation Form signed by each adult on the trip as well as by the guardian for each child on the trip. For most group departures, the booking deposit is $500 per person per trip, though for some trips it may be more, as noted in the trip description.
The minimum booking deposit requirement for custom trips is $800 per person, and this deposit is non-refundable.
A trip-planning fee of $250 per itinerary is charged to cover costs of preparing itinerary proposals for custom trips. This fee is credited to the cost of the trip, but is non-refundable if you do not take the trip. Custom travel during holiday seasons may require a deposit prior to trip confirmation.
An invoice for the total estimated cost of your itinerary will be sent with your reservation confirmation. For both group departures and custom trips, a second payment is due 120 days prior to departure or at the time of booking for reservations made fewer than 120 days before departure. The balance as shown on your invoice is due 60 days prior to departure regardless of whether extensions or other arrangements are pending. Although we do our best to avoid increasing prices after we receive your deposit, in some cases it may be necessary to adjust pricing even after we receive payment to allow for changes in group size, rooming status, currency exchange rate fluctuations, fuel surcharges and other circumstances attendant to international travel. Late payments may jeopardize confirmation of your itinerary and in some cases may result in additional fees. If we have not received final payment 30 days prior to departure your reservation may be canceled and subject to our Cancellation & Refund Policy stated below.
Late Signups
Early reservations are encouraged! Some trips and flights fill several months before departure. We can confirm your space on a trip once we receive your deposit and signed Reservation Form. We try, but cannot guarantee, to accept late signups. In the event that we are able to accept reservations fewer than 60 days before a trip departure, additional fees may apply to cover administrative costs necessary to expedite your reservation confirmation and transmit your departure materials. For reservations made fewer than 60 days before departure, full payment will be due at the time of booking.
Cancellations & Refunds
If you must cancel before departure, you may request a refund according to the following schedule. Some trips require additional non-refundable payments as noted in the trip description or in the trip itinerary.
| Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Penalty |
| 90 or more | Non-refundable booking deposit and trip planning fee, if applicable |
| 45-89 | 30% of total land costs |
| 31-44 | 75% of total land costs |
| 0-30 | 100% of total land costs |
Note: cancellation of airfare, other transit, and lodging is subject to the policies of the individual carriers or providers and are not included in the schedule above. Additional cancellation fees are the responsibility of the traveler. We strongly recommend that all travelers purchase Travel Insurance that includes coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, which may reimburse you for cancellation penalties and extra trip expenses should a circumstance covered by the policy forces you to cancel or interrupt your trip.
Departure is defined as the date on which travelers will leave their home state, province or city, or the trip departure date as indicated on the trip itinerary, whichever comes first. Cancelation date will be considered the date that we receive written notification of your intent to cancel.
Payments due at the time of cancellation remain the responsibility of the client. No partial refunds are possible for visas, unused hotel rooms, air or land travel, trekking days, or other sight-seeing arrangements included in the land cost.
In the event LenkaTraveler.com cancels a trip, for any reason, all money for services described in the trip description, less airline ticket cancellation fees, will be refunded.
Air Fares
We can help you to secure air travel arrangements to correspond with land travel booked through LenkaTraveler.com. We work with an airfare consolidator to assist in booking the flights that suit your needs. LenkaTraveler.com may charge a ticketing fee for this service. For group departures, if you prefer to fly on dates other than those listed as trip dates, or if you arrive at your destination other than at the group arrival time, then you may incur an additional fee to cover the separate transfer, contingency, and coordination costs which frequently arise from arrival and departure on flights different from our regular bookings. We will let you know about these fees ahead of time, if they apply. If you must change your air routing after ticketing, there is a charge of $50 per change, in addition to change or cancellation charges levied by the airline. If you decide to make your own flight arrangements, you must provide LenkaTraveler.com with a complete copy of your itinerary showing departure and arrival flights and times. You should plan to arrange your own air travel if you are using mileage credit or originating outside North America, but please be in touch with our office before you finalize ticketing so that we can help you to coordinate the correct arrival and departure dates and times.
Expenses Covered
Normally, our stated land costs include the cost of all guides, leaders, permits obtained after arrival, lodging accommodations, food and entry fees as specified, and all surface transportation associated with the planned itinerary. We do our best to avoid increasing prices after receipt of your deposit, but, rarely, factors beyond our control might require us to change our prices without prior notice, even after you have signed up.
Expenses Not Covered
Costs not included in the price may include: meals not indicated as included in itineraries; meals prior to arrival in starting cities; transfers, if not arriving or departing on the scheduled group flights; soft drinks, bottled water, and alcoholic beverages; medical expenses, costs of hospitalization, or evacuation from remote areas; laundry; airport departure taxes not included on your airline ticket; accommodations en route to starting cities; visas; airfares; gratuities; and insurance.
NOTE: If a trip must be extended or an itinerary modified due to weather, road conditions, labor interruption, lack of transportation, political or civil disputes, medical emergency, or other causes beyond our control, then the traveler may incur additional costs that are not included in the trip price. We strongly recommend that all travelers obtain Travel Insurance to cover these risks.
Group-Sized Pricing & Group Minimums
Many trips are guaranteed to depart at prices published in the itinerary with as few as two participants. However, in some cases it is necessary to adjust prices to reflect smaller group sizes. We do everything we can to make a trip operate as planned even with a single participant. Additional costs for small groups amount vary from trip to trip. Final decision to cancel a trip due to insufficient signups is made 30 days prior to departure.
Pre-Departure Services
After we receive your deposit we will send you a pre-departure information packet containing things like medical and immunization information, visa and other permit forms, a recommendation for travel insurance, packing checklist, reading list, cross-cultural information, and an initial invoice for the balance due. If you would like, we can also book your extended land travel arrangements for before and after your trip. About 2-3 weeks before departure, we will send you a final departure packet including last minute reminders and local contact information for your destination. Call our office at any time if you have questions about your trip or for additional information.
Lodging Accommodations
Lodging accommodations are usually double occupancy in hotel rooms, tents, or other facilities as described or noted in trip itineraries. Please contact our office to discuss pricing and availability of alternative accommodations. We try to honor specific requests for lodging, but in some cases we may have to book and confirm equivalent standard accommodations. If you are traveling alone but would prefer a roommate, then let us know! We are often able to match solo travelers. If a roommate is not available or if you prefer single accommodation, then you must pay the Single Supplement, if one applies. On some trips, it is not possible to guarantee single accommodations.
Fitness to Travel
Good physical and mental health are essential for the enjoyment of our trips. In many cases participants travel in rugged areas remote from modern medical facilities. Good physical conditioning is recommended as preparation for all trips, especially those involving trekking. Most trips require some walking. By paying the booking deposit and signing the Reservation Form, the traveler certifies that he/she is fit for rigorous travel and does not have any physical, mental, or other condition that would create a hazard for him/herself or other travelers. It is essential that any participant with a medical condition requiring regular treatment or which may be affected by vigorous activity, prolonged travel, high altitude, heat, cold, natural phenomena, or particular foods, notify LenkaTraveler.com in writing prior to booking.
We assume no responsibility for medical care and we cannot guarantee meeting special dietary requirements or vegetarian needs. Participants may be required to furnish a physician’s statement of good health. LenkaTraveler.com’s or the individual trip leader’s or guide’s judgment shall provide the ultimate determination of an individual’s fitness to embark upon, or to continue, a trip. LenkaTraveler.com reserves the right to refuse reservations or deny participation prior to departure of anyone whom it deems unsuitable for a trip.
Once a trip has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. All participants must be covered by a current major medical insurance policy for the duration of their trip. Proof of such coverage may be requested.
Force Majeure
“Force Majeure” means any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of LenkaTraveler, (including, but without limitation, acts of God, explosion, flood, tempest, forceful wind, fire or accident, war or threat of war declared or undeclared, acts of terrorism, sabotage, insurrection, riots, strikes, civil disturbance, requisition, sickness, quarantine, government intervention, weather conditions, defects in machinery and vehicles, delay, wildlife, or other untoward occurrences).
LenkaTraveler shall not be deemed to be in breach of these terms and conditions or otherwise be liable to you, by reason of delay in performance, or by non-performance, of any of its obligations hereunder to the extent that any such delay or non-performance is due to any Force Majeure. THE PURCHASE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON ALL TRIPS.
If LenkaTraveler, and/or any of its travel suppliers, are affected by Force Majeure, they shall be entitled to, and may in their sole and absolute discretion, vary or cancel any itinerary or arrangement in relation to the trip. Payment of any refund by LenkaTraveler to you as a result of the non-performance of any obligations hereunder shall remain in its sole and absolute discretion, although LenkaTraveler shall use its reasonable efforts to reimburse you where possible. However, LenkaTraveler shall be entitled to deduct from any refund recoverable the reasonable actual and potential costs to LenkaTraveler of the Force Majeure and applicable cancellation fees.
Regarding civil unrest, once LenkaTraveler has investigated the prevailing situation, as it deems fit, it shall remain in LenkaTraveler’s sole and absolute discretion whether to proceed with the trip. You may in such circumstances cancel the trip subject to LenkaTraveler’s and each supplier’s terms and conditions.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is typically used to protect you against 3rd party supplier default / bankruptcy, delay, interruption, missed connections, cancellation, medical emergency transportation / evacuation / repatriation, lost / delayed baggage and personal effects, illness, job loss, change of plans, accidental death and disability, travel accident / sickness, medical expenses, and more.
Without appropriate travel insurance, you understand and agree that if you cancel / interrupt your travel for any reason, portions of the trip/tour may not be refunded and LenkaTraveler’s and travel suppliers cancellation penalties will apply resulting in the loss of monies up to the full cost of your travel booking and related costs.
LenkaTraveler strongly encourages you to purchase a Travel Insurance policy. However, the purchase of Travel Insurance is not required in order to purchase any product or service offered by LenkaTraveler. Unless specifically noted, Travel Insurance is NOT included in the cost of your itinerary.
Employees of LenkaTraveler are not qualified or authorized to: answer technical questions about benefits, exclusions, and conditions of any of the insurance offered, nor evaluate the adequacy of the prospective insured’s existing insurance coverage.
** The End ***