Booking Conditions About Argyll Walking Holidays

Payment
The deposit of £100 per person (luxury walking tour £150 per person, self-guided £50 per person, private guided itinerary 10% of the holiday cost), which should accompany your booking form, is non-refundable unless we cancel the holiday ourselves. Confirmation of the booking and a receipt will be sent, together with an invoice for the balance. Final payment is due 56 days prior to departure.
Payment (in Sterling) may be made by:

Debit or credit card (UK Maestro, MasterCard or VISA debit or credit card)
Cheque
Bank draft or inter-bank transfer

If sending payment from abroad, please ensure that all bank and other charges on the transaction are paid at your end so that the correct amount (in Sterling) is received by us.

Changing your holiday
Should you wish to change your booking to another holiday before the final payment period, a charge of £40 per person will apply to cover administration costs. Changes made after the final payment period will be treated as cancellation and re-booking.

Cancellation
Should you wish to cancel your holiday after your booking has been confirmed you should write to us. The date of cancellation is the date on which we receive your letter, fax or e-mail. A sliding scale of cancellation charges applies as follows:

>56 days prior departure: deposit only
28 - 56 days prior departure: 50% of full fee
less than 28 days prior departure: full fee

We very strongly advise you to take out cancellation insurance.

Minimum number of participants
Four clients is the minimum number for our holidays to go ahead. In the event of us having to cancel through insufficient numbers, we will let you know at least 42 days in advance and we will offer you an alternative holiday. If the alternative does not suit you, we will return in full all money paid.
The minimum number of participants for the self-guided holidays is two.
There is no minimum number for private guided itineraries.

Safeguarding your payments
Your payments will be lodged in the 'In-Trust About Argyll Walking Holidays' account, where, in accordance with EC regulations (Statutory Instrument 1992 No.3288 governing package holidays), they are protected by the independent trustees of Sue Minns Accountability, Kilmun until after you have taken your holiday. The trustees are the only people with access to the 'In-Trust About Argyll Walking Holidays' account. They will release your money to About Argyll Walking Holidays' working account only when they are satisfied that your holiday has been completed. To satisfy the trustees that your holiday has indeed been delivered, at the end of your holiday you will be asked to sign a form acknowledging its completion.

Insurance
About Argyll Walking Holidays has public liability insurance. In addition we very strongly advise you to take out insurance for the duration of your trip in respect of cancellation and curtailment, injury, death, lost baggage and money, liability, medical expenses and repatriation.

Safety
Being on foot in remote and / or rugged country is potentially hazardous by its nature and participants must accept a certain element of risk. In the interest of safety, you must agree to abide by the decisions of your guide. As we have no control over weather conditions, we reserve the right to alter the itinerary accordingly. People whose fitness or ability is clearly at variance with that required for the grade of the holiday may be asked to make alternative arrangements (at their own expense) in order to allow the programme to proceed as planned.

Medical Conditions
Please let us know, in confidence, of any conditions from which you suffer which may affect your safety in remote areas. These include vertigo and diabetes. Please consult your doctor if in any doubt.

Liability
The liability of About Argyll Walking Holidays, as tour operator, is strictly limited. About Argyll Walking Holidays purchases transport, accommodation and other services from independent suppliers not under our control. We carefully select our suppliers, but we serve only as an agent for them in securing tour arrangements. Therefore, we will not accept responsibility for wrongful, negligent, or arbitrary acts or omissions of these independent contractors, their employees, agents, servants or representatives. About Argyll Walking Holidays will only be liable for loss or damage caused by our negligence or by that of someone employed by us.
About Argyll Walking Holidays will not be liable for any injury, loss, damage or expense resulting from force majeure or any unforeseen circumstance beyond our control.

Complaints
In the unlikely event that you have a concern or complaint during your holiday, this should be brought to our attention immediately so we can try to resolve the situation straight away. Should it not be possible to settle the matter instantly, you should write to us as soon as possible after your holiday. Delay in so doing may lead to an inability to substantiate your claim. All complaints and claims against About Argyll Walking Holidays will be dealt with under Scottish Law and Custom.