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Please read the following notice as it is your contract with TED Tour Ethiopia and clearly lays out what you have agreed with us. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: TED Tour Ethiopia (‘the Company’, “we”, “us” and “our”) accepts bookings subject to the following conditions. Except where expressly stated, these conditions only apply to tour arrangements booked by the client with the Company and which the Company agrees to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of their contract with the client. All references in these conditions to “tour”, “booking”, “contract” or “arrangements” mean such tour arrangements unless otherwise stated. 1. YOUR TOUR CONTRACT The contract is between the Company and the client (“the client” and “you” in these conditions), being any person travelling or intending to travel on a tour operated by the Company including any person who is added or substituted after booking. We both agree that Ethiopian law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us (except as set out below). We both also agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or not involving any personal injury) which arises between us must be dealt with Ethiopian court only. No promise of a discount or refund will be binding on us unless confirmed by us in writing. 2. TO SECURE YOUR BOOKING To secure a booking, the Company or their authorized travel agent must receive payment of the minimum deposit of $200 or 30% of the total tour price, per person, whichever is the greater (or full payment if booking within 60 days of the start of your tour or at an earlier stage for some tours). A higher deposit will be payable if any supplier(s) requires additional payment at the time of booking / prior to balance due date. On occasions, full payment for a service such as your flights may be required at the time of booking. The applicable deposit will be confirmed at the time of booking. All clients (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date), whether booking in person, by telephone, via our website, by e-mail or facsimile or by any other means, will be deemed to have agreed to the following four conditions: a) they have read and accepted our booking conditions . b) they appreciate and accept the risks involved in adventure travel. c) they do not suffer from any pre-existing medical condition or disability which may prevent them from actively participating in the tour – if any person suffers from any medical condition or disability which will or may affect their tour arrangements, please contact us before making your booking as referred to in clause 10 below so that we can advise. d) the person making the booking warrants that he/she is at least 18 years old and has full authority to enter into a contract on the basis of these conditions on behalf of all persons named on the booking and confirms that all such persons are fully aware of and accept these conditions. A booking is accepted and becomes definite only from the date when the Company sends a confirmation invoice to the client who makes the booking or their authorized travel agent. It is at this point that a contract between the Company and the client comes into existence. For bookings made via our website, any acknowledgement of your booking request we send to you in the meantime is not a confirmation of your booking. Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into force, the Company reserves the right to increase or decrease brochure prices. Where our allocation of air seats has been fully utilized or where it is not possible to offer an air seat from an allocation, we reserve the right to pass on any extra costs incurred. The Company or their agents reserve the right to decline any booking at their discretion. If you book via our website, we will communicate with you by e-mail. You must accordingly check your e-mails on a regular basis. We may also contact you by telephone and/or post if we cannot, for whatever reason, contact you by e-mail. Certain documents may need to be sent by post. References in these conditions to “send” and “in writing” or similar include communication by e-mail. You should contact us by e-mail if you need to do so for any of the reasons mentioned in these booking conditions (for example, to request an amendment). All e-mails should be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 3. PAYMENT FOR YOUR TOUR The balance of all monies due, including any surcharges applicable at that time, must be received by the Company or their authorized travel agent not later than 56 days before the start of your tour. For certain tours, full payment must be received at an earlier stage before the start of your tour. You will be advised at the time of booking when this is the case. In the case of non-payment of the balance by the due date, the Company reserves the right to treat your booking as cancelled and cancellation charges will apply. Any monies paid by you to an authorized travel agent for tours operated by the Company are held by the agent on the Company’s behalf. You can pay the deposit and full amount by wire transfer, credit, debit card or Paypal. A credit card fee of 2.9% is payable if a credit card, debit card or Paypal is used for Payment. We reserve the right to increase this charge if the card issuer’s charges to us increase. We will advise you if this happens before taking any payment by credit card. 4. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING a) An administration fee of $25 per booking plus any additional costs or charges incurred by us or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers will be charged if a confirmed booking is changed or transferred to a different departure date or tour, up to 56 days prior to departure. Thereafter all changes will be treated as cancellations and subject to the charges below. Changes are subject to availability. For an administration fee of $25 per booking, you can request a credit voucher for the amount paid in respect of any cancelled booking. This must be redeemed within 3 months of issue against a new booking. The voucher is not transferable, can only be redeemed against one booking and cannot be exchanged for cash. No refund or further credit voucher will be provided if the cost of the new booking is less than the value of the credit voucher. b) If a client is unable to travel, in circumstances which the Company considers reasonable, the booking or that client’s place on the booking may be transferred to another suitable person (introduced by you). However the tour arrangements must remain the same as originally booked. If a transfer can be made, an administration charge of $40 per person transferring his/her place if the Company is advised up to your balance due date or $100 per person if advised after your balance due date, together with any costs or charges incurred by us or incurred or imposed by any supplier(s) in making the transfer must be paid before the transfer can be made. Any overdue balance payment must also be received. For flight inclusive bookings, you must pay the charges levied by the airline concerned. As most airlines do not permit name changes after tickets have been issued for any reason, these charges are likely to be the full cost of the flight / an alternative flight. 5. IF YOU CANCEL YOUR BOOKING Should the client wish to cancel, cancellation charges will be imposed. These are calculated from the day written or verbal notification is received by the Company or their authorized travel agent as a percentage of the total tour price per person cancelling, including surcharges but excluding any amendment charges and insurance premiums. The cancellation charges shown below are those which will apply to most tours. However, some suppliers have conditions which require the payment of higher or different charges (including the imposition of 100% cancellation charges well in advance of the normal balance due date) which you will have to pay in the event of cancellation. You will be advised at the time of booking if this is the case for your tour. a) 56 and more days before tour start date – retention of deposit b) 55-42 days before tour start date – 30% or retention of deposit if higher c) 41-28 days before tour start date – 60% d) 27-14 days before tour start date – 90% e) Less than 14 days before tour start date – 100%
6. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT Should the client have a complaint about any of their tour arrangements, the client must tell both the relevant supplier and the Company’s representative at the time. It is only if the Company and the relevant supplier know about problems that there will be the opportunity to put things right. Failure to complain on the spot may result in the client’s ability to claim compensation, if applicable, from the Company being extinguished or at least reduced. If the client’s complaint cannot be resolved on tour they should notify the Company in writing within 28 days of their return from tour. If the client has a dispute with the Company which we are unable to resolve, the client may call upon the low cost AITO Independent Dispute Settlement Service (details on request). Claims which exceed $2,500 per person or $10,000 per booking or claims which apply principally or exclusively in respect of (or as a consequence of) illness or physical injury are not admissible for settlement under the service. Please also see clause 1 Your Tour Contract. 7. PASSPORTS, VISAS & VACCINATIONS Clients are responsible for arranging, and must be in possession of, a valid, acceptable passport and any visas and vaccination certificates required for the whole of their journey and tour. Information about these matters or related items (climate, clothing, baggage, personal gear etc) is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of the Company. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly. 8.TOUR PARTICIPATION & CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY Clients agree to accept the authority and decisions of the Company’s employees, tour leaders and agents whilst on tour with the Company. If in the opinion of any such person(s) or any other person in a position of authority (such as, for example, an airline pilot or hotel manager), the health, level of fitness or conduct of a client at any time before or during a tour is endangering or appears likely to endanger the health or well being of the client or any third party (including any other clients of the Company) or the safe, comfortable or happy progress of the tour, the client may be excluded from all or part of the tour without refund or recompense. Where a client is excluded, the Company will have no further responsibility towards them (including any return travel arrangements) and we will not meet any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the exclusion. In the case of ill health, the Company may make such arrangements as it sees fit and recover the costs thereof from the client. If a client commits an illegal act (including, for example, causing any damage) the client may be excluded from the tour and the Company shall cease to have responsibility to/for them as above. No refund will be given for any unused services. When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier or to us as soon as possible. If the actual cost of the loss or damage exceeds the amount paid where estimated, you must pay the difference once known. If the actual cost is less than the amount paid, the difference will be refunded. You will also be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us and all costs incurred by us (including our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises. If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour or the tour arrangements of any other person or have any special requirements as a result of any medical condition or disability (including any which affect the booking process), please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the proposed tour and/or making the booking. In any event, you must give us full details at the time of booking and whenever any change in the condition or disability occurs. You must also promptly advise us if any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour or the tour arrangements of any other person develops after your booking has been confirmed. 9. SURCHARGES We reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your tour is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price at the time of booking. Once the price of your chosen tour has been confirmed at the time of booking, then subject to the correction of errors, we will only increase or decrease the price in the following circumstances. Price increases or decreases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge or refund. A surcharge or refund (as applicable) will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, in the event of any change in our transportation costs or in dues, taxes or fees payable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports or airports or in the exchange rates which have been used to calculate the cost of your tour. No surcharge will be imposed less than 30 days before the start of your tour and no refunds will be made during this period either. If variations occur before that time, we will absorb or retain a total amount up to the equivalent of the first 2% (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges) of your invoiced tour cost. For variations greater than 2%, we will still absorb the first 2% in the case of increases, but will not retain it from refunds. If we impose a surcharge which means paying more than 10% of your tour price, you will be entitled to cancel your tour with a full refund of all monies paid to us except for any premium paid for insurance and amendment charges or alternatively to purchase another tour from us as. You have 14 days from the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to cancel or purchase an alternative tour where applicable. If you do not do so, we are entitled to assume that you will pay the surcharge. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the cost of the tour. Please note that tour arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your tour due to contractual and other protection in place. 10. IF WE CHANGE YOUR TOUR While the Company will do its best to operate all tours as advertised, it reserves the right to change and correct errors in any of the facilities, services, prices or itineraries described in this brochure and/or on our the website at any time before or after your booking is confirmed. Most changes are minor. Occasionally, we have to make a significant change. If a significant change has to be made, the Company will inform the client as soon as reasonably possible, if there is time before departure. For “Guaranteed Departures”, we promise not to make any significant changes to the “land only” itinerary unless we are forced to do so by force majeure. This guarantee does not, however, apply to any international or domestic flights which may be subject to change or cancellation in accordance with these conditions. A significant change is a change made before departure which we can reasonably expect to have a major effect on your tour. If advised of a significant change before departure the client will have the choice of accepting the changed arrangements (at additional cost if applicable), purchasing another available tour from the Company (paying or receiving a refund in respect of any difference in price) or cancelling the tour with a full refund of all monies paid to us. If we have to make a significant change before departure we will as a minimum, where compensation is due, pay you the compensation payments set out in the table below depending on the circumstances and when the significant change is notified to you or your travel agent subject to the following exception. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where we are forced to make a change as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. Such circumstances are likely to include those listed in clause 14 “Force Majeure”. No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available where a change is a minor one. We regret we cannot meet any visa, vaccination or similar costs in the event of any change or cancellation by us. Similarly, as you are advised only to book fully flexible connecting transport and other arrangements (such as pre or post tour accommodation) which can be cancelled or changed without charge, we cannot pay any cancellation, amendment or other charges you may incur in relation to any arrangements which you have to change or cancel as a result of any change to your tour. Period of notification given Compensation to you or your travel agent per person: More than 42 days: Nil 41-28 days: $20 27-14 days: $30 13 days-date of travel: $40 Very rarely, we may be forced by "force majeure" to change or terminate your tour after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. 11. IF WE CANCEL YOUR TOUR The Company reserves the right to cancel a tour in any circumstances but will not cancel a tour less than 8 weeks before the start of the tour except for force majeure , consolidation / cancellation of tours where minimum numbers have not been achieved or the client’s failure to make all payments (including the final balance and any surcharge) when due. Please note, except for “Guaranteed Departures”, our tours require a minimum number of participants to enable us to operate them. If any tour does not have the minimum number of participants required to make it commercially viable, we are entitled to cancel it. We will notify you or your travel agent of cancellation for this reason not less than 8 weeks before the start of your tour. If we have to cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure and the cancellation does not result from your failure to pay, we will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative tour offered as a result of consolidation or another available tour from the Company (in either case, paying or receiving a refund in respect of any difference in price) or receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us excluding Annual Insurance premiums if applicable. We regret we cannot meet any visa, vaccination or similar costs in the event of any change or cancellation by us. Similarly, as you are advised only to book fully flexible transport and other arrangements which can be cancelled or changed without charge, we cannot pay any cancellation, amendment or other charges you may incur in relation to any transport or other arrangements which you have to change or cancel as a result of the cancellation of your tour. In addition, we will as a minimum, where compensation is due, pay you the compensation set out above depending on the circumstances and when the cancellation is notified to you or your travel agent subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where (1) we are forced to cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. or (2) we have to cancel because the minimum number of participants necessary for us to operate your tour has not been reached (see above). No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time). 12. FORCE MAJEURE Except where otherwise expressly stated in these conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any injury, damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of "force majeure". In these conditions, "force majeure" means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include whether actual or threatened war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, disease, fire and all similar events outside our control. 13. OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR TOUR Bookings are accepted on the understanding that clients appreciate and accept the possible risks inherent in adventure travel and that they undertake the tours, treks or expeditions featured in our program at their own volition. (1) We promise to make sure that the tour arrangements we have agreed to make perform or provide, as applicable, as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these conditions and the other information which forms part of your contract with us, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted tour arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted tour arrangements. Please note, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers). (2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (including loss possessions and loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: - the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the client(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your tour and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or 'force majeure' as defined in clause 14 above (3) Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which any supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract. Any optional excursions or activities booked during your holiday do not form part of our contract as these are all arranged for you directly by the suppliers. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you. (4) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract – and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred – will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. Please bear in mind that standards of, for example, safety, hygiene, and quality may vary throughout the destinations. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with the local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holiday maker to refuse to take the tour in question. (5) As set out in these conditions, we limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any claims you may make against us. We do not, however, limit or exclude our liability for death or personal injury caused by the negligence of ourselves or our employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment). Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have to pay you is $500 per person affected unless a different limitation applies to your claim under clause 15(6) below. You must ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect your personal belongings. For all other claims which do not involve death or personal injury, if we are found liable to you on any basis, the maximum amount we will have to pay you is twice the price (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges) paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total unless a lower limitation applies to your claim. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your tour. (6) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally we cannot accept liability for any expenses or losses incurred by or relating to any business including self-employed loss of earnings. (7) You must provide ourselves with all assistance we may reasonably require. You must also tell us and the supplier concerned about your claim or complaint. If You have a Complaint. If asked to do so, you must transfer to any rights you have against the supplier or whoever else is responsible for your claim or complaint. You must also agree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers want to enforce any rights which are transferred. 14.FLIGHTS/TRANSPORT/DELAYS The timings of air, sea, road or rail departures are estimates only. “If we Change your Tour”, we cannot accept any liability for any change, cancellation or delay in your transportation during your tour whether any change, cancellation or delay is caused by adverse weather conditions, rescheduling by a transport supplier, airline or airport authority, action by air traffic controllers, mechanical breakdown, industrial action or any other event or circumstance outside our control. Where long flight delays result in lost tour time, no refunds are given by hotels or suppliers. Similarly, except where the Denied Boarding Regulations apply, airlines do not offer compensation for flight delays. However, at their discretion your carrier will endeavour to reduce the inconvenience of any delay by providing meals and accommodation, as appropriate for the time of day or night (dependent on local availability), if you are delayed for more than 12 hours. If you incur payments for any services in the event of a delay, the Company will not accept responsibility for payment unless we have given our prior consent. 15. LATE BOOKINGS We emphasize the importance of making a booking at the earliest opportunity, because of the small group nature of our tours. For bookings received within 6 weeks of the start of your tour (or at an earlier stage for certain tours), we reserve the right to pass on any extra costs incurred. For bookings received within 6 weeks of your tour (or at an earlier stage for certain tours), the contract between the Company and the client comes into existence as soon as full payment has been received by the Company or our authorized travel agent or by Viva Ethiopia. 16. BROCHURE / WEBSITE/ ADVERTISING MATERIAL ACCURACY The information contained in our brochure, on our website and in our other advertising material is believed correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of printing or publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen tour (including the price) with us or your travel agent at the time of booking. PLEASE NOTE: Dates, prices (including travel insurance premiums) and itineraries shown for tours departing from January 2012 may be subject to change. Tour prices may alter up or down by a maximum of 10% due to unforeseen air or ground cost or exchange rate fluctuations. In the unlikely event that the tour price increases above 10% for confirmed bookings, clients may cancel with a full refund of monies paid to TED Tour Ethiopia – see clause “Surcharges”. Tours and prices in this brochure supersede details published in any previous TED Tour Ethiopia brochure. Tour Itineraries Please be aware that the specific itinerary on some of our tours may differ depending on departure date. Please check the relevant trip notes for the most up-to-date information regarding the trip itinerary. Prices and itineraries shown for tours departing from January 2011 onwards are subject to change and confirmation. Brochure and website accuracy The information contained in our brochure, on our website and in our other advertising material is believed correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of printing or publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.
TED Tour Ethiopia.
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