Introduction & Agreement

The following booking conditions and the information on our website form the basis of your contract with Community Action Treks Ltd, trading as CAT Himalaya (“The Company”, “we”, “us”, “our”). All bookings are made with Community Action Treks Ltd.

By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons in the party that:

• They have read these terms and conditions and have the authority to and do agree to be bound by them
• They consent to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy
• They are over 18 years of age and, where placing an order for services with age restrictions, declare that all members of the party are of the appropriate age
• Any reference to the term ‘trip’ or ‘trek’ in these booking conditions covers any trekking, climbing or adventure holiday we sell

These Terms & Conditions and any agreement to which they apply are governed in all respects by English law. Any dispute, claim or matter arising between us will be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales.

Making Your Booking

To book a CAT Himalaya trip, please complete our Booking Form and submit it to The Company with a deposit of at least 20% of the total booking value. Where applicable, additional deposit payments may be required to cover supplier costs. If you are booking 12 weeks (84 days) or fewer before departure, full payment is required at the time of booking.

Subject to availability, The Company will confirm acceptance of your booking by issuing a Confirmation Invoice. A binding contract comes into existence between you and The Company when a Confirmation Invoice is dispatched to you. If The Company cannot accept your booking, any payment made will be refunded in full.

Special requests (dietary requirements, room preferences, etc.) should be indicated on the Booking Form at the time of booking or made in writing as soon as possible. The Company will use reasonable endeavours to meet special requests but cannot guarantee them, and failure to meet a special request will not constitute a breach of contract.

Payment

A deposit of 20% of the total booking value (or such other amount as specified at the time of booking) is required to secure your reservation. The balance of the trip cost is due no later than 84 days (12 weeks) before the departure date. Failure to pay the balance by the due date may result in your booking being treated as cancelled and cancellation charges applied.

If you are booking fewer than 84 days before departure, the full trip cost is payable at the time of booking.

All prices quoted are in pounds sterling (GBP) and are land-only prices unless otherwise stated. International flights to and from Nepal are not included unless specifically confirmed in writing.

Price Policy

After a Confirmation Invoice has been issued, the price of your arrangements may be subject to surcharges in the following limited circumstances: increases in transportation costs (including fuel and scheduled airfares); increases in dues, taxes or fees chargeable for services; or adverse variations in exchange rates used to calculate the price of your arrangements.

The Company undertakes not to levy a surcharge within 70 days of departure except in the circumstances described above. The Company will absorb cost increases equivalent to up to 2% of the confirmed trip cost before levying any surcharge. If a surcharge would increase the total price by 10% or more, you may cancel within 14 days of notification and receive a full refund of all payments made, excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges.

Please note that changes and errors in pricing occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen trip at the time of booking. The Company reserves the right to correct any pricing errors before a Confirmation Invoice is issued.

Your Responsibilities

• Travel documents: It is your responsibility to ensure that valid passports, visas (including the Nepal tourist visa), vaccination certificates and other health documents are in order before departure. The Company cannot accept responsibility for any loss or cost arising from failure to obtain the correct documentation.
• Fitness & health: You are responsible for ensuring that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the trip booked. Our trek grade descriptions on the website are designed to help you make an informed choice. If you have any doubts about your suitability, please contact us before booking. The Company will not be liable for any injury, illness or costs arising from participation in a trip for which you were not adequately prepared.
• Travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory on all CAT Himalaya trips. For trekking trips, your policy must cover trekking at high altitude and include emergency helicopter evacuation cover to at least 5,500m. For CAT Summits (trekking peaks), cover must extend to at least 7,000m. We will ask you to provide evidence of your insurance no later than 8 weeks before departure. The Company reserves the right to refuse to allow you to join a trip without adequate insurance.
• Behaviour: If, in the reasonable opinion of The Company or any person in authority, you or any member of your party behaves in a manner likely to cause danger, distress or annoyance to others or damage to property, your arrangements may be terminated. You will be responsible for any costs or compensation arising from such termination.
• Flights & transfers: The Company will not be liable for any costs arising from missed or cancelled flights that you have booked independently. We strongly recommend booking fully flexible fares where possible.

Amendments by You

If you wish to change any element of your confirmed booking, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. The Company will use reasonable endeavours to accommodate your request but cannot guarantee it will be possible. All communication costs and any costs imposed by suppliers will be payable by you, together with an amendment fee of £50 per amendment.

If you request an amendment fewer than 84 days before departure, this will be treated as a cancellation and re-booking, and the cancellation charges set out below will apply.

Cancellation by You

If you or any member of your party needs to cancel a confirmed booking, you must notify The Company in writing. Cancellation takes effect from the date written notice is received. As The Company incurs costs from the time a booking is confirmed, the following cancellation charges will apply:

Insurance premiums and amendment charges are non-refundable in all circumstances. If your cancellation is covered by your travel insurance policy, you may be able to make a claim directly with your insurer. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance with cancellation cover at the time of booking.

Amendments & Cancellation by The Company

The Company takes every care to provide the trip arrangements confirmed in your invoice, but reserves the right to modify or cancel any trip, itinerary, accommodation or arrangement. Most changes are minor — for example, a change to a specific tea house or a short routing adjustment — and will not give rise to any right of cancellation or compensation.

A “significant change” is defined as: a change of destination; a substantial change to the itinerary affecting more than half of the trip duration; a substantial downgrade in accommodation; or a change in departure date of more than 24 hours. If a significant change is necessary before departure, The Company will inform you as soon as possible and offer you the choice of: accepting the changed arrangements; an alternative trip of comparable standard (if available); or a full refund of all monies paid.

The Company shall not cancel a trip for reason of political tension, adverse weather, or natural events unless specifically advised to do so by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

The Company’s Responsibilities

The destinations offered by CAT Himalaya include remote mountain regions of Nepal where facilities may not achieve the standard expected in more developed tourist areas. Tea houses on remote circuits (particularly Manaslu, Langtang and Kangchenjunga) provide basic but authentic accommodation appropriate to the local culture and environment. This is a feature of the experience, not a failure of service.

Subject to these Booking Terms & Conditions, if The Company or its suppliers perform or arrange your trip negligently, The Company will pay reasonable compensation. It is your responsibility to demonstrate that The Company or a supplier has been negligent.

The Company will not be responsible or liable for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense or claim of any description if it results from:

• The acts or omissions of the person affected
• The acts or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable
• Unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of The Company or its suppliers, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even with all due care
• An event which The Company or its suppliers could not, even with all due care, have foreseen or forestalled
• Altitude sickness or other health conditions arising from participation in high-altitude trekking or climbing, where you have been advised of the risks and have confirmed you are undertaking the trip voluntarily

The Company does not exclude liability arising from proven negligence by persons employed directly by The Company or its suppliers in respect of death, bodily injury or illness.

Force Majeure

The Company cannot accept liability or pay compensation where the performance of its obligations is prevented or affected by events beyond its reasonable control (“Force Majeure”). Force Majeure events include, but are not limited to: war or threat of war; civil strife; riot; actual or threatened terrorist activity; industrial dispute; natural disaster (including earthquake, flood, landslide or avalanche); adverse or extreme weather conditions; fire; pandemic or epidemic; government action; or FCDO advice against travel to any area forming part of the trip.

Nepal is a geologically active country and mountain weather is inherently unpredictable. Trail conditions, river crossings, pass accessibility and other aspects of the itinerary may be affected by circumstances beyond The Company’s control. The Company will always endeavour to provide the best available alternative but cannot guarantee that the confirmed itinerary will be followed exactly.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of your arrangements, you should raise the matter immediately with The Company’s local representative or guide, and — where relevant — with the management of the relevant supplier. This gives The Company the opportunity to address the problem whilst you are on the trip.

If the problem cannot be resolved locally, you must write to The Company within 28 days of your return to the UK, providing your booking reference and full details of your complaint. Failure to follow this procedure may affect your rights under this contract.

Privacy & Personal Data

In processing your booking, The Company will use the personal data you provide — including name, contact details, passport information, dietary requirements and health information — to administer your trip and share with relevant suppliers (hotels, trekking agencies, permit authorities) on a need-to-know basis.

By making a booking, you consent to your personal data being shared with suppliers in Nepal and other relevant countries as necessary to deliver your trip. Full details of how we collect, store and use your personal data, and how to exercise your rights, are set out in our Privacy Policy.

General

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These Terms & Conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and The Company in respect of your booking, and supersede all prior representations and agreements.

The Company reserves the right to update these Terms & Conditions at any time. The version in force at the time of booking will apply to your trip. We recommend reviewing these terms each time you make a new booking.

Questions about these Terms & Conditions should be directed to: hello@catreks.com