A deposit of 20% of the tour price, but at least 100,-EUR, is required to make a booking. Unless we agree on something different, VOLCANO DISCOVERY will hold an unconfirmed booking-reservation for a maximum of 7 days from the moment the client informs us (via email or other means) that he or she wants to book a tour. When price includes international flights a deposit of 25% is required. In case there are less than 6 weeks left to the start of a tour, a booking requires immediate and full payment. We recommend that all clients provide themselves with comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking.

Terms of payment
Full payment (less deposit) shall reach VOLCANO DISCOVERY at least 6 weeks prior to arrival of guests. In case of further delay on payments, VOLCANO DISCOVERY reserves the right to treat this as a cancellation and withdraw its confirmation of the services. It is the client's responsability to include all charges from his bank institute when sending money through a wire transfer.

Validity of prices
During the interval between payment of a deposit and payment of the final balance, the total price of the tour is guaranteed against any surcharge, except in the case where impredictable events (such as new government regulations, natural forces, or sudden currency changes) make it necessary to alter the price. VOLCANO DISCOVERY will absorb an increase of up to 5% of the package price, but amounts which exceed these 5% will be charged to the client. In this case, the client has the right to cancel their booking with a full refund of the money paid to VOLCANO DISCOVERY so far. After full payment has been received, no increase of the price is possible.

Cancellation by the client
All cancellations must be made by e-mail, fax or letter. In conformity with business practices, VOLCANO DISCOVERY is entitled to charge cancellation fees to clients as follows:

 

Cancellation by VOLCANO DISCOVERY
VOLCANO DISCOVERY does its best not to cancel a tour. However, VOLCANO DISCOVERY may cancel any tour until 6 weeks prior to the starting date if the minimum number of a tour is not reached or for other good reasons. After 6 weeks prior to departure, VOLCANO DISCOVERY can no longer cancel a tour, except in the case of serious events that make it necessary to cancel, e.g. because of serious safety concerns for the clients (examples include war, political unrest, recent terror-attacks, outbreak of deseases in the destination country, natural disasters etc.). The same applies in the case of serious accident, illness or death of a tour guide or another key person involved in the tour and if equivalent replacement is not possible.
The client has the right to the following compensation scheme in case VOLCANO DISCOVERY cancels a tour:

 

Program changes
The tour programs are always subject to possible changes due to dangerous volcanic activity, weather conditions and/or restrictions imposed by local authorities. VOLCANO DISCOVERY has the right to alter the program itineraries and times and individual program blocks without prior notice if this becomes necessary. In such cases, VOLCANO DISCOVERY will try its best to find appropriate, equivalent alternatives; if major parts of a program unexpectedly become unavailable and no equivalent alternative can be found, a reasonable refund will be given to the clients, in form of an amount of money equivalent to the saved expenses.

VOLCANO DISCOVERY assumes no responsibility for any damage, loss, accident, sickness or program change caused by weather, volcanic activity, regulations by local authorities or any other irregularity outside VOLCANO DISCOVERY’s control. We advise all clients to have comprehensive travel and health insurance. All activities that clients undertake outside or in addition to the tour program are at their sole own responsibility.

In particular, participants should bear in mind that visiting active volcanoes is potentiall very dangerous. The tour leader(s) will use all his/her experience and, where necessary, the experience and assistance of local guides, in order to minimize any risk to participants, in particular in connection with volcanic activity. Nevertheless, all participants on tours that include close visits on active volcanoes (*see note for definition) will be required to sign an assumption of responsibility form before joining any tour. It is even required that clients have read, understood and agree with this assumption of responsability waiver in English language (other languages apply only if this is individually agreed upon) before making a booking, in order to eliminate the possibility of surprise once the booking has been made.
Additional or similar regulations apply for tours where other potentially dangerous activities such as trekking at high altitude, technical mountain climbing, remoteness of medical and communication facilities, watersports etc. are part of the program.
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* Note: Under "visiting active volcanoes at close range", we understand the following: all trips that include visits (by any means of transport) within a 5 km horizontal range from volcanic vents (i.e. craters, rift zones on volcanoes and similar) that have had at least one eruption within the past 10 years from the time of visit, or on volcanoes that are showing scientifically accepted, documental, published or otherwise evident signs of an increased likelyhood of activity during the planned visit.

Applicable Law
This tour contract is subject to German law only.