In order to keep our insurers happy and keep you safe, we must make you aware of the small print!

Please take the time to read and understand the conditions of booking set out below prior to booking a trip with Madventurer. We strongly recommend that you also read the Trip Notes relating to your trip prior to booking to ensure that you understand the itinerary and style of the trip you are undertaking.

1. our contract

All bookings are made with Madventurer Volunteer Projects Ltd (us/we) trading as Madventurer. By booking a trip with us you are deemed to have agreed to these Booking Conditions (which constitutes the entire agreement between you and us) and your booking will be accepted by us on this basis. The services to be provided are those referred to in your booking confirmation invoice.

2. validity

Dates, itineraries and prices are valid from 01 January 2012 until 31 December 2012. Beyond 31 December 2012 dates, itineraries and prices are indicative only.

3. deposit requirement

You are required to pay a non-refundable Trip Cost (amount can be found below) for your booking to be confirmed (please note that special deposit requirements apply for some trips). If your booking is made within 75 days of the departure date then the full amount is payable at the time of booking.

4. acceptance of booking and final payments 

Acceptance of your booking will be confirmed by us by email in writing. To expedite the issuing of Madventurer travel documents please note that all travel documents such as vouchers, itineraries and invoices will be sent via email or will be available on our website once final payment has been received by Madventurer. Please refer to your booking confirmation invoice for details regarding final payments.

Adventure Trips

Payment of the balance (deemed to be the Trip Cost less the deposit you have paid) of an Adventure style Trip price (which appear in the Adventure Section of our website) is due 75 days before the departure date and can be made via bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card. If this balance is not paid on or before the due date we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled. In addition to the trip price you may also be required to pay a kitty as specified for the trip you are taking.

Volunteer Trips

Payment of the balance of your Volunteer Project  is split into 2 payments:

Project Cost = Trip Cost + Charity Donation

You are required to pay the non-refundable Trip Cost of £190 (for 2 weeks) up to £290 (for 6 weeks) for your place to be confirmed (please note that special deposit requirements apply for some trips).

If your booking is made within 75 days of the departure date then the full Trip Cost amount is payable at the time of booking.

If you are paying outside the UK then we accept internationally recognised cards, GBP cheques or transfers. 

We will not process any deposit payment unless your place has been confirmed.

Volunteer Trips

Project Cost = Trip Cost + Charity Donation

The Cost of your Project is split into 2 areas:

The Trip Cost is payable to Madventurer to cover all your support costs such as your airport transfer, food, accommodation (including your first night in the capital if you arrive at night) and daily transport from your accommodation to your Project site if required. The Trip Cost can be made via bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card and is due 75 days before the departure date. The Trip Cost is the same for all of our Project destinations:

Weeks                      2                  4                  6             

Trip Cost              £190           £240            £290

The Charity Donation,  that you agree to reach or surpass, is made to the MAD (Make A Difference) Foundation - Reg UK Charity No 1111805 - to cover all the Charity's support costs such as Project Materials and to aid community development, education and health. This can be made via bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card, or the preferred option of Virgin Money Giving (available to UK residents only) as we encourage you to Gift Aid the donation - we will assist you to set up your fundraising page or making this donation once your booking is confirmed and your Trip Cost processed. You will need to commit to having the mimumum target reached by 30 days prior to your trip.

The minimum amount of time you can volunteer is 2 weeks up to as many as you wish depending on availability.

Weeks                     2                  4                  6                                                       

2012 Project Destinations

Ghana                   £500           £750           £1000                                   

Kenya                    £500           £750          £1000        

Thailand                £500           £750          £1000       

Fiji                           £600           £850          £1100

Charity Challenge Trips

The Charity Donation,  that you agree to reach or surpass, is made to the MAD (Make A Difference) Foundation - Reg UK Charity No 1111805 - to cover all the Charity's support costs such as Project Materials and to aid community development, education and health. This can be made via bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card, or the preferred option of Virgin Money Giving (available to UK residents only) as we encourage you to Gift Aid the donation - we will assist you to set up your fundraising page or making this donation once your booking is confirmed and your Deposit processed. Each Charity Challenge has a different Deposit so contact us for more details. You will need to commit to having the mimumum target reached by 30 days prior to your trip You will need to  commit to having 50% of the Fundraising target paid by 12 weeks prior to the start of your trip (interim target) and 100% paid by 30 days prior to your trip (final target).

5. overland kitty 

On some Overland trips you are required to contribute to a Kitty. The Kitty is a compulsory on-ground payment put into a central fund and overseen by the travellers and the crew. It helps fund accommodation, camp meals and some included activities. A full description of what the Kitty includes is in the Trip Notes. Kitty amounts are subject to change so please check our website for the up-to-date amount 48 hours prior to your trip commencement.

6. your details

In order for us to confirm your travel arrangements you must provide all requested details with the balance of the trip price. Necessary details include full name as per passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport issue and expiry date and any pre-existing medical conditions you have which may affect your ability to complete your travel arrangements. If you are 70 years of age or over we also require you to complete and forward a Self-Assessment form. Your booking cannot be confirmed without provision of these details.

7. late bookings

For any bookings or additional services accepted within 30days of departure we reserve the right to charge a £25 late fee to cover our additional administration costs.

8. cancellation by you

If you cancel a trip after making a booking you will lose some or all of the money you have paid for the trip. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation.

If you cancel an Adventure style trip:

• 60 days or more prior to departure, we will retain the deposit;
• between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, we will retain the deposit or 50% of the total booking cost; whichever is greater, and
• less than 30 days prior to departure, we will retain 100% paid by you in connection with the booking.

Note that more lenient cancellation conditions apply to some of our Short Break Adventures - please ask us for details.

If you cancel a Volunteer Trip or a Charity Challenge trip:

If you cancel your travel arrangements, then there will be no refund of the initial deposit to you.

If you have paid your balance by  bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card then the following applies:

• 60 days or more prior to departure, we will retain the deposit;
• between 30 and 59 days prior to departure, we will retain the deposit or 50% of the total booking cost; whichever is greater, and
• less than 30 days prior to departure, we will retain 100% paid by you in connection with the booking.

If you have paid your balance using JustGiving then as your balance is deemed to be sponsorship that was raised for charitable purposes, then there will be no refund of the sponsorship money raised to you.

If cancellation occurs in circumstances where recovery of cancellation charges is indemnified under your travel insurance, you hereby agree that you will co-operate in the recovery of these charges from the insurers and any sums recovered under the policy will again be paid over to the charity.

If cancellation arises due you are having difficulty reaching your fundraising target (interim and final) then there will be no refund of the initial deposit. However, if you wish defer to a start date within 12 months of providing written notice of your intention to withdraw or cancel, we reserve the right to charge a £25 late fee to cover our additional administration costs.

Different fees may apply to airline tickets depending on the carrier being used. You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation penalties in certain circumstances.

If you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services.

We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

9. cancellation by Madventurer

We may cancel a trip at any time up to 60 days before departure, subject to clause 15. We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or severe weather, we may deem a trip unsafe to run or that other external events determine that it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary.

If we cancel an Adventure style trip, you may choose between us applying the amounts paid toward an alternative trip or receiving a full refund.

If we cancel a Volunteer Trip or a Charity Challenge Trip and:

1. If you have paid your Trip balance and / or Fundraising Target by  bank transfer, cheque or with a debit / credit card then you may choose between us applying the amounts paid toward an alternative trip or receiving a full refund.

2. If you have paid your Fundraising Target via JustGiving then the deposit and Trip balance will be refunded to you in full and all other refunds or compensation will be paid to the charity as your sponsorship was raised for charitable purposes. However, you may also choose between joining an alternative Volunteer trip or Charity Challenge within 12 months of cancellation and your fundraising amount will be taken into consideration in any transfer.

If cancellation occurs in circumstances where recovery of cancellation charges is indemnified under your travel insurance, you hereby agree that you will co-operate in the recovery of these charges from the insurers and any sums recovered under the policy will again be paid over to Madventurer.

For all cancellations we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

10. booking amendments

If you wish to transfer from one trip to another or transfer your booking to a third party you must notify us at least 75 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of £50 per person per change will apply (in addition to any charges levied by hotels, ground operators or airlines).

If you notify us less than 75 days prior to the proposed departure date the refund policy applicable to cancellations will apply. Transfers to a third party are only permitted where the transferee meets all the requirements in relation to the trip, and transfers to another departure can only be made to a departure within the current validity period. Amendments to any other arrangements made in conjunction with your trip will incur a £25 administration fee per booking per change. This fee is in addition to any charges levied by hotels, ground operators or airlines. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 10 days of departure.

11. inclusions

The land price of your trip includes:

• all accommodation as listed in the Trip Notes
• all transport listed in the Trip Notes
• all meals as listed in the Trip Notes
• the services of a Project or group leader as described in the Trip Notes
• sightseeing on Adventure Trips or activities on Volunteer Trips

12. exclusions

The land price of your trip does not include:

• international or internal flights unless specified (with the exception of Charity Challenge Trips)
• kitty as specified in the Trip Notes
• airport transfer on arrival (with the exception of Volunteer Trips and Charity Challenge Trips), taxes and excess baggage charges unless specified
• meals other than those specified in the Trip Notes
• Visa and passport fees
• travel insurance
• Optional activities and sightseeing and all personal expenses

13. prices & surcharges

Our trip prices are based on currency exchange rates as at February 2012. We reserve the right to impose surcharges up to 60 days before departure due to unfavourable changes in exchange rates, increases in airfares or other transportation costs, increases in local operator costs, taxes, or if government action should require us to do so. In such instances we will be responsible for the first 2% of the additional costs and you will be responsible for the balance.

If any surcharge results in an increase of more than 10% of the trip price you may cancel the booking within 14 days of notification of the surcharge and obtain a refund as outlined in clause 9. We will not surcharge any booking for travel up to 31st December 2012 once paid in full.

14. age

Minimum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips the minimum age is 17. All participants under the age of 18 must complete a Parental Consent Form. Please note that accompanying adults may be required to share with others in the group on a twin share basis. Variations: A minimum age of 18 applies to many of our Overland Adventures, while a minimum age of 12 applies to our bespoke Group, School and Family Volunteer trips.

Maximum: General Policy: For the majority of our trips we have no upper age limit though we remind you that our trips can be physically demanding and a Self-Assessment form is required for all passengers 70 years and over. Please refer to the "your fellow travellers" section of the relevant Trip Notes to check if any specific age variations apply.

15. small groups & combination trips

Our Adventure trips are guaranteed to depart once they have one fully paid traveller (unless minimum group size specifically states otherwise such as our Volunteer Trips and Charity Challenge Trips); this means at times we can have very small groups. Many of our trips are designed to fit with other departures to create a longer "combination" trip; this means that some of your group may have already been travelling together for some weeks when you commence your trip. If you would like to know how many people are booked on your trip or any combination trip it is part of please ask prior to making your booking.

16. passports and visas

You must carry a valid passport and have obtained all of the appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries in which you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas, permits and certificates for your trip; please refer to the Trip Notes for details. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct passport, visa or other travel documentation, and we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of visa problems such as vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

17. travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all participants and should be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of £150,000 for each of the heads of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects.

You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it. If you obtain travel insurance through us you acknowledge that you are satisfied with the level of insurance we have arranged. When obtaining travel insurance you must ensure the insurer is aware of the type of travel to be undertaken.

18. flexibility

You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of this type of travel requires considerable flexibility and you should allow for alternatives. The itinerary provided for each trip is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries, amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events.

19. change of itinerary

While we endeavour to operate all trips as described we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary. Please refer to our website before departure for the most recent updates to your itinerary.

Before departure: If we make a major change we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. The definition of a major change is deemed to be a change affecting at least one day in five of the itinerary. When a major change is made you may choose between accepting the change, obtain a refund as outlined in clause 9 or accepting an alternative trip offered.

After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events outside of our control. In such emergency circumstances the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you: please refer to the Trip Notes for your trip for details of Emergency Funds which you agree to carry, to be used in such instances.

Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itinerary such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

20. authority on tour

Our group trips are run by a Madventurer crew leader or a leader from one of our Adventure Partners. The decision of the group leader is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating in the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a group leader, or interfere with the well-being of the group, the group leader may order you to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our responsible travel guidelines.

21. acceptance of risk

You acknowledge that the nature of the trip is adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives.

We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all possible relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary. You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you assume the personal risks attendant upon such travel.

Madventurer’s obligations, and those of any suppliers providing any service or facility you book with us, are to provide services and facilities with reasonable care and skill. Facilities will be provided to the realistic minimum standard recommended by the regulatory authorities responsible.

22. limitation of liability

a. We will accept liability for the negligence of our staff or agents causing death or physical injury to persons or loss or damage to personal property only to the extent it is obliged under the applicable law. This acceptance of liability is subject to clause c. below.

b. In other circumstances we are responsible to you for the proper performance of this contract. This acceptance of liability is subject to clause c. below.

c. We shall not be liable for any damage or loss if the failure to carry out the contract is:

• attributable to you.
• attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and the event is unforeseeable or unavoidable.
• due to unforeseen and unusual circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had to be exercised.
• due to political disputes, border closures, refusal of visas, industrial action, climate, high altitude, consumption of alcoholic beverages, breakdown of equipment, lack of or limited access to medical attention in remote locations and the adequacy of medical attention once provided, or other matters of a similar nature and any other force majeure.
• due to an event which the Company, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall.

d. Any liability covered under clause b. above is limited to the price paid. In the case of damaged property the liability is limited to a maximum amount equal to the amount paid by or on behalf of the owner of the property. In all cases the Company specifically excludes all liability for indirect or consequential loss or expense including loss of profits.

e. Where your trip arrangements involve travel by air, rail or sea, or hotel accommodation, the compensation is limited by the following international conventions respectively: Warsaw Convention as amended 1955, Bern Convention 1961, Athens Convention 1974 and Paris Convention 1962. No compensation is payable by us for flight difficulties if you have available to you denied-boarding compensation from the airline.

f. our acceptance of liability in clauses a and b above is subject to assignment by you of your rights against any agent, supplier or sub-contractor which is in any way responsible for the unsatisfactory arrangements or your death or personal injury.

23. optional activities

Optional activities not included in the trip price do not form part of the trip or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your project or tour leader or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them.

24. errors & omissions

Although we have made a concerted attempt to verify the accuracy of statements made in our trip documentation including brochure, website and Trip Notes we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.

25. claims & complaints

If you have a complaint about your trip please inform your project leader, tour leader or our local representative at the time in order that they can attempt to rectify the matter. If satisfaction is not reached through these means then any further complaint should be put in writing to us within 30 days of the end of your trip. We will not accept any liability for claims received after this period.

26. severability

In the event that any term or condition contained in these Booking Conditions is unenforceable or void by operation of law or as being against public policy or for any other reason then such term or condition shall be deemed to be severed from this contract or amended accordingly only to such extent necessary to allow all remaining terms and conditions to survive and continue as binding.

27. photos and marketing

You consent to us using images of you taken during the trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable licence to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes.

28. privacy policy

Any personal information that we collect about you may be used for any purpose associated with the operation of a Trip or to send you marketing material in relation to our events and special offers. The information may be disclosed to our agents, service providers or other suppliers to enable us to operate the Trip. We will otherwise treat your details in accordance with our privacy policy (see below).

29. consumer protection

The prices on this website are land only which are booked through our ABTA agency (Membership Number K4689). Where we offer trips which include some flights (such as Charity Challenge Trips) they are Atol Protected through our flight partners who hold an Air Travel Organisers Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. Please note that ATOL bonding only applies to bookings made within the UK that include international flights from the UK. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.

30. applicable law

The laws of the England govern these Booking Conditions and any disputes in connection with a trip or these Booking Conditions must be initiated in the courts of England.

31. registered address

Madventurer Volunteer Projects Ltd, The Old Smithy, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5QD, United Kingdom.

Email: team@madventurer.com

Booking terms and conditions applicable from 27.02.2012.

Privacy Policy

At Madventurer we recognise that privacy is important. This outlines the types of personal information we receive and collect when you use our services, as well as some of the steps we take to safeguard information. We hope this will help you make an informed decision about sharing personal information with us.

Personal information and other data we collect

• Madventurer collects personal information when you register for a service or otherwise voluntarily provide such information. Such as:
• Register interest for and/or enter a competition
• Subscribe to Mad World News, our Email newsletter
• Download or request a brochure or other printed materials
• Book a trip with us
• Refer a friend to Madventurer
• Madventurer collects personal information when you register for a service or otherwise voluntarily provide such information. Such as:

Register interest for and/or enter a competition

Subscribe to Mad World News, our Email newsletter

Download or request a brochure or other printed materials

Book a trip with us

Refer a friend to Madventurer

• We may combine personal information collected from you at different times to provide a better user experience, including customising content for you.

• Madventurer uses cookies and other technologies to enhance your online experience and to learn about how you use our website in order to improve the quality of our services.

• Madventurer's servers automatically record information when you visit our website, including the pages you visit, your IP address, browser type and language, and the date and time of your visit. We cannot identify you individually from this information. This information is used to make improvements to our site and make it easier to find the information you are looking for.

Uses

• We may use personal information to provide the services you've requested, including sending email newsletters, or sending printed materials to your home.

• We may also use personal information for auditing, research and analysis to operate and improve Madventurer's services.

• We may share aggregated non-personal information with third parties outside of Madventurer, such as our travel industry partners to better analyse trends and further improve our services.

• When we use third parties to assist us in processing your personal information, we require that they comply with our Privacy Policy and any other appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

• We may also share information with third parties in limited circumstances, including when complying with legal process, preventing fraud or imminent harm, and ensuring the security of our network and services.

• Madventurer processes personal information on our servers in the UK and in other countries. In some cases, we process personal information on a server outside your own country.

Your choices

• We offer you choices when we ask for personal information, whenever reasonably possible.

• You may decline to provide personal information to us and/or refuse cookies in your browser, although some of our features or services may not function properly as a result.

• We make good faith efforts to provide you access to your personal information upon request and to let you correct such data if it is inaccurate and delete it, when reasonably possible.

More information

For more information about our privacy practices, please contact us any time. Or email us at team@madventurer.com