Terms and conditions
HighLives Ltd. Booking Terms and Conditions
Your contract is made with HighLives Ltd, registered in England and Wales, number 7024516, registered office: 48 Fernthorpe Road, London, SW16 6DR. All flights including flights sold by HighLives are ATOL protected. The HighLives ATOL number is T380. HighLives is a member of the Travel Trust Association, membership number U8743.
All funds paid to HighLives Ltd are held in HighLives’ Trust Account; all bookings made with HighLives Ltd are financially protected under the relevant supplier's customer protection bonds. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the Travel Trust Association will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advanced booking. For further information visit the Travel Trust Association website at www.traveltrust.co.uk.
The following are HighLives’ booking conditions:
1. Making a booking
When making a booking, you (the main traveller listed on the booking) guarantee that you have the authority to accept, and do accept for you and on behalf of your party, that you are subject to the following conditions and that you are aware of the conditions you will face when travelling to Latin America. Your contract with HighLives Ltd is also subject to the terms and conditions of carriage of any airline used.
2. Holiday bookings not including flights
For holidays booked with HighLives Ltd that do not include flights, in accordance with "The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992", all UK passengers booking with HighLives Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of HighLives Ltd.
3. Booking
To book a tour: send the completed booking form together with a non-refundable deposit. The balance of the fees for the tour is due sixty days prior to departure. No reminder will be sent, so if we have not received payment by the due date we will regard the booking as cancelled.
Cancellation charges:
60 days or more before departure Deposit only
59 to 30 days before departure: 60% of tour fee
29 to 0 days before departure: 100% of tour fee
4. Extra charges before departure
We reserve the right to increase the price of a holiday up to 30 days before departure by a maximum of 10% of the total cost, to cover unforseen additional fuel costs, taxes or exchange rate changes not covered in the initial quote.
5. Extra Charges and Taxes
Most of the activities in our holidays will be included in the total cost, however some destinations require that each visitor pays some costs such as entrance fees in person. HighLives Ltd. will inform you in your quote when this will happen. Some taxes, including UK Airport Departure Tax (APD) and certain ‘transit’ taxes are paid in the UK are included in the booking price. However, airport taxes for both domestic and international travel are charged at check-in by most South American airports. HighLives can accept no liability for tax collected incorrectly in Latin America. If you break your journey for a stopover in the USA or Europe you may be asked to pay local airport taxes. Where travel originates at the other end (‘inbounds’), many South American countries charge a substantial exit tax (in addition to airport tax) and this cannot usually be collected when tickets are paid for.
6. Changes made by HighLives to your holiday
Some of our tours require a minimum number of people to go ahead. If we have to cancel your trip due to insufficient numbers a full refund will be given. If we cancel your tour we will advise you at least 30 days prior to the departure date.
Alternatively, in the event of HighLives Ltd having to alter, amend or cancel your holiday up to 30 days before your departure date, we will provide you with these three alternatives : 1. Accept the alternative offered (at additional cost if applicable). 2. Purchase another available holiday from us. 3. Cancel your holiday with a full refund of all the monies paid.
7. Unforeseen cancelations and delays
HighLives Ltd cannot be held responsible for; the consequences of any delays, expenses incurred or alterations caused by illness, weather, war, terrorism, political events, civil strife, strikes, natural disaster, technical difficulties or any event beyond our control. HighLives Ltd cannot be liable to pay any compensation if we are forced to cancel or in any way change your holiday as a result of situations outside our control which neither we nor our suppliers could foresee or forestall even with all due care. For example technical or maintenance problems with transport, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline, the alteration of the airline or aircraft type, war or threat of war or civil unrest, civil strife, industrial disputes, natural disaster, fire or bad weather, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disaster.
8. Changes to your tour made by you before departure
If you decide to change any part of a confirmed booking up to 60 days before departure, HighLives will try to assist but will charge for additional holiday costs incurred, including cancellation charges that may be incurred for services cancelled. We reserve the right to make in addition an administration charge of £35 per person. Any amendments must be made in writing by the main passenger on the booking. Alterations within the cancellations period listed in point 3 before departure we may choose to treat as a cancellation, and the penalties hereunder will apply.
9. Cancellations by you
Any client who wishes to cancel a booking must do so in writing and the fees listed in point 3 will be charged. Cancellations will take effect the day said written notification is received by us.
10. Independent arrangements
If you have already made some of your arrangements independently- such as flights, accommodation or transport reservations- when you book tailor-made/bespoke arrangements with us: please note we accept no liability these independent arrangements or where your booked itinerary with HighLives Ltd is discontinuous. In these circumstances if, for example, you arrive late to join a trip or to make onward connections, we shall endeavour to rearrange hotels and transfers, but we accept liability only for the elements of the itinerary that we are contracted to provide but you might have to pay an additional fee due to delays and cancellations.
11. Health and Safety
Some of our tours involve travel in remote, mountainous regions, at high altitudes, where amenities and medical facilities are few and far between. Every effort is made to ensure your safety and well being, but bookings are accepted on the understanding that you appreciate the risks and hazards associated with this sort of travel. HighLives Ltd. will not accept responsibility for accidents, injury, lack of fitness, carelessness, illness, negligence or lack of punctuality attributable to the customer. If you have any disability or illness, you must inform us at the time of booking the holiday so advice can be given on the suitability of the trip. A letter from you GP will be requested by HighLives Ltd. If we think is necessary before finalising a booking.
12. Insurance
All customers must be fully insured for the duration of the tour. Customers are responsible for arranging their own insurance which must cover medical expenses, injury, death, rescue, helicopter rescue (if appropriate), repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. Customers must provide HighLives Ltd with evidence of their insurance. We recommend you take out insurance at the time of booking and double check the small print to ensure it covers all activities you are involved in and that you can be covered in case of tour and flight cancellations due to bad weather, terrorist acts or any unforeseen circumstances out of our control and responsibilities.
13. International flights
With regard to international flights: HighLives Ltd can book flights for customers as we are an ATOL bonded agency. HighLives Ltd cannot however take responsibility for changes or alterations, made by any airlines, to any flights whether booked direct or through HighLives Ltd.
14. Personal items and baggage
Personal items and baggage remain at all times the responsibility of the customer. In addition responsibility must be accepted for any equipment loaned to you, and you must agree to pay for any loss or damage caused to this equipment while in your care.
15. Visas
At this moment, British and EU citizens do not require a visa to visit Peru, Bolivia, Chile or Argentina. Customers of any other nationality should inform us at the time of booking so we can advise on the current situation. A full British passport, valid for at least one year beyond the return date, is required by British citizens travelling on our tours. You are responsible for arranging your passport, and any necessary visas and vaccination certificates. Please check with the relevant embassy for the latest requirements with regard to visas and vaccinations.
16. Guide decisions
Due to the adventurous nature of the tours, all customers must at all times agree to comply with the decisions taken by the guide.
17. Complaints
If you should have a complaint about the tour, contact us as soon as this has happened at destination on our emergency number, HighLives Ltd will try to make sure the complaint is dealt with at destination. If you are unable to contact us, your complaint must be made by letter and received by HighLives Ltd within 14 days of the end of the tour.
18. In the unlikely event of any sort of dispute arising, the Laws of England shall apply. If the dispute cannot be resolved directly between us within 6 weeks of written intimation of the dispute, both HighLives Ltd and our customer shall attempt to settle the dispute by Mediation. A Mediator will be selected with the assistance of the Law Society of England. If the mediation is unsuccessful, the English courts shall have jurisdiction.
