Terms & Conditions

Please note: Instead of operating bicycle tours ourselves, BikeTours.com represents local bicycle tour operators around the world. Review the tour operator's information and terms below, then submit your booking request through BikeTours.com. The primary benefits of booking your tour through BikeTours.com include:

• Lower cost: You pay local tour company prices—less than what big American companies charge
• Variety: Choose from more than 200 tours offered by local operators in 35 countries.
• Advice: Our informed advisors help you choose the trip that's right for you.
• Great exchange rates: Pay low rates thanks to the millions of dollars in foreign currency we buy each year. Or pay in euros!
• Convenience: We handle the full booking and payment process.
• Support: We’re your advocates from initial planning through final pedal stroke.

Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

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CarpatBike Terms and Conditions

All bookings are made in accordance with the terms and conditions set below:

The participation in a package tour is subject to certain laws and regulations. Therefore, you shall enter into a travel contract with us/our partner tour operator. All the essential terms and conditions of such a travel contract are indicated below. Please read them carefully.

1. Cancellation & Refund Policy
Our cancellation policy is based on the number of weeks prior to trip start that we receive your written cancellation notice. By this we refer to a written notification document sent by you via regular mail to our postal address as mentioned in the “How to contact us” section, at the end of this document. Please note we must receive written notification of your cancellation within the number of weeks listed below. The date received at our office applies for Refund Policies.

• 5 weeks prior to the start of the tour: You receive the refund of the trip price, less a 120 euros/person administrative fee.
• Between 4-5 weeks prior to the tour start:You receive a 50% refund of the trip price, bike rental and single supplement.
• Between 3-4 weeks prior to the tour start:  You receive 33% refund of the trip price.
• Less than 3 weeks prior to the tour start:  No refund

No exceptions are made to our cancellation policy, including weather and personal emergencies. Please purchase trip insurance to cover you in case an illness forces you to cancel a tour. There is no refund for arriving late or departing early from a tour, nor for any meals, or services not used while on tour. The tour operator is not responsible for cancellations, amendments, or additional fees incurred by clients due to acts of nature, civil unrest, strikes, work stoppage, force majeure or inclement weather. If you change your reservation from one tour to another one within the same year, the fee mentioned in clause number 6 will be charged. You can protect yourself against the cost risk in the event of cancellation by taking out cancellation insurance.

2. Refunds for services not used
Most of our tours are sold as package. In this case, credit cannot be given for services not used by clients. This includes accommodation, meals or any other arrangements not used for any reason.

3. Cancellations by us
There are certain situations when the tour operator might cancel a tour:

- The company reserves the right to cancel a tour in any circumstances but will not cancel a tour less than 8 weeks before departure except for force majeure, the client’s failure to pay the final balance. Unless the client fails to pay the final balance, we will offer an alternative holiday if possible. If this is not possible or acceptable by the client, a full refund will be sent to the client and constitutes full settlement. The tour operator does not recommend the purchase of non-refundable airline tickets and is not responsible for expenses incurred such as pre-paid hotel reservations or non-refundable airline tickets.

- The tour operator reserves the right to refuse participation prior to or during a trip to any individual whose behavior and/or attitude interfere with general enjoyment and well-being of other tour members and if anyone, participant or our staff, is endangered by this individual. In case any of the above mentioned happens the tour operator will not be liable to refund or pay any compensations.

- The tour operator reserves the right to cancel a tour when the minimum number of participants required running a holiday is not met. In this case, registered participants will be refunded in total amounts paid to the tour operator, which is not liable for any payments or compensations due to additional expenses.

4. Responsibility
Physical ability:

Clients are responsible for selecting a tour suitable for their athletic ability. They are responsible for reading all pre-trip materials, informing us of any medical or dietary restrictions, and obeying all safe biking rules. The tour operator reserves the right to decline or withhold service to any person who, for physical or other reasons, is deemed unfit for the trip.

Luggage and belongings: 

Every care will be taken to respect your luggage at all times. However, the tour operator is not responsible for damage, loss or theft of your personal belongings.

Other:
The tour operator is not responsible for cancellations or amendments due to acts of nature, civil unrest or inclement weather.

5. Eligibility
You must be at least eighteen years of age to be able to register for one of our tours. An adult must accompany people younger than eighteen, who will take part in a tour.

6. Changes to booking and refunds
If you need to change your booking after the booking has been confirmed, such as change the date required, the company will do its best to meet your requirements if you inform us in writing in due time. However, if the alterations requested are not possible, we reserve the right to apply cancellation charges if the change is made within 5 weeks before departure. Bookings may be transferred to another person if desired, and the new booking will be confirmed on receipt of a completed booking form and an administration charge of 25 euros. If, after the start of the holiday you wish to change your itinerary, accommodation, duration or any other material aspect of the holiday, the tour operator cannot accept liability for any loss, damage or additional expenses and no refunds will be made.

7. Changes in the holiday program
While the company will use its best to operate all tours as advertised, it reserves the right to change any of the facilities, services, prices described in its brochures and/or on the website. If a major change is necessary, the company will inform the client as soon as possible. A major change does not apply to change of transport, named accommodation location, but is normally considered major a itinerary re-routing, change in the duration of the holiday, change of meeting location and hour. If advised of a major change before departure the client will have the choice of accepting the change (at additional costs, if applicable), purchasing another available tour, or canceling the tour with full refund. Provided that the major change is not as a result of the situations outside company’s control (Events outside company’s control include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, epidemics, health risks, technical or maintenance problems with transport, changes imposed by the transport supplier, or other similar events beyond company’s control), compensation will be paid as follows:

• more than 15 days – none
• 15 days-date of travel - 20 euros

8. Accommodation
Each tour price is per person, generally based on double bedroom occupancy. In some locations, participants may occupy larger rooms/suites/apartments for more than two persons. Participants signing up individually will be assigned roommates of the same sex. In most tours there is a limited number of single-occupancy rooms available. Those requiring single rooms will be charged a single room supplement. Please check with us availability and rates. For single travelers wishing to share, we cannot guarantee that a suitable share will be available, and if this is the case the supplement will be payable. We will inform you in due time if such a topic occurs.

Our accommodation is usually in very good hotels, traditional houses and country inns. We will do everything in our power to secure you lodgings in our first-choice hotels/guest houses, but it may not be possible if you are booking less than three months before traveling or during a particularly busy season. Tour prices are based on double occupancy. Single supplements are available upon request.

9. Prices
Prices are presented in Euros. Prices are guaranteed independently of exchange rates variations. Our prices include only what is listed on Included and do not include airfares. The price of the holiday will not be subject to any surcharges once a booking has been confirmed except in the event of a material worsening or the exchange rate of Lei against the Euro, which will mean a devaluation of 10% or more. In the case of such devaluation, we reserve the right to levy a surcharge equivalent to one half of the devaluation percentage applied to the cost of the holiday (e.g. if there were a devaluation of 10% we would levy only a 5% surcharge). Should the surcharge be 10% or more you will be entitled to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund. The cancellation right must be exercised in writing within 2 weeks of the receipt of the surcharge notification from us.

10. Bicycles and Equipment
Our bicycles are of quality up to international standards, produced by renowned makers: Merida or Saracen brands. On a tour a participant is liable for using the bike, damage other than the normal wear & tear, and in case of theft. If you decide to bring your bike it must be in excellent roadworthy condition. For comfort and safety regulations you must wear a helmet, up to international standards of safety, at all times when riding a bike. The tour operator can supply you a helmet with some minimum additional costs.

14. Travel Insurance
The tour operator strongly recommends cancellation and accident insurance to prevent any losses in case of illness, accident or otherwise. It is the responsibility of the client to apply directly to the insurance company. Please purchase trip cancellation insurance in case an illness forces you to cancel or depart early from a trip. We recommend all participants to ensure their Travel Insurance has adequate coverage for Cancellation and Refund, Luggage, Medical Expenses and Repatriation, Death and Permanent Disability.

11. Image Use
The tour operator reserves the right to use without charges photographs or images from participants for bona fide promoting and marketing purposes.

12. Law
A Director of the tour operator in writing may only waive this “Terms and Conditions”. When you sign the Booking Form you agree to accept all these conditions, and when we accept your reservation we agree to carry out our obligations to you as defined in this document and other information provided to you.

13. Unforeseeable Circumstances
You must accept for participation in a Tour, that it is necessary the normal flexibility of an adventure outdoor activity and acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results are possible.

14. Liability
Within the limits of our obligation to exercise the care and diligence of prudent businessmen, we warrant that the description of all specified travel services is correct at the time of the creation of the website, that the service providers (hotels and others) have been properly selected and procured and that the tours have been conscientiously prepared and will be implemented with all due care. Transportation by rail, bus, train and the like during the trip are services which are only procured by us as agents and shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the respective carrier; such terms and conditions shall also govern the limit of liability of the tour operator. If a visit scheduled in the program is impracticable for reasons beyond our control (renovation of churches and the like), we cannot be held responsible. If an unforeseen event of force majeure (e.g., war, riot and civil unrest, Acts of God) occurs and it must be expected, on the basis of an objective weighing of all circumstances, that carrying out the tour would become substantially more difficult or involve a substantial risk, the participant and/or the tour operator may each give notice of termination of the travel contract. This provision shall also apply if the tour has already started. However, in such a case the tour operator retains the right to adequate compensation for the travel services already performed or yet to be performed until the end of the tour. The responsibility for complying with the road traffic regulations shall lie with you. You shall be liable for any loss, damage or injury you may cause to third parties. If you have personal liability insurance, it may provide coverage for such contingency. We are liable to you for compensation of the loss of or damage to your baggage only if such loss or damage is attributable to intent or gross negligence on our part. In other respects, our liability for damages on account of mal-performance of the contract is limited to an amount corresponding to three times the tour price, provided that the loss or damage has not been caused by us either intentionally or by gross negligence or if we are responsible solely on account of fault of a service provider selected by us. Any responsibility on our part is excluded if the participant fails to comply with any instructions issued by us in his/her best interest (e.g., for safety reasons). We suggest that you protect yourself against such risks by taking out accident and/or baggage insurance.

15. Complaints
Any complaints should be communicated by phone to the tour operator representatives as soon as it arises. Failure to notify our representative at the time, providing the company the opportunity to rectify the cause of complaint, may result in your loss of any legal rights in respect of the particular matter. If this issue is not solved, then the complaint should be made in writing to the tour operator at the company address within 20 days of the end of your trip.

All photos used by permission. ©CarpatBike