Terms and Conditions.

We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website and in any advertising material that we publish are accurate, however occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances, on a tour by tour basis, with no liability to you.

The price of your travel arrangements has been calculated using exchange rates provided by WorldFirst or EQ Global, on an ongoing basis in relation to the following currencies: USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, EURO, HKD, AED.

We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed holidays. We also reserve the right to increase the price of confirmed holidays solely to allow for increases which are a direct consequence of changes in: the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources; the level of taxes or fees chargeable for services applicable to the holiday imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the holiday, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; and the exchange rates relevant to the package.

However, if this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your confirmed holiday (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements), you will have the option of accepting a change to another holiday if we are able to offer one (if this is of equivalent or higher quality you will not have to pay more but if it is of lower quality you will be refunded the difference in price), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us, except for any insurance premiums and any amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 7 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice.

Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you less an administrative fee of £75. However, please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.

There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed holiday within 20 days of your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.

If you wish to change any part of your booking after our e-mail confirmation has been issued, you must inform us in writing as soon as possible. This should be done by the first named person on the booking. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change.

Where we can meet a request, an administration fee of £75 per booking plus any additional costs or charges incurred by us or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers will be charged, if a confirmed booking is changed or transferred to a different departure date or tour, up to 90 days prior to departure. Thereafter all changes will be treated as cancellations and subject to the charges below. Changes are subject to availability. For an administration fee of £75 per booking, you can request a credit voucher for the amount paid in respect of any cancelled booking. This must be redeemed within 3 months of issue against a new booking. The voucher is not transferable, can only be redeemed against one booking and cannot be exchanged for cash. No refund or further credit voucher will be provided if the cost of the new booking is less than the value of the credit voucher.

Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. A cancellation fee may be payable.

Transfer of Booking:

If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, subject to the following conditions:

that person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the holiday;

we are notified not less than 7 days before departure;

you pay any outstanding balance payment, an amendment fee of £75 per person transferring, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer; and

the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.

You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out below will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services. All transfers are frozen at the Terms and Conditions at the date of which the transfer is made, in relation to the original departure date.

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by us at our offices and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the cancellation charges as follows. . The cancellation charges are calculated from the day written notification is received by us and as a percentage of the total tour price per person cancelling, excluding any amendment charges and insurance premiums. The cancellation charges shown below are those which will apply to most tours. However, some suppliers have conditions which require the payment of higher or different charges (including the imposition of 100% cancellation charges well in advance of the normal balance due date) which you will have to pay in the event of cancellation. You will be advised at the time of booking if this is the case for your tour.

1. a) 56 and more days before tour start date – no charge
2. b) 56-22 days before tour start date – 50% of balance of tour or retention of deposit if higher
3. c) 21-10 days before tour start date – 75% of tour cost
4. d) 9-0 days before tour start date – 100% of tour cost

Please note that the above does not apply to bookings that are transferred to a future departure date, in which case the original tour start date (before transfer) will be used to calculate any incurred charges.

Amendment charges and insurance premiums are not refundable in the event of cancellation. It is strongly recommended that comprehensive travel insurance is taken out which includes cover against cancellation charges.

Depending on the reason for the cancellation, you may be able to reclaim the cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of the insurance policy. All claims must be made direct to the insurance company. In the event of the cancellation of a booking where the client is liable to pay to the Company cancellation charges in excess of the amount already paid to the Company at the time of cancellation, the client cannot transfer or add these charges to another booking or use any amounts paid to us in relation to the cancelled booking by way of part payment for another booking.

Part cancellation of a booking may result in additional costs being payable by the remaining clients. To clarify all additional extras, single supplements, pre and post tour nights, and experiences will incur 100% cancellation charges up to 56 days before the tour start date.

Cancellation by You due to Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances:

You have the right to cancel your confirmed holiday before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your holiday destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the holiday or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund of the monies you have paid but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation. Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity.

For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability, refund or pay compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any injury, damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of “Force Majeure”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Force Majeure means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination,, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, natural or nuclear disaster, disease, fire, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.

We make every effort to ensure that your tour arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your tour, please inform our Tour Guide immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please contact us via email inbox@creative-escapes.co.uk.

If the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at our office within 7 days of the end of your stay, giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.

Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under this contract.

It is your responsibility to check and fulfill the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.

Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. For further information contact the Passport Office on 0870 5210410 or visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/passports.

Special conditions apply for travel to the USA, and all passengers must have individual machine readable passports. Please check https://uk.usembassy.gov. For European holidays you should obtain a completed and issued form EHIC prior to departure.

Up to date travel advice can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visit https://www.gov.uk/travelaware.

Non British passport holders, including other EU nationals, should obtain up to date advice on passport and visa requirements from the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your destination or country(ies) through which you are travelling.

We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel, or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

Adequate travel Insurance is mandatory and is a condition of your contract with us. You are responsible for arranging your own insurance cover. You are responsible for ensuring that you have alternative personal travel insurance with protection for the full duration of the tour in respect of at least medical expenses, injury, death, repatriation, cancellation and curtailment, with adequate and appropriate cover. We recommend that you ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting or excluding protection for the type of activities included in your tour. You should satisfy yourself that the travel insurance you purchase meets your particular requirements and should arrange supplementary insurance if need be.

You must provide any information we ask for in good time and are responsible for providing accurate information to us. It is important that you complete all information we request accurately and on time as we cannot be held responsible for any problems or additional costs that may arise from any inaccurate or incomplete information that you may provide.

You agree to accept the authority and decisions of our employees, tour leaders, fixers, agents and guides whilst taking part in your tour. If in the opinion of any such person(s) or any other person in a position of authority (such as, for example, the tour leader, customer happiness hero, an airline pilot or hotel manager), your health, level of fitness or conduct at any time before or during a tour is endangering or appears likely to endanger the health or wellbeing of yourself or any third party (including any other clients of ours) or the safe, comfortable or happy progress of the tour, you may be excluded from all or part of the tour without refund or recompense, this will also be the case where it is discovered that you have committed a criminal act (such as causing damage).

If you are excluded, we will have no further responsibility towards you (including any return travel arrangements) and we will not meet any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the exclusion nor refund you for any unused services.

When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier or to us as soon as possible. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises.

Any clients who have taken part in rascist / offensive / abusive or any other form of discriminatory behavior to any of our clients or to any third party will be excluded from the tour and will receive no refund for any missed services or accommodation.

We are not a specialist disabled tour company, but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour or the tour arrangements of any other person or have any special requirements as a result of any medical condition or disability (including any which affect the booking process), please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the proposed tour and/or making the booking. In any event, you must give us full details at the time of booking and also update us if/when any change in your condition or disability occurs.

You must also promptly advise us if any medical condition or disability which may affect your active participation in your tour or the tour arrangements of any other person develops after your booking has been confirmed.

We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate in your chosen tour. Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.

Bookings are accepted on the understanding that clients appreciate and accept the possible risks inherent in off the beaten track travel and that they undertake the tours, treks or expeditions featured in our programme at their own volition.

Notwithstanding the above, we will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all travel services included in your package, as set out in your confirmation invoice. Subject to these Booking Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of your package holiday you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. The level of any such price reduction or compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in these Booking Conditions and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.

We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:

(a) the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or

(b) the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unavoidable and extraordinary; or

(c) Force Majeure (as defined in clause 11).

We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this clause:

(a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.

(b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is up to one times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your booking.

(c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel:

(i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from our offices. Please contact us. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage’. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ shall be deemed to be included by reference into this contract.

(ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of the Denied Boarding Regulation 2004, any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.

(iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these conditions.

Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.

Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description:

(a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you; or

(b) relate to any business.

We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised in our brochure. For example any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.

Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person. Please note that the 3 night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” mean warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.

We and our tour leaders and fixers may provide you with information (before departure and/or when you are on holiday) about optional activities and excursions which do not form part of your pre-booked holiday arrangements but which are available in the area you are visiting. We have no involvement in any such activities or excursions which are not run, supervised or controlled in any way by us. They are provided by local operators or other providers who are entirely independent of us and they may or may not have their own public liability insurance. They do not form any part of your contract with us even where we suggest particular operators / providers and / or assist you in booking such activities or excursions in any way.

Where a tour leader collects payment for or otherwise assists in booking any such activity or excursion for you, we and the tour leader act solely as booking agent for the local operator / provider of the activity or excursion with whom you will have a contract. The local operator / provider’s terms and conditions will apply.

We cannot accept any liability on any basis in relation to such activities or excursions and the acceptance of liability contained in clause 18(2) of our booking conditions will not apply to them. We do not, however, exclude liability for the negligence of ourselves or our employees resulting in your death or personal injury.

We do not guarantee that any optional activity or excursion mentioned in our brochure, on our website or elsewhere will be available to book during your holiday and / or will operate as advertised as these services do not form part of our contract and are not under our control. They may not be available for various reasons. Any prices given in advance are indicative only. We will not be liable if you cannot, for whatever reason, book any such activity or excursion or if the activity or excursion does not operate as advertised.

All Creative Escapes trips are subject to minimum participant numbers and are not confirmed until you receive written confirmation from us via email. We strongly advise that you do not book any international flights until you receive this confirmation.

Once the trip is confirmed, we will provide specific guidance on recommended international flights. We arrange airport transfers only for these specified flights. If you choose to book alternative flights, you must either:

• Ensure your arrival and departure times closely match the specified flights, or

• Arrange and cover the cost of your own airport transfers.

Creative Escapes accepts no liability for flight costs or associated damages incurred by clients who book flights prior to official confirmation of the trip.

Following confirmation, you must submit your full international flight itinerary to us so that we can record and coordinate your travel details. If you fail to do so, Creative Escapes is not liable for any missed connections, transfer costs, or other travel-related issues or damages resulting from the lack of this information.

If you or any member of your party misses your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact us and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately.

Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday price from us. If, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight.

We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in  these Booking Conditions (which includes the behaviour of any passenger(s) on any flight who, for example, fails to check in or board on time).

The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown in this brochure or on our website and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. We shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of it. The latest flight timings will be shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You should check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. If flight times change after tickets have been dispatched we will contact you as soon as we can to let you know.

Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available for inspection at https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban_en) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.

Our advertising material is our responsibility, as your tour operator. It is not issued on behalf of, and does not commit the airlines mentioned herein or any airline whose services are used in the course of your travel arrangements.

If, whilst you are taking part in your tour, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you require assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative travel arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own travel arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.

You are responsible for making yourself aware of Foreign Office advice in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure.

Responsible Travel Policy

At Creative Escapes, we are committed to practicing responsible travel and promoting sustainable tourism in all aspects of our operations. Our aim is to minimise our environmental impact, support local communities, and empower our clients to become responsible travellers. We believe in the power of photography to tell stories and make a positive difference in the world. This policy outlines the guidelines and principles we follow to ensure responsible and ethical travel.

1. Environmental Responsibility:
2. a. Plastic Reduction: We request our clients and staff to avoid using single-use plastic items. We encourage the use of reusable water bottles, which can be filled before every outing.
3. b. Waste Management: We follow responsible waste management practices, including recycling whenever possible and disposing of waste responsibly.
4. c. Energy Conservation: We strive to minimise energy consumption in our accommodations and encourage the use of energy-efficient amenities.
5. d. Nature Preservation: We emphasise the importance of respecting and preserving the natural environments we visit. We abide by local regulations and guidelines to protect wildlife, plants, and ecosystems.
6. Supporting Local Communities:
7. a. Collaboration with NGOs and Charities: We actively seek partnerships with local NGOs and charities that contribute to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the communities we visit. We support their initiatives through donations, volunteer work, or collaborations on projects that align with our values.
8. b. Social Enterprises: We prioritise dining in social enterprises whenever possible, supporting local businesses that have a positive impact on communities, such as those providing training and employment opportunities for marginalised groups.
9. c. Local Guides: We employ local guides who have a deep understanding of the destinations we visit. These guides not only provide valuable insights into the local culture and customs but also ensure that our activities are respectful and sustainable.
10. Empowering Responsible Travellers:
11. a. Photography Education: We offer photography workshops and lessons to our clients, empowering them to capture meaningful images and tell stories through their photographs.
12. b. Responsible Project Conception: Within our trips, we conceive and encourage photography projects that focus on raising awareness and supporting local causes. We collaborate with local communities to develop these projects, ensuring their consent and involvement.
13. c. Image Sharing and Promotion: We facilitate the sharing of our clients’ images with the local communities we visit. Through our social media channels and platforms, we highlight and promote the causes, NGOs, and charities our clients have documented, amplifying their reach and impact.
14. Responsible Social Media Usage:
15. a. Ethical Representation: We are committed to showcasing the real essence of the destinations we visit, highlighting their cultural richness, natural beauty, and local communities. We avoid misrepresentation, cultural appropriation, or any activities that may exploit or harm local communities.
16. b. Promoting Responsible Travel: We leverage our social media presence to educate and inspire our audience about responsible travel practices, sustainable photography, and ethical tourism. We encourage our followers to travel responsibly and make positive contributions to the places they visit.

We regularly review and improve our responsible travel policy to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. By adhering to these guidelines, Creative Escapes aims to create meaningful and transformative experiences for our clients while making a positive impact on the destinations we explore.