Itinerary Amendments
The order of activities listed in this agenda is provided for guidance only, your final and detailed itinerary will be provided either with your final travel documents (which are uploaded into your online account around a week prior to departure) or upon arrival.
Snow Coverage in Early December
If you are travelling early in the winter season and there is not enough snowfall, then some activities may be adapted by the local team, or alternatives provided, to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort. For more information on this, please see section 11 of our booking terms and conditions.
Group Size
We always try to provide an approximation of the group size you can expect to be with for the duration of each of our holidays. It may be that you are joined by others for parts of your holiday (such as transfers and particular activities), but the number will reflect those you can normally expect to be with from beginning to end. If group size is something which is particularly important to you, please speak to our Travel Experts, and they can suggest the best holidays for you.
Tailor-made holiday group sizes will vary for all activities, as will the group size for any additional activities you book.
Some of our holidays require a minimum number of participants to operate. If your holiday departure has not yet reached the minimum number, you will be told at the time of booking. In the unlikely event that your chosen date is not guaranteed by nine weeks before your scheduled departure date, we will contact you to discuss the available options as per our booking conditions.
Minimum and Maximum Age
There are no minimum or maximum age requirements on our holidays (except in a handful of destinations which are adult-only hotels, or for some adult-only activities and that will always be stated in the holiday text), but our travel experts and local teams will advise on the suitability of a holiday for you. The safety of guests is of paramount importance, and we will always endeavour to provide the experiences our guests want in the most appropriate way for them. We offer a wide range of tailor-made holidays which are ideal options for groups with mixed ages/ability levels etc as they enable everyone to take part at their own level, so if you are travelling in multi-generational groups for example, we will always do our best to accommodate everyone.
Medical History and Advice
We want everyone to have the opportunity to see the Northern Lights and enjoy our experiences. We will always do all that we can to accommodate any special requests and requirements.
In order to give us the best possible chance to do this, we ask that if you or any member of your party is pregnant or has any medical condition or disability which may affect your holiday or has any special requirements that you tell us at the time of enquiry or booking. You must also promptly advise us if you become pregnant or any medical condition or disability (which may affect your holiday) becomes apparent after your booking has been confirmed. You may need to provide a doctor’s note and proof of insurance in some cases. The health and safety of our clients is paramount.
In providing this information, you are allowing us to work with our expert local partners to ensure that your whole party can enjoy the holiday. By letting us know in advance, we can discreetly work with you to adapt any part of the holiday which may potentially be challenging. Being able to prepare for this in advance makes an incredible difference to what we can offer and minimises any impact on your party and the rest of the group.
Unfortunately, if you choose not to share this information with us in advance, then it may limit some or all of the itinerary you have booked, and we cannot be held accountable for any additional costs or missed activities resulting from this.
Insurance
Travel insurance is a prerequisite to any booking with us and a vital part of any holiday. Travel insurance is not provided as part of any of our holidays and so you will need to ensure that you have cover for all of the activities that you will be participating in during your holiday and that all members of your family are covered.
You must ensure that any insurance provides adequate medical and cancellation cover. Please bear in mind that not all insurance policies may offer cover for the sort of activities you may be taking part in during your holiday. We recommend you run through every activity you will be taking part in with the company in detail to ensure you are fully covered.
Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs. We do not check alternative insurance policies.
Please see our booking conditions for further information.
Booking Activities Locally
Additional activities can be booked locally in almost all our destinations. However, as per our booking conditions, we cannot be held responsible for any injury or loss incurred through participation in activities which are booked at your destination outside of our holiday itinerary (see our booking conditions for further details).
When arranging any such activity, please always ensure that safety is your primary concern.
In some of our destinations, you can borrow or hire equipment for use in your free time. You do so entirely at your own risk. You must ensure that you are properly prepared, have the necessary equipment and knowledge (maps, etc) and ensure that where applicable, you follow marked routes. We recommend discussing your plans with the local teams, who will be able to advise on the most suitable options for you.
Always let the reception/guide know where you are planning to go and take a torch and mobile phone (with the hotel/guide’s phone number stored). It is also a good idea to leave your contact number and the time you expect to return to the hotel, should the hotel need to contact you.
Activities and Guides
When partaking in any activity, it is imperative that everyone in your group listens very closely to the instructions provided by the guide and that they are abided by at all times. Our guides are experts in their field, and no one knows the environment better than these highly knowledgeable and experienced providers.
Prior to starting any activity, please make it clear to your guide if there is any element of the safety briefing you are unsure of or would like to clarify before you set off.
Our guides will always take local conditions into account when considering whether an activity can go ahead. This is, in part, why your itinerary is subject to change at short notice. This rarely happens, however, if it does, we will always endeavour to reschedule the activity for later in your holiday. If this is not possible, then the cost of the activity will be refunded to you when you return home.
Our guides’ word on activities is always final, and your safety is their principal concern at all times; please respect their decisions. By following their instructions, your safety and enjoyment during each activity will be greatly enhanced.
Travel Advice
Our clients’ safety is at the centre of everything we do, and our operations team continually assesses and monitors the destinations we feature. We carry out thorough risk assessments and work closely with all of our suppliers to continually follow best practice. For up to date travel advice, the UK government offers its Travel Aware website as well as the advice detailed below.
The Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office Advice
We receive all updates from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) with regards to travel advice, and we always ensure that we follow this advice in our operations. The FCDO issues travel advisories for countries based on a very wide range of factors. They may provide notification about things as simple as a football match and crowds, or they may go so far as to advise against all travel to a region. We ask all our clients to refer to the relevant Travel Advice by Country for the destinations they are visiting in order to make an informed decision on the safety of the destination based on the details provided. It also provides vital information regarding entry requirements, embassy information, local laws and customs as well as specific safety and health. Guests should take responsibility for keeping themselves up to date with this advice. Please also ensure that, if you are transiting through another country, you have read the advice and meet the entry requirements for that destination too.
The FCDO travel advice is applicable to British Passport Holders. Most governments will issue their own travel advice for a region, and if you are not a UK resident, then you can find some helpful links below:
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade https://www.mfat.govt.nz/
Canadian Consular Affairs Bureau http://voyage.gc.ca/
The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html
If the FCDO deems that there is an unacceptable level of risk for UK citizens, then, together with the government, they may issue an advisory against all travel to a region or country. If such an advisory is published, then we will act accordingly, and this may require the cancellation, curtailment or amendment of a holiday itinerary. These decisions are made on the basis of ensuring our clients’ safety and will affect all clients on the holiday, regardless of their nationality.
If one of our local experts suggests an amendment due to a situation which develops locally, then we may also take the decision to amend an itinerary appropriately.
If we have to cancel your holiday prior to departure, you will be offered the option of an alternative trip (where any price difference will either be refunded to or covered by you) or a full refund of the monies paid.
If we have to curtail a holiday, then you will be refunded for any costs for the elements we have been unable to deliver, where we have been able to secure a refund from our suppliers. If we must reroute a holiday, then any basis for refund is determined on a case-by-case basis and dependent on whether the central holiday experience was provided or not.
Entry Requirements
It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport and/or any required visas are up to date for your holiday. Please click here for full details.
Flight Schedule Changes and Connecting Transportation
When flights are included in your holiday, we will confirm your flight schedule. Sometimes the flight number, routing and timings might change prior to your departure. If the change is classed as a significant change, then we will contact you to discuss this. Please see our booking conditions for details.
Flight schedule changes can impact your pre- and post-holiday travel arrangements if these have been booked separately from your holiday. We strongly recommend that you do not book transport (such as trains or transfers), car parking or non-connecting flights to the departure point for your holiday until you have received your final confirmed travel times when your final travel documents are issued. We are not responsible for the effect of any schedule change on your pre- or post-travel arrangements. We strongly recommend that you do not purchase non-flexible or non-refundable tickets to avoid cancellation and penalty charges.
Booking Your Own Flights – Cancellation Disclaimer
If you have chosen to book your own flights, then you will need to wait until we confirm to you that the holiday departure has met the minimum numbers required to run (if applicable to your chosen holiday). Once the holiday is guaranteed to run, you will be informed, and you can then make your arrangements.
If transfers are included in your holiday, please ensure that any potential flights will be met by our standard transfers (speak to one of our Travel Experts for advice) otherwise, private transfer supplements may be applicable. Once your flights are booked, please send us a copy of your detailed flight itinerary.
Please be aware that most tickets are non-refundable in the case of cancellation. For this reason, we strongly advise you to check the rules of the ticket and the limitations of your cancellation insurance before booking. We cannot be held liable, in the unlikely eventuality that we should be forced to cancel or amend your trip, for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made.
Terms and Conditions
Our full booking terms and conditions can be found on our website: https://www.theaurorazone.com/booking-conditions
