TERMS & CONDITIONS

UTC, Ultimate Challenges facilitate the raising of funds for charities by providing challenge events. Set out below are the terms and conditions to form the basis of your relationship with the Tour Operator (‘UTC’) of 25 – 27 Vanston Place, London SW6 1AZ, registered company number 3528325, and the charity for whom you have decided to raise funds ‘the charity’.

Ultimate Challenges from The Ultimate Travel Company (UTC) of 25 – 27 Vanston Place, London, SW6 1AZ
ATOL: 5111

Making your booking

Please complete the online application and medical form for the challenge you wish to join, and pay your non-refundable* deposit online. If you are booking less than 8 weeks prior to departure, the full cost of the expedition will be payable. On receipt of your application/medical form and deposit, we will confirm your place on the expedition in writing and send you further fundraising and expedition advice. Applicants whose forms are not accepted (e.g. medical conditions not suitable for the expedition) will have their deposits refunded.

Balance payment methods for joining a Challenge (these are decided by your charity you are raising money for).

There are two payment options:

 1.  Fundraising option

Once you have paid the non-refundable deposit and we have confirmed your place on the expedition, you should contact the charity for whom you wish to fundraise. You will commit to raising a minimum sponsorship target that will need to be paid in full to the charity at least eight weeks prior to departure. We will then invoice the charity for your expedition costs less the airport taxes and fuel surcharges which we will invoice you for directly.

 2. Payment + fundraising option

Once you have paid the non-refundable deposit and we have confirmed your place on the expedition, we will invoice you directly for your expedition costs and airport taxes and fuel surcharges, to be paid at least eight weeks prior to departure. You should contact the charities you wish to raise money for directly.

Failure to pay all monies on time

If we or your chosen charity (if you are doing the fundraising option) do not receive all payments (including all surcharges) and minimum sponsorship requirements on time, your place will be treated as cancelled.

Alterations made by The Ultimate Travel Company

We plan challenges many months in advance. Occasionally, we have to make changes to the published itinerary and to amend or cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we reserve the right to modify or cancel any tour, flight schedule and accommodation arrangement should unforeseen circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’ arise. We will notify you of any such changes as soon as possible. If the changes are significant enough to alter the nature of the expedition, you will be given the choice of an alternative challenge or a full refund of all monies paid.

Minimum numbers

Each expedition will only operate with a minimum number of participants. Likewise, the provision of a UK  leader and/or doctor is subject to minimum number of participants. Please check your information pack for specific details.

Alterations made by you

We will do our best to make any alterations you may require after confirmation has been issued subject to availability and the payment of any increased costs relevant to the changes. If alterations are made less than 8 weeks prior to departure, an additional £95 charge will be levied together with any other costs incurred.

Cancellations by you

Please note all deposits are non-refundable.

All cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellation is taken from the date such notice is received and charges will be applied as follows:

  • If the cancellation is MORE than 60 days before the relevant departure date then loss of money paid to that point (unless a suitable replacement can be found)
  • If the cancellation is LESS than 60 days before the relevant departure date then full costs paid

Airlines and other suppliers

Ultimate Challenges will provide travel, accommodation and other services as specified in the challenge itinerary. Flights and accommodation are fully protected under the company’s ATOL Licence Number arranged with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Most flights are arranged with scheduled airlines that will usually provide refreshments, meals and accommodation in the event of any substantial flight delay. If these facilities are not provided by the airline in the event of any such delay at the outward or homeward points of departure, UTC will not be responsible for arranging them.

Extending your stay before or after the challenge

Extending your flight is strictly subject to availability and may incur an additional cost. If you wish to extend please contact us as soon as possible and no later than three months before departure.

Health, safety & fitness

The challenge in which you will be participating is physically demanding and will require a good level of fitness, strength and endurance. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit to participate. You will be asked to fill out a detailed medical form, which you should complete accurately and truthfully. Our Expedition Medics advice all participants to have a BMI of around 30 or below, however we do understand a person’s BMI does not always determine their level of fitness. If necessary, Ultimate Challenges will contact you to discuss your fitness and training plans.

Your place on the challenge will only be confirmed once your medical form has been assessed. If you have any doubts about your health, you should check with your doctor to ensure that you are sufficiently fit, healthy and mobile to participate in the challenge.

You should take into account that local medical facilities, particularly for those with any illness or infirmity, are likely to be inferior to those in the United Kingdom. Your personal safety during the challenge is of fundamental importance to us. While we do carefully monitor the safety of every challenge destination, we recommend that you periodically review the travel advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, which relates to all aspects of your destination, at www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo

Travel insurance

Please note that UTC does not provide you with any travel insurance cover.

However,
– We recommend therefore that you do take out travel insurance to make sure you are fully covered for the event you are undertaking, and clarify its precise nature to your insurers.
– If you choose not to take out the appropriate travel insurance, should you fall ill or be involved in an accident you will not be covered for those associated costs.
– We strongly recommend you are insured for the full duration of your trip and the policy is taken out prior to the date of your departure and does not cease until you have returned.
– We strongly recommend the highest levels of cover and that should include as a minimum “air evacuation, Medical expenses and repatriation”.
– You must also make sure you inform the insurance company of any pre-existing medical conditions before travel, failure to do so may invalidate your policy or any subsequent claim.
– If you have an existing policy we highly recommend you call your insurers and confirm that it meets with the requirement of the trip you are undertaking with UTC.

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are correctly covered for the trip and UTC take no responsibility for uninsured travel.

Once you have organised your cover, we will need the following information from you:

Insurer
Policy No
Emergency Medical Assistance Contact Tel No

Standard and quality of facilities

You should not have unreasonable expectations of the facilities that will be provided which may be below what you might expect at home. The itinerary and literature you receive from us will accurately describe the standard and quality of the travel arrangements.

Liability

We accept responsibility for ensuring that your travel arrangements are as described in literature produced by us or on our behalf, and that the services we are contractually obliged to provide are to a reasonable standard. If, in the reasonable opinion of the charity, any part of your travel arrangements is not provided as promised, and if this has affected the quality and structure of the expedition, we will pay appropriate compensation.

We accept responsibility for caused by negligent acts and/or omissions of us, our employees, agents and suppliers whilst acting within the scope of, or in the course of, their employment in the provision of any part of your travel arrangements that we are contractually obliged to provide. We will, accordingly, pay to any affected participant such damages as might have been awarded in such circumstances under English law.

However, damages are not payable where any failure to fulfil the contract is not due to any fault of ours or the supplier of any part of your travel arrangements, and where any failure to fulfil the contract is attributable to you, unforeseen and unavoidable actions of a third party unconnected with the provision of your travel arrangements, unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control or any event which could not have been foreseen even if all due care had been exercised.

In respect of carriage by air, sea and rail and the provision of accommodation, the amount of compensation we may be obliged to pay will be limited in accordance with relevant international law conventions. Carriage by air is subject to the relevant carriers’ conditions. In particular, drunkenness or rowdy behaviour may lead to the airline refusing carriage, in which case alternative flights may have to be organised at your own cost.

Acceptance of risk

Your booking is accepted on the understanding that:

  1. You are aware that this is a challenging event. In addition to the usual dangers and risks, you should take into account weather extremes, remoteness from medical services and physical exertion for which you may not be prepared before committing to the trip.
  2. You acknowledge that the enjoyment and excitement of adventure travel is derived in part from the inherent risk incurred in taking part in activities that are beyond the levels of safety your would normally encounter at home or in the work place, You acknowledge that this is a reason for your participation.
  3. You acknowledge that the nature of the challenge requires considerable flexibility and that you must allow for changes to routes, schedules, transport etc. The outline itinerary for the challenge is an indication of what the group may accomplish, and does not form a contractual obligation on our part. No refunds will be given for services not utilised.
  4. The expedition leader, doctor and local management staff have the right to disqualify any participant at any time during the course of the challenge if it is deemed necessary for the safety of yourself or the other participants, or if it is deemed that your behaviour or actions are compromising the other participants’ enjoyment of the challenge.

Complaints and arbitration

We will always endeavour to resolve any complaints on the spot. However, if the matter cannot be resolved, you should inform the relevant supplier and/or expedition leader then write to us within 14 days of the end of the challenge. We will endeavour to resolve the issue as promptly as possible.