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Reservation FAQsIf you're looking for more information regarding general travel FAQs, click here for our general travel FAQs.
How do I sign up?Signing up is easy! There is a $400 deposit per person to reserve your space. You can reserve your space online with a credit card, call us or fax us (click here for contact information) with your credit card number, or mail us a check. The final payment is due 60 days before the trip departs. Please note that some trips require final payment prior to 60 days before departure. If so, payment due dates will be noted on the trip itinerary.• All prices quoted are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars. We accept Visa®, Mastercard®, American Express® and Discover® bankcards for payment of land costs, as well as personal checks, REI member refunds, REI gift certificates and REI gift cards. • Our trips fill up well in advance, so we advise signing up a minimum of 6 months before international departures and 4 months before domestic departures. We accept reservations for most trips until 30 days before departure. Do I get a confirmation packet?To help you prepare for your trip, REI Adventures sends you additional, trip specific information after you have made a deposit. You'll also receive a final bulletin before departure.• Confirmation packet: Detailed land and air itinerary, medical and application forms including Liability Release form, pre-departure information, health bulletin, immunization recommendations, gear list, payment invoice, insurance application, and other travel hints. • Final bulletin: Last-minute information on the trip, including air tickets purchased through REI Adventures, baggage tags, trip roster, rendezvous instructions, emergency numbers and an REI Adventures T-shirt. Do I need a Visa?Information on which trips require visas for US citizens are noted in your trip itinerary. All U.S. citizens traveling to other countries need a valid passport. For your convenience, REI Adventures provides you with information and the necessary forms to obtain visas through Zierers, a professional visa service company. The cost of the visas and services of Zierers is at your expense.What gear should I bring?A detailed list of recommended clothing and personal equipment is made up specifically for each trip. You can access this information online from each of the trip pages by clicking on gear list.What if I have to cancel?If you decide to cancel your trip, the following fees apply at the time (prior to departure) we receive written notice of your cancellation.
Some trips have a specific cancellation policy—see specific trip itineraries for details. For our weekend trips, the following fees apply at the time (prior to departure) we receive written notice of your cancellation.
What about transferring trips?If you transfer less than 90 days prior to departure, you must pay fees as outlined above (same as cancellation policy). To protect yourself, we recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance (see below). Some trips may have special cancellation or transfer fees; if so, they will be listed on your trip itinerary.Should I purchase trip cancellation insurance?If you have to cancel your trip due to illness, or death to you or a family member, this insurance protects all your deposits and payments for both air and land cost. We will mail you the necessary forms in your confirmation packet. REI Adventures recommends that you purchase this insurance. If you purchase it within 21 days of the time that you sign up, you will also be covered for pre-existing conditions. We strongly recommend the purchase of trip insurance.What if REI Adventures cancels my trip?REI Adventures reserves the right to cancel a trip for force majeure or any other circumstances beyond our control. We also reserve the right to cancel any trip if sign-up is inadequate to make the trip economically feasible for us to operate. If this happens, we give a full refund of land cost. However, REI Adventures is not responsible for additional expenses incurred by you in preparing for the trip (e.g., non-refundable air tickets, visa fees if applicable, gear or medical expenses).What if there are fewer than the required number of participants?Each trip requires a minimum number of participants for departure. If we sign up enough participants to run a trip, but unexpected cancellations drop the number of participants below the required minimum, we will run the trip at an addtional charge of $250 per person. If addtional participants join and the required number of participants is re-attained, the surcharge will be refunded.What about refunds?REI Adventures does not give any refunds for unused hotel rooms, meals, sightseeing trips or trek arrangements. Land cost is quoted as a package; credits are not given for services not used.What do you mean by Trip Grading?We have active trips for every skill level, novice to expert. These guidelines will help you select the level of adventure that's right for you. (1) Relaxed: Adventure travel at its most relaxed pace. Activity: 1-3 hours most days Distances: walk less than 3 miles most days Surfaces: flat terrain Elevation change: little to none Altitude: less than 3,000 ft (2) Easy Active: Great for newcomers to active travel. Activity: 2-5 hours most days Distances: Hike up to 6 miles, cycle 10-30 miles most days Surfaces: flat or rolling terrain with some possible steeps Elevation change: up to 2,000 ft/day Altitude: up to 6,000 ft (3) Moderate: For outdoor novices and above. Activity: 4-6 hours most days Distances: Hike up to 10 miles most days, cycle 20-40 miles most days Surfaces: rolling or mountainous terrain with some steep ascents/descents and uneven trails Elevation change: up to 3,000 ft/day Altitude: up to 10,000 ft (4) Vigorous: Recommended for fit travelers with basic skills Activity: 5-8 hours most days Distances: Hike up to 12 miles most days, cycle 30-50 miles most days Surfaces: mountainous, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents and uneven trails Elevation change: up to 4,000 ft/day Altitude: up to 14,000 ft. Experience and a doctor’s release may be required (5) Strenuous: Designed for very fit travelers. Activity: 10+ hours/day Distances: Hike 12 or more miles most days, cycle 50 or more miles most days Surfaces: remote mountainous, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents, uneven trails with loose features. Elevation change: up to 4,000 ft/day Altitude: may well exceed 14,000 ft Experience and a doctor’s release are required What about air travel?Booking Your Air Travel: Our experienced travel agents are happy to assist you with your international (except Europe) travel arrangements. We'll also assist you with additional hotel nights and rental cars, which allows flexibility to arrive early or stay after the completion of your trip. For an estimate of the airfare from your departure city to the starting point of the trip (example: New York City to Santiago), give us a call. Airfares can change daily, but we will give you a general idea of what airfare runs.Airfare Advisory: It is always possible that your flights may be delayed or canceled due to unforeseen complications. When comparing prices on airfares, be cautious with "budget" airfares. In many cases these tickets are non refundable, non-endorsable (valid only for the carrier listed), require advance purchase, are limited to specific dates as booked and may involve inconvenient routes that jeopardize your connections to the start of the trip. Please call us if you have any questions regarding airfare. Baggage Restrictions: Most major airlines have rules regarding 'piece" baggage, This means passengers are permitted a free baggage allowance of two pieces of checked maximum luggage with a maximum total dimensions of 106 inches and maximum weight of 70 pounds. Carry-on baggage (one under seat bag, 45 inches maximum) is also permitted free. Excess baggage is your responsibility. Airline Clause: The airlines are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their planes or conveyance. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and such purchasers of these tours and/or passenger. Such conveyance, etc., is subject to the laws of the countries involved. This information is valid from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006. What are my responsibilities/obligations as a trip member?Medical Considerations: If you have any medical or psychological conditions, it's very important you let us know well before departure so that we can make extra arrangements if necessary. Trip leaders have the right to disqualify anyone at any time during the trip if they feel the trip member is mentally or physically incapable to continue and/or if a trip member's continued participation jeopardizes the group's or his/her own safety. Under these circumstances refunds are not given.REI Adventures is not a medical facility and therefore has no responsibility regarding medical advice, medications or inoculations that you or your doctor deem necessary for your safe participation. Hospital facilities for serious problems are often unavailable, and evacuation can be prolonged, difficult and expensive. REI Adventures assumes no liability regarding provision of medical care. As a trip member, you receive our health bulletin and a medical certificate which must be filled out by you. A doctor's signature is required if the trip is rated strenuous. Once you have been confirmed on a trip, there are no refunds if your doctor does not approve your medical certificate. Your obligations as a trip member: By participating in an REI Adventures trip, you assume certain obligations to REI Adventures and the other trip members. It is your responsibility to: • Understand the conditions implied in the REI Adventures trip grading system • Select a trip (with the help of the REI Adventures staff) that is appropriate to your interests and abilities * Prepare for the trip by familiarizing yourself with the trip itinerary and trip preparation materials sent by REI Adventures • Bring appropriate gear and clothing as advised by REI Adventures • Follow considerate standards of personal hygiene in order to reduce risk of contracting diseases • Follow considerate social behavior with other trip participants and respect their habits • Act in an appropriate and courteous manner befitting the customs of countries you visit • Complete the trip itinerary as scheduled (or as adjusted by your trip leader as necessary) • Respect the countries we visit by using environmentally safe products, staying on established routes of travel and not littering OUR LEGAL LIMITATIONS-PLEASE READ CAREFULLY REI Adventures may contract with independent contractors to provide transportation, guide services and/or all other related travel services. We assume no responsibility, however caused, for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service provided by an independent contractor or resulting directly from the following: - acts of God - detention annoyance - terrorism - thefts - pilferage - force majeure - civil disturbances - government restrictions or regulations - strikes - delays and expenses arising from quarantine - failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled - discrepancies or change in transit or hotel services over which we have no control. We reserve the right to make reasonable changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or advisable for the comfort and well-being of trip members. By advancing deposit to REI Adventures, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound by the above terms and conditions. Join REI Today! You don't have to be an REI member to go on an REI Adventures trip, but REI members enjoy reduced land rates. For a one-time $15 membership fee, you get a lifetime of benefits including a yearly patronage refund based on your regular-priced purchases at REI stores or through mail order or online. To join REI and take advantage of REI member rates click here or call 1-800-426-4840 for more details on the advantages of REI membership. Or, sign up now on-line. *Any more questions? Click here to contact us. |
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