Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: 1st September 2024

Booking Conditions

The following booking conditions form the basis of your contract with Folkways Experiences Pvt Ltd. Please read them carefully, as they outline our respective rights and obligations. By confirming your booking, we assume that you and all persons named in the booking have had the opportunity to read and agree to these booking conditions. These conditions apply only to the specific tour you book with us and which we agree to provide as part of our contract. In these booking conditions, “you” and “your” refer to all persons named on the booking (including anyone added or substituted later), while “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Folkways Experiences Pvt Ltd.

1. Making a Booking

1.1 To make a booking, you must complete our booking form, which must be signed (or ticked in the appropriate place for online bookings) by the first named person on the booking (“party leader”). The party leader must be authorized to make the booking on behalf of all persons named and by the parent or guardian of any party members under 18 when the booking is made. By signing the booking form, the party leader confirms their authority to act on behalf of all persons named in the booking.

1.2 The completed and signed booking form must be sent to us along with the payments referenced in clause 2.1 below.

1.3 Subject to availability, we will confirm your booking onto an advertised Group Departure by issuing a Booking Confirmation, which will be sent to the party leader. Please review this document carefully upon receipt and contact us immediately if any information appears incorrect or incomplete. We cannot accept liability for any inaccuracies unless we are notified within seven days of issuing the document (five days for tickets). We will attempt to rectify any errors reported outside these timeframes, but you may be required to cover any associated costs.

1.4 We will communicate with you via email or WhatsApp regarding your booking. You must check your emails and WhatsApp messages regularly. We may also contact you by phone if email communication is not possible. References in these booking conditions to “send” and “in writing” include email communication.

1.5 If booking online, any acknowledgment of your booking request does not constitute a confirmation. Confirmation will be provided in the form of a confirmation invoice.

2. Payment

2.1 To confirm your chosen tour, a deposit of 50% per person, unless specified otherwise, is required at the time of booking for escorted group tours. The remaining amount must be paid fifteen days before the departure date. If booking within fifteen days of the departure date, 100% of the payment is required for confirmation.

2.2 The balance of the tour cost must be received by us no less than fifteen days prior to departure, or significantly earlier in some cases. The exact date will be shown on your confirmation invoice. Reminders may not be sent. If we do not receive full payment on time, we may assume you wish to cancel your booking and will be entitled to retain all monies paid or due at that date. If we do not cancel immediately due to your promise to pay, you must cover any cancellation charges as outlined in clause 5, depending on the date we treat your booking as canceled.

2.3 For international payments, ensure that the full invoice amount is received by us after all bank charges have been deducted.

3. Your Contract

A binding contract between us is formed when we dispatch our booking receipt or confirmation invoice to the party leader. Pakistani law will apply to your contract and to any disputes, claims, or other matters arising between us.

4. Passports, Visas, and Health Requirements

4.1 It is your responsibility to ensure you are fully aware of all passport and visa requirements for the countries you plan to visit at the time of booking. Passport and visa requirements are subject to change, and you must check the most up-to-date requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate in good time before departure. Many countries require that passports are valid for at least six months after the completion of your journey and/or contain blank pages for visas.

4.2 You are responsible for ensuring you are aware of all recommended vaccinations, health requirements, and precautions for your destination before you travel. Consult your doctor or a specialist travel vaccination clinic. Vaccination and other health requirements are subject to change, so check with a doctor or clinic again no less than four weeks before departure to ensure compliance.

4.3 It is the party leader’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the party have the necessary travel and health documents before departure. All costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you. We cannot accept liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure to carry the required documentation. If failure to have necessary documents results in fines, surcharges, or other financial penalties being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us.

4.4 If you are unable to obtain a visa or authorization required for travel, we will attempt to be as flexible as possible, but we reserve the right to consider this a cancellation under the terms set out in 5.1 below.

5. Cancellation by You

5.1 If you or any member of your party needs to cancel some or all portions of your tour after receiving the booking confirmation invoice, the party leader must immediately notify us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when we confirm its receipt. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following cancellation charges will apply. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a percentage, it is calculated based on the total cost payable by the person(s) canceling, excluding amendment charges. Amendment charges are not refundable in the event of cancellation.

• 45 days or more prior to departure: Full refund
• 30-44 days before departure: 75% of the tour cost
• 15-29 days before departure: 50% of the tour cost
• Less than 15 days before departure: No refund

Note: Advance payments less than 50% of the total payable amount are non-refundable.

5.2 Any payments for flights are non-refundable.

5.3 You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking. Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company.

5.4 For private bookings, if any cancellation reduces the number of full-paying party members below the number on which the price, number of free places, or concessions were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you accordingly.

5.5 Certain destinations or trip components, such as cruises, may require payment up to 120 days before departure and may result in 100% loss upon cancellation. This will be specified on your booking confirmation invoice if applicable.

5.6 See clause 9 “Changes by You” if any member(s) of your party are prevented from traveling.

5.7 If you fail to join a trip, join at any point after departure, or choose to amend or curtail your travel for any reason before its completion, we are not responsible for refunding costs for any unused services, and we have no liability for any additional costs, expenses, or other losses incurred by you. Depending on the reason for curtailing your holiday, you may be able to reclaim these losses and any additional expenses incurred (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to your travel insurance provider.

5.8 The above cancellation terms are in addition to fees that may be levied by accommodation providers and third-party tour and transport operators. Should one or more members of a party cancel, it may increase the per-person holiday price for those still traveling, and you will be liable to pay this increase.

6. Changes and Cancellation by Us

6.1 We plan our tours many months in advance. Occasionally, we may need to make changes or correct errors on our website or in our documentation both before and after bookings have been confirmed. While we strive to avoid changes and cancellations, we reserve the right to cancel or make changes to a booking under any circumstances. Our escorted group tours require a minimum number of participants to operate. If the minimum number of bookings for a tour is not received, we may cancel the tour and will notify you at least four weeks before departure.

6.2 Changes to confirmed tour arrangements are sometimes necessary and most changes are minor. We will notify you of any minor changes in writing. No compensation is payable for minor changes. If your tour leader or a named speaker or lecturer is unable to participate, we reserve the right to provide an alternative of similar expertise or a local professional guide. This will not be considered a significant change.

6.3 If we need to make a significant change or cancel, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible. If there is time before departure, we will offer you the choice of:

(a) Accepting the changed arrangements; (b) Purchasing an alternative travel tour from us, if available, of a similar standard to that originally booked. We will offer you at least one alternative travel tour of equivalent or higher standard at no additional cost. If the alternative tour is cheaper, we will refund the price difference. If you do not wish to accept the alternative, you may choose any other available tour, subject to paying the advertised price difference; or (c) Canceling or accepting the cancellation, in which case you will receive a full refund of all monies paid within 14 days of cancellation. This clause does not apply to flights itemized separately on your booking confirmation invoice, which do not form part of a land-only tour package bought from us.

6.4 If we make a significant change or cancel and compensation is appropriate, we will pay compensation depending on the circumstances and when the change or cancellation is notified, subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no further liability can be accepted if:

(1) We are forced to change or cancel due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even with all due care; or (2) We cancel because the minimum number of participants required for your Group Tour has not been reached. No compensation will be payable, and the above options will not be available if we cancel due to your failure to comply with these booking conditions (such as paying on time) or where a change is minor. Please also see clause 19 “Delay and Denied Boarding Regulations.”

6.5 In very rare cases, we may be forced by “force majeure” (see clause 13) to change or curtail your travel after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. In this situation, we regret we cannot offer refunds (unless we obtain any from our suppliers), pay you compensation, or cover any costs or expenses you incur as a result.

6.6 We reserve the right to cancel any booking if we reasonably feel that a client’s physical condition or behavior may affect their well-being, that of our local crew, other members of an escorted group tour, or the enjoyment of others.

6.7 If you have chosen to pay an optional single supplement and we are unable to provide a single room for any advertised nights of the tour, we reserve the right to room you with a fellow traveler of the same sex and reimburse you on a pro-rata basis.

6.8 In the event of any cancellation, neither party shall claim damages against the other, and we are not responsible for any incidental expenses you may have incurred, including but not limited to visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, or non-refundable flights.

7. Governmental Travel Advice

Before your journey, please review the latest travel advisories and entry requirements from your home government and the destination country. These can include important information on health, safety, visa regulations, and any specific restrictions. Staying informed ensures a safe and smooth travel experience.

8. Surcharges

8.1 The price of your holiday is subject to surcharges in the event of changes in transportation costs, taxes, fees, or exchange rates. We will absorb an amount equivalent to 2% of the holiday price, excluding any amendment charges. Only amounts exceeding 2% will be surcharged. If this results in paying more than 8% of the tour price, you are entitled to cancel and receive a full refund, excluding amendment charges, or purchase another tour from us as per clause 6 “Changes and Cancellation by Us.” If you wish to cancel for this reason, you must notify us within seven days of the issue date on your updated invoice.

8.2 We will not levy a surcharge within 15 days of departure, nor will we issue refunds during this period.

9. Changes by You

9.1 If you wish to make any changes to your confirmed travel tour, notify us in writing as soon as possible. While we will try to assist, we cannot guarantee that changes can be made. An amendment fee of USD$50.00 (or equivalent in local or other currencies) per person will be payable, along with any costs incurred by us or our suppliers. A change of travel tour dates will normally be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and rebooking, in which case cancellation charges will apply. Changes may result in recalculation of the travel tour price if the basis on which the original holiday price was calculated has changed.

9.2 If any member of your party is prevented from traveling, they may usually transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you) if we are notified at least seven days before departure. Transfers are permitted only when operationally possible and where the transferee meets all requirements. The transferee must agree to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract.

If a transfer is possible, all costs and charges, including an amendment fee of USD$50.00 (or equivalent), must be paid before the transfer is effected. Any overdue balance payment must also be received. You and the transferee remain jointly liable for all sums. For flight-inclusive bookings, you must pay any charges levied by the airline. As most airlines do not permit name changes after tickets are issued, these charges may amount to the full cost of the flights.

9.3 If you cannot find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in clause 5 will apply to cover our costs. No refunds will be given for passengers not traveling or for unused services.

9.4 Amendments to other arrangements made in conjunction with your trip may incur additional charges levied by hotels, ground operators, or airlines, which will be advised at the time of the amendment, and you will be liable to pay these charges.

10. Special Requests and Medical Conditions/Disabilities

10.1 If you have any special requests, advise us at the time of booking. We will endeavor to pass on reasonable requests to the relevant supplier but cannot guarantee that they will be met. Failure to meet a special request will not be a breach of contract on our part. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met unless explicitly confirmed in writing.

10.2 We cannot accept conditional bookings, i.e., any booking specified as conditional on the fulfillment of a particular request. All such bookings will be treated as “standard” bookings subject to the provisions on special requests.

10.3 If you or any member of your party has any mobility issues, medical conditions, disabilities, or allergies that may affect your holiday or has any special requirements as a result, please inform us before confirming your booking so we can assess the suitability of the arrangements.

10.4 The Company reserves the right at any time to require clients to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that they are fit to participate in all aspects of the tour. You may also need to complete a trekking, health, fitness, and/or suitability questionnaire upon request before traveling.

10.5 By booking, you acknowledge that you understand the potential risks and hazards involved in tours of this kind to often remote and inhospitable locations. Such risks may increase the risk of injury, illness, loss or damage to property, discomfort, and inconvenience.

11. Liability

11.1 We promise to ensure that the travel tour arrangements we agree to provide as part of our contract with you are made, performed, or provided with reasonable skill and care. Subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if you suffer death, personal injury, or if your contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient due to the failure of our employees, agents, or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care.

11.2 We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (including loss of enjoyment or possessions), damage, expense, cost, or other claim of any description whatsoever which results from:

• The acts and/or omissions of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party;
• The acts and/or omissions of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
• Force majeure as defined in clause 13 below.

11.3 We cannot accept responsibility for any services not forming part of our contract. This includes any additional services or facilities your hotel or other supplier agrees to provide where these are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them. This includes any excursions you purchase while on a travel tour with us.

11.4 The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide as part of our contract, and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred, will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question were properly provided. If the services complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, they will be treated as having been properly provided, even if they did not comply with Pakistani laws and regulations. The exception is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable traveler to refuse to take the travel tour in question.

11.5 We cannot accept liability for any damage, loss, expense, or other sum(s) of any description: (1) Which, based on the information given to us before accepting the booking, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract; or (2) Which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by us or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally, we cannot accept liability for any business losses, including self-employed loss of earnings.

12. Travel Insurance and Emergency Contact (Next of Kin)

12.1 We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential, and you should purchase it as soon as you receive a booking receipt or confirmation from us. You must provide us with your insurance policy details (insurer name, policy number, 24-hour emergency contact details) before you travel.

12.2 Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on your travel tour. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your needs. We do not check insurance policies. Tours can be hazardous by nature, and you should ensure that your insurance covers all personal requirements, including medical expenses, repatriation, helicopter rescue, and air ambulance in the event of an accident or illness.

12.3 You must provide us with the name and contact details of your emergency contact (next of kin) or person(s) to be notified in the event of an emergency before traveling.

13. Force Majeure (Act of God)

13.1 Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we cannot accept liability or pay compensation where the performance of our obligations is prevented or affected by “force majeure.” Force majeure means any event which we or the service provider could not foresee or avoid even with all due care. Such events may include, but are not limited to, war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activity, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease, pandemics, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, adverse weather conditions, unavoidable transport problems, and similar events beyond our control.

14. Our Tour Leader

14.1 On our escorted group tours, we will appoint a Tour Leader who will represent the company and assist with the proper and safe running of the tour. You must accept the decisions of the Tour Leader, who has the discretion to make decisions and take actions that may impact your tour. If your physical condition or behavior affects the well-being of yourself or other members of the group, or the enjoyment of others, you may be asked to leave the tour without any right to a refund.

14.2 Our Tour Leaders reserve the right at any time to request that someone leaves a group tour if their condition poses a significant health risk to the rest of the group. If you incur any accommodation or other costs as a result of leaving the tour, those costs will be your responsibility. We are not responsible for refunding any costs unless we can obtain refunds from our suppliers.

15. Health and Safety Standards

15.1 Please note that the health and safety standards of the country you are visiting apply to the services provided, not the health and safety standards of Pakistan. Local health and safety standards may not be the same as those in Pakistan.

16. Complaints

16.1 In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems during your holiday, you must immediately inform our local representative or agent (if available) and the service provider. Any verbal notification must be put in writing and given to our Tour Leader/representative/agent and the service provider concerned as soon as possible. If you cannot contact our Tour Leader, local representative, or agent, and the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you must contact us using the contact details provided during your trip. Until we know about a complaint, we cannot begin to resolve it. Most problems can be resolved quickly. If you remain dissatisfied, you must write to us within 14 days of the tour end date, providing your booking reference and full details of your complaint. Only the party leader should contact us. For all complaints and claims that do not involve death, personal injury, or illness, we regret we cannot accept liability if you fail to notify us in accordance with this clause.

17. Suppliers

Many of the services which make up your travel tour are provided by independent suppliers. These suppliers provide services in accordance with their terms and conditions, which may limit or exclude their liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable international conventions (see clause 11.6). Copies of the relevant terms and conditions and international conventions are available on request.

18. Flights

18.1 We will advise you of the actual carrier(s) (or likely carrier(s)) operating your flight(s) at the time of booking. If the actual carrier(s) are not known at the time of booking, we will inform you as soon as we become aware. Any change to the operating carrier(s) after your booking is confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible.

18.2 If the carrier with whom you have a confirmed reservation becomes subject to an operating ban, resulting in our or the carrier’s inability to offer you a suitable alternative, the provisions of clause 9 “Changes and Cancellation by Us” will apply. We may not always be in a position to confirm flight timings at the time of booking. Flight timings shown on our documentation and/or your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to change due to factors beyond our control, including air traffic control restrictions, weather conditions, and potential technical problems.

18.3 Specific instructions relating to departure and travel arrangements will be sent with your travel tickets before departure. Check your tickets and travel documentation carefully upon receipt to ensure the correct flight times and details. Flight times may change even after tickets are issued, and we will contact you if this occurs.

18.4 Any change in the identity of the carrier, flight timings, or aircraft type (if advised) will not entitle you to cancel or change other arrangements without paying our normal charges, except where specified in these conditions.

19. Delay and Denied Boarding Regulations

19.1 In the event of any flight delay or cancellation at your home or overseas point of departure, the airline is responsible for providing assistance. The ferry, tunnel, or rail operator is similarly responsible for any delayed or canceled sea crossing or international rail departure. We cannot provide assistance in such circumstances other than information and advice to the extent we can.

19.2 We regret that we cannot assist in the event of a travel delay at your outward or homeward point of departure. Any airline may provide refreshments, but we cannot accept liability for delays due to reasons outlined in clause 11.2 (including passenger behavior, such as failing to check in or board on time).

19.3 If your flight is canceled, delayed, overbooked, downgraded, or if boarding is denied by your airline, the airline may be required to compensate, refund the cost of your flight, and/or provide accommodation and/or refreshments. Where applicable, you must pursue the airline directly for compensation or other payments. All sums received or entitled to from the airline represent your full entitlement to compensation or any other payment arising from such cancellation, delay, downgrading, or denied boarding. We have no liability to make any payment for flight cancellation or delay, downgrading of flight tickets, or denial of boarding.

20. Excursions/Activities

20.1 We may provide information about activities and excursions available in the area you are visiting. These activities and excursions are provided by local operators or other third parties entirely independent of us. We cannot accept liability on any basis in relation to such activities or excursions, and the acceptance of liability contained in clause 11.1 will not apply to them.

20.2 We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information provided about such activities or excursions as these services are not under our control.

21. Documentation/Website/Images/Advertising & Promotional Material

21.1 The information contained on our website, social media channels, detailed itineraries, travel requirements documents, pre-departure information, suggested packing lists, and any other documentation, advertising, or promotional material is believed to be correct at the time of printing or publication. However, errors may occasionally occur, and information may change. You must check all details of your chosen travel tour (including the price) with us [or your travel agent] at the time of booking and, where practical, independently verify information provided for guidance only.

21.2 Occasionally, we may use images and videos taken on our tours in certain marketing channels, including but not limited to our social media feeds (Facebook and Instagram) and our website. If you wish to deny permission for any images or videos featuring you or your traveling companions, please let us know.

21.3 Folkways reserves the right to modify, add, or remove any part of our Terms & Conditions at any time without notice.