Project Himalaya Contract and Booking Form

These are our 2023 booking conditions.

Clarity about booking with Project Himalaya

You are booking with my sole trading enterprise, Project Himalaya:

James Stuart McGuinness (New Zealand citizen)
Project Himalaya
8 Kemp Rd
Kerikeri 0230 New Zealand
tel +64 21 177 1759
NZBN 9429051245818
(and +977 98021 49789, Nepal mobile and WhatsApp)

We work together with several trekking, travel and hotel companies to make trek and travel arrangements.

Nepal partners

In Nepal trek logistics are handled by:

Himalayan Trails Adventure Travel and Tours (P) Ltd
Lazimpat, Kathmandu
Tel +977 1 411 0661

India partner

In India we work with:

Zanskar Trek, Fort Road, Leh, Ladakh
tel: +91 1982 252 153, +91 1982 251 673

We also partly arrange direct with individuals employed on an individual basis.

Compulsory Waiver and Release

It is a fundamental condition of booking that you acknowledge that this is an adventure tour. This requires some flexibility and you will be exposed to dangers greater than in everyday life. You must sign a Waiver and Release as part of the booking.

Booking confirmation

Your booking will be confirmed by email once we have received:

a USD750/1000 or equivalent deposit

a completed booking form

a signed Waiver and Release form acknowledging that you understand the Acknowledgement of Risk, Waiver and Release legal document

Balance payment

We are flexible about how you pay the balance. Either pay the balance by transfer at least 6 weeks before the tour begins or also we accept a cash balance payment on arrival in Nepal/Leh, as agreed prior.

Cancellation

If you cancel at least 6 weeks prior to the trip start you lose the deposit amount. We will refund any other money paid. If you cancel within 6 weeks of the trip start you lose all money paid.

Non-arrival

If you do not show up in Kathmandu/Leh on the agreed date we will assume you have been delayed and will wait for you to contact us with your new expected arrival date. If you do not contact us within one day we will assume you have cancelled the tour. There is no refund of any money paid.

Tour cancellation

The tour will not be cancelled unless we are forced to do so because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances (force majeure), such as changes in the pandemic status, major natural disaster, major political unrest or war. There is no refund (you should claim on insurance), although we may at our discretion instead postpone the trip or offer an alternative tour.

Be insured

Before joining the tour you must take out travel and medical insurance including coverage for Covid-19. At minimum, this should include adequate cover for helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation.

Read everything relevant

The trek information web pages give information and conditions relating to the tour and are deemed to be part of the contract and so you should be fully aware of their contents. However the itinerary is an indication of what the group should accomplish, but not a contractual obligation. Changes may be made because of exceptional weather, domestic flight cancellations, sickness or other unforeseeable circumstances. No refunds are given for unused services.

All information and advice provided (vaccinations, climate, trekking equipment, visa process etc) is given in good faith but without responsibility by us.

If you have a complaint that cannot be dealt with immediately, or you are not satisfied with the response please notify us in writing within 10 days of the tour completion. We shall try to agree on a settlement. For New Zealand citizens the NZ Fair Trading Act applies. For citizens of other countries this process shall be governed by the laws of Nepal or India.

Bring a smile, a sense of adventure and a curiosity to learn about other cultures and ways of life.