Terms And Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Thank you for choosing Ancient Trails for the best heritage experience. We put in all the efforts to ensure your traveling experience filled with knowledge and leisure. At the same time, we request you to go through our Terms and Conditions to avoid any hassles in the future. If at any point of time if you disagree with our Terms & Conditions, you may stop using our website. Please make sure you read our Terms & Conditions carefully to avoid any misunderstanding and enjoy your tour.

Terms & Conditions extend to all domestic as well as International Tours, Customized Holidays organized by Ancient Trails. By using our website, you confirm your agreement to the website’s terms of use, and you undertake to comply with them.

Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following terms shall, unless the context otherwise has the meaning specified.

• “the Company”, “we”, “us” or “our” means Ancient Trails
• “Guest”, ”Traveler”, ”Customer”, “Client”, “You”, “Your”, “His”, ‘Her”, “them” or “they” means a person(s) in whose name and/or whose behalf booking is made or enquired about tour/package or any service related to it.
• “Infant” means a child below the age of two years and a “Child” means child above the age of two (2) years and below twelve (12) years.
• Tour/s or Trail/s means any Domestic/ International Tours organized by Ancient Trails
• Customized holiday means a tailor-made holiday wherein Tour Itinerary is designed as per the individual requirements of each guest.
• Corporate tours (MICE) means a specialized niche of group tourism dedicated to planning, booking, and facilitating meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, and other events at various heritage destinations.
• Contractor/ Supplier/Vendor means supplier of any infrastructural facility and shall include hotel managements, airlines, caterers, restaurants, museums, art galleries, cruise, a coach who will be providing the services to the Guests in India and outside India.
• Tour price/Cost means the tour price mentioned in the Price Grid/brochures/ online and other payments such as taxes, surcharges, etc. payable by the client Ancient Trails.
• Tour Manager means a person designated by a company to help/ lead/guide the tour in/out of India.
• “Expert” means an Indology Expert or Subject Expert who will be with the tour specifically to share knowledge on heritage places. He/She will not lead/manage your tour and not liable to look after any management related queries.
• A “day” in a tour referred to as part of the day or 24 hours or its part thereof.
• “All Meals” means breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
• “Unforeseen circumstances” are defined as circumstances not within reasonable control, directly or indirectly of Ancient Trails such as –
  • War, Hostile invasions, an act of foreign enemies
  • Rebellion, Revolution, Insurrection, military or civil war
  • epidemic, explosion, fire, flood, earthquake or other exceptional natural calamity and act of God;
  • riot, commotion or disorder;
  • any act or omission of any Government instrumentality;
  • a change in Legal Requirements;
  • strikes, lockouts or other industrial disturbances; &
  • abnormal weather or sea conditions including tempest, lightning, hurricane, typhoon, rain & temperatures
  • Closure of sightseeing places due to any reason other than weekly holidays.
  • Sudden or unexpected strikes of transport.
  • Sudden or unexpected curfews or call for city band.
• Website means ancient-trails.com
• Webpage means pages on the website ancient-trails.com
• GST means Goods and Services Tax
• Cancellation Policy means a piece of information about all the cancellation charges levied by the company from time to time, third party cancellation charges, etc. as more particularly described hereinafter of any other document.
• Terms and Conditions mean the certain set of rules designed and followed by the company which contains terms and conditions related to Booking of a tour, Booking Form, Website, Itinerary, Tour Cost, Payment Schedule, Cancellation of a booking, Privacy of a customer’s data, Promotions.
• Each of these terms and conditions shall be severable and if any provision thereof is declared invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then remaining provisions nevertheless shall have full force & effect.

Booking Terms :

• Registration for the tour. When a guest registers for the tour either online or offline by paying a registration amount, it indicates that guest is interested in a tour and as read and accepted all terms and conditions mentioned in Ancient Trails website/booking form/brochure. In case of a guest who is processing the booking formalities on behalf of his/her family is deemed to have been authorized to do so by his family after reading all the Ancient Trails terms and conditions mentioned in the brochure/website/booking form. In case of bookings made at our offices, a guest is required to fill up and sign the booking form and Terms & Conditions and pay the registration amount or full amount by Cash / Cheque / Demand Draft / Credit, Debit Card / NEFT / RTGS / IMPS / UPI gateway. In case of payment by Cheque or NEFT, a booking confirmation will be given of realization of an amount. Upon successful booking confirmation, a contract will be generated between Ancient Trails and a guest.

• Documents for booking a tour. A guest must provide a valid photo identity proof for domestic tours and a valid passport having six months of expiry from the date of arrival in another country. As per RBI guidelines, submission of PAN is mandatory for International tours. Other than photo ID proof following documents are required –

• Address proof – Aadhar Card, Voter’s ID, Driving License
• PAN card (Mandatory for international tours)
• Physically signed booking form (In case of offline booking)
• Physically signed Terms & Conditions form(In case of offline booking)

• Online Booking. A guest can book a tour online through our website ancient-trails.com. When booked online you are required to send your documents via Email or you may even drop the documents at our offices. Upon receiving your documents, a booing confirmation will be sent to you via Email immediately. During the process of online booking, you will have to go through our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions and also need to accept the Terms & Conditions set by us. This will form a valid and legally binding contract between you and the company. Physically online acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of the booking will constitute an enforceable and legally binding contract. Our website provides the facility of online booking of our tours however, we cannot give any guarantee or warranty with respect to website booking engine which could malfunction due to various reasons including software or network errors. We have incorporated all modern techniques to ensure that your data and payment-related information is kept confidential and secure. However, you will be redirected from our website to the third party gateway and your credit card/debit card / Netbanking details might be stored by the respective bank or payment gateway for which we shall not be responsible/liable.

The online booking of the tours made available through this website is subject to availability and solely at the discretion of Ancient Trails. A guest must ensure that the correct information is provided while filling up the form. If any or all of these contact details are not given correctly then we reserve the right to cancel the booking at the risk and cost of the guest.

• Physical fitness
  When the Guest is intending to book a tour, or when someone else books a tour for him, in his name then it implies that the guest is physically fit to travel to that particular destination. It is very important for the Guest to take care of his health throughout the tour. Health is entirely his risk and responsibility. It shall be the duty of the guest to inform Ancient Trails in writing, in case of any medical condition that may affect his ability to enjoy the tour. Under such conditions, we reserve the right to decline or accept such guest on that particular tour. Any health issue arising on tour or any stay back due to the same shall be entirely borne by the guest and we shall not be held responsible in any manner whatsoever. Veena World reserves all rights (without obligation) to ask the guest to undergo medical tests and provide written certification of his medical fitness before departure or at any time during the tour and if he fails to undergo such tests or fail to provide such certificates, we may decline him or accept him on the tour. However, it is not our obligation to check his medical condition. The guest must bring with himself any medication that may require by him while on Tour. He must also note that service providers such as airlines may decline to accept him on medical grounds. The guest must read the Rules and regulations of the service providers because we shall not be responsible for the consequences suffered by the guest. To some extent, losses on account of cancellation or curtailment attributable to hospitalization as also expenses of hospitalization incurred by the guest may be covered by insurance. You may opt for insurance for domestic tours while insurance is complimentary for international tours. You are requested to please read the Insurance section very carefully.

Amendment / Cancellation of a Booking

• Amendment in booking

If you wish to make any changes in the booking then you have to communicate your request to us in writing and/or Email. Such amendment requests will be considered subject to availability.

Please note –

1. The changed booking will not be considered as a new booking
2. Amendment charges of INR 1000/- + GST are applicable for every amendment

• Cancellation of Booking
  1. If you wish to cancel your booking then you have to notify us in writing. Also, you are required to submit your original receipt(s)/invoice(s) along with your written application. Following charges are applicable in case of cancellation of a tour –

1. Please note that if air ticket booking is done with NON-REFUNDABLE airfare then cancellation charges to be borne by the customer and the remaining amount will be refunded as per above cancellation policy. Ancient Trails is not liable to give any details of cancellation charges whatsoever. Any refund will be paid to the guest by cheque within 7 working days from the date we receive cancellation application.

1. Please note that above cancellation charges are excluding GST and charged on the total tour cost. GST levied on your tours is NON REFUNDABLE and cannot be refunded in any of the above cases.
2. In case you have insured your tour then according to insurance company’s policy cancellation charges can be claimed. However, these claims need to be directly made to your insurance company.
3. In case of VISA rejection, your booking will lead to deemed cancellation and automatically it will be cancelled without any intimation or confirmation. VISA rejection date will be considered as the date of cancellation and cancellation charges will be applicable accordingly. If no intimation of VISA(Granted/Rejected) is received from consulate then it is considered as deemed cancellation and cancellation charges will be applicable as above.
4. In case of non-payment of the remaining tour cost, the booking would be deemed to have cancelled on the date of intimation of such rejection. You will be communicated the last date of payment of the tour at the time of booking and / or via Email / Phone / Whatsapp. In such case cancellation charges as stated above along with GST will be applicable. It is your responsibility to make the payments on time regardless of whether we have followed up or not.
5. No Show or absence on Day 1 of the Tour, is termed as No Show and treated as deemed cancellation and no refund is applicable.
6. Discontinuation / Termination of the tour will be termed as deemed cancellation and no refund is applicable. If the guest discontinues the ongoing tour then no refund will be given.

• Tour cancellation by Ancient Trails

Ancient Trails reserves right to cancel or reschedule any tour without any reasons. Such intimation will be given to the guest. In such a case, the amount paid by the traveler will be refunded to a guest by AC Payee cheque within 7 working days of the cancellation of a tour

          Ancient Trails is not liable to pay any interest on the tour amount. A traveler may choose to utilize this amount for our future tours. For more details, please contact our office.

• The Company reserves the right to:

• Take the booking for the group tour and individual tour.
• Cancel bookings even after the acceptance of the payment without assigning any reason. In this case, the company shall refund the money to the guest.
• Dismiss any guest from the tour for misbehavior especially if it affects the group and Physical or verbal assault to the Tour Manager or anyone
• Withdraw discounts at any point of time.
• Change the routing of Air Travel.

• Change hotel and/tour program due to unavoidable circumstances

Hotels/Meals

• Hotels:
  1. Ancient Trails is bound to provide the utmost comfort while you stay. Hence convenient and comfortable hotels are selected for the stay. At certain heritage destinations, there might be limited availability of such hotels. In that case, the best possible hotel will be booked. Whilst it is always our intention to book hotels of a similar standard & location, no liability can be accepted for any variation of either.
  2. Any damages caused to the hotel rooms / Coach / place of visit etc. during your stay/tour/visit, shall be borne and payable by you. You are advised to immediately report any pre-existing damage in your room to hotel staff and/or Ancient Trails Tour Manager as soon as it is discovered. Ancient Trails shall not be liable for sudden disruption/disorder of telephone, internet services, and other amenities while staying at the hotels, Unprofessional and rude behavior of hotel staff does not come under our direct control and we will not be responsible for the same. Although we take utmost efforts not to select such hotels, sometimes such incidences are not in our controls and Ancient Trails will not be held responsible for this.
  3. Facilities like mini bar, alcoholic beverages, laundry, paid television channels, telephone calls, etc. are not complementary and if you use these facilities then the extra charges of these facilities are directly payable to the hotel by you and are not included in tour cost.
  4. Most of the hotels facilitate complimentary WiFi facility however sometimes WiFi may not be available at remote locations or at some place the WiFi facility is provided at an extra price. If you use such paid WiFi facility then the cost to be borne by you. Kindly ensure with the hotel staff for your WiFi requirement when you check-in.
  5. Some Important Points to be noted:
• Single Occupancy 
  A guest may opt for single occupancy however he/she will be required to bear the single occupancy charges for the entire tour. Single rooms are comparatively smaller in size than the twin sharing rooms and may be located on a different floor or in corner side from the rooms of other group members.
• Twin/Double Occupancy

Our all tours are designed as per twin sharing basis. Hotels normally have queen size beds in their rooms. They also have some of the rooms equipped with twin separate beds. If a guest wishes to opt for a separate bed in twin sharing then it will be provided subject to availability. Similarly, If a guest wishes to opt for queen size bed then such room will be provided subject to availability.

• Triple Sharing Occupancy

Triple sharing can be provided in a hotel upon request by a guest. However, we do recommend twin sharing rooms as a third bed in triple sharing rooms is often a mattress or a cot depending on the availability at the hotel.

1. Please note that single person joining the tour normally will be given a sharing partner in twin sharing basis & this is subject to availability of the room partner of the same gender. However, any misunderstandings or incidences like missing items or difference of opinion between each other will have to be settled between room partners themselves. We are not responsible for any loss or mishap. If for any reason, concerned partner cancels or alters the booking of the tour, then the other guest / partner has to bear entire room charges. No adjustments shall be made from the money contributed by guest / partner who has cancelled the tour. Shared rooms have 'No Smoking' policy. Cleanliness of the room and especially the bathrooms is to be maintained under any circumstances. Any Religious thing one does shouldn't be a botheration or force to others. Safety of money and valuables is own responsibility even one has to take care of oneself and another person should not be forced to help or assist. Ancient Trails shall not be responsible or liable for any claims or issues arising out of the shared rooming.
2. Please note that while allocating rooms, we cannot guarantee the availability of adjoining rooms / Interconnecting rooms / non-smoking rooms / rooms on the same floor / ground floor rooms, etc. We do however constantly try to facilitate senior citizens with the ground floor rooms; they are purely subject to availability and not in our control.
3. Check-in and Check-out time  
   You have to abide by the check-in and check-out time of the respective hotels. For Indian hotels, generally the check-in time is 12 noon and check-out time is 10 am. For International hotels, generally the check-in time is 3 p.m. and the check-out time is at 12 noon. If you want any change therein, like early check-in or late check-out, you will have to manage the same on his/her own with hotel authorities on payment of additional charges, if any. Any loss to hotel property knowingly or unknowingly during this period will have to be borne by you. Ancient Trails shouldn't be held responsible.
4. Accommodation for children

It is expressed and given to understand that a child below 12 years of age who is booked on the tour paying the special rate without a bed will not be provided with a bed in the hotel while on the tour under any circumstances. In case the guest makes any changes in their rooming or opt for an extra bed or any service related to their child/children while on the tour, we shall not make any refunds or pay any compensation to them. In such a case, the guest will be bound to pay an additional charge directly to the hotel.

1. Ancient Trails reserves the right to change the hotel any time due to any reasons. Hence we shall not be held in case hotel mentioned in the itinerary or website is not provided to the guest.

• Meals:
  1. There is mostly a pre-set menu for meals depending on the tour program. Packed meals are served at some places. The Company mostly serves Vegetarian food.
  2. In case it becomes absolutely necessary to change the meal arrangement, we reserve the right to do so.
  3. Hotels provide complimentary breakfast at a certain time. If you wake up late and miss the breakfast or reach late or your flight is delayed or for any other reason whatsoever you miss any meal of the day, then you are not entitled to claim any meal or breakfast or refund for the same.
  4. Any specific meal requirements, including allergies, must be provided at the time of booking and are received on a REQUEST basis only. We cannot assure special meal requests will be fulfilled and does not assume responsibility or liability if requests are not fulfilled. For specific meal requirements pertaining to children, you can co-ordinate with your tour manager and he will assist you in obtaining the same, however, we cannot guarantee that this requirement will be fulfilled at every place and Ancient Trails will not be held responsible for the same.

In the case of Jain food requirement, the same has to be conveyed to us at the time of booking. We shall place such requests to the restaurants; however, we cannot guarantee the availability of full course Jain food. These days most of the restaurants offer Jain food in their menu on an a-la-carte basis. You may opt for the same and it will not be a part of a set menu. Company will bear the cost of such orders provided a proper intimation is given to us in advance.         

In the case of infants, their meal arrangements like tinned food or anything specific to be carried by the guest himself on their own cost. Tour Manager will certainly assist you in arranging milk or boiled water or plain dal and rice from the hotel. (we appreciate a prior intimation)

1. While we endeavour to select the best quality restaurants for lunch/dinner halts in terms of food, sanitation facilities, hygiene, and service, the company has no direct control over their maintenance. Please take note that the Restaurant Manager allots the table for the group & the same depends upon the group size and infrastructure of the restaurant

Local Transport / Airlines / Baggage

• Local Transport
  1. For local transport in the tour, normally we provide 2 x 2 AC coach. However, depending on the group size we may provide AC tempo traveller which would not have 2 x 2 seating. Hence no complaint whatsoever regarding the type of transport will be entertained.
  2. Seating arrangement in a coach shall be normally as per the booking date. i.e. the guest who books first will get the front seats and so on. However, it is advised to the guest that they should voluntarily offer front seats to the elders. Any seating related issues if arises then the same will be sorted out by the tour manager in his own capacity. No complaint will be further entertained by Ancient Trails.
  3. Please note that in a bus first two seats will be reserved for tour manager and expert.
  4. Company will not be responsible for any defect in the bus or for the behavior of the driver. The drivers are bound by specific rules produced by Bus Company. Hence you are not supposed to give any instructions on your own to the driver.
  5. Ancient Trails strictly follows ‘No Smoking’ and ‘No Alcohol’ policy on the bus. Guests are advised not to keep their valuables in a bus while sightseeing. In case of loss of valuables from Bus, Company shall not be held responsible. If the bus is accidently or otherwise damaged by the guest in any way then he/she will be required to pay for the damages.
• Airlines

1. Flights specified in the tour itineraries are included in the tour cost. We rely upon and follow the Airline Agreement regarding air travel and services given by airlines, through enrolment and payment for the tour. The guest accepts and acknowledges the same.
2. Please note that tickets are booked in a group and no individual ticket can be issued separately to the guests. Tickets, when booked, will be immediately sent to you by Email.
3. While filling the booking form, write down the exact name printed on your passports or ID proofs. Ancient Trails will not be liable for any name change fee or denial at the airports due to name mismatch.
4. Airline changes prices and routes from time to time. All such changes are directly under the control of airlines and company will not be responsible for the same.
5. For tours, inclusive airfare, the costing of airfare is considered on the basis of a group booking. If any guest books a tour at the last moment then the difference (if any) between airfare that we receive from airline and airfare at actual is to be borne by the guest. Such intimation will be given to the guest prior to the booking.
6. Our certain tours are inclusive of economy class airfare. If any guest wishes to upgrade the class then the extra cost is to be borne by the guest. Guest needs to convey his/her requirement at the time of booking.
7. If a guest opts for skipping air travelling in our airfare inclusive tours then he/she will need to join the tour on a specified date, time and specified destination, on his/her own. In case of delay, no show the tour will continue as per the itinerary. Please note that the company is not bound to hold the tour for the guest. It will be the sole responsibility of the guest to join the tour.       
8. In case of cancellation of air ticket by a guest, a refund will be issued as per the airline policy. If a flight is cancelled by the airline company then also the refund whatever is applicable will be issued as per airline policy. Refund of airfare is not under the control of Ancient Trails.
9. Airline Seating Ancient Trails does not pre-book seats while booking air tickets. Seats are allocated at the time of check-in. However, airline companies offer certain seats at extra cost before check-in. In case any guest wants to book specific seats in a flight then he/she is required to convey this at the time of booking a tour. Extra charges for a special seat to be bourn by the guest. It is not included in our tour cost.
10. Airline Services Airline offers certain services such as snacks, wheelchair, Lounge, Insurance, extra baggage, etc at extra cost. Our tour cost does not include these charges. If a guest wants to opt for these services then the same needs to be conveyed to us at the time of booking. We can arrange these services for you at an extra cost.
11. Airline Availability Ancient Trails reserves the right to offer alternative schedules for itineraries affected by airline schedule changes. Flight delays, cancellations, and schedule changes are the responsibilities of airline and Ancient Trails will not be responsible for such changes which are under control of the airline.
12. Ancient Trails Liability Company organizes its tours by co-ordinating with various independent service providers. The company takes the utmost precaution to ensure that the tour is comfortable and hassle-free. Also, Guests are updated from time to time through different media of communication in case of changes. Though we take maximum care, neither we have control over the mode of transport like shipping, Airline, trains, coaches, busses, etc. nor on the hotels, restaurants or any other facilities. Thus, we shall not be responsible for any kind of damage to the person or to the property because of these independent vendors. Ancient Trails shall, in no circumstances whatsoever be liable to guest or any person travelling with the guest for Loss of Baggage while it is in the custody of the airline, failure to provide meal of the guest’s choice by the Airline, overbooking of seats by the Airline, Failure on the part of Airline to accommodate the guest despite having confirmed tickets, Meals offered by the airline/Quality of meal, Flight delay, guest missing the flight, changes of flight schedule/ routing/airline mentioned at the time of booking. In this condition, the expression ‘howsoever cause’ includes willful negligence on the part of the guests. In any event, if the guest has booked a particular Airline on a particular date and due to certain reasons beyond our control, they are not allowed to board the flight, then Ancient Trails shall not be held responsible for the same and the guest can make no claim whatsoever against us.

1. Additional Charges and Taxes by Airlines, Visa & Government

The airline is an independent organization, the Company does not have any control over their operations; neither on the increase in airfare, fuel or any other taxes. All such hikes have to be paid by you before the tour departure. Air Ticket Cancellation charges plus deposit forfeit charges applicable under the rules of the concerned Airline are to be paid by you immediately in the event of cancellation of the tour.

Any Hike in visa fee/VFS fees or increase in government tax is not under our control. Therefore, you will have to bear such additional charges.

Due to the requirements of the airlines, the points of entry and exit in a country may change. We may operate more than one coach per departure date or club 2 groups in one departure and may for convenience reverse the direction or amend the itinerary.

Airport taxes / Airport Development Fee, as applicable, is to be paid over & above the Tour price should there be a rise post-issuance of tickets. All the booking / cancellation / change of the airline ticket and the travel on such airline ticket will be subject to the terms and conditions of respective Airlines and we will provide the same to the guest upon request, if available.

• Airline Baggage:

When the guests are travelling by air, they are subject to the airline restrictions / limitations on baggage weight / size / number from time to time. Traditionally, Airline Regulations permits a guest to carry only 2 bags per person. Check-in bag with a maximum weight of 20 kgs and a handbag(cabin bag) with a maximum weight of 7 kgs with dimensions not exceeding 115 cms. In certain baggage will not be included in the package. Additional charges could be applicable and the guest shall be liable to pay such additional charges directly to the airline. The baggage restrictions could also vary for different classes of travel. Please understand that every airline has different policies and they keep changing these policies quite frequently. Hence, the guests are requested to please check the updated baggage rules of the individual airlines, with whom the ticket is booked. We are not liable, in any manner, if you are unable to carry any baggage or if the guest has to pay any extra charges due to restrictions imposed by the airline.

We would recommend the guests to carry bags with wheels and sturdy handles, preferably a stroller, which is convenient to carry and pull along as porterage is not included in the Tour cost.

Guests may please note that for Domestic flights or internal flights from one city to another city on international tours, the baggage allowance will be as per the respective airline baggage policy and weight regulations. Guests are requested to pack their belongings and carry luggage in accordance with the respective airlines' baggage allowance. Excess baggage (if any) will be chargeable as per the airline policy and the same has to be borne by the guest.

General

• Complimentary Items / Services

Providing complimentary items / services / activities on a tour is at the sole discretion of the management. Ancient Trails reserves all the rights to revoke/amend/stop/discontinue these services/items/activities at any time without any prior notice.

• Expert Unavailability

We designate outside expert on our certain tours. In case of unavailability of that expert due to his/her personal reasons at that moment, we will arrange an in-house expert. No complaint whatsoever will be entertained related to this event.

• Money to carry along on a tour

Even though our tours are all-inclusive tours, still you should carry sufficient money to meet the personal expenses or medical emergencies. Any additional expenses not covered in a tour unless specified; need to be borne by you. You may carry money in the form of cash or card. Along with the bare minimum required amount of cash; carrying Debit/Credit card is always suggested. 

         For international tours, you can carry a maximum of $3000 at a time in cash. Rest of the amount can be taken as Forex Card. Normally our tours are inclusive of meals, local transport, and sightseeing. However, for shopping/ personal expenses, you are suggested to carry sufficient money along with you. In case of queries related to foreign exchange, you may contact our office staff. They will assist you in getting different currencies. Please note that exchange rates of currencies are not in our control and guest is required to exchange his/her currency at the actual rate of the day they exchange.

         Please note that our International Tours are designed according to the current rate of a currency. Hence Ancient Trails reserves the right to change the tour costing of International Tours from time to time. Due to the fluctuation of rates in currency, other charges such as flights, accommodation, meals, sightseeing are bound to change. In case, currency rates are reduced then we do lend these benefits to our fellow guests by giving handsome discounts on our tours.

• Participation in a tour

Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult, who will be responsible for their welfare and supervision. Ancient Trails seeks to provide a safe, enjoyable and memorable travel experience for all guests. Please note the following:

1. Guests must, at time of booking, inform us about any physical, medical or other special needs that are required by them. Ancient Trails can make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, and procedures as and when necessary unless doing so will fundamentally alter the nature of the services provided.

1. Guests must ensure they are medically and physically able to travel. We reserve the right to exclude an individual guest from participating in a Tour or a certain activity if such guest’s participation poses a threat to the health or safety of others.

1. Ancient Trails does not employ medical personnel/doctor on a tour. Any necessary medical attention must be sought at a local facility, if available, at the guest’s expense. We are not responsible or liable for losses or costs incurred due to unavailability of medical services, or medical services obtained while on holiday, or for the quality of the care or services received. We suggest the guests to purchase medical insurance that will cover them while on holiday as regular health insurance benefits may not apply abroad.

1. Some Tours include rough terrain, extensive walking over cobblestone streets, uneven pavement, steps and/or locations which may not be easily accessible or accessible by wheelchair. Some experiences during the Tour involve outdoor activities and/or can be physically demanding. Guests must make their own decisions about experiences and participate only in activities that suit their physical ability. We suggest that the guest must speak with their medical advisor if they have any questions about their abilities. We would recommend the guest to check whether insurance that the guest has includes such participation in adventure activities. During the Tour, Ancient Trails may suggest a guest to refrain from such activities on the basis of their health conditions. In such case, we are not liable for any refund / alternate sightseeing for an individual.

• Guests in need of special assistance:

In a group tour, special services cannot be given to any specific person. However, if informed at the time of booking, Ancient Trails, without being held responsible in any way whatsoever, will try to make reasonable attempt to accommodate the special needs of disabled guests or senior citizens. Most transportation services are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. A capable companion must accompany the guest who needs assistance.

• Tour Managers

Tour Managers/Leaders/assistants/escorts are assisting to the guest/s throughout the tour but they are not responsible for guest/s baggage or any loss, damage, injury, accident, baggage loss, damage of personal belongings. All such loss or expense must be borne by the guests. The guests on their sole discretion, cost, risk, and consequences can lodge a complaint with the local authorities.

If the Couch Authorities / Hotel Staff find the lost Baggage / Personal belonging then it’s the guest’s sole responsibility to make arrangements to get back the lost item/baggage from the respective authorities/ staff. Ancient Trails or its Tour managers are not in any manner whatsoever responsible to get back the lost item.

The instructions and information of the tour are to be followed in the group tours and Tour Manager is not responsible for any instructions overruled by the guest/s and its consequences.

For the sake of easy and quick information sharing, Ancient Trails’ tour manager will create a temporary WhatsApp group of its guests on the 2nd day of the tour. This group would be created solely for information and tour sightseeing instructions. In case any guest does not wish to get involved in a WhatsApp group, then the same must be informed to the tour manager immediately.

• Liabilities and Responsibilities:

Liabilities and Responsibilities of Ancient Trails

The liability of the Company is restricted only to make a reservation in accordance with your requirements & no further. Company is not liable for any loss of person or property which is caused or damaged or suffered by you on account of deficiency in services by any independent contractor.

Any gesture of courtesy extended by us to minimize such loss or damage will not constitute an admission of such liability or a waiver.

Please read and understand the following points and take note that in case of any discrepancies occur related to the below-mentioned points, Ancient Trails shall in no circumstances whatsoever be held liable:

1. If a booking is made and confirmed at a price which is erroneous we may correct our error by notifying you. Unless we agree to honor the erroneous price, you will have the right to cancel within 7 days of notification without penalty.

1. Taking care of the valuables is your sole responsibility; in fact, we would suggest and recommend you not to carry unnecessary valuables like gold, high-end equipment on tour.
2. Cancellations, acts of other service providers, diversions or substitution of equipment or any act, variation, postponement, omission or default by air carriers, land carriers, hoteliers or hotels, transportation companies, or any other persons providing services or accommodations to guests including any results thereof, such as changes in services, accommodations or facilities.
3. Train/flight delays, on account of any reason due to rescheduling/ cancellation of train/flights/inter-connection/ meals not being served, etc. is not in our control.
4. Loss or damage to luggage or property, or for injury, illness or death, or for any damages or claims whatsoever arising from loss, negligence or delay from the act, error, omission default or negligence of any person who is not a direct employee of Ancient Trails or under its exclusive control, including any act, error, omission, default, or negligence of any country, government or governmental authority, officer or employee. The released parties shall not be liable for indirect, special or consequential damages.
5. Any change due to unforeseen circumstances including weather condition / strike / war / VIP movement and security, heavy rush at sightseeing places, road traffic congestion, etc., are not in our control. We shall strive to give you the maximum possible refund subject to the agreement made with our trade partners/vendors.
6. The airline reserves the right of allocation of seats and food service in the aircraft and we have no control over them.
7. Any personal injury, sickness, accident, loss, delay, discomfort, consequential loss and/or damage or any damage to baggage or personal effects howsoever caused shall be your sole responsibility.
8. If any injury, loss, personal harm, death or damage caused to any person or property by the act or default of the management/ employees / agents of any independent contractor, Ancient Trails will not be liable to you.
9. We take no responsibility if any damages, additional expenses or any consequential losses suffered by you due to cancellation, amendment and / or alteration of any of the services of the tour mentioned in the itinerary / brochure by us after the registration / booking are made by you. Each of these conditions shall be severable from the other, if any provision declared invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then remaining provisions nevertheless have full force & effect.

• Guest(s) Responsibility:

At the time of booking, a guest must ensure that he/she provides the correct information on the booking form. Please note that all travel documents are non-transferable and must be issued in the name of the passport/photo identity holder, otherwise the booking may be cancelled. The Passport must be valid from the start of the tour to at least 180 days subsequent to the scheduled arrival date of the tour - subject to rules of the specific visa embassy or consulate. The Guest shall ensure timely collection of all such documents to enable them to be present in time for departure and undertake the tour. The guests should keep certified true copies and photocopies of all documents including valid travel documents and statutory clearances, including passports, visas, confirmed travel tickets, insurance including medical insurance certificates, any other document used to confirm the services of tour including an arrangement with independent contractor and other statutory certificates, used by you while on tour.

• Behaviour & Punctuality

As you are traveling with a group of Ancient Trails, all participants are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is not disruptive to the group and in a manner that is appropriate for group travel. We are here to provide the best services possible but in doing so we will strictly not tolerate abusive or aggressive behavior from our guests. We also strictly prohibit the possession or carriage of illegal or restricted substances (drugs).

Further, you agree that your fellow travelers and any Ancient Trails' representative has the right to travel/work in a safe environment. For the benefit of everyone on Tour, Ancient Trails reserves the right to accept or reject the booking of any guest and to remove any guest from participating in or being a part of one or more itineraries where his or her conduct is deemed inappropriate & incompatible with the interest of the other travelers. We will refuse to deal with the guests who assault our Company Representatives or who are abusive or aggressive. We reserve the right at any time to terminate the travel arrangements and/or cease to deal with such guest whose behavior, in the reasonable opinion of us or our suppliers, may cause danger, upset, disruption or distress to anyone else or damage to property. In such case, full cancellation charges will apply and no refund will be made. We shall have no obligation to pay compensation or meet any costs or expenses (including but not limited to alternative accommodation and return transportation arrangements) guest may incur as a result of the travel arrangements being terminated.

Ancient Trails is not responsible for any losses, including; missed sightseeing or having to make alternate travel arrangements, if you fail to meet the representatives of Ancient Trails at assigned timings and places/pick up points while on tour. Ancient Trails will not refund nor cover any cost or expenses incurred for termination of vacation arrangements due to unacceptable behavior or inability to maintain punctuality. The decision of behavior is acceptable or unacceptable rests solely with Ancient Trails.

Guest are requested to take care of their valuables and personal belongings on tour. In case, if a guest forgets their valuables or personal belongings on tour, Ancient Trails will not be liable to bring the items back.

If the guest damages the accommodation in which they are staying or any property, they must reimburse all the cost of damage to the service provider or property owner before the end of their stay if the cost has been established by then or as soon as it has been established, if later. The guest must indemnify us for the full amount of claim (also including legal costs), if any, made against us. Criminal proceedings may be instigated.

Ancient Trails is not responsible for any costs incurred concerning the removal of guests from a Tour or aircraft, ship or train. Guests agree not to hold Ancient Trails liable for any actions taken under these terms and conditions.

• Risk and Safety:

Please be aware that during your participation in the Tours operated by Ancient Trails, certain risks and dangers may arise beyond our control, including but not limited to: the hazards of traveling in undeveloped areas; travel by boat, train, automobile, aircraft, or other means of transportation; forces of nature; political unrest; acts of lawlessness or terrorism; animal interaction; hazardous local customs and practices; differing levels of sanitation; differing standards of safety; risks associated with water, food, plants, insects and differing animal regulation; accident or illness in areas lacking means of rapid evacuation or medical facilities; and acts of national and local governments and unrest and acts of others against governments. These risks are not an exhaustive list but are examples of many kinds of risks. You are voluntarily participating in these activities with the knowledge that there are significant dangers involved, and you hereby agree to accept any and all risks. As lawful consideration for the agreement with Ancient Trails to participate in Tours you agree that you will not make any claim against Ancient Trails or its personnel or sue for bodily injury, emotional trauma, death, property loss or damage or other loss, cost or expense, however, caused, as a result of or related to your contracting for, travelling to or from, or in any and every other way participating in the Tour. Ancient Trails will not have liability regarding provision of medical care or the adequacy of any care that may be rendered. While Ancient Trails will use its best efforts to ensure that adequate measures are taken, by agreeing to participate in a vacation and/or optional excursions you agree that you will hold Ancient Trails harmless regarding any provision of medical care or the adequacy of any care rendered. Ancient Trails is not responsible for such risks and dangers that may arise beyond our control. Payment of your deposit indicates you accept these risks and dangers and agree to hold Ancient Trails harmless for such.

This release of liability and assumption of risk agreement is entered into on behalf of the guests and all members of their family, also including the minors. This agreement also binds the heirs, legal representatives, and assigns of the guest.

• Extra Information
  1. For part tour:Tour Manager cannot accompany you at the time of arrival or departure as per the itinerary
  2. Government rules for NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Guest:All guest/s staying abroad including NRIs or foreigners should abide by all the laws, rules, and regulations of Government of India and / or the country concerned while undertaking the tour. NRI Guest must carry all the prescribed documents including but not limited to OCI Card, if applicable, along with them on Tour. Ancient Trails does not take any responsibility or liability in case any Guest is not permitted to travel because of the absence of such documents.
  3. External guest(s) not allowed:External guest/s cannot be invited on tour by any guest and they are not allowed to use any of the services of the tour.
  4. Paid Toilets:At some places/destinations/country, there are paid toilets halts, which guest/s have to take care on their own.
  5. Smoke-free environment:For the guest’s comfort we enforce a strict no smoking (including e-cigarettes) and no alcohol policy onboard coaches/ cars. Regular comfort stops are made on traveling days. Many hotels, restaurants, trains, cruises and other venues are 100% smoke-free.
  6. Grievances:Any claims, grievances and / or complaints in respect of services provided by any of the independent contractors, you shall immediately notify the same to the independent contractor in writing, and a copy of the same must be handed over to the Tour Manager escort/leader/Assistant and/or Company not later than 7 days thereof to enable Ancient Trails to take up the matter with the concerned independent contractor.
  7. Communication:All the communication from us shall be directed at the address or made through/on the contact details such as e-mail id, cell phone/telephone number that you provide in the “Booking Form” and it shall be deemed that the message has been communicated and received by you. We shall not be held responsible for any error on part of the mode of communication.
  8. Photographs or Video Clips & Social Media:You agree that Ancient Trails has a right to use Photographs/Video Clips of the guest taken on tour and/ or given by guest, for promotion of Ancient Trails' Business without obtaining any further consent or payment in respect of such photographs and/or videos. Such Photographs/Video Clips can be used on any media with due respect for emotions/sentiments of guest/s.
  9. Mapsgiven on the tour pages are indicative & just for your reference. They are not the actual maps.
  10. Indemnification You also agree to indemnify Ancient Trails against all third-party claims, actions, damages and remedies which may be brought against us in respect of your participation in the Tour.
  11. Jurisdiction:All disputes pertaining to the tour and any claim arising therein shall be subject to the Court of Jurisdiction at Pune only.
  12. Attorney/client fees:If you are unsuccessful in any legal action instituted against us, you agree to pay all our costs, including but not limited to, attorney/client fees.
• General Terms:

1. Accessing our websites Ancient Trails website will only be available at such times as we may decide, and we do not guarantee that our website, or any website content, will always be available or be uninterrupted. We may suspend our websites at any time without notice and for any reason, including for upgrade, maintenance, repair, prevention of damage, and investigation. We may suspend, withdraw, discontinue or change all or any part of our websites at any time without notice. We shall have no liability to you (including in negligence) if our website is not available for any reason, and we shall have no obligation to you to make sure that our websites are available to you at any time.
2. No misuse You must not misuse our websites by knowingly introducing viruses, Trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorized access to our websites, the server on which our websites are stored or any server, computer or database connected to our websites. You must not attack our websites via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of service attack. By breaching this provision, you would commit a criminal offense, including under the Information Technology Act. We will report any such breach to the relevant law enforcement authorities and we will co-operate with those authorities by disclosing your identity to them. In the event of such a breach, your right to use our websites will cease immediately.
3. Accuracy and authenticity of the information provided by you

When you submit any information to us, including in connection with a registration, inquiry or booking, you must ensure that all the information provided by you such as names, dates of travel, passport numbers, etc. is true, accurate, current, and complete in all respects. We will rely on the information provided by you. Ancient Trails will not in any way be liable for any loss or inconvenience suffered by you as a result of erroneous information provided by you.

1. Website Usage Our website content is provided for general information only, with the understanding that we are not engaged in the rendering of legal or other professional advice or service. Your reliance on or use of our websites and website content is entirely at your own risk.
   • . Third-Party Products

In the case of third party products displayed on our website, we take no responsibility for the contents, quality or safety of the product in any way. Ancient Trails would not be in any way liable or responsible for any loss, damage or injury sustained by the user as a result of availing such products and services advertised by third parties on the website.

Validity and Change

Although we make constant efforts to update the information on our site, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied that the content on our site is accurate, complete or up-to-date. In any event, our website content is only valid at the time it is downloaded and may change on a subsequent visit to our websites. We shall be entitled to change our website content from time to time, and cease to provide any particular website content (including part, functionality or service of our websites), without notice, and for any reason.

Viruses

Whilst we make all reasonable attempts to exclude viruses from our websites and website content, we cannot ensure that there will be none or that our websites will not be subject to unauthorized access or modification. Thus, you are recommended to take all appropriate safeguards on your computer or another device (including installing appropriate protective software) before downloading any of our website content.

Third-Party Websites

we may include a link to a third-party website in our website content then you should note that these third-party websites are not our responsibility and if you visit them it will be entirely at your own risk. These links to websites are in nature of paid advertising and are not verified by Ancient Trails. Access to these links is voluntary and does not indicate that we are endorsing, sponsoring or recommending such sites. We are not responsible for the direct or indirect consequences of your navigating to any other website from our website. You are requested to use these links at your own discretion, risk, and cost. Please go through the Terms and Conditions and review the privacy policies of these websites before you submit any personal data to them. You can also review our Privacy Policy for more details on this clause.

Our Copyright

You acknowledge that all copyright, designs, database rights, trademarks, patents, and all other intellectual property and material rights relating to our website content (and in the selection and arrangement thereof) is and remains our sole and absolute property. Copying any content from our website will be liable for legal action under the copyright act.

• Disclaimer:

Complete Agreement By booking a tour, a guest forms a contract with Ancient Trails and it is assumed that a guest has read through these terms and conditions mentioned by the company and accepted the same.

• Changes to these terms We may revise the terms and conditions time to time without prior notice to you. These changes will be updated by publishing the new version on our website. You are expected and should check these terms each time you visit our website, to have the necessary track and awareness in case of any changes or updates.  Latest updated terms and Conditions will override all previously sent/ published Terms and conditions. 
• Contact us:

If you have any questions about our website or these terms of use, including any complaints, please contact us either by e-mail to travelwith@ancient-trails.com or Contact Number +91 7272 90 0202 / +91 7272 90 0606, 020 -24441323 .