Introduction

Wānaka Mountain Guides (WMG), a Worksafe registered provider of adventure activities and DOC concession holder.

If you have any questions regarding these terms and conditions, please email us at info@wanakamountainguides.co.nz.

Fitness, experience, health, and limiting factors

Prior to booking a trip with WMG, you must provide an honest and accurate assessment of your own level of fitness, mountaineering, skiing, climbing, or trekking experience, health and current medical conditions, or any other limiting factors that may affect your safe participation in the activity (for example asthma, allergies, heart conditions, epilepsy or pregnancy). 

At any time from the booking to the end of the trip/course you join, we must be kept updated with any limiting factors (including medical or health issues) that may affect the outcome of the trip for yourself or others.

Payment

All prices are in New Zealand Dollars. We do not accept payment in any other currency.

We accept payments by online bank transfer (which must include all bank transfer fees), Paypal, or credit card (note: there is a 4% surcharge for payments by Paypal or credit card). Get in contact for payment arrangements.

A non-refundable deposit of 20% of the total trip cost per person is required at the time of booking (see Cancellation). For short group trips and courses we may ask for payment in full at the time of booking.

Our receipt of a completed registration form and payment of your deposit confirms your booking.

The payment of a deposit or the full amount of the booking fee confirms you accept all of the terms and conditions on this page.

Full payment must be made 30 days before the commencement date. If the balance is not received by the specified date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and your deposit will be forfeited. In the event of a booking made within 30 days, the full amount is payable when booking.

Insurance

WMG fees do not include insurance for your personal circumstances (including but not limited to travel, injury, medical, and equipment).

We strongly recommend you obtain:

• Travel insurance to cover you in the event of a trip cancellation by either you or us, for trip changes, or for medical emergencies to cover you for your own personal health needs;
• Personal and third-party insurance for the cover of damage or loss of equipment and property.

We do not accept liability, responsibility, or any expenses for insurance related costs incurred by participants in preparation for or participation in our trips and courses.

Cancellation

All cancellations must be made in writing via email to: info@wanakamountainguides.co.nz.

Should you cancel your booking you will receive a full refund less a cancellation fee:

• 20% of the total trip/course fee;
• Between 30 and 15 days before your trip/course starts: 75% of the total trip/course fee;
• Cancellation less than 15 days (or during) no refund will be given.

WMG reserves the right to cancel any trip at any time. Some reasons we might have to do so may include (but are not limited to): weather, guide illness, and too few participants. In the event of us canceling a trip, the opportunity to re-book at another time or a full refund will be given.

Itinerary changes

You acknowledge that mountaineering, skiing, climbing, and trekking are subject to many variables including but not limited to environmental conditions that cannot be guaranteed.

When situations including (but not limited to) weather conditions, natural distastes, forces of nature, or other situations out of our control that restrict or prohibit outdoor activities or prevent a scheduled trip from operating, we reserve the right to change the itinerary and/or substitute alternative activities.

We also reserve the right to change the itinerary if the clients do not meet the required fitness, health, or behavior attributes (see below). In the case of a private guiding program, if you fail to meet minimum experience/fitness requirements, alternate objectives will be arranged. In a group trip, individuals who do not meet these requirements may be excluded from all or part of an activity.

If the primary objective of a trip is achieved earlier than the scheduled finish date, you retain the services of the guide and they will suggest suitable alternative activities.

Behavior

Whilst on a trip/course you are expected to follow the instructions of your guide at all times.

Inappropriate behavior will not be accepted or tolerated. In this case, the offending participant will be released from the trip/course with no refunds given.

Refunds

Refunds of guide fees are not given due to weather, illness, injury, lack of fitness, or ability.

Refunds of guide fees are not given if you choose to finish the trip early for any reason.

Any trip expenses that are not paid or committed to in advance may be refunded at our discretion.

Trip extensions

If your trip is involuntarily extended (for example, your party is unable to egress from the mountains at the end of your trip due to weather), an additional guide fee per extra day and any additional costs will apply.

Trips can be extended depending on guide commitments in which case additional guide fees and expenses will apply.

We accept no responsibility for the actions of persons and/or companies supplying goods and/or services as part of our guiding company or any extra costs incurred due to delays or complications beyond our control.

Marketing & promotion

During a trip, guides may take photographic or video records in which you may appear. Such material can be used for promotional purposes including but not limited to our website and social media channels. If you do not wish to appear in any promotional or marketing material please advise us at the time of booking.

Borrowed gear

If you borrow any of the outdoor gear supplied by WMG or its supporting partners during any trip, you are responsible and liable for paying up to and including the excess value for any damage, breakage, loss, or theft of that gear.

Privacy

Please refer to our Privacy Policy

Safety Terms and Customer Risk Declaration

In all mountain and climbing based activity, there is an element of risk involved. Risks in undertaking this activity include but are not exclusively:

• Death or injury due to a fall while climbing or skiing
• Death or injury due to avalanche, rock, or ice fall;
• Death or injury due to crevasse fall;
• Death or injury due to hypothermia.

The staff and management of WMG take all practicable steps to identify and minimise potential dangers including the ever-present hazards outlined above. WMG acknowledges our statutory obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. However, it is acknowledged that there is inherent risk involved in the undertaking of the activities operated by WMG.

WARNING: Under New Zealand law it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to sue anyone if you are injured. In addition, New Zealand’s accident compensation scheme provides only limited assistance to visitors to New Zealand who are injured. We strongly recommend that all visitors to New Zealand have full insurance covering any injury they might suffer, including medical treatment cover, before undertaking this activity.

EXCLUSIONS:

To the extent permitted by law, all our liability for damage to your property, disruption to travel plans, or mental injury is excluded.

This exclusion is subject to any rights or remedies you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.