Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using the services provided by NatureQuest Trails ("Company," "we," "our," or "us"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provisions of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use our services or access our website.

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and NatureQuest Trails regarding your use of our hiking tours, adventure expeditions, webinars, and all related services. Your continued use of our services signifies your acceptance of any modifications to these terms.

2. Service Description

NatureQuest Trails provides eco-friendly hiking tours, wilderness expeditions, educational webinars, and outdoor adventure services in British Columbia, Canada. Our services include but are not limited to guided hiking tours, multi-day expeditions, wilderness survival training, photography workshops, and conservation education programs.

All services are subject to availability and may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time without prior notice. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time. Tour itineraries, schedules, and locations may change due to weather conditions, safety concerns, or other unforeseen circumstances.

3. Booking and Payment Terms

All bookings must be made through our official website, authorized booking partners, or by contacting our customer service team directly. A deposit or full payment may be required to confirm your reservation, depending on the specific tour or service selected. Payment terms will be clearly stated at the time of booking.

Prices are subject to change without notice. However, prices quoted at the time of booking will be honored for that specific reservation. All prices are listed in Canadian Dollars (CAD) unless otherwise specified. Additional fees, taxes, or charges may apply and will be clearly communicated before final payment confirmation.

We accept various payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers. Full payment is typically required 30 days prior to the scheduled tour date unless alternative arrangements have been made in writing with our customer service team.

4. Cancellation and Refund Policy

Cancellations must be made in writing via email to [email protected]. The following cancellation fees apply based on the notice period provided:

• More than 60 days before tour date: Full refund minus 10% administrative fee
• 30-60 days before tour date: 50% refund of total tour cost
• 15-29 days before tour date: 25% refund of total tour cost
• Less than 15 days before tour date: No refund

In the event that NatureQuest Trails cancels a tour due to insufficient enrollment, weather conditions, safety concerns, or other operational reasons, participants will receive a full refund or the option to reschedule to an alternative date. We are not responsible for any additional costs incurred by participants such as airfare, accommodation, or other travel arrangements.

5. Participant Responsibilities and Requirements

Participants must be in adequate physical condition to complete the selected tour or expedition. It is the participant's responsibility to honestly assess their fitness level and choose appropriate tours. Some expeditions may have specific age, fitness, or experience requirements that will be clearly stated in the tour description.

All participants must complete and submit a health declaration form and liability waiver prior to tour commencement. Participants are required to disclose any medical conditions, physical limitations, or medications that may affect their ability to safely participate in outdoor activities.

Participants must follow all instructions provided by NatureQuest Trails guides and staff. Failure to comply with safety instructions or engaging in reckless behavior may result in removal from the tour without refund. Participants must respect wildlife, natural environments, and fellow tour members at all times.

6. Liability and Risk Acknowledgment

Outdoor adventure activities inherently involve risks including but not limited to injury, illness, property damage, or in extreme cases, death. By participating in NatureQuest Trails tours and activities, you acknowledge and accept these risks. Participants are strongly encouraged to obtain appropriate travel and medical insurance.

NatureQuest Trails, its owners, employees, guides, contractors, and partners shall not be held liable for any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay, or irregularity that may occur through acts or defaults of any third party, acts of God, weather conditions, wildlife encounters, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

While we maintain comprehensive liability insurance and employ experienced, certified guides, participants engage in all activities at their own risk. All participants must sign a comprehensive liability waiver before tour commencement that further details these terms.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

All content on the NatureQuest Trails website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, audio clips, digital downloads, and software, is the property of NatureQuest Trails or its content suppliers and is protected by international copyright laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any material from our website without prior written consent from NatureQuest Trails, except for personal, non-commercial use.

Photographs and videos taken during tours may be used by NatureQuest Trails for promotional purposes unless participants explicitly opt out in writing. Participants retain copyright to their own photographs but grant NatureQuest Trails a non-exclusive license to use images featuring our guides, equipment, or locations for marketing purposes.

8. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which should be read in conjunction with these Terms of Service. By using our services, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy.

We collect personal information necessary to provide our services, including contact details, emergency contact information, health information, and payment details. This information is stored securely and used only for legitimate business purposes related to tour operations and customer service.

9. Code of Conduct

NatureQuest Trails is committed to sustainable and responsible tourism. All participants are expected to adhere to Leave No Trace principles and demonstrate respect for the environment, wildlife, local communities, and fellow participants. Prohibited behaviors include littering, disturbing wildlife, damaging vegetation, and any actions that negatively impact natural areas.

Harassment, discrimination, or disrespectful behavior toward other participants, guides, or staff will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to remove any participant engaging in such behavior from a tour without refund. Alcohol and illegal substances are prohibited on all tours unless specifically permitted for certain adult-oriented programs.

10. Force Majeure

NatureQuest Trails shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these terms if such failure or delay is due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, pandemics, government restrictions, labor disputes, or other emergency situations.

In such circumstances, we will make reasonable efforts to reschedule tours or provide alternative arrangements. If rescheduling is not possible, refunds will be issued in accordance with our cancellation policy.

11. Modifications to Terms

NatureQuest Trails reserves the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to our website. Your continued use of our services following the posting of changes constitutes acceptance of those changes. We recommend reviewing these terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.

Material changes to these terms will be communicated to registered users via email notification. However, it remains your responsibility to review the current terms before booking or participating in any tour or service.

12. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of British Columbia, Canada, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of our services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia.

We encourage participants to contact us directly to resolve any disputes or concerns. Most issues can be resolved through direct communication with our customer service team. For formal complaints, please submit your concerns in writing to [email protected] within 30 days of the incident or issue.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Service is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable. If modification is not possible, the provision shall be severed from these terms, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

15. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy and any specific terms communicated during the booking process, constitute the entire agreement between you and NatureQuest Trails regarding the use of our services and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether oral or written.