Terms and Conditions
1. Reservation
These require a booking form and a deposit of £300 per person which is non-refundable. Booking requests with deposits will be considered in order of their receipt and, for this purpose, telephoned requests will be noted as from the date of the telephone call, provided they are followed by receipt of the appropriate booking form within seven days. A booking form is accepted and acceptance becomes definite only from the date that we have confirmed acceptance in writing and issued a confirmation invoice. At this point, a contract between the applicant and La Belle Equipe comes into existence. All contracts and matters arising from it are subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. We reserve the absolute right to decline any bookings for any legal reasons whatsoever, at our sole discretion.
Deposit cheques must be made out La Belle Equipe. On receipt of a deposit we will send you an invoice showing deposit paid and balance due date.
2. Payments
Payment of the balance of the tour cost is due not later than twelve weeks before the departure date. No further reminder will be sent and, if payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and charge a cancellation fee, the amount of which will not exceed the total cost of the holiday. You are therefore strongly recommended to take out travel insurance at an early stage to cover you in the event of cancellation.
3. Refunds
Deposits are non-refundable but are transferable. Deposits are transferable to another specified tour but are subject to deductions for any expenses incurred by us. Balance payments are also non-refundable except at our sole discretion, but are transferable in accordance with Transfer of Bookings. Insurance is therefore essential.
If notice of cancellation is received within 12 weeks of departure, neither the deposit nor most of the balance of the tour costs can be refunded, though we will refund separable costs such as individual airline tickets or room charges, in so far as monies are returned to us by the providers of these services. We cannot refund inseparable costs such as those for ground transportation, leader's expenses or other fixed-cost services. In most cases the refundable portion will be less than 50% and often less than 25% of the tour cost. Travel insurance protects you against the risk of loss due to cancellation for medical and other unavoidable reasons.
4. Transfer of Bookings
Tour participants may transfer their booking to another person if they are prevented from proceeding with the tour due to sickness or accidents suffered by them or their close family or for other unavoidable reasons such as jury service. However, if there is a waiting list for the tour the place must first be offered to the people on that waiting list. If there is no waiting list and the participant can find another person to take up the place, any additional costs incurred by us relating to the transfer will have to be paid for by the transferee. Reasonable notice must be given to us about such a transfer and cannot be made within 70 days of departure.
5. Consumer Protection
Air travel reservations are made on behalf of La Belle Equipe, by Parador Travel Ltd. Parador hold an Air Travel Organisers Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of insolvency this will ensure you will not be stranded abroad.
In addition we operate a Clients' Account into which all advance payments are placed and are not withdrawn until after the completion of the tour. This is in line with The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, which came into force on 31 December 1992.
6. Tour Cancellation
We reserve the right to cancel any tour for which there are insufficient reservations not less than eight weeks before the departure date. In the event of our cancellation, all deposits, insurance and other payments made to us will be refunded in full.
7. Cost Increases
These may occur unexpectedly. When calculating our tour prices in advance, we try to anticipate the rising costs of airfares, ground transportation and accommodation. Price changes may also occur because of fluctuating exchange rates. If unexpected cost rises do occur, We may have to increase the tour cost. If it is necessary to increase the tour cost by between 2-9%, you will be notified not less than twelve weeks before the departure date with an explanation of the amount. Should it be necessary to increase the tour cost by more than 10%, participants may withdraw without penalty.
8. What the Tour Price Includes
The tour price includes all travel, accommodation and meals as specified in the itinerary of each individual tour, entrance fees to reserves, and the services of the tour leader(s) throughout. The following items are not included in the cost: travel insurance, passport and visa costs, vaccinations and medication, excess baggage charges, telephone calls, laundry, drinks and food (unless specified in the tour details), tips and items of a purely personal nature. We cannot provide optical instruments on loan.
9. Tour Alterations
Changes in the birding itinerary may occur even though tours are carefully planned. Changes will be made to the stated itinerary if in the tour leader's sole opinion it will benefit the tour by providing better birdwatching opportunities. The itinerary detailed in the final tour details is therefore an illustration of the sites we may visit to gain the maximum birdwatching benefit from the tour, in our sole opinion. A change in the order that locations are visited is not deemed to be a major change. Should a major change of itinerary or schedule be forced on us while the tour is in progress by, for example, strikes, weather delay or breakdown, any additional costs are the responsibility of the participants. Travel insurance is therefore essential.
10. Passport, Visa and Health Requirements
All participants are responsible for, and must be in possession of, a full passport, valid for at least six months beyond the end of the tour. In addition, participants must obtain any necessary visas and vaccination certificates required for the tour. It is the participants' absolute responsibility to seek medical advice regarding vaccinations and medication to ensure that they are prepared by the date of departure. Any medical information supplied in our brochure, or in subsequent correspondence, must be considered as a guide only. Our leaders will carry a first aid / medical kit appropriate to the area being visited. It must be emphasised that if you do have a health problem or physical limitation, we need to know about it so we can be prepared in the case of an emergency.
11. Tour Information
General and more specific information will be made available to all tour participants. This may include details such as climate and clothing requirements, recommended reading, bird species we are likely to encounter, flight information, etc. Please note, however, that there is absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that specific bird species will be seen. Events such as floods, storms, fires etc. may prevent the tour from visiting certain areas resulting in specific bird species being missed; and we will not accept responsibility for this. Any list provided is merely an indication of the species we may encounter on a tour.
Flights
For all of our tours we use scheduled direct flights from London Gatwick to Marseille. In every case we use
Economy seats and we provide you with a return ticket that has been paid for in full prior to the start of the tour.
Participants may wish to travel to Marseille from a regional airport, using a low-cost airline. This is permissible
but please note that refund for the scheduled flight may not be available. Due to the differing flight schedules
you may also miss some of the tour itinerary and this will not be refunded. A surcharge will also be levied to
cover the cost of any additional transfers from the airport to your hotel and back.
We do not make any arrangements for delays that might occur at the airport on the outward or return flights. Normally the airline will provide meals and any necessary overnight accommodation. In addition, most travel insurance policies include a limited benefit for the purchase of essential items in the event of delays - full details will be given in the policy.
Itineraries: We have put a lot of thought and work into these to get the most out of each place visited. It is our aim to provide you with the best possible overall experience. We will take time to appreciate each destination we visit. Our birding itineraries are designed to let you see as many species as possible within the particular areas visited. An emphasis will be put on finding and seeing well, interesting or speciality species all at an enjoyable pace. The travelling can however be tiring although we will not rush around getting brief views of birds just to build up a huge list. For non-birding participants we will do out utmost to provide you with an interesting and enjoyable introduction to the local area.
Tour Information: After we have received your final balance for a particular tour, you will be sent additional information regarding meeting points, currency, clothing, names of your fellow travellers, recommendations, and any other relevant details. You will also be sent a check list of the birds it may be possible to see while fully participating in your chosen tour. As a follow up, each group member can expect to be sent an after tour report within 4 months of return from the holiday. Please contact us if you require any further information.
Birds and other Wildlife: Any species mentioned in the tour itineraries or check lists are meant as a guide only, and in no way should you expect to see everything mentioned, although you should see a good proportion if you participate fully in the tour. Previous tour sightings are listed within the checklists and we try to do a roll-call at the end of each day.
12. Accommodation
Accommodation will be in a Four Star hotel, in a Standard Double Room with private facilities and TV. These tours are specifically designed for pairs of people, and single travellers will not normally be accommodated. However if you notify us of your interest in a single room, we may be able to accommodate you if somebody drops out at short notice. A single room surcharge will apply.
Meals: You will find that most meals (including ½ a bottle of wine) are included within the tour price, and details of which are not included can be seen in the itinerary. The choice and variety of good quality eating establishments in Arles means you can budget to your own needs. Should you wish us to make a reservation for you at a specific restaurant please let us know, and we will do our best to assist. Please also advise us if you have any specific food requirements, such as vegetarian, coeliac etc.
Transport: We use mini-buses or people carriers. These vehicles are fully equipped with individual seating and seat belts and comply with current E.U. standards.
13. Insurance
Travel insurance is absolutely essential and we insist that suitable cover be arranged for all destinations outside the UK. This will ensure that the necessary protection is provided against loss of deposit and medical costs, which can be enormous should you fall ill during the tour. Please note that travel insurance rarely provides sufficient cover for expensive optical equipment. You are therefore recommended to add this to your home insurance policy under the 'All Risks' section prior to departure. We insist on proof of travel insurance cover being in effect prior to departure, and this must be received before we process the final documentation.
La Belle Equipe is not responsible for loss, damage or theft of luggage, cameras, binoculars, telescopes and personal belongings, or for personal injury, accidents or illness.
14. Restrictions on Participation
Our tours do not normally entail strenuous activity but, if this cannot be avoided, it will be made clear in the tour details. Nevertheless, birding participants must be able to complete moderate walks of several miles a day, sometimes on uneven or slippery surfaces, to meet the schedule of the tour. If you have any health problems or physical limitations, you are required to advise us prior to booking. To cater for the needs of all levels of birdwatcher, our tours can involve early starts and long days in the field and travelling long distances. There will, however be rest days or half days and these will be identified in the itinerary. We will provide any information that you or your doctor may need to judge your capacity to participate fully in the tour. Anyone failing to notify us of matters which seriously affect their ability to participate in the tour faces the risk of being sent home at the start of, or during, the tour at their own expense.
Small groups do, of course, call for consideration from all to ensure that everybody enjoys the tour. Your cooperation in not participating in any antisocial behaviour, such as smoking in the bus, is therefore expected. We reserve the right to send home at their own expense any person who will not conduct themselves in an acceptable manner, at our sole discretion.
Our tours are intended for adult couples, or pairs of adult friends and in keeping with the spirit of this we ask that the minimum age for participation is 16 years of age.
Please note that in line with widespread conservation practices, the collecting of specimens of flowers and insects is prohibited on our tours.
15. Group Size
The maximum group size is 14, comprising 7 birders and 7 non-birders. Should any birding group become larger than 7 we may deploy a second leader, at our discretion. The minimum group size is 10.
16. Our Responsibility
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all services provided are of an acceptable standard. We cannot, however, accept liability for death, physical injury, loss, damage or expense resulting from any event whatsoever beyond our control. Insurance is therefore absolutely essential.
We cannot accept any liability for loss, damage, or expense, resulting from war, threat of war, terrorist activities, riots, civil unrest, natural and nuclear disasters, fire or adverse weather conditions, closure of airports, industrial disputes including air traffic control disputes, technical or maintenance problems with transport, cancellation or changes of schedule by airlines, financial failure of airlines, or for any unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or due to an event which, even with all due care, we could not foresee or forestall.
Complaints
In the unlikely event that you have cause to complain you should notify at least one of your party leaders
as soon as possible in order that we may assist you. If you are not satisfied there and then, you should
write to us stating the nature of the complaint within 28 days of the completion of the holiday.
17. Data Protection Act
Your records are maintained on a computer database and are used solely for the purpose of marketing by La Belle Equipe and are not divulged to anyone else. If you wish your records to be amended or deleted please advise us.
18. Errors and Omissions
Whilst the greatest care is taken in the preparation of our brochure, mistakes can occur. Unless the error or omission has a major effect on the tour to the extent that the number of species seen is materially affected, then no claim for compensation can be entertained.
