Terms and Conditions

Booking Procedure

The following booking conditions, together with the information set out on the relevant tour page of the Kichi Japan website will form the contract between you and us for your travel with us.

In this contract a reference to “you” and “your” include the lead-named person on the confirmation invoice (who must be at least 18 years old at the time of booking) and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made.

“We”                                   are Kichi Japan

“Meeting Point”              means the place specified by us in the Tour Pack as the place we will meet and start  your Tour.

“Start Date”                     means the date on which you board our transport at the Meeting Point.

“Tour”                                means a tour organized by Kichi Japan.

“Tour Pack”                      means whatever documents we send to you in hard or soft copy to provide information about your Tour.

The contract between us comes into existence when we send out our confirmation invoice, and or email, which confirms your booking. You will have undertaken to pay for the tour you have booked and we will have undertaken to provide you with the tour we describe in the brochure/on our web site.

If you make a booking on behalf of others as well as yourself, we shall take it that you have the authority of each of those other people to enter into that contract and that you and they have agreed to be jointly and severally liable to us. You now accept personal liability for the acceptance and compliance of each of those people, with these contract terms.

If we are unable to accept your booking, we will of course return your payment to you within 2-3 working days.

For you to make a booking, we require your deposit or full payment, and a completed booking form (online or otherwise). Our confirmation will be sent to you by post or email. We may decline your booking for any reason and we do not have to give you the reason. If that happens we will return your money to you immediately or within 15 days. In addition to this, prior to the commencement of the Tour, you will also be required to sign an Assumption of Risk waiver, and show proof of your travel insurance to your tour leader. Failure to do so may disqualify you from participating in the Tour.

Assumption of Risk

You acknowledge that you have voluntarily applied for the Tour and understand that you may travel to remote countries and areas that are inherently risky. You are prepared to assume the risks associated with this tour including: forces of nature; terrorism; civil unrest; war; accidents; and transportation including land vehicles, boats, and aircraft that may not be operated or maintained to standards found in North America.

You also assume risks associated with altitude, illness, disease, physical exertion, and alcohol consumption, knowing that access to evacuation and/or suitable medical supplies and support may not be available. By agreeing to this document, you agree to take full responsibility for your own actions, safety and welfare, except for unanticipated events including injury, illness, emotional trauma, or death. You also understand that you will be a member of a group and will conduct yourself in a way that will not endanger the group or yourself.

You hereby release and discharge Kichi Japan, its agents, employees and all associates from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the tour. You agree that this release will be legally binding upon yourself, your heirs, successors, assigns and legal representatives; it being your intention to fully assume all risk of travel and to release Kichi Japan from any and all liabilities to the maximum permitted by law.

You understand that if you fraudulently represent yourself as fit for this trip, you may be removed prior to or during the trip at your own expense. Your purchase of a Tour will be taken as your agreement to these statements, terms and conditions contained within this document.

What is included in the price of a Kichi Japan group tour?

• travel from the Meeting Point to the destinations on the itinerary, and back to the city that you will be departing from (which is likely to be the same as the original Meeting Point place);
• accommodations (unless otherwise stated in the itinerary);
• services of one or more leaders;
• the costs of the activities on the itinerary (unless otherwise stated in the itinerary)

What is NOT included?

• flights to and from the Tour destination;
• any costs incurred before you board transport at the Meeting Point and after you return to the departure point;
• travel insurance or any other insurance personal to you;
• passport and visa costs;
• vaccinations and medication, before, during and after the Tour;
• food and drink over and above what we include in the Tour;
• gratuities you choose to give, in addition to any we give on your behalf where we consider appropriate.

Payment procedures

Payment and failure to pay

The last date for payment of the balance of the cost of your holiday will be due to us at least six weeks before the Tour Start Date. We will inform you of the last date for payment after we have confirmed our acceptance of your booking.

If you do not pay us before the last date for payment, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled. If we do that, you accept that a cancellation fee will be due to us.

Late Bookings

Any tours requested less than six weeks prior to the departure date must be accompanied by full payment at the time of booking.

Surcharges

The prices given on our web site and in our brochure are calculated at costs current at the time we fixed them. If costs rise or adverse currency exchange rates apply, you agree that we may increase prices at any time prior to receiving your full payment for the Tour. If we do this we shall inform you of the costs which have risen and the amount by which they have risen.

All fares and prices quoted are subject to availability. Prices are subject to change until full payment is received and confirmation voucher(s) are issued. Prices that are quoted include all taxes and fees unless we note otherwise.

No matter what the increase, we shall not increase the cost less than six weeks before the departure date.

If we increase the price of your Tour by more than 10%, you are free to cancel. In that circumstance we will return to you all money paid to us.

Refunds

Deposits are non-refundable (exceptions below) but in some cases may be transferable to another Kichi Japan holiday. As stated on our web pages, a minimum number of participants are required in order for the Tour to go ahead. Therefore you have a right to cancel any Tour for which there are insufficient reservations. In the event of any such cancellation, all deposits or other payments made specifically to Kichi Japan will be refunded in full.

Cancellations by you

If you cancel your booking either through failure to pay the balance due or for any other reason, we will charge a cancellation fee calculated as follows:

• 20% deposit is non-refundable. 
• Between 46 and 60 days before departure 60% of the holiday cost
• Between 31 and 45 days before departure 80% of the holiday cost
• 30 days before departure 100% of the holiday cost.

The above dates refer to the date that we receive notice of cancellation from you.

We request that you carefully check the dates on your confirmation email, invoice and/or voucher and to contact us immediately if these are not correct.

If circumstances force you to leave the Tour early, you will have to bear any additional costs yourself.

If you are unavoidably prevented from joining the Tour, you may transfer your place to another person, providing this person meets any conditions which may apply to the booking and that we are informed of the transfer not less than 28 days prior to the Tour Start Date.

In any circumstances giving rise to cancellation, we will consider allowing you to transfer the money you have paid, to another Kichi Japan Tour of your choosing. Whether we do so is at our own discretion, for which we do not have to give a reason.

Cancellation by us

We reserve the right to cancel any Tour, for which there are not enough bookings, not less than four weeks prior to departure. In the event of our cancellation, your deposit (and any other payment you may have made to us) will be refunded in full, or, if you prefer, transferred to an alternative Kichi Japan tour.

For this reason, we suggest that you should not book your flights until this four week date has passed.

The travel products and services sold through the Kichi Japan website are subject to availability and can be withdrawn without notice. Tour is confirmed when full payment is received.

Payment Type

All payments to us may be made online through the appropriate Tour page.

Alternatively, payment may be made by electronic transfer for which full information will be provided at the time of booking.

You agree that all these provisions are reasonable.

Deposits (when applicable)

30% non-refundable deposit at time of confirmation*.

Final balance is due 60 days prior to arrival. Payment can be rendered in full at any point prior to the departure. 

*Deposit amount subject to change based on domestic flights included and/or peak season travel dates.

The Tour

Tour Information

Approximately four weeks before the Start Date, we shall send you a pack of information relating to your Tour. This information will include:

• location of Meeting Point and time of meeting;
• climate and clothing recommendations;
• any important details relevant to the Tour itinerary, or sites that we may visit;
• safety information;
• a list of recommended items, and spending cash to bring

Accommodation

We will arrange accommodations as close as reasonably possible to the Tour destination sites we visit. Accommodation will be in good quality hotels, lodges or hostels. Occasionally it may be necessary to use bed and breakfast accommodations. We will discuss your exact accommodation requirements when you have made a booking, but please note:

• We reserve the right to change accommodation to that stated on our website (if stated) itineraries – (see below “changes of itinerary”).
• Single rooms are normally available at an extra cost. However, if you so wish, it may be possible for you to share a room. Please contact us after you book your Tour, to see if arrangements can be made.
• Accommodations in Japan may be of a lower standard than comparable accommodations in your home country. Shower rooms and toilets may be shared with other guests.

Changes of Itinerary

Despite careful planning, it is possible that a site may become inaccessible due to matters beyond our control, for example through natural disaster or political turmoil.

We may therefore decide to make changes to the itinery to accommodate any possibility. We will inform you of any such change as soon as we decide to make it. If that happens, you may transfer to an alternative Tour. If your chosen alternative is of a lower price we will refund the difference. If it is of a higher price, you must pay the difference before your booking is confirmed.

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking a Kichi Japan Tour that you take out appropriate travel insurance. You must send us proof of cover when you make payment of the balance due for your Tour. We cannot approve the cover you have bought and are not responsible if it is inadequate.

Your travel insurance plan should be obtained accordingly, not only against normal travel risks, but against additional risks appropriate to the destination country. In particular, local road transport insurance may be inadequate, so you should check that your insurance includes accidents happening while you are a passenger in a vehicle and or driving, should you decide to drive while on the Tour.

We advise that you also check that any valuable optical equipment is covered in your travel policy if you are bringing any expensive camera equipment.

Passport, Visa and Health Requirements

Please note carefully:

• to be absolutely safe, it is a good idea to make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after the date of return of your Tour;
• remember to apply for any necessary visa in good time;
• check with your GP what vaccinations and medication you may require and allow time to obtain it.

Limitations on our liability

We want you to enjoy a perfect tour with Kichi Japan. We shall do our best to make your tour special for you. Nonetheless, we must make clear the limitations in law. We are not liable to you for:

• any event which happens before you board our transport at the Meeting Point or after you leave our transport at departure;
• any problem arising from your failure to reach the Meeting Point on time, for whatever reason; (though we would do our best to help you in any way we reasonably could);
• any aspect of goods or services you buy or accept other than those arranged by us;
• medical problems or physical difficulties, even if you have told us about them in advance;
• medical emergencies;
• your own carelessness or negligence in any aspect of your behaviour while you are with us;
• laws, culture and standards of service and behaviour in any country we may visit;
• changes we make to an itinerary or to accommodations or any other aspect of the management of a Tour;
• problems or issues which we could resolve whilst on a Tour but which you raise only after your return to your home country.

Furthermore:

• We and you are subject to international conventions, when they apply. This may limit the amount of a claim you may make, against us or anyone else.
• The services and features included in your Tour are those specified in our web site. If you choose to buy other goods or services during your tour, those are not part of the package we provide, even if arranged through our Tour leader. Accordingly we are not liable to you for any happening in connection with that service or those goods.

Participation & Behaviour

Your Tour Pack will provide details about your chosen holiday, but the following are contractual matters:

• Most Kichi Japan holidays require reasonable physical fitness and appropriate footwear. You should be prepared to walk up to several miles a day, sometimes on uneven or slippery surfaces.
• We ask that you do not smoke indoors around other people who are on the tour. Please note however, that smoking is permitted in some of the places that we may visit so we cannot prevent third parties from smoking in a bar or restaurant.
• If we provide medical help to you, whether or not you specifically ask for it, we will provide receipts for all costs (for your insurer) and you now agree to repay us that cost on your return from the Tour.
• If at any time, it is our opinion (given by any of our staff or Tour leaders) that you are acting in a way which may cause accident, injury, discomfort or extreme displeasure to any other Tour member, we may exclude you from the program for the remainder of the Tour. You will understand that this extreme action will not be taken lightly but may be necessary to protect the health, safety or enjoyment of other clients.

Complaints

We shall try our utmost to provide a happy and fulfilling holiday, but if we fail in any way, please do raise any issues with your Tour leader immediately. If your complaint cannot be satisfied or it is not dealt with to your satisfaction at the time of reporting it to the leader(s), then you should give us full details in writing, immediately on your return. We cannot respond to verbal complaints.

The validity, construction and performance of this agreement shall be governed by the laws of the United States of America. Any dispute arising in connection with this agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States of America courts.