Refund and Cancellation Policy
Expedition Seekers
Effective Date: 01 October 2025
This policy explains how Expedition Seekers (“we”, “our”, “us”) manages refunds and cancellations for trekking and tourism services in compliance with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
1. Your Rights Under Australian Consumer Law
Under the ACL, you are entitled to a refund or other remedy if:
The services we provide are not of acceptable quality,
The services are not provided with due care and skill,
The services do not match the description we gave, or
The services fail to meet a consumer guarantee and the failure is major.
If the issue is minor, we may choose to fix the problem within a reasonable time instead of providing a refund.
Nothing in this policy limits your statutory rights under the ACL.
2. Change of Mind
Because our trekking tours involve significant planning and advance bookings, we generally do not offer refunds if you simply change your mind or no longer wish to travel. However, we will work with you to reschedule where possible (see Section 3).
3. Cancellations by You
If you need to cancel your booking:
More than 60 days before departure: You may receive a refund of the tour price minus a 10% non-refundable deposit and any unrecoverable supplier costs (e.g. permits, flights, accommodation).
30–59 days before departure: Refund of 50 % of the tour price, less unrecoverable supplier costs.
Less than 30 days before departure: No refund is available, as most costs will have been committed.
You may transfer your booking to another person if you notify us at least 14 days before departure and the replacement traveller meets all participation requirements. Any third-party transfer fees will be your responsibility.
4. Cancellations or Changes by Expedition Seekers
If we cancel a trip due to safety concerns, natural disasters, government restrictions, or other unforeseen circumstances, we will offer you:
A full refund, or
The option to transfer to another departure date or trip of equal value.
If we must alter an itinerary after departure for reasons beyond our control (e.g., weather, local conditions), we will make reasonable efforts to offer an alternative, but refunds for changes of this nature are generally not available.
5. Overseas Suppliers and Non-Recoverable Costs
Some trekking services involve third-party suppliers (e.g., operators in Nepal). If they impose cancellation fees or non-refundable charges, these will be deducted from any refund we provide.
6. How to Request a Refund
Please contact us in writing with your booking details:
Subject line: Refund Request – [Booking Number]
Refunds will be processed using your original payment method within 10 business days of approval.
7. Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance to cover unforeseen events such as illness, travel disruptions, or emergency evacuations.
8. Questions and Complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or our handling of a refund request, please contact us at the email above. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may seek assistance from the Office of Fair Trading in your state or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).