Booking Terms & Conditions
The following Booking Conditions together with our Privacy Policy form the basis of your contract with NaturesGems Ltd. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations.
NaturesGems Ltd is a registered company number 13266691. Our registered address is 25 Underwood, Kendal LA9 5EB, phone number is 07970 669190 and email address is naturesgemtours@gmail.com.
Our responsibilities to you
All our leaders are experienced naturalists. They will be able to show you, and help you to identify, many of the birds, plants and mammals that occur in the area that you are visiting.
We hold public liability insurance, have undertaken basic first aid training and will plan your tour with your wellbeing in mind.
Your responsibility to us
It is your responsibility to be at the agreed meeting point at the stated time at which your tour starts. If you know you will be delayed, please contact us at the earliest opportunity and we will try to accommodate this change for you where possible.
Mobility and access
All NaturesGems tours are walking tours which will include up and downhill often with steps, loose surfaces and some steep slopes which could make things hard for you if you have trouble walking. While we undertake to adjust tours wherever possible to provide easier access for people with limited mobility and disabilities, due to the nature of the tours and terrain we cannot guarantee this is possible. Please have a conversation with us before booking if you would like to discuss accessibility.
Booking Terms and Conditions
1.0 General
1.1 NaturesGems reserves the right to revise these Terms and Conditions at any time by updating this page. It is your responsibility to review and understand the Terms and Conditions prior to booking a tour, event or workshop because it is legally binding to you. If you do not agree to the Terms and Conditions please do not use our services.
1.2 Our Website Tours & Events pages are managed and operated by NaturesGems. The Terms and Conditions set out below constitute the agreement between you (the client) and us (NaturesGems Ltd).
1.3 Whilst we make every effort to provide you with up to date details for tours, events and workshops, it is ultimately your responsibility to check whether they have been cancelled or rescheduled. We try to ensure the information on this website is accurate at time of publishing; however, the content is not guaranteed. We disclaim all liability for injury, loss or damage arising from inaccuracies, omissions or interpretation of contents. If you believe any content to be inaccurate please contact us on 07970 669190 or email us at naturesgemtours@gmail.com and we will endeavour to correct it as soon as possible.
2.0 Payments and Bookings
2.1 For all tours, events and workshops we require full payment on booking/ordering unless otherwise stated on the web page.
2.3 Payments made by Stripe are preferred by us and are safe, quick and easiest for you. You do not need to have a Stripe account to pay by entering your card details on our secure payment page. There is no charge for using the service. You are also covered by Stripe’s protection scheme when you make a Stripe payment.
2.4 If you phone with a booking we will enter your card details on our secure website payment page and the payment will be made by Stripe as described in 2.3 above. For security reasons we strongly advise that you do not send your card details to us by e-mail. NaturesGems cannot be held responsible if a third party obtains your credit card details or any other personal information by hacking your e-mail account.
2.5 We also accept cheques, but you should be aware that not only will your cheque take a few days to reach us in the post, but your payment will not be recognised as completed until the cheque has cleared, which will take several more working days. Please take this into consideration when sending your cheque. For details on how to pay by cheque please email us at naturesgemtours@gmail.com
2.6 No cash payments should be sent to us in the post.
2.7 It is your undertaking to ensure that the details you provide when booking a tour, event or workshop are correct, i.e. that your credit/debit card details are up to date and that there are sufficient funds to cover the cost of the service. Payment will be taken up front for the services offered and if payment fails, bookings will not be made until an alternative payment has been made. If there are any changes to your details that may affect your booking or order it is your responsibility to inform NaturesGems by contacting us on 07970 669190, or email us at naturesgemtours@gmail.com
2.8 It is very important that you print the confirmation of your booking and any further details sent to you by email for your own reference.
3.0 Tax Charges
3.1 Please beware that all prices are inclusive of the current rate of VAT where applicable.
4.0 Refunds and Cancellations: Tours, Events and Workshops
4.1 Cancellation by NaturesGems
4.1.1 In the event that a tour or a workshop is cancelled by NaturesGems, a full refund of monies paid by you will be made within two weeks of the date on which your tour was cancelled, however, no further liability will be accepted by NaturesGems. You will receive confirmation by email when a refund has been completed.
4.2 Cancellation or Changes by You
4.2.1 You may cancel your booking at any stage; however, a refund will not be issued if you cancel within 7 days of your planned booking (see 4.4 and 4.5).
4.2.2 You may request a change to a booking by contacting us by email, however changes to dates and/or tours will not be made within 7 days of the date of the tour.
4.2.3 Please note that failure to attend a tour, event or workshop without first informing NaturesGems will not be regarded as a cancellation. Unless otherwise agreed, clients who fail to attend a tour, event or workshop without prior notice will not receive a refund for the tour.
4.3 Changes and Cancellation by NaturesGems
4.3.1 NaturesGems begins planning tours many months in advance. On rare occasions we have to make changes to details both before and after bookings have been confirmed, or cancel confirmed bookings. On outdoor tours in particular, local weather, transport or a host of other uncontrollable factors can mean a change in itinerary. Although we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so.
4.3.2 In the event of poor weather conditions which we consider will seriously affect the quality of a tour, event or workshop we reserve the right to postpone or cancel the tour. In this case you will be offered alternative dates for the same or similar tours from our programme of events.
4.3.3 If we have to cancel a tour, event or workshop completely due to unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather events we will offer an alternative date if we have no alternative dates to offer, you will receive a full refund of all monies paid.
4.3.4 If we have to make a minor alteration to your itinerary or travel arrangements before departure, we will, if practicable, advise you before departure but we are not obliged to do so or to pay you compensation.
4.3.5 No liability beyond offering the above-mentioned options can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of our Terms and Conditions entitling us to cancel (e.g. not paying on time) or if the change made is a minor one.
4.4 Force Majeure
4.4.1 Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability, pay any compensation or refunds where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss from, force majeure. In these Terms and Conditions, ‘force majeure’ means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, actual or threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire, global or national pandemic and all similar events outside our control.
4.5 Global or National Pandemic
4.5.1 In the case of a global or national pandemic causing postponement of any of our trips, workshops or events, we will offer the option of a full refund or issue a transfer voucher for the full amount of the event booked valid for two years from the date of booking.
5.0 What is Included on NaturesGems Tours, Events and Workshops
5.1 See individual event descriptions for what you can expect to be provided by NaturesGems.
6.0 What is Not Included on NaturesGems Tours, Events and Workshops
6.1 NaturesGems does not organise or pay for clients’ travel expenses to and from events, such as flights or other public transport, car hire, travel insurance, passports or visas. We do not pay for telephone calls, snacks or any items of a personal nature. Please consult individual event descriptions to see whether meals, drinks and transportation during the tour are provided, or contact us on 07970 669190 or at naturesgemtours@gmail.com
7.0 Insurance
7.1 To take part in one of our tours you must be covered by adequate insurance for the duration of the tour and for the activities undertaken.
7.2 Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on your tour. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. We do not check insurance policies.
8.0 Special Requests
8.1 If you have any special requests, you should inform us of such requests prior to departure. We will do our best to meet such requests but we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met. Furthermore, we have no liability to you if such requests are not met.
8.2 If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your tour, event or workshop, (e.g. heart condition, asthma, epilepsy etc.) please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can advise as to the suitability of the chosen arrangements. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel unable to properly accommodate the particular needs of the person concerned, we must reserve the right to decline their reservation or, if full details are not given at the time of booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.
9.0 Behaviour
9.1 When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid direct at the time to the accommodation or vehicle owner, manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us (together with our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions.
9.2 We expect clients to take all litter home with them and respect, protect and enjoy the countryside whilst on our tours as per ‘The Countryside Code’.
9.3 We expect all clients to have consideration for other people. The majority of NaturesGems clients are non-smokers. In order that they can enjoy their workshop, event or tour in comfort, we insist that smokers refrain from smoking in the proximity of all other group members, and while watching wildlife, at all times. Smoking indoors in any public space – e.g. lecture room – is illegal, while smoking in any confined space – e.g. at any other group gathering or in a vehicle – cannot be permitted. Additionally, NaturesGems implements a policy of eco-tourism and requests that smokers dispose of used cigarette ends, which contain non-biodegradable material, responsibly. In booking a workshop, event or tour you agree to accept these guidelines, and it is the right of all our tour leaders to dismiss from a workshop, event or tour any participant failing to respect them.
9.4 If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you or any member of your party behaves in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to property or fauna (including the collecting of any specimen from the natural world, for example any plants or insects), we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate the tour, event or workshop of the person(s) concerned. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
10.0 Gift Vouchers
10.1 Please note gift vouchers are valid for a full 12 months from the date on the gift voucher.
10.2 Validity Extension – Global and National Pandemic
10.2.1 In the case of a global or national pandemic we will extend the validity of our gift vouchers from 12 months to 24 months from the date of purchase.