Legal
Booking Terms
The terms on which Swiss Horizon plans and arranges tailor-made journeys. Please read them before you confirm a booking.
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About these terms
These terms apply to every journey arranged by Swiss Horizon (“we”, “us”), contact swisshorizon@tourground.com, Impact Hub Zürich – Kraftwerk, Selnaustrasse 25, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland. “You” means the person making the booking and everyone travelling on it. The person who makes the booking confirms that they are authorised to accept these terms on behalf of everyone named on it.
Enquiries and proposals
Every journey starts with an enquiry and a conversation. We then send a written proposal with an itinerary and a quote. Proposals and quotes are free and are not a booking: places are not held until a booking is confirmed, and availability and prices can change until then.
Prices
Our quotes are tailor-made and state what is and is not included. Unless the quote says otherwise, international flights, travel insurance, visas, tips, and personal expenses are not included. Once a booking is confirmed we will not change its price except where permitted by law, for example because of changes in transport costs, taxes or fees imposed by third parties or exchange rates, and we will tell you as early as possible and explain how the change was calculated.
Booking, deposit and balance
A booking is confirmed when you accept the proposal, pay the deposit stated in it and we send you a written confirmation. The deposit secures the arrangements and is used to pay suppliers.
For our small-group departures the deposit is 25% of the journey price, and the balance is due 60 days before departure.
The balance is due by the date stated in your confirmation, usually some weeks before you travel. If the balance is not received on time we may treat the booking as cancelled by you and apply the cancellation charges below. Bookings made close to departure may require full payment at the time of booking.
Changes by you
If you want to change your booking after it is confirmed, tell us in writing as soon as possible. We will do our best to help, but changes depend on availability and suppliers’ own conditions. We will pass on any extra cost and may charge a reasonable fee for the work involved; both will be agreed with you before we make the change.
You may transfer your booking to another person who meets any conditions of the journey, provided you give us reasonable notice before departure. You and the new traveller are jointly responsible for any balance and for any extra costs arising from the transfer.
Cancellation by you
You may cancel at any time by writing to us. Because we pay suppliers in advance, cancellation charges apply; they increase as departure gets closer and are set out in your proposal and confirmation before you book. Where suppliers refund us, we will pass the refund on to you less the cancellation charge. Your travel insurance may cover cancellation charges in some circumstances.
You may cancel without a charge if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at your destination significantly affect the journey, such as war, natural disaster or a serious outbreak of disease, as recognised by the relevant government travel advice.
Changes and cancellation by us
We plan carefully, but occasionally we have to make changes. If a change is minor we will tell you as soon as we can. If we have to make a significant change, or cancel your journey, we will tell you as soon as possible and offer you the choice of the changed arrangements, an alternative journey of equivalent or higher standard if available, or a full refund of the money you have paid us.
We will not cancel your journey after the balance is due unless we are forced to by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, or because you have not paid.
Travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of booking. It must cover cancellation and curtailment, medical treatment, repatriation and any activities included in your journey. Please arrange it when you book and send us the policy details before you travel.
Passports, visas and health
Each traveller is responsible for holding a valid passport, any visas and entry permits, and meeting the health and vaccination requirements for every country on the itinerary, including any rules on passport validity and blank pages. We will share general guidance, but requirements change: please check the official government advice for your nationality before you book and again before you travel. We are not responsible for costs arising from missing or incorrect documents.
Please tell us before you book about any medical condition, disability or reduced mobility that may affect your journey, so that we can advise whether the arrangements are suitable.
Our responsibilities and limits
We are responsible for making sure that the arrangements we book are provided as described, by suppliers we have selected with reasonable care. If something goes wrong, tell us or the supplier straight away so that it can be put right.
We are not responsible where a failure is caused by you, by a third party not connected with providing your journey, or by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond our control. Where we are liable, our liability is limited as permitted by law and by the international conventions that apply to air, sea and rail travel and to hotels. Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot be limited by law.
Excursions or services that you book directly with a local supplier during your journey are not part of our arrangements, and we are not responsible for them.
Your responsibilities
We ask you to follow the reasonable instructions of our suppliers, respect local laws and customs, and not behave in a way that puts others at risk or causes damage. We may end the journey of anyone who does, without refund.
Complaints
If you have a problem during your journey, tell the supplier and us at once so that we can try to resolve it on the spot. If it is not resolved, write to us at swisshorizon@tourground.com within 28 days of your return and we will reply promptly. If we cannot agree, you may be able to use an alternative dispute resolution scheme.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the law that applies where our business is established, and any dispute will be dealt with by the courts there. This does not take away any protection given to you by the mandatory consumer laws of the country where you live.