Booking conditions
These conditions apply to every expedition booked with Artus Expeditions.
In these conditions, “we”, “us” and “Artus Expeditions” refer to that company. “You” refers to each person named in the booking.
You can contact us at contact@artus-expeditions.com before, during or after your expedition.
Your booking is governed by:
If there is a difference between these documents, your written booking confirmation and any specifically agreed conditions will take priority.
By paying the deposit, you confirm that you have read and accepted these conditions. Every traveller must also complete the information and declarations we require before departure.
If you are booking for other people, you are responsible for sharing these conditions with them. Each traveller must provide their own information and sign the required traveller declaration.
A booking is confirmed when we have received:
Before this, we may hold a place for a limited period, but it is not guaranteed.
The standard deposit is 30% of the expedition price. Some expeditions require a 50% deposit because of flights, permits, accommodation or other arrangements that must be paid for in advance. We will always confirm the applicable deposit before you pay.
Unless we agree otherwise in writing, the remaining balance is due 30 days before departure. If you book within 30 days of departure, the full price is due when the booking is confirmed.
If payment is not received by the agreed date, we will contact you before taking any further action. If payment remains outstanding, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you and apply the cancellation conditions below.
Prices are quoted per person and are based on the number of travellers confirmed for the expedition.
If someone cancels and the group becomes smaller, the per-person price may change. We will explain any change in writing before charging it.
Once your booking is confirmed, we will not change the price unless:
Any proposed change will be explained before you are asked to pay it.
Bank, card and currency-conversion charges are the responsibility of the person making the payment.
If you wish to change a name, travel date or other part of the booking, contact us as early as possible.
We will try to help, but changes depend on availability and on the conditions of airlines, camps and other suppliers. You will be responsible for any additional costs directly caused by the change.
A booking may be transferred to another person if that person meets the requirements of the expedition and the transfer can reasonably be arranged. Any resulting costs must be paid before departure.
Cancellations must be sent to us in writing. The cancellation date is the date on which we receive your message.
Our standard cancellation policy is:
If you have already paid more than the deposit, we will refund the remaining amount after deducting any non-refundable costs and direct losses caused by the cancellation. We will provide a breakdown if requested and will not retain more than permitted by applicable law.
We strongly recommend choosing travel insurance that covers cancellation, illness, missed international connections and other events that may prevent you from travelling.
We may occasionally have to cancel an expedition because it cannot be operated safely or reasonably, or because a stated minimum group size has not been reached.
If we cancel for a reason within our reasonable control, we will offer you:
The choice will be yours.
We are not normally able to reimburse international flights, visas or other arrangements booked independently. For this reason, we recommend waiting until we have confirmed your departure before purchasing non-refundable travel arrangements.
Different rules may apply when cancellation results from an event beyond our reasonable control, as explained below and as required by applicable law.
Some events cannot reasonably be predicted or prevented. These may include severe weather, natural disasters, fire, flooding, epidemics, border or road closures, government decisions, political unrest, strikes, airspace restrictions, changes to flight schedules, the closure of a protected area or other serious events outside our control.
If such an event affects your expedition, we will take reasonable steps to keep the trip safe and to provide a suitable alternative where possible. This may involve changing the route, transport, accommodation, dates or activities.
If the expedition cannot continue, we will discuss the available options with you. Refunds, additional costs and return arrangements will be handled according to the circumstances, the amounts recoverable from suppliers and the requirements of applicable Mongolian law.
Our itineraries are designed with some flexibility. Weather, road and river conditions, water levels, flight schedules, access to protected areas and the movements of wildlife can all change a day or a route.
We may make reasonable changes when they are needed for safety, access or the proper running of the expedition. Where possible, we will replace a changed service or activity with one of a similar standard.
If we know before departure that an important part of the expedition must change, we will tell you as soon as reasonably possible. If the change substantially alters the expedition, we will explain the alternatives available to you.
Changes made for safety or because of circumstances beyond our control do not automatically create a right to a refund. If a change materially reduces the services provided, we will deal with any appropriate price adjustment or refund in accordance with applicable law.
Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, including the species at the centre of an expedition.
We do not bait, call, stage encounters or otherwise draw animals towards us. Sightings depend on the animals, the weather, movement, field conditions and sometimes a bit of luck.
You may complete an expedition without seeing the animal it is named after. This uncertainty is a normal part of wildlife watching and is not, by itself, grounds for a refund.
Travel insurance is required to join any of our expeditions.
Your policy must cover:
Check the activities covered before buying your policy. Some policies exclude horse riding or other activities included in our itineraries.
We ask for your policy number and the insurer’s 24-hour emergency-assistance number before departure. If you do not provide evidence of suitable insurance, you may not be able to join the expedition. This will be treated as a cancellation by you.
Travel insurance does not replace the insurance or legal responsibilities that Artus Expeditions is required to hold under Mongolian law.
Each expedition page explains the terrain, temperatures, travel conditions and physical demands of the trip. It is your responsibility to choose an expedition that is suitable for you.
You must tell us about any medical condition, medication, serious allergy, mobility issue or other information that could affect your safety or emergency care. The information must be accurate and complete.
We may ask for further information or medical clearance if we reasonably believe it is needed for your safety. If we believe that an expedition is not suitable for you, we will discuss this with you and try to suggest an alternative.
Failing to disclose relevant information may affect our ability to assist you in an emergency. You may also be responsible, to the extent permitted by law, for direct costs resulting from information that was knowingly withheld or inaccurately provided.
You are responsible for having a valid passport, visa, vaccination document and any other paperwork required for your journey.
We can direct you towards official information, but immigration and health authorities make the final decisions. We cannot accept responsibility for a traveller being refused entry, boarding or participation because their documents are missing, incorrect or invalid.
Any additional costs resulting from incorrect documents, missed flights or late arrival are normally the traveller’s responsibility unless they were caused by our failure to provide an agreed service.
You are responsible for arriving at the agreed meeting point at the agreed time.
If a delayed or cancelled international flight affects your arrival, contact us as soon as possible. We will try to rearrange transfers or help you join the expedition, but this may not always be possible. Any additional cost will normally be your responsibility or that of your insurer.
No refund is normally available for services missed because of a late arrival, except where required by law.
You must follow the reasonable instructions of your guide, driver, ranger or other team member on matters of safety, wildlife and conduct.
You must also follow our Field Code of Conduct, including keeping a safe distance from wildlife, not approaching or disturbing animals, not baiting or calling them, not flying drones and carrying waste out of remote areas.
We may ask a traveller to stop an activity or leave the expedition if their behaviour places themselves, another person, wildlife or the operation of the trip at serious risk. This includes repeatedly ignoring safety instructions, threatening or abusive behaviour, illegal activity, or taking part while seriously impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Where removal from an expedition is reasonably necessary, the traveller will normally be responsible for their onward arrangements and the direct costs involved. Refunds for unused services will depend on the circumstances and applicable law.
Travellers are responsible for damage or reasonable direct costs caused by their deliberate, reckless or negligent conduct, to the extent permitted by law.
If you become ill or injured, we will take reasonable steps to arrange medical treatment, transport or evacuation.
Where you are unable to give consent and urgent action is reasonably necessary, you authorise us to act in what we reasonably believe to be your best interests. We will try to contact your emergency contact and insurer as soon as possible.
Medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation costs are normally the responsibility of you or your insurer, unless the costs result from a failure for which Artus Expeditions is legally responsible.
Scheduled domestic flights should not be treated as an emergency evacuation service. Depending on the location, weather and urgency, an evacuation may begin by road.
We work with airlines, hotels, ger camps, transport providers, local families, protected areas, research centres and other independent suppliers.
We take reasonable care when selecting and arranging these services. Some suppliers have their own conditions, particularly airlines and accommodation providers.
Artus Expeditions remains responsible for the services it has agreed to arrange to the extent required by law. However, we are not responsible for loss caused entirely by:
Nothing in this section removes any responsibility that cannot lawfully be excluded.
You are responsible for looking after your passport, money, camera equipment, luggage and other personal belongings.
Domestic airlines often have lower baggage allowances than international airlines. You must tell us about large or heavy camera equipment before flights are booked.
We are not responsible for loss or damage caused by ordinary wear, unsuitable packing, unattended belongings or the actions of airlines and other carriers, except where the law makes us responsible or the loss was caused by our failure to take reasonable care.
We collect the information reasonably needed to manage your booking and operate the expedition. This may include passport details, contact information, medical information, insurance details and emergency contacts.
We use and share this information only where reasonably necessary to arrange the expedition, protect your safety, respond to an emergency or meet a legal requirement. Further details are set out in our Privacy Policy.
Consent to the use of identifiable photographs or film is requested separately. Declining photography consent does not affect your booking.
Before departure, every traveller must read and sign our Acknowledgement of Risk and Traveller Declaration.
This document explains the normal conditions and risks associated with remote travel in Mongolia. It does not remove any legal responsibility that Artus Expeditions cannot lawfully exclude.
A traveller who does not complete the required declaration may not be able to join the expedition. This will normally be treated as a cancellation by the traveller.
We are responsible for providing the services confirmed in your booking with reasonable care and in accordance with applicable law.
We are not responsible for loss or damage caused entirely by your own actions, your failure to follow reasonable safety instructions, an unrelated third party, or an event beyond our reasonable control, except where applicable law provides otherwise.
Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits responsibility that cannot legally be excluded or limited. Any limitation of our responsibility will apply only to the extent permitted by Mongolian law.
These conditions do not remove your rights under the Mongolian Civil Code, the Law on Tourism or the Law on Consumer Rights Protection.
Tell your guide as soon as possible while you are still in the field. Many problems can be resolved more easily at the time.
If the issue cannot be resolved during the expedition, write to us at contact@artus-expeditions.com with the relevant details. Please contact us as soon as reasonably possible and preferably within 30 days of the end of the expedition.
We will acknowledge your message and respond directly. Contacting us later does not remove any rights you may have under applicable law.
These conditions and your booking are governed by Mongolian law, subject to any mandatory consumer rights that may also apply.
We will first try to resolve any disagreement directly and in good faith. Where appropriate, a dispute may also be referred to the mediation process available under Mongolia’s tourism legislation. If it cannot be resolved, it may be brought before the competent court.
A traveller under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian unless we have agreed otherwise in writing.
The parent or guardian must approve the booking, provide the required information and sign the traveller documents. Some expeditions may have a higher minimum age because of their terrain, climate or activities.
By confirming your booking, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted these Booking Terms & Conditions.
A copy of the version applying to your booking will be provided with your booking confirmation.
