The Adventure Okanagan Co-operative is not
a travel agency, but a partnership of owner/member businesses
that work together developing tour packages, itineraries and
marketing programs. AOC facilitates; it does not supply any
part of a specific tour. When you book a tour with Adventure
Okanagan you contract with the individual operators who are
running each tour. Thus, AOC assumes no liability within a
tour; however, all of our owner operators are fully insured
First, let's define our terms. The term AOC
on this website refers to the Adventure Okanagan Co-operative
an organization in the Okanagan, British Columbia, which offers
and arranges all of the packages of adventure activities listed
herein and supplied by individual members.
Prices, reservations and payment
Published trip prices will not change. Some departures may
be specially priced to reflect itinerary variations; please
call AOC for details. Prices indicated on this website are
in Canadian dollars. Canada’s 7% Goods & Services
Tax (GST) applies on Canadian trips; approximately half is
refundable to non-residents when you leave Canada. To reserve
your trip, we require a 50% deposit per person. The balance
of your payment is due 30 days prior to package date. Payments
can be made by personal cheque, VISA, MasterCard or American
Express. To confirm your reservation, you must complete the
Reservation Form provided by AOC and return it to our office
at least 30 days prior to your trip departure; otherwise,
your reservation will be cancelled and the cancellation terms
below will apply. As part of the pre-trip Reservation Form,
you will be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Risk and
Release to confirm that you have read the Limitation of Liability
and Release and agree to those terms.
Cancelling/Switching Trips
If, for some unfortunate reason, you find you have to cancel
your AOC trip, our policy is pretty straightforward, with
refunds based on the number of days prior to departure that
we receive written notice of your cancellation:
- More than 30 days prior to departure: we
will refund your deposit less an administration fee of Cad
$20.00 per person.
- 30 days or less, but more than 14 days prior
to your trip: you will lose your 50% deposit.
- Less than 14 days prior to departure: you
must pay the full trip price.
We strongly recommend cancellation insurance.
Coverage is automatically added to each reservation and will
appear on your invoice. To accept the insurance, you must
pay the premium at least 30 days before departure or it is
assumed that you have declined. For reservations within the
30-day period, the premium must be included with your full
trip payment.
If you decide to switch to a different trip
before 14 days of your original departure date, you will be
charged a fee of $25 per person.. After this time, such changes
cannot be made, and the cancellation policy will apply. You
can only switch trips within the same calendar year.
AOC reserves the right to cancel any trip at
any time for any reason if the quality of the trip or the
safety of travellers is judged to be compromised. In such
a case, refund of any payments received shall constitute full
settlement. We do not recommend non-refundable, advance-purchase
air tickets, as AOC cannot assume responsibility for any loss
incurred on account of such tickets. If, as occasionally happens,
we must cancel a trip because there are too few participants,
we will attempt to notify you at least 30 days before your
trip departure and may suggest that you switch to another
trip.
Eligibility
We recommend that travellers be at least 18 years of age on
all trips except for Family Trips, which are variously designated
for children aged 3 and older, 8 and older, or 12 and older.
Preparing for Your Trip
Our trips entail risks - and rewards - beyond those encountered
at home. We always stress that our trips are a kind of partnership
with travellers. Our primary objective is to take the hassle
out of a great travel experience. In return, we count on people
to ensure that they are healthy and fit; to read our pre-trip
materials about clothing, training, medical requirements and
etiquette; to understand - indeed relish - the fact that a
road less travelled means a more unpredictable and more rewarding
adventure.
Insurance
Your pre-trip package provides more detailed information on
the rigours of the trip you have chosen. We highly recommend
that you buy hospital and medical insurance to supplement
your existing health insurance. Please review the limited
amount of such coverage included in our insurance offer and
confirm with your insurer that you are adequately covered
for any eventuality.
Health
By sending a deposit toward your trip purchase, you certify
that you do not have any physical condition or disability
that would create a hazard for you or other travellers. Please
consult your doctor.
Risks
Many AOC trips are intentionally designed to take clients
"off the beaten path." These trips offer the opportunity
for physical activity that can be demanding, depending on
the condition of the traveller, and may involve risk of serious
personal injury from accident, illness or the negligence of
other persons, including AOC, agents or independent contractors
whose services are provided in connection with the trip. There
are other risks associated with the trips, such as theft or
loss of or damage to property.
Limitation of Liability & Release
AOC will not be responsible for any and all physical or mental
injury, including permanent disability or death, damages or
loss to property even if caused or alleged to have been caused
in whole or in part by the conduct, including the negligence,
of AOC or any of their employees, guides, agents or independent
contractors. Travellers agree not to sue the Adventure Okanagan
Co-operative, or their employees, in respect of, and to forever
release them from, any claims arising out of physical injury,
permanent disability or death or for damage to or loss of
any property arising in connection with the trip. Travellers
agree that they will hold AOC, and their employees, harmless
in respect of any such claims made by (i) the traveller’s
family, estate or dependents, and (ii) third parties which
the traveller, his/her estate, or his/her family or dependents
have sued if damages are recovered from such third party to
the extent the third party recovers damages from AOC, or their
employees. Notwithstanding any of the above, if travellers
have suffered any loss due to any reckless or fraudulent conduct
on the part of AOC, or their employees, the traveller retains
the right to sue only the member owner, which offers and operates
that trip, and not any other party. This Limitation of Liability
& Release will apply to travellers’ trips with AOC
which includes any pre-trip option or post-trip extension
which a traveller may enrol for at a later date or any switch
between different trips. This Limitation of Liability &
Release will be binding upon the traveller’s heirs, successors
and legal personal representatives. Any dispute or claim arising
out of or relating to this Limitation of Liability & Release,
the trip, or a traveller’s relationship with AOC, will
be resolved exclusively in the courts of the Province of British
Columbia and will be governed exclusively by British Columbia
law.
Acknowledgement:
We, the undersigned, have read and understood
the above Disclaimer provided by the Adventure Okanagan Co-operative.
In signing our name, we agree to abide by all of the terms
and conditions as laid out by AOC and provided for in British
Columbia law.
Signed: (to be signed by each adult member
if part of a group).
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