The following are our Terms and Conditions:

1. Participant
By booking a reservation with us, you, the participant, agree to be bound to these terms and conditions. You certify that you are capable of entering a legally binding contract and are over 18 years of age. You further certify that by providing your name on this booking all person(s) named as part of your group agree to be bound by the terms and conditions herein and that you have all read and understood the full terms and conditions before making your booking.

You certify that you are in good health, are capable and competent to participate safely on this tour, and have no medical conditions that could endanger yourself or any other tour participants while on the trip. You certify that you have appropriate health and accident insurance to cover you for the duration of the trip, and that you will provide evidence of this no later than 30 days before tour departure. You are completely and solely responsible for any medical, search and rescue, or repatriation expenses that may be incurred by you or members of your party in case of injury or accident.

Children or young participants up to 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian and the parent or guardian will assume full responsibility for the minor during the whole duration of the tour, included, but not limited to, medical attention or search and rescue operations, damage or loss of property or equipment, general safety, and any other situation that may arise. The parent or guardian also agrees to release and indemnify VeloTours and any parties named according to the Terms and Conditions herein for any claims of the minor.

It is your sole responsibility to make sure that you are in possession of the necessary travel documents (passport, visa, etc), health and other certificates, and equipment (including bicycle helmets) that may be required for this tour.

2. Our Services
The tour services provided by VeloTours are based on the description provided on our website, brochures, travel confirmation, and email exchanges with you, the participant.

VeloTours, its employees, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, successors, and agents do not own or operate any entity which provides goods or services for your trip including, for example, lodging facilities, transportation companies, food service providers, equipment suppliers, etc. As a result, VeloTours is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such person, or of any other third party, nor for any act, error, or omission causing any injury, loss, or damage, delay, or inconvenience which may be occasioned by such persons or third parties by any cause whatsoever, including the failure of any means of conveyance to adhere to a published schedule.

We reserve the right to alter or omit parts the day-to-day itinerary insofar as they will not significantly nor negatively impact the overall arrangements of the trip, to substitute hotels or staff, or to change any means of conveyance without notice, due to unforeseen circumstances including, but not limited to, inclement weather, traffic conditions, road repairs, or museum and exhibit closures and cancellations.

3. Payment
Payment must be received in full no later than 45 days before tour start date. In the case when booking is made less than 45 days before the tour start date, full payment balance is due no later than two days from the time of booking. The booking fee is non-refundable.

Acceptable forms of payment are wire deposit to the VeloTours bank account, the details of which will be emailed to you upon confirmation of your booking. Money orders are also acceptable, the details for money order payments will be also outlined on your booking confirmation email.

The services that are included in your payment are detailed on the company website and our printed brochures. In general, services include accommodation, tour guide and driver services and luggage transportation fees, group museum/exhibit entrances, and most meals. Not included in the price are tour guide/driver tips, meals and entertainment or museums/exhibits on non-guided/free days, and personal expenses.

4. Refund and Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your reservation on your tour at any time and for any reason subject to the following refund policy.

1. The booking fee is non-refundable.
2. Cancellations up to 45 days prior to tour start date will be refunded in full (excepting booking fee).
3. Cancellations between 45 and 30 days prior to tour start date will be refunded by 50% of the tour price.
4. Cancellations less than 30 days prior to tour start date: no refund.

You may choose to transfer your reservation on the tour to another person in lieu of cancellation. Please notify us and send us the information requested in our reservation web pages of the person you have designated to go on the tour in lieu of yourself. Reservation transfers are only accepted after payment has been received in full and the transferee has read and accepted our Terms and Conditions. Acceptable means for notification of transfers and/or participant cancellation include email, letter, or telephone contact. The notification is accepted by VeloTours only when you receive a confirmation reply from us.

VeloTours reserves the right to cancel any trip at any time prior to departure for any reason (including, for instance, minimum number of participants not reached). In such case, VeloTours will refund the participant(s) all payment(s) received (including booking fee). In the event of cancellation, we will attempt to notify all participants as soon as possible and at least 30 days in advance of tour start. In the event of cancellation, VeloTours is not responsible for any other damages or expenses incurred, including (but not limited to) non-refundable airline tickets, insurance, health or other documents, or equipment expenses. We therefore recommend that the participants purchase any relevant travel cancellation insurance to cover this eventuality.

5. Bike rentals/Waiting List/Availability
VeloTours is able to provide a limited number of bicycles for hire for the full duration of the tour for a small fee (as detailed on our “Dates and Prices” page on our website). Such bikes are available upon request but due to the limited availability we will provide them on the basis of first come first served. If a bicycle is not available we will be happy to put you on our bike hire waiting list in the event of a bike rental cancellation, but we cannot guarantee that a bike will become available in time for your tour. We are unable to provide children-sized bicycles.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have an appropriate touring bike and equipment (including bike helmets, bike rack(s), bike lock(s) and/or chains, bike computer, and/or accessories, etc) available when you arrive for the tour if we are unable to provide you with one, and you are responsible for the cost of any damages and/or repairs to your touring bicycle whether it is rented from us or not.

The tour guides carry a small kit for minor repairs which we will assist with free of charge (tire punctures, inner tube replacement, minor chain repairs, pedal or simple bike frame adjustments, etc), but repairs requiring a visit to a bike shop are at the cost of the tour participant.

Due to variety in sizes and fitting, we are unable to provide bicycle helmets. They are required in our tours and a participant not having one will not be allowed on that day’s tour until a helmet is procured by the participant, so please ensure you bring your own.

VeloTours will make all efforts to accommodate special dietary requests (vegetarian, certain food allergies, etc) if such requests are made at the time of booking. However, the participant understands that such accommodations may not be possible at all times, in which case alternate arrangements are at the sole responsibility and cost of the participant.

If the tour is full at the time of booking, the participant may elect to be placed on that tour’s waiting list. If a space becomes available due to a confirmed participant’s cancellation, the space will be offered to the participants on the waiting list according to the order in which they were placed on the list (first come first served).

6. Release of Liability
You, the participant, fully realize and appreciate the dangers of riding a bicycle on open public roads and fully assume the risks associated with this activity including, by way of example but not limitation, the dangers of collision with pedestrians, vehicles, other cyclists, and fixed or moving objects; the dangers arising from surface hazards, pot-holes, broken roads, equipment failure, inadequate safety equipment, and weather conditions; and the possibility of serious physical and/or mental trauma or injury associated with bicycle related mishaps. You understand that potentially dangerous situations may arise during the tour which are beyond the control of VeloTours. Knowing these risks involved, you nevertheless agree to assume those risks and to release all entities mentioned below for any injury, death, illness or property damages occurred on these tours or in the travel to and from these tours.

You acknowledge you will be riding at your own risk and release the aforementioned entities from liabilities for any injury, loss, accident, death, theft, and/or damages (including property and equipment) which may occur to you or anyone else in your party. You further agree to all safety information provided to you both written and orally, and agree to follow all safety procedures as put forth by VeloTours (including wearing a bicycle helmet at all times when riding a bicycle during this tour). You attest that you will abide by the rules and regulations of these tours, and all provincial and local municipal laws applicable, including vehicle laws and practice safety in bicycling. You acknowledge that VeloTours has reserved the right to terminate your participation in any or all of their events should you fail to follow their safety regulations or if you endanger yourself or anyone associated with the tour in which you are participating, and in which case you forfeit any monies and fees paid to the company for their services.

VeloTours is not responsible for the loss, theft, or damage to luggage, equipment, or personal effects of the tour participant. We therefore recommend that you purchase appropriate luggage insurance to cover damage to your property and/or cycling equipment.

Having read the foregoing material, you hereby waive, release, and discharge, for yourself, your heirs, your executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, any rights or claims which you have or may hereafter accrue to you against the officers, employees, owners, volunteers and staff of VeloTours for any and all damages which may be sustained by you directly or indirectly in connection with your participation in this tour.

You also agree to indemnify VeloTours against all claims, damages or losses (including costs), which it incurs as the direct or indirect result of you taking part in the tour including the costs of enforcing this release.

7. Jurisdiction and Severability
The place of jurisdiction for any claims resulting from your participation in one of our tours is Switzerland, canton Bern, city of Bern.

The invalidity of individual terms and conditions of this document shall not affect the validity of the remaining terms and conditions in the document.