Travel And Cancellation Terms - Wild Hikes Finland

TRAVEL AND CANCELLATION TERMS

WHF Outdoors ltd. / Wild Hikes Finland (registered trademark) organizes certain hiking
trips that may constitute either a travel package or a combination of travel services as
defined by the EU Package Travel Directive (EU) 2015/2302. We adhere to conditions that
conform to EU consumer protection standards. In certain respects, we deviate from these
general conditions due to the special nature of our activities or because the trip does not
constitute a package travel arrangement.

WHF Outdoors ltd. / Wild Hikes Finland (registered trademark) applies the terms for trips
of less than 8 days in duration in its course offerings.

SCOPE
These Terms and Conditions apply to all hiking trips arranged by WHF Outdoors ltd. / Wild
Hikes Finland (registered trademark) (“the Tour Operator”).
AGREEMENT AND LIABILITY FOR PERFORMANCE

2.1 Liability for Performance
The Tour Operator is responsible to the Traveler for ensuring the trip is carried out in
accordance with what has been agreed. Any complaint regarding a defect in the trip must
be made in accordance with Section 12.4.

2.2 Content of the Agreement
The trip includes those services and arrangements agreed between the Traveler and the
Tour Operator. When assessing the content of the Agreement, attention shall be paid to all
terms and conditions (provided in writing or electronically) and other relevant trip-related
information made available before the Agreement is concluded.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND TRAVEL INSURANCE

Before concluding the Agreement, the Tour Operator shall provide general information on
passport and visa requirements of the destination country, including average visa
processing times.
The Traveler, following the Tour Operator’s instructions, is responsible for ensuring they
have all necessary travel documents (e.g., a valid passport, visa) and for checking their
accuracy (e.g., matching names and validity dates). If the Tour Operator has fulfilled its
duty to provide information, it is not liable for any losses the Traveler may incur if the trip is
prevented or interrupted due to missing or incorrect travel documents (e.g., a damaged
passport) or because a visa is denied or missing.
The Tour Operator is not responsible for the Traveler’s voluntary travel insurance; the
Traveler must ensure they have an insurance policy that adequately covers their
destination and circumstances (including, for instance, trip cancellation coverage). The
Tour Operator strongly recommends comprehensive travel insurance that covers personal
injury, property damage, and trip cancellation.

POSSIBLE SAFETY RISKS AT THE DESTINATION

Prior to departure, the Tour Operator shall inform the Traveler of any special risks
associated with the trip and provide general information on health regulations in the
destination country. The Traveler remains responsible for obtaining any additional medical
advice relevant to their personal health situation. The Tour Operator shall also provide
instructions for what to do in case of illness, accident, or other comparable event.
Responsibility for the Traveler’s safety abroad lies, first and foremost, with the Traveler
themselves and the local authorities in the destination country. The Traveler must behave
in a manner appropriate to local conditions.
Information about potential safety issues and other significant conditions in the
destination is available from relevant official sources, such as the Ministry for Foreign
Affairs and health authorities in the EU (e.g., on their respective websites).

DUTY TO ASSIST

If, during the trip, the Traveler falls ill, has an accident, is a victim of crime, or suffers
other damage, the Tour Operator shall, without undue delay, provide information on local
health services, authorities, and consular services, arrange the possibility of remote
communications, and provide other appropriate assistance. The Traveler shall be
responsible for any additional costs (including any extra costs incurred by the Tour
Operator) resulting from such special arrangements made on their behalf.
If the situation described in Section 10.1(b) arises during the trip (e.g., war, terrorism,
natural disasters, etc.), the Tour Operator shall, within its capabilities, assist the Traveler
and seek to limit any ensuing damage or inconvenience.
The Tour Operator may charge a reasonable fee for such assistance if the Traveler has
caused the difficulties through negligence or intent. The fee must not exceed the actual
costs incurred by the Tour Operator.

TRAVELER’S OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Traveler must follow any instructions and regulations given by the Tour Operator or
its representative related to the proper conduct of the trip.
The Traveler shall not disturb other participants with their behavior. If the Traveler
materially breaches their obligations, they may be denied participation or removed from
the trip. In such a case, the Traveler is not entitled to any refund and shall bear any costs
associated with returning home.
The Traveler is liable for any damages they cause to the Tour Operator or to third parties
due to intentional or negligent conduct.
The Traveler is required to provide the Tour Operator with contact details through which
they can be reached prior to and during the trip.
A group representative must share all relevant trip-related information and documents
with the group, as well as relay all required traveler information and documentation to the
Tour Operator. The Tour Operator is deemed to have fulfilled its obligation to provide
information when such details are given to the group representative.
The Traveler (or group representative) is responsible for ensuring that all personal
details, dates, and any special needs or requests provided to the Tour Operator are
accurate and timely. The Tour Operator is not liable for damages arising from incorrect or
incomplete information provided by the Traveler or group representative.

FORMATION OF CONTRACT AND PAYMENT OF PRICE

The Agreement becomes binding on the Traveler once the online registration form is
completed and sent via the Tour Operator’s website or via another means specified by the
Tour Operator.
The total price of the trip must be paid by the deadline set by the Tour Operator or as
otherwise agreed.

TRAVELER’S RIGHT TO CANCEL BEFORE THE TRIP

The Traveler may cancel the trip at any time before its commencement. In such cases,
the Tour Operator is entitled to charge a cancellation fee as follows:
a) 25% of the trip price if the trip is canceled less than 60 days but at least 30 days before
departure.
b) 50% of the trip price if the trip is canceled less than 30 days but at least 15 days before
departure.
c) 100% of the trip price if the trip is canceled less than 15 days before departure.
In addition to the cancellation fees mentioned above, the Tour Operator may charge any
nonrefundable costs that have already arisen on behalf of the Traveler’s booking prior to
cancellation.
If the Traveler fails to cancel the trip and does not show up at the agreed meeting point at
the agreed time, or if they cannot participate because they lack the required travel
documents (e.g., valid passport, visa, ID, vaccination record), no refund is due.

TRAVELER’S RIGHT TO CANCEL DUE TO CHANGES OR DESTINATION
CONDITIONS

The Traveler may cancel the trip if:
a) The Tour Operator makes significant changes to the travel arrangements (e.g.,
material changes to departure or arrival times causing serious inconvenience or extra cost
to the Traveler).
b) The Traveler has justified reason to believe that, after concluding the Agreement,
conditions in or near the destination (e.g., warfare, terrorism, natural disasters, pandemic,
or other serious threats) have made it substantially more difficult for the Tour Operator to
provide the trip as agreed, or if proceeding with the trip would endanger the life or health of
the Traveler. Assessment may take into account official announcements by relevant
authorities.
c) The start or end date of the trip is changed by more than 24 hours from what was
originally agreed.
d) The Traveler otherwise has substantial and verifiable reason to assume the Tour
Operator’s performance will be seriously defective.
The Tour Operator shall notify the Traveler of any changes in a durable manner (e.g.,
email). The notice shall specify the nature and implications of the changes, and if the
Traveler is entitled to cancel the trip as a result.
The Traveler must notify the Tour Operator of cancellation without undue delay. If the
Traveler fails to do so within the reasonable time stated in the notice of changes, they are
deemed to have accepted the proposed changes.
If the above conditions are met and the Traveler cancels, they are entitled to a full refund
of the trip price within 14 days from the cancellation date. However, no free cancellation
applies if the circumstances under Section 9.1(b) were already known to the Traveler when
concluding the Agreement.

TRAVELER’S RIGHT TO INTERRUPT THE TRIP AND TERMINATE THE
AGREEMENT DURING THE TRIP

The Traveler may interrupt the trip if:
a) The trip is performed so defectively that it fails to meet its intended purpose; or
b) A situation as described in Section 9.1(b) arises during the trip, unless the Traveler
was aware of those circumstances when concluding the Agreement.
In interrupting the trip or terminating the Agreement, the Traveler is entitled to a refund of
the paid trip price. If the Traveler has received benefit from part of the Tour Operator’s
performance, such benefit may be taken into account when assessing any price reduction.
If the Traveler interrupts the trip on the grounds of Section 10.1(a), the Tour Operator
shall, if necessary, arrange for the Traveler’s return to the starting point or another agreed
location.
If the Traveler interrupts the trip based on Section 10.1(b) and the Tour Operator does not
assist the Traveler with return travel in accordance with Section 5, the Traveler may make
their own arrangements. The Traveler must endeavor to keep the costs for which the Tour
Operator might be liable as low as possible.
Any entitlement to compensation for damages is governed by Section 16.

TRAVELER’S RIGHT TO MODIFY AND ASSIGN THE CONTRACT

The Traveler may, no later than 45 days before the trip begins, request a change of
destination by paying both the price difference between the original and the new trip plus
any administrative fees and their share of nonrefundable costs from the original trip
arrangements. Any later modification may be treated as a cancellation of the original trip
and a new booking.
Due to the particular nature of our trips, the Traveler may not transfer the Agreement or
change the passenger details to another person without the express consent of the Tour
Operator. Consent requires that the substitute Traveler convincingly demonstrates their
suitability for the trip. Any request for assignment or name change must be made at least
30 days before departure.
The Tour Operator is entitled to charge a reasonable fee for the assignment or name
change. If not otherwise stated, this fee corresponds to the administrative costs incurred.
Both the original Traveler and the assignee are jointly liable to the Tour Operator for the
payment of the trip price and related fees.

PRICE CHANGES

After the Agreement has been concluded, the Tour Operator may increase the price of
the trip if there is an increase in certain taxes or charges imposed by third parties on travel
services (such as insurance, permit fees, destination or municipal taxes), either in the
home country or abroad. Any increase must not exceed the actual additional costs
incurred.
The Tour Operator shall notify the Traveler of a new price and the grounds for the
increase as soon as possible and no later than 20 days before departure.
If, after conclusion of the Agreement, the trip price is increased by more than 8%
according to Section 12.1, the Traveler has the right to cancel the Agreement. The
Traveler must notify the Tour Operator of such cancellation within a reasonable time
specified by the Tour Operator or, if none is specified, within seven days of receiving notice
of the price increase.
In the event of cancellation under Section 12.3, the Tour Operator will refund any amount
the Traveler has paid within 21 days. Any right to claim damages shall be determined
according to Section 16.

CHANGES BY THE TOUR OPERATOR TO THE TRAVEL CONTRACT

If, before the trip begins, the Tour Operator makes only minor changes to the trip as a
whole, the Traveler is not entitled to cancel the Agreement, nor claim price reduction or

compensation. Minor changes include modifications that could reasonably be expected
due to the nature of the trip (e.g., changes to a hiking route due to weather conditions).

Significant changes by the Tour Operator that justify cancellation are listed in Section 9.1.
If changes by the Tour Operator are neither minor (Section 13.1) nor among the
significant grounds for cancellation (Section 9.1), the Traveler remains obliged to pay the
trip price, subject to any rights to price reduction or damages under Sections 15 and 16.
The Tour Operator shall notify the Traveler in a clear, visible, and understandable way of
any such changes.
If the Tour Operator opts to operate the trip by altering the route or schedule instead of
canceling (in cases of insufficient participation or unforeseen conditions) without materially
changing the nature of the trip, and if the Travelers agree, the trip proceeds as modified.
The Traveler may be entitled to a price reduction or compensation in accordance with
Sections 15 and 16.

TOUR OPERATOR’S RIGHT TO CANCEL OR INTERRUPT THE TRIP

The Tour Operator may cancel the trip if:
a) An insufficient number of people have registered, and the Tour Operator specified, in
pre-trip information or other materials (e.g., program documents), that running the trip
depends on a minimum number of participants. The Traveler must be notified of such
cancellation at least:
30 days before departure if the trip lasts more than six days,
15 days before departure if the trip lasts between two and six days.
b) Circumstances in or near the destination (e.g., warfare, terrorism, natural disaster,
strike, severe health risks, or other unexpected events) have, after conclusion of the
Agreement, substantially hindered the Tour Operator’s ability to provide the trip without
endangering the Traveler’s life or health. Cessation of essential services such as electricity
or water supply at the destination due to a natural disaster or strike may also justify
cancellation. The Traveler must be informed of such cancellation as soon as possible.
If the circumstances described in Section 14.1(b) occur during the trip, the Tour Operator
has the right to interrupt the trip and make other essential changes. The Tour Operator
shall promptly refund to the Traveler the portion of the trip price corresponding to any
services not provided.
In the event of cancellation by the Tour Operator, payments received shall be refunded to
the Traveler within 21 days of the notice of cancellation.

TOUR OPERATOR’S RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT

The Tour Operator is entitled to terminate the contract if the Traveler fails to pay the trip
price or any portion thereof by the agreed due date, provided the Traveler has been
granted a reasonable additional payment period and still fails to pay.

DEFECT AND NOTIFICATION OF DEFECT

A defect in the Tour Operator’s performance exists if:
a) The trip’s services or arrangements do not correspond to what was agreed or can be
deemed to have been agreed; or
b) The Tour Operator has neglected its obligation to provide the Traveler with information
on the applicable terms, trip details, required travel documents, relevant health regulations,
or necessary instructions in case of illness or accident during the trip—and such
negligence can be assumed to have influenced the Traveler’s decision-making; or
c) The Tour Operator has failed to fulfill the duty to assist under Section 5.

16.1 Notification of Defect

The Traveler shall not rely on a defect after the trip unless they notify the Tour Operator
within a reasonable time after discovering the defect or after they should have discovered
it. If the defect can be corrected during the trip, the Traveler must notify the Tour Operator
as soon as possible.
If immediate correction is not required, the Traveler must grant a reasonable period for
remedying the defect. Whether the time allowed is reasonable depends on the length,
destination, and nature of the trip.
However, the Traveler does not lose the right to claim a defect if the Tour Operator or
another service provider acting on its behalf has acted with gross negligence or in an
unprofessional and unethical manner.

16.2 Remedy of Defect

The Tour Operator must remedy the defect promptly or within the reasonable time set by
the Traveler, without additional cost or significant inconvenience to the Traveler. Even if the

defect is remedied, the Traveler may still have a right to a price reduction under Section 18
and compensation under Section 19.

The Tour Operator is not obliged to remedy a defect if it is impossible or would impose
disproportionate costs in light of the nature and value of the travel services in question.
If the Tour Operator states that it will not remedy the defect, or fails to do so within the
necessary time, the Traveler may arrange a remedy themselves and request
reimbursement of the necessary costs. However, the Traveler is not entitled to
reimbursement for disproportionately high costs.

OFFERING ALTERNATIVE SERVICES DURING THE TRIP

Due to the nature of our activity and for safety reasons, it may not be feasible to offer
alternative services during the trip if a significant portion of the travel service cannot be
delivered as agreed (e.g., the trip is shortened because of natural disaster, weather, or
other force majeure). The Tour Operator shall grant the Traveler an appropriate price
reduction for services not provided.
The Traveler is not entitled to a price reduction or compensation if certain parts of the trip
cannot be performed because of rescue operations for a member of the group, compliance
with authorities’ obligations, or similar reasons beyond the Tour Operator’s
control—provided the trip is otherwise carried out according to schedule.

PRICE REDUCTION

If a defect is not remedied immediately at the Tour Operator’s expense or is irremediable,
the Traveler is entitled to a price reduction proportional to the significance of the defect,
unless the Tour Operator proves the defect is attributable to the Traveler.
The Traveler is not entitled to a price reduction if the defect is minor in relation to the
overall Agreement. When calculating any price reduction, the total price of the trip serves
as the starting point. The defect’s significance may also be assessed in light of the
Traveler’s individual needs and specific wishes agreed upon in advance.

COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES

The Traveler is entitled to compensation for damages caused by a defect in the Tour
Operator’s performance. The compensation must be paid without undue delay.
However, the Traveler is not entitled to compensation if the Tour Operator shows that:
the defect is attributable to the Traveler;
the defect is attributable to a third party with no connection to providing the travel
services, and it could not have been foreseen or prevented;
the defect is attributable to force majeure circumstances described in Section 20.
Compensable damages include, for instance, necessary extra expenses incurred by the
Traveler and proven loss of enjoyment of the trip, if the defect is significant.
There is no liability for compensation if the Traveler’s own negligence contributed to the
damage.
The amount of compensation cannot exceed three times the total price of the trip. This
limitation of liability does not apply to personal injury or damage caused willfully or by
negligence.
In order to claim compensation, the Traveler must demonstrate that there is a defect in
the Tour Operator’s performance and that the damage suffered is causally linked to that
defect. Proof of the damage’s amount also rests with the claimant.

FORCE MAJEURE (UNAVOIDABLE AND EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES)
The Tour Operator is not liable for damage resulting from unavoidable and extraordinary
circumstances beyond its control, the consequences of which could not have been
avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such circumstances may
include, for example, government regulations, restricted airspace, warfare, terrorism, major
civil unrest, significant health risks (e.g., a serious outbreak of disease), natural disasters
such as floods, earthquakes, extreme weather making safe travel to the destination
impossible, or the cessation of essential services (like water or electricity) due to strikes or
disasters.
BOOKING ERRORS

The Tour Operator shall promptly compensate the Traveler for damage caused by a
technical fault in the reservation system it uses or by an error made during the booking
process, except where the error is attributable to the Traveler or force majeure (Section
20).
A booking error may be attributable to the Traveler if they provided incorrect or
incomplete information, or if they neglected to check their confirmation or other documents
and report any errors to the Tour Operator as soon as possible. Any contributory fault on
the Traveler’s part may be taken into account when determining compensation.

DEDUCTION OF COMPENSATION RECEIVED UNDER OTHER LEGISLATION
If the Traveler receives a price reduction or damages under EU regulations or international
conventions on passenger rights, that amount shall be deducted from compensation
payable under these Terms if the compensation concerns the same defect.

The Traveler must inform the Tour Operator of any compensation received from other
parties for the same defect.

CLAIMS

The Traveler must notify the Tour Operator of any defect in accordance with Section 16.1.
Any claim for compensation must be made to the Tour Operator in writing within a
reasonable time.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION
All disputes concerning or arising out of these Terms and the travel arrangements shall be
governed by Finnish law. The Parties agree that any dispute, controversy, or claim that
cannot be resolved by mutual agreement shall be submitted to the competent court in
Finland.

Note on Consumer Disputes in the EU
For Travelers based in the EU, we follow relevant EU consumer protection legislation,
including the EU Package Travel Directive. If you believe you have a consumer dispute
that remains unresolved, you may be entitled to seek further advice or assistance through
EU-wide consumer authorities or alternative dispute resolution bodies, subject to their
applicable procedures.

OTHER

The Traveler should note that inbound and outbound flights (to/from the trip’s starting or
ending points) are never included in WHF Outdoors ltd. / Wild Hikes Finland (registered
trademark) trips. We assume no direct or indirect responsibility for such flights, any related
delays, cancellations, or resulting damages. Liability lies solely with the relevant airline.
Neither do we assume responsibility for any other arrangements outside the trip, such as
train, bus, or car journeys to or from the trip destination or separately booked
accommodations.
We reserve the right to change any details, itineraries, or prices for our trips.

WHF Outdoors ltd. / Wild Hikes Finland (registered trademark)