GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions (“Booking Conditions’) form the basis of your contract with Big Question Xpeditions of Level 29, Chifley Tower Sydney NSW 2000, and expressions of “we”, “our”, “us”, “BQX”, “BQXpeditions include Big Question Xpeditions

By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have had the opportunity to read and have read the these Booking Conditions, that you agree to them and that you agree to them applying to your Xpedition arrangements that you book with us and which we agree to make provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you.

References in these Booking Conditions to your ‘Xpedition’ are references to the land tour package you have booked with BQXpeditions.

 

Before you book

PRICING

The most up to date pricing will be shown on our website www.bqx.com.au

The expression “from” pricing refers to the lowest price for the Xpedition we believe is available at the time of publication.

Prices may be subject to change in the event of including without limitation to cover, exchange rate variations, government taxes, fuel surcharges, airline surcharges or increases by suppliers.

Prices will be confirmed at time of booking and honoured up to seven days. Once the deposit is paid, the price will be guaranteed. All Expeditions are subject to availability at time of booking.

 

ACCURACY

We have endeavoured to ensure that the information is accurate. However, descriptions, facilities and prices may change. We recommend that you confirm the details of your chosen Xpedition at the time of booking. Additionally, hotels, carriers, and routes shown on the website are a guidance only as there maybe changes. BQX can give no guarantee as to exact arrival and departure times for carriers and operators used on your Xpeditions. We will endeavour to notify you of any significant changes prior to your departure.

 

CHOOSING YOUR XPEDITION

Our expeditions can visit remote regions and is part of the adventure visiting science research stations or camps in the wilderness and in regions of untouched natural beauty. To maximise your enjoyment, it is important you chose the right Xpedition for you.

XPEDITIONS
A reasonable level of fitness and good health is required to participate, and we expect clients to be comfortable spending some time in the outdoors. Our walking tours can take up to 4 hours exploring stromatolites and rock formations over rocky and slippery conditions. Altitude might vary on some of these tours, as they could include day visits to volcanoes, geysers, and high mountains.

XTREME XPEDITIONS
Stay in remote areas with access by helicopter or off the road 4WD’s to reach our research base camps which may have basic facilities. Basic facilities maybe no shower or portable toilets. Participants must be in excellent health and live an active lifestyle. Exploration hikes can take up to 8 hours and you will be exposed to the outdoor elements for a few days. In some of our Xpeditions you will require to be able to get all fours to get in and out of your tent. Our Xtreme Xpeditions require mobility & stamina.

 

BOOKING AND PAYING FOR YOUR XPEDITION

YOUR CONTRACT

When you make a booking, you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these Booking Conditions. A contract will exist as soon as we issue our booking confirmation, which will include full details of your booking and invoice in respect of the same.

 

PAYMENT

A non-refundable deposit is required to confirm your booking, please refer to the specific Xpedition for the deposit amount required.

Your final payment is due 100 days before the Xpedition start date. Big Questions Xpeditions reserves the right to cancel any booking, refuse to honour the price where any payment has not been received within the specific time. Payment in full is required at time of booking for reservations made on less than 100 days before the Xpedition departure date.

Payment by direct deposit, MasterCard and Visa is accepted with a 1% fee on credit cards.

 

TRANSFERS AT YOUR DESTINATION

Where stated, transfers are included on the first and last day of the Xpedition at designated times. No refund will be given for unused transfers. Transfers cannot be rerouted to other pick-up points or destinations. Passengers who miss the pre booked transfers must make their own way to the start of the hotel/research camp at their own expense.

 

SPECIAL REQUESTS

Where a special request (example diet, meals, room location, twin, or double bed) is an important factor in your choice of Xpedition, you must advise us when your booking is made. BQX will pass on your request to the supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. The provision of any special request does not constitute a term of your contract with us. All special requests are subject to availability, and even if noted to the supplier with your booking, does not confirm that the request will be met.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance is not included in your Xpedition. For your protection, comprehensive travel insurance is compulsory and must cover for the full duration of your tour and for the countries in which the tour is to take place.

The travel insurance cover must include emergency medical expenses, hospital and pharmaceutical expenses, personal injury, death, evacuation, and repatriation. It is strongly recommended the cover includes coverage for the cost of your tour, loss of luggage, land content and airfare charges that may occur due to cancellation, unable to operate, disruption, loss of deposit or strikes. Special insurance may be required to participate in activities arranged by us and your Xpedition may require remote evacuations, which maybe at higher cost.

All participants are required to take out a travel insurance policy at time of booking. Before departure we will require proof of your insurance policy.

 

DATA PROTECTION POLICY

Big Question Xpeditions is fully committed to compliance with applicable data protection laws. We process information about you that you provide when making a reservation in accordance with your privacy policy. By providing this information you consent (on your behalf and on behalf of any person for whom you are booking) to such processing and you warrant that all information provided by you is accurate.

 

ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

You may be travelling to regions where standards of accommodation, transport, safety, hygiene, medical facilities, and other infrastructure may, at times, not be of the standard that you are used to at home.

By booking with us you acknowledge that participation in our Xpeditions involves inherent risks that may not be present in the case of conventional or less demanding holidays. These risks include, without limitation, the increased possibility of injury or death, psychological trauma, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience, and discomfort. The possibility of experiencing all or some of these risks is likely to be higher if participation in a tour involves visiting remote or unstable regions, or regions where there is dangerous wildlife.

We plan tours with a network of third-party suppliers (companies, government agencies and individuals) to provide you with some or all the components of your tour. We cannot be held responsible for any personal injury, death, damage, loss or accident, or delay because of failure or negligence of any third-party suppliers.

We cannot be held responsible, accept, and assume risk with activities included in your Xpedition such as but not limited to, climbing, exploring, swimming, snorkelling, and hiking.

Big Questions Xpeditions is not liable for any injury, illness or loss of enjoyment which could have been reasonably prevented had we been made aware of a pre-existing condition and provided an opportunity to review it. We are not responsible for any costs associated with cancelations, penalties, or the return of a passenger from a tour, and a refund for lost touring cannot be claimed.

We are not liable if an airfare purchased by third-party travel agents or suppliers are unable to be cancelled or changed (with or without a fee) if a tour is cancelled or the itinerary is changed.

 

CHANGES BY YOU

If you want to change any part of your holiday after the invoice has been issued, we will try our best to make the changes, but this may not always be possible. The request needs to be in writing by the person who made the original booking. If we can confirm the change, there may be further costs incurred as a result from the change and fees imposed by third party suppliers.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you decide to cancel prior to departure the following Big Question Xpedition cancellation fees apply. All cancellations must be received in writing and are not effective until this notification has been received.

 

DAYS OF NOTICE

100 days or more
99-61 days
60 days or less

 

FEE PER PERSON

Loss of deposit
50% of Xpedition tour price
100% of Xpedition tour price

Additional Fees – any airlines fees, hotel, tours, or services booked by third party suppliers or as extra touring to your Xpedition, these cancellation fees will be advised at time of booking

If your holiday has commenced, 100% of the tour price is charged. There is no refund for unused services or parts of the tour that have been missed.

 

IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR XPEDITION

While BQX will use our best endeavours to operate all Xpeditions as advertised, by entering this contract you acknowledge and accept that it may prove necessary or advisable to cancel or change your Xpedition. We reserve the right at any time to cancel or change any of the facilities, services or prices on our website or documentation and to substitute alternative arrangements or comparable monetary value without compensation. Arrangements are often made a long time in advance, and we have no direct control over changes or cancellations from our contractors. All our Xpeditions also require a minimum number of bookings to operate. It may be necessary at times to cancel a scheduled departure, offer the next best alternative date, offer a credit, or refund monies paid on your booking. All credits and refunds will exclude costs incurred by us from our third-party suppliers. Credit vouchers are valid for one year past your original Xpedition start date.

 

FORCE MAJEURE

In the event of a cancellation prior to departure or during your Xpedition for conditions under Force Majeure or if BQX are unable to deliver all or part of the tour due to force majeure, we will refund the customer the unused portion of their tour, less any costs and expenses incurred, before and related to the cancellation. This may include unrecoverable third-party costs and other expenses paid by BQX in relation to arranging the various components of the holiday package.

Force Majeure – where there is significant change or cancellation arises due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond our control, or that of our suppliers or contractors, the consequences which could not have been avoided, even if all reasonable measures had been taken, for example, due to: a) war, armed conflict, criminal damage, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity or the threat of such acts b) natural disaster (included but not limited too flooding, fire, earthquake, landslide), adverse weather conditions; c) epidemics and pandemics; d) nuclear or other industrial accident; d) unavoidable technical or maintenance problems with transport, airports and ports being closed; e) changes brought about as a result of recommendations made by Foreign and Commonwealth office, or any government or international organisation or agency or the police; changes to laws, rules and or regulations of any country preventing access to locations or provisions of services.

We will not be responsible for any extra expenses you have made independently of BQX that are not recoverable as a result from the change or cancellation of your booking, including but not limited to visas, vaccinations, hotel, tours travel insurance excess or airlines fees.

 

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

HEALTH AND FITNESS

It is your responsibility to consult with a health professional to ensure you are physically fit enough to participate on our Xpeditions. You are the best judge of your own condition and limitations, and you acknowledge that it is incumbent on yourself to fully disclose the extent of any conditions or limitations to us and to your health professional.

Anyone suffering from illness or disability or undergoing treatment for any physical or medical condition must declare the true nature of that condition at the time of booking and plan for the provision of any medication or other treatment which may be required during the tour. Failure to make such disclosure will constitute a breach of these booking conditions and result in such persons being excluded from the tour in which case all monies paid will be forfeited.

You understand that you are required to update BQX if there are any changes to your medical condition from the information provided to us once you confirmed your booking.

Big Questions Xpeditions shall not in incident be held liable for any consequence arising out of your failure to take advice or medication as prescribed by a medical practitioner both prior to departure and during the tour.

 

PASSPORT AND VISAS

All passengers must have a valid passport that is valid for at least 6months after the tour return date for international travel. Passengers must consult with the appropriate consulates to ensure that they have any applicable visas for countries included in their Xpedition prior to departure. Passengers are solely responsible for meeting necessary passport and visa entry requirements and paying all associated costs. Big Questions Xpeditions is not responsible for cancellations, delays or missed portions of the tour resulting from incorrect travel documents or visas.

 

PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND LOST ITEMS

For security reasons, valuables should be kept to a minimum and packed in your hand luggage along with any medicines. It is your responsibility to always look after your property and you must ensure you are adequately covered by comprehensive travel insurance in the event of any loss.

 

LOCAL PURCHASES

BQX is not responsible for any items you may purchase locally i.e., /jewellery/furniture etc. You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any import duty or freight costs.

 

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Big Questions Xpeditions does not employ medical staff on its tours. If you require medical attention, local medical services can be contacted immediately. You are responsible for all charges that result from visiting a medical facility, or a medical PR actioner visiting you. Big Questions Xpeditions is not responsible for the type or quality of the medical services you may receive.

 

SERVICE ENQUIRIES

We value constructive feedback, to allow us to improve the experience and to increase awareness of our Xpeditions. If you have any issue during your Xpedition you should, in your own interests, advise the Xpedition Manager or other representative of Big Questions Xpeditions on tour, so steps can be taken to resolve the matter. If you remain dissatisfied, any complaint must be in writing within 30 days.