At the time of the execution of any service agreement with Ruta Verde Tours B.V. (private limited liability company legally established and registered in The Netherlands, Dutch Chamber of Commerce nr 74495925), the client hereby acknowledges full knowledge and acceptance of these terms and conditions, which will be applied at such moment upon the written confirmation (by e-mail) of the services to be rendered either directly by Ruta Verde Tours or any third party, and the client may not at any time ignore them or claim the lack of knowledge thereof. These terms and conditions apply to all services offered by Ruta Verde Tours B.V. and are governed exclusively by Dutch law.
1. Risks and Dangers Disclaimer:
It is understood that undertaking treks, tours, or any other form of tourism activities, such as expeditions, jungle tours or any other trip arranged by Ruta Verde Tours, involves certain risks and dangers, especially given that Bolivia is a developing country. These risks include but are not limited to:
Traveling in mountain terrain, on rivers and in forests and jungle.
Travel by car, bus, jeep, boat, canoe, rafts, bicycle, or any other means of conveyance.
Traveling at high altitude.
Accidents or illness in remote regions with little or no medical facilities and without means of paid evacuation.
Accidents caused by forces of nature.
Changes in itinerary or cancellation of tour/trek due to reasons beyond our control.
Due to for example adverse weather conditions, road blocks, civil unrest i.e., routes and hotel reservations can sometimes be changed without notice, this is the reason why itineraries are provided as a reference of the planned program and may be subject to adjustments in sequence or timing due to circumstances beyond our control.
If changes have to be made it is –unfortunately- not always possible to notify our clients with anticipation. A heavy overnight rain or snow fall, landslides, strikes or road blocks for example can cause some parts of a route to become temporarily impassable and may oblige us to make changes in the itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. But note that if changes are made it is for the client’s own safety. Ruta Verde Tours will always strive to offer alternative arrangements of similar quality. If we must modify the itinerary and the modification implies extra costs, these additional costs may apply, but only when applicable and always with the client’s prior approval/consent.
2. Liability and Responsibility:
In consideration of the above, Ruta Verde Tours B.V. acts as the organizing party and arranges the travel services through independent local service providers or other persons called to carry out the services included in the itinerary, such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, transport providers and other tour agencies or operators.
All agreements are concluded with Ruta Verde Tours B.V. as the organizing party.
The client acknowledges that Ruta Verde Tours B.V. does not operate any transport or accommodation services itself. Local partners are independent service providers or partners who may act on behalf of Ruta Verde Tours B.V. to assist with local logistics and support.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. shall be liable for the proper performance of the contracted travel services only to the extent required under applicable mandatory law governing this agreement.
Except where mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, Ruta Verde Tours B.V. shall not be liable for the bankruptcy, deficiencies, negligence or failures of independent service providers, including delays, loss or damage to baggage or goods, seat allocation in any kind of transport or hotel rooms, unexpected cancellation of reservations or any other failure of any kind.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable mandatory law, Ruta Verde Tours B.V. shall not be held responsible for any delay or cancellation — and its consequences —, loss, injury or damage to any person or property resulting — directly or indirectly — from any act of God, dangers, fire, accident, breakdown in machinery or equipment, unexpected breakdown of transport, wars, civil disturbances, quarantine, strikes, road blocks, riots, thefts, pilferages, epidemics, medical or custom department restrictions or regulations, or any other causes beyond our control.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. does not provide medical services and is not responsible for arranging medical treatment for participants. Clients are solely responsible for obtaining adequate travel insurance covering medical emergencies, evacuation, accident, sickness, death, theft, and any related personal expenses incurred during the trip.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V., registered in the Netherlands, remains the client’s point of contact for the proper arrangement of the trip and will provide reasonable assistance if the client is in difficulty during the trip.
Where a travel service is not performed in accordance with the contract, Ruta Verde Tours B.V. will provide appropriate remedies in accordance with applicable mandatory law.
3. Insurance and Personal Responsibility:
Clients must have insurance in their home country which at least covers the risk of hospital costs, physician costs, funeral costs, and repatriation costs during the trip. Participation in tours organized by Ruta Verde Tours involves risks inherent to this type of travel, and the client declares to be aware of the nature of the journey contracted, assuming the normal risks associated with such activities.
4. Travel Documentation:
Prior to departure and throughout the journey, it is imperative that the traveler possesses the necessary valid documents, such as a passport, requisite visas, proof of vaccinations, etc. The specific travel documents required are contingent upon the traveler’s nationality. Verification of these requirements should be undertaken by consulting authoritative sources. In the event that the traveler is unable to adhere to these stipulations, leading to an inability to (fully) partake in the trip, they will be responsible for covering the associated costs and any resulting consequences. Additionally, the traveler must be equipped with insurance that, at a minimum, covers the risks of hospital costs, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and repatriation costs during the course of the journey.
5. Payment:
For all contracted services, payment should be made before the commencement of the services.
Following the agreement’s finalization, a 50% deposit of the total agreed-upon travel fee is required. If Ruta Verde Tours includes airline tickets in the travel package, the full payment for these tickets is due immediately upon the agreement’s conclusion. Special cases may have different deposit or payment arrangements, and group travel may have varying deposit rules.
The remaining travel fee must be settled no later than five weeks before the departure date. Failure to make timely payments will put the client in default, potentially leading to cancellation and incurring cancellation costs for the client.
In instances where the agreement is made within five weeks of the departure date, the entire trip fee must be paid promptly.
Payments must be made to the account of Ruta Verde Tours B. V.
The rates for quoted services are subject to modification prior to the commencement of the services in the event of substantial and unforeseeable changes in economic conditions in Bolivia that directly affect the agreed travel services. This includes, but is not limited to: (i) the removal or modification of government subsidies on gasoline and/or diesel; (ii) significant fluctuations in the official or prevailing market (non-official) dollar–boliviano exchange rate; or (iii) sustained inflation or increased operating costs that materially impact service delivery. Any such adjustment shall be proportionate to the actual cost increase and will be communicated as early as possible and, when applicable, prior to service execution, in accordance with applicable mandatory law governing this agreement.
6. Cancellation policy:
If you have booked a trip with us and wish to cancel we reserve the right to apply the following penalties:
More than 30 days 30% of the total costs of the tour. This does not include penalties charged by hotels such as Luna Salada, Palacio de Sal, Mallku Cueva or any other hotel or service provider (if applies).
21 to 30 days 40% of the total costs of the tour
11 to 20 days 65% of the total costs of the tour
10 to 3 days 85% of the total costs of the tour
within 2 days of departure 100% of the total costs of the tour
The above described penalties do not apply to group (shared) tours during special events/festivals such as the International Baroque Music Festival. Bookings for this festival are non-refundable.
The penalties exclude domestic flight tickets as airlines have their own cancellation policy.
Ruta Verde Tours agrees to fully refund any money paid by the client in the case of having to cancel a tour for any reason under Ruta Verde’s control. If adverse climatic conditions exist or external events disturb or alter the normal course of the country/continent/world, Ruta Verde Tours reserves the right of cancellation of the tour or part of it, or the modification of its content, always in the best interest and security of the client. In case of such cancellation, the company may retain reasonable administrative costs and the expenses incurred up to the moment of cancellation. If the tour has been initiated, the client will additionally pay the expenses made so far. If we have to modify the itinerary and the modification implies extra costs, these additional costs will have to be paid by the client.
Full cancellations follow the general terms above. Partial cancellations (meaning a reduction in the original number of participants booked) may increase the per-person price, as total tour costs are recalculated based on the new number of travelers.
7. Guarantee Scheme VZR Garant:
In order to meet its statutory obligation to provide a guarantee, Ruta Verde Tours makes use of the guarantee scheme provided by VZR Garant (www.vzr-garant.nl/en). You can check that this is the case by visiting VZR Garant’s website and verifying that the organisation is listed as a participant. VZR Garant’s guarantee applies within the limits of its Guarantee Scheme (which can be found on VZR Garant’s website). The Guarantee Scheme specifies the exact (travel) offering to which VZR Garant’s guarantee applies and what the guarantee entails. If services are not provided due to the financial insolvency of Ruta Verde Tours, you can contact VZR Garant, which has its offices at Torenallee 20, 5617 BC Eindhoven, Netherlands, by sending an email to info@vzr-garant.nl or calling +31 (0)85 13 07 630.
8. Procedure for Handling complaints:
Any deficiencies in the execution of the agreement should be promptly reported to the relevant service provider to facilitate the identification of a suitable solution. If the issue persists and adversely affects the trip’s quality, it should be reported immediately to Ruta Verde Tours. If a complaint remains unresolved in a satisfactory manner, it must be formally submitted in writing to Ruta Verde Tours within one month after the trip’s conclusion, accompanied by supporting details. Any disagreement between the traveler and Ruta Verde Tours is subject to the laws of the Netherlands.
9. No Targeting of United States and Canada
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. is a company established and operating exclusively from the Netherlands. Its services are not specifically directed at or targeted to residents of the United States of America or Canada.
Any access to or use of the website, services or booking systems from these jurisdictions is undertaken on the client’s own initiative. The client acknowledges and agrees that Ruta Verde Tours B.V. does not actively solicit business in the United States or Canada.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. is legally registered and operates from the Netherlands (Chamber of Commerce nr. 74495925). Local contacts or service providers do not represent Ruta Verde Tours B.V. legally. All bookings, contracts and services are governed by Dutch law. Any dispute, claim or legal proceeding arising from or related to these services shall be submitted exclusively to the competent court in the Netherlands.
The client expressly waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right to bring claims in any jurisdiction outside the Netherlands, including but not limited to the United States of America and Canada.
Prices may be displayed in US Dollars (USD) for convenience; however, this does not imply that Ruta Verde Tours B.V. directs its services toward or is subject to any jurisdiction outside the Netherlands.
Payment of the tour is taken as acknowledgment and acceptance of the terms mentioned above, which have been made available before booking.
Booking Information (Package Travel)
If the travel services you book constitute a package under applicable Dutch law, you will benefit from all rights applying to package travel.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. will be responsible for the proper performance of the package as a whole.
Travelers will receive assistance if they are in difficulty.
If Ruta Verde Tours B.V. becomes insolvent, payments will be refunded. If insolvency occurs after the start of the package and transport is included, repatriation of travelers will be secured.
Ruta Verde Tours B.V. has taken out insolvency protection with VZR Garant. Travelers may contact VZR Garant (Torenallee 20, 5617 BC Eindhoven, The Netherlands, info@vzr-garant.nl, +31 (0)85 13 07 630) if services are denied because of insolvency.
Under package travel legislation, travelers have the right to:
receive all essential information before concluding the contract;
transfer the package to another person, subject to reasonable notice and possible additional costs;
cancel the contract before the start of the package against payment of an appropriate and justifiable cancellation fee;
cancel the contract without paying a cancellation fee in the event of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at the place of destination;
receive a price reduction and/or compensation for damages where travel services are not performed or are improperly performed;
contact the organizer and receive prompt assistance if they are in difficulty.
Full details of these rights are available under applicable Dutch package travel legislation.
Additional Clarification: The exercise of the above rights is subject to the conditions and limitations set out in the applicable Dutch package travel legislation.
