REQUIRED FORMS

In addition to full payment, the final acceptance of any participant is subject to receipt and review of all the Required Forms. For overnight adventures, you will find these forms attached to your confirmation email once you register online and must be filled out by each member of your party as soon as possible.

We will require an additional medical release for any any guest who is currently under the care of a physician for any ongoing disease, illness, or any other condition/factor that may be a concern on the trip.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

For your protection and ours, we strongly recommend the purchase of Travel Insurance, which can provide you with coverage for trip cancellation/interruption, travel delay, medical expenses, emergency assistance, airfare, and baggage loss/delay to protect your financial investment. We recommend those with “cancel for any reason” clauses included. See reviews of some of the best Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Options presented by Forbes or Squaremouth. Other good student options include InsureMyTrip and Allianz Travel Insurance for Students.

Travel Insurance is the easiest and best way to protect yourself and our smaller non-profit organization against last-minute cancellations. We are happy to provide timely and accurate documentation for any insurance claim related to our trips when requested. Please remember that when canceling a reservation, you must first contact the company responsible for ensuring your reservation.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Full payment is preferred for all backpacking trips. During check-out, you may pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking and the remaining 50% at least 30 days from departure. If choosing this option, you can either complete payment on your own with the self-service link in the confirmation email, or you will be billed automatically at or shortly after the 30-day interval for the remaining amount. Final Lodging/Hiking package payments are due 45 days in advance. Any new multi-day booking made at/within 45 days in advance must be paid in full. Feel free to contact us directly to set up any other payment plan.

When registering online, expect to pay a booking fee of 3.0% (which is capped at $30) and a processing fee of 2.7% (no cap). These fees can be avoided when paying by check and are non-refundable. For detailed information, see our Payment Options page.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES

Lasting Adventures reserves the right to cancel trips. If a trip is canceled due to circumstances beyond our control, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued. Lasting Adventures is not responsible for additional expenses incurred while preparing for the trip.

The following cancellation policy is only for trips booked directly through our official website, lastingadventures.com. If you have booked via a third-party website (such as TripAdvisor/Viator, bookyogaretreats.com, or 57Hours), the below policy does not apply, and you are held to the third-party’s cancellation policy.

Multi-Day Adventures/Summer Camps Cancellation Policy

• More than 90 days before the start date, we will grant a full refund minus a 2.7% processing fee for credit card transactions.
• Between 90 and 61 days before the start date, we will grant a full refund minus $50/person and a 2.7% processing fee for credit card transactions.
• Between 60 and 46 days before the start date, we will retain 25% of the total trip cost. You may also take a non-refundable credit of the total value paid.
• Between 45 and 31 days before the start date, we will retain 50% of the total trip cost. You may also take a non-refundable credit of the total value paid.
• Less than 31 days before the start date, or once the trip has begun, no refunds or credits will be issued.

48-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation Policy

Any reservation can be canceled within 48 hours of the initial booking, and we will grant you a full refund minus a 2.7% processing fee for credit card transactions. After 48 hours, our standard terms and conditions apply. To cancel, please email us at staff@lastingadventures.org or leave a voicemail at 800-513-8651. This policy does not apply if the booked trip occurs within 96 hours of the initial booking.

Fire/Smoke Cancellation Policy

Fire/smoke cancellations are considered circumstances beyond our control. If your chosen travel insurance does not cover fire/smoke cancellations, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued. If we cancel during your adventure with us, we will issue a non-refundable credit equal to the dollar amount associated with the number of days not used. In both cases, these credits will be lifetime/transferable but non-refundable.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Departing From a Trip: Once a participant has joined a trip and the trip has begun, no refunds or credits will be issued, regardless of the reason for departure. Costs associated with assisting a participant with evacuating from the wilderness will be passed on to the participant. Travel Insurance is strongly recommended.

Minimum Participants: Our Guide Service multi-day trips require a minimum of three people, and our summer camps require a minimum of four. If we fall short on these minimums, we will contact you 30 days before your scheduled start date with options that may include switching to another trip/date and/or a surcharge.

Infectious Illness Policy: Any participant on any program/trip with any sign/symptom of a potential infectious illness will not be able to participate, and no refund or credits will be given. Many forms of Travel Insurance cover these circumstances. We ask that you screen yourself and/or your child before participating and contact us to cancel if any sign of illness is present. Health screenings can be expected in all youth programs.

Half Dome & Other Summits: Reaching the top of a summit, such as Half Dome, is risky and can be made far worse by inclement weather. While we aim to get everyone to the top, summiting is not guaranteed. Lightning and rain can be deadly on exposed summits, and our experienced guides may have to call off a summit bid if weather conditions are unfavorable. You will not be allowed to summit using a Lasting Adventures permit should the experienced guide decide the conditions are not favorable.

TRIP CHANGE/CREDIT POLICY

Once you book a trip with Lasting Adventures, the value you paid is valid towards switching to another trip in the current or the coming year, pending available spaces on the new trip. Changes to your booking and conversion to credit must occur more than 30 days before your original start date. Changes within 30 days are subject to fees. Once changed to a lifetime/transferrable credit, credits are non-refundable and are a dollar-for-dollar value.

TRADITIONAL BACKPACKING

Lasting Adventures runs “traditional backpacking” trips. This is done without using porters, stock, or other outside assistance. For this trip, you will be expected to carry your personal gear, a share of the group gear, and food in a backpack. The weight can be expected to be 30-50 lb. and no more than the recommended ⅓ of your body weight.

As needed, it is recommended that participants discuss their ability to fully participate in a backpacking trip with their doctor, including (but not limited to) the ability to carry heavy loads over long distances and strenuous and uneven terrain. Levels of difficulty listed on our website are relative and in no way an objective declaration of difficulty. A regular physical exercise program is recommended before going on your adventure.

TRIP ITINERARIES

All trips are subject to itinerary changes for various reasons, including, but not limited to permitting, weather, forest fires, park or public land closures, and/or road closures. In most situations, we will offer an alternative itinerary of equal value and quality or a credit equal to the total amount paid through the end of the following season. Payments are non-refundable for itinerary changes. If a trip is canceled before its start date due to circumstances beyond our control, a credit equal to the total amount paid will be issued.

STAFF SCHEDULES

Due to the nature of backpacking, our guides work long hours. To provide the best possible experience to our guests and guides, we limit the number of hours our guides work to 15 hours per day. Guides will not be required to be available from 9 pm to 6 am unless the group agrees to a different period before this standard break.

During time off, our guides will be available for emergencies but should be allowed to rest and not be considered available for other purposes outside of working hours. Please don’t request non-time-sensitive assistance from guides during this period. Our guides are also entitled to take 10 minutes every four hours and 30-minute meal breaks every 5 hours, between 6 am and 9 pm.  We appreciate your cooperation with these scheduling requirements.

COUPONS

See our Coupon Use Terms and Conditions.