Active Riding Trips COVID-19 Policy
Concerned about booking a trip in light of the pandemic? Here’s your true peace of mind and
the nitty gritty on how you can book with confidence and keep the dream alive and well while we
await the vaccine.
If you just “want” to change dates/trips (non pandemic related)
Check out our existing terms and conditions, but here’s the summary for you – we’ve always
allowed folks the ability to change either their ride or their departure date (for the same ride) up
to 60 days prior to the booked ride. In the past, we’ve had a $200.00 amendment fee, however,
in light of the pandemic, we’ve waived that fee until June 30, 2021.
***Note: if you opt to move your dates to the next calendar year, any ride price increases may
apply.
What happens if ART moves my ride?
It’s super unlikely that we would need to move/cancel a ride on which you are booked. BUT,
these are new and strange times, so we thought best to have a “plan”. In the event we have to
ask you to move your dates or cancel your ride, your deposit and any additional monies paid are
still 100% safe. No additional fees will be assessed (no change fee and no liability for any price
increase if moved to the next calendar year). Essentially, you’ll have all the flexibility you need
to pick dates that work best for you.
Why won’t you receive an actual refund?
Monies we receive from you are sent onward to your riding host so that your space is confirmed
and taken off the open market. Many times, you’ve paid us in USD and we are paying your
guide in their local currency. Because there is a conversion rate, often when factored in twice
(sending the money out and then receiving it back in house) does not make it an even transfer
as the currencies fluctuate daily.
Additionally, your deposits and payments directly support a valuable small business outfit – if
you’ve ridden with us before, you know many are family owned and run. Your deposits and
payments literally feed the horses you’ll ride and pay the staff onsite before and during your
ride.
Finally, we have always only asked for a $500.00 deposit from you (there are three trips that
require a higher deposit). And because you may not be traveling for a year in the future, this
deposit is nonrefundable. It allows us to pay your deposit to the guide, and cover a small
portion of our own expenses onsite. For all of that, we thank you! And because of that, we’ve
tried to be fair in assuming any overhead expense on our end in the event you/we need to make
a change during this time while still protecting the investment you’ve made with us and honoring
your trust.
What about flight and government restrictions that affect my trip?
Here’s hoping that situation continues to improve – BUT – if you find that you are not allowed to
travel due to the pandemic, your deposits/payments are completely safe, and you may select
new dates with no change fees. Like your guides onsite, we too are a small business. And your
excitement and satisfaction are the lynchpin of our success so we always try to go over and
above to be sure we’ve earned it.
Anything else you should consider?
If you follow us on social media, you’ve heard us say many times – please (PLEASE) take out a
travel insurance policy. The cost of the policy compared to the value you receive if you need to
use it – truly a Win-Win. One note on this, you’ve likely followed along on this topic and now
see that these policies don’t cover pandemics. And while we hope nothing like this ever
happens again, we still say that a travel insurance policy is just “good planning”. It brings so
many other great benefits to your advantage. And if you had a trip booked with us in 2020,
you’ve seen firsthand how both our partners and we worked very hard to be sure you didn’t lose
a single dollar of your precious investment.