Why We Don’t Refund You When There is an Unexpected Shutdown of Your Trek

We understand how disheartening it is when your much-anticipated trek gets unexpectedly called off. The disappointment and frustration are real. However, we hope you understand the critical reasons behind our no-refund policy.

First, why do we have unexpected call-offs: Most of our trek cancellations usually occur due to two of these unforeseen circumstances:

1. The government withdraws permission to trek at the last moment. 
2. Weather or road conditions become unsuitable for trekking.

Pre-Trek Expenses: You may not know but most of our trek expenses are incurred well before you even arrive at our base camp. These include:

• Moving equipment
• Purchasing food and rations
• Payment for stay and transport
• Deploying team members
• Paying for permits

Support Team Commitment: Our core team isn't the only one involved in ensuring your trek's success. We have a dedicated group of ancillary support staff, including muleteers, porters, and transporters, who are committed to work only with Indiahikes. 

Continued Expenses: When an unexpected trek call-off occurs, our expenses don't just stop; they continue to accrue. Salaries are continuing to be paid. The livelihood of many depends on it:

• The ground staff who are ready to take you on the trek
• Experience coordinators who help you prepare for months
• The rest of the Indiahikes team, who work tirelessly to create your trek experience

This is why we are unable to refund any trek fee to you when a trek gets called off. The bulk of the expenses have already been made or committed to. 

However, we are committed to you: We feel terrible when your trek is called off. We understand the months of preparation you put into it. While we cannot refund your trek fee, we want to ensure you still have a fulfilling experience. 

Here's what we do:

1. Arrange for an alternative trek in a nearby region so your flight tickets are not wasted.
2. If that is not possible, we issue a 100 percent voucher for your trek fee, which you can use for future treks.

Treks inherently involve uncertainties. Somehow these uncertainties have increased with climate change. Extreme weather is disrupting treks in greater frequency. 

Also, the government has started to play more controlling roles in how treks are run. Unlike earlier, if the government feels the safety of trekkers are likely to be compromised, they withhold permissions. 

It's best to be mentally prepared for these uncertainties before registering for a trek.

We understand how much effort, time, and heart you put into preparing for these treks. The excitement of planning and the anticipation of the trek are things all of us are familiar with. We are trekkers ourselves. When things don't go as planned, it can feel like all that effort was in vain. 

Indiahikes is here to support you through these moments. We will do everything in our power to ensure that, despite any setbacks, you still get the adventure you want. 

Whether it's arranging an alternative trek or providing you with a voucher for a future expedition, our goal is to make sure your trekking dreams are not dashed. Your journey with us is more than just a trek; it's a relationship.