Terms and Conditions of The Sherpa Van Luggage Transfer Service

Please carefully read the terms and conditions of contract.  Please let Sherpa Van know if you require these terms in a different format.

In completing and submitting a booking, you agree to be bound by these conditions which constitute the agreement between Sherpa Van (herein referred to as "SV" a division of PHSV Ltd) and you.  These conditions apply to the exclusion of any other terms or conditions unless they are set out in the Booking Form or are otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties.  Previous dealings between the parties will not vary these conditions.  No purported variation of these conditions will be effective unless in writing and signed by a person so authorised by Sherpa Van.

In these terms and conditions reference to "Sherpa Van representatives" means staff of Sherpa Van and its officers, employees, agents, licensees, guides and other third parties and representatives and the land management authorities in each country in which the tour is conducted, or any of them.

  1. How To Book

1.1 Booking is effected when SV accepts from you a completed booking.  Payment is made in full at the time of submitting a booking. SV suggest you take out travel insurance at time of booking. By submitting your booking form, you are deemed to have read and understood the relevant baggage transfer and/or any other published information. Please let SV know if you have any queries in relation to the information.

1.2 If, in the case of an amendment to booking or a manual (verbal or email) accepted by SV, payment of the balance of the baggage transfer price is not received by SV within 14 days of confirmation you will be taken as having cancelled the baggage transfer and cancellation charges in accordance with Condition 3 will apply.

1.3 Full payment may be made by credit card or debit card.

1.4 Prices are quoted in British Pounds and are valid at the time of booking. All payments must be made in British Pounds.

  1. Booking & carriage of bags with or without accommodation bookings

2.1 Each bag cannot weigh more than 20 kg and if overweight according to our drivers' scales, carriage may be refused.

2.2 Minimum Baggage Allowance; please refer to individual trips for details.

2.3 Bags cannot have other bags, poles, shoes, or any other item tied to the outside.

2.4 If bags are overweight according to our drivers' scales, you will be left with a note and a Sherpa Van Holdall bag.  For the following day you must pack excess luggage into this bag.  Cost is given on the instruction note. The holdall is then yours to keep.  The additional cost of this bag and transferring an extra bag must be paid within 24 hours.  You must call the office between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm to make payment otherwise we reserve the right to refuse carriage.

2.5 On the Coast to Coast and Cleveland Way routes, extra bags can be stored for £25 per bag (plus collection and delivery charge as per normal transfer) and will be delivered to your last night's accommodation. For the Cleveland Way we can only store the bag until Robin Hoods Bay and then it will be moved daily at the daily cost.

2.6 Bags must be ready by 8.30 am unless stated on a specific trip for collection and clearly identifiable with your name. Tags will be posted to you, or your first accommodation and you must attach to your bags before the first collection. If all bags are not ready for collection for 8.30am, we cannot be held responsible for any failed collections. These will need to be arranged yourself at your own cost.

2.7 We undertake to deliver your bags by 4.30 pm however SV are subject to vagaries of weather, traffic conditions, accidents, or road closures and can be subject to delays.  It is your responsibility to factor in delays to your onward travel if departing on the same day that bags are delivered.

2.8 If you have booked to stay at an Air BnB or unstaffed holiday let then it is entirely your responsibility to ensure that SV have access to the property to drop off and collect baggage between 8.30 am - 5.30 pm. Full address and access details must be provided.

  1. Amendment or cancellation of baggage transfer

3.1 If you wish to make amendments to your baggage transfer service, you must notify SV in writing as soon as possible.

3.2 If it becomes necessary for you to cancel your baggage transfer, you shall notify us immediately in writing. Upon receipt and acknowledgement by us of your written advice, cancellation will take effect.

3.3 For all baggage transfer bookings, the following conditions apply:

3.3.1 If you wish to amend your booking prior to commencement, that is to remove bag moves, a £30 fee per booking is applicable.

3.3.2 Fees must be paid prior to first baggage move otherwise booking will be cancelled with no refund.

3.4 If cancellation takes place:

3.4.1 More than 7 days prior to commencement a £30 fee per booking is applicable, any difference will be refunded or invoiced

3.4.2 Between 6 – 1 days prior to commencement a £60 fee per booking is applicable, any difference will be refunded or invoiced

3.5 If cancellation takes place on your start date or during your booked arrangements with SV, no partial refunds or credit will be given for services not used.  Travel insurance should be instigated at the time of booking.      

  1. Suspense of Booking & Switching Tour Dates, baggage only

4.1 If you wish to switch from one tour to another inclusive of changing travel dates of the same trip or placing your booking in suspension:

4.2 You must notify SV in writing;

4.3 You may only switch from one tour to another tour which commences within 12 months of your original departure date;

4.4 A £35 per booking charge shall be payable to SV in respect of all switches;

4.5 Any requested change from one tour or tour date to another is subject to availability and the agreement in writing of SV.

  1. Insurance

5.1 It is recommended at the time of booking with SV that before you travel with SV, you take out an insurance policy.

5.2 Personal travel insurance is not included in any costs.

  1. Passports, visas or vaccinations required for travel

6.1 It is your responsibility to ensure your passport has the required validity to travel.

6.2 It is your responsibility to obtain a passport, proper identification or proof of citizenship as required by the authorities of the destination to which you are travelling.  You will not be entitled to a refund if you are denied boarding or entry on any basis, including improper documentation or failure to provide information.

6.3 It is entirely your responsibility to obtain the relevant medical advice and vaccinations and make all other necessary preliminary arrangements including compliance with visa requirements, and we accept no responsibility whatsoever in the event that these matters are not dealt with prior to departure.

  1. Exclusions from tour price

7.1 The items not included in the baggage transfer costs include personal travel insurance; visa, passport and vaccination charges; departure, airport and airline taxes; lunches/dinners, personal transport costs, accommodation costs, or other expenses not included; laundry, personal clothing; medical expenses; beverages and items of a personal nature; emergency evacuation and/or emergency search charges; additional expenses caused by delay, accidents or disruption of planned itineraries; tips; excess baggage charges.

  1. Force majeure

8.1 If SV is prevented (directly or indirectly) from performing any of its obligations under this agreement by reason of act of God, adverse weather conditions, pandemics, strikes, trade disputes, fire, breakdowns, interruption of transport, government or political action, acts of war or terrorism, acts or omissions of a third party or for any other cause whatsoever outside SV reasonable control, SV will be under no liability whatsoever to you and may, at its option, by written notice to you either cancel services or take any other action.

  1. Limitation of liability

9.1 Our obligations are to take reasonable skill and care to arrange for the provision of such services and facilities.

9.2 You must show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make any claim.

9.3 You understand that we will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to:

9.3.1 you;

9.3.2 a third party unconnected with the provision of the SV arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable;

9.3.3 unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or

9.3.4 an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall.

  1. Release and discharge from all claims

10.1 To the extent permitted by law, by accepting the additional inherent dangers and risks associated with a walking or cycling holiday, you release, waive and discharge all SV representatives from all claims, actions or losses for personal injury or death, property damage, loss of services, loss of profits, consequential, exemplary, indirect or punitive damages or otherwise which may arise out of or occur during your travel in connection with the baggage transfer or any activities conducted in conjunction with the services provided unless caused by the reckless conduct of SV representatives.

  1. General

11.1 Waiver: A party will not be deemed to have waived any of its rights or remedies under these conditions or at law by allowing any time or indulgence or by not exercising any right or remedy arising out of any default by the other party.

11.2 Severance of conditions: If any part of any condition is illegal, unenforceable or invalid, it is to be treated as removed from these conditions, however, the remainder of these conditions are not altered.

11.3 Arbitration: Any complaint arising out of your arrangements booked with SV must be brought to the attention of the local SV agent or representative.  Your complaint should be made in writing within 24 hours of the cause of the complaint and signed by the SV agent or representative confirming that it was brought to his or her attention.  If your complaint is not satisfactorily resolved and you wish to pursue the matter, you must submit your written complaint to us within 14 days of your arrangements ending with SV.  SV will not be liable in relation to any complaint or problem if you fail to notify the SV agent or representative during the booked arrangements or SV upon your return, strictly in accordance with this Condition

11.4 If a resolution of your complaint cannot be achieved, you may refer the dispute to arbitration under a special scheme which provides for a simple and inexpensive method of dispute resolution administered by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.  This scheme is not applicable to claims for amounts greater than £1,500 per person or £7,500 per booking form, nor to claims involving personal injury or illness.  The rules of the scheme provide that the application for arbitration must be brought within 9 months after the date of the end of your arrangements with SV but in special circumstances may brought outside this period.

11.5 Law and Jurisdiction: Subject to Condition 10.3, these conditions (including all matters arising from them) are subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of English courts.