Terms & Conditions
With Hiking and Transport help from EasyHike it’s easy to get to the track and back. Check out our T&Cs and get in touch with us anytime.
All independent hiking packages are unguided unless indicated otherwise.
PRICES & PAYMENT
All prices expressed on this website are in New Zealand Dollars and include 15% Goods & Services Tax (GST). Prices are subject to change without notice.
Secure payment can be made with a credit card, direct deposit into the Easyhike bank account or via a booking agent. Credit card details will be retained with our 3rd party credit card agency until after you have completed your walk.
RESERVATIONS
Car Relocations + Transport Packages – Full payment is required at the time of booking.
Hiking Packages, Hire Gear & Hiking Food Packages – A 25% deposit is required to secure and confirm a booking.
Final payment is due 6 weeks before the travel start date.
Bookings made within 6 weeks of travel require full payment at the time of booking.
Confirmed Premium package bookings are still subject to availability in the Department of Conservation (DOC) Great Walk Huts. If the package is booked before hut bookings open, we will do our best to secure the bookings as soon as possible.
CUSTOMER CONTACT DETAILS
Easyhike reserves the right to use the personal details provided by you to contact you regarding your Easyhike booking or share with partner agencies for booking purposes only. We may also use these details to gain feedback on the services provided.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
We strongly recommend you take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover unforeseen issues such as weather events, sickness, injury, loss or damage to personal belongings.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Easyhike takes every effort to ensure our customers are well prepared for their hiking experience, however, you remain responsible for your health and safety at all times including (but not limited to):
- Ensuring your level of fitness is suited to the track experience booked.
- Ensuring you have appropriate outdoor clothing and footwear, suitable for all types of weather in New Zealand’s alpine environment.
- Staying on or near the signposted track, to avoid getting lost.
- Checking the weather and track conditions with the Department of Conservation (DOC) before setting out.
- Carrying enough food for unforeseen delay and contingency plans i.e. weather conditions.
- Making sensible decisions to keep yourself and others safe.
HIRE GEAR
If the sleeping bag requires dry cleaning after use due to you not using the provided sleeping bag liner or pillowcase, this cost will be passed on to you.
HIKING FOOD
Easyhike will take every effort to cater to your food requirements as specified on the food preferences form.
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
In the event of any cancellation, please contact Easyhike as soon as possible.
CANCELLATION POLICY – Car Relocations + Transport Packages
- Outside 7 days from start date: 90% refund or date transfer within 18 months.
- Between 7 – 2 days of the start date: 50% refund
- Between 48 – 24 hours of the start date: 25% refund
- Within 24 hours of the start date: No refund
- DOC Track Closure: 75% refund
Car Relocation – Track Closures
If the track is officially closed by the Department of Conservation while you are on the track OR you choose to start hiking in the hopes of it opening, we will contact DOC directly to see if your vehicle still needs relocating and act accordingly. If we don’t relocate the vehicle, you will receive a 25% refund.
If the track is not closed by DOC but you decide to come back and we have already relocated your car, Easyhike reserves the right to charge an extra fee to recover our costs.
CANCELLATION POLICY – Hiking Packages, Hire Gear, Hiking Food Packages
- Outside 6 weeks from date of hike departure: 75% refund
- Between 6 – 2 weeks of the date of hike departure: 50% refund
- Between 2 weeks – 3 days of the date of hiking departure: 25% refund
- Within 48 hours of the date of hiking departure: No refund
Easyhike treats each booking with individual care and contributes a significant amount of time ensuring each customer’s experience is personalised.
Because of this, in the event of hiking package cancellation, the 25% deposit is non-refundable. However, this deposit can be held in credit for use towards a future booking within the current hiking season or the one directly following.
If you wish to cancel, the 25% deposit is non-refundable.
If the Great Walks are officially closed by the Department of Conservation prior to your departure, a 75% refund will be given if no food or gear has been delivered to you.
BOOKING AMENDMENTS
If you change the date of your booking, we will do our best to transfer the dates subject to the period of notice given by you and availability of any partner products (i.e DOC Great Walk Huts, transport operators).
NO SHOWS & BOOKING ERRORS
If your plans change last minute and you fail to advise Easyhike, or you have made an error with the booking direction/date, Easyhike reserves the right to charge an extra fee of up to $300 to cover additional costs incurred.
Any booking that includes car relocation is subject to the additional terms & conditions.
CAR RELOCATIONS
Easyhike will take all reasonable care of your vehicle.
VEHICLE CONDITIONS & BREAKDOWNS
- In the interest of the health and safety of our drivers, Easyhike reserves the right to decline to move any vehicles without driver’s airbags.
- Vehicles must be road legal, mechanically sound and safe to drive.
- Vehicles must have jumper leads, sufficient oil, water and fuel.
- If the vehicle is older than 20 years old or does not travel comfortably at 100km per hour, a surcharge may apply.
- Any specific quirks or characteristics to operate the vehicle must be advised at the time of booking.
- Easyhike takes no responsibility in the event of a vehicle breakdown.
- All reasonable costs associated with keeping the vehicle safe (i.e on-road assistance and/or towing) will be met by you.
- Easyhike takes no responsibility for any costs associated with repairing windscreen damage, flat tyres or starting a battery with jumper leads. In the event, one of these or any other issue occurs that results in a delay, Easyhike reserves the right to charge a breakdown service fee of between $100 – $350 to ensure the vehicle can be transferred safely.
ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS
If an accident or incident occurs through no fault of Easyhike or the Easyhike driver, you are liable to pay all costs including the insurance excess.
KEY TRANSFER & LOCKBOX
Easyhike takes all due care required to keep vehicle keys safe and will provide a lockable key transfer option at both ends of the track or with an authorised third party to hold until required by you.
If the lockbox is not returned after the relocation, Easyhike reserves the right to charge a $100 replacement fee.
FUEL
You are responsible for ensuring the vehicle is full of fuel before the relocation.
NB: All Routeburn Track relocations include a $40 fuel top-up to ensure the distance between the start/finish of the track (approx 324kms) can be covered, with plenty of fuel left in the tank for you to get back a fuel station. A receipt will be left in the vehicle after the relocation. If it isn’t necessary to top up the full $40, the balance will be refunded to you.
If you choose not to prepay for additional fuel and the Easyhike driver deems it necessary to add fuel to the vehicle to complete the relocation safely, there will be an additional administration fee on top of the fuel added.
INSURANCE
Private vehicles must be insured with a minimum of comprehensive cover.
In the unlikely event of incident, theft, or any other damage, Easyhike takes no responsibility for liability unless damage is caused by the direct action of the Easyhike driver.
If you have chosen a high excess insurance option with minimal insurance cover (applicable for rental agencies or private insurance agents), you are liable for the entire excess amount. If there is an accident that is determined to be the fault of the Easyhike driver, Easyhike will be liable for a typical New Zealand insurance excess of up to $500.
NB: Routeburn Track Relocations: There is an unsealed section of road when driving to the Routeburn Shelter and some rental car companies do not cover travel on unsealed roads. It is the responsibility of the customer to check with the car rental company if driving on unsealed roads is permitted.
VEHICLE CATEGORIES & SURCHARGES
Rental Cars
Easyhike will add the driver to your rental car hire contract for insurance purposes. Any additional drivers fees are a cost to you and will be charged to your credit card held on file with the car rental company.
Campervans
Easyhike takes no responsibility for damage to appliances or articles stored in a campervan and it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that items are secured for transport. A small additional charge may apply for camper/sleeper relocations due to the fact they are often slower on the open road than standard vehicles. This will be advised at the time of booking.
Private Vehicles
It is your responsibility to notify your insurance provider regarding additional drivers (if applicable). All Easyhike drivers are over 25 years of age with a full drivers licence. Specific drivers details can be provided if required by the insurance company. Private vehicles must be insured with a minimum of comprehensive cover.
START TIMES & VEHICLE DELIVERY
Easyhike’s schedules and drivers are planned around the start/finish times specified by you at the time of booking. If you commence your walk after the specified start time and the driver is required to wait, Easyhike reserves the right to charge an additional fee to cover our drivers time.
Similarly, Easyhike endeavor’s to deliver the vehicle before the indicated deadline time, however sometimes due to circumstances beyond our control (i.e. mechanical issue, road closure etc) there may be a delay. In this circumstance, we will do our best to deliver a message to you with further information.
