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.
Credit card details will be securely retained with our third-party credit card agency until the completion of your booking. The retained credit card may also be used to cover costs specified in these terms and conditions, such as fees for damages, additional services, late cancellations, or any other expenses the customer is responsible for as outlined in these terms and conditions.
Reservations and Payment Terms
- For car relocation and transport packages, full payment is required at the time of booking.
- For hiking packages, hire gear, and food packages, a 25% non-refundable deposit secures the booking. The remaining balance is due 6 weeks before the start date of the hike. Bookings made within 6 weeks of the start date of the hike require full payment upfront.
- Premium package bookings depend on availability in the Department of Conservation (DOC) Great Walk Huts. To have the best chances at securing the huts, packages must be booked before the huts open for reservations. Easyhike will make every effort to secure these bookings as soon as reservations become available but cannot guarantee they will be successful, despite a high success rate.
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. Easyhike has no liability for any costs, delays or inconveniences arising from such events unless directly caused by negligence or fault on our behalf. Customers are solely responsible for ensuring they have sufficient insurance coverage.
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 provided by Easyhike requires dry cleaning after use due to you not using the provided sleeping bag liner or pillowcase, the cost of dry cleaning will be passed on to you.
Customers are responsible for covering the costs of any damage to gear hired from Easyhike that is not due to normal use or natural wear. Easyhike reserves the right to charge for repairs or replacement if the damage is found to be caused by the customer’s misuse or negligence.
Customers are responsible to return all the gear hired, this includes the yellow Mountain Safety Council pack liners and extra batteries (given in case the ones in the head lamps fail). Customers may keep all uneaten food, beverage packages, and care package.
HIKING FOOD
Easyhike will take every effort to cater to your food requirements as specified on the food preferences form. Easyhike is not liable for any issues related to the food provided, including (but not limited to) dietary restrictions or allergies. It is the customer’s responsibility to check that the food meets their individual requirements.
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS
In the event of any cancellation, please contact Easyhike as soon as possible.
CANCELLATION POLICY – Car Relocations + Transport Packages
- If your trip is cancelled more than 7 days from start date: 90% refund OR date transfer within 18 months of original booking start date.
- If your trip is cancelled between 7 – 2 days before the start date: 50% refund and no date transfer
- If your trip is cancelled with in 48 hours before the start date: No refund and no date transfer
- If your trip is cancelled due to DOC Track Closure: 75% refund and no date transfer
Car Relocation – Track Closures
- If the track is closed by DOC while you’re on it, or you start hoping it will reopen, and we haven’t relocated your vehicle, we will contact DOC to check if your vehicle needs relocating. If your car has already been relocated, you will be responsible for any cost associated with reuniting you with your vehicle. We will assist in any way we can.
- If the track is not closed by DOC but you decide to return, and your car has already been relocated: Easyhike reserves the right to charge an additional fee to recover the additional costs of relocating the vehicle to you.
CANCELLATION POLICY – Hiking Packages, Hire Gear, Hiking Food Packages
- Package cancelled more than 6 weeks from date of hike departure: 75% refund
- Package cancelled between 6 – 2 weeks before the date of hike departure: 50% refund
- Package cancelled between 2 weeks – 3 days before the date of hiking departure: 25% refund
- Package cancelled within 48 hours of the date of hiking departure: No refund
Deposit, refund credit and track closure by DOC
- 25% Deposit: Once booked, the 25% deposit is non-refundable, as it reflects the time and care Easyhike puts into personalising each customer’s experience.
- Track Closure by DOC: If the Great Walks are officially closed by DOC before departure and no food or gear has been delivered, you’ll receive a 75% refund.
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. However, we cannot accept liability for any unforeseen circumstances such as accidents, damage, or theft while your vehicle is in transit or parked at the relocation site. We recommend that you ensure your vehicle is properly insured for these risks. Easyhike will inform you promptly of any changes or issues related to vehicle relocation and will act in your best interest throughout the process.
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 your vehicle does not start (flat battery, flat battery in the keyfob for keyless entry keys, etc.), Easyhike reserves the right to either not relocate your vehicle or call AA to help out. If AA is called out, the customers will be responsible for any costs associated with the call.
- 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, a flat tyre, 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. You must ensure that you have adequate coverage for these risks, as Easyhike will not be liable for any costs arising from such incidents outside our control.
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. All parts attached to the lockbox must be returned, this includes the instructions card (if any) and the green pocket lined with RFID fabric for keyless entry keys. Easyhike reserves the right to charge a $20 replacement fee for the instructions card or the pocket.
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 for the purchase of fuel 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 charged to you.
If the Easyhike driver deems necessary to add extra fuel to your vehicle, the extra receipt will be left in your vehicle and you will be contacted by Easyhike to pay for the extra fuel.
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 $350.
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 prior to relocation of the vehicle. 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 in your 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.
