General terms and Conditions

BOOKING

* Complete the booking form on our website (one page per person to be completed and submitted)
* Upon receipt of your duly completed form and confirmation from Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme, we will send you a confirmation and an invoice for the deposit (at least 30 per cent of the total cost of the trip – specific payment terms apply to certain expeditions). As soon as the deposit has been credited to our account (within 10 days of receiving the confirmation), your booking will be finalised. In the event of a delay in payment of the deposit, Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme reserves the right to sell the place reserved for you to other candidates. If the booking is made (in part) on behalf of other participants, the person signing the booking is responsible for ensuring that all participants they have registered fulfil their obligations.

PAYMENTS
Payment is made in two instalments:

Deposit
a) for trips within Europe: €300 per person or CHF 300 (or 30 per cent of the total trip cost per person for packages costing less than CHF 1,000 or €1,000 per person)
b) for expeditions such as ‘ski & sail’ trips and trips/expeditions outside Western Europe, different deposit terms may apply.
Balance
a) For trips within Europe, the balance must be paid into our bank account no later than 8 weeks before the day of departure.
b) For air travel, expeditions and trips outside Western Europe, specific payment and cancellation terms may apply (as set out in the specific information for the relevant trip).
Trips within Switzerland are invoiced in Swiss francs (at the exchange rate applicable on the date the balance is paid); trips outside Switzerland are invoiced in euros or US dollars (United States, South America and Africa).

Upon receipt of the registration form, you will receive an invoice/confirmation from us by email regarding the deposit and the balance, along with payment details. If you choose to pay by credit card, we may charge a fee to cover the costs associated with the credit card transaction. The electronic invoice will be sent by email and issued in Swiss francs (CHF) based on the official monthly exchange rate as applied by the Swiss authorities. This option may be advantageous if, for example, you have cancellation insurance (see the ‘Insurance’ section below) through your credit card company.

Bookings are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. If the course or trip is already fully booked, you will be informed accordingly.
Once the group is full and full payment has been received, you will receive the other travel documents (meeting point, list of participants, etc.).
In the event of incomplete payment of the trip cost at the time of departure, Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme reserves the right to refuse the participant!

INVOICE / CONFIRMATION
Upon receipt of the registration form, you will receive an invoice / confirmation stating:

• the total cost of the trip
• any additional charges (e.g. ski pass, ski hire, fees for the hands-free ski pass tag, single room, credit card surcharge).
• the balance due
• any discounts

CANCELLATION BY THE PARTICIPANT
Any cancellation by the participant must be made exclusively in writing. The date on which Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme receives the cancellation letter is deemed to be the date of cancellation. In the event of cancellation, the participant is liable for the following amounts:

up to 56 days before the day of departure: the deposit.
from the 56th day (inclusive) to the 28th day before the departure date, 60 per cent of the trip cost will be charged.
from the 28th day (inclusive) to the 14th day before the departure date, 85 per cent of the trip cost will be charged.
From the 14th day (inclusive) before the departure date of the trip/course, you will be required to pay 100 per cent of the trip cost.

In all cases, the cancellation insurance premium and booking fees remain payable in full. For trips organised by third parties, their terms and conditions apply. Special conditions apply to expeditions and long-haul trips.
If a participant terminates their trip of their own accord before the scheduled end date, or if they do not wish to take part in part of the trip, they are not entitled to any refund of the trip cost, either in full or in part, and any additional costs shall be borne by them.

INSURANCE
Cancellation insurance

We strongly recommend that you take out cancellation insurance. We can also help you arrange travel and cancellation insurance with Allianz Suisse.

What should you do in the event of cancellation or an unforeseen incident?

If you need to cancel a booked trip, you must notify our booking agency in Switzerland in writing. You will then receive a cancellation certificate by email, which you can submit to your insurance provider. Cancellation fees must be paid in all cases. If you took out the insurance through us, we will refund the amount paid, less the insurance premium.

Compulsory travel insurance, particularly for search and rescue

Participants are required to have travel insurance covering the specific risks associated with accidents whilst practising off-piste mountain sports and/or off-piste skiing (search and rescue, etc.). Please check with your insurance provider. For trips outside Europe, you must take out travel insurance with worldwide cover!
These requirements, which we impose as a tour operator, are intended solely to protect the participant (due to the generally high costs of search, transport and rescue operations in mountainous areas). Please also note that medical costs abroad – which are generally higher in Switzerland and Norway than elsewhere in Europe – are covered by supplementary health insurance. Travel insurance that includes cover for winter sports will cover these types of costs. It is important to check this point carefully with your insurer.

In the case of open-ended travel insurance policies and, for example, travel insurance linked to a credit card, we advise you to check thoroughly whether ‘high-altitude risks’ and, for example, risks associated with off-piste skiing or snowboarding are adequately covered by these policies.


However, these travel insurance policies are no substitute for cancellation insurance.

CHANGES AFTER BOOKING
If you wish to amend your existing booking, we will charge a minimum fee of 50 CHF. Changes requested within 6 weeks of departure may incur higher charges (depending on the trip). Changes due to travel restrictions imposed by the authorities are free of charge.

CHANGES TO THE ITINERARY AND PRICES
All itineraries and prices are subject to change. The organisers reserve the right to cancel a course, excursion or trek, or to make changes to the itinerary and/or programme, if they consider there to be valid reasons for doing so. Price variations from the amounts quoted are possible in the following cases:

- significant fluctuations in the exchange rate (> 3% compared with the time of booking or quotation)
- significant price fluctuations in the country where the excursion or trek takes place
- changes to the programme, for example due to weather conditions
- an insufficient number of participants
Participants will be informed of this, where possible, in good time.

INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
All activities are organised on the basis of a minimum number of participants, as stated in the travel programme. If the minimum number of bookings is not reached, we will contact you in good time. In the event of an insufficient number of participants, we reserve the right to cancel the excursion or course. You will be informed of this as soon as possible, after which we will immediately refund the amount paid. The tour organiser accepts no liability for any costs already incurred by participants, such as insurance premiums, vaccination and visa fees, expenses relating to train, bus and/or aeroplane tickets, or the purchase of clothing and books, should a trip be unable to take place.

FORCE MAJEURE
If exceptional circumstances such as force majeure, a pandemic, war, an act of terrorism, a strike or transport difficulties prevent us from carrying out our organisational and operational duties, bookings may be cancelled without compensation. However, we will charge a 15 per cent administration fee.

DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRIP
Specific information regarding the programme you have booked (e.g. detailed itinerary, list of participants, meeting point, departure times and locations, addresses for those staying at home, necessary equipment, etc.) will be provided to you no later than approximately 10 days before departure, provided that the full amount for the trip has been paid.

ACCOMMODATION
Generally, you will stay in mountain huts, in dormitories (known as ‘dortoirs’ or ‘martatzenlager’) or, in hotels, in twin or shared rooms. If you book on your own, we will try to pair you with someone of the same sex. However, this is not always possible due to the gender balance within the group and its small size. If it is not possible to accommodate you in a room with another participant, or if you wish to have a single room, a supplement will be charged.

WARNING: INCREASED RISK IN THE MOUNTAINS
Mountain sports involve an increased risk (falls, avalanches, rockfalls, falling into crevasses, altitude sickness, frostbite, etc.) of injury and accidents which, despite the preventive measures and the expertise of our mountain guides, cannot be entirely reduced or ruled out. Participants must accept the residual risk associated with mountaineering themselves. Even a fully qualified mountain guide is not infallible. In high mountains, they may be confronted with extreme situations that cannot be fully controlled. Their role is solely to minimise this risk. Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme naturally endeavours to organise excursions safely and responsibly. By booking trips organised by our organisation, you acknowledge and accept the increased dangers and risks associated with mountain sports. It is also important to be aware that rescue options and medical assistance may be limited in the mountains and in remote areas, and that even minor incidents can therefore have serious consequences. In this context, participants are required to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to prepare themselves adequately for the excursion.

PROGRAMME ITINERARY
THE FINAL DECISION ALWAYS LIES WITH THE GUIDE!
The safety of the route can be significantly affected by weather conditions (risks of rockfalls, avalanches, etc.), which may force the guide to deviate from the originally planned route in the interests of the group. Similarly, guides reserve the right to exclude participants from continuing the excursion if they consider that psychological or physical problems are manifesting themselves to such an extent that, in their judgement, the excursion or course is (or risks being) hindered or prevented. This provision also applies in the event of inappropriate behaviour or failure to comply with hygiene requirements (for example, if a participant is carrying a contagious disease). All consequences and costs arising therefrom shall be borne by the excluded person. The person concerned shall not be entitled to any refund of the trip cost, nor even a portion thereof.

LIABILITY
Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme cannot, as a general rule, be held liable for any damage, theft, loss, injury or accident suffered by participants. Similarly, no liability is accepted for damage suffered by participants whilst using any accommodation provided by our organisation (hotels, mountain huts), including aeroplanes, motor vehicles, hotels, mountain huts, ski lifts, helicopters, as well as climbing and skiing equipment, etc. As organisers, we shall also not be held liable for any delays and/or damage suffered by participants as a result of mechanical breakdowns, border crossings, natural disasters (e.g. avalanches), revolution, acts of terrorism, acts of war, strikes, illness, quarantine or any other cause. Participants are responsible for the theft or loss of equipment provided by Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme.

PRIVATE – TAILOR-MADE PACKAGES
Would you like us to organise a bespoke trip for a private group? Or a trip featured in our programme, but on a different date? We can provide you with a proposal and a quotation; this may incur a fee. If you accept our proposal, this amount will be deducted from the final invoice when you make the booking. However, additional terms and conditions apply to private packages.
Additional travel conditions for private packages
*Once you have given your agreement, you must send us the registration forms. Upon receipt of the duly completed forms, the booking is final.
*The deposit must be paid into our account within 10 days of receipt of the registration forms; otherwise, the options on accommodation and guide bookings will be cancelled. For private packages, the deposit amounts to at least 30 per cent of the total cost of the trip (subject to a minimum of €300.00 per person).
*The number of participants determines the price quoted in the estimate. The maximum number of participants depends on the planned trip. If, at a later stage, more people join the trip, a new estimate will be provided. If, after booking, the number of participants decreases, the full amount of the trip will still be due!
*If a single contact person is registering the group, they are responsible for ensuring that payments are made on time and that the participants’ full contact details are provided.
*Furthermore, the ‘General Terms and Conditions of Travel’ set out above apply.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PRIVATE GUIDING SERVICES

In the case of a private guiding service (i.e. the exclusive hire of the guide’s services without additional services such as accommodation, transport, etc.), the following conditions apply

The booking is final once the date(s) for the guide’s services have been agreed and confirmed by Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme

In the event of bad weather, poor snow conditions or a high risk of avalanches, the guide may cancel the trip. In this case, the deposit will be refunded. However, if a suitable alternative is available, this will be prioritised. Cancellation without charge can therefore only take place at the guide’s initiative!
Payment: 50 per cent upon booking, the remaining 50 per cent no later than 7 days before departure or the agreed date. In the event of cancellation no later than 8 days before departure, a cancellation fee amounting to 50 per cent of the agreed guide’s fee is due. In the event of cancellation 7 days or less before the agreed date, 100 per cent of the guide’s fee is payable.
Any costs incurred by the guide for ski lifts are to be borne by the client. For multi-day excursions, the client is required to cover the guide’s accommodation and meal costs.

LEGAL JURISDICTION

The registered office of Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme Switzerland Sàrl is situated in Valais, Switzerland. We are registered with the Lower Valais Chamber of Commerce under number CHE-112-723.100
Any dispute, regardless of the participant’s nationality or place of residence and regardless of where the incident occurred, shall be governed exclusively by Swiss law. The competent court is that of Martigny-St-Maurice, Switzerland.

© 10/2026, Edward Bekker Ski & Alpinisme Switzerland Sàrl
CH-1925 Finhaut, Switzerland