Terms of service

Parties and subject

Services are provided by ShortTrips GmbH, Im Starkfeld 50, 89231 Neu-Ulm, Germany ("we", "the organiser"). A customer is a person who submits a booking request for a tour or buys a digital guide.

These terms cover group and private tours, self-guided routes and digital products such as guides and maps.

How a contract is concluded

A request on the website is an offer to reserve a place, not a concluded contract. The contract comes into force once we confirm the booking in writing and you pay the deposit within the stated period.

A digital guide is considered purchased at the moment of successful payment; the contract is based on these terms and the product description.

Prices and payment

Prices on the website are in euro per person in a double room unless the tour description states otherwise.

While a group is still forming, booking is free: no deposit is required. Once the group is confirmed, a deposit of 30% of the tour price is due; if departure is less than 30 days away, the deposit is 50%. The balance is payable no later than 30 days before departure, or by the deadline agreed in the booking confirmation for late bookings.

Digital guides are paid in full at the time of purchase.

What the price includes

The exact scope of services is listed on each tour page under "What's included" and "Not included". Flights, visas, insurance, meals and personal expenses are not included unless expressly stated.

Customer obligations

Costs and consequences caused by missing documents or insurance are borne by the customer.

• hold valid travel documents and, where required, a visa
• arrange medical insurance for the whole duration of the trip
• inform us about health and dietary matters that affect participation
• follow the laws of the destination country and the safety instructions of the group leader

Changes and cancellation by the organiser

A group tour runs if the minimum number of participants stated at booking is reached. If the group does not fill, we inform you no later than 21 days before departure and refund all payments received in full.

We may reasonably adjust the programme where weather, safety, transport or other circumstances beyond our control require it, while preserving the overall character and value of the route.

In cases of force majeure either party may terminate the contract; payments are refunded less costs actually incurred and evidenced.

Cancellation by the customer

Refund conditions are described on the separate Refunds page. A place on a tour may be transferred to another person if you inform us in advance.

Digital products

Guides and maps are delivered electronically: a link is sent to the email address used at checkout. Access is granted indefinitely and updates are free.

Materials are for personal use. Reselling, publishing or distributing the files and maps without our written consent is not permitted.

Who performs the services

A trip may be carried out by ShortTrips GmbH itself or by partners: local tour operators, carriers, hotels, guides, drivers and other contractors. We may involve them for individual parts of a trip and replace a supplier as long as the agreed level of service is maintained.

Where we act as the organiser of a package tour, we are responsible for the proper performance of all services included in it, whether we provide them ourselves or through a contractor. This follows from the mandatory German package travel rules (Sections 651a ff. of the German Civil Code) and cannot be excluded by contract.

Individual services that we merely help you arrange, and for which we state our role as an agent before booking, are not part of the package. For those the contract is concluded directly between you and the supplier, and the supplier is responsible for them. An example is a flight ticket bought in your name from the airline.

Liability

We are liable as the organiser for defects of a package tour. Please tell us about a defect as soon as you notice it: without such notice we cannot remedy it, and your claims may be reduced.

Liability for injury to life, body or health, and for intent and gross negligence, is unlimited. Otherwise liability is limited to three times the price of the tour, within the limits allowed by Section 651p of the German Civil Code.

We are not liable for services you buy yourself from third parties outside our package, nor for consequences of breaching safety rules or the instructions of the trip leader.

Governing law and disputes

German law applies to the contract. Mandatory consumer protection rules of the customer's country of residence remain unaffected.

European Commission platform for online dispute resolution: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. We are neither obliged nor willing to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.