Cancellation Policy Ecuador Birds, April/May, 2024
The process of setting up and operating workshops is complex.  In some cases deposits have to be made many months in advance to hold space and those are not refundable if we later release that space.  Sometimes a cancellation would result in a group not meeting minimum enrollment and the trip would have to operate at a loss or be canceled for the other participants (who may have already committed to airfare)..  So we have to have some policies to protect our ability to put together and operate the workshops - and to protect those who are still in the group when someone leaves.
At the same time, we understand that plans sometimes have to change.  Sometimes health issues cause unplanned or involuntary cancellation.  Other events and circumstances beyond your control may necessitate cancellation.  It is not our intention to be unreasonable.
Hence, the following policy:
We will refund the initial deposit up to August 11, 2023- minus a $300 handling fee For cancellations received between August 1, 2023 and October 15, 2023, we will refund all payments except the initial deposit and half the second payment.  That will pay for unrecoverable deposits and expenses. For cancellations received between October 15, 2023 and December 20, 2023, we will refund all execept the initial deposit and second payment, unless our unrecoverable expenses are higher. Those canceling after December 20, 2023 will forfeit the entire workshop fee unless we are able to find someone else to fill the space. If we are able to fill that space, we will refund 50% of the trip cost, unless our costs are higher. If a cancellation causes the adventure to fall below the minimum count no refunds will occur unless someone else brings the count back over minimum. If we are able to fill that space, we will refund 50% of the trip cost, unless our costs are higher.
In some cases we may not be able to recover deposits that we make that exceed this policy.  When that is the case, those funds will not be refunded.
With all of that said, when circumstances cause someone to cancel and they have to forfeit funds, we work with them to find ways to recover at least some of that loss on a future workshop.