Booking Conditions
Guiding services, bookings, cancellations and participation conditions.
These Booking Conditions apply to all guiding activities provided directly by Alberto Gontier, Italian Aspirant Mountain Guide.
By confirming a booking, the client acknowledges that they have read and accepted these Booking Conditions.
1. Nature of the service
The service provided consists exclusively of professional mountain guiding, technical instruction and/or accompaniment within the professional scope of the Guide. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, accommodation, meals, transportation, lift tickets, equipment rental and any other services supplied by third parties are not included in the guiding service.
Where assistance is provided with the reservation of huts, lifts, transport or other third-party services, this is done for organisational convenience. The contractual relationship for those services remains directly between the client and the relevant provider.
The guiding service does not constitute the organisation or sale of a travel package unless expressly indicated otherwise.
2. Booking and confirmation
Bookings may be requested through the website, email, WhatsApp or other written communication.
A booking is considered confirmed only after:
written confirmation from the Guide; and
payment of the requested advance payment.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, an advance payment of 50% of the guiding fee is required to confirm and reserve the agreed date.
Until the advance payment has been received, the requested date remains available and is not considered definitively reserved.
For bookings made less than 10 days before the activity, full payment may be requested at the time of confirmation.
3. Balance and payment
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the remaining balance must be paid no later than 5 days before the beginning of the activity.
The payment method and any specific payment deadlines will be communicated at the time of booking. Failure to pay the balance within the agreed deadline may result in cancellation of the booking.
4. Prices and additional costs
The agreed price refers to the professional guiding service described in the booking confirmation.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, the guiding fee does not include:
accommodation and meals;
lift tickets and mountain transport;
personal travel expenses;
equipment rental;
hut deposits or cancellation charges;
rescue, evacuation or medical expenses;
any other service provided by third parties;
expenses incurred by the Guide where specifically indicated in the quotation.
For multi-day activities, the client’s booking confirmation will specify whether accommodation, meals, transport and other expenses for the Guide are included or payable separately.
5. Cancellation by the client
Cancellation requests must be communicated in writing. Unless different conditions are specified in the individual booking confirmation, the following cancellation policy applies:
more than 30 days before the activity: the advance payment is refunded;
between 29 and 15 days before the activity: 50% of the advance payment is refunded;
14 days or less before the activity: the advance payment is non-refundable;
less than 5 days before the activity, after full payment has become due: amounts already paid are non-refundable.
No refund is normally provided in case of no-show, late cancellation, illness, injury, travel disruption or other circumstances affecting the participant. Clients are therefore strongly advised to obtain appropriate travel and cancellation insurance.
For bookings concerning leisure activities scheduled for a specific date or period, the statutory 14-day right of withdrawal applicable to certain distance contracts may not apply. In particular, Article 59(1)(n) of the Italian Consumer Code excludes the right of withdrawal for services relating to leisure activities where the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance.
6. Weather, mountain conditions and changes to the programme
Mountain activities depend on weather, snow, ice, terrain and other environmental conditions that may change rapidly. The Guide has final responsibility for technical and operational decisions concerning the activity, including the itinerary, objective, timing and continuation or interruption of the activity.
The feasibility of the planned activity may therefore only be definitively assessed shortly before departure.
If the original programme cannot reasonably be carried out, the Guide may propose:
a change of itinerary or objective;
an alternative activity of comparable duration and technical level;
a change of location;
postponement to another date;
cancellation of the activity.
Where the original objective is not advisable but a reasonable alternative activity can be carried out, the Guide may modify the programme accordingly.
If the client chooses not to participate in a technically appropriate alternative activity proposed for the same date, this will normally be considered a cancellation by the client.
Reaching a summit or completing the originally planned itinerary is never guaranteed.
7. Cancellation by the Guide before the activity
If the Guide cancels the activity before it begins because conditions do not allow the activity to be carried out with an acceptable level of risk, or because of illness, injury or another circumstance preventing the Guide from providing the service, the client may normally choose between:
transferring the amount paid to a mutually agreed alternative date or activity; or
receiving a full refund of the amount paid for the guiding service.
Any non-refundable costs relating to huts, transport, lift tickets or other third-party services remain subject to the cancellation policies of the relevant providers.
8. Changes or interruption during the activity
Once an activity has begun, the Guide may modify or interrupt it because of weather, terrain conditions, objective hazards, the physical or technical condition of a participant, equipment problems or any other circumstance affecting the reasonable management of risk.
In such circumstances, the guiding fee remains payable in full.
No refund is due solely because the planned summit, route, descent or objective has not been completed.
9. Participant responsibilities
Participants must provide accurate information concerning their experience, technical level and physical condition. Participants must inform the Guide before the activity of any health condition, medication, allergy or other circumstance that may reasonably affect participation or emergency management.
Participants are responsible for bringing the clothing and equipment communicated by the Guide and must follow the Guide’s instructions throughout the activity.
The Guide may refuse participation or interrupt the activity where a participant’s technical ability, physical condition, equipment or behaviour makes continuation inappropriate. Participants under 18 years of age must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian and may be subject to additional participation requirements.
10. Risks inherent in mountain activities
Mountaineering, climbing, ski touring, freeriding and other mountain activities involve inherent risks that cannot be completely eliminated. These may include, depending on the activity, falls, rockfall, avalanches, crevasses, icefall, changing snow or ice conditions, altitude, sudden weather changes and other natural or human factors. The role of the Guide is to assess and manage these risks professionally; participation with a Guide does not make mountain activities completely risk-free.
11. Insurance
Professional liability insurance connected with the guiding activity is maintained as required by applicable professional regulations.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, personal accident insurance, rescue costs, medical expenses, repatriation and trip cancellation insurance are not included in the guiding fee. Participants are strongly advised to have insurance appropriate to the planned activity and geographical area (see the special partner insurance rate)
12. Third-party services
Accommodation, mountain huts, lifts, transport companies, equipment rental providers and other third-party services operate independently from the Guide. The Guide cannot guarantee the availability, operation or refund policies of these third-party providers. Where the Guide makes a reservation on behalf of a client as an organisational courtesy, any applicable third-party cancellation terms remain the responsibility of the client.
15. Applicable law and disputes
These Booking Conditions and the guiding service are governed by Italian law, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection rights applicable to the client. The parties will first seek to resolve any disagreement directly and in good faith. Where the client qualifies as a consumer, jurisdiction remains determined by the mandatory consumer protection rules applicable to the contract.
16. Provider information
Alberto Gontier
Italian Aspirant Mountain Guide
UVGAM registration no. IT23B00396 – Section A
VAT no. IT01317660072
Email: albertogontier@gmail.com
Phone: +39 380 204 3533
Professional address: Frazione Etabloz 118, 11020, Brissogne