Booking terms

Cancellation & refunds

Last updated 27 October 2026 · Applies to all China Hike treks

This document sets out the payment schedule applicable to a China Hike booking, together with the refunds payable where a booking is cancelled by the hiker, cancelled by China Hike, or affected by circumstances beyond either party's control. It should be read alongside our Terms & Conditions and our booking FAQs, which it does not contradict.

1. Booking confirmation

A booking is confirmed only when China Hike has issued written confirmation of availability and the final price, and the required deposit has been received. No payment is requested before availability has been confirmed in writing. Enquiries, provisional holds and quotations do not constitute a confirmed booking.

2. Deposit, balance and payment

Item	Term
Deposit	30% of the total trek price, payable to confirm the place
Balance	Due 30 days before the departure date
Bookings made within 30 days of departure	Full payment due at the time of booking
Currency	Prices are quoted in US dollars

How to pay. Payment details are sent with your confirmation. A deposit confirms the place and the balance falls due before departure; the proportions and deadlines are set out in the table above.

3. Cancellation by you

Cancellation charges are determined by the date on which written notice of cancellation reaches China Hike. The period is counted in calendar days before the departure date. The deposit and the balance (the amount remaining after the deposit) are treated as separate elements throughout, as set out below.

1. Step 131 days or more before departure

   No cancellation charge

   The booking is cancelled free of charge. The deposit and any balance already paid are refunded in full, without deduction.

2. Step 2Between 30 and 15 days before departure

   Deposit retained — and it keeps its value

   The deposit is non-refundable but is not lost: it is held in full and may be applied to a later trip with China Hike within 18 months of the original departure date. Any balance already paid is refunded in full.

3. Step 3Between 14 and 11 days before departure

   Deposit retained, plus 50% of the balance

   The deposit is retained, and the cancellation charge is 50% of the balance. The other 50% of the balance is refunded. If the balance has not yet been paid, only the 50% charge is payable.

4. Step 410 days or fewer before departure

   Deposit retained, plus 100% of the balance

   The deposit is retained, and the cancellation charge is 100% of the balance. At this point most bookings for your place — permits, rooms, vehicles and guides — can no longer be released.

5. Step 5On the departure date, after it, or failure to join

   Full charge

   Where notice is given on the departure date or later, or where the hiker fails to join the departure without giving notice, the full trek price is payable. No refund is made for unused days or unused services once a trek has commenced.

From day 30 before departure the deposit is retained in full, and the percentage charges in Steps 3 to 5 apply to the balance — the amount remaining after the deposit.

4. Cancellation or change by China Hike

• Weather or trail conditions. Where a route is assessed as unsafe before departure, the hiker may elect an alternative trek, a transfer to a later date, or a full refund including the deposit. The hiker is under no obligation to accept a substitute.
• Departure below minimum numbers. A scheduled departure is confirmed once it reaches a minimum of two hikers. Where a departure does not reach that number and the hiker does not wish to transfer dates, the hiker may take a full refund including the deposit.
• Material itinerary change. Where a change made by us materially reduces what was booked — for example fewer walking days or a lower standard of accommodation — the hiker may cancel and receive a full refund.

5. Force majeure

Where a booking is affected by government restriction, natural disaster, epidemic or any other event outside the control of both parties, China Hike refunds all sums recoverable from its suppliers. Any balance that cannot be recovered is credited against a future trek and remains valid for 18 months from the date of issue.

6. Amendments and transfers

• Change of date by the hiker. Permitted once without charge, provided the request is received at least 15 days before departure and subject to availability. A request received between 30 and 15 days before departure is treated under Step 2 of section 3: the deposit is retained and applied as credit to the new date, and no cancellation charge arises. A request received within 14 days of departure is treated as a cancellation under section 3.
• Transfer of a place. A place may be transferred to another person up to 14 days before departure, without charge, provided the transferee meets the fitness, medical and insurance requirements of the route.
• Changes by China Hike. Itineraries may be adjusted where necessary for safety, weather, road conditions or decisions of local authorities. Notice is given in advance wherever practicable.

7. Insurance and cancellation

Comprehensive travel and trekking insurance is arranged and paid for by China Hike and is included in the trek price. It covers the hiker throughout the trek, including accidental injury and emergency medical treatment. It does not cover cancellation of flights, personal or family emergencies, or illness preventing travel before the trek commences. Hikers wishing to be protected against those events should arrange cancellation cover independently. Full details of the cover provided, and how to obtain the complete schedule of benefits, are set out on our Safety, Insurance & FAQ page.

8. Cancellation procedure and refund timing

Notice of cancellation must be sent to chinahiketravel@gmail.com, stating the hiker's name, the trek and the departure date. China Hike acknowledges receipt within 24 hours and confirms the refund amount in writing. Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method within 10 working days of confirmation.