Hiking the Painters Way, Germany

Frequently Asked Questions

• What you carry

  You will only need day packs to carry your water, lunch and snacks for the day.  You may also have personal items that you might like to carry along such as extra clothing, rainjacket, sunscreen and camera. The weight of this would vary around 5-7kg.

  A comprehensive gear list will be supplied to you within a few weeks of your booking being confirmed and long before the adventure so that you can feel confident that you have the right gear.

  By sticking to the list, you will be well prepared for our Hiking the Painters Way Adventure.

• Adventure type, grading & your participation

  This is a MODERATE multi day adventure.

  The trails are well marked and traversed. However the paths may be uneven and rocky underfoot, due to the nature of it being outdoors and natural.There will be some steep ascents where you will get out of breath. As well as some descents where you will need to concentrate. With the right focus commitment to hike training, this is suitable for those with a moderate level of fitness.

  A MODERATE level of fitness means:

  • There are consecutive days hiking where we are out “all day”, so having a good level of endurance (the ability to be out hiking all day) is necessary
  • The hiking consists of hills, stairs and uneven paths. Many paths are historical meaning that they are uneven underfoot.
  • A good level of cardio fitness is required – so being able to recover your breath after hiking hills; hiking up hills/stairs without stopping every few moments (the goal is to keep going no matter how slow you might think you are).
  • Stability on legs is required so that you can handle the uneven terrain.
  • The ability to carry a pack of up to 8kg with all of your personal requirements, including water, over the trails.

  By booking into this adventure you agree to our Booking Terms and Conditions, which includes completing our Participant Document for this adventure. You should only participate if you feel you are medically able to do so. If, at any time, the leader feels concerned about your ability to participate or is concerned for your safety whilst on the adventure, they may ask you to ”sit out” or not participate in a particular program or session. You accept that this is predominantly an outdoor activity in a bush setting and it carries associated risks, including but not limited to uneven surfaces, rocks, weather conditions and animals.

• Fitness Level

  Our Hiking the Painters Way adventure is Graded Moderate.

  The hiking is moderate with daily guided hikes that will vary from 4-8 hours, depending on our pace. Please note we are OUT all day on our adventures – regardless of whether we are hiking all day.

  There is also some private bus transfers which require you to step onto the bus..

  You will need a MODERATE level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.

  Here’s what you get

  • A hike training plan relevant to your adventure
  • An online GROUP ADVENTURE meeting to explain gear, fitness & training and to meet your fellow adventurers
  • Access to the closed Hiking the Painters Way Adventure Closed Facebook Group.

  We advise you do as much training as you can before the trip.  The more you train for this hike, the easier you will handle the terrain and the more you will enjoy this wonderful part of the world.

  Fitness Goals

  If you’re at a lower level of fitness than moderate we can help you with your goals to successfully prepare for this trip.

• Weather

  May is a great time to visit and hike in Germany with daily temperatures ranging from 10-20 degrees and not too much rainfall.

  It’s also NOT peak tourist time, so crowds aren’t as big as the Summer months.

  It is important to come along with an open mind ready for an awesome experience whatever the weather, whoever the group. Weather can sometimes be unpredictable.

  In the event of extreme weather conditions and other factors beyond our control, the adventure may vary from the itinerary. Please be aware of this and accept this as part of the adventure. Your personal safety is our highest priority.

• Inclusions & Exclusions

  The following is INCLUDED as part of the adventure:

  • All transfers that form part of the adventure as specified in the itinerary
  • 11 nights/12 days fully guided and accommodated adventure
  • 10 breakfasts
  • 8 lunches
  • 11 dinners
  • Local qualified German Hiking Guide
  • Your Women’s Fitness Adventures C.R.E.W Leader

  The following are not included

  • Airfares
  • Visas, passport costs
  • Vaccinations & medical expenses
  • Travel Insurance
  • Transfers other than specified
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Alcohol
  • Souvenirs & gifts
  • Meals & food not specified in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees unless specified
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Hotel taxes/city taxes where applicable.
• Booking Terms and Conditions

  Booking Terms and Conditions

  (Including cancellation policy)

   

  Please read carefully the terms and conditions of this contract.

  These should also be read in conjunction with the website Terms and Conditions. 

  In completing and submitting the Booking Form, you agree to be bound by these conditions which constitute the agreement between Women’s Fitness Adventures ABN 99 126 975 880 and you.

  No purported variation of these conditions will be effective unless in writing and signed by a person so authorised by Women’s Fitness Adventures. In these terms and conditions reference to “Women’s Fitness Adventures representatives” means staff of Women’s Fitness Adventures and its officers, employees, agents, licensees, guides and other third parties and representatives and the land management authorities in each country in which the tour is conducted, or any of them.

  Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right to update the Booking Terms and Conditions at any time and will advise you in writing of any changes ahead of time.

  For International Adventures please note a passport is required for all international travel and a minimum 6 months validity is required on your passport.

  Final Itineraries and gear lists and other relevant information will be emailed no later than 14-21 days prior to adventure departure date.

   

  Prices

  All prices are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice. The price is only guaranteed once paid for in full by you.

  Price changes can occur between the time you make a reservation and the date of full payment. Therefore pricing is subject to change until final payment has been received.  

  Factors influencing price changes can be currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and other provider increases outside of our control. Please be aware of this.

  Note you must be a financial member AT THE TIME OF YOUR ADVENTURE DEPARTURE to access the member price. If you are not a financial member at the time of your adventure departure you will need to pay the difference between the member and non member price for this adventure.

   

  Payment Terms and Cancellation Policy

  Please note the payment terms including the cancellation policy.

  • An initial non refundable payment of 25% is required to secure your place on this adventure.
  • Once a booking is confirmed, payment must be received within the payment terms as advised by Women’s Fitness Adventures in the table below.
  • Failure to pay within the deadline will result in automatic cancellation of your booking.
  • Payments are accepted by direct deposit, PayPal or by credit card. There are no credit card surcharges for bookings made through the Women’s Fitness Adventures website
  • When your credit card is processed by Women’s Fitness Adventures you agree to not have your payment ‘charged back’ or reversed by your credit card provider where the services have been provided.
  • Direct Deposit payments can be made to the following account with the adventure and your initials as the reference:      Women’s Fitness Adventures    BSB 084-447    Account: 837616982

  If paying this way, please email a screen shot of your payment to the office 

   

  Payment Terms and Cancellation Policy

   

  Payment Terms and Cancellation Policy for Members

   

  All cancellations must be in writing and emailed to [email protected] Your cancellation date is the date when written notification is received.

   

  Payment Terms

   

  Payment Due Date	Amount
  On Booking (25% non-refundable initial payment)	$1488  (25% non-refundable initial payment)
  November 28th 2022	$2975
  February 15th 2023	$1487

   

  Cancellation Policy

   

  Notification Received by Women’s Fitness Adventures	Cancellation Charge
  Before November 28th 2022	Total loss of initial payment
  Between November 28th 2022& February 15th 2023	75% of full adventure cost
  Between & Including February 15th 2023  & Departure Date	100% of full adventure cost
  After Scheduled Adventure	100% of full adventure cost

  Payment Terms and Cancellation Policy for Non-Members

   

  All cancellations must be in writing and emailed to [email protected] Your cancellation date is the date when written notification is received.

   

  Payment Terms

   

  Payment Due Date	Amount
  On Booking (25% non-refundable initial payment)	$1613  (25% non-refundable initial payment)
  November 28th 2022	$3225
  February 15th 2023	$1612

   

  Cancellation Policy

   

  Notification Received by Women’s Fitness Adventures	Cancellation Charge
  Before November 28th 2022	Total loss of initial payment
  Between November 28th 2022& February 15th 2023	75% of full adventure cost
  Between & Including February 15th 2023  & Departure Date	100% of full adventure cost
  After Scheduled Adventure	100% of full adventure cost

   

  No refunds are provided should you have to leave the adventure early.

   

  As our adventures are so popular, please be aware that if you cancel your place, it will most likely be taken by someone else so you should consider this carefully.

   

  Travel Insurance

  It is your responsibility to ensure you have travel insurance which is suitable for your booked adventure and that it covers those travel arrangements. You warrant that you have made appropriate enquiries and sought advice on your specific travel insurance requirements.

  A checklist for your adventure will be provided which outlines the MINIMUM Travel Insurance you are required to hold to adventure with Women’s Fitness Adventures.

  Please note that some credit card providers will provide the card holder with travel insurance. Where you are paying for all or any part of the services arranged through us by credit card and you intend to use travel insurance provided by the credit card provider you acknowledge that Women’s Fitness Adventures has advised the minimum Travel Insurance requirements needed to participate in this adventure and that your credit card insurance complies with these minimum requirements

  You acknowledge that Women’s Fitness Adventures has advised on the MINIMUM  travel insurance  required and that you waive any claim against Women’s Fitness Adventures in respect of any loss or damage you may suffer as a result of you failing to take out any or adequate travel insurance.

  • • Travel insurance must be taken out within five (5) days of making your initial booking, or the next available business day if it is a weekend.  A copy of your Travel Documentation is required to be supplied along with your completed Participant Document to guarantee your place.
    • Please make sure that you read, understand and accept all of the fine print contained within your insurance policy before purchase to ensure it covers all of your personal requirements.
    • Please ensure your Travel Insurance covers you for amendment,  cancellation, medical and repatriation expenses, personal injury and accident, death, loss of personal baggage and money and personal liability insurance. It is also important to read the fine print in relation to what is included/excluded from your policy.

  • Please ensure you have cancellation and amendment coverage.

  • Please ensure that you have Covid coverage 

  • If using your credit card insurance, please check the terms and conditions on this before booking with us and provide us with a copy of your credit card insurance policy.

   

  Women’s Fitness Adventures and its partners are not liable for any out of pocket expenses that insurance will not cover and will not be held responsible financially or in kind should your insurance not cover your personal circumstances.

   

  Adventure Inclusions

  • Note that prices are per person.
  • Prices are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication.
  • As per the itinerary

   

  Adventure Exclusions

  • Airfares/transport to meeting point for adventure
  • Meals unless specified
  • Alcohol
  • Gratuities
  • Souvenirs or items of a personal nature
  • Items not specified on itinerary
  • Travel Insurance

   

  Itineraries and Brochures

  Itineraries and other details are published in good faith as statements of intention only and reasonable changes in the itinerary and related items may be made where deemed necessary or advisable by Women’s Fitness Adventures.

  The information contained in Women’s Fitness Adventures website, Facebook Pages, brochures, itineraries, and any other published content, is to the best of Women’s Fitness Adventures knowledge, correct at the time of publication.

  Route changes, Postponement, Cancellation or Delay

  Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right to:

  • Cancel or modify any routes within the adventures or objectives set out in the itinerary; or
  • Substitute different or equivalent routes within the adventures in place of canceled or modified routes, or
  • Postpone, cancel or delay (either in relation to the departure or arrival times or the duration of the adventures) any such aspect of the tour if, at the absolute discretion of Women’s Fitness Adventures, it is necessary to do so due to inclement weather, snow or icy conditions or conditions that are otherwise likely to be hazardous or dangerous or due to any other adverse or threatening conditions whether political or military or terrorist or otherwise or if, in the absolute discretion of Women’s Fitness Adventures there is a likelihood of any such event occurring which may impact upon the safety of the participants, or if an act or omission of a third party prevents the tour or the aspect of the tour being undertaken in accordance with your booking or for any other reason considered necessary by Women’s Fitness Adventures.
  • In the event of any change, modification, cancellation postponement or delay under this condition, you acknowledge that you will have no right of refund of the adventure price (whether in whole or in part) and no right to claim compensation for any injury, loss or damage or other additional expenses incurred by virtue of the change, modification, cancellation postponement or delay.
  • Women’s Fitness Adventures also reserves, at its absolute discretion, the right to cancel any tour due to any government travel warning or advice, or any change in such warning or advice. Travel insurance may compensate you depending on the circumstances.

   

  Cancellation by Women’s Fitness Adventures

  Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right to cancel a departure and will advise you of such cancellations no later than 14  days before the adventure departure date.

  Women’s Fitness Adventures reserve the right either before or during the course of the adventure to refuse to carry or accommodate any client which it reasonably considers, in the light of the best interests of all participants within the adventure group and crew, to be unsuitable by reason of physical or mental condition or unruly behaviour.

  Force Majeure 

  Women’s Fitness Adventures will not be liable for any delay in, change to or cancellation of trips due to ‘Force Majeure’. ‘Force Majeure’ definition means a circumstance beyond the reasonable control of Women’s Fitness Adventures and includes, but is not limited to, war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, disease, industrial or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and strikes.

  If due to ‘Force Majeure’ or government travel advice, Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right to cancel a departure at any time. With any form of cancellation, Women’s Fitness Adventures will do its best to offer you alternative arrangements if available, and if the price of your alternative adventure is of lower value than the original booking we will refund the difference to you. If you do not accept alternative arrangements  we will provide you with a Travel Credit for the amount you have paid to Women’s Fitness Adventures, (in case of ‘Force Majeure’ or government travel advice refunds will be less any unrecoverable costs). Women’s Fitness Adventures will not be liable for any additional costs incurred by you.

   

  Cancellation due to small adventure numbers

  Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right to cancel any adventure at any time  prior to departure in the event that there are too few people booked on the adventure. In this case, you will be given a full refund of the amount already paid by you. You will not be entitled to claim any additional amounts or seek any compensation for any injury, loss, expenses or damage (either direct or consequential) or for any loss of time or inconvenience which may result from such cancellation (including but not limited to visa, passport and vaccination charges, or departure, gear purchases, airport and airline taxes or annual leave).

  We require a minimum of 14 trekkers for The Painters Way, Germany Adventure. If numbers do not reach this level we reserve the right to cancel, or change the dates of the adventure or refer you to another existing adventure.

  Adventure numbers are regularly reviewed and we will notify you of any cancellations no later than 14 days prior to your selected trek.

  Vaccinations and COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination

  Certain Australian states,  Countries and Principals require that travellers be FULLY vaccinated against specific infection (including but not limited to COVID vaccinations) and/or diseases.

  Women’s Fitness Adventures strongly recommends that you check with your doctor and the Embassies of countries to which you are travelling to with respect to any health requirements.

  As Governments and Principals start to open and accept clients their requirements for Covid vaccinations, PCR Tests and other requirements are constantly evolving.  Whilst Women’s Fitness Adventures may assist you in navigating these travel requirements you are ultimately responsible for all medical & travel-related documentation required by state, federal or international authorities that allow entry or exit into their state, territory, return to Australia or overseas travel from Australia to another country.  You should ensure that you have satisfied yourself that you have all the required documents before booking your travel and keep yourself up to date on any changes to these requirements.

  If provided by you, you authorise Women’s Fitness Adventures to store a copy of all relevant COVID vaccination certificates and forward a copy to any of our Adventure Partners, as reasonably required for your specific adventure.

   

  Medical Disclosure

  It is your responsibility and you must advise women’s Fitness Adventures of any pre-existing medical condition and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of you requiring medical attention while on our tours. Women’s Fitness Adventures or our suppliers may require additional medical assessment by a medical practitioner. Women’s Fitness Adventures reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your booking and refund the money paid by you, less any unrecoverable costs. Women’s Fitness Adventures also reserves the right to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

  Disclaimer for disease, virus or other illness:  We ask that all our participants take their own individual precautions regarding their own medical and health safety, particularly with the spreading of such viruses as COVID-19. If, for example, you suffer from ill health or are an ‘at risk’ individual, you are responsible for ensuring you take all appropriate precautions including wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance from other participants when participating in our Services. 

  If you believe you have been in contact with or have been or suspect you may have been  exposed to anyone who may have exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, we request that you do not attend our adventures, immediately contact your medical professional and remain in isolation. 

  Should you have COVID-19 and need to cancel your place, you will need to provide the necessary documentation. We recommend that you urgently contact your Travel Insurance provider to determine your course of action in lodging a claim.  We do not test participants attending our adventures and you are responsible for ensuring the safety of yourself and others.  

  We are at no time responsible for any illness, virus, disease or any other medical condition you believe you may have been exposed to or contracted on or during any of our experiences or while using our Services. You are solely responsible for your own health and ensuring you follow safe practices for managing any public health issue in accordance with relevant mandated guidelines.

  Privacy: We only collect the information we need in order to safely and effectively perform our fitness adventure tour services (“Services”). We comply at all times with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 which regulates how personal information is handled including all your health details which are sensitive information. We will not disclose your personal information without your consent unless required due to a medical emergency, injury, health risk or similar and we will only do so to a qualified professional who is under the same duty of confidentiality.

   

  The personal information you are providing is true and correct at the time you are providing it to us. You will notify us with any changes and keep it updated on a regular basis while you are using our Services. You can access your personal information by request at any time.

   

  We keep your personal information secure and do not use it for any purposes unrelated to our services. All our employees and any staff who may have access to this personal information are under a strict duty of confidentiality and privacy practices are adhered to. Please note: we securely destroy all your personal information after the regulated and legislated time period if you have ceased using our Services.

   

  **We use all reasonable means to protect the confidentiality of your health, medical and other personal information (together ‘Personal Data’) while in our possession or control. For full information on how we protect your Personal Data, please see our Privacy Policy on our website.

   

  We strongly recommend you obtain your own insurance for the adventures. The policy should cover personal liability, cancellation, and curtailment and loss of personal effects, coverage for medical expenses including emergency evacuation.

• SUSTAINABLE ADVENTURES

  Our fabulous adventures allow you to create memories and friendships that last a lifetime. At Women’s Fitness Adventures we are also committed to sustainable adventures so that the places and spaces we go will also last well beyond our lifetime and the many generations to follow. Sustainability starts when you join our community and never ends.

  We are committed to the principles of minimal impact, leave no trace, tread lightly  and give back to the local community. Here’s how we do that for all of our adventures (short and long)

  Consumables

  • We encourage “no plastics” so bringing refillable water bottles, reusable cups and cutlery where applicable and using lunchboxes where plastic can be minimised
  • It’s a leave no trace principle, so all food scraps, toilet waste and rubbish items are carried out. (See our Masterclass on Toileting for the Trail)
  • We are committed to reducing paper waste inside our organisation and have implemented a paperless booking system.

  Transport

  • For this adventure, once in country, we use either foot or public transport as our mode of movement.
  • When flying, we encourage you to offset your emissions by purchasing carbon offsets.

  Minimal impact

  • We have a “tread lightly” policy where we stay on known tracks and paths, minimising our impact to bush, plants and wildlife.
  • Before we embark on an adventure or trail, we brief you on the flora, fauna and any other considerations that form the uniqueness of the environment so that you understand and appreciate the minimal impact approach.

  Accommodation & Adventure Partners

  • Where possible we partner with Eco Certified businesses who follow the same eco philosophies
  • Our adventures have all the applicable National Park permits and licenses to operate (or International equivalents)
  • Our “give back” policy also applies to the locations we stay – choosing local operators, businesses and townships where funds spent go directly to small business owners – doing our part to create sustainable communities.