Cancellation and Refunds

1. Overview

1.1 About This Policy

This Cancellation and Refunds Policy ("Policy") explains how cancellations and refunds are handled for bookings made through the Kipgo platform. This Policy is incorporated into and forms part of our Terms and Conditions.

By making a booking on Kipgo, you agree to the cancellation terms outlined in this Policy. We encourage you to read this Policy carefully before completing any booking.

1.2 Cancellation Policy Types

Different listing types on Kipgo have different cancellation models. The applicable cancellation policy for your booking is always displayed on the listing page before you book and on the checkout page before you pay.

Tours and treks have cancellation policies set by the Supplier. These policies define multiple refund tiers based on how far in advance you cancel relative to the departure date. For example, a policy may offer a full refund if you cancel 45 or more days before departure, a 50% refund between 30 and 44 days, and no refund within 30 days. The exact tiers vary by listing.

Activities, experiences, car rentals, bike rentals, and rooms use a fixed cancellation deadline set by the Platform. You may cancel with a full refund before the deadline. Cancellation is not available after the deadline has passed.

1.3 Policy Captured at Booking Time

The cancellation policy in effect at the time you make your booking will apply for the duration of that booking. If a Supplier later changes their cancellation policy, your booking retains the original terms that were in place when you booked. This protects you from retroactive policy changes.

1.4 Where to Find Cancellation Details

The cancellation terms for your specific booking are shown on the listing page before you book, on the checkout page before you pay, and in the booking details within your Kipgo account. You can also check your refund eligibility at any time from your booking page. Always review these details before booking, especially if your travel plans may change.

2. Cancellation Windows and Tiers

2.1 Deadline-Based Cancellation

For activities, experiences, car rentals, bike rentals, and rooms, each listing has a cancellation deadline calculated from the service start date. The standard cancellation window varies by listing type and is configured by the Platform. The cancellation deadline is displayed on the listing page and during checkout. If you cancel before the deadline, you receive a full refund. If the deadline has passed, cancellation is not available through the Platform.

2.2 Tiered Cancellation Policies

For tours and treks, Suppliers set their own cancellation policies with multiple refund tiers. Each tier specifies a time threshold (measured in days before departure) and the refund percentage that applies if you cancel within that window. The refund percentage decreases as you get closer to the departure date.

For example, a "Moderate" cancellation policy might work like this: cancel 30 or more days before departure and receive a 100% refund; cancel between 15 and 29 days and receive a 50% refund; cancel less than 15 days before departure and receive no refund.

You can cancel a tour or trek booking at any time before the departure date, regardless of the policy tier. The policy only determines how much refund you receive, not whether you can cancel.

2.3 Checking Your Refund Eligibility

Before cancelling, you can check exactly how much refund you are eligible for from your booking page. This calculation is based on the cancellation policy captured at the time of your booking and factors in the current date, the departure date, and the applicable refund tier or deadline.

3. Customer Cancellations

3.1 How to Cancel

You may cancel a booking through your account on the Platform by navigating to your Bookings page, opening the booking you wish to cancel, and selecting the cancellation option. Before confirming, you will see the refund amount you are eligible for based on the applicable cancellation policy. Once cancelled, you will receive an email confirming that your booking has been cancelled.

For listings with a fixed cancellation deadline, the cancel button will not be available after the deadline has passed. For tours and treks with tiered policies, you can cancel at any time before departure, but the refund amount will vary based on the policy tier.

3.2 Processing Fee

When a full refund (100%) is applicable, a processing fee of 4% of the total booking price will be deducted from the refund amount. This fee covers payment gateway charges incurred during the original transaction. The processing fee does not apply to partial refunds. The fee amount is shown to you before you confirm the cancellation.

3.3 Post-Deadline Cancellation Requests

For listings with a fixed cancellation deadline, cancellations requested after the deadline has passed are generally not eligible for a refund. This is because Suppliers may have already made preparations for your booking, including reserving capacity, arranging staff, procuring supplies, or declining other customers.

However, we recognise that exceptional circumstances can arise. Please see Section 4 for situations where we may approve a refund after the deadline.

3.4 How to Request a Post-Deadline Cancellation

If you need to cancel after the deadline due to exceptional circumstances, contact Kipgo support at support@gokipgo.com as soon as possible. Include your booking reference number, an explanation of the circumstances, and any supporting documentation. We will review your request and respond within 48 hours.

4. Exceptional Circumstances

4.1 When Exceptions May Apply

Kipgo may, at its sole discretion, approve a full or partial refund for cancellations made after the deadline or outside the highest refund tier in the following exceptional circumstances:

Medical emergencies: Serious illness or injury affecting you or a traveler in your booking that prevents participation. Documentation such as a medical certificate or hospital records may be required.

Death in immediate family: The death of an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling) occurring close to the service date. A death certificate or obituary may be required.

Natural disasters: Earthquakes, floods, landslides, or other natural events that make travel to the destination impossible or unsafe.

Government restrictions: Travel bans, border closures, mandatory quarantines, or official advisories against travel to the destination issued after your booking was made.

Severe weather: Weather conditions that make the specific activity unsafe or impossible, such as road closures due to snowfall or flight cancellations due to storms.

4.2 Documentation Requirements

To process an exception request, you must provide documentation supporting your claim. This may include medical certificates, hospital discharge papers, death certificates, flight cancellation notices, government advisories, or news reports of natural disasters. Requests without adequate documentation may be denied.

4.3 Decisions on Exceptions

Kipgo reviews each exception request individually. Our decision considers the nature and severity of the circumstances, the documentation provided, how close to the service date the cancellation occurred, and whether the Supplier has already incurred costs. Kipgo's decision on exception requests is final.

5. Supplier Cancellations

5.1 If a Supplier Cancels Your Booking

Occasionally, a Supplier may need to cancel a confirmed booking. This may happen due to unforeseen operational issues, safety concerns, severe weather, insufficient participants for group tours, or other circumstances beyond their control.

If a Supplier cancels your booking, you will receive a full refund of the amount you have paid, regardless of when the cancellation occurs. No processing fee is deducted for supplier-initiated cancellations. You will be notified by email and through your Kipgo account, and the refund will be processed automatically.

5.2 Minimum Participants

Some group tours and treks require a minimum number of participants to operate. If this requirement is not met, the Supplier may cancel the departure. In such cases, you will be offered a full refund or the option to rebook for a different date at no additional cost.

Minimum participant requirements, where applicable, are usually disclosed by Suppliers in the listing's "What to Know" section. We recommend checking this information before booking.

5.3 Supplier No-Show

If a Supplier fails to show up for a confirmed booking or is unable to deliver the service without prior cancellation, you are entitled to a full refund. Contact Kipgo support immediately if this occurs, and we will investigate and process your refund.

6. Split Payments and Cancellations

6.1 How Split Payments Affect Refunds

If you booked using split payments (installments), your refund is calculated based on the applicable cancellation policy and the amount you have actually paid at the time of cancellation. You will not be refunded more than what has been collected.

For tours and treks with tiered cancellation policies, the refund is calculated as follows: the non-refundable portion is determined as a percentage of the total booking price based on the applicable tier, and the refund equals the amount you have paid minus the non-refundable portion, with a minimum of zero. For example, if you have paid Rs 280,000 out of a Rs 400,000 total and the applicable tier allows a 75% refund, the non-refundable portion is 25% of Rs 400,000 (Rs 100,000), and your refund would be Rs 280,000 minus Rs 100,000, which is Rs 180,000.

6.2 Remaining Installments

When you cancel a split payment booking, all remaining scheduled installments are cancelled immediately. You will not be charged for any installments that have not yet been processed.

6.3 Failed Payments

If a scheduled installment payment fails, we will retry up to three times. You will be notified by email after each failed attempt so you can update your payment method if needed. If all three attempts fail, your booking may be automatically cancelled. In such cases, any refund eligibility is determined by the applicable cancellation policy based on the amount that was successfully collected.

6.4 Processing Fee on Split Payment Refunds

The 4% processing fee applies to split payment cancellations in the same way as regular bookings. When the applicable tier provides a full refund (100%), the fee is calculated as 4% of the total booking price and deducted from the refund amount. The processing fee does not apply to partial refund tiers.

7. Force Majeure

7.1 Definition

Force Majeure refers to extraordinary events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of either party that prevent the fulfillment of a booking. This includes natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, landslides, avalanches), acts of terrorism or war, civil unrest or riots, pandemics or epidemics, government actions (border closures, travel bans, curfews), and severe weather events.

7.2 How Force Majeure Affects Bookings

When a Force Majeure event makes it impossible or unsafe to deliver a booked service, the booking may be cancelled by either party. In such cases, Kipgo will work with both you and the Supplier to find a fair resolution, which may include rescheduling the booking to a future date, receiving credit for a future booking, or receiving a full or partial refund.

7.3 Determining Force Majeure

Kipgo determines whether an event qualifies as Force Majeure based on official government announcements, news reports from reputable sources, advisories from relevant authorities, and the specific impact on the booked service. A Force Majeure event affecting one region does not automatically apply to bookings in unaffected areas.

8. Refund Processing

8.1 Refund Method

Refunds are processed to the original payment method used for the booking. If you paid by credit or debit card, the refund will be credited to the same card. If you paid through a bank transfer or other method, the refund will be returned through the same channel where possible.

8.2 Processing Timeline

Once a refund is approved, Kipgo initiates the refund within 24 hours. However, the time it takes for the refund to appear in your account depends on your payment provider and bank. Credit card refunds typically take 5 to 10 business days to appear on your statement, while bank transfers may take 7 to 14 business days.

If you have not received your refund within 14 business days of the refund confirmation, please contact your bank or payment provider first. If they confirm no refund has been received, contact Kipgo support with your booking reference and refund confirmation.

8.3 Processing Fee

A processing fee of 4% of the total booking price is deducted from refunds where a full refund (100%) is applicable. This fee covers payment gateway charges incurred when processing the original payment. The processing fee does not apply to partial refunds, supplier-initiated cancellations, or dispute resolutions in the customer's favour.

8.4 Payment Provider Fees

Any fees charged by your bank, credit card company, or payment provider for international transactions or currency conversion are your responsibility. Kipgo does not reimburse these fees.

9. Partial Refunds

9.1 When Partial Refunds Apply

You may be eligible for a partial refund rather than a full refund in several situations. For tours and treks, partial refunds apply when you cancel within a tier that provides less than 100% refund, as defined by the Supplier's cancellation policy. Partial refunds may also apply when you cancel after the deadline but exceptional circumstances partially justify a refund, when a service is partially delivered before being cut short due to unforeseen circumstances, when there is a significant discrepancy between what was promised and what was delivered (as determined through our dispute resolution process), or when a post-deadline exception is approved but the Supplier has already incurred some costs.

9.2 Calculation of Partial Refunds

For cancellations within a tiered policy, the partial refund amount is determined by the applicable tier. For other situations, the amount is determined by Kipgo based on the circumstances of each case. Factors considered include the proportion of the service that was delivered, costs already incurred by the Supplier, the nature of the issue, and any documentation provided. Kipgo's determination of partial refund amounts is final.

10. Non-Refundable Situations

10.1 Customer No-Show

If you fail to show up for a confirmed booking without cancelling in advance, you are not entitled to a refund. This applies even if you had a valid reason for not attending. Without cancellation, the Supplier has no opportunity to offer the spot to another customer.

10.2 Failure to Meet Requirements

If you are unable to participate in a booked service because you failed to meet stated requirements, no refund will be provided. This includes arriving without required documents (ID, permits, visas), not meeting fitness or health requirements disclosed in the listing, arriving late after the departure time, failing to bring required equipment specified in the listing, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

10.3 Removal for Misconduct

If you are removed from an experience due to your behaviour, including being disruptive, abusive, threatening, or violating safety rules, you are not entitled to any refund.

10.4 Change of Mind

Simply changing your mind about a booking after the cancellation deadline (or within a non-refundable tier for tours and treks) is not grounds for a refund. This includes deciding you no longer want to go, finding a cheaper alternative, changes to your personal schedule (unless they fall under exceptional circumstances), or realising you misunderstood what the experience included (if the listing was accurate).

10.5 Weather Preferences

If an outdoor experience proceeds as scheduled but you are dissatisfied with the weather conditions (for example, it was cloudy instead of sunny, or warmer than expected), this is not grounds for a refund. Refunds for weather are only considered when conditions make the activity unsafe or impossible and the Supplier cancels or significantly modifies the experience.

11. Modifications to Bookings

11.1 Changing Your Booking

If you need to change the date or dates (such as check-in or check-out) of your booking, please contact Kipgo support. Changes are subject to availability and may involve price adjustments. The ability to modify a booking depends on the Supplier's policies and how close you are to the service date.

11.2 Modifications vs. Cancellations

If you request a change that cannot be accommodated, you may choose to keep the original booking or cancel it. If you cancel, the standard cancellation policy applies based on when you cancel relative to the applicable deadline or tier.

11.3 Price Differences

If you modify your booking to a different date and the price is higher, you will need to pay the difference. If the price is lower, the difference may be refunded or provided as credit, depending on the circumstances.

12. Disputes About Refunds

12.1 If You Disagree with a Refund Decision

If you believe you are entitled to a refund that has been denied, or if you disagree with the amount of a partial refund, you may submit a dispute through our support team. Please provide your booking reference, a clear explanation of why you believe a refund is warranted, and any supporting documentation. Disputes should be raised within 14 days of the booking end date.

12.2 Dispute Review

Kipgo will review disputes and may request additional information from you or the Supplier. We aim to resolve disputes within 14 days, though complex cases may take longer. Our decision on disputes is final.

12.3 Chargebacks

We encourage you to work with Kipgo to resolve any refund issues before initiating a chargeback through your bank or credit card company. If you initiate a chargeback without first attempting to resolve the issue through our support channels, your account may be suspended pending investigation. Unjustified chargebacks may result in permanent account termination.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Policy, need to request a cancellation, or want to discuss a refund, please contact us:

Email: support@gokipgo.com
Website: www.gokipgo.com

When contacting us about a specific booking, please include your booking reference number to help us assist you more quickly.