Terms and Condition

Terms and Conditions

Sherpa Expedition and Trekking Pvt. Ltd.

Welcome to Sherpa Expedition and Trekking Pvt. Ltd. — one of Nepal's most trusted and longest-standing adventure travel companies. We are a government-registered trekking and expedition operator, fully authorized by the Nepal Tourism Board, and proud to have been serving adventurers from around the world since 1977.

Before confirming your booking with us, we kindly ask that you read the following Terms and Conditions thoroughly. These guidelines exist to protect both our clients and our company, and to ensure that every journey we plan together begins with complete clarity and mutual understanding. By proceeding with a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to all terms outlined below.

If you have any questions about any section of this document, our team is always happy to assist before you commit.

1. Booking and Confirmation

To secure your place on any trek, tour, or expedition with Sherpa Expedition and Trekking, the following requirements must be fulfilled at the time of booking:

A clear photocopy or scanned copy of your valid passport must be submitted to our reservations team. This is required for permit applications, documentation, and travel logistics.

A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total trip cost must be paid to confirm your reservation. Your booking is not considered confirmed until this deposit has been received and acknowledged by our team in writing.

The remaining balance of 70% of the total trip cost must be settled in full upon your arrival in Kathmandu, prior to the commencement of your trek, tour, or expedition. No trip will begin until full payment has been received.

2. Cancellation Policy

We understand that life is unpredictable, and plans sometimes change. The following cancellation terms apply based on the timing of your written cancellation notice relative to your scheduled departure date.

Cancellation by the Client

Should you need to cancel your trip, the following charges will apply based on the total trip cost:

• Cancellation made 12 months or more before departure — A cancellation fee of 30% of the total trip cost will be retained. This corresponds to the non-refundable booking deposit.
• Cancellation made 6 months before departure — A cancellation fee of 50% of the total trip cost will be retained.
• Cancellation made 25 days before departure — A cancellation fee of 70% of the total trip cost will be retained.
• Cancellation made 15 days before departure — A cancellation fee of 90% of the total trip cost will be retained.
• Cancellation made 7 days or fewer before departure — No refund will be issued. The full trip cost will be retained.

Please note that the initial 30% deposit is non-refundable at every stage of the cancellation process, regardless of when the cancellation is made.

Our Strong Recommendation — Postpone Rather Than Cancel

Rather than cancelling outright, we strongly encourage clients to consider postponing their trip to a future date. Postponement is a far more cost-effective option and allows the value of your payment to be carried forward toward a future adventure with us. A postponement fee of USD 150 will be deducted from your deposit, and the remaining credited amount will be applied to your rescheduled trip. This option is available provided we receive written notice at least 30 days before your original departure date.

Cancellation by Sherpa Expedition and Trekking

In the unlikely event that Sherpa Expedition and Trekking must cancel your trip for any reason within our control, you will be notified as promptly as possible and a full refund of all payments made to us will be issued without delay.

3. Trip Postponement

If you wish to reschedule your trip rather than cancel it, please notify us in writing a minimum of 30 days before your scheduled departure date. A postponement fee of USD 150 will apply, and all remaining funds will be credited and transferred toward your new travel dates. We will do our best to accommodate your preferred rescheduled dates, subject to availability.

4. Payment Methods

We offer two convenient payment methods for your booking.

Bank Transfer

Payments may be made directly to our company bank account using the following details:

Account Name: Sherpa Expedition and Trekking Pvt. Ltd. 

Bank: Himalayan Bank Ltd. 

Account Type: Foreign Currency — USD 

Account Number: 12007443030026 

SWIFT Code: HIMANPKA 

Branch: Sorahkhutte Branch, Kathmandu, Nepal

Please note that all bank transfer charges and international transaction fees are the sole responsibility of the client. Your payment will be confirmed once the funds have been received and verified in our account. Please send us your transfer receipt so we can track and acknowledge your payment promptly.

Credit Card

We accept credit card payments through our secure online payment platform. Please note that an additional processing fee of 4% will be applied to all credit card transactions. This fee covers the cost of payment gateway services and is non-negotiable.

5. Risks, Liability, and Limitations

Sherpa Expedition and Trekking operates in full compliance with the rules, regulations, and standards established by Nepal's tourism governing authorities. We take every possible precaution to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our clients throughout every journey.

However, adventure travel in mountain environments carries inherent risks that no company can fully eliminate. Sherpa Expedition and Trekking cannot be held liable for losses, delays, additional costs, injuries, accidents, or other adverse outcomes arising from circumstances that are beyond our reasonable control. These include but are not limited to:

Government-imposed travel restrictions or policy changes, natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, avalanches, or extreme weather events, political unrest or civil disturbances, flight delays, cancellations, or diversions, medical emergencies, personal illness, or physical injury, mechanical failures of vehicles or equipment, and any other force majeure events.

In any of the above situations, any additional expenses incurred — including accommodation, meals, alternative transport, or rebooking fees — will be the responsibility of the client. We strongly urge all clients to arrange comprehensive travel insurance prior to departure that adequately covers all potential risks associated with adventure travel in Nepal.

6. Travel Insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is not optional — it is a mandatory requirement for all participants on any trip operated by Sherpa Expedition and Trekking. No client will be permitted to commence a trek, tour, or expedition without valid proof of insurance coverage.

Your policy must cover, at minimum, the following:

Medical treatment and hospitalization expenses, emergency helicopter evacuation and rescue operations, personal accident and injury, trip cancellation or curtailment due to unforeseen circumstances, loss, theft, or damage to personal belongings and equipment, and coverage for natural disaster-related disruptions.

We particularly emphasize the importance of emergency evacuation coverage, as helicopter rescue in remote mountain regions can be extremely costly and is the most likely scenario requiring insurance intervention. Please ensure your policy covers evacuation from high altitude.

7. Last-Minute Bookings

Sherpa Expedition and Trekking welcomes last-minute travel plans and can accommodate bookings made as close as three days before the scheduled departure date, subject to availability of permits, accommodation, and staff.

Please be aware that last-minute bookings for trips involving travel to Tibet or Bhutan may not be possible due to the additional processing time required for government-issued travel permits in those regions. We recommend contacting us as early as possible if your itinerary includes either destination.

8. Flight Delays and Cancellations

Flights to and from remote mountain destinations — including but not limited to Lukla, Jomsom, Dolpo, and Jumla — are frequently subject to delays and cancellations due to unpredictable weather conditions and limited flight windows. These disruptions are a normal part of travel in Nepal's mountain regions and are entirely outside our control.

We strongly recommend that clients carry additional funds to cover potential extra nights of accommodation and meals in the event of flight disruptions. Sherpa Expedition and Trekking will provide all possible assistance in rebooking and rearranging logistics, but we cannot be held financially responsible for costs arising from flight-related delays or cancellations.

9. Incomplete Trips

If a trek, tour, or expedition is cut short or left incomplete due to circumstances on the client's side — including personal illness, injury, voluntary withdrawal, or failure to meet fitness requirements — Sherpa Expedition and Trekking will not be in a position to offer refunds for the unused portion of the trip. We encourage all clients to assess their physical fitness and health honestly before booking and to seek medical advice if they have any concerns.

10. Unexpected Circumstances and Force Majeure

In the event that a trip is disrupted, postponed, or cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances entirely beyond our control — including natural disasters, political emergencies, pandemics, government-imposed border closures, or other acts of force majeure — Sherpa Expedition and Trekking will make every effort to arrange a suitable alternative itinerary for affected clients.

In such cases, payments already made will not be forfeited. We will work collaboratively with each affected client to identify the best possible alternative arrangement, which may differ from the original itinerary due to the nature of the circumstances. We appreciate your understanding and patience in such situations, which are as difficult for us as they are for you.

11. Price Adjustments

All trip prices published by Sherpa Expedition and Trekking are set in good faith and reflect current costs at the time of publication. However, we reserve the right to adjust prices in response to significant external factors beyond our control, including substantial currency exchange rate fluctuations, changes in government-mandated permit fees or taxes, and significant inflation affecting operational costs.

Any price adjustments that affect a confirmed booking will be communicated to the client as early as possible and with full transparency. We are committed to keeping our pricing fair, honest, and clearly explained at all times.

12. Client Conduct and Legal Compliance

All clients traveling with Sherpa Expedition and Trekking are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful, lawful, and appropriate throughout their journey. Clients must comply with all applicable laws and regulations of Nepal and any other country visited during the trip.

In the event that a client engages in illegal activity during a trip and is subsequently expelled from Nepal or removed from the expedition as a result, Sherpa Expedition and Trekking accepts no responsibility for any associated costs, losses, or consequences. No refund will be issued in such circumstances.

13. Third-Party and Agent Bookings

The terms and conditions outlined in this document apply exclusively to bookings made directly with Sherpa Expedition and Trekking Pvt. Ltd. If your trip has been arranged through a third-party travel agent, tour operator, or intermediary platform, the terms and conditions of that third party will govern your booking. We encourage you to review those terms carefully before confirming your reservation through any external provider.

14. Agreement and Acknowledgement

By proceeding with a booking — whether through payment of a deposit, completion of a booking form, or written confirmation of intent to travel — you acknowledge that you have read and fully understood these Terms and Conditions, and that you agree to be bound by them in their entirety.

If any aspect of these terms is unclear or raises questions, we warmly encourage you to contact our team before making your booking. We would rather take the time to clarify now than have any misunderstanding arise later.

A Final Word

At Sherpa Expedition and Trekking, we have spent nearly five decades building relationships grounded in honesty, transparency, and genuine care for our clients. These terms and conditions are not designed to create distance between us — they are designed to create clarity, so that the only thing you need to focus on when your journey begins is the extraordinary adventure that lies ahead.

We look forward to welcoming you to Nepal and to sharing the Himalayas with you in a way that you will remember for the rest of your life.