TERMS & CONDITIONS
HANDS UP SCHOOL TRIPS
Terms & Conditions of Booking
Educational travel and service-learning programs for school groups
Hands Up School Trips is a trading name of Hands Up Holidays, company number 6395073, registered in New Zealand, of 5/21 Wiles Ave, Auckland, New Zealand.
Last updated 21 June 2026
1. About these terms and who we are
1.1 These Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to every booking made with Hands Up School Trips (“we”, “us”, “our”) for an educational trip, service-learning program or related travel arrangement (a “Trip”). They form the contract between us and the person or organization that books a Trip.
1.2 By making a booking, the person booking confirms that they have read, understood and accepted these Terms, and that they have authority to accept them on behalf of every Participant in the booking.
1.3 Please read these Terms alongside any written quotation, proposal or itinerary we provide, and any separate consent, medical and conduct forms. If there is a conflict, these Terms prevail unless we agree otherwise in writing.
2. Definitions
2.1 “Group Organizer” (also “you”) means the school, institution or organization, and the named lead contact, that books a Trip and accepts these Terms on behalf of the group.
2.2 “Participant” means each person traveling on a Trip, including students and accompanying adults.
2.3 “Parent/Guardian” means a parent or legal guardian of any Participant who is under 18 at the time of travel.
2.4 “Accompanying Staff” means the teachers, leaders or other adults nominated by the Group Organizer to supervise Participants during the Trip.
2.5 “Service-Learning Project” means the community or conservation activity included in a Trip, designed and delivered in partnership with local communities.
2.6 “Supplier” means any third party providing part of a Trip, including airlines, accommodation, ground operators, guides and activity providers.
3. The contract and on whose behalf you book
3.1 The contract is between us and the Group Organizer. The Group Organizer books as agent for all Participants and is responsible for ensuring that every Participant, and every Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18, is given a copy of these Terms and the relevant Trip information.
3.2 The Group Organizer is responsible for collecting and providing to us all consents, medical information and signed forms we reasonably require for each Participant before travel.
3.3 The Group Organizer confirms that it has the authority of its institution to enter into this contract and to commit the funds involved.
4. Making a booking and confirmation
4.1 A booking is requested in writing (by email or signed booking form). A Trip is only confirmed when we have issued written confirmation and received the deposit set out in clause 6. No contract exists until then.
4.2 We will confirm the agreed itinerary, price and inclusions in writing. Please check all details on receipt and tell us at once if anything is incorrect; we cannot accept liability for errors not raised within [7 days — VERIFY] of confirmation.
4.3 Names supplied for travel documents must exactly match each Participant’s passport. Costs arising from incorrect names are the Group Organizer’s responsibility.
5. Prices, inclusions and exclusions
5.1 Your written quotation sets out the price and what is and is not included. Prices are per Participant unless stated otherwise and are based on costs, exchange rates and minimum group numbers known at the date of quotation.
5.2 Unless your quotation says otherwise, the following are not included:
- International and any domestic flights not expressly listed
- Travel insurance (which is mandatory — see clause 16)
- Passport, visa, entry-authorization and vaccination costs
- Meals, drinks, excursions and personal items not expressly listed
- Gratuities, and anything described in your itinerary as payable locally
5.3 Quotations are valid for 14 days unless we confirm otherwise, and may be revised if group numbers change.
5.4 Trip prices may assume a minimum number of Participants. If numbers fall below the agreed minimum, we will discuss a revised price or alternative arrangements before any change takes effect.
6. Deposits and payment
6.1 A deposit of 20% per participant is payable to confirm a booking. The deposit is non-refundable except where these Terms or the law require otherwise.
6.2 The balance is due no later than 60 days before departure, or as stated on your invoice. For bookings made within that period, full payment is due at the time of booking.
6.3 If we do not receive payment by the due date, we may treat the booking as canceled by you and apply the charges in clause 11.
6.4 Payment may be made by bank transfer. Bank charges, and any currency-conversion costs on your side, are the Group Organizer’s responsibility.
7. Changes to the price after booking
7.1 We will not increase your price in the 60 days before departure. Before then, we may adjust the price only to reflect genuine changes in transport costs, taxes, fees or exchange rates, and only by the amount of the actual increase.
7.2 Where a surcharge would exceed 8% of the Trip price, you may instead cancel and receive a refund of payments made, less any unrecoverable third-party costs, subject to clause 12 and to any applicable consumer-protection law in your market.
8. Financial protection of your money
8.1 We take the security of client funds seriously. Your funds are retained in a separate client account and are solely used to pay for the in-country costs of your trip prior to its completion.
9. Service-learning projects and host communities
9.1 Every Trip includes a Service-Learning Project designed in partnership with the host community. Our approach is to ask first and never impose: communities are partners with agency, not recipients of charity.
9.2 The nature of a project may change between booking and travel in response to a community’s genuine needs, seasonal factors or local circumstances. We will keep you informed and aim to provide an equivalent, equally meaningful activity where a change is necessary.
9.3 We do not promise specific measurable outcomes from a project. Participation is offered in good faith as a learning and contribution experience, not as guaranteed delivery of a defined result.
9.4 Participants must follow the guidance of community hosts and our team at all times, and must respect local customs, privacy and dignity, including any restrictions on photography.
10. Changes you ask for
10.1 If you wish to change a confirmed booking (for example dates, itinerary or Participant numbers), tell us in writing as early as possible. We will try to accommodate the change but cannot guarantee it.
10.2 Changes may incur a per-change administration fee of US$50 per person plus any costs charged by Suppliers. Some elements (such as flights) may be non-changeable once booked.
10.3 A change of Participant name, where permitted by the relevant Suppliers, will be treated as a transfer and may incur Supplier charges.
11. If you cancel
11.1 Cancellation by the Group Organizer takes effect only when we receive written notice. Because we commit to Suppliers on your behalf, the following cancellation charges apply, calculated as a percentage of the total Trip price (example scale — set your own):
- More than 90 days before departure: loss of deposit
- 90–60 days before departure: 50% of total trip price
- 59-30 days before departure: 75% of total trip price
- 29-0 days before departure: 100% of total trip price
11.2 Where we recover any committed costs from a Supplier after you cancel, we will refund the recovered amount to you, less reasonable administration costs.
11.3 If an individual Participant withdraws, the relevant cancellation charge applies to that Participant’s share, and the per-Participant price for the remaining group may be recalculated if numbers fall below the agreed minimum.
11.4 These charges are why comprehensive travel insurance that includes cancellation cover is mandatory (clause 16).
12. Changes or cancellation by us
12.1 We plan each Trip carefully, but occasionally we must change arrangements. Most changes are minor and we will tell you as soon as we reasonably can.
12.2 If we have to make a significant change to a confirmed Trip (for example a material change of destination, or a reduction in the standard of accommodation), or cancel it, we will tell you promptly and offer you the choice of: (a) accepting the change; (b) an alternative Trip of comparable standard where available; or (c) cancelling and receiving a full refund of payments made to us.
12.3 Except where a change or cancellation is caused by an event under clause 13, or by your failure to pay, we will not cancel within 30 days of departure unless we have no reasonable alternative.
12.4 Our liability for changes or cancellation is limited as set out in clause 24, and we are not liable for incidental costs you incur (such as separately booked flights) beyond any refund described above.
13. Events beyond our control (force majeure)
13.1 We are not liable for any failure or delay in performing the contract, nor for any change or cancellation, caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control. These include, without limitation: war or threat of war, civil unrest, terrorism, government action or travel advisories, border closures, epidemics or pandemics and related restrictions, natural disasters, extreme weather, fire, flood, industrial action, and the failure of transport or other Suppliers for such reasons.
13.2 Where such an event occurs, we will act in good faith to limit its effect, but any refund is limited to sums we are able to recover from Suppliers, less reasonable costs. This is a further reason that comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory.
14. Passports, visas, entry and travel authorizations
14.1 Each Participant is responsible for holding a valid passport (with the validity required by each destination, often at least six months beyond the travel dates), and any visa, entry authorization or parental-travel documentation required. The Group Organizer is responsible for ensuring this across the group.
14.2 Some destinations require specific documentation for minors traveling without one or both parents (for example a notarized letter of consent). It is the Group Organizer’s and Parents/Guardians’ responsibility to obtain these.
14.3 We can provide general guidance, but requirements change and are set by governments, not by us. We are not liable for any consequence of a Participant being unable to travel or being refused entry for want of correct documentation.
15. Health, vaccinations and fitness to travel
15.1 Participants are responsible for meeting the health and vaccination requirements of each destination and for taking appropriate medical advice in good time before travel.
15.2 The Group Organizer must tell us, in writing and before travel, of any medical condition, disability, allergy, dietary need or other requirement of any Participant that may affect the Trip. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate needs but cannot guarantee that every requirement can be met on every Trip, and some activities or destinations may not be suitable for everyone.
15.3 If we are not told of a relevant condition and a Participant is consequently unable to take part safely, we are not liable for the resulting loss, and the cancellation charges in clause 11 may apply.
16. Travel insurance (mandatory)
16.1 Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel for every Participant. As a minimum it must cover emergency medical treatment, emergency evacuation and repatriation, cancellation and curtailment, and the planned activities, including any adventurous activities in the itinerary.
16.2 The Group Organizer must ensure that every Participant is insured for the whole Trip and must provide evidence of cover on request. We may decline to carry, or to continue to carry, any Participant who is not adequately insured, and we are not liable for any loss arising from inadequate or absent insurance.
17. Safeguarding and the welfare of young people
17.1 The welfare of young people is central to how we operate. We are committed to safeguarding Participants under 18 and expect everyone involved in a Trip to share that commitment. Our safeguarding policy can be found at handsupschooltrips.com/safeguarding
17.2 Primary pastoral responsibility for the day-to-day care and supervision of Participants rests with the Accompanying Staff nominated by the Group Organizer. We provide the program, logistics and in-country support; we do not replace the school’s duty of care for its students.
17.3 We operate the Trip in line with reasonable child-protection practice, including expectations around appropriate adult–young person conduct, and we will cooperate with the Group Organizer’s safeguarding lead. Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to the Accompanying Staff and to us.
18. Supervision and accompanying staff
18.1 The Group Organizer is responsible for providing sufficient Accompanying Staff to supervise Participants throughout the Trip. The supervision ratio will be agreed in writing before travel and must meet the Group Organizer’s own school policy and any legal requirement; we recommend a minimum of 1 adult to 10 students.
18.2 Accompanying Staff are responsible for behavior management, headcounts, and the care of Participants during free time, transfers and overnight periods, supported by our team and itinerary.
18.3 The Group Organizer must give us emergency contact details for each Participant and a nominated lead among the Accompanying Staff with authority to make decisions during the Trip.
19. Medical treatment and emergency authority
19.1 Before travel, the Group Organizer must provide a completed medical and consent form for each Participant under 18, signed by a Parent/Guardian, covering relevant medical information and authority for emergency treatment.
19.2 In a medical emergency, where a Parent/Guardian and the Accompanying Staff cannot be reached in time, the Group Organizer authorises the Accompanying Staff (and, where necessary, our team) to consent to such medical, dental or surgical treatment as a qualified medical professional considers necessary for the Participant’s welfare.
19.3 Costs of medical treatment, evacuation or repatriation are met through the Participant’s travel insurance (clause 16); they are not included in the Trip price.
20. Conduct, behavior and removal from a Trip
20.1 Participants are expected to behave responsibly, to respect Suppliers, host communities and fellow travellers, to follow the lawful instructions of Accompanying Staff and our team, and to comply with our and the Group Organizer’s code of conduct.
20.2 Possession or use of illegal drugs is prohibited. We strongly discourage adult Participants from consuming alcohol, and the consumption of alcohol is prohibited for student Participants.
20.3 If a Participant’s behavior is, in the reasonable opinion of our team, the Accompanying Staff or a Supplier, unsafe, unlawful or seriously disruptive, we or the Accompanying Staff may remove them from an activity or from the Trip. In that event we have no further liability to that Participant, no refund is due, and any additional costs (including early return, supervision and accommodation) are the responsibility of the Participant’s Parent/Guardian or the Group Organizer.
20.4 Participants (or, for those under 18, their Parents/Guardians) are responsible for any loss or damage they cause to property, and must meet such costs at the time.
21. Responsibilities of the Group Organizer
21.1 The Group Organizer must: provide accurate Participant information; distribute these Terms and Trip information to Participants and Parents/Guardians; collect all required consents, medical forms and insurance evidence; provide adequate Accompanying Staff; and act as our main point of contact before and during the Trip.
21.2 The Group Organizer must tell us promptly of any change in numbers, names or relevant circumstances.
22. Responsibilities of Participants and Parents/Guardians
22.1 Participants must hold valid travel documents and insurance, disclose relevant medical information, follow instructions and the code of conduct, and respect host communities and the environment.
22.2 By allowing a Participant under 18 to travel, the Parent/Guardian accepts these Terms as they apply to that Participant, including the emergency-treatment authority in clause 19 and the responsibility for costs in clauses 20.3 and 20.4.
23. Nature of the Trips and acknowledgment of risk
23.1 Our Trips involve overseas travel and may include outdoor, rural, conservation and community activities in developing regions, where standards of infrastructure, healthcare and safety differ from those at home. Some activities carry inherent risks that cannot be wholly eliminated.
23.2 By booking, the Group Organizer confirms that this has been explained to Participants and Parents/Guardians, who accept the inherent risks of the activities described, subject always to our duty to take reasonable care (clause 24).
24. Our responsibilities and liability
24.1 We will arrange the Trip with reasonable skill and care. We accept responsibility for the parts of the Trip we ourselves provide and for the proper selection of our Suppliers.
24.2 Many elements are delivered by independent Suppliers who are responsible for their own services. Except where applicable package-travel law makes us responsible for Suppliers’ performance, we are not liable for the acts, omissions or default of a Supplier.
24.3 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
24.4 Subject to clause 24.3, and to the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, and our total liability arising out of a Trip is limited to $10,000.
24.5 We are not liable for any failure caused by an event under clause 13, by your or a Participant’s own act or omission, or by an unforeseeable third-party act unconnected with the provision of the Trip.
24.6 Any applicable international convention (for example governing carriage by air) that limits a carrier’s liability also applies to limit ours.
25. If something goes wrong: complaints
25.1 If a problem arises during a Trip, please tell our in-country team or the relevant Supplier at once so we have the chance to put it right while you are there.
25.2 If the matter is not resolved, please write to us within 28 days of returning, with your booking reference and details. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 14 days and to respond fully as soon as we reasonably can.
26. Data protection and privacy
26.1 We collect and use personal information (including, where necessary, Participants’ health and dietary information, which is sensitive) only to arrange and deliver the Trip, to meet legal obligations, and to keep you informed about your booking. We hold it securely and keep it no longer than necessary.
26.2 We share information with Suppliers only to the extent needed to deliver the Trip (for example with airlines, accommodation and in-country operators), and otherwise only where the law requires. Some Suppliers are outside the country of booking, so information may be transferred internationally with appropriate safeguards.
26.3 Our handling of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy at handsupschooltrips.com/privacy, which forms part of these Terms.
27. Photography, images and intellectual property
27.1 We may wish to use photographs or video from a Trip for our own marketing. We will only do so where appropriate consent has been given, and for Participants under 18 that consent must come from a Parent/Guardian. The Group Organizer is responsible for collecting and recording these consents and telling us where consent is withheld.
27.2 We will never use an image in a way that compromises a young person’s safety, dignity or privacy, and we will withdraw any image on reasonable request.
27.3 Itineraries, proposals and written materials we provide remain our intellectual property and are supplied for the purpose of your booking only. They may not be copied or shared with third parties, or used to arrange the trip with another provider, without our written consent.
28. Governing law and jurisdiction
28.1 These Terms, and any dispute arising from them or from a Trip, are governed by the laws of New Zealand, and the courts of New Zealand have jurisdiction.
28.2 Nothing in this clause removes any mandatory consumer-protection right a Participant may have under the law of their own country of residence.
29. General
29.1 If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in force.
29.2 These Terms, together with our written quotation, itinerary and any forms we require, form the entire agreement between us and replace any earlier discussion or representation.
29.3 We may transfer our rights and obligations under the contract to another organization, but this will not affect your rights under these Terms.
29.4 No failure to enforce a term is a waiver of it. Notices must be in writing and sent to the contact details below or those on your confirmation.
30. Contact us
Hands Up School Trips
Auckland, New Zealand 1050
schools@handsupschooltrips.com
+1 (917) 967 1766 (USA and Canada)
+44 (0) 203 807 8409 (UK and Rest of World)
By booking with Hands Up School Trips, the Group Organizer confirms, on behalf of all Participants, that these Terms & Conditions have been read, understood and accepted.