Tour Booking Conditions

In these Booking Conditions, ‘you’ or ‘customer’ refers to all persons named on the booking. ‘We’, ‘us’, ‘our’, or ‘Company’ refers to Białowieża Wildlife Services – Tomasz Diserens.

1. Payment and Booking Conditions

• Bookings require a deposit of 25% of the tour price.
• The deposit may be paid via the checkout function on this website or bank transfer.
• You will receive email confirmation within 3 days of payment.
• A payment link for the remaining balance will be sent 30 days before the trip.
• The full balance must be paid at least 21 days before the trip.
• A booking is confirmed and binding only when we send a booking confirmation email. This contract is governed by Polish law.

2. Cancellation Costs

If you wish to cancel, the following charges apply, calculated from the date we receive written or verbal notice:

• More than 30 days before the trip: 25% of the total price
• 21–7 days before the trip: 50% of the total price
• Within 7 days of the trip: 70% of the total price

You may transfer your booking to another person. Once the transferee pays the deposit or balance, we will refund your payment in full (minus any bank fees).

3. Cancellation by the Company

If we cancel the tour for any reason, you will receive a full refund of the amount paid.

4. Changes to Tour Dates

We may accommodate changes to tour dates if availability allows. Cancellation charges still apply based on the originally booked dates.

5. Health Requirements

Customers must ensure they are in suitable physical condition to participate in tours and activities. Certain tours may involve walking over uneven terrain, exposure to weather, or other physical demands. It is the responsibility of the customer to consult with a medical professional if they have any concerns about participating.

6. Travel Insurance

All participants must have adequate personal travel insurance covering accidents, illness, and personal liability for the duration of the tour. The Company is not responsible for any costs arising from medical treatment, repatriation, or personal loss.

7. Photography and Media

The Company may take photographs or video during the tour for promotional or educational purposes. By participating, you consent to your image being used. If you do not wish to appear in photos, please inform the tour leader.

8. Force Majeure / Unforeseen Circumstances

The Company is not liable for delays, cancellations, or changes caused by circumstances beyond its control, including extreme weather, wildlife behavior, natural disasters, strikes, or public health emergencies. Reasonable efforts will be made to provide alternatives or refunds where appropriate.

9. Environmental and Wildlife Protection

Customers must respect local wildlife, habitats, and protected areas. Feeding, disturbing, or approaching animals is prohibited. The Company reserves the right to remove any participant whose actions threaten the safety or well-being of wildlife or other participants.

10. Liability and Customer Obligations

• The Company accepts no liability for personal injury, illness, or loss of personal belongings unless caused by proven negligence. Participation is at your own risk.
• Customers must comply with all safety instructions from the tour leader.
• Customers must respect local laws, culture, and property, arrive on time for activities, and report any problems promptly.

11. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

These Booking Conditions are governed by Polish law. If we cannot resolve a dispute directly, consumers in the EU may be entitled to use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body. In Poland, information on consumer ADR is available from UOKiK (uokik.gov.pl).

12. Tour Protection

All tours are protected by:

• Podlaskie Province (Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Podlaskiego, Departament of Education, Sport and Tourism, kancelaria@podlaskie.eu, +48 85 66 54 172, ul. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 14, 15-097 Białystok)
• Tour operator insurance (Signal Iduna Polska TU S.A., ul. Siedmiogrodzka 9, 01-204 Warszawa, Poland)

In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the Province will arrange to refund any money paid for your booking.

Shop Terms & Conditions

These terms apply to physical goods purchased through our online shop. By placing an order you agree to the conditions below. This contract is governed by Polish law.

1. Orders and Prices

• All prices are listed in Polish złoty (zł) and include VAT where applicable.
• An order is confirmed once you receive an order confirmation email. We reserve the right to decline or cancel an order (for example if an item is no longer available), in which case you receive a full refund.
• Product images are provided in good faith; second-hand and out-of-print items may show natural signs of age and wear, which we describe as accurately as possible.

2. Payment

Payment is taken at checkout via our payment provider. Orders are dispatched once payment has cleared.

3. Shipping and Delivery

• Shipping costs are shown at checkout and depend on the delivery destination (domestic within Poland, or international).
• Items are sent by standard post (Poczta Polska) or courier, depending on destination and size.
• We aim to dispatch orders within 5 working days of payment. Delivery times thereafter depend on the postal or courier service and destination and are outside our control.
• Risk of loss or damage passes to you once the goods are delivered to you or a carrier you have nominated.

4. Right of Withdrawal (Returns)

Under EU consumer law, if you are a consumer you have the right to withdraw from your purchase within 14 days of receiving the goods, without giving a reason.

• To exercise this right, notify us at tom@tomdiserens.com within 14 days of delivery.
• You must return the goods within 14 days of notifying us, in their original condition.
• You are responsible for the cost of return postage.
• Once we receive the returned item and confirm its condition, we refund the purchase price (including original standard delivery cost) within 14 days, using the same payment method you used.
• We may reduce the refund to reflect any diminished value of goods handled beyond what is necessary to establish their nature and condition.

5. Damaged or Faulty Items

If an item arrives damaged or is not as described, contact us at tom@tomdiserens.com within a reasonable time. Where an item is faulty or damaged in transit, we cover return costs and will offer a replacement (if available) or a full refund. This does not affect your statutory rights.

6. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

These terms are governed by Polish law. If we cannot resolve a dispute directly, consumers in the EU may be entitled to use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body. In Poland, information on consumer ADR is available from UOKiK (uokik.gov.pl).

Accommodation Terms & Conditions

These terms apply to bookings of our holiday accommodation, Corncrake Lodge (‘the property’). By making a booking you agree to the conditions below. In these terms, ‘you’ or ‘guest’ refers to the person making the booking and all members of their party; ‘we’, ‘us’, or ‘our’ refers to Białowieża Wildlife Services – Tomasz Diserens. This contract is governed by Polish law.

1. Booking and Payment

• Full payment is required at the time of booking to confirm your reservation.
• Your booking is confirmed and binding only once you receive a booking confirmation email from us.
• Payment is taken via our online payment provider.

2. Cancellation by the Guest

If you need to cancel, the following applies, calculated from the date we receive written notice (by email):

• More than 30 days before arrival: full refund, minus any non-recoverable payment processing fees.
• 14–30 days before arrival: 50% refund, minus any non-recoverable payment processing fees.
• Less than 14 days before arrival: no refund.

Wherever possible, we are happy to try to move your booking to another available date instead of cancelling — please contact us as early as you can.

3. Cancellation by Us

If we have to cancel your booking for any reason, you will receive a full refund of everything you have paid. Our liability is limited to that refund.

4. Arrival, Departure and Length of Stay

• Check-in is from 15:00, and check-out is by 11:00. Please let us know your expected arrival time so we can arrange access.
• The property must be vacated by 11:00 on the day of departure to allow for preparation before the next guests.

5. Number of Guests

The property sleeps a maximum of 6 people, unless a higher number has been agreed with us in advance. The number of guests must not exceed the number stated on your booking. We reserve the right to refuse entry or end a stay without refund if this condition is breached.

6. Pets

Well-behaved pets may be permitted on request and must be agreed with us before booking. Pets must not be left unattended in the property, and owners are responsible for any damage or additional cleaning caused by their animals.

Please note there is a friendly, good-natured golden retriever living on site. Do let us know in advance if anyone in your party has a dog allergy or would prefer to avoid contact, and we will make the necessary arrangements.

7. House Rules

• No smoking inside the property.
• Please respect the surrounding forest, wildlife, and neighbours; keep noise to a considerate level, especially at night.
• No parties or events without our prior written agreement.
• Please treat the property and its contents with care, and leave it in a reasonably clean and tidy condition on departure.

8. Damage and Liability

• You are responsible for the property during your stay and for any loss or damage caused by you or your party beyond reasonable wear and tear. We may charge for the cost of repair, replacement, or additional cleaning.
• You and your party use the property and its grounds at your own risk. We accept no liability for personal injury, illness, or loss of belongings except where caused by our proven negligence.
• We recommend all guests hold adequate personal travel insurance for the duration of their stay.

9. Force Majeure / Unforeseen Circumstances

We are not liable for cancellations, delays, or changes caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including extreme weather, natural disasters, utility failures, strikes, or public health emergencies. Where reasonably possible we will offer alternative dates or an appropriate refund.

10. Dispute Resolution and Governing Law

These terms are governed by Polish law. If we cannot resolve a dispute directly, consumers in the EU may be entitled to use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body. In Poland, information on consumer ADR is available from UOKiK (uokik.gov.pl).