Remote Waters trips take place in remote areas of Arctic Alaska and depend on bush aircraft, river conditions, weather, and other factors that cannot always be controlled. Please review the following policies before booking.
For guests booking together as a party, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required to reserve the trip. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure.
Guests booking individually into a shared departure are required to make a 75% non-refundable deposit. The remaining 25% is due 60 days before departure.
Individual bookings may be combined to form a shared departure. Because a cancellation can affect whether that small-group trip can operate, individual bookings require a higher deposit.
Reservations are not confirmed until the required deposit has been received.
Deposits are non-refundable. Because Remote Waters operates a small number of trips each season and commits significant expenses well in advance, a cancellation can have substantial consequences for a small-group departure.
You’ll receive the Trip Agreement for review before paying your deposit. It contains the complete cancellation terms, including any amounts forfeited or due.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Guests should consider coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, travel delays, medical emergencies, and wilderness evacuation.
Travel in Arctic Alaska requires flexibility. Bush flights may be delayed by weather, river conditions can change quickly, and circumstances may require changes to a planned itinerary, access point, pickup location, or schedule.
Remote Waters reserves the right to modify trip plans when necessary for safety or because of weather, river conditions, aircraft availability, wildfire, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
A delayed flight or changed itinerary does not necessarily mean a cancelled trip. The specific terms governing delays, non-launches, interruptions, and cancellations are contained in the Trip Agreement.
Trip prices include the scheduled bush flights between Coldfoot and the river based on the air taxi rates in effect when the trip is priced. Because aviation fuel costs can change substantially between booking and departure, the air taxi may impose a fuel surcharge that was not included in the original charter cost.
If a fuel surcharge is imposed on your trip by the air taxi, the additional cost will be passed through to the affected guests at cost, with no markup by Remote Waters. Any such surcharge will be limited to the actual additional amount charged by the air taxi.
Remote Waters will notify guests as soon as possible if a fuel surcharge applies to their trip.
Remote wilderness travel involves inherent risks. These include cold water, changing river conditions, difficult terrain, severe or rapidly changing weather, wildlife encounters, equipment failure, and the possibility of injury or illness far from immediate medical care.
Emergency evacuation may be delayed by weather, terrain, aircraft availability, or other circumstances. Guests are responsible for medical and evacuation expenses associated with their participation in the trip.
Remote Waters strongly recommends medical evacuation coverage for all participants.
Conditions in the field sometimes require decisions that cannot be made in advance. The guide retains final authority over itinerary, travel, and safety decisions during the trip. Guests are expected to follow safety instructions and conduct themselves in a way that does not compromise the safety or experience of the group.
All participants are required to review and complete the Remote Waters Trip Agreement, Acknowledgement of Risk, Liability Waiver, and other participant documents before departure. These documents contain the complete terms governing participation in a Remote Waters trip.
If you have questions about any of these policies before booking, please contact Greg.
