The following Terms & Conditions (the “Terms & Conditions”) govern the use of our website www.vaovatravel.com and the acquisition of the tourist intermediation services made available by VAOVA S.A.S. (“Vaová”), a Colombian company registered under Tax Identification Number (NIT) 900.679.700-7 and National Tourism Registry (Registro Nacional de Turismo) (RNT) 51443 as an Operator Travel Agency, by the users of the services (“User”), in accordance with the provisions of Colombian laws, including the Law 300 of 1996, Law 1480 of 2011, Law 2068 of 2020, Decree 1075 of 1997, Decree 1074 of 2015 and the other regulations that complement or modify them.
1. Express acceptance of the Terms & Conditions
1.1. By pressing the acceptance button of the Terms & Conditions, you expressly and unequivocally state that you have read and accepted the Terms & Conditions outlined herein. If you do not agree, please refrain from using and purchasing our services. If you have queries before accepting the Terms & Conditions, do contact us at the email trek.info@vaovatravel.com, and we will be pleased to solve your doubts.
2. Legal capacity
2.1. The services offered by Vaová are only available to people who have the legal capacity to contract, understood as those who can oblige themselves without the authorization of others, in accordance with Colombian laws. To that extent, people over 18 years of age may acquire services from Vaová, as well as those who have the capacity to contract or act on behalf of commercial or other companies.
3. Scope of services offered by Vaová
3.1. In the provision of tourist plans or packages, Vaová acts as an intermediary between the User and people or companies in charge of providing said tourist services, which are described in the tourist plans or packages, including airlines, hotels, restaurants, land transportation, traveler assistance service providers, among others, which are voluntarily selected and acquired by the User.
Considering the former, Vaová will provide the User with information regarding accommodation, category of hotels, rates, duration of the tourist plan, means of transportation, complementary services and services not included, name and address of the service providers, and their RNT number. Likewise, Vaová will indicate the arrival and departure time from the destination and the duration of the stay, the conditions of the reservations and all the conditions that are required using the tourist services that comprise the tourist plans or packages.
Once a tourist plan or package has been acquired, Vaová will provide the User with a receipt specifying the contracted services. After acquiring the tourist plan or package, and in accordance with its availability, the User may purchase additional services or upgrades to the tourist plan or package, subject to specific terms and conditions, which will be previously informed and accepted by the User.
In all cases, Vaová will inform the User about restrictions that may apply to the programmed activities, as the maximum number of people allowed in tourist sites or attractions, and will inform whether access to those sites may be impeded or limited by regulations that affect the maximum number of tourists, as well as restrictions imposed by competent authorities.
4. Liability clause
Vaová is subject to the responsibility regime for travel agencies in Colombia, established by Law 300 of 1996, Law 1480 of 2011, Law 2068 of 2020, Decree 1075 of 1997, Decree 1074 of 2015 and other regulations that complement or modify them.
Vaová is responsible as an intermediary of tourist services for the organization and structuring of tourist plans or packages, in accordance with these Terms & Conditions, as well as those specified in the tourist plan or package that the User acquires; therefore its responsibility corresponds to the provision and quality of such intermediation services, with the exceptions specified in the information provided to the User or applicable by Law.
Vaová may make changes or modifications to the tourist plan or package in case of fortuitous events, force majeure or acts from third parties, without the User's acceptance being required. Consequently, Vaová can use this prerogative in cases of accidents, strikes, riots, earthquakes, adverse weather conditions, security conditions, quarantines, political factors, denial of entry permits, visa, health matters, and any other circumstance that may occur before or during the trip.
The impossibility of modifying the tourist plan or package or the non-acceptance of said modifications, for reasons beyond Vaová's control, will constitute a cause for the early and unilateral termination of the service.
Vaová will not be responsible to the User for legal matters or other inconveniences in which he/she may be involved, including immigration matters, investigations or requests from authorities, as well as impediments due to his/her negligence (e.g. injuries suffered during free time from the itinerary or excessive consumption of alcohol and/or any other toxic substance), that affect his/her participation in the plan or tourist package.
Vaová has the right to withdraw from the plan or tourist package the User who engages in conduct that threatens the completion of the trip, legal problems and other causes not attributable to Vaová. In the event that the User is withdrawn from the tourist plan or package for such reasons, he/she must assume all the expenses to return to the place of origin and the value of the tourist plan or package will not be reimbursed.
5. Services provided by third parties other than Vaová
As an intermediary in the provision of tourist services, some of the tourist services are provided by third parties other than Vaová:
5.1 Air transport services
Delays or unforeseen modifications in flight schedules arranged by the airlines, user's rights, and the procedures to make effective refunds, are governed by the Colombian Aeronautical Regulations (RAC), which abidance is the responsibility of air transport companies, except in the case of chartered flights pursuant to what is specified in the air transport contract. Due to the fact that Vaová does not provide air transport services, it will be the companies that provide such services which must assume responsibility towards the User for the services they provide, including delays, loss, damage, deterioration or loss of luggage or travel documents, accidents, mechanical difficulties, damage to the aircraft, adverse weather conditions and the like.
5.2 Land transportation
Land transportation services are provided by special transportation companies duly authorized by the Ministry of Transportation and surveilled by the Superintendency of Transportation. Companies that provide land transport services are responsible to the User for the services they provide.
5.3 Hotel services
Hotels are responsible to the User for the services they provide, without prejudice of the responsibility of Vaová as intermediary of the services. Vaová will inform the User in advance of the categories of hotels available for each plan or tourist package, with their characteristics and services, rates depending on the accommodation, cancellation policies, penalties, restrictions and particular conditions of each service provider.
5.4 Restaurants and bars
Restaurants, bars and the like commercial establishments are responsible to the User for the services they provide, without prejudice to the responsibility of Vaová as intermediary of the services.
5.5 Traveler assistance
The User may purchase travel assistance services. Vaová does not constitute insurance policies to cover damages in relation to the tourist plan or package, all of which are subject to the conditions of the direct provider of the service contracted by the User.
5.6 Other services
Vaová structures and organizes tourist plans and packages that include activities such as guided tours, paragliding, salsa and cooking classes, horseback riding, Colombian food and coffee tastings, DJs, among others. These services are provided by natural and legal persons other than Vaová, so the companies that provide such services are responsible to the User for the provision of their services.
6. Consumer protection
6.1 Payments
Vaová will inform the specific terms and conditions for each plan or tourist package, including the total amount to be paid by the User, means of payment and the prices for additional services. The price does not include charges not related to the services intermediated by Vaová, such as airport taxes, entry or exit taxes, visa fees, or the like. When the price is shown in dollars, it will be settled in Colombian pesos at the Government approved exchange rate, certified by the Financial Superintendence of Colombia, on the day the purchase is made.
6.2 Reversal of payments
In accordance with the provisions of Colombian law, the reversal of the payment will proceed for purchases made through credit cards or any other electronic payment instrument, when the User has been subject to fraud or the operation was unsolicited. To request the reversal of the payment, the User has five (5) business days from the day the unsolicited or fraudulent operation became known. Note that this right does not apply if your financial institution is not located in Colombia.
6.3 Right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal is the possibility for the User who used non-traditional or remote methods, such as purchases through websites, to cancel the purchase for services that have not yet been executed, within five (5) business days from the day on which the contract for the acquisition of the services offered by Vaová was entered into. Vaová will refund your money without making any type of discount or retention, within a period of no more than thirty (30) calendar days, from the day the request is made.
6.4 Cancellations
Cancellation of tourist plans or packages before the beginning of the trip: In the event that the User cancels the tourist plan or package before the beginning of the trip, the following penalties will apply:
- 60 or more days before the beginning of the trip: 100% refund of the package price minus a US$300 service fee.
- Between 59 and 30 days before the beginning of the trip: refund of 60% of the package price. If you have only paid the deposit, no refund will be issued.
- 29 or less days before the trip: no refunds will be issued.
Any refund will be made within thirty (30) calendar days following the request.
Cancellation of services during the trip: During the trip, no refunds or modifications will be made due to cancellation or failure to show up. However, at Vaová's discretion, the User may request modifications to previously purchased services or refunds.
Cancellation for causes external to Vaová: In the event that the trip must be canceled due to causes external to Vaová (fortuitous event, force majeure or acts from third parties), the User may decide between (i) postpone the trip without penalty, subject to availability and the acceptance of differences that may be caused on prices or (ii) request a refund, deducting certain booking costs applied by our service providers and Vaová's administrative costs.
Cancellation of air tickets: Pursuant to Article 1878 of the Commercial Code, the passenger may cancel the trip before its initiation, giving notice to the air carrier or the travel agency at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the flight, provided that the rate was not already subject to discounts.
6.5 Assignment of the contract
The User may not assign the tourist plan or package or the services comprised in them to a third party, without the prior consent of Vaová.
7. Requests and complaints
If you want to make a request or complaint, or want to follow up on a request, you can contact us by email to trek.info@vaovatravel.com. We will answer as soon as possible. In any case, the response will not exceed a period of fifteen (15) business days from the day after the request or complaint is received.
8. Child abuse
In compliance with Law 679 of 2001, Vaová warns the User that the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors in Colombia is criminally sanctioned. The foregoing includes the publication or dissemination of images of child pornography on the channels enabled by Vaová, including the mobile application or the messaging services used during the trip. Vaová warns the User that the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents will result, by the sole intention, in the expulsion from the trip, in addition to the proceedings before the competent authorities.
9. Prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing
In accordance with the obligations to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing, Vaová may unilaterally and without prior notice terminate the provision of services to Users included in restrictive lists (e.g. UN or OFAC) or that have been convicted for conducts related to money laundering, terrorism financing or related crimes, in accordance with the Colombian Criminal Code.
10. Intellectual Property Rights
Vaová has strategic commercial allies that act as tour operators such as airlines, hotels, transport companies, tourist guides, restaurants, gastrobars, museums, etc. Consequently, the brands of these allies are not related, associated or affiliated with any of the brands that appear on the platform. All copyrights and, in general, intellectual property rights are reserved to the owners of the brands, logos, images, designs, etc., displayed on the platform.
Any unauthorized use of the elements and information found on the platform, which infringes or potentially infringes the property and intellectual property rights of Vaová, its contractors, licensors, assignors and, in general, any third party, may imply the initiation of the corresponding legal actions by the holders of such rights.
11. License for the use of the platform
Vaová grants the user a limited, non-exclusive and revocable license to access, consult and download the contents of the platform www.vaovatravel.com, as necessary for personal information interests. This license does not include authorization for the publication, distribution, assignment, sub-licensing, transfer, editing, sale, development of derivative works or any other use that is not strictly to satisfy a personal or academic interest, and / or the use of the platform.
12. Third parties' platforms
Third-party websites linked to the platform www.vaovatravel.com are not owned by Vaová, nor are they operated, controlled, or administered by Vaová and, therefore, the User exonerates Vaová from any type of responsibility for their contents, practices, policies, security, services, availability, compliance with its terms and conditions of use and / or its privacy policies.
13. Information and content from third parties
The platform may reproduce or contain information from third parties, such as images, content provided by other users, tourism information from providers and sponsors, among others. The user accepts the reproduction of travel images and the “Vaová experience”, solely for the purpose of reminding experiences and marketing. Vaová will refrain from publishing images that violate dignity, good name, and confidentiality when the User expressly requests it.
14. System failures
Vaová is not responsible for any damage or loss to the User caused by failures in the system, the server or the Internet. Vaová will not be responsible for any virus that could infect the User's equipment as a result of access, use or examination of its website. Users may NOT claim any responsibility or demand payment for lost profits, by virtue of damages resulting from technical difficulties for such failures.
15. Applicable Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed entirely by Colombian law. Any difference or controversy that arises between the parties related to this contract, its execution, fulfillment and / or settlement, will be dealt directly between the parties. If after fifteen (15) calendar days of the written notification of the controversy from one of the parties to the other, without reaching an agreement, it will be decided by local judges.
16. Representations from the User
The User states that:
- You are over 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to contract. In addition, you access the services provided by Vaová with full freedom and consent.
- You know the specific conditions of the tourist plans / packages offered.
- You understand and accept the content of the disclaimer that has been previously informed.
- You agree that these Terms & Conditions are part of the contractual relationship with Vaová.
17. Effective date
The Terms & Conditions may be unilaterally updated or modified at any time by Vaová, so we recommend reading these Terms & Conditions every time you use the website www.vaovatravel.com or purchase our services. However, any modification will not affect the commercial transactions that have been concluded and perfected prior to them. The last update of these Terms & Conditions was made on .