Important Booking Info

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Reservations

Payments may be made via any major credit card--no personal checks. Advertised rates do not include guide gratuity. Guide gratuity is typically 18-20% of total trip cost.

Day trips with Big Sky Backcountry Guides and all Courses, Camps, and Tour Weeks at Bell Lake Yurt require full payment at time of booking. To secure your private guided or self-guided reservation at Bell Lake Yurt, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required. The remaining balance is due no less than 30 days prior to the start of the activity. Trips departing within 30 days of the reservation date must be paid in full at the time of reservation. All reservations are first-come, first served—we cannot hold dates without payment.

Day trips, yurt trip deposits, and all Camps, Courses, and Tour Week reservations are non-refundable, unless the yurt or your place in the program can be re-booked for all of the cancelled days at equal value. Unfortunately, due to the time-sensitive nature of our business (we can’t add days to the winter!), and the difficulty in re-booking a trip mid-season, we cannot make exceptions to this policy. An $80 administrative fee will be assessed to all refunds or changes to previously reserved dates (ie. moving a trip up or pushing it back into other available dates). Trip insurance is strongly recommended for all trips (see below).

Cancellations

BSBG reserves the right to cancel a program due to lack of enrollment. In such a case, a full refund is given; however, BSBG is not responsible for any additional expenses incurred in preparing for the program (i.e., airline tickets, equipment purchase or rental, lodging and other travel related expenses). If the safety of our guests is in question for any reason, BSBG reserves the right to relocate or reschedule a trip. If no immediate arrangements can be reached to relocate a trip, you will be credited towards another BSBG program within the same winter season.

Acts of God

No refunds will be issued for trips affected by acts of nature/God such as personal illness, flooding, fire, blizzard, national, state, or local emergency, or pandemic (including COVID-19). These events are beyond our control. BSBG is not responsible for any additional expenses incurred in preparing for the program (i.e., airline tickets, equipment purchase or rental, lodging and other travel related expenses). If BSBG is able to run the trip, but you can’t attend for personal reasons (personal illness, fear of travel, travel restrictions outside Montana, etc.), that falls under the purview of trip insurance. “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance plans cover these types of scenarios.

Trip Insurance

Due to the factors listed above, we strongly recommend Trip Insurance from a reputable company such as Travel Guard or Travel Ex. We use trip insurance every time we travel, such as on our International Trips. Coverage is reasonably priced and will cover your expenses in the event you need to cancel your travel plans, or your trip is affected by illness, acts of nature, local, state, or national emergency, or events outside your or BSBG’s control. If you choose not to purchase trip insurance, BSBG is not responsible for refunding your trip or associated costs if you are unable to attend.