Terms & Conditions

1. Scope of These Terms

These Terms and Conditions apply to all guiding services, experiences and workshops offered by Northern Lights Guide, including but not limited to:

• Multi-day aurora hunting and photography tours
• Nightly aurora guiding excursions
• Northern Lights photography workshops
• Landscape and astrophotography experiences
• Any other guided outdoor activities offered by Northern Lights Guide

These terms cover the period from the time of booking through to the conclusion of the experience, and any matters arising thereafter.

2. Booking, Deposit & Payment

2.1 How to Book

All bookings are made directly with Northern Lights Guide via our website contact form or by email. A booking is not confirmed until we have received your deposit and issued written confirmation by email.

2.2 Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total booking value is required to secure your place on any tour, excursion or workshop. Your place is not held until this deposit has been received and confirmed.

2.3 Final Balance

The remaining balance of 50% is due no later than 90 days prior to the start date of the tour, excursion, or workshop. If the final balance is not received by this date, Northern Lights Guide reserves the right to treat the booking as cancelled and retain the deposit.

2.4 Late Bookings

For bookings made within 90 days of the start date, the full amount is due at the time of booking.

3. Cancellations & Refunds

3.1 Cancellation by the Guest

All cancellations must be made in writing to Northern Lights Guide. The following policy applies, calculated from the date written notice of cancellation is received:

• More than 90 days before the start date: the non-refundable 50% deposit is forfeited in full. As the final balance has not yet been collected, no further payment will be sought and nothing additional is owed.
• 90 days or less before the start date: the full 100% of the total booking value is forfeited. No refund will be issued. By this point Northern Lights Guide will have incurred committed costs including flights, accommodation, transport and other expenses that cannot be recovered.

We strongly recommend that all guests hold comprehensive travel insurance that includes cancellation cover active from the date of deposit payment.

3.2 Cancellation by Northern Lights Guide

In the event that we are required to cancel a tour or experience due to circumstances within our control, guests will be offered a full refund of monies paid to Northern Lights Guide, or the option to transfer to an alternative date. We will not be liable for any further costs, including but not limited to flights, accommodation, or other independent arrangements.

3.3 Cancellation Due to Weather or Safety Conditions

Nightly excursions and outdoor activities may be cancelled or curtailed at short notice due to adverse weather, unsafe road conditions, or other safety considerations. Where this occurs, we will make every reasonable effort to reschedule the activity within the programme. Refunds are not offered for individual excursions cancelled on safety or weather grounds, as these decisions are made solely in the interest of participant safety.

4. Changes to Itinerary & Programme

All itineraries, timings, locations and activities are subject to change based on weather conditions, aurora activity, road safety, local restrictions, or any other factor affecting the safe and effective delivery of the experience. Northern Lights Guide reserves the right to alter, substitute, or cancel any element of an itinerary at any time.

The guide's decision on all operational matters — including the choice of locations, departure times, route, and whether to proceed with or curtail any activity — is final. These decisions will always be made with the safety, comfort and experience of all participants as the primary consideration.

5. Aurora Visibility — No Guarantee

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon entirely outside human control. Visibility depends on a combination of solar activity, geomagnetic conditions, cloud cover, and local weather. While Northern Lights Guide will use extensive experience and forecasting tools to maximise your chances, no sighting of the aurora can be guaranteed on any night or during any experience.

By booking with Northern Lights Guide, you acknowledge and accept that aurora sightings cannot be promised, and that no refund or compensation will be offered in the event that the aurora is not visible during your experience.

6. Arctic Conditions & Participant Safety

6.1 Nature of the Environment

Many of our experiences take place in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments where conditions can be extreme, rapidly changing, and potentially hazardous. Participants should expect and be physically prepared for:

• Very low temperatures, which may fall well below −20°C
• Strong winds, blizzards, and sudden deterioration in visibility
• Icy, snow-covered, or flooded road surfaces
• Prolonged periods standing outdoors in darkness
• Remote locations where immediate emergency assistance may not be available

6.2 Assumption of Risk

By booking and participating in any Northern Lights Guide experience, you acknowledge that outdoor activities in Arctic conditions carry inherent risks, including but not limited to slips, falls, cold-related illness, and unpredictable weather events. You agree to participate voluntarily and at your own risk.

Northern Lights Guide will take all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the safety of participants at all times. However, we cannot be held liable for injury, illness, loss, or damage arising from participation in our activities where such events result from the inherent nature of the environment or from circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

6.3 Guide's Authority

The lead guide's decision is final on all matters relating to safety, welfare, and the conduct of any activity. All participants are required to follow guide instructions promptly and without question where safety is concerned. Northern Lights Guide reserves the right to exclude any participant from any activity, or from the expedition entirely, if their behaviour or physical condition is deemed to pose a risk to themselves or others.

6.4 Physical Fitness

Participants should be in a reasonable state of physical health and fitness for outdoor activities in cold weather. If you have any doubt as to your suitability, please consult your doctor before booking. Northern Lights Guide cannot be held responsible for any medical event arising during or after an activity.

7. Health & Medical Conditions

You are required to disclose any relevant medical conditions, disabilities, or mobility limitations at the time of booking that may affect your participation or safety during activities. This includes but is not limited to heart conditions, respiratory conditions, severe allergies, epilepsy, or any condition that may be aggravated by extreme cold or physical exertion.

Failure to disclose relevant medical information may affect our ability to support you appropriately during the experience and may, in extreme cases, result in exclusion from activities on safety grounds without refund.

All medication required during the experience is the sole responsibility of the participant. Guides are not medical professionals and cannot administer medication or provide medical advice.

8. Insurance

Comprehensive travel and personal health insurance is mandatory for all participants on Northern Lights Guide experiences. Your insurance policy must, as a minimum, include:

• Emergency medical expenses and evacuation, including helicopter rescue
• Cancellation and curtailment cover, active from the date of deposit payment
• Personal accident cover
• Baggage and equipment loss or damage
• Cover for activities in Arctic environments

Northern Lights Guide does not provide or arrange insurance on behalf of participants. Proof of insurance may be requested prior to the start of any experience. Participation without appropriate insurance is entirely at your own risk.

9. Flights, Accommodation & Airport Transfers

Northern Lights Guide does not book, arrange, or take responsibility for flights, accommodation, or airport transfers. These are the sole responsibility of the guest and must be arranged independently.

We are not liable for any costs, losses, or consequential expenses arising from:

• Flight delays, cancellations, or missed connections
• Accommodation provider failures, cancellations, or disputes
• Changes to transport schedules affecting arrival or departure
• Any additional costs incurred as a result of changes to our programme

We strongly advise all guests to book fully flexible or refundable flights and accommodation, and to ensure their travel insurance covers all independently arranged elements of their trip.

10. Third-Party Activities & Operators

Northern Lights Guide may, from time to time, provide information about or make informal recommendations regarding activities offered by independent third-party operators in the local area. These may include, but are not limited to, husky safaris, snowmobile excursions, ice fishing, reindeer experiences, and other Arctic activities.

Any such activities are entirely separate from the Northern Lights Guide programme. When participants book or engage in activities offered by third-party operators, they do so entirely of their own volition and under a separate contract directly with that operator. Northern Lights Guide:

• Is not a party to any contract between the participant and a third-party operator
• Does not act as agent for any third-party operator and accepts no commission or financial benefit for any such recommendation
• Cannot guarantee the safety standards, quality, or conduct of any third-party operator or their staff
• Accepts no liability whatsoever for any injury, loss, death, damage, or disappointment arising from participation in any third-party activity, however that activity was brought to the participant's attention
• Is not responsible for any cancellation, delay, or change to any third-party activity, or for any costs arising therefrom

Participants should ensure that their travel and personal injury insurance provides adequate cover for any additional activities they choose to undertake. It is the participant's sole responsibility to satisfy themselves as to the safety standards and credentials of any third-party operator before booking.

11. Conduct & Expedition Vehicle Policy

10.1 General Conduct

All participants are expected to behave with consideration for fellow guests, guides, and the natural environment at all times. Northern Lights Guide is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience for everyone. We reserve the right to exclude from any activity, without refund, any participant who:

• Acts in a manner that is aggressive, abusive, or threatening toward guides or fellow participants
• Repeatedly disregards guide instructions, particularly those relating to safety
• Behaves in a way that disrupts the experience of other participants
• Is, in the reasonable opinion of the guide, under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance

10.2 Alcohol & Substances in the Expedition Vehicle

The consumption of alcohol and controlled substances is strictly prohibited in Northern Lights Guide expedition vehicles at all times. This policy exists to protect the safety and comfort of all participants and to ensure the guide can operate the vehicle safely.

Participants who are considered to be intoxicated prior to or during an excursion will be refused entry to, or removed from, the expedition vehicle at the guide's discretion. No refund will be issued in such circumstances.

Smoking and vaping are also prohibited inside expedition vehicles. Stops will be made where practicable to accommodate smokers outside the vehicle.

10.3 Minimum Age

Participants under the age of 18 are welcome on Northern Lights Guide experiences but must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times. The accompanying adult accepts full responsibility for the minor's behaviour and welfare throughout the experience.

12. Photography & Personal Equipment

Participants are responsible for the care of their own photographic equipment, clothing, and personal belongings throughout all activities. Northern Lights Guide accepts no liability for loss, theft, or damage to personal equipment.

Cold temperatures can significantly affect battery performance and camera function. Participants should carry spare batteries, appropriate lens cloths, and protective covers for their equipment. Guidance on equipment preparation will be provided as part of any photographic workshop or tour.

13. Environmental Responsibility & Local Culture

Many of our experiences take place within or adjacent to areas of significant natural and cultural importance, including lands that form part of Sápmi — the traditional homeland of the Sámi people. Participants are expected to treat the natural environment and local communities with the utmost respect.

• Leave no trace — all litter must be removed from field locations
• Stay on designated paths and respect any restricted areas
• Do not approach, disturb, or feed wildlife
• Respect any cultural or sacred sites identified by the guide

14. Force Majeure

Northern Lights Guide shall not be liable for any failure or delay in delivering an experience that results from events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: extreme weather events, natural disasters, pandemic or disease outbreak, government travel restrictions, civil unrest, acts of terrorism, or any other event constituting force majeure.

In such circumstances, we will endeavour to offer an alternative date or a partial credit wherever possible, but a full refund cannot be guaranteed. Travel insurance providing cancellation cover from the point of deposit is strongly recommended.

15. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Northern Lights Guide's total liability to any participant shall not exceed the total amount paid by that participant for the specific experience in question.

Northern Lights Guide shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or special losses, including loss of enjoyment, lost revenue, or costs incurred in connection with independently arranged travel or accommodation.

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

16. Privacy & Personal Data

Any personal information provided at the time of booking, including medical disclosures, will be held securely and used solely for the purpose of delivering the experience safely and effectively. Your data will not be shared with third parties without your consent, except where required by law or where necessary for your safety in an emergency situation.

17. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising from a booking with Northern Lights Guide shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

These terms were last updated in July 2026. Northern Lights Guide reserves the right to update these terms at any time. The version in force at the time of your booking confirmation will apply to your booking.