Winter 2021
In our almost 33 years of running trips, 2020 was the first year we had to keep our boots planted firmly at home. Hitting the trail again on familiar routes will be sweet indeed when it happens. In the meantime, we are looking toward our 2021 season with great optimism and also a realistic eye to what might actually be possible.
COVID-19 is still very much with us. With treatments evolving and vaccines being rolled out, we are all learning how to navigate our worlds in new ways that endeavor to help keep us all reasonably safe yet allow us to get out there and explore.
As we look ahead and plan for our 2021 trips, we anticipate the virus may still be part of the landscape. Much like this past year, and really always, the safety and health of our hikers remains our number one priority, as does the health and safety of the communities and areas we travel through.
Most of the world still remains closed to American tourists, but as it begins to open, we will be ready with the safety policies and protocols necessary to get us back on the trail again.
We understand that many of you will not be comfortable traveling internationally until vaccines are readily available and postive cases have declined significantly. Others of you may be concerned about possible trip disruption in the event of reimposed restrictions or quarantine requirements. There is a lot to take into consideration.
We've all converged at Distant Journeys because we love to travel and experience the benefits of walking new landscapes. We'd like to do what we can to help you navigate back to the trail in a way and at a time that feels safest to you.
We all love planning and dreaming about a trip on the horizon. We don't want you to stop planning or dreaming, so as long as COVID-19 continues to complicate travel, we are keeping the following policies in place.
As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and will revise and update these policies and protocols to meet the current situation.
We want everyone to be excited about their travel plans. Anticipation is part of the joy of traveling. With all the uncertainty around travel these days, it's reasonable to decide to put your plans on hold. If you'd like to cancel your guided trip more than 75 days out from your trip start, we can offer these options:
We will not ask for final payments unless we are reasonably confident your trip will be able to run as scheduled.
If necessary, we will assess trips 60 days prior to departure. At that time, for guided trips we will either:
For self-guided and private trips, we will contact hikers directly to discuss options.
Should we find it necessary to cancel a trip due to COVID 19-related travel restrictions, we will be offering the following options:
Should you be unable to take your self-guided trip as planned due to COVID 19-related travel restrictions prohibit:
*Credits will be applied solely to final payments. Our standard Self-Guided Booking Terms and Condtions will apply when rebooking a future trip.
For those of you who have credits and discounts due to 2020 trip cancellations, the following will apply:
While the coronavirus is still with us, we'll be doing things a little differently on our trips. Like many other active travel companies, we believe our trips lend themselves particularly well to our new normal.
As always, you are welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns, and we will endeavor to get back to you as quickly as possible.
For more information and updates, you may visit the World Health Organization , Center for Disease Control , Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center , and the U.S. State Department.