FAQs

We ask for bookings a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. For our Rail & Trail and Drive & Hike holidays this is often sufficient, though for the best accommodation we recommend booking a good few months in advance. However, for our Hut to Hut Trails, we recommend booking a good few months in advance, especially if you are looking for private rooms. For example, popular dates for the Tour Du Mont Blanc are often fully booked four to five months in advance.

If you choose to accept your quotation, you can confirm your booking by paying your deposit and completing our booking form. We accept payment by credit/debit card or bank transfer. We require a deposit of 20% of the total package price (or full payment if your booking is made within 8 weeks of departure).

We will then make the reservations as agreed in your proposal. Once all of the arrangements have been made as set out in your proposal, we will then send you a booking confirmation email and invoice, with the outstanding balance and due date. The balance of your booking is due 6 weeks prior to departure.

Once the final payment has been made for your holiday, we will then put together your Information Pack and send it to with full details of your holiday. Usually this will be sent to you within 2 weeks of your making the final payment, but no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of your holiday.

When booking with Trailwise, you can be assured of full financial protection. In accordance with UK Package Travel Regulations, all monies paid to Trailwise Travel Ltd are fully insured.

Therefore, in the unlikely event of the Insolvency of Trailwise Travel Ltd, you won’t lose a penny. Our insurance will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements, due to the insolvency of Trailwise Travel Ltd.

Full details of our Financial Protection can be found here.

If you wish to make a change to a booking prior to paying for your holiday in full we will make every effort to accommodate your wishes, but it is not always possible to guarantee that changes can be made. If the amendment is possible, this will be subject to an administrative charge of £50 per person, plus any additional costs we incur in making changes to your booking (such as lost accommodation deposits). If the start date of the tour is to be altered, we reserve the right to amend the total package price, if the current price of the tour has changed since the booking was placed.

This will vary from holiday to holiday. Please refer to the ‘What’s Included?’ section of the specific holiday web page, or in the quotation you have received from us.

Yes. It is very important to purchase travel insurance in advance of your trip. Problems like cancelled flights, illness or bad weather are unlikely, but they can be expensive if you don’t have travel insurance.

It is also very important that your travel insurance covers mountain rescue. Whilst an accident on the trail is of course incredibly unlikely, there is always the chance you need assistance getting out of mountainous terrain. Mountain rescue services in Europe are very professional, but also very expensive, so having insurance to cover the cost is vital.

We do not sell travel insurance, and it is difficult for us to recommend a specific insurance company as the best options will depend on your personal circumstance, but feel free to ask if you have any questions.

This depends on the trail, please just ask, and if it is possible we can add the cost to your quotation. On some Trails such as the Via Alpina Switzerland it is possible at almost every location. For some trails such as the Tour Du Mont Blanc, it is possible in about half of locations, as huts/rifugios/refuges are not accessible by luggage couriers, and so you will have some nights without your luggage. For some trails, such as the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites, no luggage transfers are available, except from the very start to the finish.

All our holidays are easily accessible by public transport. We have included brief recommendations on our website, but please just get in touch for more detailed recommendations based on your travel plans.

Unfortunately, we are unable to include flights in our packages. We can certainly include train travel in your package. Our Rail & Trail packages include public transport as a default, but we are also happy to add train travel to any of our packages, for example for getting to the start of a Hut to Hut Trail.

Our trips come with different levels of difficulty to make sure you find a holiday that suits your abilities. Try to be realistic about your fitness levels and feel free to chat with us if you are unsure about a specific holiday. To make sure you get the most out of your holiday, we recommend going for at least a few day hikes in preparation and make sure to wear the footwear that you intend to take on your trip to break them in.

We do! Just ask, and we can send you our kit list, detailing all the items we recommend you bring with you on your walking holidays. We also include a list in your information pack.

Our holidays come with a choice of comfort levels, depending on the location and trip you are looking at. Usually, you would stay in a mix of friendly hotels, inns or B&Bs that have been handpicked by our team to make sure that a warm welcome and comfy bed is waiting for you. Some holidays will offer the chance to stay in remote mountain huts where amenities are often more basic than in the valley - but in return, you will get the chance to experience spectacular views over dinner and a real sense of camaraderie amongst fellow hikers. If you are looking for something more luxurious, we also offer itineraries that make use of smarter hotels and guesthouses for extra comfort.

We will generally book en-suite rooms, but this won’t always be possible in more remote areas with limited accommodation choices or mountain huts. One way or the other, we will always make sure to find the best possible option wherever you go!

In terms of meals, our holidays will always include breakfast. The inclusion of dinner will vary from package to package. As a general rule, for any overnights in huts or remote locations where only one option is available, we will include dinner. For locations such as towns or villages where there are plenty of eating out options, we will not include dinner in your package, but we will provide recommendations on where best to eat. We never include lunches, but similarly, always include recommendations in your information pack as to where best to get lunch.

Our accommodation partners can cater for most dietary requirements, though your meal options might be limited when staying in basic mountain huts. Please check with us if you are unsure.

If you are unable to continue your Hut to Hut walk due to weather or injury, please contact us to discuss options. It may be that there is an easy way around, such as taxi or public transport, to continue your route further along. We will unfortunately be unable to refund any lost costs, such as accommodation, but these should be possible to claim on your travel insurance.

We’re fully contactable by phone, WhatsApp or email at all times during your trip.

We invite you to leave the car behind and join us for a more environmentally-friendly way of travelling! No need to worry about parking, driving on the wrong side of the road or missing a junction on the way to your hotel. Instead, all you need to do is lean back and enjoy the views.

Our destinations are ideal to explore by public transport, be it by train, bus or even cable car! We currently offer non-drive itineraries in France, Switzerland and Italy - countries which we have traveled extensively by public transport ourselves and that we appreciate for their reliable and easily accessible networks. The transport infrastructure connects all major cities as well as the often smaller towns and villages, where our holidays start or end.

Our itineraries are designed so that you can travel with ease of mind. Most connections run several times a day, so you can still be flexible in your daily walking. Your bus and rail tickets are either included already, or we provide you with all the necessary information on how to book and pay for travel on the ground.

Generally, the roads in our destinations are in good condition and shouldn’t pose any issues for experienced drivers. You will be driving on the right-hand side on roads that range from motorways, country roads and the occasional mountain pass. These tend to come with steep hairpin turns, where care is advised.

Popular locations, such as high-up view points, can get very busy on the weekend so patience might be needed - but then there’s no need for you to rush. You’re on a holiday after all!

Ultimately, only you know what walking your child is capable of. We wouldn’t recommend our Hut to Hut Trails for children, as the distances are very inflexible. Our Rail & Trail or Drive & Hike tours however would provide plenty of flexibility and a range of different hiking difficulties available each day.

We can accommodate dogs on our Rail & Trail or Drive & Hike itineraries by request, but please bear in mind that our usual accommodation options will be much more limited, and many of our usual dining and sightseeing recommendations will not allow pets. Certain national parks and nature reserves also don’t allow dogs on trails, to protect wildlife. Our Hut to Hut Trails are unfortunately unsuitable for dogs, as they will involve communal accommodation in huts, which you will be sharing with other hikers who may not love dogs as much as you.

In brief, responsible tourism is about "making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit” - an aim that we have decided to put at the centre of what we do at Trailwise. Click here to find out more.