From the 1st of December 2021, participants over the age of 18 are required to provide proof of a current and valid COVID-19 vaccination, with the final dose administered no later than two weeks prior to departure.

Vaccination age requirements may vary from country to country. For example, in Canada, participants aged 12+ are required to be fully vaccinated to allow services including trains, internal flights and restaurants to be utilised.

On our Australian challenges there is no longer a requirement to be vaccinated however we strongly recommend that all travellers are fully vaccinated. This will help create the safest possible environment for you, your co-travellers, and our guides.

It is the duty of participants to check any requirements which need to be fulfilled before travel, which includes transit destinations, on the destination country’s government websites.

USEFUL RESOURCES: IATA COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map, COVID Safe Travel in Australia 

There is much fluidity in relation to government policies and it is the case that requirements for many countries globally include proof of vaccination on entry or mandatory quarantine in the absence of it. This being the case and to help mitigate the risks to our travellers, as well as improving the free movement of our groups as much as possible, we continue to require our travellers on trips outside of Australia to be fully vaccinated.

Children up to and including the age of 17 are exempted from vaccination requirements and may instead provide a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior to day one of the trip.

If they are vaccinated, we will require proof of vaccination.

There are some exceptions to the age requirements, for example in Canada, among others, where those aged 12+ are required to be vaccinated.

Medical exemptions for adults will be considered on a case-by-case basis and require a medical certificate from a medical professional.

Those with valid medical exemptions must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior to the first day of the trip.

Please be aware that additional quarantine requirements for unvaccinated participants may apply, depending on destination and transit countries, and these should be considered before you travel so the appropriate arrangements can be made.

Vaccinations which are acceptable are those approved by health authorities in the country you will be travelling in, transiting through, or the vessel operator in the case of a boat-based trip.

USEFUL RESOURCE: To find out which vaccinations are acceptable for your destination country, refer to the relevant government website and the IATA COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map.

A copy of your vaccination record must be provided to our reservations staff prior to the start of your trip.

All personal information provided is kept in accordance with our privacy policy which you can view here .

A digital or paper copy should also be kept with you during your trip.

Depending on your country of origin, proof of vaccination may take the form of an:

• Australia - Immunisation history statement or COVID-19 digital certificate 
• EU - EU Digital COVID Certificate
• England - NHS COVID Pass 
• Scotland - Vaccination Status Record 
• Canada - Vaccination Records or receipts issued by province or territory, pending standardised proof of vaccination
• USA - CDC documentation 
• New Zealand - Vaccination confirmation letter

National certificates may alter if vaccination passports are created. Please check with us if you are unsure which documents are required.

Note entry and exit requirements governing international travel are constantly changing and it is imperative you check any requirements which need to be fulfilled before you travel, via your transit and destination country’s government websites.

Requirements may be more stringent than those required by us, and these may include requiring evidence of recent COVID-19 test results.

USEFUL RESOURCE: IATA COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map.

We acknowledge and accept your right to choose what is best for you as an individual.

Whilst this is the case, we take our responsibility to our participants, host communities and global staff seriously and with this in mind, will not accept participants on our charity challenges in the absence of a valid, current vaccination or suitable exemption.

Our Terms and Conditions of travel related to cancellation will apply should you decide not to meet the requirements for joining your chosen challenge.

This also applies to those passengers who are holding Travel Credit Vouchers and who booked before or during the pandemic.

We hold our responsibility to our global team in the same high regard as that of our participants.

In line with this commitment, all our leaders and crew must either have been vaccinated, or in the case of access challenges, being addressed via our advocacy, have tested negative to COVID-19 no more than 72 hours before they start a challenge.

In some cases, on partner operated challenges, local health regulations will direct the policy in place for staff.

In the vast majority of cases, yes.

In some cases, for example on partner operated challenges, local health regulations will direct the policy in place for participants.

There may be some participants on your challenge who are not vaccinated.

Our protocols have been carefully honed with your wellbeing in mind, using our 45 years of experience and in accordance with the standards set by the WHO (World Health Organization) and WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) and ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association).

Our tailored, nuanced rapid response field management protocol is a required standard throughout our operational bases.

Within all the risk mitigation strategies, it remains that COVID-19 is extremely contagious and there is a risk of exposure anywhere where people encounter one another which cannot be removed.

Acceptance of the inherent risk is voluntarily assumed by you when you when join our challenges, though you should rest assured we have elevated our protocols with a heightened awareness of this new paradigm.

We are reviewing the access options for testing in our destination countries and until such time as accurate testing is universally available, pre-trip testing is not required for vaccinated participants.

Note that in most instances, travel outside one’s country of origin will require a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior to departure.

Be sure to check the requirements which need to be fulfilled before you travel, via your transit and destination country’s government websites.

USEFUL RESOURCE: IATA COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map.