Terms and Conditions | Desert Island Survival

Last updated: April 2026

1. Company Details

Desert Island Survival Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales under company number 10316746. Our registered address is F1, 3 Montagu Square, London W1H 2LA. These Terms and Conditions govern all bookings made with Desert Island Survival Ltd (referred to throughout as “we”, “us”, or “Desert Island Survival”).

By making a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions on behalf of yourself and all members of your party.

2. Booking and Payment

2.1 Eligibility

All participants must be 18 years of age or older, unless otherwise specified for family expeditions, where participants must be 10 years of age or older and accompanied by a parent of guardian.

2.2 Deposit and Confirmation

A non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking. Your booking is not confirmed until we have received the required deposit and issued a confirmation invoice.

2.3 Balance Payment

The outstanding balance must be paid in full no later than 90 days prior to your departure date. If payment is not received by this date, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and apply the applicable cancellation charges set out in Section 3.

2.4 Credit Card Surcharge

Payments made by credit card will incur a 2% processing surcharge. No surcharge applies to debit card or bank transfer payments.

3. Cancellation by Participant

All cancellations must be submitted to us in writing. The following charges apply, calculated from the date we receive written notification of cancellation:

90 or more days before departure: deposit only (non-refundable)
45 to 89 days before departure: 50% of the total trip cost
44 days or fewer before departure: 100% of the total trip cost

We strongly recommend that all participants hold travel insurance that covers cancellation. Please refer to Section 9 for insurance requirements.

4. Rescheduling and Flexibility

If you wish to reschedule your trip, you may transfer your booking to any available date within 24 months of your cancellation date, provided we receive written notice 90 or more days before your original departure date. All funds paid will transfer to the new date. Rescheduling requests received within 90 days of departure will be subject to the cancellation charges in Section 3.

A 7-day full refund is available if your departure date is more than 90 days away and you cancel within 7 days of making your booking.

5. Cancellation by Desert Island Survival

We reserve the right to cancel or postpone any expedition in the following circumstances:

The minimum number of participants required to operate the expedition has not been met
Conditions arise that, in our reasonable judgement, make it unsafe to proceed (including but not limited to extreme weather, natural disaster, civil unrest, or government travel advisories)
Force majeure events as described in Section 14

Where we cancel an expedition due to insufficient numbers, we will provide a minimum of 90 days notice where possible, or a full refund where this is not practicable. Where we cancel due to safety or force majeure, we will provide a minimum of 60 days notice and a full refund of monies paid.

Desert Island Survival will not be liable for any additional costs incurred by participants as a result of cancellation, including travel, accommodation, or visa costs.

6. Late Arrival

Desert Island Survival will make every reasonable effort to accommodate participants who arrive late to a designated departure point or meeting location. However, any additional costs incurred as a direct result of late arrival, including but not limited to transport, transfers, accommodation, or rebooking fees, are the sole responsibility of the participant.

Desert Island Survival cannot guarantee that late arrival will not result in missing part or all of the expedition. No refund will be issued for missed expedition days or activities resulting from late arrival by the participant, and late arrival does not constitute grounds for cancellation or rescheduling without the applicable charges in Section 3.

It is your responsibility to plan your travel to the departure point with sufficient time to account for delays. We recommend arriving at the departure point no later than 24 hours before the stated expedition start time where travel from overseas is involved.

7. Participant Responsibilities

By making a booking, you accept full responsibility for ensuring that:

You hold a valid passport with at least six months validity remaining beyond your return date
You have obtained all required visas and travel permits for the destination country
You have obtained all required vaccinations and health documentation for the destination
You comply with all entry and exit requirements for the destination country
You notify us in writing of any dietary requirements, allergies, or special needs at the time of booking

Desert Island Survival accepts no liability for any costs or losses arising from failure to obtain the above documentation or meet entry requirements.

8. Health, Fitness and Medical Disclosure

Our expeditions involve demanding physical activity in remote wilderness environments. All participants are required to be in good general health and to possess an adequate level of physical fitness to safely participate in the activities included in their chosen expedition. Specific fitness requirements are detailed in each expedition description on our website.

You must disclose any pre-existing medical conditions, physical limitations, disabilities, allergies, or prescribed medications at the time of booking by completing our Medical Disclosure Form. Failure to disclose relevant medical information may result in removal from the expedition without refund and may invalidate your travel insurance.

We reserve the right to refuse participation or to remove any participant from an expedition where, in the reasonable judgement of our instructors, participation would pose an unacceptable risk to that participant or to others. In such cases, no refund will be issued.

Participants may be asked to provide a fitness declaration or doctor’s sign-off for certain expeditions. We will advise you of this requirement at the time of booking.

9. Travel Insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for all participants. You must hold a policy that covers at minimum:

Emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation
Medical evacuation and repatriation (including helicopter evacuation from remote locations)
Trip cancellation and curtailment
Personal liability
Loss or theft of personal belongings

Proof of insurance must be provided to Desert Island Survival no later than 30 days before your departure date. Participation in the expedition may be refused if adequate insurance cannot be evidenced.

Desert Island Survival does not endorse any specific insurance provider. It is your responsibility to ensure your policy meets the above requirements for the specific destination and activities included in your expedition.

10. Assumption of Risk and Liability

Participation in Desert Island Survival expeditions involves exposure to inherent risks including, but not limited to, extreme weather conditions, rough terrain, wild animals, waterborne activities, fire, and remote wilderness environments. These risks exist regardless of the precautions taken by Desert Island Survival.

By making a booking, you acknowledge and accept these inherent risks and agree to participate at your own risk. Desert Island Survival accepts no liability for personal injury, death, illness, loss, or damage to personal property except where caused by our gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or in connection with your booking shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to Desert Island Survival for the relevant expedition.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

11. Equipment and Personal Belongings

Desert Island Survival is not responsible for the loss, theft, or damage of personal belongings during an expedition. We strongly recommend that your travel insurance policy includes cover for personal belongings.

Where Desert Island Survival provides equipment for use during the expedition, participants are responsible for using that equipment with reasonable care. Participants will be liable for the cost of repair or replacement of any equipment that is lost, stolen, or damaged through misuse or negligence on their part.

12. Conduct and Removal

Participants are expected to behave in a manner that respects the safety, wellbeing, and enjoyment of fellow participants, instructors, and local communities at all times. This includes adherence to all instructions issued by Desert Island Survival staff and instructors.

We reserve the right to remove any participant from an expedition at any time where, in the reasonable judgement of our staff, their conduct is disruptive, dangerous, or incompatible with the safe and enjoyable operation of the expedition. Grounds for removal include, but are not limited to:

Refusal to follow safety instructions from instructors
Aggressive, threatening, or abusive behaviour towards staff, instructors, or fellow participants
Being under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances in a manner that compromises safety
Conduct that poses a risk to the safety of any person or to the natural environment

In the event of removal, no refund will be issued and all costs incurred to return home will be borne by the participant.

13. Alcohol and Substances

The consumption of alcohol is permitted during designated rest periods and social occasions at the discretion of the lead instructor. Alcohol must never be consumed during active expedition phases, safety-critical activities, or at any time that may impair a participant’s physical or mental capacity to safely engage in expedition activities.

The use of illegal substances is prohibited throughout the duration of any Desert Island Survival expedition. Any participant found to be in possession of or under the influence of illegal substances will be removed from the expedition immediately in accordance with Section 12.

Desert Island Survival may photograph, film, or otherwise record activities during expeditions for use in marketing, promotional, and editorial materials, including on our website and social media channels. By making a booking, you grant Desert Island Survival a royalty-free, perpetual licence to use images or footage in which you may appear for these purposes.

If you do not wish to appear in marketing materials, please notify us in writing before your departure date. We will make reasonable efforts to honour your request, though we cannot guarantee exclusion from all incidental group footage.

Participants who share content from their expedition publicly are encouraged to tag Desert Island Survival but must not publish content that could bring the company into disrepute or compromise the safety or privacy of fellow participants.

15. Third-Party Services and Suppliers

Desert Island Survival works with third-party suppliers, local guides, transport operators, and accommodation providers in the delivery of expeditions. Whilst we take reasonable care in selecting and vetting our suppliers, we cannot accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of third-party service providers that are beyond our reasonable control.

Where an element of your expedition is provided by a third party, that third party’s own terms and conditions may apply. We will advise you of any relevant third-party terms at or before the time of booking.

16. Force Majeure

Desert Island Survival shall not be liable for any failure to perform, or delay in performance of, any of our obligations under these Terms and Conditions where such failure or delay arises from events or circumstances beyond our reasonable control. Force majeure events include but are not limited to:

Earthquakes, floods, storms, volcanic activity, and other natural disasters
Pandemic, epidemic, or public health emergency
War, armed conflict, terrorism, or civil unrest
Government action, changes in law, or travel advisories issued by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Industrial action, including strikes affecting transport or essential services
Failure of utility services or telecommunications

In the event of a force majeure, we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable and will endeavour to reschedule your expedition or, where this is not possible, to provide a credit note or refund at our discretion. Desert Island Survival shall not be liable for any additional costs, losses, or damages arising from a force majeure event.

17. Data Protection

Desert Island Survival Ltd is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. By making a booking, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as necessary to fulfil your booking and to communicate with you regarding your expedition.

Full details of how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data, and your rights in relation to that data, are set out in our Privacy Statement, available at www.desertislandsurvival.com/privacy-statement.

18. Complaints

If you have a complaint during your expedition, please raise it immediately with your lead instructor or our local representative. We are committed to resolving concerns promptly and on the ground wherever possible.

If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction during the expedition, you must submit a formal written complaint to us at info@desertislandsurvival.com within 28 days of your return date. Complaints received after this period may not be considered.

19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions, including any question regarding their existence, validity, or termination, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

20. Amendments to These Terms

Desert Island Survival reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. Updated Terms will be published on our website and will apply to all new bookings made after the date of publication. Bookings made before the date of any amendment will continue to be governed by the Terms in force at the time of booking, except where changes are required by law.

Contact

Desert Island Survival Ltd
F1, 3 Montagu Square, London W1H 2LA
Company number: 10316746
Email: info@desertislandsurvival.com
Website: www.desertislandsurvival.com
These Terms and Conditions should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Statement.