GER to GER’s TERMS & CONDITIONS

“simply… just be good humans and understand that Mongolia’s nomadic populations are slowly developing their capacities – it takes time…
So, go with the flow.”

TRAVEL NOTICE – CLIENT SUITABILITY

Please kindly comprehend that GER to GER is refined for the more ‘responsible’, empathetic, open minded, non-judgemental and non-touristic type of travelers and explorers who do not have the typical ‘touristic expectations’ that desire something truly unique that is much more towards the exploration of the non-touristic and/or “REALITY” aspects of cultures, countries, environs, geographic terrains, etc… If you are high maintenance, constantly require attention, impatient, dislike learning, dislike following instructions, have the attention-capacity of “candy crush”, dislike authority, too picky (like a hardened quality supervisor and/or are an itinerary-nazi who forces locals’ non-touristic experiences to become touristic – but are incapable to pay for and/or nor able to join a proper packaged tour as a ‘responsible tourist’), etc., then we kindly recommend you not to travel on “Live Like a Local” but rather opt for one of our packaged trips, and/or maybe better yet, we kindly invite you to research other ‘tourist’ travel companies.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

Please do kindly refer to Cartoon Network’s cartoon that clearly highlights the different extortion tactics that are used to defraud good businesses and good people… GER to GER 100% Reserves All Rights to employ its “ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY” when deemed necessary.

ALL SCAMS, FRAUD, REFUND EXTORTIONS AND EXTORTION REVIEWS SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO AUTHORITIES and PUBLICIZED AS LESSONS LEARNED/KNOWLEDGE SHARING CASE STUDIES AT GER TO GER’S CONVENIENCE TO PROTECT OTHER GOOD PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES

DISCONTINUING SERVICES FOR “LOW BUDGET TRAVELERS” (LBTs) IN 2020:

Kindly note that we are extremely overworked with many social economic development related projects, programs, initiatives, famed film and TV Productions, etc., that further assists Mongolia’s development… Directly owing to the massive amount of wasted time/energies/etc., that LBTs generate coupled with LBTs’ lack of social economical value… we’ve decided to upgrade the majority of GER to GER’s nomadic “Live Like a Local” routes and discontinue most our very generous/discounted offers and goodwill services for LBTs. Even though the majority of Low Budget Travelers are good folks – HOWEVER – more than a handful of LBTs shamelessly create tons of issues for good people and good businesses, and GER to GER has had enough of their negative impacts. Literally, WE don’t have the time nor energy for the dumb & nonsensical dramatized travel-scammers carelessly wasting our invaluable time/energies/etc… Please also kindly understand that GER to GER is absolutely NOT obligated to serve LBTs in our office as we 100% reserve the rights to allocate our time/energies to more invaluable activities for the greater good NOR is GER to GER obligated to send LBTs to the rural areas… thank you, but no thank you.

After reviewing our Terms and Conditions below – Please do visit our FAQs page via the following link:
https://www.gertoger.org/ger-to-ger-mongolia-preparation-travel-info/

QUICK POLICY POINTS TO REMEMBER: BOOKINGS, DEPOSITS, TRAININGS, PREPARATIONS, VISAS, ETC.

By booking (wether it be online and/or offline) you are 100% agreeing to comply with the following points:

NOTICE WITHIN MONGOLIA: Some Third Party Communities No Longer Supported

GER TO GER MONGOLIA, from September 2018, shall only be offering GER to GER trained communities – owing to liabilities GER to GER can no longer in-kind support other communities that have received training from other organizations (French NGO, etc.); or until they match GER to GER’s standards via GER to GER’s intensive trainings, etc. We are saddened that we have to make this official decision as we desire to support everyone (rural communities, nomadic families, etc.), however, owing to unethical travel scammers – we are left with no choice… those non-GER to GER rural communities who do not meet GER to GER’s standards nor desire to be trained by GER to GER shall have to seek their sustainability via other means from now on owing to liabilities – travel scammers hurt everyone…

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM POLICY: Trip Comprehension - 13 Verification Steps

Ensuring Client Suitability & Proper Comprehension

Pre-Trip 13 Verifications:

COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM

“Ethical Nomadic Adventures with Nomadic Families” TERMS, CONDITIONS AND NOTES

THOUGH COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM WITHIN GER TO GER HAS ELEMENTS OF CULTURE, ADVENTURE, RELAXATION, ETC., IT IS DEFINED AS: 1) A NON-PACKAGED TRIP 2) A NON-TOURISTIC TRIP: NOT A TOUR, NOT A VACATION, NOT A SIGHTSEEING HOLIDAY, ETC. 3) HOWEVER, IT IS A “REALITY EXPERIENCE OR ETHICAL NOMADIC ADVENTURE” THAT ALLOWS NOMADS TO SHARE THEIR “REAL LIFESTYLE WITHIN REAL CONTEXTS OF THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL TERRAIN, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, WEATHER, CULTURES, TRADITIONS, LIFESTYLES, ETC., AND ‘DAY TO DAY’ EXTERNAL IMPACTS (WEATHER, CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, ETC.) MAY ALTER EXPERIENCES (LOCATIONS, TRAVEL METHODS, ACTIVITIES, ETC.) WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF BEING “REALITY” WHICH IS 100% ACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD BE EXPECTED AS IT’S APART OF THE ‘ETHICAL NOMADIC ADVENTURES’; IT’S ABOUT US FOREIGNERS BEING ETHICAL WITH NOMADIC FAMILIES KNOWING THEIR WAYS, LIFESTYLE, METHODS, ETC., DIFFER FROM OURS YET WE ARE HERE TO TRAVEL, LIVE AND LEARN FROM THEM AND NOT TO IMPOSE ‘OUR FOREIGN WAYS’ ONTO NOMADIC FAMILIES AND THEIR OPERATIONS.

Please continuously refer to GER to GER’s Online Terms and Conditions as they are subject to change in accordance with best fair/ethical practices to ensure the health/safety of all parties WHEN CONSIDERING any/all external influences that impacts routes/itineraries (weather, culture, lifestyles, livestock, vehicles, traffic, public bus schedule changes, roads, locals, communities, etc.); travelers, nomads, rural drivers, any GER to GER staff.
Any/all updates made to GER to GER’s Terms, Conditions and Policies shall be made when GER to GER Administration deems/feels it is necessary.
Any/all online Terms and Conditions (online/offline) are Policy; you may seek clarification ONLY from GER to GER Founders (Ms. Yalalt and Mr. Fromer).
Any/all provided explanations about GER to GER (operations, itineraries, methods, etc.) provided in emails, verbal, training workshops, etc., are all/shall be Policy; GER to GER (Ms. Yalalt and Mr. Fromer) reserves the Right to verbally or by written methods “Clarify” any/all Terms, Conditions and Policies if misunderstanding arise – those clarifications are Policy regardless of delivery method.
By voluntarily signing GER to GER’s Contract/Assumption of Risk Contract YOU HAVE AGREED to these conditions that any/all of GER to GER’s Online/Offline Terms, Conditions and Policies (written or verbal) are ALL legally binding.

First and foremost – Responsible Travel Notes:

- All Humanitarian Trips and Homestays are 100% “Reality Trips” that are managed and operated by locals and nomadic families; GER to GER Office operates ONLY AS A Humanitarian “Travel Agent” for communities (non-tour operator).
- GER to GER humanitarian trips is about “Reality” – real families, real lifestyles, real situation, etc. (who are the Mongols? And not about our expectations).
- GER to GER humanitarian trips are not an amusement park experience – it’s about awareness/respecting nomadic lifestyle and learning “their ways” (not ours), etc.
- GER to GER is an opportunity for people to learn how to integrate within other cultures vs. other cultures catering to our international norms and standards that we have become overly accustomed too and demand others to adhere too (like paid entertainment slaves).
- GER to GER has generated over a Million USD towards Mongolia’s social economic development via supply-chain synergies and provides over 80% of its revenues toward rural nomadic families that greatly need this alternative income source.
- Nomadic families shall provide 3 meals per day; unlimited drinks; nomadic accommodations (unless tent is specified); a local nomad that will guide between nomadic families’ pasture areas; nomadic guide will take his/her horse, ox-cart, motorcycle or vehicle to guide for health and safety. Generally depending on geographical terrains, weather, etc., factors nomadic guides will not walk as if any health/safety issues arises it takes too long to obtain safety support – nomadic guides will decide for themselves how they will guide/travel.

Humanitarian Explorations (Community Based Tourism Routes – Budget Trips, Homestay Trips, Special Interest Trips and Winter Trips) “Budget Trips”; these “cross-cultural exchange” trips also providing locals a great opportunity to learn about the greater tourism industry, foreign cultures, generate income, etc. Though locals have produced their own itineraries, it’s important to remember that nomadic families lifestyle’s are guided by seasons, weather, culture, etc., and at different times those external influences requires them to alter itinerary experiences based on “Life & Survival” (the alteration may be an unplanned adventure or amazing cultural insight!) – a good level empathy and understanding are required if you desire to grasp the most of these type of trips. It is GER to GER’s Methodology to develop a country/local people friendly “Free-Ranging” approach to community based tourism and not a strict “Public Zoo” approach nor “Captivity-Tourism” in respect to locals, their day to day lifestyles and cultures; Primary – Natural Lifestyle; Secondary – Community Based Tourism.

Rest assured that GER to GER prepares all travelers to become Ethnographic Explorers via a “Mongolia Responsible Travel Training Workshop” in order to enable everyone to seek cultural/life-experiences that are not written on standard itineraries to enrich their exploration opportunities. GER to GER specialists are multi-practice experts with decades of experiences, 100s if not 1000s of “out-in-the-field” projects, in developing countries; it is only for passion for social economic development that we share our knowledge, experiences and know-how with our clients and communities. GER to GER’s Community Based Tourism Routes are the “Real Deal” – real experts prepare you, real nomadic families host and guide you, real cultural explorations and adventures await you.

1.2 Importance Notice: You, the traveler, are 100% Responsible for Comprehending the Differences Between non-touristic “Reality Trips aka community-based Ethical Nomadic Adventures with nomadic families”, and, “Packaged Trips” that are fully inclusive trips/expedition vacations for tourists that includes certified guides/interpreters, drivers, hotels, etc.

Please kindly note of all the differences between “Humanitarian Trips aka ‘Ethical Nomadic Adventures’ are Reality” (Traveler’s are 100% Responsible for Quality of Experience – just like as if you are a ‘Humanitarian’ out in the field; as GER to GER Staff is not onsite – you are contracting a “Humanitarian Experience with Locals” not a “Tourist Packaged Trip with GER to GER”) and “Packaged Trips” (GER to GER’s Responsibility). If you feel that you require higher level of services/facilities, then it’s recommended that you have a look at our “Packaged Trips” and offers – they are an exceptional blend of everything that Mongolia has to offer.

1.3 Expectations, Contracts and Ethics

GER to GER strongly discourages any/all travelers from booking a “Reality Humanitarian Trip” and then demanding/expecting “Packaged Trip” standards/services/quality from the locals unethically. Humanitarian Trips are Research Trips, not a Packaged Vacations.

Contractually, every traveler signs a contract and receives a proper training workshop on how to “Become a Humanitarian”, so it is 100% unethical and a breach of contract to public defame nomadic families and/or GER to GER Office/Staff as if one is judging a situation like a “Vacation Trip”. These Reality Humanitarian Trips are not designed to be ‘entertainment tours’ but rather Reality Humanitarian Research Trips that are 100% subject to modification by locals and/or GER to GER Office in consultation with locals (weather, culture, life, etc.). Mr. Zanjan Fromer and his administrative staff have well over 20+ years of ‘out in the field’ expertise (www.Zanjan-Fromer.com) and and likewise do not desire to be subjected to unethical public defamation by scammers, trolls, saboteurs, unethical competitors, special interest groups, and the like.

All transportation is either State Public Bus and/or rural vehicles (to keep the costs low) – GER to GER earns NO overhead income via Budget Trip’s transportation services (State Public Bus and/or rural transportation); hence, as GER to GER ONLY provides basic recommendations and assistance with ticket booking – GER to GER assumes NO transportation related liabilities whatsoever.

IMPORTANT NOTES – PLEASE READ

Owing to over a decade of operating experiences and some ‘very unethical characters/interest groups and countless fraudulent activities’ that have tried to hinder GER to GER – we are officially providing our TERMS, CONDITIONS AND NOTES online as part of our TRANSPARENCY PROTECTION POLICY (for all parties). GER to GER hopes and desires not to upset anyone rather we hope that it will prove to you and the industry that we take these matters seriously and we have worked tirelessly on a Proactive Approach as a Preventive Methodology in order to filter the “Good Travelers” from the unethical “Scammers/Saboteurs” and the “1% Unethical Interest Groups” (many humanitarian organizations have them). There is nothing worse than having to spend years cleaning up fake reviews/defamations during which nomadic families, communities, and our Ulaanbaatar Office has to unethically suffer both socially and economically (hence, scammers are kindly requested to travel elsewhere).

FULLY PACKAGED TRIPS

All “Packaged Trips” are the responsibility of GER to GER Office
All “Packaged Trips” shall adhere to basic service standards and practices
All “Packaged Trips” shall operate at best standards and practices – however – GER to GER isn’t responsible for weather, third party issues, civil unrest, unforeseen circumstances out of GER to GER’s control, etc., however, GER to GER will do its best to coordinate those matters.
Please contact GER to GER at info@gertoger.org to further obtain information pertaining to your “Packaged Trip”

GER to GER CANCELLATION POLICY

In the unlikely case that we have to make changes to your travel arrangements, we will notify you at the earliest possible date.
If you wish to cancel your booking you must inform us in written form.
We do reserve the right to make changes at any time due to circumstances beyond our control.
In the case of significant changes to your itinerary, you have the right to cancel your holiday in accordance with our Cancellation Terms and Conditions; refunds shall be awarded in accordance Terms and Conditions excluding deposit.
Once we have started to provide our service i.e. from the point of your arrival on route, no refunds will be made for unused trip arrangements for any reason.
There will be no refund given for unused home stay, meals, sightseeing, trek days or any other charges once the trip has commenced.

Client cancellation charges set out as follows:

7 days prior to the commencement date of the tour – 30% of total tour fare and
0% refund 1 day prior to trip and/or cancellation during a trip. However, depending on the merit of the cancellation Ger to Ger, at its own decision, may investigate the situation and kindly offer refund of unused services. If a such a circumstance arises, Ger to Ger will transfer funds to the client’s account. Ger to Ger will not make refunds without proper investigation as legal contract with rural service providers exist and all paper works must be properly processed.

This process can only be initiated upon an official complaint give in written form to Manager or Director to which a meeting appointment will be confirmed for a later date – Ger to Ger will not make appointments to meet at the time of complaint submissions as an initial rural investigation has to be started prior to any meetings so that any/and all meetings are fair and objective.

After review of all facts Ger to Ger will ONLY offer refunds based on internal policy and economic formulas. GER to GER DOES NOT OFFER POST-TRIP REFUNDS BASED UPON ONLY 1 PARTY’S STATEMENTS NOR ON ‘HEARSAY’ (HE SAID/SHE SAID); ALL REFUNDS ARE AWARDED ONLY AFTER A PROPER INVESTIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANTI-FRAUD/ANTI-DEFRAUD POLICES.

GER to GER RESERVES THE RIGHTS - PROTECT FROM SCAMS, FRAUD AND EXTORTION REVIEWS

GER to GER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE AND/OR CANCEL TRIPS OF UNETHICAL TRAVELERS, UNETHICAL INTEREST GROUPS, UNETHICAL SABOTEURS (SCAMMERS, HARASSMENT,ETC.), ETC., AT ANY TIME DEEMED NECESSARY, WITHOUT REFUND, TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ANIMALS, NOMADIC FAMILIES, RURAL COMMUNITIES AND GER TO GER’S HUMANITARIANS. IF A TRAVELER IS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF COMMITTING FRAUD AND/OR SCAM WHICH IF LEADS TO ANY FAKE/DISHONEST DEFAMATORY REVIEWS, GER TO GER SHALL IMMEDIATELY RELEASE ANY/ALL DOCUMENTS/INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS PERTAINING TO THE TRAVELER AND HIS/HER FRAUD/SCAM ONTO THE INTERNET AS A PUBLIC INFORMATION TO DEFEND GER TO GER AND ITS STAFFS’ NAME FROM PUBLIC ABUSE. AFTERWHICH GER TO GER SHALL CONTACT THOSE ‘INTERNET PLATFORMS’ AND INFORM THEM TO REVIEW ONLINE INVESTIGATIVE MATERIALS. AT WHICH THOSE PLATFORM RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHARGE THE FRAUD/SCAMMER WITH VIOLATION OF INTERNAL POLICIES AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS REFERRING TO LIBELOUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS MADE WITH THE INTENT TO DEFAME, DISCREDIT, DEFRAUD, ATTEMPT TO COMMIT EXTORTION, ETC., VICTIMIZE INNOCENT PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES VIA MISUSE OF THEIR CORPORATE TRAVEL PLATFORM TO MAKE IT APPEAR AS ‘TRUE REPORTING’ WITH THE INTENT TO MALICIOUSLY HARASS VICTIMS VIA INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING PUBLIC OPINION TO SOCIAL-ECONOMICALLY VICTIMIZE INNOCENT BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE BY NUMEROUS METHODOLOGIES (MANIPULATING SOCIETY, ELICITING EXTREMISTS, MANIPULATING SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS – SEO, DISRUPTING MARKETS AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, ETC.).

INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS/INVESTIGATORS THAT SPECIALIZE IN PROTECTING BUSINESSES FROM FAKE AND/OR DISHONEST DEFAMATORY REVIEWS:

Aaron Kelly Law – http://www.aaronkellylaw.com/tag/tripadvisor-defamation/

Minc Law – https://www.minclaw.com/how-do-i-remove-false-and-defamatory-reviews-from-tripadvisor/

Kwikchex Firm – https://kwikchex.com/