Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", or "your") and TreksBuddy ("Company", "we", "us", or "our"), governing your access to and use of the TreksBuddy website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Platform").

By creating an account, browsing the Platform, or completing a booking, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.

2. Eligibility

To use the Platform, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater.
• Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts.
• Not be prohibited from using the Platform under applicable laws.
• Not have had a prior account terminated by us for violation of these Terms.

By using the Platform, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements. We reserve the right to refuse access to any person who does not meet these requirements.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Registration

To access certain features of the Platform, you must create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep your account information updated at all times.

3.2 Account Security

You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must notify us immediately at support@treksbuddy.com if you suspect any unauthorised access to or use of your account.

3.3 One Account per Person

Each user may maintain only one active personal account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions, bans, or reviews policies is strictly prohibited.

4. Use of the Platform

TreksBuddy grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Platform strictly in accordance with these Terms. The Platform is intended for personal, non-commercial use unless you have entered into a separate commercial agreement with us.

5. Bookings & Payments

5.1 Booking Process

When you submit a booking request, you are making an offer to purchase the listed service at the stated price. A booking is confirmed only when you receive a written confirmation from TreksBuddy and payment has been successfully processed.

5.2 Pricing & Taxes

All prices displayed on the Platform are in the currency shown at the time of booking. Prices may include applicable taxes and fees, which will be clearly itemised during checkout. We reserve the right to correct pricing errors; in such cases, you will be notified and given the option to confirm the corrected price or cancel your booking.

5.3 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe, our third-party payment processor. By making a payment, you also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service. We do not store your full card details on our servers.

5.4 Service Fees

TreksBuddy charges a service fee on bookings, which is clearly displayed before you complete your purchase. This fee helps us operate and maintain the Platform and is non-refundable except as expressly stated in our cancellation policy.

6. Cancellations & Refunds

Individual listings may have stricter cancellation policies set by the host, which will be displayed on the listing page and confirmed during checkout. In the event of extenuating circumstances (e.g., natural disasters, government travel bans), we may, at our sole discretion, issue credits or refunds outside the standard policy.

To request a cancellation, log in to your account, navigate to your bookings, and follow the cancellation steps. Refunds are processed to the original payment method within 5�10 business days.

7. Listings & Host Obligations

If you register as a host to list properties or services on TreksBuddy, you additionally agree to the following:

• All listing information, photos, pricing, and availability must be accurate, complete, and up to date.
• You must hold all necessary licences, permits, and insurance required to offer your service in your jurisdiction.
• You are solely responsible for determining and paying any taxes applicable to your hosting income.
• You must honour all confirmed bookings. Repeated cancellations by hosts may result in suspension or removal of listings.
• You must not discriminate against guests on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• You grant TreksBuddy a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display your listing content, including photos and descriptions, on the Platform for promotional purposes.

We reserve the right to remove any listing that violates these Terms, our content policies, or applicable law, without prior notice.

8. Reviews & User Content

TreksBuddy allows users and hosts to post reviews and other content ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you:

• Represent that you have first-hand experience with the subject of your review.
• Grant TreksBuddy a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify, and display your User Content on the Platform.
• Agree not to post false, misleading, defamatory, offensive, or fraudulent content.
• Agree not to post reviews in exchange for payment, discounts, or other incentives.

We reserve the right to remove User Content that violates these Terms or our community guidelines, at our sole discretion and without notice.

9. Intellectual Property

The Platform and all its original content, features, functionality, trademarks, logos, and design elements are owned by TreksBuddy and are protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any material from our Platform, except as follows:

• Your device may temporarily store copies in RAM incidental to normal browsing.
• You may print or download one copy of a reasonable number of pages for personal, non-commercial use.

10. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to use the Platform to:

Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate suspension or termination of your account and may be referred to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

11. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

TreksBuddy does not warrant that:

• The Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
• The results obtained from using the Platform will be accurate or reliable.
• The quality of any listings, services, or information obtained through the Platform will meet your expectations.

TreksBuddy acts as an intermediary between users and service providers (hotels, vehicle operators, tour guides). We are not responsible for the quality, safety, legality, or accuracy of listings, or the ability of hosts to provide services.

12. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, TreksBuddy AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or data.
• Business interruption or loss of business opportunity.
• Personal injury or property damage arising from your use of the Platform.
• Any conduct or content of third parties on the Platform.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE PLATFORM EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID TO TreksBuddy IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (USD $100).

13. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless TreksBuddy and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your User Content or listings.
• Your use of the Platform.
• Your violation of any third-party right, including intellectual property or privacy rights.
• Any claim that your User Content caused damage to a third party.

14. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Platform at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice, including if we believe you have violated these Terms.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us at support@treksbuddy.com or through the account settings in the Platform. Upon termination:

• Your right to access the Platform immediately ceases.
• Any pending bookings may be cancelled in accordance with our cancellation policy.
• Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including intellectual property, disclaimers, indemnification, and limitation of liability.

15. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation between the parties.

If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation within 30 days, either party may pursue resolution through binding arbitration or through the courts of competent jurisdiction, as permitted by applicable law. You agree to waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in a class-action lawsuit.

16. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
• Send a notification to the email address associated with your account.
• Display a prominent notice on the Platform for at least 30 days.

Your continued use of the Platform after the revised Terms become effective constitutes your acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Platform.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: