Ama Dablam - Autumn 2010

4 week climbing itinerary for only £3,450
(this price includes all meals and sightseeing in KTM)

The 7th Ama Dablam Expedition Professionally Led
& Organised by Everest Summiteer Tim Mosedale

Pricing Policy

I sometimes get asked about the pricing policy and why it is that you have to pay 50% 6 months in advance whereas with other companies you only pay the balance 3 months in advance.

Well quite simply it is for your benefit and is to ensure that your trip is protected in some way.

Let's say that another client dropped out at the last minute. Well that could jeopardise the whole trip and make it potentially unviable. This is not about my profit - it is about the fact that suddenly there is 1 less person and the sums just don't add up. Yes I have a cancellation policy but what if that person decides not to pay? Maybe they hadn't taken out their insurance (I'll do it next week) and now they are faced with a hefty bill. In reality am I, an individual, really going to be able to force that person to pay? Probably not. I may have a case to go through the Small Claims court - but that takes time and there is a risk involved.

So if I ask people to pay more up front then they are more likely to get their insurance in time and therefore be covered for cancellation. That means that if anyone cancels at short notice that their money is protected and YOUR trip will still run.

In the past I have picked up a number of clients because bigger companies have cancelled their trip at short notice as there weren't enough group members. They may be big and they may have a decent turnover but at the end of the day, if the sums don't add up, they will drop you like a hot potato. Yes they'll offer an alternative trip but you have already arranged your leave from work, you have arranged for a dog sitter and are really looking forward to THIS trip, not THAT trip.

I am very conscious of not wanting to be in that position - which is partly why I haven't expanded and offer numerous (too many) trips all year round.

"But what about my money?" I hear you ask, "why should you get the interest?" Well when you consider that you are missing out on 3 month's interest at, say, 3.5% on £1180 it actually comes to about £10. Let's just say that it's another way that I can keep the prices down!

So there you are - that is why I ask peole to pay in the way that I do. If you don't like it then by all means pay far more money elsewhere.

If you have any questions then don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Mosedale