How it works

This is called Charity Challenge for a reason. You have undertaken to push yourself well beyond your normal comfort zone - and all for the good of your chosen charity. In order to raise funds for the cause you are passionate about, you will need to show that you are stretching yourself to the limit - so do not expect a walk in the park. The majority of the countries in which we operate are less developed than the UK. Internal infrastructures are often limited; roads are rough and facilities basic. If you’re after a five-star holiday forget Charity Challenge. If, however, you are seeking an adrenaline-filled challenge and are relatively active, then you’ve come to the right place.

Participants' motives come in all shapes and sizes. They may have been spurred into action by an illness, divorce, bereavement or perhaps they are setting out to mark a landmark birthday or anniversary. Whatever their reasons, our participants all come united in the desire to do something completely different and all for a worthy cause. Our only stipulations are that you are over 18, relatively fit, willing to muck in and have a positive and flexible approach to adventure travel. We accept 16 to 17-year-olds, providing they are accompanied by a parent or guardian of legal age. As for the upper age limit, well, there’s no such thing! Our more mature clients have included a 75-year-old man who successfully completed the Rajasthan Tiger Bike Ride in India and a 72-year-old man who summited Kilimanjaro!

When you sign up to a Charity Challenge you are embarking on a journey and part of that involves training and getting fit for the long road ahead. Of course, a basic level of fitness and good health is required initially, but you do not need to be super fit when you first sign up. More important than your physical shape is your mental and emotional commitment to train and get fit. Our challenges are designed to be demanding in order for you to really earn your sponsorship money. 

Fitness training notes are available in your account area and we recommend you spend a few months before your trip getting fit and building up stamina.

Obviously the more extreme the challenge, the more you will need to train. You do not need to be professional in your chosen sport, but the more prepared you are the more you will enjoy the challenge.

There are three difficulty levels:

Challenging: A “challenging” trip will test someone who is relatively fit and has a spirit of adventure. You may have had some previous experience, but this is not necessary as long as the correct training is undertaken. A “challenging” trip may involve some altitude, but this will be compensated by easier terrain and hiking conditions. On a UK “challenging” challenge, you will be physically tested but the terrain is often on well-established routes.

Tough: A “tough” trip should be undertaken by someone with previous experience and interest in the activity – whether biking or trekking. It will usually involve camping, and will certainly be in a remote environment, where facilities are not what you would expect at home. A tough challenge will test you both physically and mentally. Both cycle and treks will be hilly, and training is essential. On a UK “tough” challenge, you should expect 10+ hours of exertion over demanding terrain.

Extreme: Extreme challenges will typically involve altitude, and a great deal of endurance. These trips are not to be taken lightly, and will take place in extreme environments, without home comforts. They are usually undertaken by someone with previous experience in a mountain setting, but who wants to take their experience to the next level physically and mentally. Training is essential. On a UK “extreme” challenge you should have previous experience in the mountains of the UK, as you will be tested to the limits. 

You need to be a minimum of 18-years-old at the start of the challenge. 16 and 17-year-olds may also participate in any overseas challenge, and 14 and 17-year-olds may also participate in any UK challenge with the agreement of, and when accompanied by a parent or guardian on the challenge who is of legal age. The parent or guardian will have to complete the booking form for anyone who is under 18 at the time of booking and sign a parental responsibility form.

The accommodation could range from tents on a mountainside, to guest house, community eco-lodge, or a comfortable hotel. Normally, accommodation is based on two people of the same sex sharing a twin room or two person tent. UK challenges are often in larger sized dormitory rooms. Details of each night’s accommodation are given in the full day by day itinerary for each challenge. Let us know on your booking form if there is someone specific you would like to share with.

Raising sponsorship requires time and effort, so it helps to be passionate about the cause you support. Aim to choose something with a personal connection, perhaps a cause that has affected you or a loved one in the past. If you have a connection to the cause and a story to tell, it will help to support your fundraising. Our challenges enable you to support any charity you want, providing it is registered in either the UK or Ireland.

If you are still unsure of who to support, visit the Charity Challenge website for an extensive list of organisations that will welcome your support. Please click here for our participating charities. If you wish to support a charity that is not listed on the website, you can provide us with their contact details and we’ll get in touch with them.

No, you may only raise money for one charity. Regardless of the payment option you choose, we will send an authorisation request to your chosen charity so they can confirm they are happy for you to fundraise on their behalf. All information displayed in your login area and in any emails will be for your one chosen charity. In addition, if you are raising funds under the Minimum Sponsorship or Flexi options we will invoice your charity for the balance of your costs and this cannot be split between two separate charities.

The journey you are about to embark on is the furthest thing from a holiday. The physical exertion will be demanding and often extreme. Facilities are basic and you may well be roughing it in a makeshift campsite. Weather conditions are variable and can often be extreme - be it hot, cold, wet or windy. Temperatures could climb from -20°C to +30°C within 24 hours. A Charity Challenge is not to be undertaken lightly as it requires training for months, raising thousands of pounds for charity and then battling through the physical challenge itself. All three of these take time, effort and commitment.

Each itinerary has a maximum group size, so places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. You can secure a space on a challenge by booking and paying your deposit. Once a challenge is full, we endeavour to introduce additional departure dates and the latest dates are listed on the website.

Of course! There can be few things more fulfilling than bringing together a group of like-minded people who all want to push themselves to the limit and support a cause close to their hearts. By putting together your own group, you will be able to inspire others with your drive, passion and commitment. Many of our challenges are made up of clubs, corporate teams or groups of friends and family members taking part in their own private challenge. Please refer to the private groups section of our website for more information, or contact us to discuss your ideas. 

Most airlines and countries will accept the UK's 'NHS Covid Pass' as proof of vaccination in order to enter a country and to access certain venues (including hotels, restaurants and forms of transport). You can get an NHS Covid Pass digitally through the NHS App or via the online NHS Covid Pass service.

UK CHALLENGES

Self funder option - The full cost of this challenge is made up of the non-refundable registration fee due at the time of booking, and 9 weeks before departure you will be required to pay the final balance of your challenge costs. You will receive fundraising advice and sponsorship forms and be asked to raise as much as you can for your nominated charity. As you have covered the full cost of the challenge, 100% of this fundraising will be retained by your nominated charity.

Minimum sponsorship option - You will be required to pay the non-refundable registration fee at the time of booking and raise a minimum amount of sponsorship for your nominated charity. You should send your sponsorship money to your nominated charity as you raise it. At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required must be sent to the charity 11 weeks before departure, and the remaining 20% within 4 weeks of completing the challenge. If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target). The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.

Flexi option - You will be required to pay the non-refundable registration fee at the time of booking, and 9 weeks before departure you will be required to pay a second contribution towards your challenge costs. You will also need to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship, for your nominated charity. You should send your sponsorship money to the charity as you raise it. At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required must be sent to the charity 11 weeks before departure, and the remaining 20% within 4 weeks of completing the challenge. If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target). The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.

INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES

Fuel element of your flight ticket - For international challenges, we set the price as much as two years in advance, and the fuel element of the flight costs can fluctuate significantly before the challenge takes place. As such, we exclude the fuel element from the initial cost of the challenge and we will invoice you for it 10 weeks before departure. This applies to all participants on all payment options. It will be capped (indicated on your challenge web page) and we will absorb any amount above that. Please be sure to factor this cost into your budgeting for the challenge.

Self funder option - The full cost of this challenge is made up of the non-refundable registration fee due at the time of booking, and 10 weeks before departure you will be required to pay the final balance of your challenge costs, plus the fuel element of the air taxes. You will receive fundraising advice and sponsorship forms and be asked to raise as much as you can for your nominated charity. As you have covered the full cost of the challenge, 100% of this fundraising will be retained by your nominated charity.

Minimum sponsorship option - You will be required to pay the non-refundable registration fee at the time of booking and raise a minimum amount of sponsorship for your nominated charity. You should send your sponsorship money to your nominated charity as you raise it. At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required must be sent to the charity 12 weeks before departure, and the remaining 20% within 4 weeks of completing the challenge. If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target). The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise. You will be required to pay the fuel element of the air taxes 10 weeks before departure.

Flexi option - You will be required to pay the non-refundable registration fee at the time of booking, and 10 weeks before departure you will be required to pay a second contribution towards your challenge costs, plus the fuel element of the air taxes. You will also need to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship, for your nominated charity. You should send your sponsorship money to the charity as you raise it. At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required must be sent to the charity 12 weeks before departure, and the remaining 20% within 4 weeks of completing the challenge. If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target). The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.

Please note, for each challenge there is a specific ‘what’s included’ section on the website. Typically, the following is included for an international challenge: International flights to and from the UK (usually London) booked in Economy Class; all accommodation during the expedition (usually twin basis but dormitory style on UK events), if camping we provide all necessary communal camping and cooking gear; three meals a day (unless otherwise stated); drinking water on challenge days; entrance fees to national parks or other places of interest visited on the itinerary; internal road and air transfers; all ground staff including English speaking guide, drivers, cooks, and porters; full back-up support including first-aid qualified staff and first-aid supplies; activity equipment including bikes, tents, and rafts; a donation towards Charity Challenge's local community project; a contribution towards funding the reduction of carbon emissions through Climate Care's portfolio of award-winning projects; a Charity Challenge T-shirt and medal; emergency management, public liability, and discount on personal equipment from selected stores.

Transfers to and from UK departure airport; entry visas (if applicable); vaccinations (if applicable); personal equipment; personal spending money; tips, overseas airport departure tax (if applicable) and additional activities not included in the itinerary such as excess baggage charges, all items of personal nature such as laundry, room service charges, drinks, phone calls etc.

Fuel element of your flight ticket - For international challenges, we set the price as much as two years in advance, and the fuel element of the flight costs can fluctuate significantly before the challenge takes place. As such, we exclude the fuel element from the initial cost of the challenge and we will invoice you for it 10 weeks before departure. This applies to all participants on all payment options. It will be capped (indicated on your challenge web page) and we will absorb any amount above that. Please be sure to factor this cost into your budgeting for the challenge.

We do not include discretionary tips for your Charity Challenge crew. Your leader will collect the recommended amount (indicated in your challenge Tour Info) towards the end of the challenge and distribute it amongst the support team. In many of the countries in which we operate our challenges, it is customary to tip local people along the way to ensure your group progresses smoothly and easily (i.e. hotel porters, boatmen, restaurant and rest stop staff etc.) To make this process easier, your leader may need to collect a small amount for the “kitty” which is then used to tip these people without you having to remember each time. Where feasible and practical, your leader will do this in front of the group and/or give the tips to one of the group to dole out. 

For international challenges, we set the price as much as two years in advance, and the fuel element of the flight costs can fluctuate significantly before the challenge takes place. As such, we exclude the fuel element from the initial cost of the challenge and we will invoice you for it 10 weeks before departure. This applies to all participants on all payment options. It will be capped (indicated on your challenge web page) and we will absorb any amount above that. Please be sure to factor this cost into your budgeting for the challenge.

The costs and sponsorship levels listed on our website are based on a minimum number of participants on the challenge. We can sometimes run the trip with groups of less people, but there will be a small group supplement. This is payable by your charity if you book under the minimum sponsorship or flexi options, and by yourself if you are a self-funder. If a small group supplement is necessary, we will notify you 12 weeks before departure.

Accepting the physical challenge is just the beginning. To participate, you will also be required to raise substantial sponsorship for the charity of your choice. The level of minimum sponsorship is indicated on each of the itineraries. You will be provided with fundraising ideas and sponsorship forms. All money should be sent directly to the charity as and when you collect it. Unless you have covered the full cost of your challenge (self-funder option), at least 80% of the minimum sponsorship MUST be sent to the charity 12 weeks before departure for overseas challenges, and 11 weeks before for UK challenges. If you do not achieve this, you risk losing your place on the challenge. This is a Booking Condition for participating on a Charity Challenge. The balance (i.e. the remaining 20%) should be sent to the charity within four weeks of returning home from your challenge. Deadlines for UK challenges are slightly closer to departure. 

Donations made by taxpaying individuals to charities in respect of sponsoring someone on a Charity Challenge will attract 25% tax relief under the Gift Aid scheme. If someone makes a donation to the charity of say £100, the charity can recover a further £25 from the Inland Revenue. Furthermore, if the person making the donation is a higher rate taxpayer then they in turn will recover £25 when they submit their tax return. 

Sponsorship payments made by persons connected to the participant fail the donor benefit rules and so are not eligible for tax relief under the Gift Aid scheme. Sponsorship payments made by persons not connected to the participant can be made under the Gift Aid scheme. A connected person is the wife or husband, a relative (brother, sister, ancestor (e.g. mother) or lineal descendant (e.g. grandson), the wife or husband of a relative, a company under the control of the donor, or under control of connected persons. For more information, please refer to the Inland Revenue website and enter Gift Aid into its search engine.

As our most popular challenges operate throughout the year, some will take place during the destination’s peak season. During this time, air fares and accommodation costs increase. We have addressed this by either increasing the registration fee , the balance or the minimum sponsorship requirement. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

In booking your challenge under either the minimum sponsorship or flexi payment options, you are committing to raising a minimum amount of sponsorship for your chosen charity. You will need to send 80% of the sponsorship to the charity 12 weeks (for overseas challenges) or 7 weeks (for UK challenges) before departure, and the remaining 20% within four weeks of returning to the UK. This is a fundamental part of the challenge and if you do not raise the appropriate funds for the charity, the charity will not be able to pay the balance of your challenge costs, and you will therefore not be able to participate on the challenge. The overall objective of the challenge is to help raise funds for the charity, so please be realistic about that when booking. We will give you plenty of ideas and advice, hard copy and online sponsorship forms, and the charity you are supporting may also be able to provide additional support materials and advice.

You will be invoiced (for self-funders and flexi participants) approximately 14 weeks before departure for overseas challenges and 12 weeks before departure for UK challenges.

The balance is due no later than 10 weeks before departure for overseas challenges and 9 weeks before for UK challenges (as per our T&Cs). In exceptional and unavoidable circumstances we reserve the right to request the balance of challenge costs (or a proportion of those challenge costs), prior to 10 weeks before departure. This may occur in the rare case where an airline or supplier requires earlier payment than standard industry terms. 

Charity Challenge is the concept of and is administered by Challenges Un Limited, a specialist tour operator formed under the laws of England and Wales (Company No. 03786692). We have been running the Charity Challenge programme for over 24 years and have supported thousands of people on adventures in more than 40 countries worldwide. For more visit the WHY CHOOSE CHARITY CHALLENGE? section of our website.

When you complete a booking form, you will provide us with a certain amount of personal data, which we will only process for the purposes of administering your challenge. Examples of this processing include (but are not limited to) sending your name, dietary requirements, allergies or medical conditions to the airline, ground handler and challenge leader where necessary. Please refer to our privacy policy for more details.

During all the confidential stages of booking and paying online, you will see a padlock icon at the foot of the screen. Your personal information is kept secure by encrypted transmission. www.charitychallenge.com uses SSL ("Secure Socket Layer") encryption.  If you have any concerns about booking or paying online, please contact our office on +44 (0)20 8346 0500.

Cancellations for overseas challenges will incur the following charges:

• Cancellations made 70 days or more before departure (you will lose the challenge registration fee and if applicable the extension registration fee).
• 56-69 days before departure (you will lose 40% of the total challenge cost).
• 29-55 days before departure (you will lose 60% of the total challenge cost).
• 15-28 days before departure (you will lose 80% of the total challenge cost).
• 14 or fewer days before departure (you will 100% of the total challenge cost).

Please note that on London to Paris bike rides, you will lose 100% of the challenge cost if you cancel 28 days or less before departure.

Cancellations for UK challenges will incur the following charges:

Cancellations made 63 days or more before departure (you will lose the registration Fee).

• 42-62 days before departure (you will lose 40% of total challenge cost).
• 22-41 days before departure (you will lose 60% of total challenge cost).
• 15-21 days before departure (you will lose 80% of total challenge cost).
• 14 or fewer days before departure (you will lose the total challenge cost).

Most participants complete the challenge they undertake. However, if you are obliged to cut your challenge short due to ill-health or for any other reason, there is no refund of National Park fees or flight and accommodation costs. Any additional accommodation and/or transfer fees, flight and accommodation costs are your responsibility. Please take a credit card to cover any such unexpected costs.

The total challenge cost consists of the registration fee, balance, fuel element of a flight ticket, andany price increase (if applicable) and any extras (i.e. single room supplement or extensions). Please note that admin fees are non-refundable in all cases and do not form part of the total challenge cost. All registration fees are non-refundable. 

Cancellation charges will be calculated as follows:

For self-funder participants: all cancellation charges will be payable by yourself.

For minimum sponsorship participants: The above cancellation charges will be comprised of your registration fee (and the fuel element of your international flight ticket), and following that, any monies paid by the charity up to the respective percentage of loss (i.e. 60%). In all circumstances we will deduct any monies paid by the charity last.

For flexi participants:  The above cancellation charges will be comprised of your  registration fee (and the fuel element of your international flight ticket), and following that, your balance and any monies paid by the charity up to the respective percentage of loss (i.e. 60%). Subsequently, the same percentage of cancellation charges will apply to any extra services such as single supplements and extensions you have booked and paid for yourself.

We will support you from the time of your booking, right up until you return from your challenge. Once you have booked, you will have access to your very own login area, which contains comprehensive information about fitness training, fundraising, flights and extension options, arrangements for meeting the rest of the group and much more. We also send out reminders about insurance, passports and how/when to apply for a visa. Each challenge has a bespoke kit list and all of our participants have access to kit discounts through major retailers. Our operations managers are on hand via phone or email to answer any questions, from room sharing, to dietary requirements, to which jacket to buy. 
During the challenge, each group will be fully supported by a first-aid trained, English-speaking expedition leader, guides and support team.

Yes. Getting fit ahead of your challenge is a vital part of the pre-challenge preparation and the importance of regular training should not be underestimated. We have written fitness training plans for trekking and biking which are provided in your login area, and which give our participants a structure that will steadily increase their training prior to the challenge. Everyone is different and has unique training needs, therefore we cannot offer a bespoke fitness programme for each person. However, our plans are structured in order to give you minimum guidelines, and tips on making the most out of your training treks/rides.

If you would like to get a feel for our challenges ahead of your departure, why not consider booking on a 1 or 2 day UK Challenge?

We have a variety of challenges, covering all levels of difficulty, taking place in stunning National Parks across the UK that are led by highly qualified and experienced expedition and mountain leaders. These challenges will give you the perfect opportunity to monitor fitness levels, test out your kit, meet people in the great outdoors, share fundraising stories and gain valuable advice and support for the challenge ahead. We encourage participants to make use of our highly knowledgeable leaders and ask them any questions you may have about clothing and equipment, expedition health and wellbeing, trekking skills, walking techniques and teamwork!

We are offering all participants 50% off the registration fee when you book on one of the UK challenges listed via the link below. Just use the code TRAINING when booking. T&C’s – you must have an active booking on a challenge to avail of this offer. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Find out more here

We will provide you with general fundraising advice and a full A-Z of fundraising ideas in your login area, alongside hard-copy sponsorship forms. We also suggest you set up an online giving page when you begin your fundraising journey. Your charity can help point you in the right direction. We will often redirect you to the experts at your chosen charity for any technical or charity specific support.

Yes. In terms of vaccinations, we use the advice given by the NHS ‘Fit for Travel’ website. Any vaccinations or anti-malarial medications that are recommended by the NHS will be indicated in your Trip Notes prior to booking, although we advise you to visit your GP or travel nurse prior to the challenge for any specific advice that might be relevant due to anything in your medical history. We give out visa application advice three months prior to departure, which includes advice on where to access the visa form, how to answer certain questions, what documentation needs to be provided, and information on costs, where to apply etc. We can also provide details of a support agency who can obtain visas on your behalf (for a service fee).

Challenges (Un) Limited (trading as Charity Challenge) are ATOL bonded and our ATOL number is 6546. ATOL is a protection scheme for flights and air holidays, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL protects clients from losing money or being stranded abroad if the tour operator goes out of business. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. This protection only covers challenges that include flights organised by us that originate in the UK.

The prices quoted for each challenge include return international flights from London to the challenge destination. If for any reason, you would rather organise your own flights, we will (subject to the information below) discount the overall cost of the challenge by the budgeted cost of flights from London (including air taxes). Over 98% of our clients travel with flights organised by Charity Challenge and we assume this to be the case when you book with us. We would ask you to let us know as soon as possible if you intend to organise your own flights, to avoid heavy penalties passed onto us by the airline, which in turn will be passed onto you. 

Once you have confirmed that you wish to organise your own flights, please let us know your new flight schedule so we can inform our in country team. Any other necessary services, such as any additional night’s accommodation, will be at your own expense. Please e mail challenges@charitychallenge.com.

Please note when organising your own flights to check your travel insurance policy to establish the level of cancellation cover; confirm that your challenge costs plus the cost of your independently booked flights are covered.  

Additional notes from the booking conditions: If you choose to book your own flights you must confirm with Charity Challenge before paying for them, otherwise you may be liable for your included group flights (please contact flights@charitychallenge.com for further assistance). If you are joining the challenge locally (i.e. the country the challenge takes place in) our responsibility does not commence until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. If you fail to arrive there at the appointed time, we shall not be responsible for any additional expenses incurred by you to meet the group.

In all cases, you will have to pay the registration fee at the time of booking. For Self-Funders we will invoice you the balance of the challenge costs less the cost of UK group flights and air taxes.  For Minimum Sponsorship or Flexi Payment Option, participants you will need to raise the same level of sponsorship. We will invoice your charity for the balance of challenge costs less the cost of the group flights and taxes. It will be for the charity to process any refund to you in the form of a revised sponsorship package, at their discretion. Please note that due to strict fundraising guidelines we are unable to process any refunds directly to you.  Your charity is under no obligation to refund you and the final decision will rest with them in terms of your fundraising agreement. 

In accordance with the UK Package Travel & Linked Travel Regulations 2018, Directive (EU) 2015/2302 or the local applicable law in the country of residence of the passenger(s) booking with Challenges UN Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies received by us, including repatriation costs and arrangements, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Challenges UN Ltd

The respective laws accordingly to the country of residence of the passenger(s) usually only requires us to provide cover for Package & Linked Travel Arrangements, there is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips or single elements, and none is provided unless the local law requires such. If you have questions on this then please contact Challenges UN Ltd

Challenges UN Ltd has taken out an insurance provided by International Passenger Protection Ltd (IPP) with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE (LMIE) trading as Liberty Specialty Markets, a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. LMIE's registered office: 5-7 rue Leon Laval, L-3372, Leudelange, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Registered Number B232280 (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés).  LMIE is a European public limited liability company and is supervised by the Commissariat aux Assurances and licensed by the Luxembourg Minister of Finance as an insurance and reinsurance company. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay directly with/to Challenges UN Ltd 

In the event of our insolvency please make contact as soon as practically possible giving full details of what has happened quoting the name of your Travel Operator:

For UK & Worldwide excluding EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +44 (0)345 266 1872

Email: Insolvency-claims@ipplondon.co.uk          

or online at http://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

For EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +31 103120666

Email: ippclaims@nl.sedgwick.com         

or online at https://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

If you need to travel from other parts of the UK to join the group flight, or join the group from outside the UK, please note in the event of a change to a challenge departure date, time, or airport, Charity Challenge is not liable for any penalty charges associated with connecting travel arrangements you have arranged. We therefore strongly advise you not to incur any non-refundable incidental expenses before we send your final details around a month prior to departure. Similarly, you are advised only to book fully flexible connecting transport and other arrangements (such as pre or post-challenge accommodation) which can be cancelled or changed without charge.

If you are joining the group flights either from other part of UK or from elsewhere we would strongly advise you to leave enough time for delays, to pick your bags, transfer terminals and check in for all flights is 03 hours prior to departure. Any missed flights will be your responsibility.

On all our challenges, we aim to secure the most cost-effective package. The biggest single expense on these challenges is the international flights, and to keep these costs as low as possible we have exclusive arrangements with several airlines. The tickets we book however are non-transferrable, non-refundable and non-changeable. In most circumstances, the airline may permit a change to the return date, subject to the airlines availability and terms and conditions. Where we are able to change your return date, there will be a flat non-refundable fee of £60. Of course, if the change of date results in a more expensive ticket, you will also be required to pay the difference. You will not be able to amend the outward date, only the return date.

Your request to extend must be put in writing via your login area before it will be actioned. You should send your request to Charity Challenge. You must give a preferred return date but also two other dates, just in case the first date is not available. If you choose to request a change, and then do not wish to take the requested return flight, you WILL be charged the £60 admin fee. However, if we cannot confirm your requested change of return date we will NOT charge you the admin fee.

We will request airlines to seat our group together. If an individual passenger has a specific seat request, some airlines may be able to request it, and some will ask that you try and change it at the airport as changing seats may jeopardise the group seating arrangements. If you let us know of a specific meal request, we will request it from the airline. Please note that meals and seating are not guaranteed by the airlines. Therefore, if you have a special meal request we suggest that you consider bringing some additional snack items in case your request is not provided.

The Government aims to reduce the UK's total CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by the year 2050. Virtually everything that we do - including breathing - leads to CO2 emissions, which means we all must do our bit. The public perception is that aviation accounts for the lion's share of these emissions, but this is not the reality. In actual fact, the Stern report says that it accounts for 1.6% of emissions (however it is more damaging to emit CO2 at altitude, so this is equivalent to 3.2% of all emissions). Even the clothes we wear account for more emissions per person (on average) than flying. By comparison, our houses are the biggest source of emissions, contributing a staggering 25 per cent. However, Charity Challenge is still doing its bit to counter the impact of long haul flying. Each year we invest funds into Climate Care's award-winning portfolio of carbon reduction projects. See our Responsible Tourism pages to find out more.

Tourism is the single biggest service industry in the world (1). Nowadays travel and tourism account for 10.4% percent of the world GDP and 8.2% of total employment worldwide (around 231.2 million jobs) (2). For many developing countries tourism is one of the main income sources and a leading source of foreign exchange in 46 of the 49 Least Developed Countries (3). Therefore, ceasing all travel to these countries would have a disastrous impact on their economies. Any potential solution to global warming comes at a cost - renewable energy, cleaner technologies, waste reduction processes, etc. If we cut back on flying altogether, the global economy would crash and investment in these areas would suffer. We at Charity Challenge believe that the solution lies in reducing our emissions by overhauling our daily lifestyles.
1.    In 2006 international tourism receipts reached US$682.7 billion (Source: World Tourism Organization UNWTO, Tourism Market Trends, 2006).
2.    World Travel and Tourism Council (2007). Travel and Tourism Navigating the Path Ahead. The 2007 Travel & Tourism Economic Research.
3.    UNWTO (2007).

Please note that in 2022 and 2023 due to the aviation and travel industry getting back on its feet after two very difficult years of Covid, and grounded international travel, it is significantly harder to offer any changes to our group dates, i.e. travelling out and back as per the standard itinerary. We therefore recommend that if you wish to deviate at all from the main challenge dates of travel, that you organise your own flights and we will discount your challenge by the budgeted cost of flights for your challenge, less any deposits we have already paid for the group flights. For this reason, you should let us know as early as possible if you wish to organise your own flights.

If you wish to organise your own flights, please put your request in writing to flights@charitychallenge.com and we can confirm the amount that we will be able to refund against the flights.

For more information about organising your own flights, please see below.

The prices quoted for each challenge include return international flights from London to the challenge destination. If for any reason, you would rather organise your own flights, we will (subject to the information below) discount the overall cost of the challenge by the budgeted cost of flights from London (including air taxes). Over 98% of our clients travel with flights organised by Charity Challenge and we assume this to be the case when you book with us. We would ask you to let us know as soon as possible if you intend to organise your own flights, to avoid heavy penalties passed onto us by the airline, which in turn will be passed onto you. 

Once you have confirmed that you wish to organise your own flights, please let us know your new flight schedule so we can inform our in country team. Any other necessary services, such as any additional night’s accommodation, will be at your own expense. Please email challenges@charitychallenge.com.

Please note when organising your own flights to check your travel insurance policy to establish the level of cancellation cover; confirm that your challenge costs plus the cost of your independently booked flights are covered.  

Additional notes from the booking conditions: If you choose to book your own flights you must confirm with Charity Challenge before paying for them, otherwise you may be liable for your included group flights (please contact flights@charitychallenge.com for further assistance). If you are joining the challenge locally (i.e. the country the challenge takes place in) our responsibility does not commence until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. If you fail to arrive there at the appointed time, we shall not be responsible for any additional expenses incurred by you to meet the group.

In all cases, you will have to pay the registration fee at the time of booking. For Self-Funders we will invoice you the balance of the challenge costs less the cost of UK group flights and air taxes.  For Minimum Sponsorship or Flexi Payment Option, participants you will need to raise the same level of sponsorship. We will invoice your charity for the balance of challenge costs less the cost of the group flights and taxes. It will be for the charity to process any refund to you in the form of a revised sponsorship package, at their discretion. Your charity is under no obligation to refund you and the final decision will rest with them in terms of your fundraising agreement. 

Your safety when travelling with Charity Challenge is our main concern which is why it is a booking condition that you have a suitable travel insurance policy that will cover the adventurous nature of your challenge. We have chosen to partner with specialist travel insurance providers Campbell Irvine, who offer cover for an extensive number of adventurous activities.

Cover is available directly from Campbell Irvine for UK residents and includes cover for emergency medical and repatriation and for your cancellation or curtailment of the challenge. Cancellation cover is very important as you need to consider protecting the charity you are raising funds for, as they may be contributing hundreds or thousands of pounds towards your challenge costs. 
You can view further details and buy the policy here.

We appreciate that whilst you may already have your own travel insurance in place, it is not administratively possible for us to vet each and every one of your policies.  It is therefore the responsibility of each client to check that the policy cover they have in place adequately meets their requirements. Please note you can have more than one policy covering the same trip as many of our clients do.
If you are flying directly to join the group in-country, please ensure the period of insurance covers the full duration of your trip for the travelling time to and from your home.

Please see Campbell Irvine FAQs on the new Covid-19 cover here.

Campbell Irvine have launched their new improved cover on the Campbell Irvine Direct policy which includes Medical Expenses and Cancellation cover for Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• Medical emergency treatment overseas and medical repatriation due to an insured client being diagnosed with Covid-19.

• Cancellation cover to reimburse clients for any irrecoverable payments and charges made for travel and accommodation if you have to cancel your trip due to a doctor diagnosing either you, a close relative or your insured travelling companion with Covid-19 and as a result being advised not to travel. 

• Cancellation due to either you or your insured travelling companion’s direct exposure to a close relative being diagnosed with Covid-19 resulting in an order via the NHS Test and Trace programme for you to be medically quarantined and not being able to travel.

• Cancellation or Curtailment cover due to denied boarding of public transport if displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

There are some additional terms and conditions applicable to the new cover which are:

• There is no cover in respect of any travel to a region or country against British FCO advice. Should a client wish to travel to any area contrary to FCO advice then they will not be eligible to purchase this insurance and specialist cover should be arranged with Campbell Irvine. Please note that Charity Challenge will not operate a challenge against FCO advice.
• There is no cover provided if due a second wave there is another ‘lockdown’, either locally, countrywide or in the destination country resulting in you being unable to travel either from your home or to the booked destination. Likewise, if the FCO subsequently advise against travel to destination there would be no cancellation cover under a travel insurance policy for such an event.    

Please see Campbell Irvine FAQs on the new Covid-19 cover here.

We appreciate that some of our participants already have a regular holiday travel insurance policy. Please review your own policy to ensure it fully covers you for the challenge event that you are taking part in, including the adventurous nature of our challenges, e.g. high-altitude trekking, cycling events, use of ropes and harnesses, and so on. Many regular holiday travel insurance policies do not provide cover for some of the activities undertaken on our challenges and will only insure you up to a relatively low altitude when trekking. Even if you already have travel insurance you may wish to consider arranging an additional specialist activity travel insurance to cover your Charity Challenge event with us. 

The way the Charity Challenge trips are funded is unique in the travel market. Your charity can be paying over £1000 towards your challenge costs. If you were to cancel within eight weeks of the departure, the charity would lose a proportion or their whole contribution towards your challenge costs. Please consider arranging an insurance policy to cover these exceptional circumstances (subject to the cancellation terms), including a refund for any challenge costs paid out by the charity after any policy excess has been deducted.  

By arranging specialist activity travel insurance cover which provides adequate medical emergency and evacuation cover, we hope to avoid being faced with a situation where a client is not quickly and effectively repatriated because of inadequate insurance cover. Charity Challenge takes thousands of participants on challenges each year. It would not be feasible to inspect each individual insurance policy to ascertain if it was adequate for all circumstances.

Yes. If you are either travelling to an EU Member Country or are a resident of the EU travelling within it, you should make sure that you have applied for and obtained the European Health Insurance Card or EHIC, which entitles you to treatment under the reciprocal agreements that exist for all EU citizens.

No, it shouldn’t so long as the policy covers the full duration of your trip from the moment you leave your front door until the moment you return back home then flights booked independently should be covered under the cancellation section of your travel insurance policy. Please check your specific policy wording.

The value of domestic flights within your home country should automatically be included within the cancellation section of the policy. Please check your specific policy wording.

No. As cancellation cover commences when you start your trip it would cease when you leave your home in your country of residence. If you then flew to the UK and in the week prior to the challenge departure suffered an injury/illness that meant you couldn't travel on the challenge, the cancellation cover would not be in effect.

The value of upgraded flights should automatically be included within the cancellation section of the policy as long as it is within the maximum level of cancellation cover. Please check your specific policy to establish the level of cancellation cover.

By law (since Brexit), Campbell Irvine are only able to provide travel insurance to UK residents.

Yes, the value of independently booked travel should automatically be included within the cancellation section of the policy. Please check your policy to establish the level of cancellation cover.

No, you should always arrange cover for the full duration of your trip under the one policy.

Campbell Irvine can offer a policy which covers all advertised activities on the challenge itself and on Charity Challenge organised extensions. For the most up to date information please see the itinerary for your challenge/extension on our website. If you are organising your own extension please read your travel insurance policy carefully for any exclusions. In addition, if you are in any doubt that a particular activity you are planning is covered by the recommended policy, please contact your travel insurance provider.

Bicycles are typically excluded from cover. They are normally covered under home contents insurance or specialist cycle policies which can be extended to include cover when away from the home, but you should always confirm this with your insurer.

All defined pre-existing medical conditions should be declared on your Charity Challenge booking form and directly to your travel insurance provider. Your failure to disclose a known medical condition to your travel insurance provider may result in a claim being declined.

Challenges (Un) Limited t/a CHARITY CHALLENGE are an Unregulated Introducer of Campbell Irvine Limited (Company Number:  1117838) who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and whose status can be checked on the FCA Register by visiting www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on +44 (0) 800 111 6768.

Charity Challenge has chosen to work with specialist travel insurance providers Campbell Irvine who have over 40 years’ experience in arranging travel insurance to the far flung and often remote corners of the globe. Campbell Irvine specialise in arranging travel insurance which covers a multitude of activities from trekking at altitude and charity cycle challenges. Whilst many travel insurance providers offer holiday travel insurance which covers a number of activities whilst travelling, Campbell Irvine is aware of the nature of our trip itineraries and can provide cover for guided trekking up to 7,000metres. 

Register yourself onto the challenge via the Charity Challenge website. On the booking form you will have the option to create a team (by adding additional team members to your booking and paying the registration fees for all challengers in your team).

Simply select the number of additional challengers (remember not to include yourself in this total), complete the booking form by completing your personal details, and process the payment for all challengers’ registration fees to reserve your team's places on the challenge.

Yes, all participants need to follow the registration process to be booked onto a challenge (i.e. completing their personal information).

When a team booking is made, the master booker will receive unique booking URL in an email from us.

You can also find the unique booking link in your Charity Challenge Account Area under the Team Bookings tab.  

The person who makes the initial team booking needs to share this URL with their team members in order to link them to the team booking and for their registration fee to be allocated. Please check your junk mail if you can't find the email. 

Team members should be advised to complete their booking ASAP, especially if they are opting for minimum sponsorship or flexi payment, which requires authorisation from the charity – as we want to make sure they have plenty of time to meet their fundraising deadlines for the challenge! 

Any team spaces that have not been completed 15 weeks (for overseas challenges) or 10 weeks (for UK challenges) prior to the challenge departure date will be treated as cancelled under our standard terms and conditions, and the registration fee for that space will be non-refundable.  Please therefore ensure that all team members have completed their booking details as requested.

A team booking is based on two or more participants booking together. There is no limit to maximum team numbers. 

If you are looking to book a team of 15 or more, please call the Charity Challenge office on 0208 346 0500 to discuss your booking in more detail. 

​If you'd like to add additional team member(s) once you've made your initial booking, please contact Charity Challenge on info@charitychallenge.com, making sure to include the name of the additional members you'd like to join your team. 

• Be motivated by the team spirit of tackling a challenge together
• Simplify the process of booking onto a challenge by having all registration fees paid by the master booker
• Guarantee your places on a challenge by booking together
• Ensure you are with your team members in the same group

On all three of our payment options (Self-Funding, Minimum Sponsorship or Flexi), the challenge costs and sponsorship targets are per participant. 

Your team members can choose their own charity and payment option when booking - it doesn't have to be the same as you. 

If you're all fundraising for the same charity and would like to do this as a group, we advise checking with the nominated charity first - and remember that the sponsorship amounts are per person (see below)! 

easyfundraising is an online fundraising platform that lets over 7,000 brands donate to your fundraising target. Whenever you or someone you know shop online, brands send a percentage of what’s been spent to you, giving you an easy and free way of reaching your fundraising target faster. So far, easyfundraising has helped raise over £42M for good causes and charities.

Simply visit www.easyfundraising.org.uk/charity-challenge  and click ‘sign me up’. Remember to put in the charity name that you are raising for! (for example, John Smith – Cancer Research UK’)

Family, friends, or even local businesses need to start their online shop via the easyfundraising website or app first. If they make a purchase, a commission is generated, and easyfundraising turn that into cashback you can put towards your fundraising target – magic! It won’t cost anyone anything extra as the cost is covered by the brand. It’s their way of giving back.

Once signed up, you can input how you receive your cash. You can choose to receive a cheque made out to your charity which you can then forward on or you can add your bank details. Remember though that if you choose to have the monies deposited directly into your account then you MUST deposit this into your fundraising platform as soon as possible.

Payments are made every three months. You will need to reach the £15 minimum threshold in order to be paid. If you haven’t reached that amount in the quarter, don’t worry, it will roll over until you reach that £15 mark.

Whilst we hope this is something that will happen in the future, at the moment, funds can only be paid out as a cheque or deposited into your bank account.

Once your Charity Challenge finishes, so will your Charity Challenge account with easyfundraising close. However, easyfundraising works with thousands of UK charities and causes; that you can continue to support. It still works exactly the same, but the monies will all go directly to your chosen cause or charity.

Please rest assured that if Charity Challenge cannot operate a challenge in the host country due to Covid-19, we will offer you a number of options including the chance to:

• Postpone your challenge to a later departure (this year or next)

• Join any other challenge from our extensive international portfolio 

• Transfer your place to someone else

• Receive a refund of monies paid for the challenge (excluding any admin fees)

Please note there are no admin fees to either postpone or change destinations, should we be forced to cancel your existing challenge due to Covid-19.

If the registration fees are different on your new challenge, we will either invoice you or refund you the difference. Depending on which payment option you have booked with, your balance payment, flexi balance or minimum sponsorship level will need to be adjusted accordingly. This will be clearly explained if changing challenge date or destination.