Privacy Policy

Volcanoes Hiking Guides LLC respects the privacy of our guests, website visitors and people who contact us. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use and share it, how long it may be retained and the choices available to you.
 

This policy applies when you:
 

• Visit volcanoeshikingguides.com

• Contact us through a website form or Wix Chat

• Contact us by email, phone or text

• Make or manage a direct reservation

• Participate in one of our guided experiences

• Provide dietary, accessibility or safety-related information

• Submit feedback, a testimonial, photograph or other content
   

Reservations made through an independent booking platform are also subject to that platform’s privacy policy.

Information We Collect

The information we receive depends on how you interact with Volcanoes Hiking Guides. It may include:
 

• Your name

• Email address

• Telephone number

• Reservation number

• Selected experience

• Tour date and start time

• Number of participants

• Participant names and ages, where needed

• Questions or special requests

• Dietary restrictions and food allergies

• Accessibility or mobility information

• Relevant health or respiratory information you choose to provide

• Emergency contact information

• Payment status and limited transaction information

• Messages related to an inquiry or reservation

• Feedback, reviews or testimonials

• Photographs or other content submitted to us

When one adult books for several people, that person should provide only the information reasonably necessary to manage the reservation and prepare for the hike. The booking contact should make sure they are authorized to share information about the other participants.

Information You Should Not Send

Please do not send unnecessary sensitive information through our website form, Wix Chat, ordinary email or text message.

Do not send:
 

• Social Security numbers

• Account passwords

• Passport or driver’s-license copies unless specifically requested for a legitimate reason

• Complete medical records

• Full payment-card numbers

• Bank-account credentials

• Sensitive documents unrelated to your reservation
   

Please provide only the practical health, dietary or accessibility information needed for your hiking experience.

Booking and Payment Information

Direct online and telephone reservations are processed through FareHarbor.
 

When you make or manage a reservation, Volcanoes Hiking Guides may receive information such as:
 

• Booking and contact information

• Participant information

• The selected experience, date and start time

• The amount charged

• Payment status

• The last four digits of the payment card

• Cancellation, refund or booking-credit information

• Messages associated with the reservation
   

If you pay by telephone, Jennifer Bell may enter your card information directly into FareHarbor while speaking with you. Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not write down or separately save the complete card number. After the transaction is processed, Jennifer can see only limited payment information, such as the last four digits and transaction details.
 

Never send a payment-card number through the website contact form, Wix Chat, email or text message.
 

FareHarbor maintains its own systems and privacy practices. Information submitted through FareHarbor is also governed by the FareHarbor Privacy Statement.
 

Website Forms and Wix Chat

Our website is hosted on Wix. When you submit a contact form or use Wix Chat, we may receive information such as your:
 

• First and last name

• Email address

• Telephone number, if requested

• Message

• Tour preference

• Preferred date

• Group size

• Special requests
   

This information is used to respond to your inquiry, provide information about our experiences and assist with a reservation.
 

Form submissions and chat messages may be stored in Wix, Wix Contacts or CRM tools, and the business email account. Jennifer and authorized website administrators or contractors may access Wix information when needed to operate, maintain or update the website.

Wix handles information according to its own Privacy Policy.

Cookies and Website Analytics

Wix and services used to operate the website may process technical information, including:
 

• IP address

• Browser and device type

• Operating system

• Date and time of access

• Pages viewed

• General geographic area

• Referral source

• Website interaction and diagnostic information

• Security and fraud-prevention information

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function securely and cannot be disabled through the website’s cookie controls.

We also use Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use the website. Google Analytics may collect information about website visits, devices, sessions and approximate location. We use this information to understand website performance and improve the visitor experience.
 

Where consent is required, Analytics cookies are used only after you accept them through the website’s cookie banner. You can accept or reject non-essential cookies through that banner. You may also manage cookies through your browser settings, although disabling essential cookies may affect how the website works.
 

Google handles information collected through its services according to the Google Privacy Policy.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not currently use advertising pixels or session-recording tools on the website. This policy will be updated if those practices change.
 

How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:
 

• Answer questions and inquiries

• Process and manage reservations

• Send booking confirmations

• Provide preparation, meeting and parking instructions

• Communicate schedule, location, park or route changes

• Discuss whether an experience may be suitable

• Prepare for dietary needs or food allergies

• Respond to accessibility requests

• Address relevant safety concerns

• Contact guests about day-of-tour matters

• Process booking changes, cancellations, refunds or credits

• Maintain transaction and business records

• Prevent fraud or misuse

• Resolve complaints or payment disputes

• Respond to incidents and insurance matters

• Meet legal, accounting, tax and regulatory obligations

• Protect guests, guides, the business and park resources

We use personal information only for purposes reasonably connected with why it was collected or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
 

Health, Accessibility, Dietary and Emergency Information

You may voluntarily tell us about a food allergy, dietary requirement, mobility limitation, respiratory condition, accessibility need or other health-related concern relevant to the hike.
 

We may use this information to:
 

• Discuss whether a particular experience may be appropriate

• Respond to an accessibility request

• Prepare included food

• Give the assigned guide information relevant to the experience

• Plan for a safety concern

• Respond during an emergency or incident

When an experience includes food, the minimum information needed to accommodate an allergy or dietary requirement may be shared with the provider preparing the food.
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides is not a healthcare provider and does not provide medical advice or clearance. Guests should speak with an appropriate healthcare professional if they have questions about whether they can safely participate.
 

Emergency contact information is collected for all tours and may be stored in FareHarbor and the electronic participant form. Jennifer may provide relevant emergency information to the assigned guide, emergency responders, park personnel or another appropriate person if it is needed during an incident.
 

Information Shared With an Assigned Guide

Jennifer may share the booking contact’s phone number and relevant tour information with the guide assigned to that experience. This may include limited information about dietary needs, accessibility, mobility or a safety concern.
 

Information is shared only when it is relevant to the guide’s work with that guest or group. Because ordinary text messaging may be used, the information may remain in the guide’s message history after the hike unless it is deleted.
 

Email, Phone and Text Communications

We may retain communications related to:

• Questions and reservations

• Meeting or preparation instructions

• Schedule, route or location changes

• Cancellations, refunds or booking credits

• Customer service

• Complaints or payment disputes

• Safety matters or incidents

Communications may take place through website forms, Wix Chat, Gmail, FareHarbor, phone, text message or the independent platform through which the reservation was made.
 

We do not currently operate promotional email or SMS campaigns. Jennifer may occasionally send a non-promotional eruption photograph to a past guest. If you do not want to receive nonessential follow-up messages, reply to the message or contact us and ask us to stop.

Operational messages needed to manage an active reservation may still be sent.
 

When We Share Personal Information

We may share personal information when reasonably necessary to operate the business, manage a reservation, provide the booked experience, process a payment or refund, respond to an incident or meet a legal obligation.

Recipients may include:
 

Wix:

Wix hosts the website and supports its forms, chat, contacts, technical operation and security.
 

FareHarbor and Payment Services:

FareHarbor and connected payment services process information needed to create reservations, accept payments, manage bookings, issue refunds and send booking communications.
 

Google:

Google services may process business emails, website analytics and information associated with embedded Google services.
 

Assigned Guides:

An assigned guide may receive contact details and limited practical information needed to prepare for and provide the experience.
 

Authorized Website and IT Contractors:

Authorized contractors may access limited Wix or website information when needed to maintain, update or troubleshoot the website. They do not routinely have access to FareHarbor or the business Gmail account.
 

Independent Booking Platforms:

If you book through a platform such as Viator, GetYourGuide or Civitatis, information may be exchanged with that platform to manage the reservation, customer service, changes, cancellations, refunds or disputes.
 

Food Providers:

If food is included, relevant allergy or dietary information may be shared with the provider preparing the food.
 

Professional Service Providers:

Information may be shared when reasonably necessary with accountants, tax professionals, insurers, attorneys, fraud-prevention services or other providers supporting legitimate business operations.
 

Legal, Safety and Emergency Recipients:

Information may be disclosed when reasonably necessary to:
 

• Comply with applicable law or legal process

• Respond to an emergency

• Contact emergency responders or park personnel

• Protect the safety of guests, guides or others

• Investigate suspected fraud

• Address an insurance matter

• Establish, exercise or defend a legal claim

Service providers and independent platforms may process information in the United States or other locations where they operate, subject to their own privacy practices.

No Sale of Personal Information

Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not:
 

• Sell or rent personal information

• Exchange personal information for money or another benefit

• Give guest contact details to another company for that company’s unrelated marketing

• Participate in a shared tourism marketing list

We also do not upload guest messages or booking information to artificial-intelligence services for writing, analysis or customer service.
 

Guest Photographs and Video

Guides may take photographs or video during an experience. These may be provided to guests, kept as part of the company’s internal media collection or published through:
 

• The Volcanoes Hiking Guides website

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Google Business Profile

• Other business marketing materials

Permission for public use is obtained through the optional photo and media authorization in the participant form. Guests may decline that authorization without affecting their ability to participate.
 

For a participant who is a minor, the photo or media authorization must be completed by a parent or legal guardian.
 

Reviews and Testimonials

We may display a review or testimonial when:
 

• The guest has given permission

• The guest submitted it for publication

• It was already posted publicly and its use is consistent with the relevant platform’s terms

A review may be shortened for length or clarity without intentionally changing its meaning. Private contact details, health information or other sensitive information from a private message will not be included in a published testimonial.

How Long We Keep Information

Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not currently operate a fixed automatic deletion schedule.
 

Completed reservation records in FareHarbor, messages in Gmail and inquiries stored through Wix may remain in those systems without a preset expiration date. Incident reports may be retained separately on a business computer.
 

Information may be retained for purposes including:
 

• Reservation and customer-service records

• Accounting and tax requirements

• Insurance matters

• Safety or incident documentation

• Fraud prevention

• Payment disputes

• Legal claims

• Other legitimate business or legal needs

Information may remain until it is manually deleted, the applicable service provider removes it or a different retention practice is adopted. A deletion request may not be completed when the information is still needed for one of the purposes described above or must be retained by law.
 

How We Protect Information

We use reasonable measures appropriate to the information we handle. These include limiting account access, using password-protected accounts, relying on established website, booking and payment providers and avoiding unnecessary collection of sensitive information.

FareHarbor and the business Gmail account are accessible only to Jennifer. Wix access is limited to Jennifer and authorized website administrators working on the site. Guides do not share company account passwords.
 

No website, email account, payment system or electronic storage method can be guaranteed completely secure. Please avoid sending sensitive information through ordinary email, text, website chat or contact forms when it is not necessary.
 

If we become aware of a security incident involving personal information, we will investigate and provide notifications where required by applicable law.
 

Information About Children

The website and online booking process are intended for adults arranging guided experiences.
 

Children under 13 should not submit personal information directly through the website. A parent or legal guardian may provide limited information about a participating child when needed for a reservation, including:
 

• Name

• Age

• Dietary requirement

• Accessibility need

• Relevant safety information

A child’s personal email address or phone number is not required for booking, and Volcanoes Hiking Guides does not communicate directly with children under 13.
 

If a parent or guardian believes a child submitted personal information directly without appropriate permission, they may contact us to request that it be reviewed or deleted.
 

Your Privacy Choices

You may contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides to:
 

• Ask about personal information associated with you

• Request correction of inaccurate information

• Request deletion of information that is no longer needed

• Ask us to stop sending nonessential communications

• Ask a question about this Privacy Policy

Depending on where you live and the circumstances, applicable law may provide additional privacy rights.
 

We may need to verify your identity before disclosing, correcting or deleting information. We may also retain records needed for an active reservation, payment, tax or accounting requirement, insurance matter, safety incident, fraud-prevention purpose, dispute or legal claim.
 

To submit a privacy request, email:
 

volcanoeshikingguides@gmail.com

Use the subject line:

Privacy Request
 

Please include your name, booking reference if relevant, enough information to identify the record and a clear description of your request. Do not include payment-card numbers, passwords or extensive medical information.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may link to independent services, including:
 

• FareHarbor

• National Park Service websites

• Mapping services

• Review platforms

• Social-media platforms

• Independent booking marketplaces

These services operate under their own privacy policies and security practices. Information you submit directly to an independent website is handled according to that website’s terms and privacy policy.
 

Business Transfers

If Volcanoes Hiking Guides is sold, merged, reorganized or transferred to another owner, business records containing personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction where permitted by law. The new owner would be responsible for handling that information in accordance with applicable legal obligations.
 

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our website technology, booking systems, service providers, business practices or legal obligations change.
 

The current version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.

Contact Volcanoes Hiking Guides

For privacy questions or requests, contact:
 

Volcanoes Hiking Guides LLC
Email: volcanoeshikingguides@gmail.com
Phone: (808) 491-9022
Website: https://www.volcanoeshikingguides.com

For privacy requests, use the email subject:

Privacy Request