Late Cancellations, No Shows & Priority Policy

We love adventure, fresh air, and good vibes — but nothing ruins a perfectly planned hike faster than last-minute chaos. So yes, Sole Mates has a strict policy on late cancellations and no shows.
Not because we’re mean… but because we like our organisers to survive the hiking season.

Why This Matters

Every hike you see on the calendar is handcrafted — scouted, researched, permitted, posted, WhatsApp-grouped, and polished by volunteers who probably should have been lawyers with this level of admin energy.

We don’t repeat venues endlessly. We try to keep things fresh and exciting, which means:

• limited-permit locations,

• small group sizes,

• and hikers eagerly waiting for a spot.

So when someone cancels late or doesn’t show up, a fellow hiker loses out — and an organiser starts wondering whether to call search and rescue.

We get it — life happens.
That’s why you get one forgiven Late Cancellation in any two-month window.
After that… things get interesting.

A Friendly Reminder About Time

The African heat doesn’t wait.
The trail doesn’t wait.
And honestly… neither do we.
Please arrive on time so we can all enjoy the day (and beat the sun to the good parts).

The Policies

Single Late Cancellation

You get one free pass.
It stays on record for that month and the next, but we won’t hold it against you. We’ve all had those weeks.

Multiple Late Cancellations

Now we enter the “consequences” part.

If you develop a habit of cancelling late, you can still sign up for hikes — but you may lose your spot if the hike fills up.
Reliable hikers get priority because, well… they actually show up.

Think of it as economy seating: you’re on the plane unless it overbooks.

Single No Show

Now this one’s serious.

A No Show means:

• blacklisting for the rest of the month, and

• the entire following month

No sign-ups during this time — you’ll automatically be moved to Not Going.
We do this because safety matters and disappearing on a hike morning makes organisers age prematurely.

Multiple No Shows

A No Show stays on your record for 24 months — like a cautionary tale on your hiking CV.

• 2nd No Show: Same blacklisting as the first

• 3rd No Show: Removal from the Sole Mates Meetup group and a permanent ban

Three strikes, and the mountain gods themselves can’t help.

Guests & Their Cancellations

Bringing guests? Awesome — but their behaviour counts as your behaviour.

If a guest cancels late or doesn’t show, it goes on your record as a late cancellation.
Choose your hiking companions wisely.

Final Note

Sole Mates reserves the right to adjust these policies whenever needed — to keep things fair, safe, and fun for everyone (including the volunteers who make the magic happen).