Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Aarohana Trails ("Aarohana Trails", "we", "our", or "us") ("Aarohana Trails", "we", "our", or "us") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you access our website, submit booking enquiries, subscribe to our newsletter, or communicate with us.

Effective / Last Updated Date: 1 August 2025

1. Data Fiduciary & Operating Identity

For the purposes of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) and applicable Indian information technology rules, the Data Fiduciary operating this website is:

• Brand / Trade Name: Aarohana Trails
• Legal Business Entity: Aarohana Trails
• Registered Office Address: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• Data Protection Inquiries Email: aarohanatrails@gmail.com

2. Personal Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that is strictly necessary to fulfill your trekking reservation enquiries, deliver safety briefings, comply with forest department permit mandates, or send newsletters you have subscribed to.

A. Booking & Reservation Enquiries

• Contact Details: Full Name, WhatsApp / Phone Number, Email Address, and City / Town of residence.
• Trek Participation: Selected departure date, number of participants, and companion names (where provided).
• Safety & Health Disclosures (Special Notes): Voluntary medical disclosures, fitness limitations, allergies, or dietary requirements supplied in the booking notes for trail safety coordination.
• Emergency Contact Information: Primary contact name and phone number for search-and-rescue or medical emergency response.

B. Contact & General Enquiries

• Full Name, Email Address, Phone Number, Subject, and message body submitted via our Contact form.

C. Newsletter Subscriptions

• Email address collected exclusively with your explicit consent to receive trekking guides, trail updates, and editorial articles.

D. Technical & Behavioral Analytics (Optional)

• Anonymized web traffic metrics, device type, approximate geographic region, page view sequences, session durations, and user interface heatmaps (via Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity) to optimize website performance and trail guide readability.

3. How We Process & Use Your Information

• Booking Coordination: To generate unique Booking Reference IDs (e.g. AT-2026-XXXX), manage departure group rosters, and facilitate communication via WhatsApp Business.
• Forest & Trek Permits: To process statutory entry permits with the Karnataka Forest Department or local wildlife authorities where required for protected trails (e.g. Kudremukh, Kumara Parvatha).
• Trail Safety & Medical Preparedness: To equip certified Trek Leaders with essential group medical insights and emergency contact channels before departure.
• Customer Service: To answer inquiries, provide gear preparation advice, and notify participants of weather advisories or road closures.
• Direct Marketing: To send editorial newsletters only when you have subscribed. You may opt out at any time.

4. Booking Flow & Payment Transparency

Aarohana Trails operates a Web-to-WhatsApp Booking Enquiry Process. Please note the following regarding your transactional data:

• Submitting the booking form on this website creates a Reservation Request / Enquiry (Status: NEW_ENQUIRY) and redirects you to WhatsApp Business with your pre-formatted booking details.
• No Credit/Debit Card Storage: We do NOT collect or store payment card numbers, CVVs, or net banking credentials on our web servers.
• Manual UPI & Bank Transfers: Booking deposits and balances are coordinated directly with our verified team over WhatsApp Business via official UPI handles or direct bank transfers.
• A final booking is marked BOOKING_CONFIRMED in our system only after advance payment verification.

5. Third-Party Service Providers & Processors

We share minimal necessary data with trusted service providers under confidentiality commitments:

6. Data Retention & Security Safeguards

• Security: All web traffic is strictly encrypted in transit using Transport Layer Security (TLS 1.3). Database storage employs enterprise-grade AES-256 encryption at rest.
• Access Control: Administrative access to booking records and user submissions is restricted to authenticated administrators and audited via immutable audit logs.
• Retention: General booking records and tax invoices are retained for the statutory period required under Indian financial regulations (typically up to 8 financial years). Non-essential inquiry logs and medical disclosures are reviewed and purged periodically.

7. Data Principal Rights (Under DPDPA 2023)

Subject to statutory exceptions under Indian law, you possess the right to:

• Access & Summary: Request a copy of personal information Aarohana Trails maintains about you.
• Correction & Erasure: Request the correction of inaccurate details or erasure of personal data no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected.
• Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link or contacting us.
• Grievance Redressal: Raise inquiries or complaints regarding our data processing practices directly with our Grievance Officer.

8. Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanism

Pursuant to Rule 4(4) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 and Section 8(10) of the DPDPA, 2023, Aarohana Trails has appointed a designated Grievance Officer:

9. Changes to this Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect regulatory evolutions or operational improvements. Material amendments will be highlighted on this page with an updated effective date.