What type of Vehicles are Suitable for the tour

At a minimum, your vehicle will need the following items:

• Currently registered and insured

• Good operational condition

• 2 speed transfer case (High and Low Range 4wd)

• Front and Rear Recovery points

• Full size spare tire (or close to full size)

• Navigation System

• Communication, GMRS preferred
  
  Thats it - a bone stock vehicle will come out and do fine! Any modification beyond that is up to you. We build routes around our lowest common denominator. If you are unsure about any of this, please contact us and we will sort you out.

What should I bring on the tour

This one is lengthy! It depends! Some people are happy if they pack like ultralight backpackers (This is the way!) and other people want to bring some creature comforts. It is easy to overpack, but it is also easy to do more with less.

Lets break it into to categories.

Vehicle

• Copy of registration and insurance

• Navigation System

• Communication System

• A method to air down

We encourage - but do not require - the following

• 5 gallons of extra fuel

• Rated hitchlink if you do not have rear recovery points

• A method to air up

• Extended breather lines

Personal

• Breakfast and lunch for each day

• Personal hydration

• Personal medicine, toiletries

• Weather appropriate clothing

• Trash bags

• Camping tent or vehicle sleep setup

• Weather appropriate sleeping bag

  • The Ozarks are a ‘wet’ style cold

  • We encourage having a bag liner handy!

  • Summer - 45-60 degree bag

  • Fall - 25 degree bag

  • Winter - 0 degree bag

  • Spring - 25 degree bag

• Camp chairs

Are meals provided

We provide a snack and dinner each night at camp. Sometimes dinner and dessert instead of a snack. We always pack 10 gallons of fresh water to share as needed.

Dinner will be designed around dietary needs. Side salads and one side provided with the main entrée. Example dinners are;

• Lasagna

• Shepherds Pie

• Enchiladas

• Pulled Pork

• Hamburger Steak

• Special Requests!

Is prior offroad driving experience required

In short, no. We do recommend having some working knowledge on the 4wd systems of your vehicle. We offer ‘coaching’ on tours and will always attempt to stop a situation before it becomes damaging to the trail or a vehicle. If you are concerned - join us on a training/tour combo or just for a training!

Are there age restrictions

Every driver must have a license - learners permits do not count. Other than that, our permit is structured so that we have to count any person - 3 years old or 83 years old - as part of the tour.

What happens if my vehicle breaks down during the tour

Short answer - we will do our best to revive your vehicle and continue on the tour. If that is not possible, we will do our best to move the vehicle to a paved road in a location with cellular service.

Is there cell phone reception during the tour

This is completely location dependent! We have some campsites that have 5GUW and some that even Starlink has trouble with. We will do our best to inform you ahead of time so you can touch base with loved ones when the time is right. Often times we have back office work to do, so its never frowned upon. Also, some of us have young kiddos or grandkiddos at home, so a quick facetime is ALWAYS appreciated.

Are pets allowed

Politely mannered animals are welcome. But understand that they will be experience higher than normal seat time and that can lead to some cranky pets.

What happens with inclement weather

Check out the three levels of fun. Inclement weather runs somewhere between two and three. We will venture forth, maybe do some reroutes if the water level is rising, and pick some campsites that do not risk widow makers or floods.

Do we offer custom/private tours

Definitely! We love custom jobs. Contact us for any requests you may have!

Why do you have minimum and maximum vehicle limits

These limits change between trips. We have limits on the number of vehicles on trail set by our permit as well as a client/staff vehicle ratio to maintain. We believe in small group travel to create 1)less environmental damage and 2) a more authentic experience.

What is the client:staff ratio

We maintain a maximum 8:1 ratio on recreational events and 5:1 on commercial and DoD/EMS events. On some of the more involved trainings and tours we bring more staff in to reduce the ratio to 4:1 and 2:1 respectively.

Are there safety briefings or training sessions before a tour

Yes! We have a morning pow-wow over tread lightly, leave no trace and general driver safety. You can also take one of our courses to get a full session of training!

Discounts

Discounts for teachers, active duty/retired Military, EMS, Fire Fighters and LEO are available. Reach out to us for more information.

Refund/Cancellation Policy

Cancellations made more than 30 days before the scheduled tour or training date will be eligible for an 80% refund of the total tour fee.

Cancellations made within 30 days but more than 7 days before the scheduled tour or training date will be eligible for a 50% refund of the total tour fee.

Cancellations made within 7 days of the scheduled tour or training date will not be eligible for any refund.

If a trip is cancelled by Ozark4x4 for any reason, clients will be offered a refund and/or credit towards a future trip.

Please note:

• All cancellations and requests for refunds must be communicated via email or phone and confirmed by our team.

• Reschedules are subject to availability and must be redeemed within one year from the original tour date.

• Any non-refundable costs incurred by us for reservations, permits, or other expenses related to the tour will be deducted from the refund amount or may not be applicable to reschedule redemption.

• If the original guide/trainer for the trip is unable to fulfill their duties for the entirety of the trip and no suitable replacement can be found, Ozark4x4 will prorate a refund based on the number of field days completed.