Or they might offer a last-minute special. Internet access makes shopping around at other area lodges easier, giving you a better idea of the going rate. Bartering sometimes works, too. Many lodges will offer a 50 percent discount for legitimate cancellations with the balance going to credit for another trip. Get the policy in writing.
Remote sites can mean big bucks just getting there.
This is the time, also, to confirm arrival and departure times and policies. There is no guide training school against which you can measure someone's credentials. However, you can ask questions about what the guides will or will not do and what they know. This is a good time to ask if the lodge has a recommended tipping policy. The emphasis here is on exactly.