ENCOUNTER AFRICA SAFARIS TERMS & CONDITIONS

Reservations are accepted after we receive an initial 20% deposit of the total cost per person per tour and the full payment for gorilla tracking and chimp tracking permits for each tour participant were applicable. Reservations are confirmed when we contact you. The remainder of the cost of the tour is due 6 weeks prior to the departure date. If your reservation is made within 60 days of departure, the entire cost of the tour must be paid at the time of confirmation. Failure to deliver complete payment at least 60 days prior to departure will be considered notification of cancellation by default and is subject to cancellation charges as stated below. Encounter Africa Safaris Limited reserves the right to deny participation to anyone whom it deems unsuitable for a tour.

CHANGING TOURS

Any such changes made less than 60 days prior to departure are subject to Encounter Africa Safaris Limited cancellation fees.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellations received will be subject to the following forfeit of tour cost:

• 61 days and above 20% of the tour cost
• 46-60 days 40% of tour cost
• 31-45 days 60% of tour cost
• 0-30 days 100% of tour cost

Cancellation fees are based on the date your written notification is received at Encounter Africa Safaris Ltd Limited by email.

GORILLA PERMIT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Gorilla Permits cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US$800 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actually pay for the permits at the Wildlife Authority Offices

Cancellations received

• More than 90 days before the tracking date 25% cancellation fee
• 46 to 90 days before the tracking date 50% cancellation fee
• 9 to 45 days before the tracking date 75% cancellation fee
• 0 to 8 days before the tracking date 100% cancellation fee

Percentages are based on the full current permit price.

UGANDA CHIMP PERMIT CANCELLATION POLICY (SEPARATE FROM MAIN TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY)

Chimpanzee Tracking Permits cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US$250 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actually pay for the permits at the Wildlife Authority Offices

Cancellations received

• More than 46 days before the tracking date 50% cancellation fee
• 31 to 45 days before the tracking date 75% cancellation fee
• 0 to 30 days before the tracking date 100% cancellation fee

Percentages are based on the full current permit price.

RWANDA GORILLA PERMIT CANCELLATION POLICY (SEPARATE FROM MAIN TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY)

Gorilla Permits cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US$1500 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actually pay for the permits at the Wildlife Authority Offices.

Cancellations received

• More than 46 days before the tracking date 50% cancellation fee
• 0 to 45 days before the tracking date 100% cancellation fee

Percentages are based on the full current permit price.

GROUP DEPARTURES

Our group departures run on a minimum participation of 2 clients. If we do not achieve this number on a particular departure by 60 days before the departure, you will be given the option to carry on with the tour privately, and bear the extra costs of doing this. If you do not wish to take up this option, the trip will be cancelled, and your deposit will be returned in full.

CLAIMS AND REFUNDS

Except for verifiable extenuating circumstances, refunds are not made for any missed tour services. Please see below our Limits of Responsibility. For verifiable claims to be considered, they must be received in writing within 30 days of the termination of the tour. Any adjustment considered will be based on the actual cost of the services involved and not on a per diem basis. Adjustments will not be made for unused sightseeing trips or meals.Encounter Africa Safaris Limited will not accept liability for any claims that are not received in writing within 30 days of the termination of a tour.

EXPENSES COVERED AND NOT COVERED

The details of what your trip price includes and does not include are given on the “Dates and Prices” page for each tour.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Unless a specific accommodation is requested, we reserve or recommend the best available, reasonably priced, charming hotels/lodges with private bath, hot water, good service and value. Prices are based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Encounter Africa Safaris Limited reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotels. If a hotel of equivalent standard is not available, we reserve the right to substitute the next best quality hotel. A refund may apply in this case.

We make every effort to arrange shared accommodations for single travellers when requested to do so. If the request cannot be honored, the quoted single supplement will apply.

PHOTOGRAPHY ON TOUR

Encounter Africa Safaris Limited reserves the right to take photographic images of individual participants to use for commercial promotion. Tour members who prefer that their image not be used are asked to identify themselves to their tour escort at the start of the tour.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

Good physical and mental health is essential for the enjoyment of these active, outdoors tours. You may travel in rugged areas removed from modern medical facilities. Good physical conditioning is recommended as preparation for all tours, especially those involving trekking. By forwarding the deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any physical or other condition of disability that would create a hazard for himself/herself or other passengers.

It is essential that any participant with a medical condition requiring regular treatment or which may be affected by vigorous activity, high altitude, heat, cold, other natural phenomenon, or particular foods, notifies Encounter African Safaris Limited and the tour leaders, in writing in advance of travel. Encounter Africa Safaris Limited assumes no liability for medical care or for special dietary requirements. Participants may be required to furnish a doctor’s statement of good health.The judgment of Encounter African Safaris Limited, or the local operator or guide, shall make the ultimate determination of an individual tour participant’s fitness to embark upon, or to continue a tour. Once a tour has been confirmed medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. All participants must be covered by a current medical insurance policy applicable for overseas travel for the duration of their tour. Proof of coverage may be required.

LIMITS ON ENCOUNTER AFRICA SAFARIS LIMITED RESPONSIBILITY

Encounter Africa Safaris Limited purchases transportation, hotel accommodations, restaurant services, medical evacuation services and other services from various independent suppliers that are not subject to its control. Encounter Africa Safaris Limited cannot therefore be liable for any death, personal injury, property damage or other loss that may occur due to any act or omission of any such supplier, or by reason of any other event over which it has no control. Encounter African Safaris Limited reserves the right to revise US Dollar prices without notice to reflect marked increases in foreign exchange or tariff rates.

Encounter Africa Safaris Limited also reserves the right to withdraw a tour or any part of it, to make such alterations in the itinerary as it deems necessary or desirable, to refuse to accept or retain as a member of any tour any person at any time, and to pass on to tour members any expenditure or losses caused by delays or events beyond its control. Depending on the itinerary you have selected, optional activities will be available at some of the places you will visit. Some of these activities carry with them the inherent risk of serious personal injury. These activities include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Walking tours
• Horseback tours
• Canoe, boat and white-water rafting trips
• Primate tracking
• Hiking

You should be aware that your personal safety cannot be guaranteed. Should you decide to participate in such activities while you are on tour, you are, of course, free to do so. However, you must understand that such participation will be at your own risk and that Encounter Africa Safaris Ltd assumes no responsibility for your safety. Encounter Africa Safaris Limited is not responsible for acts of God, fire, acts of governments or other authorities, wars, civil disturbances, riots, terrorist acts, strikes, thefts, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, dangers incident to sea, land and air travel, and other similar acts or incidents beyond its ability to control.

PRIMATE TRACKING

There is a possibility that an individual traveler may be prohibited from tracking on the day of a scheduled excursion because of an illness that might be transmitted to the or for some other health-related condition. Only travelers in good health are permitted to track primates, and the decision whether or not a traveler will be allowed to participate in a primate tracking excursion will be made on the day of the excursion by the local guides and trackers, whose decision in such matters is final.

No guarantee can be made that primates will be seen on any primate tracking tour. In light of the foregoing, each traveler should be made aware that in the event that they prohibited from visiting the primates because of ill health, the cost of the primate tracking permit and all of the other costs associated with the trip to the primate tracking area (including air fare, hotel accommodation costs, etc.) are not refundable for any reason in the event that primates are not seen on a primate tracking tour. The minimum age limit for gorilla tracking participants is 15 years.

TRAVELLER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

Tour members are responsible for understanding the conditions implied in our Terms and Conditions and trip itinerary, and selecting a trip which is appropriate to their interests and abilities; for preparing for the trip by studying the trip itinerary and supplemental trip information sent by Encounter African Safaris; for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as advised by Encounter Africa Safaris Limited; for following normal standards of personal hygiene in order to lessen risk of travelers’ diseases, as advised by the trip leader; for following normal social behavior patterns with fellow trip members; for acting in an appropriate and respectful manner in accordance with the customs of countries visited; for completing the itinerary as scheduled (or as adjusted in the field as necessary). At the leader’s discretion, a member may be asked to leave the trip if the leader feels the person’s further participation may be detrimental to other trip members or to the individual.

KNOWING AND VOLUNTARY EXECUTION

Payment of a deposit to Encounter Africa Safaris Limited certifies that agents/tour participants have carefully read and fully understand the contents of the Terms and Conditions, especially those regarding cancellation and refund policies, limitation of liability, and responsibility borne by trip participants. On the advance of a deposit to Encounter Africa Safaris Limited the depositor, his or her family and heirs agree to be bound by the above Terms and Conditions.