Here are Heritage Safaris booking terms and policies to help you understand our mode of operation so that your interaction with us more transparent throughout your safari with us. Do read these Terms and Conditions carefully as they set out our respective responsibilities and obligations form the basis of your relationship with us. In our booking terms and conditions, “you” means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date) and “we” and “us” means Heritage Safaris.
PAYMENT:
A deposit of at least 50% of the total amount is due at the time of making a booking with us. This also indicates your confirmation of the safari with us. Bookings must be made before 60 days (of commencement of tour) with 50% payment. Heritage Safaris reserves the right to denounce any Safari bookings made less than 60 days to the day of departure.
Full payment will be expected before 30 days of start date of tour. If the full payment is not made in due time, Heritage Safaris reserves the right to treat the booking as cancelled.
CANCELLATIONS BY US:
Occasionally we hold and reserve rights to cancel confirmed bookings. We always endeavor to avoid cancellations, but we must reserve the right to do so. We shall not cancel your confirmed holiday less than 60 days before departure unless we are forced to do so as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. If we cancel your holiday (except where you have failed to make payment or as a result of force majeure) we shall offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday from us of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. If the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original holiday we shall refund the difference but if it is more expensive, you will have to top up the difference. Except where we cancel for reasons other than those mentioned in this clause, we shall have no further liability to you. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred as a result of any cancellation.
We reserve the right without prior notice, to terminate the holiday of any person in your party/group if, in our opinion or in the opinion of any other person in authority, the persons concerned behave in such a way to cause or be likely to cause danger, annoyance or distress to any third party or damage to property. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation or other service immediately. We shall have no further responsibility towards such person(s). No refunds will be made and we shall not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
CANCELLATIONS BY YOU
Should you or any member of your party be forced to cancel, you must advise us in writing. A cancellation is not effective until we receive a copy of your written notice. To cover our estimated loss caused by the cancellation and as we may be unable to resell your holiday, cancellation fees, excluding insurance, will be levied per person as follows:
A full refund of the deposit will be made if the tour is cancelled 60 days prior the date of departure. 50% of the deposit will be refunded if a tour is cancelled between 60-30 days before the departure date. If a tour is cancelled less than 30 days before the departure date, there will be no refund.
No refunds will be made once a safari has commenced nor will any refund be available in respect of any safaris, accommodation, hires, services or inclusions not utilized.
ACCURACY OF INFORMATION
Information including descriptions and opinions given by us in respect of National Parks, Wildlife sightings, Hotel lodging and accommodation, Safari itineraries, Gorilla and Chimpanzee permits and security are given in good company faith, basing on the latest information available to us. Tight precautions have been taken to promote and ensure the accuracy of the information provided. We cannot accept any liability for any errors or omissions caused by matters beyond our control.
HANDLING COMPLAINTS
Complaints must be reported immediately to our representative or staff and to the supplier of the service(s) in question, who will do their best to resolve any problem. If you remain dissatisfied, please Contact your Safari planner as soon as you can to enable our dedicated team to investigate and resolve matters to your satisfaction. Regrettably, liability for any complaints not notified will not be accepted.
HANDLING UNFORESEEABLE CIRCUMSTANCES
We regret we cannot accept liability or pay compensation where the performance or proper performance of our obligations is prevented or affected by any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, border closures, unexpected government acts, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disaster, extreme weather conditions, fire, road closures, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, dangers incident at sea, land and air travel, and other similar acts or incidents beyond our ability to control.
We outsource hotel accommodations, restaurant services, medical evacuation services and other services from various independent suppliers that are not subject to our control. We 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 we have no control.
GORILLA PERMITS
Only when payment has been received can permits for gorilla tracking in the relevant National Park be purchased. Getting a gorilla permit is not a guarantee of seeing the gorillas. Local conditions sometimes mean that access to the gorillas is made impossible at short notice. We are unable to accept liability for any circumstance that might lead to gorilla viewing being cancelled, whether it is closure of the National Park or borders; absence of the gorillas; security changes. Refunds are at the discretion of the relevant authority and we cannot accept liability for them. We shall use our best endeavors to obtain a refund and if a refund is paid by the relevant authority, we shall pass it on to the client as soon as possible.
Note: Gorilla permit payments should be made and secured early in advance as their demand is very high and chances of seeing the gorillas stand at 98%.
INSURANCE ADVICE
It is advisable that before undertaking a holiday with us, you have appropriate insurance for the type of holiday being taken. Such insurance should fully cover death, personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation in the event of accident or illness or death, cancellation or curtailment of the holiday by side and loss of, damage to, or theft of the clients’ personal property. Activities with a greater inherent risk, such as mountaineering, animal tracking on foot, white water rafting and bungee jumping should be covered.
JURISDICTION
Heritage Safaris is incorporated in the Republic of Rwanda and it operates under the laws of Rwanda.
ACCIDENT OR LOSS
We have no liability for loss, damage, delay, inconvenience, or direct or consequential loss, however caused, unless due to our representative negligence, in which case our liability is limited (except for death or personal injury) to a maximum of the refund of the tour cost.
SAFARI INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Prices provided in the quote include airport transfers; accommodation and meals as per the itinerary; the services of an English-speaking driver/guide and a 4×4 safari vehicle; portage of two items of baggage per person; Emergency evacuation Insurance boat trips; park fees; gorilla and chimpanzee permits where applicable.
Prices Exclude all items of a personal nature such as entry visas, tips, telephone calls, laundry, gifts, airport taxes and all drinks. In Arusha, Kampala, Entebbe or Kigali the prices include bed and breakfast only. Our safari prices cover full board. Our company reserves the right to change the safari services agreed with the client in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as road closures, bad weather, problems with national parks or hotels, security considerations. In such cases alternative arrangements will be made and provided as circumstances permit.
VOLUNTARY EXECUTION
Your advancement of a deposit to Heritage Safaris justifies and certifies that you have carefully read and fully understood the contents of Terms and Conditions, especially those regarding cancellation and refund policies, limitation of liability, and responsibility borne by safari participants. The depositor, his or her family and heirs agree to be bound by the above Terms and Conditions.
Heritage Safaris booking terms are subject to amendment from time to time depending on the prevailing circumstances in the tourism industry worldwide. The valid reservation terms will be those prevailing at your booking time.
Please NOTE that it is the laws and regulations of the country in which services are provided which apply to your holiday arrangements and not those of your home country.