The following terms and conditions apply to all bookings made through Tontu Safaris.

Provisional booking

All bookings made by us will be considered provisional until availability has been confirmed and the required deposit has been received. Should your requested safari or the preferred accommodation or travel dates be unavailable at the time of your booking, we will try to find a suitable similar alternative for you. A rate amendment may result from such an alternative.

Rates amendments

Tontu Safaris reserves the right to amend the quoted rate in the event of preferred accommodation being unavailable, fluctuations in exchange rate, or unforeseen price increases by third party suppliers such as the National Parks Board, accommodation providers or the government.

Deposit

A deposit of 30% of the full price is required at the time of making your booking. On certain bookings or special offers, a deposit of 50% may be required. If we fail to receive your deposit within 7 days, your provisional reservation will lapse. A booking can only be confirmed once we have received the deposit.

Balance

The balance is payable at least 6 weeks (45 days) prior to departure. If you are booking within 7 weeks of departure, the full price will be payable at the time of making your booking where this includes National Parks. All transaction fees, including wire transfer costs, cash deposit fees, foreign exchange conversion fees and bank routing fees are payable by you in addition to the tour / holiday costs. The full quoted amount needs to clear into our account. We only accept payment by bank transfer.

Your contract and protection as customer

You are contracting with Tontu Ltd (our UK company) or Tontu Safari Tours and Travel Ltd. (our Tanzanian company). These are separate legal entities, operating as one brand.

Cancellation fees

Should you need to cancel your booking or any part of it for any reason, the following cancellation fees will apply, regardless of the reason for cancellation:

• Cancellation more than 60 days prior to departure - 15% of the full price (half of the 30% deposit)
• Cancellation 60 days or less prior to departure - 30% of the full price (full deposit)
• Cancellation 30 days or less prior to departure - 75% of the full price
• Cancellation 14 days or less prior to departure - 100% of the full price

Important Note: Third parties that we have paid already (any lodge, hotel or other supplier) may have higher cancellation penalties, in which case the third party’s cancellation policy will apply.

Your travel plans are made entirely at your own risk and Tontu Safaris will not accept responsibility for any missed flights, flight cancellations, delays, lost baggage, transport or traffic delays, bad weather, illness, family matters or any other circumstances that may necessitate cancellation or amendments to your travel plans. Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place to cover for any eventuality.

Changes to confirmed bookings

Changes to confirmed bookings can be requested but they may result in a rate amendment (e.g. a change of dates may result in a change of rates). Changes will only be made if the change is possible and does not inconvenience other clients.

Changes made by us

Every effort will be made to provide the accommodation, services and activities as described and quoted to you. In the unlikely event that unforeseen circumstances necessitate a change in the program, we will notify you as soon as is reasonably possible and discuss suitable alternatives with you. We cannot be held responsible for adverse weather conditions, traffic problems, vehicle breakdowns or any other unforeseen circumstances that may lead to the cancellation of certain activities. We reserve the right to change accommodation, vehicles, transport, meals and other program details as conditions dictate, and will always aim to offer an alternative of similar value should any changes be necessary.

Refund policy

Certain activities on your itinerary may be weather dependent, and might have to be cancelled if the weather is not suitable, or for another reason. Examples might include Serengeti hot air balloon flights, Kilimanjaro Mountain climbing, snorkeling and diving, bush dinners, etc.

• If it is possible to reschedule the activity to another day on your itinerary, we will try that first (in partnership with the supplier of the activity). Normally there will be no additional cost to reschedule to another day, unless there are price differences outside of our control such as a change to high season rates by the supplier.
• If it is not possible to reschedule, we will attempt to secure a refund or partial refund from the supplier or third party operator, on your behalf.
• If the supplier does not offer a refund, we will not be able to offer you any refund either. Some suppliers are known to offer no refunds at all for weather cancellations. This is one reason why you should purchase comprehensive travel insurance as we cannot then be held liable.
• For those suppliers where we are able to secure some kind of refund, we will refund to you whatever nett amount we were able to secure from the supplier, less 5% admin fees to cover our transaction costs. Please be aware upfront that you will not receive a full refund for any cancelled activity.
• For missed flights or transfers, late arrivals or no-shows, and last-minute cancellations or amendments requested by you, no refund will be made. Please ensure that you have comprehensive travel insurance in place with minimal excess.
• Refunds can only be made in the currency you paid by bank transfer, and transaction costs may be deducted by your bank. Fluctuations in exchange rate may cause the amount you receive in your currency to be less than you expected, or what you originally paid.

Excluded items and spending money

Please take careful note of what is included and what is excluded from the price. Your quote and booking confirmation will stipulate which items are included and excluded in the price. There are no hidden fees. Unless otherwise stated, items that are normally excluded are your international flights, airport taxes, visas and border crossing costs, certain meals / special drinks, alcoholic drinks, personal expenses, gratuities and optional extra activities. Please ensure that you have enough spending money in cash to pay for these items as needed. Payment for optional extras can be made in cash or in some cases by credit card at most hotels. Credit cards are accepted widely but not everywhere. Foreign currency can readily be exchanged at the airport and in most banks. Tanzanian Shillings are available at ATM's using your bank card. USD is the prefered currency in Zanzibar hotels / activity centres but TSH are accepted by local taxis and shops and in most places in Dar es Salaam and Arusha. Tipping is a big part of the Tanzanian experience and is much appreciated since local salaries are low. 10,000 TSH is a welcome gift amounting to only around £3.37 (Sept 2018) but will be well received by general staff and service people. It is customary to tip your guide in USD or multiples of 10,000 TSH if you received good service, but not compulsory. Your booking confirmation and safari info sheet will contain guidelines and more details.

Insurance

All clients are required to arrange their own comprehensive travel insurance and medical emergency insurance. Failure to do so will not influence our cancellation and refunds policy. We advise you to take note of the details of your insurance policy to ensure that it covers any eventuality. Please add your insurance details on the booking form. 

Health requirements

Please consult with your travel clinic or doctor regarding vaccinations such as Hep A, Typhoid and Tetanus. We recommend that you take anti-malaria tablets as prescribed by your doctor, pharmacist or travel clinic. If you suffer from any medical conditions that may affect you or your participation on this safari, please inform us about this on your booking form. You are responsible for bringing any prescription medication you may need. We accept no responsibility for any medical conditions, illnesses or related incidents that may occur during your safari, even if we have been fully informed about your condition. 

Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory to travellers arriving from Yellow fever endemic countries. 

Indemnity

Tontu Safaris and its staff accept no liability or responsibility for any damage, injury or loss of any kind whatsoever, including but not limited to death, disability, injury, property theft or damage, missed flights, missed accommodation, cancellation of your safari or any other such incident as may arise on your safari. By completing this form and booking your safari you agree that you are aware of the inherent risks associated with travel and you further agree to indemnify Tontu Safaris from any claim or liability which may result from any kind of loss, injury or accident which may occur during or after or as a result of your safari. You are participating on this safari entirely at your own risk. Please ensure you have adequate health insurance and travel insurance in place to cover any eventuality.

Travel documents

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all your necessary travel documents, including passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond date of safari with at least 2 blank pages), visas, cash or traveller’s cheques, flight tickets and insurance policy. Passports and visas need to be applied for well in advance, if applicable. Please read your booking confirmation document carefully and bring it along on your safari.

Behavior

You are expected to act within the confines of the law and take your fellow travellers into consideration. If you behave in such a way as to endanger our staff or other passengers or cause damage to property, we reserve the right to terminate your safari without further liability.

Expectations

We will discuss your expectations with you in the process of booking and conducting your safari, and will strive to meet them as far as is realistically possible, but we make no guarantees with regard to expected weather, game viewing or animal sightings, exact travel times, or any other unpredictable factors that may affect your expectations or safari experience. We are proud of our excellent reputation and will do our best to offer you the best possible safari experience.