Payment of the deposit and/or full payment certifies that you understand and accept all the terms and conditions.

These conditions apply to independent visits. Group tours have separate deposit and cancellation policies, which are specific to the tour. All payments, deposit payments and cancellation amounts shown are per person. To confirm a reservation, the following deposit and final payment terms must be strictly observed and are required at the time of booking.

Payment of the deposit and/or full payment certifies that you understand and accept all the terms and conditions.

These conditions apply to independent visits. Group tours have separate deposit and cancellation policies, which are specific to the tour. All payments, deposit payments and cancellation amounts shown are per person. To confirm a reservation, the following deposit and final payment terms must be strictly observed and are required at the time of booking.

Deposit and final payment

The deposit due per person is €365 or 25% of the cost of the tour, whichever is greater. In order to guarantee the best price for the tour, the deposit is due 90 days before the date of the start of the tour. We reserve the right to request additional deposits required by hotels and suppliers for peak periods such (but not limited to) Christmas, New Years, Easter, and other holidays. Final payments are due 45 days prior to the start of the tour. For reservations received within 45 days of commencement of services, the full amount must be submitted at time of confirmation. Bookings received within 90 days of the start of the tour may be subject to a non-refundable Urgent Booking Fee of at least €95 per person to cover additional expenses incurred to expedite the booking.

Cancellation Terms

Outback Africa’s cancellation policy applies as follows:

• Cancellations made 45 days or more before the start of the tour will be charged a cancellation fee of 15% of the cost of the tour with a minimum payment of €295 per traveller.
• Cancellations made 44-30 days prior to the start of the tour will be charged a cancellation fee of 20% of the cost of the tour with a minimum payment of €350 per traveller.
• Cancellations made 29 to 17 days prior to the tour start date will be charged a cancellation fee of 25% of the cost of the tour with a minimum payment of €510 per traveller.
• Cancellations made 16 days or less prior to the tour start date will be charged a cancellation fee of 100% of the cost of the tour, no refund.
• Trip cancellation insurance is recommended
• Domestic flights tickets are not refundable when alternative (land) arrangements are made.

No-shows, late arrivals, voluntary changes, or cancellations by travellers of visiting days or services during a visit are not refundable. Cancellation insurance is recommended.

Prior to the start of the tour, Outback Africa reserves the right to cancel a tour and will refund all payments in full. Outback Africa has never cancelled a tour but would do so in its sole discretion if traveller’s safety was a concern. Outback Africa is not responsible for any expenses incurred by travellers in planning a trip that is ultimately cancelled.

Once travellers are at their destination in Africa, Outback Africa will provide comparable alternative arrangements, if cancellation of a particular tour is deemed necessary. If travellers choose not to accept these alternative arrangements, this will constitute a voluntary denial of services and no refund will be given. Pro-rata refunds will be made if other arrangements are not comparable to the original tourist services. Warning: domestic flights can be replaced by land transport, if the schedule of domestic flights makes flights impossible within the constraints of a circuit and/or the dates of the circuit; in this case, missed flights are not refundable as the ticket price will be used to make other land arrangements.

Insurance

Travel insurance, although not compulsory, is highly recommended and is not included in the price of the trip.

Tour prices

Outback Africa prices are shown in Euro (EUR) and are subject to change until a deposit is received.

Prices do not include international travel to/from Africa, passport fees, entry visa fees, excess baggage fees, airport taxes, vaccinations or other medical costs, unspecified meals, alcoholic or other beverages, insurance, tips for travel staff, laundry and other personal expenses.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of Outback Africa to provide the services listed with each tour itinerary. Outback Africa includes this information with every quote.

All accommodations are double occupancy, bed & breakfast, including private baths. Comparable hotel substitutes will be provided if the planned accommodation is not available. For single occupancy, a single supplement will be applied. Day rooms are not included, unless otherwise indicated. The check-in and check-out times from the hotel are 2:00 p.m. (14:00 hours) and 12:00 p.m. (12:00 hours).

Outback Africa reserves the right to make changes to the itinerary or to change hotels or other elements of the tour, if these are deemed necessary or desirable for the continuation of the tour, for safety reasons and security, or to avoid delays that would be detrimental to the circuit or its members. Outback Africa is not responsible for delays or the consequences of any delay due to circumstances beyond Outback Africa’s control. Outback Africa will do everything possible to provide alternative and comparable services if any changes are made.

Regular domestic flights are sometimes postponed or cancelled; Outback Africa is not responsible for any such inconvenience and will use, where possible, the ticket price of missed domestic flights to make ground arrangements. If customers choose to decline overland arrangements, Outback Africa will reimburse the cost of airline tickets when such amounts are reimbursed to Outback Africa by the air carrier.

All luggage must have strong identification tags and must always be locked. Outback Africa staff will assist travellers with lost baggage formalities at the airport. Outback Africa will also do everything possible to convey lost luggage to its owner during the tour; all costs incurred by the transport of baggage are the responsibility of the traveller. Please Note: Baggage limits on domestic flights vary but are generally limited to one 10-kilogram (22 lb) item and one carry-on bag.

Additional services required due to changes in international flight schedules, illnesses or emergencies are the responsibility of the traveller. Outback Africa staff will endeavour to assist travellers who may need to make new flight arrangements. This is done as a courtesy and does not imply any responsibility on Outback Africa’s part to find or make new arrangements. The costs or penalties for such arrangements are the sole responsibility of the traveller.

The Outback Africa Guide has the ultimate recourse to remove a traveller from a tour at any time, if that person’s continued presence is deemed to be detrimental to themselves or others, or if it adversely affects the quality of the tour and/or for the enjoyment of the group. A pro-rated refund will be made for missed activities, subject to refunds provided by vendors.

Travellers must obtain their own passport, entry visa (s) and health documents.

Travellers agree to comply with local laws and regulations and respect cultural practices observed during the tour. travellers understand that living conditions and practices in West and Central Africa may not be the same as in their country of origin.

Travellers must be on time for all tour activities; there is no refund for missed activities. If travellers miss flights or other scheduled departures, the responsibility and cost of resuming the tour will be theirs.

Travellers with special needs or disabilities should notify Outback Africa at the time of booking; failure to disclose in advance any physical or other restrictions, or the need for special accommodations, will make it impossible to meet those needs. Once notified, Outback Africa will do everything possible to accommodate travellers and will inform travellers of local conditions they are likely to encounter.

For their own safety and for the smooth running of their visit, travellers are required to follow the requests and instructions of their escort/guide; any problem encountered during the tour should be immediately reported to the guide, so that the guide can remedy the situation. If the guide is unable to do so or you are not satisfied with the remedy, please contact the Outback Africa office, and report the problem.

Tips and gratuities, although not compulsory, are accepted as recognition of the quality of service by guides, drivers, restaurant staff and others. These tips and gratuities are not covered by the tour fee and are entirely at your discretion. Tips for porters are the responsibility of the Outback Africa guide.

Security and safety

The safety and security of travellers is Outback Africa’s top priority. We do not carry out visits to dangerous areas and we always work with local staff, who are fully conversant with the local safety conditions. To avoid driver fatigue and accidents, we avoid driving at night.

Travellers are required to exercise caution with their person and their belongings in public areas. travellers are also required to always keep their valuables handy and to keep their luggage locked. Outback Africa is not responsible for items left in hotel rooms, restaurants, etc.

General disclaimer

The participant acknowledges that Outback Africa is not responsible for circumstances beyond its control, including, without limitation, force majeure, explosion, storm, fire, accident, war, threats of war, sabotage, disease, insurgency, intervention government, weather conditions, quarantine, civil unrest, or armed conflict. Outback Africa will do its best to reschedule or modify tours affected by any of the above but has no obligation to reimburse any part of the cost of the tour or to reimburse the participant in any way, even if forced to cancel the trip as a result, Outback Africa will, to the extent possible, make refunds, after deducting a reasonable amount to cover actual and potential costs. If Outback Africa investigates the current situation and decides, in its sole discretion, that the tour may continue, but the participant chooses to cancel, then no refund will be due and the arrangements for payment and cancellation will apply. These provisions also apply to delays and cancellations of transport by land, sea, and air, including those involving travel to and from the destination. The participant understands that such delays are beyond the control of Outback Africa and that the participant must refer to the terms and conditions of the carrier and to international conventions for any recourse or redress.