ZIMBABWE & BOTSWANA COMBO

We’re Africa safari specialists, offering expert travel ideas, insiders’ knowledge and overwhelming enthusiasm while arranging your safari at no extra cost to you. We’ll probably save you money as we set about our mission of canvassing a trusted network of bespoke safari operators to create your trip of a lifetime.

Safari Guru is a unique service, having our expertise typically referred and introduced by an entrusted colleague, friend or family member, or perhaps one of our previous travellers, or service providers. We will explore your dreams and turn them into your reality, as we ensure that your investment in time and money is well spent!

Using only our trusted partners on the ground in Africa, and camps owned and managed by people we know and have visited, we can assure that your African safari will captivate your soul, awaken your spirit and leave you positively inspired and overwhelmed. Safari Guru will open your doors to Africa; and offer you a journey in a continent that offers some of life’s greatest surprises, pleasures and rewards.

We are excited to share our continent and offer access to our inside knowledge; including the hidden gems of this wonderful world, as we create your bespoke itinerary.

How We Get Paid for Our Services
As travel professionals our intimate knowledge of this continent and its suppliers, helping you to achieve your dream and assisting where things need changing or go wrong is our ‘product’ and for this we charge fees and we require payment for our professional services. We occasionally charge a booking fee otherwise, the majority of our fees are paid via commissions paid for by suppliers, the overall price of your vacation will generally be lower than should you go direct to the lodge for your vacation, as our suppliers give us a preferential rate for introducing you.

PASSIONATE | ETHICAL | PERSONABLE

1.   The Client hereby releases and discharges Safari Guru Pty Ltd (SG) from and against all actions, suits, demands, claims, costs and interest made against SG arising from any loss or damage of whatever nature sustained or incurred by the Client in any way connected with or related to the Activities and the Client further indemnifies and agrees to keep indemnified SG from and against all claims, damages, costs interest and penalties made against SG in that respect. 

2.   These Terms & Conditions shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New South Wales and the Client agrees that any claims or disputes between the Client, SG in connection with this agreement shall be commenced, filed and litigated before a Court of proper jurisdiction in the State of New South Wales and in the City of Sydney. 

3.   Definitions 

• "Activities" means activities, Products and travel arrangements organised by SG on behalf of the Client. 
• "SG" means Safari Guru Pty Limited ACN 631 087 011; trading as Safari Guru and registered in Australia, (and all personnel; including; independent contractors, trade partners, full-time employees and ambassadors).
• "Client" means a person or corporation seeking to acquire services from SG and if there is more than one of these, these conditions bind them jointly and each of them separately.
• "Departure Date" means the scheduled date at which point Activities and Services commence with Safari Guru, as outlined in the proposal. 
• "Material Alteration" means a material change to the Activities as determined by the sole discretion of SG. 
• "Products" means individual components of the Activities, such as accommodation, meals, transport, cruises and tours. 
• "Price" means the amount payable by the Client to SG for provision of the Activities. 
• "Services" means the booking and payment services provided by SG in relation to the Activities. 
• "Suppliers" means the party that is responsible for providing the Products. 

4.   Basis of Contract 

• The conditions apply exclusively to every contract for services by SG to the Client and cannot be varied or supplanted by any other conditions unless expressly accepted in writing by SG. 
• Acceptance - Payment of a deposit indicates the client’s acceptance of the conditions and a contract with SG will exist as soon as we confirm receipt of the deposit or full payment, whichever is made first, following such receipt SG will issue an itinerary including these booking conditions (and any amendment agreed between the Client and SG before issuing the itinerary) and in agreeing to such conditions you confirm that, as the Client, you have the authority to accept such booking conditions on behalf of yourself and on behalf of all persons in your party. 
• It is the Client’s responsibility to please check their passports, and ensure that the passport is up to date with at least 6 months until expiry and with at least 2 blank pages per country visiting, and to please check all the documentation received by SG, and notify SG immediately upon noticing any errors. If the Client does not do so, there may be additional costs if changes have to be made later, particularly to flight tickets.

5.   Price Policy 

• Prices quoted are for an entire package, as stipulated in the "Activities and Inclusions" section of this document, Quotes will be valid for a period of 7 days, after such time there may be a change in price due to costings. 
• Surcharges - The Activities may be in some cases subject to a surcharge. These may be incurred as a result of currency fluctuations, increase in product prices, scheduled airfares and any other costs associated with the Activities. If surcharges are greater than 10% of the travel arrangement costs, clients have the option to cancel the booking within 7 days and receive a full refund, with the exception of holiday insurance and any amendment charges previously incurred. 
• Suppliers in Africa offer their Services/Activities in various currencies, typically ZAR and USD (but also GBP and Euro). We will gladly quote in USD, GBP, ZAR or Aus Dollar, with such quote being valid for 7 days. After such time, SG reserves the right to recalculate costs with regards to exchange rates. Upon booking the cost of your Activities and trip will not change due to currency fluctuations, SG will not currency surcharge nor will SG reduce the cost of the trip. The Client must pay the deposit and balance in the same currency agreed upon when the Client confirmed the trip. Any Services added to a booking will be costed using the exchange rate at the time such Services are added. Any refunds SG needs to make will be refunded using the exchange rate upon which the trip was originally costed.
• Products not Utilised - no refunds will be made in respect of Products not utilised. 
• Exclusions - the following services are excluded from the Activities pricing (except where stipulated in the itinerary): airfares (except where stipulated in the itinerary), arrival or departure taxes, passport and visa costs, travel insurance, personal expenditure including meals, beverages, gratuities, laundry, room service unless expressly included. 

6.   Payment 

• Deposit - Regional air flights must be paid in full at time of deposit in order to be ticketed. In most cases these are non- refundable fares. 
• Upon booking a deposit of  up to 30%,  (or, should the journey begin within 12 weeks of booking, the full payment) of the Price of the Services and Activities must be paid by the Client (occasionally Activities must be paid be paid for in full regardless of the time period between booking and Departure Date, this occurs when Services / Activities are purchasable in full from the Supplier at the time of booking by SG (for example, gorilla trekking permits), this will be set out in your itinerary.
• The remaining balance of the booking must be paid at least 84 days before the Departure Date; should such balance not be paid, SG has the right to cancel the Activities and retain the deposit, SG will make best endeavours to send reminders to the Client to make the final payment, should the balance still not be paid SG will be forced to cancel the Activities. 
• Payments are made by direct deposit to a USD, ZAR or AUD holding account. For details please see your invoice. Credit card payments are possible with notice of at least 72 business hours before payment is due. These payments incur credit card processing fees which are typically 3.5%. Specifics are available upon request. 

7.   Amendments 

Should the Client wish to amend the Activities, after SG has issued a confirmation invoice/itinerary, SG will use best endeavours to assist such  Client with their requested amendment/s to the travel arrangement booking up to 90 days from Departure Date subject to the following: 

• Amendment Administration Charge - $100.00 per file, at SG’s discretion, applies to Client requesting a change to a confirmed booking, regardless of whether such amendment is possible. 
• Additional Charges - all other expenses incurred by SG may also be payable by the client at SG discretion, it should be noted that the closer to the Departure Date that any amendments are made to the Activities the higher the change in costs are likely to be, so any proposed changes should be requested by the Client as soon as possible. 
• Any charges arising from the request are payable by the Client whether SG is successful in confirming the requested amendment. 
• Late Amendments - any amendments made by the client within 84 days of the departure date may be  treated as cancellations and re-bookings. Cancellations charges apply as detailed in what follows. Certain travel arrangements may not be changeable post reservation and may incur a cancellation charge of 100% regardless of whether such changes are requested more than 84 days before departure.

8.   Cancellations

Cancellation by the Customer 

The Client or any member of the Client’s party may cancel their arrangements at any time by writing or sending an email to SG and ensuring acknowledgement by SG. Cancellations are subject to terms and conditions stipulated by our Suppliers and vendors. Therefore, from receipt of the non-refundable deposit, the following cancellation/attrition schedule will apply: 

• Cancellations and/or any revisions made on all air tickets after receipt of full payment and issuance of tickets will be subject to cancellation and/or revision charges. 
• Itineraries cancelled more than 84 days prior to the trip start date will forfeit the total deposit paid (loss of deposit). 
• Itineraries cancelled between 83 days and 45 days (inclusive) prior to the trip start date will forfeit 50% of the full itinerary cost at the exchange rate at the time of the cancellation payment. 
• Itineraries cancelled within 44 days and the start date of the itinerary (inclusive) will forfeit 100% of the full itinerary cost. 
• Should you fail to join the itinerary or join it after the start date or leave it prior to its completion, no refunds can be made, thereby incurring forfeit cost of 100%. 
• Some camps have very high cancellation charges over peak booking periods, eg Christmas and New Year. This may affect the above cancellation charges, making them higher than normal. If higher than normal cancellation charges affect your booking, SG will inform you in writing at quote stage and before you pay your deposit. Once your deposit is paid and SG has issued the Client with a confirmation invoice/itinerary, the Client will be liable for these increased cancellation charges.
• If at deposit stage, the Client paid upfront for gorilla permits or international flights or any other noted costs (noted on the itinerary), the Supplier will not refund such costs, as such SG is not able to return these amounts and these will not form part of the  cancellation charges indicated above and will be paid by the Client over and above such cancellation amounts.
• If the reason for the Client’s cancellation is covered under the terms of their insurance policy, the Client may be able to reclaim these charges and SG can issue you with a cancellation invoice to support your claim and will endeavour to make best efforts to assist the Client with their claim.

Cancellation and Material Alteration by Safari Guru Pty Ltd

• SG reserves the right to cancel all or part of your booking, if unforeseeable circumstances force SG to do so; SG will not cancel less than 12 weeks before your Departure Date, except in extreme, unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, or failure by the Client to pay the final balance. Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances means a Force Majeure as set out below - the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. SG observe advice provided by the [UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office OR Australia equivalent] only.
• Force Majeure - circumstances outside of SG’s control affecting the provision of the Activities (such as flood, fire, act of God, war or threat of war, physical unrest, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activities (perceived, threatened or actual), strikes, port or airport closure, technical problems with transport, alteration or cancellation of travel services). 
• Should SG cancel any or all of the scheduled trip and Activities SG may at its absolute and sole discretion:
  • Offer the client alternative arrangements of similar standard as appropriate to the circumstances. SG reserves the right to charge a reasonable fee to cover the administration Services costs associated with providing alternative arrangements.
  • If alternative arrangements are not offered, SG will make full and prompt refund of all monies at the exchange rate on the date of the booking. 

9.   Safari Guru Pty Ltd Obligations and Liability

• The Client must inform SG  without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services, Products or Activities included in their itinerary. If any such travel services, Products or Activities included in the Client’s trip are not performed in accordance with the contract, or are improperly performed, by SG or our Suppliers, and this has affected the Client’s enjoyment of said trip, the Client may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both.
• SG will not be liable where any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services is due to: the Client or another member of Client’s party; or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel services, Products or Activities in the trip and is unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which means a situation beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
• The Client acknowledges that SG acts as a booking agent for the Suppliers of the Activities and products and accepts no liability for any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay or irregularity that may arise to any Client, member of they party or third party resulting from the Clients’ or third parties use of the Products or undertaking any Activity. 
• Except as expressly set out herein, any term, condition or warranty in respect of the quality, merchantability, fitness for purpose, condition, description, specification or performance of the product or services, whether implied by statute, common law, trade usage, custom or otherwise is expressly excluded. 
• Circumstances beyond our Control - If SG is unable to procure or provide the Products or Activities as detailed in the itinerary it is not liable for any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay or irregularity arising to the Client or any third party. 
• Loss - The Client releases SG from all liability for any direct or indirect loss, financial loss, consequential loss, loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, damage, injury, accident, delay or irregularity occasioned to the client whilst undertaking the trip, the Activities or utilising the Products. SG limits it liability, to the full extent that it is legally able, excluding cases (within the limit of the law) involving death, injury or illness. 
• Nothing in these conditions is to be interpreted as excluding, restricting or modifying the application of any relevant State or federal legislation which cannot be excluded, restricted or modified.

10.   Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance - It is a pre-requisite of travel that all clients obtain comprehensive and adequate travel insurance cover at their own expense. Please furnish us with a copy of your insurance policy should these be required in the event of an emergency. SG reserves the right to cancel the Clients’ Activities, Products and/or trip at any time should such a policy not be taken out by the Client.

11.   Notices

• A notice by the Client must be received in writing by mail or email to the address or number supplied.
• A notice is treated as given to SG, upon notification to the Client when:
  1. if hand delivered, when delivered
  2. if sent by prepaid mail when received
  3. if sent by email, when the email is received

12.   Privacy

• Any information SG obtains from the client or its representative is necessary for SG business purposes or providing the clients with SG goods and services and may be used in answering any queries the client may have; considering the clients application to become a customer; performing internal administration and operations; developing, improving and marketing SG products and services; and any directly related purposes.
• SG will not disclose any personal information to any other party without the consent of the client except to the suppliers, a related entity or advisor of SG or where SG is otherwise required by law to do so. The client may access the personal information on written request to SG.