AFRICA IN THE SADDLE - Okavango Horseback Safari

We all dream of that perfect holiday or safari, the one that will be memorable beyond measure ... so come and explore Africa and discover a continent rich in vibrant cultures, breathtaking scenery and spectacular wildlife destinations. Indulge in fine cuisine, sample some of the greatest wines in the world, marvel at the beauty of the Cape from Table Mountain, follow in the footsteps of the great explorers of early years, touch an elephant or be overwhelmed by the spectacle that is Victoria Falls, be lost amongst thousands of migrating gnu’s as they meander across the vast plains of the Serengeti or sip on a refreshing drink whilst sitting on a pearl white beach with the warm waters of the Indian ocean lapping at your feet

... with Bespoke Africa Safaris it’s all within your grasp. 

RIDING POLICY

Be prepared to spend up to six hours a day in the saddle. You will need to feel confident about keeping up with the group, capable of riding at all paces, rising to the trot and controlling your horse at the canter. You may be required to gallop out of trouble, so regrettably we cannot take novice riders. Riders need to be over 12 years old, be riding fit, and weigh no more than 95kgs (210lbs or 15 stone). Riders who are over the weight limit would need to make special arrangements for this with our reservations team and need to be advanced riders. We take a maximum of eight people in each riding group to ensure the best possible standards of safety and enjoyment. There is a choice of English and Western style trail saddles, each with their own water bottle.

You must be able to ride to one of the following competence levels:

• Experienced: Confident at all paces on almost any horse, competes or hunts seriously.
• Intermediate: Ridden for a number of years. Able to control fit thoroughbreds at all paces.
• Competent: Able to control a sensible/quiet horse at all paces and feels confident on such a horse. Balanced in the saddle and able to rise/post to the trot.

If you are not riding regularly we strongly recommend that you get in practice before joining us on safari. It will be at the discretion of the company whether less experienced riders will be permitted to ride, taking into consideration their safety and enjoyment and that of the group as a whole. We reserve the right to prevent any client from riding if we feel they do not fulfil the minimum competence level detailed above.

Many insurance companies will only insure you when wearing a hard hat or safety helmet whilst in the saddle. It is your responsibility to provide your own properly fitted hard hat or safety helmet. We cannot accept any liability whatsoever for head injuries sustained as a result of ignoring this advice. You must be insured to ride with us – please ensure your policy covers you for horse riding and includes medical evacuation cover.

You must be fully aware and understand that there are risks involved when around horses, in riding generally and in visiting and staying in remote wilderness areas in Africa due to the presence of wild and potentially dangerous animals. For these reasons you will be required to sign an indemnity form before you ride on our safaris confirming that you do so entirely at your own risk and that you have adequate insurance for all eventualities.

Payment

• All payments are to be in GBP sterling or the equivalent agreed currency.
• A 30% deposit on the total safari cost is required to confirm all bookings within 14 days of a written confirmation otherwise the booking will be taken to be provisional and will be liable for cancellation.
• Balance of payment must be made no later than 60 days before the starting date of the horse safari – otherwise booking will be deemed as cancelled. 
• All safaris are subject to a non-refundable deposit. 
• In the event of cancellation, this deposit payment may be deferred to a future booking at the discretion of tour operator.
• Otherwise, our cancellation policy is as follows:

Cancellation

On confirmation of a booking an invoice will be issued and your booking will then be subject to the below cancellation policy. All cancellations must be in writing.

• Confirmation – 61 Days prior to date of arrival: 30% non-refundable deposit is forfeited.
• 60 – 31 Days prior to date of arrival: 50% of total safari cost is forfeited.
• 30 – 0   Days prior to date of arrival: 100% of total safari cost is forfeited.

Should you, for any reason, fail to join a safari or join it after departure or leave it prior to its completion, no refund can be made.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Payment Details

This booking is confirmed upon the receipt of a written confirmation from you. BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS requires a non-refundable deposit within 7 days of confirmation date (Note: deposit values are detailed above). The balance of payment is required to reflect in the BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS bank account 45 days prior to the date of arrival (Please allow sufficient time for international bank transfer) Should clients arrival date be within 45 days of the booking confirmation date, a full payment is required immediately. Please note exact payment due dates as specified in the ‘payment terms’ above. All payments are to be paid directly into BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS bank account in United States Dollar (USD) as per your invoice. All international transfer fees are to be borne by the you. Please send proof of payment directly to ian@bespokeafricasafaris.com upon payment to enable more efficient tracking of funds.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations need to be submitted in writing to BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS.

• Cancellation of the booking after confirmation will result in a 20% cancelation fee of the total invoice value.
• Cancellation of a booking between 45 days and 31 days prior to arrival date will incur a cancellation fee of a 50% of the total invoice value.
• Cancellation of a booking 30 days or less prior to  arrival date will incur a cancellation fee of a 100% of the total invoice value.
• Should you fail to join the safari or join it after the departure date, no refund can be made.

BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS reserves the right to cancel all services booked should payments not reflect in the BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS bank accounts as detailed in the ‘payment details’. Certain individual service items may carry a more stringent cancellation policy and these items will supersede the standard cancellation terms.

Travel Insurance

Guests travelling with BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS are strongly advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance, covering them for personal effects, personal accident, medical and emergency travel expenses and cancellation and curtailment.

Emergency Evacuation Insurance

For guests travelling throughout Southern and East Africa (excluding South Africa), BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS emergency evacuation insurance gives us immediate access to Africa’s leading incident management team, SATIB24 Crisis Call. This specialist team will take control of the situation whilst accessing and co-ordinating multiple resources, service providers, assistance companies, hospitals and insurers to ensure the smoothest and best outcome each and every time. Clients are covered for all expenses relating to Emergency Evacuation Service as detailed in the policy, yet insurer liability ceases upon admission to hospital or clinic. It is important to note that this is not to be considered a substitute for valid travel insurance.

Visas and Passports

Please ensure that clients thoroughly check visa requirements and passport expiry dates before intended dates of travel, as BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS cannot be held responsible should necessary visa and passport requirements not be fulfilled.

Air Tickets

In order to comply with international insurance requirements, all airline tickets must clearly show the passenger’s title, name and surname as indicated in their passport (these details are to be completed on the guest details form) The air fare and airport tax quoted are current and are subject to change without prior warning (due to fluctuations out of BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS control) Should the fare quoted not be available at the time of booking the next applicable fare will be booked and amended costs advised accordingly for the agent’s account. Please note that fares may increase between time of booking, receipt of agent payment and the ticket being issued.

Price Fluctuations and Itinerary Amendments

Confirmed safari itineraries may be subject to change from time to time. In this event, BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS will undertake to amend the itinerary to an equal standard of the initial confirmed itinerary with the minimum disruption to the client. Should an equal standard not be available, at BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS discretion, the available standard will be booked.

Certain 3rd party non-contracted services are subject to price changes without notice (i.e park fees, fuel surcharges, government levies and taxes) Whilst BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS will always endeavour not to change the price of a confirmed itinerary, we reserve the right to amend the price where required.

General

• Malaria - it is important that clients take precautions against malaria prior to the commencement of safari. Guests should contact their doctor, pharmacist or travel advisory clinic for advice on the Malaria areas and as to which prophylactic is recommended.
• Yellow fever – guests should confirm with a travel clinic prior to travel, as Yellow Fever vaccinations are required for certain nationalities.
• Dietary requirements - any special dietary requirements must be advised at time of booking.

Baggage

Passengers are limited to soft bags and with a maximum total weight of 15kgs. Limitations are strictly adhered to on all flights within Tanzania and Kenya, and regional flights to other East African countries. This limitation includes hand baggage. Excess baggage will only be carried at the sole discretion of the captain of the aircraft.

Risks

BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS specifically draws your attention to the fact that there are certain inherent risks involved in participating in the type of safaris sold and operated by the Company and that, by making payment for all or part of the safari cost, you and the clients are thereby accepting them entirely at your and their own risk. Neither the Company, its employees, suppliers nor agents can be held responsible for any accident, injury, illness or death sustained during the course of the safari, whether or not this accident, injury, illness or death is deemed to be caused through negligence on the part of the Company, its employees, suppliers or agents. African Safari Excellence does not accept responsibility for any theft or loss of personal belongings that occurs while clients are utilising any of the services performed by BESPOKE AFRICA SAFARIS. All guests are strongly advised to insure themselves and their property fully for the duration of the safari.

Tipping Guidelines

The below information is meant as a guideline for your clients only as many local East Africans receive a basic salary and make up the remainder of their income from tips. Ultimately, there is no set rule and clients need to adjust their tips according to their overall satisfaction.

• Private Safari Driver/Guide: USD30 – USD35 per group per day
• Lodge and Camp Staff: USD5 per person per day (the camp will split this between the staff)
• Trekking and Climbing: 10% and 15% of your total climb cost, distributed in descending order between head guides, assistant guides, cooks and porters.