Urth Expedition organizes safaris, day trips, beach holidays, gorilla trekking, mountain climbing expeditions, and complete private safaris and tour packages in East Africa. Please read the below terms and conditions carefully as these apply when you enter an agreement with Urth Expedition.
The terms and conditions might be amended from time to time due to changing circumstances. However, the terms at the time of booking are valid. Conditions in Africa are mostly not the same as those in developed countries and standards of service, medical facilities, safety, and security may often be lower than those in your home country. Kindly note that it is the laws and regulations of the country in which services are provided that apply to your holiday arrangements.
Terms & Conditions
General
Please read the terms and conditions below because they apply to all agreements you enter with Urth Expedition. Most people only look at this when something goes wrong, which happens most often when a customer needs to cancel or when something goes wrong during the trip.
The booking
Once you approve your personalized safari itinerary we will send you an official booking form. We kindly request to complete this form and return it by email. Note that valid travel insurance is mandatory when booking your safari with us.
After receiving your completed booking form, we will proceed with the reservations for accommodation, excursions, and domestic flights (if applicable). When all travel services have been reconfirmed, we will send you the invoice. This invoice is also your booking confirmation. A booking with Urth Expedition will be made as soon as we issue our ‘Confirmation Invoice & Itinerary’. We will issue this after receiving your deposit and confirming every element of your trip to Africa. Your booking is made on the terms of these booking conditions, and in agreeing to them, you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party (named on the booking form) the terms of these booking conditions. Urth Expedition only accepts booking requests in writing/per email. Booking requests through telephone, skype, or other forms of communication are not accepted.
Paying for your trip to Africa. Deposit & Payment
When you make your booking, you must pay a deposit of 30% of the booking cost or full payment if your departure is within eight weeks(8). Sometimes your booking may require other upfront payments on top of the usual 30% deposit – gorilla permits or for some bookings over peak holiday periods. If an additional deposit is required, you will be informed before booking your trip with us. Then the remaining balance of the booking cost must be paid at least eight weeks before your departure date. If the deposit and balance are not paid in time, we have the right to cancel your travel arrangements and will retain your deposit. If your payment is late, we will send you a reminder, and if it is not still not paid, we will be forced to cancel your trip.
Any quote offered to you is valid for 14 days from that date, after which we may have to vary the price due to cost changes.
A non-refundable deposit payment of 30% of the total invoice amount has to be paid within 14 days after the invoice date.
The remaining amount is due 60 -90 days before arrival.
Once we have received the amount in our bank account, we will send you a confirmation.
Please note that the sender should cover bank transfer costs. The amount shown on the invoice is the amount that needs to be reflected in our account, and should bank charges have been conducted, we would have to invoice you subsequently.
Payment options:
PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO PAY VIA PAYPAL or CREDIT CARD, THERE WILL BE A 4 % PROCESSING FEE ADDED TO THE INVOICE AMOUNT
THIS ADDITIONAL FEE DOES NOT APPLY TO PAYMENT VIA BANK TRANSFER ($15.00)
or Mail a check
Insurance
It is a part of our Terms & Conditions that all clients must purchase adequate travel insurance. We reserve the right to cancel your holiday at any time should such a policy not be taken out by you. You are responsible for all the necessary travel and health documents. Good travel insurance will cover you against most eventualities from cancellation costs to medical costs. Check the small print and look for some of the details ~ …the medical cover includes full evacuation and repatriation, covers high-altitude trekking if you are climbing Kilimanjaro or other mountains…. covers scuba diving if you intend to participate in under-water activity…. covers ballooning or other adventure activity in which you intend to participate. When confirming your safari you will however be automatically signed up for the AMREF Flying Doctors Tourist Evacuation (day trips excluded).
Cancellations
If you need to cancel your trip, please notify us by email. Cancellations shall be effective on the date that we receive your cancellation request. The following cancellation fees apply:
Cancellation up to 60 days before the day of arrival: 30% of the total amount ( less the 30% initial deposit is retained as a booking fee and will not be refunded)
Cancellation from 60 to 45 days before the day of arrival: 50% of the total amount ( less the 30% initial deposit)
Cancellation from 45 days to the day of arrival: 100% of the total amount (less the 30% initial deposit)
No refunds will be given for unused services, late arrivals, or no-shows.
If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges, and we can issue you with a cancellation invoice to support your claim. Passports, Visas, and other travel papers:
Note: Some camps have very high cancellation charges over peak booking periods such as Christmas. This may affect the above cancellation charges, making them higher than normal. If higher-than-normal cancellation charges affect your booking, we will inform you in writing at the quote stage and before you pay your deposit. Once your deposit is paid and we have issued you a Confirmation Invoice, you are liable for these increased cancellation charges. If, at the deposit stage, you paid upfront for gorilla permits or international flights, these are non-refundable. So the cost of these will be retained by us on top of the cancellation charges indicated above.
The client is responsible for ensuring that passports, visas, health certificates, proof of vaccinations, and any other documentation required are all in order.
Urth Expedition cannot be held responsible for any consequences, damages, or claims if the client does not attend correctly to the client’s documentation and related matters before the commencement of the tour.
No Refunds will be given for any unused services, late arrivals, or no-shows.
Amendments
All suggested safari itineraries are subject to availability and not guaranteed until confirmed. In case the proposed accommodation is fully booked we will offer you a suitable alternative in the same price range or higher (a surcharge may be applicable). In the unlikely event that the alternative available travel services are not acceptable to you, we will provide a full refund. Especially in the peak season (July, August, and mid-end December) we strongly recommend booking well in advance to avoid possible disappointment.
Urth Expedition reserves the right to amend and re-adjust the itinerary, transportation, accommodation, and services indicated in the safari program in the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Any changes will be communicated as early as possible.
Transportation
Every effort is made to ensure that the safari vehicles are provided in a roadworthy condition, but no liability can be accepted for a puncture, breakdown, damage, or delay as a result of the poor road conditions.
Wildlife
It is a privilege to see animals in their natural habitat, but we cannot guarantee the spotting or viewing of a specific animal. You must take caution when viewing wild, keep a minimum distance, and carefully follow the instructions given by your tour guide or ranger.
Medical Conditions, Disabilities, and other special requests
We welcome customers who may have special needs, but you must contact us before booking with specific details to advise on the suitability of your plans. Regrettably, not every destination may be suitable, and we must reserve the right to refuse a booking if we feel that your needs cannot be met. If you fail to advise us in advance, we must reserve the right to cancel the booking as soon as we become aware of the situation.
Should you have special requests, such as food intolerances or meal requests, for other reasons, we are happy to pass these on to the relevant suppliers, but these are requests and are not guaranteed.
Health Requirements and Medical Care
Urth Expedition’s tours are physically active, with varying demands and fitness requirements depending on the specific itinerary. By signing up for a trip, the Traveler represents that they do not have any physical or other conditions that would create a hazard for the Traveler or other participants or affect other people’s enjoyment of the tour. If the Traveler has a physical condition, dietary restrictions, or other conditions requiring special attention during the trip, the Traveler must inform Urth Expedition in writing when the booking is made. We may require a medical certificate if you have a particular condition. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to
There are some inclusions and upgrades with eligibility that are time-sensitive between the insurance
purchase date and the date of the initial trip payment of any kind – such as coverage for pre-existing conditions and the Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade.
Accept, decline, or remove anyone from a tour (at departure or during the tour) who we judge incapable of meeting the tour’s physical demands.
Urth Expedition assumes no responsibility for any medical care provided to the Traveler. Traveler agrees to assume all medical care costs and related transportation provided to Traveler during the tour.
Excursions
Excursions or other tours you may choose to book or pay for while you are in Africa are not part of your trip provided by us. For any excursion or other tour you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during its provision by the operator.
Complaints
Complaints must be reported immediately to the Urth Expedition head office and the service supplier, who will do their best to resolve the matter. If the problem is not solved to your satisfaction, your complaint should be reported in writing, not later than two weeks after the completion of your tour.
Liability
While Urth Expedition will exercise the utmost care in dealing with you as our esteemed guest and your belongings, we cannot be responsible for the loss or damage of personal belongings, personal injury, or death. It is, therefore, mandatory to have comprehensive travel insurance when traveling.
Marketing
Urth Expedition reserves the right to use any photographs and videos taken during tours for marketing or other advertising material.
Compliance with Local Laws and Tour Etiquette
Under the Urth Expedition Code of Conduct Traveler must strictly comply with all local laws, respect local customs and culture, accurately assess the Traveler’s abilities, respect other trip members’ privacy, and follow the suggestions and advice of any assigned guide. The decision of the local guide or local supplier is final on all matters that may threaten the safety or interfere with the well-being of others. During the trip, Urth Expedition or the local guide/supplier has the right in its sole discretion to remove anyone a) who it judges to be incapable of meeting the demands and requirements of participating in the tour activities; or b) who it determines to detract from others’ enjoyment of or safety on tour.
Force Majeure
Unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to war, mechanical breakdowns, weather, riots, and other unforeseen reasons beyond the control of the Urth Expedition, may cause delays or alterations to the tour. Urth Expedition shall not be held liable in any way for any of these possible occurrences or any consequences that may arise from this.
Change in rates
We reserve the right to change and adjust our rates at any time. In case of a change in government taxes, concession fees, wildlife management fees, or others, we reserve the right to pass these on to our clients, even if the trip is already wholly or partly paid for.
Photography and marketing
You hereby grant Urth Expedition a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, store, modify, copy, adapt, publish, reproduce, and distribute for general purpose and photographs of films produced by Urth Expedition that contain images of footage depicting yourself. Urth Expedition will not be liable for any damages suffered by any guest due to misrepresentation by you or any of your family, irrespective of whether such misrepresentation was made intentionally or negligently.
Price Fluctuations
We honor the prices shown on your quotation with possible exceptions
In Africa, we are exposed to sudden changes in times such as park fees and taxes
Similarly, we may incur sudden changes in fuel costs, which we need to pass in to our customers
We may need to add an exchange rate surcharge to our invoice if there is a big movement in the international exchange rates.
In the event of a major error having occurred in our quotation, whereby we have significantly undercharged for a trip, we reserve the right to withdraw our offer or provide a counteroffer.
Use of website
Urth Expedition licenses you as the user of the website to view, download, and print the content, provided that such content is used for private, personal, educational, and/or non-commercial purposes only. Content from this website shall not be used or exploited by users for any commercial or non-private purposes without the prior written permission of Urth Expedition. We commit ourselves to take all reasonable and necessary steps to protect your personal information.
Further information
If you have any questions, please get in touch with info@urthsafari.com