Terms and Conditions of booking a Safari with Saruti Safaris

Booking Procedure

The following booking conditions, together with the information set out on the relevant safari page of the Saruti Safaris website will form the contract between you and us for your safari with us.

In this contract a reference to "you" and "your" include the lead-named person on the confirmation invoice (who must be at least 18 years old at the time of booking) and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made.

“We” Equip – U Solutions CC T/A Saruti Safaris
PO Box 68658
Bryanston
South Africa
2021

“Conservation Donation” Means the sum specified in our brochure or website for each Safari as a contribution to a conservation project in the country of that Safari.

“Meeting Point” Means the place specified by us in the Safari Pack as the place we will meet and start your Safari.

“Start Date” Means the date on which you board our transport at the meeting Point.

“Safari” Means a safari organised by Saruti Safaris.

“Safari Pack” Means whatever documents we send to you in hard or soft copy to provide information about your Safari.

The contract between us comes into existence when we send out our confirmation invoice which confirms your booking. You will have undertaken to pay for the safari you have booked and we will have undertaken to provide you with the safari we describe in the brochure / on our web site. If you make a booking on behalf of others as well as yourself, we shall take it that you have the authority of each of those other people to enter into that contract and that you and they have agreed to be jointly and severally liable to us. You now accept personal liability for the acceptance and compliance of each of those people, with these contract terms. If we are unable to accept your booking, we will of course return your payment to you immediately. For you to make a booking, we require your deposit and a completed booking form. Our confirmation invoice will be sent to you by post or email. We may decline your booking for any reason and we do not have to give you the reason. If that happens we will return your money to you immediately and in any event within 10 days.

What is included in the price of a Saruti Safari

  • travel from the meeting point to your return to the departure point which is likely to be the same place but could be an alternative venue as agreed;
  • accommodation and all meals (unless otherwise stated in the itinerary);
  • drinking water;
  • services of one or more guides

What is not included

  • return flights to the safari destination;
  • all other costs incurred before you board transport at the meeting place and after you return to the departure point;
  • travel insurance or any other insurance personal to you;
  • passport and visa costs;
  • vaccinations and medication, before, during and after the safari;
  • food and drink over and above what we include in the safari;
  • Gratuities you choose to give, in addition to any we give on your behalf where we consider appropriate.
  • Gifts of a personal nature

Payment Policy

  • For all seasons, provisional reservations may be held for 21 days, after which time the reservation is either released or the reservation is confirmed by paying a non-refundable deposit.
  • The deposit is calculated at 50% of the total reservation value.

The last date for payment of the balance of the cost of your safari will be due to us at least three (3) months before the Safari start date. We will advise you of that last date for payment after we have confirmed our acceptance of your booking. If you do not pay us before the last date for payment, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled. If we do that, you accept that a cancellation fee will be due to us. Late Bookings Any safaris requested less than six weeks prior to the departure date must be accompanied by full payment at the time of booking.

Pricing Policy

The prices given on our web site and in our brochure are calculated at costs current at the time we fixed them. If costs rise or adverse currency exchange rates apply, you agree that we may adjust prices at any time. If we do this we shall tell you the costs which have arisen and the percentage by which they have arisen.

No matter what the increase, we shall not increase the cost less than six weeks before the departure date.

If we increase the price of your Safari we will communicate this with you and you will be free to cancel. In that circumstance we will return to you all money paid to us.

Refunds

Deposits are non-refundable (exceptions below) but in some cases may be transferable to another Saruti safari. As stated on the safari web pages, a minimum number of participants are required in order for the safari to go ahead. Therefore you have a right to cancel any safari for which there are insufficient reservations. In the event of any such cancellation, all deposits or other payments made specifically to Saruti Safaris will be refunded in full.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel your booking either through failure to pay the final balance due or for any other reason will result in the entire reservation being cancelled automatically and any payments having being made will be subject to forfeiture as below;

  • forfeiture of 25% of the total reservation value if cancelled up to 61 days prior to arrival
  • forfeiture of 100% if cancelled 60 days or less prior to arrival

The above dates refer to the date that we receive notice of cancellation from you.

If circumstances force you to leave the safari early, you will have to bear any additional costs yourself. If you are unavoidably prevented from joining the Safari, you may transfer your place to another person, providing this person meets any conditions which may apply to the booking and that we are informed of the transfer not less than 28 days prior to the Safari start date. In any circumstances giving rise to cancellation, we will consider allowing you to transfer the money you have paid, to some other Saruti Safari you choose. Whether we do so is in our discretion, for which we do not have to give a reason.

Cancellation by us

We reserve the right to cancel any safari, for which there are not enough bookings, not less than four weeks prior to departure. In the event of our cancellation, your deposit (and any other payment you may have made to us) will be refunded in full, or, if you prefer, transferred to an alternative Saruti safari.

Payment Type

All payments to be made by electronic transfer for whom full information will be provided at the time of booking.

Payment Protection

All payments received by us will be held in a separate client account and held there until the successful completion of the safari.

Safari Information

Approximately four weeks before the start date, we shall send you a pack of information relating to your Safari. This information will include:

  • location of meeting point and time of meeting;
  • climate and clothing recommendations;
  • Any important details relevant to a particular area that we may visit.

Accommodation

We will arrange accommodation as close as reasonably possible to the safari areas we visit. Accommodation will be in good quality hotels or lodges. Occasionally it may be necessary to use bed and breakfast accommodation. En-suite facilities will be provided wherever possible. We will discuss your exact accommodation requirements when you have made a booking, but please note:

  • We reserve the right to change accommodation to that stated on our website itineraries - (see below "changes of itinerary").
  • Single rooms are normally available at an extra cost. However, if you so wish, it may be possible for you to share a room.
  • Accommodation in some countries may be of a lower standard than comparable accommodation in South Africa.

Changes of Itinerary

Despite careful planning, it is possible that an area may become inaccessible due to matters outside our control, for example through natural disaster. We may therefore decide to make changes to the itinerary to accommodate any possibility. We will tell you of any such change as soon as we decide to make it. If that happens, you may transfer to an alternative safari. If your chosen alternative is of a lower price we will refund the difference. If it is of a higher price, you must pay the difference.

Baggage restrictions

We have to work within the restrictions laid down by any carrier we may use. Policies vary from one carrier to another and from time to time. We will tell you the exact allowances and terms after you have made a booking with us. If you have an unusual requirement, perhaps for medical reasons, do contact us and we will try to help you immediately.

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking a Saruti safari that you take out appropriate travel insurance. You must send us proof of cover when you make payment of the balance due for your Safari. We cannot approve the cover you have bought and are not responsible if it is inadequate. Cover should be obtained not only against normal travel risks, but against additional risks appropriate to the destination country. In particular, local road transport insurance may be inadequate, so you should check that your cover includes accidents happening whilst you are a passenger in a vehicle. We advise that you should also check that any valuable optical equipment is covered either in your travel policy or your home contents policy.

Passport, Visa and Health Requirements

Please note carefully:

  • to be absolutely safe, it is a good idea to make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after the date of return of your Safari;
  • remember to apply for any necessary visa’s in good time;
  • Check with your GP what vaccinations and medication you may require and allow time to obtain it.

Limitations on our liability

We want you to enjoy a perfect safari with Saruti Safaris. We shall do our best to make your safari special for you. Nonetheless, we must make clear the limitations in law. We are not liable to you for:

  • The law of Force Majeure applies.
  • any event which happens before you board our transport at the meeting point or after you leave our transport at departure; Force Majeure applies.
  • any problem arising from your failure to reach the meeting point on time, for whatever reason; (though we would do our best to help you in any way we reasonably can)
  • the numbers or quality of wildlife you see on your safari;
  • any aspect of goods or services you buy or accept other than those arranged by us;
  • medical problems or physical difficulties, even if you have told us about them in advance;
  • medical emergencies;
  • your own carelessness or negligence in any aspect of your behaviour whilst with us;
  • laws, culture and standards of service and behaviour in any country we may visit;
  • changes we reasonably make to an itinerary or to accommodation or any other aspect of the management of a Safari;
  • Problems or issues which we could resolve whilst on a Safari but which you raise only after your return.

Furthermore:

  • We and you are subject to international conventions, when they apply. This may limit the amount of a claim you may make, against us or anyone else.
  • The services and features included in your Safari are those specified in our web site. If you choose to buy other goods or services during your safari, those are not part of the package we provide, even if arranged through our Safari leader. Accordingly we are not liable to you for any happening in connection with that service or those goods.

Uncontrollable events

Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance of this agreement which is caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including any labour dispute between a party and its employees.

Participation and Behaviour

Your information pack will provide details about your chosen safari, but the following are contractual matters:

  • Most Saruti Safaris require reasonable physical fitness and appropriate footwear. You should be prepared to walk up to a couple of miles a day, sometimes on uneven or slippery surfaces.
  • To satisfy the majority of our clients, we apply “no smoking” rules in the same way that they are applied by law in South Africa. Please note however, that smoking is permitted in some countries we may visit so we cannot prevent third parties from smoking in a bar or restaurant.
  • If we provide medical help to you, whether or not you specifically ask for it, we will provide receipts for all costs (for your insurer) and you now agree to repay us that cost on your return from the Safari.
  • If at any time, it is our opinion (given by any of our staff or Safari guides) that you are acting in a way which may cause accident, injury, discomfort or extreme displeasure to any other Safari member, we may exclude you from the programme for the remainder of the Safari. You will understand that this extreme action will not be taken lightly but may be necessary to protect the health, safety or enjoyment of other clients.

Complaints

We shall try our utmost to provide a happy and fulfilling safari, but if we fail in any way, do please raise any issue with your Safari guide immediately. If your complaint cannot be satisfied or it is not dealt with to your satisfaction at the time of reporting it to the guide(s), then you should give us full details in writing, immediately on your return. We cannot respond to verbal complaints.

This Contract shall be interpreted according to the Laws of South Africa and the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

Updating of these Terms & Conditions

We reserve the right to change, modify, add to or remove from portions or the whole of these Terms and Conditions from time to time. Changes to these Terms and Conditions will become effective upon such changes being posted to this Website.