Terms of Service

1. Bookings and Confirmation

Bookings are made via our website www.adventuresbeyond.org, email info@adventuresbeyond.org, WhatsApp +256 703 845052, or direct call +256 780 699882.

Provide accurate details, including choices of activities like gorilla trekking or cultural safaris or hiking. We confirm a booking upon receipt of a 40% deposit payment and share with you the confirmation receipt.

Documents like passport details will be required to secure some services like the Gorilla tracking permits and other park clearances. Bookings are subject to availability; we reserve the right to substitute equivalent services.

2. Payments and Deposits

• Deposit: 40% of the total cost, non-refundable, to secure bookings and permits.
• Balance: Due 60 days prior to departure. For bookings within 60 days of travel, full payment is required immediately upon confirmation.
• Methods: Bank transfer or credit/debit card. All prices are in USD ($); card payments may incur standard 3–5% processing merchant fees.
• Price Changes: Fixed at booking but may adjust for statutory taxes, national park tariff updates, fuel surcharges, or sharp currency fluctuations prior to deposit. No changes are applied after full payment is received.
• Unused Services: No refunds are issued for missed or unused services once the safari commences.

3. Cancellations by the Client

Cancellations must be communicated to us in writing via email. Refunds exclude gorilla and chimpanzee permits, as well as irrecoverable third-party lodge deposits and admin fees:

4. Cancellations or Changes by Us

We may cancel or give alternative itineraries due to minimum group sizes, guest safety, impassable roads, extreme weather conditions, or activities being fully booked by park authorities. In such rare instances, we will offer suitable equivalent alternatives or a full refund of monies received (minus irrecoverable third-party costs like permits). We accept no liability for indirect, incidental, or consequential losses (such as international flight rebooking fees).

5. Changes to Bookings

Client-requested changes (e.g., date adjustments, lodge substitutions, additional activities) incur an administrative fee starting at $50 USD plus any supplier or lodge differential costs. While we make every effort to accommodate changes, we cannot guarantee availability; if changes cannot be accommodated and the client withdraws, standard cancellation policies apply.

6. Liabilities and Disclaimers

Adventures and Beyond Safaris complies with the Ugandan Tourism Act and national safety standards. However, we are not liable for:

• Losses, injuries, sickness, or damages resulting from third-party supplier acts or omissions, force majeure, or client negligence.
• Delays, itinerary changes, road washouts, flight cancellations, or missed connections outside our direct control.
• Baggage loss, theft, or damage (luggage is limited to two items per person in safari vehicles; personal luggage insurance is strongly advised).

Clients participate at their own risk in adventure activities like mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, canopy walks, boat safaris, and hiking. All implied warranties are expressly disclaimed to the maximum extent permitted under law.

7. Insurance

It is a mandatory condition of booking that all travelers possess comprehensive personal travel and medical insurance. Your policy must adequately cover medical expenses, emergency air ambulance evacuation, trip cancellation, personal liability, and loss of personal effects. We may request proof of policy prior to tour commencement. While our team facilitates emergency coordination, we do not provide primary medical coverage.

8. Force Majeure

We accept no liability and pay no compensation for failures, delays, or cancellations due to unforeseeable events beyond our reasonable control (including war, civil unrest, labor disputes, natural disasters, severe weather, epidemics, or government travel restrictions). Under force majeure, contracts may be suspended, and deposits already committed to non-refundable preparations cannot be recovered.

9. Health, Safety, and Conduct

• Travel Documents & Vaccinations: Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity from return date), appropriate entry visas, and official Yellow Fever vaccination certificates (mandatory proof required at points of entry for Uganda and Rwanda). Check https://travel.state.gov or your national travel health authority for country advisories.
• Physical Fitness: Activities like gorilla trekking involve hiking through uneven, steep, and dense rainforest terrain. Moderate physical fitness is required. Clients must disclose medical conditions, mobility constraints, severe allergies, and dietary needs in advance.
• Safety Protocols: Clients must follow all ranger and safari guide instructions at all times. While we prioritize safety protocols, encounters in wilderness parks inherently cannot eliminate all risk.
• Code of Conduct: Clients must respect wild animals, natural habitats, local cultural sensitivities, and fellow travelers. Any disruptive, unsafe, or abusive behavior may result in immediate removal from the tour without entitlement to refund.

10. Passports, Visas, and Vaccinations

It is the sole responsibility of the client to ensure all travel documents, e-visas (such as the Uganda e-Visa or the unified East Africa Tourist Visa), health certifications, and transit documents are valid and obtained prior to departure. Adventures and Beyond Safaris accepts no liability for clients refused entry or boarding due to document deficiencies.

11. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

If you experience any dissatisfaction during your safari, report the issue immediately to your head driver-guide or lodge manager to give us the opportunity to resolve it on the ground. If the matter cannot be settled during the journey, submit your complaint in writing via email to info@adventuresbeyond.org within 30 days post-trip for formal review. We cannot accept liability for complaints that were not reported during the trip.