Island Mobile Safaris

1. STANDARD POLICIES
• This Document includes the Group Policies for STO Agreements. While these policies are Standard, African Secrets provides for the opportunity to negotiate on any Policies. The way to do this is to read through our document, make notes of point you would like adjusted or addressed, and e-mail these to [email protected] or [email protected] with the Subject “STO Agreement Adjustments”. This does not mean we will accept any or all suggestions but negotiations will begin with these points. Once agreements have been made, should any point be agreed upon that is different to the standards in the Document, these will be entered under Schedule A, which is the schedule pertinent to points Specific to the relationship between African Secrets and your Company.
2. HOW TO BOOK:
• E-mail or fax your requirements.
• We will send you confirmation of receipt of your booking enquiry, and will check on availability for what you have requested, preferably e-mail.
3. PROVISIONAL AND CONFIRMED BOOKINGS
• A Provisional Booking is an unsecured and unconfirmed booking held on the system
within the parameters set forth in this Agreement
• A Confirmed Booking is a secure booking wherein the following conditions are met:
• Prior to 4 Weeks before Arrival 50% deposit Paid
• Within 4 weeks of Arrival 100% Payment is made
4. PAYMENT AND DEPOSIT POLICY,
• 100% Payment Deadline: 4 Weeks before Arrival
• 50% Payment: Confirms the Booking
• Provisional Bookings (Enquiries) do not require any payment. o Notwithstanding the above points, Provisional Bookings will be held on the system for 14 days before automatic release without notice. However, if we need to release your Provisional Booking to satisfy another enquiry we will provide you with the opportunity of 48 hours to change your Provisional Booking to a Confirmed Booking by making the necessary Payment, failing which we will release your booking and take on the other enquiry.
• Payment can be made in any of the following ways: Visa or MasterCard, Bank Deposit, Draft, Telegraphic Transfer or cash.
• The Group reserves the right to refuse accommodation and/or activities to any traveller should payment not have been received from the tour operator.
5. CANCELLATIONS
• Deposits are non-refundable
• Cancellations must be in writing
• Failure to make a Deposit may result in the release of Bookings
• Failure to meet Payment Deadlines will result in Automatic Cancellation of the Booking
• Failure to Communicate when given an opportunity will result in Cancellation and Release of the Booking
6. REFUNDS UNDER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
• Refunds may be made should the trip be cancelled by the tour operator for valid extenuating circumstances. (E.g. road accidents where the trip is no longer able to run)
• Legal proof may be requested by AFS before a refund is made.
7. ACCOUNTS
• The Group may be open to negotiate Payment Terms for Agents booking at or through any of our facilities. These terms are more likely to be awarded by the Group to companies with which they have a trading history. If the conditions of these terms are breached, the Group reserves the right to cancel this facility at any time without notice, and to levy a surcharge or interest on late payments. This facility will not be considered without due completion of the complete Credit Application Form.
• Please note that the application of payment terms may be an influencing factor in the STO rate you qualify for as it would result in affecting the Groups cash-flow by carrying your business at its own expense for a period.
• If you are interested in applying for Payment Terms, you would need to make an application for such a facility with the Group Financial Manager at the following e-mail address: [email protected]
8. PRICING:
• We have allocated US$ as our Base Operating Rate and the reason for this is that historically this currency has a devaluation of between 3-4% annually. The Botswana Pula devalues at over 7% annually which would mean that we as a Company would have to increase our rates by larger amounts more regularly to keep up with inflation. We preferred to keep the changes as small as possible and have therefore opted for historical stability, therefore all rates are quoted in US Dollars. Any prices we may offer you in Botswana Pula or any other currency accepted of your choice, will be calculated from the Base US$ Rate.
• Many of these prices have different ways of quoting, room rates, bed rates, single supplements, and on activities, seat rates, vehicle rates, entrance fees.
• We will quote you on each item you request as and when you need them, and most of our prices are set by calendar years.
• Please also note, that the price we charge you is the price at the time of utilising our facility, and not at the time the trip began.
TERMINATION OF A TOUR
• AFS reserves the rights to cancel a tour, without compensation, should the people on the trip behave in such a manner so as to endanger the life of any people on the trip.
9. BAGGAGE:
• In most instances on activities, you will be limited to 15-20kg luggage for water and land based activities.
• Should your safari involve a light aircraft, luggage will be restricted to 12kg MAXIMUM.
• This is a safety regulation. Should your travellers exceed the luggage limit, their luggage may be left behind, or they may have to pay for an extra seat.
10. WILD ANIMALS:
• Island Group operates in wilderness areas and therefore all travellers are required to sign an indemnity form on arrival at any of our facilities.
11. PASSPORT AND VISAS:
• Each traveller must have a valid passport with 6 months validity at least and 2 blank pages.
• If a visa is required, then it is the traveller’s responsibility to make sure this is in place before travel commences. In the unfortunate circumstance that this does not occur, all expenses incurred relating to or because of this, will be due the customer.
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12. HEALTH:
• All travellers need to check with a Doctor or competent medical professional before travelling to ensure that they have all the correct medications.
• Travellers must arrange their own travel insurance and ensure that it is valid for the country of travel.
13. NOT INCLUDED:
• Personal insurance, cancellation insurance, items of a personal nature. (Tips, laundry, alcohol etc.)
• If it’s not on the itinerary as inclusive, the traveller should expect to pay extra for it.
14. RESPONSIBILITY:
• Neither Island Safaris nor its incorporated group of companies nor any person or agent acting for, through or on the behalf of Island Safaris shall be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from any cause whatsoever and without restricting the generality of a foregoing shall particularly not be responsible for loss or damage arising from any errors or omissions contained in its brochure or other literature, loss or damage caused by delays, sickness, theft, injury or death.
• In addition, Island Safaris shall have the right at any time at its discretion to cancel or amend any safari or the remainder thereof or make any alteration in route, accommodation, price or other details and, in the event of any safari being rendered impossible, illegal or inadvisable by weather, strike, war, government or interference or any other cause whatsoever, the extra expenses incurred as a result thereof shall be the responsibility of the passenger. Island Safaris may at its discretion and without liability or cost to itself at any time cancel or terminate the guests booking and without limiting the generality of a foregoing it shall be entitled to do so in the event of the illness or the illegal or incompatible behaviour of the guest, who shall in such circumstances not be entitled to any refund.
• The person making the booking will, by the making of such booking, warrant that he or she has the authority to enter into a contract on behalf of the other persons included in such a booking and in the event of the failure of any or all the other persons so included to make payment, the person making the booking shall by his/her signature thereof assume personal liability for the total price of all bookings made by him/her.
15. INDEMNITY
• You are required to have an Indemnity Form in Place that sufficiently covers African Secrets and the entire Island Group from Liability. We will also require Indemnities to be signed and your crew if present, are to make sure that all people travelling with you have signed our Indemnity Forms.


Our Basic Indemnity
• By entering onto our premises, and or making use of any of our services provided on or off site (that is any accommodation, tour, holiday excursion, outing or safari, both on or off our property also including but not limited to any form of transport or travel) that you shall hereby indemnify African Secrets and its Agents and or subcontractors of any claim whatsoever to injury or to loss.
• You need to be aware that this indemnity shall apply to your crew and all guests booked in by your company o You need to be aware of all possible dangers always and we hereby inform you that it is your responsibility to inform your guests and crew against these potential hazards. o You agree that we are not in any way responsible and neither you, nor your executors, nor your dependants, nor any third party wishing to claim from us in any way will be able to do so in the event of an incident, howsoever caused.
• We also hereby inform that “Rights of Admission are reserved”.
16. PHOTOGRAPHY:
• We reserve the right to use any photographs taken by us on any trip or in any accommodations, or sent to us, for advertising purposes and without permission from the people in the picture, providing that the images do not in any way show individuals or the tour operator in a disadvantageous light.
17. INFORMATION ACCURACY
• Any opinions, advice and recommendations we give, we do so in good faith. Conditions may change that make these opinions, advice and recommendations null and void.
• If you should find any errors or omissions in this contract, please advise us and we will make the necessary amendments.
18. CONSENT:
• By making use of our services, or by paying us for services you consent to the terms and conditions of this contract and to the Indemnity herein for all your clients or Staff using our Services.
19. CHECK IN – CHECK OUT POLICIES
• Island Safari Lodge Check in time is 14H00. Check out time is 10h00 each day. • If you sleep in a National Park or Reserve we need to be out by 11:00 or pay for an extra day.
• For all activities, we recommend that to make the most of your activity, all travellers should be ready and at the right place before the appointed time the activity is due to depart.


20. AGE LIMITS IN CAMPS AND LODGES (IF WE NEED TO BOOK OTHER DESTINATIONS FOR
YOUR ITINERARY):
• Many camps do not allow children under the age of 16.
• Let us know the age and travelling experience of children under 12 and we will give you our best advice.
• Maximum age limit of 75 years on safaris unless extremely fit.