Please take the time to carefully read and understand the Booking Terms & Conditions below prior to booking a tour with Raw Africa Eco-Tours.

Our full liability waiver and Travel Booking Terms & Conditions will be made available to you along with your tour invoice.

1. Basis of Contract
All tour bookings are made with Raw Africa Eco-Tours Pty Ltd (ACN 158 486 992; ABN 21 158 486 992). A detailed invoice will constitute the acceptance of your booking. The services to be provided and agreed upon are those referred to solely in your booking confirmation invoice(s). A contract will exist between you, the client, and us, the service provider, from the date we issue the invoice. If a booking is made within 45 days of departure then the contract comes into effect when we receive and accept your payment. If payment is not received on or before 45 days prior to tour departure, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled retaining any deposits made.

2. Date Validity
Advertised itineraries are valid until the 31 December 2020. Beyond this date itineraries are indicative only.

3. Booking your Holiday
To enable us to confirm your travel arrangements with our on-ground providers, you must provide all requested details with payment of the deposit. An electronic version of our booking form, containing a liability release and travel terms and conditions will be emailed to you for electronic signing. Failure to provide the requested details may result in additional charges or non-refundable cancellation of your tour.

4. Passport and Visas
You are required to carry a valid passport and all appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries to which you will travel. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your date of return home. It is solely your responsibility to organise all the correct visas, permits and health certificates for your tour. We will not be responsible if you are refused entry to a country based on a lack or legal or correct documentation.

5. Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is mandatory for all our tours and should be taken out at the time of booking. You are required to provide us with your insurer’s name, 24-hour international emergency contact number and your policy number or you will not be allowed to join the tour. Travel insurance must provide cover for:

• Overseas medical expenses,
• 24-hour assistance,
• Emergency medical transport & repatriation,
• Remote area evacuation,
• Cancellation and interruption of travel,
• Theft or delay of baggage or personal items,
• Kidnap or hijack,
• Accidental death, permanent dismemberment and repatriation of remains and
• Personal liability as a minimum.
  When taking out travel insurance to cover all of the above areas, bearing in the mind the country and remote area location to which this tour is going, and any additional activities that you choose to partake in such as: Boating; Canoeing; Bushwalking, Hiking, Trekking, Camping (up to 6000 metres); Bushcraft; Flying (as a passenger in a licensed scheduled or chartered aircraft or helicopter); Swimming (pool; enclosed, inland or coastal waters within 3 nautical miles); Safari Tours – excluding handling of big game or dangerous animals; Volunteer manual work – general farm work; Volunteer non-manual work – teaching, clerical, childcare). It is your responsibility to take out the correct travel insurance in respect to any extenuating, existing medical conditions that you have.

6. Price Policy

• Surcharges – The price of your tour is subject to the possibility of surcharges. Surcharges may be incurred (without limitation), in connection with: currency exchange rates, scheduled airfares, accommodation and ground transportation charges, game park entrances and conservancy fees, trekking permits (gorilla, chimpanzee, volcano), and any other increases in connection with the tour.
• Price Increase Guarantee – Provided that we receive settlement in full no less than 45 days prior to the Departure date, we try to absorb any price increase that may arise after that date.
• Changes in the Australian Dollar – The financial commitment we take in order to offer the Price Increase Guarantee means that reduction in prices cannot be made if the Australian Dollar strengthens.
• Products not utilised – No refunds are made in respect of products not utilised. For example, but not limited to: accommodation, meals and sightseeing excursions.
• Refunds – We will not be liable to make any refund, in full or in part, of any fees, costs or charges paid by you for any form of trekking permit, Democratic Republic of Congo entry visa or similar, or flights internal to any country to be visited on your tour, if any of the travel arrangements are cancelled or simply do not take place for whatever reason.
• Goods and Services not included – The following are excluded from the invoiced tour price: International Airfares, arrival or departure taxes, passport and visa costs, travel insurance, personal expenditure including drinks, laundry, room services, additional meals and gratuities, unless expressly included.
• GST – You are liable to pay any amount of GST imposed on any product as required by that supplier.
• Single Supplement – If a Single Supplement is requested, a surcharge will be charged for your own room where possible on the tour. This surcharge will vary dependant on the tour selected and accommodation levels available. Should you be travelling as a solo passenger willing to share, this supplement will be waived only if shared accommodation is available. If tour numbers do not allow for this then the Single Supplement will be charged.

7. Tour Deposit
You are required to pay a 25% deposit of your total booking cost as a non-refundable deposit within 14 days of receiving your invoice. If you are booking a tour less than 45 days out from the departure date then payment in full is required.

8. Cancellation by the Client
A notice of cancellation from you must be given in writing and may be delivered by hand, prepaid mail, or e-mail. Notice of cancellation is treated as given, when acknowledged by us or 48 hours has passed, whichever is the sooner.
Charges are payable by you in accordance with the number of days prior to the initial tour departure date following notice being received by us of cancellation:

PERCENTAGE OF HOLIDAY PRICE PAYABLE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE DATE:

• From 45 days prior – 100% due
• At 89 to 46 days prior – 50% due
• Up to 90 days prior – 25% due

You will incur additional cancellation charges of 100% for any trekking permits (gorilla, chimpanzee, volcano); entry visa (Democratic Republic of Congo); and flights as outlined in your invoice(s).

We can provide you with any supporting documentation required to make an insurance claim.

9. Amendments and Adjustments by the Client
Should you wish to make changes to your booking, any costs incurred will be payable in full by you upon sending the updated invoice.

10. Cancellation by Us
We will treat a booking as cancelled and levy cancellation charges if you do not pay the balance of the tour invoiced costs at least 44 days prior to the initial tour departure date.

Force Majeure – We may, at our sole option, where circumstances outside of our control affect the provision of the tour arrangements (such as flood, fire, act of God, war of threat of war, physical unrest, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activities (threatened or actual), strikes, port or airport closure, technical problems with transport, alteration or cancellation of scheduled travel services), cancel scheduled travel arrangements at any time. And may at our sole and absolute discretion: offer you alternative travel arrangements or products of comparable standard as may be appropriate in the circumstances or; if alternative travel arrangements or products are not offered by us, we will make a prompt proportional (taking into account the extent of the travel arrangements that have been provided or arranged) refund a percentage of moneys paid by you.

We will charge a reasonable fee to cover the administration costs associated with providing alternative travel arrangements or products.

11. Amendments and Adjustments Made by Us (change of itinerary)
While we do our best to operate our tours as described we reserve the right to change the itinerary at any time. We will do our best to keep you updated in a timely manner, of any changes bought to our attention.

Before departure – If we are required to make a major change (affecting more than 25% or more of your booked days), we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible before departure. When a major change occurs, you may choose between a refund on a portion of all land costs dependant on what we can recoup or an alternative itinerary. Good insurance will help to recoup your losses.

After departure – We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events beyond our control. In such circumstances, the additional costs of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of changes to the itineraries such as visas, vaccinations, non-refundable flights or trekking permits.

12. General Inclusions
The price of your tour includes

• Meals as listed
• Water with tour activities
• Accommodation as listed
• Transport as listed
• Activities as listed
• Park entrance and conservancy fees
• Permits as listed

13. General Exclusions
The price of your tour does NOT include:

• International and internal flights unless specified
• Meals, snacks, drinks (other than water) unless specified
• Taxes and excess baggage charges
• Visas unless specified
• Passport and vaccination costs
• Travel Insurance
• Optional activities and personal expenses

14. Accommodation
The accommodation we choose for our tours is rigorously tested prior to using to ensure it meets all of our needs. Our primary goal however, is to utilise properties that are owned and operated by local indigenous groups. With this in mind we understand that the level of comfort may be different to what you are used to so please keep an open mind. We cannot guarantee all modern-day facilities such as Wi-Fi or stable mobile communications, room safes etc.
We accept that we cannot always use our preferred accommodation or that changes need to be made ‘on the fly’, this is a part of travel that is expected and we adapt accordingly finding an alternative equal to or better than originally booked.

We cannot guarantee single, twin, triple, adjoining or family rooms but we will do our best to meet your needs.

15. Age and Health Requirements
We do not allow for any travellers under the age of 18 unless accompanied by an adult legal guardian. Our Family tours are designed for children 4 years and older. Custom tours can be organised for families with younger children.

We do not have an upper age limit, although we remind you that there are some physically demanding elements to our tours and so you need to be mobile and reasonably fit to get the most out of your tour. The accommodation we use is often isolated and therefore is not suitable for mobility impaired. Some of our tours do travel to higher elevations where altitude sickness is a concern so medical clearance from your doctor is a must. Although we take into account individual food preferences and allergies we cannot guarantee provisions can be made to meet all of your needs, please speak to us directly so we can make a plan that best suits your requirements.

16. Group Size
We specialise in small group and custom tours. Our small group tour minimum is 4 and maximum is 12 with an average of 6 people per tour.

17. Authority on Tour
On any tour with a group leader or guide they are the final authority on the tour. The decision of the group leader/ guide is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any traveller or staff member participating in the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a group leader/ guide, or interfere with the well-being or mobility of the group, the group leader/ guide may direct you to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. We may also elect not to carry you on any future trips booked. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited.

18. Acceptance of Risk
You acknowledge that the nature of the tour is adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives. We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However, it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary. You acknowledge and accept the risk that all animal encounters can be dangerous and can cause illness and suffering, injuries, pain and in some instance’s death. We will take reasonable precautions to minimise the risks on the travel adventure. However, we cannot guarantee 100% of your safety on this adventure. Often areas of operation are remote with little or no medical support. Hospitals and emergency facilities can be hours away or at long travel distance to reach. Hospitals and medical facilities may not have the medical tools, skills or facilities and hygiene standards that are the same as your country. In some remote areas, self-rescue is the only option. Our group leaders/ guides may need to begin first aid appropriate to the remoteness of the area and the nature of the ailment. By signing onto this tour you accept all risks inherent in this style of travel. While we will take all reasonable precautions to maintain your safety, you are also responsible to act in a safe manner that will not endanger yourself or others in the travel group, staff or public.

19. Raw Africa Eco-Tours Obligations and Limitations of Liability
We use a network of companies, government agencies and individuals to assist in running our tours as agents for these third parties. We are not responsible or liable for the acts and omissions of these third parties resulting in injury, loss, damage, accident, delay or irregularity that may arise to you or third party resulting from your or third party’s use of the products. We make reasonable enquiries to determine that third parties provide appropriate products.
To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• You acknowledge that we act as your agent for the booking of accommodation and meals, and the liability of us as the booking agent in respect of the provision of such accommodation and meals is limited accordingly.
• You must notify us in writing of any allergies, illnesses or incapacities, partial or otherwise, which are relevant to the intended travel, provision of accommodation and meals. We retain a right to cancel this booking upon being notified of any such allergy, illness or incapacity, or upon otherwise becoming aware of such. If we cancel this contract in respect of any such allergy, illness or incapacity not notified to us, all fees payable by you shall be forfeited.
• You acknowledge that, in the event of the need for provision of urgent medical treatment by any of our personnel, such treatment shall be provided with all reasonable care, having regard to the circumstances. You further acknowledge that our personnel are not medically qualified beyond basic first aid Principles, and hereby release and forever indemnify us and our personnel in respect of all actions, suits, claims demand whatsoever as a result of the provision of such medical treatment.
• Except as specifically stated, any term, condition or warranty in respect of the quality, merchantability, fitness for purpose, condition, description, specification or performance of the products or services, whether implied by statute, common law, trade usage, custom or otherwise, is hereby expressly excluded.
• Circumstances Beyond our Control – If we are unable to provide the travel arrangements as illustrated in the brochure or web site, or any product agreed to be provided, we are not liable for any injury, loss, damage, accident, delay or irregularity arising to you or any third party.
• We are not liable for, and accept no responsibility for any direct or indirect loss, financial loss, consequential loss, loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, damage, injury, accident, delay or irregularity occasioned to you, whether caused by act, omission, negligence or otherwise while undertaking a travel arrangement, using the services or arising from any booking.
• We require that you insure yourself against loss of deposit, cancellation charge, medical expenses and loss of personal possessions and any other foreseeable loss or expense.
• You acknowledge and accept that different places, countries, facilities and tour operators may have lower standards or safety, labelling, warnings and precautions. You are responsible for maintaining personal diligence and safety notwithstanding the level of standards in the country of tour operation.

20. Optional Activities
Optional activities not included in the tour price do not form part of the tour or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your group leader/ guide or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them in any way. The contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and the activity provider.

21. Photos and Marketing
You consent to us using images of you taken during the trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose. You grant us a perpetual. Royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable licence to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes.

22. Applicable Law
The laws of Victoria, Australia govern these Booking Terms & Conditions to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with a trip or these Booking Terms & Conditions must be initiated in the courts of Victoria, Australia.