Terms & Conditions

Swiss Kenya Safaris – Tour Booking Terms & Payment Conditions

Safari Tour Cancellation Charges:

Swiss Kenya Safaris booking / cancellation conditions are determined by the fact that once hotel, Safari lodge/ camps , local domestic airlines or services are booked on your behalf, we shall incur a cancellation fee if we are required to cancel the booking. We try to keep such cancellation charges to a minimum and they apply as follows calculated as a percentage of the total price:

Safari invoice cancellation  charges  for both Kenya & Tanzania Safaris.

1. 21 & 15 days of the arrival date =30% of full stay
2. 14 & 8 days of the arrival date =50% of full stay
3. 7 days or less of the arrival date =100% of the full stay
4. No show =100% of the full stay

Cancellation terms for Uganda & Rwanda shall be shared on request.

We do our best to provide to you an enjoyable, trouble-free safari tour but occasionally even the best-laid plans can go wrong.

In the event of a problem whilst you are on a safari tour with us, please inform your tour planning manager via email or WhatsApp ,Lodge Camp Manager if accommodation related and your tour driver / guide immediately. This gives us the opportunity to correct the issue on the spot so that it does not spoil your Safari. If the matter cannot be resolved immediately, please send details of your complaint to us in writing within 20 days of your return from your holiday.

It is therefore a condition of this contract that you communicate any problem to the authority in question whilst on tour. If you fail to follow this simple procedure we cannot accept responsibility as we have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify the problem on site.

Seasonal Factors and Resort Facilities:

Some factors are not under our control and early and late in the season some tourist facilities may not operate. Likewise, swimming pools have to be cleaned and sometimes emptied and maintenance work can affect the availability of certain amenities.

Public holidays and religious festivals throughout the year (particularly Ramadan) may have an impact on the ambience of a destination and the reliability of shops, banks and other facilities.

Wild Animals:

Please be aware that on any African safari, your clients may be taken into close contact with wild animals. Attacks by wild animals are rare, but no safari into the African wilderness can guarantee that this will not occur.

Neither Swiss Kenya Safaris, nor its employees, nor its suppliers can be held responsible for any injury or incident on the safari. Please note that many safari camps are unfenced and animals are able to wander through the camps at all times of the day and night.

Important -Travel Insurance:

It is of importance that each Safari / Tour member in your party has adequate and comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellation or curtailment, as well as medical expenses, emergency travel, personal accident, personal baggage and money loss.

This should be arranged at the time of confirmation and deposit payment to cover you for cancellation from the time of booking. Please note that it is your responsibility to take out insurance, with the cost for your account, and that Swiss Kenya Safaris cannot be liable in any way whatsoever you should fail to do so.

If you are coming to East Africa from overseas, we request that you provide us with your insurance provider’s name, together with the policy number and the insurance company’s emergency contact telephone number in case of any emergency whilst you are traveling.

Safari / tour Payment deposit and balance:

Payment terms:

  • 0% deposit per person for one day safari / tours.
  • 20% deposit per person for 2-3 day safari / tours
  • 30% deposit per person for 4-6 day safari /  tours
  • 40% deposit per person for 7-12 day safari tours
  • 50% deposit per person for combined Kenya/ Tanzania safari tours

Balance due within 6-1 day prior to commencement of your safari arrangements. Payments (deposit & final balance) are preferred by credit card online.

For persons from overseas, payments are to be made is USD as quoted. Payments in other convertible world currencies can only be made to us subject to prior agreement and current exchange rate.

Payment by credit / debit cards:

* To our esteemed visitors and clients that we highly discourage cash transactions on our platform.

We prefer payment by credit card on-line (Visa, Amex or Mastercard) through our secure online payment system.

Once your booking is confirmed and your sales consultant / Tour manager has emailed you the invoice, you will then receive an email from Swiss Kenya Safaris with a link that directs you to our secure online payment system, where you can enter your details and process your payment. No transaction fee is added by us for payment of the deposit by debit or credit card.

There is also no transaction fee charged if the full invoice amount is paid at once by credit card. However your credit card company may add their own handling fee for processing a payment outside your home country.

If the final balance is paid by credit card there shall be no extra transaction fee charged. Payment can also be made by debit card in the same way as credit cards. In this case again, no transaction fee is charged.

Responsibility:

Safari adventure travel in Africa carries some measure of inherent risk including, but not limited to, the hazards of traveling in underdeveloped areas where road conditions and other facilities may be poor or lacking; the forces of nature; and accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation.

Bookings are accepted on the specific condition that Swiss Kenya Safaris and its team of independent overseas Safari Consultants act only as agents of the passenger in all matters relating to hotels, sightseeing tours, restaurants, all forms of transportation and other services which may be included in these tours. Swiss Kenya Safaris may purchase these services from suppliers and other independent contractors, without warranties and representations from them and thus such services are not subject to its control.

The right is reserved to substitute hotels of comparable status and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused as a result of adverse road or weather conditions, disruptions to airline schedules or any other valid reason.

While all precautions are taken to ensure the passenger’s safety and enjoyment on these tours, Swiss Kenya Safaris and/or its agents and suppliers shall not be liable for death, injury, delay, loss or damage arising from any cause and in any manner whatsoever or change of itinerary or act, including any acts of terrorism, acts of God and government, neglect, accident, error or omission caused by any of these suppliers or independent contractors, their employees, representatives or any event beyond the control of Swiss Kenya  Safaris.

All baggage is carried at the passenger’s own risk, and Swiss Kenya Safaris reserves the right to exclude certain baggage at its discretion.

The airlines used to provide flights within Kenya are subject to international air conventions limiting their liability; the limitations of liability are contained on the reverse side of the airline ticket and form part of the terms and conditions of this package.

Safari Transport:

It should be noted that the types of vehicles used for safari transport on rough roads in East Africa are different from tour vehicles on the highways in developed countries and normally they do not have air-conditioning other than the standard ventilation fan.

The Safari 4×4 Land Cruisers used throughout East Africa for overland road safaris on the main highways beyond the parks are of a standardized design with sliding passenger windows.

Open-sided safari viewing vehicles may be used inside the game reserves and conservancies by visitors on fly-in safari packages.

Electricity:

In most of the safari lodges where electricity is provided by a generator, these are turned off late at night until early morning the following day.

In Kenya the general voltage is 240 and the frequency is 50 Hz. The British three rectangular blade plugs are common. Some lodges and camps only have power in the early mornings and evenings. Batteries may be recharged in camps during the day but it is wise to double check with the camp manager.

As the sockets may vary, a ‘Travellers Adaptor Set’ is recommended. Voltage sometimes fluctuates and whilst power cuts are rare, they are not unknown. It is useful to carry a torch.

Water:

Water from taps in bathrooms is not suitable for drinking and bottled water is provided for drinking and cleaning teeth.

Roads:

The roads between the parks may have rough stretches and the overland journeys can be lengthy as tour vehicles are limited to a maximum speed of 80 KM per hour.

Local flights between national parks / game reserves are an (extra) option when overland transfers are exceptionally long.

Law and Jurisdiction:

All terms and conditions of this agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance to the laws of Kenya, and any litigation necessary to resolve disputes between the parties shall be held in the courts located in Kenya where such a dispute can be solved through arbitration.