Booking terms

These booking terms apply when you book a safari, a Kilimanjaro climb, a stay or any other travel arrangement with Lemala Safaris. They sit alongside your personal quote and invoice. If something in your quote differs from these terms, your quote applies to that booking, because it is written for your trip.

In these terms, "we", "us" and "Lemala" mean Lemala Safaris. "You" means the person who accepts the quote and everyone travelling in that party. By accepting a quote or paying a deposit, you confirm that you have read these terms and agree to them on behalf of everyone in your group.

We have written these terms in plain language on purpose. If any part is unclear, please ask us before you book. We would much rather answer a question now than have a surprise later.

Every trip begins with an enquiry. We reply with a personal quote that sets out the itinerary, the accommodation, what is included and excluded, the price and the currency. A quote is an offer for the dates and arrangements it describes. It stays open for the period stated in the quote, and prices and availability are not guaranteed until your booking is confirmed.

Your booking is confirmed when you accept the quote in writing and we receive the deposit stated on your invoice. At that point we begin holding vehicles, guides, lodges, camps, permits and flights on your behalf. If we cannot hold something you asked for, we will tell you straight away and offer a comparable alternative.

The person who accepts the quote confirms that they have the authority to book for every traveller in the party and that they have shared these terms with them. Please make sure every name matches the traveller's passport exactly, and tell us the age of every child, because rates, rooms and some activities depend on age.

Your invoice states the deposit, the balance, the due date for each and the payment reference to use. Deposits secure your arrangements. The balance is normally due before you travel, so that we can settle our suppliers. The exact amounts and dates are set for each trip and are always written down in your quote and invoice before you pay anything.

We confirm the payment methods available for your booking when we send your invoice. Please do not send money to any account that has not been confirmed by us in writing, and never act on a message that asks you to change our payment details. If anything about a payment request looks unusual, contact us using the details on our website before you pay. Our payments page explains the steps in more detail.

Prices are quoted in the currency stated on your quote, most often US dollars. If you pay from another currency, your bank or card provider may add exchange fees or charges. These are outside our control, and you are responsible for any bank charges so that the full invoiced amount reaches us. Please send us a copy of your transfer receipt, because it helps us match your payment quickly.

If a payment is late, we may contact you to agree a new date. If it remains unpaid, we may release the services we have been holding, and the cancellation terms below may then apply. Where a cost changes for reasons outside our control, such as park fees, government taxes or levies, we will explain what has changed and why as soon as we know.

Plans change, and we will always try to help. If you want to alter your dates, your accommodation, the number of travellers or any part of your itinerary, please tell us as early as you can and in writing. We will check what is possible with our suppliers and let you know the cost of the change before anything is altered.

Whether a change is possible depends on availability and on what has already been reserved or paid for on your behalf. Some changes are simple, and others are not, because lodges, camps, permits and flights may be non-refundable or non-transferable once held. A change may therefore cost more, and in some cases it may be treated as a cancellation of the original arrangement followed by a new booking.

Changing the name of a traveller, for example when a passenger cannot travel, can also be limited by airline and park rules. Tell us as soon as you know, and we will explain the options.

We plan every trip with care, but safari and mountain travel depend on weather, roads, wildlife, flight schedules and the decisions of lodges and park authorities. Sometimes we need to make a change, such as moving a game drive, swapping a vehicle, adjusting a route or rearranging a day. Where we can, we will tell you in advance and explain why.

If a lodge, camp or other supplier becomes unavailable, we will offer a comparable alternative in the same area. We aim for the same standard or better. If the change is significant and you do not want to accept it, please tell us promptly, and we will talk through your options, which may include a different arrangement or a refund of any part we cannot provide.

Mobile camps move with the seasons, so their exact position can change from year to year. When your trip includes a mobile camp, we confirm its current location for your dates.

If you need to cancel, please tell us in writing as early as possible. The date we receive your written notice is the date the cancellation takes effect. The charge that applies depends on how close to departure you cancel and on the costs we have already committed or paid to lodges, camps, airlines, park authorities and other suppliers on your behalf. The schedule that applies to your trip is stated in your quote.

Some costs cannot be recovered once they are paid. Examples include park and conservation fees, mountain permits, domestic flights and deposits taken by lodges. In many cases the earlier you cancel, the more we can recover and the less you pay, and the later you cancel, the less we can recover. We will explain exactly how the charge for your booking is worked out, and we will do our best to recover whatever we can from suppliers for you.

Unused services are not normally refundable. If you arrive late, leave early, miss an activity or choose not to use part of your trip, we cannot usually refund that part, because the supplier has already been paid. A traveller who does not arrive or does not join a departure without telling us in advance is treated as a late cancellation.

Where a refund is due, we return it to the person or account that made the payment, in the currency of the original payment where possible. Refunds can take some time to reach you, depending on banks and payment providers. If we cancel your trip because we cannot provide it, we will refund what you have paid for the part we cannot provide, or offer you a suitable alternative, as you prefer.

We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance for every traveller. Good cover includes medical treatment, emergency evacuation and repatriation, trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss or damage to personal belongings. Medical help in remote areas can be far away, and evacuation can be costly, so this protection matters.

For Kilimanjaro climbs and other adventure activities, please check that your policy explicitly covers trekking to the altitude of your route, which is above five thousand metres on the summit climb. Some policies exclude altitude or require an extra premium, and you should read the small print. For safaris that include small aircraft, balloon flights, walking safaris or water activities, check that your policy covers those too.

We may ask to see proof of insurance for mountain climbs and remote itineraries before we confirm them. Buying insurance when you book gives you the most protection, because many cancellation benefits only apply to events that happen after the policy starts.

You are responsible for holding a valid passport, the visas you need and any health documents required to enter and travel through Tanzania and any other country on your route. Your passport should normally be valid for at least six months from your arrival date and have enough blank pages. Requirements differ by nationality and change from time to time, so please check the official sources for your passport before you travel. Our travel information page gives a general guide, but it is not a substitute for checking.

Depending on where you travel from, a yellow fever certificate may be required, and malaria precautions are advised for much of the country. Please speak to a travel-health clinic well before you leave, and make sure routine vaccinations are up to date. Bring enough of any prescription medicine for the whole trip, in its original packaging.

If a traveller is refused entry or boarding because their documents are not in order, we cannot refund the services that go unused. Please tell us about any medical condition, allergy or mobility need that could affect your trip, so that we can plan sensibly and give honest advice.

Safari and mountain travel involve natural risks. Wild animals, rough terrain, weather and altitude are part of the experience, and a good guide manages them, but cannot remove them. We ask every guest to follow the instructions of our guides and camp staff, especially around wildlife, vehicles, campfires, water and steep ground.

Please stay inside the vehicle unless your guide says it is safe to step out, keep voices low near animals, and never approach or feed wildlife. Respect park rules, local customs and the people you meet. Guests are responsible for their own belongings, and for behaviour that keeps themselves and others safe and comfortable.

We reserve the right to ask a guest to stop an activity, or to leave a trip, if their behaviour puts themselves, others, staff or wildlife at risk. In that case we cannot refund the unused parts of the trip. We will always explain our reasons and act fairly.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a serious undertaking. Success depends on fitness, preparation, pace, weather and how your body responds to altitude. We cannot guarantee that any guest will reach the summit, and the price of a climb is for the service we provide, not for the result.

Your lead guide makes the final decision on safety. If a guide decides that a climber should rest, descend or stop, that decision is final, and you agree to follow it. Guides watch for signs of altitude illness each day, and they will always put your wellbeing first. A climber who turns back, or is advised to turn back, is not entitled to a refund for the unused part of the climb.

Please be honest about your health and fitness when you book, and train properly. We recommend a medical check before you climb. Mountain weather can change quickly, and routes, camps and timings may be adjusted for safety. Tipping is customary for mountain crews, and we will share guidance before you travel.

Wildlife is wild. We choose guides, routes and seasons to give you the best chances, but we cannot promise that you will see any particular animal, a migration event or a river crossing. Timing in the Serengeti and elsewhere shifts with the rains, so any dates we give for the migration are likely windows, not guarantees.

Itineraries are plans, not timetables. Your guide may change the order of a day to follow wildlife, avoid weather or respond to road and park conditions. Game drives are made in vehicles that are shared by the party booked for them, and window seats are arranged so that every guest has a good view.

Park and conservation rules apply to every visitor, including limits on where vehicles may go, rules about night drives and walks, and rules about drones and photography. Your guide will explain them. Where a rule or closure prevents an activity, we will offer the best alternative.

We arrange your trip with independent lodges, camps, airlines, drivers, guides, park authorities and other suppliers. Some are partners we are affiliated with, and some are independent businesses we simply book with. Each supplier has its own rules and policies, such as child age limits, check-in times, quiet hours and conduct, and these apply during your stay.

We select suppliers with care and we monitor the feedback we receive, but we do not own or operate them unless we say so in your quote. If a supplier fails to provide a service you have paid for, tell us, or tell your guide, as soon as possible so we can put it right while you are still there.

Where a stay is described as part of a collection, such as Trail, Ridge or Summit, that describes its budget level to help you compare. It is not a guarantee of any particular facility, and individual features can change. Ask us for the latest details of any stay you are considering.

Some events are beyond anyone's reasonable control. They include severe weather, natural events, fire, flood, civil unrest, strikes, government action, disease outbreaks, border or park closures and closures of airspace. If an event like this affects your trip, we will do everything reasonably possible to keep you safe, keep you informed and offer a workable alternative.

We cannot be responsible for costs that arise because of an event outside our reasonable control, such as extra accommodation, flights or meals. Where a supplier gives us a refund or credit for services you could not use, we pass it on to you after we deduct any non-recoverable costs. This is another reason we recommend good travel insurance.

We take reasonable care and skill in planning and arranging your trip and in choosing suppliers and guides. We are responsible for the services we agree to provide, to the extent the law requires. We are not responsible for the actions of other people that we could not reasonably have predicted or prevented, for events outside our control, or for loss that you could have avoided by following our advice and the instructions of your guides.

To the extent the law allows, our liability to you for a booking is limited to a reasonable amount related to the cost of the part of the trip affected. Nothing in these terms limits any right you have under law that cannot be limited, and nothing excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence where that cannot be excluded.

Safari and mountain travel carry inherent risks, and you travel with an understanding of them. Insurance is your best protection against the risks that remain.

If something is not right, please tell your guide or our team straight away. Most problems can be put right on the spot, and we can only fix what we know about. Our office is reachable throughout your trip, and your guide can call us at any time.

If a problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please write to us within a reasonable time after your trip, with your booking reference and the details. We will look into it fairly, speak to those involved and reply properly. We would always like the chance to put things right, and we learn from every comment we receive.

We handle your personal information in line with our privacy policy, which explains what we collect, why, and the choices you have. We share the details needed to run your trip, such as names and passport numbers, with the suppliers who require them.

These terms are governed by the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania, and the courts of Tanzania have jurisdiction over any dispute, unless the law where you live gives you rights that cannot be set aside. We may update these terms from time to time. The terms in force on the day you book apply to your booking, and we will not change them for a booking that is already confirmed unless you agree.

If you have a question about any part of these terms, write to us at info@lemalasafaris.com, and a real person will answer.