Booking and cancellation policy

Last updated 2026-10-17

1. How to book

1. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, group size and budget.
2. We send a day by day plan and a price in writing. The quote is valid for seven days.
3. You confirm and pay the deposit.
4. We send written confirmation, then your final itinerary and meeting details before you travel.

Your booking is confirmed only when we have received your deposit and sent written confirmation. Our terms and conditions apply to every booking.

2. Deposit and balance

• Deposit: 30 percent of the total safari price, to confirm your booking.
• Balance: due 30 days before your arrival date.
• Late bookings: if you book less than 30 days before arrival, the full price is due to confirm.
• Higher deposits: some lodges, camps and airlines ask for a larger deposit or earlier payment, especially for the July to October season and the December holidays. If that applies to your trip, we tell you in your quote before you confirm.
• Unpaid balance: if we have not received the balance by the due date and you have not agreed a new date with us in writing, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you, and the cancellation charges below apply.

3. Prices and payment methods

Prices are in US dollars per person unless your quote says otherwise. If you pay in Kenya shillings, we use the exchange rate stated in your quote. Payment methods, such as M-Pesa, bank transfer and card, and the account details are confirmed at booking, in writing, from our official WhatsApp number or email address. Card and transfer fees charged by banks or providers are for the payer. Please never pay to an account or number we have not confirmed in writing, and tell us at once if you receive a message about payment that looks wrong.

Once your deposit is received, your price is fixed, except where a park authority or government body changes a fee, tax or levy that applies to your trip. In that case, we show you the change before you pay the balance.

4. Cancellation by you

To cancel, tell us in writing by WhatsApp or email. The charge depends on how many days remain between the day we receive your message and the first day of services (your arrival or pick-up date):

If a supplier's own charge for your booking is higher than the percentage above for that stage, you pay the supplier's charge instead. We show any stricter supplier terms in your quote. Charges apply to the whole booking. If one person in a group cancels, the price for the remaining guests may change (for example, a single supplement, or the loss of a shared vehicle rate), and we tell you before you decide.

5. Flights, lodges and park fees

• Fly-in flights. Scheduled and charter air tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable once issued, and the airline's own change rules apply. If we have bought flights for you, that cost is part of what you pay on cancellation.
• Lodges and camps. Each property has its own cancellation terms. Where a lodge keeps part or all of the payment (especially for peak dates), we pass that charge on to you, and it can be more than the percentages above.
• Park and conservancy fees. Fees are set by the Kenya Wildlife Service and landowners. Once paid for your dates, they are usually not recoverable. If a fee has not yet been paid in your name when you cancel, it is not charged.
• Activities. Balloon flights, cultural visits and bush meals follow the providers' terms, which we tell you before you book.

6. Changing your dates or your plan

Tell us as early as you can. If you ask 30 days or more before arrival, we make one change of dates without a fee from us. The change depends on availability, the rates for the new dates (which may be higher or lower) and what your lodges, airlines and the park authority allow. Their charges are passed on. If you ask less than 30 days before arrival, or ask for a second change, we try to help, but we may charge a reasonable administration fee, which we tell you before you agree. If a change cannot be made, the cancellation charges in section 4 apply to the original booking. Changes to names, group size or activities follow the same approach, and airline name changes follow the airline's rules.

7. No-shows, late arrival and early departure

If you do not arrive at the agreed time and place and have not contacted us, the booking is treated as cancelled on the day of travel, and the full price is charged. If you arrive late, leave early or skip part of the safari, we cannot refund the unused services. If you are delayed on your way, such as by a flight delay, message us right away and we try to rearrange the start.

8. Cancellation or changes by us

If we cancel a safari for reasons within our control, we refund everything you have paid, or offer an alternative of equal value, as you prefer. If we must change your safari in a major way before you travel (for example a different park, or a change of more than one night), you can accept the new plan or cancel and receive a full refund. If we cancel or change a safari because of events outside our control, as described in our terms, we help you rebook and refund the services that are not delivered and that our suppliers refund to us.

9. Refunds

Where a refund is due, we pay it to the account or number you paid from, within 14 days of agreeing the amount, or sooner when suppliers refund us sooner. Bank, mobile money and card charges and exchange differences on the transfer are deducted from the refund where the provider charges them.

10. Children

Children are welcome on our safaris. Child rates and age bands are set by each lodge, camp, airline and park authority, so they differ. As a general guide, infants often stay free when sharing with parents, children sharing a room with adults pay a reduced rate, and teenagers pay at or near the adult rate. Park fees for children follow the park authority's child category. We write the exact ages and rates in your quote. Some activities, such as night drives, walks and balloon flights, have minimum ages set by the provider, and we tell you before you book. Children must stay with an adult at all times. Please give us each child's age at the time of booking, because it decides the rate.

11. Travel insurance

We strongly recommend insurance that covers trip cancellation, medical care, evacuation and lost belongings. Cancellation charges still apply even if you cannot travel for a good reason, so cancellation cover protects you. We do not sell insurance.

12. Questions

If anything here is unclear, message us on WhatsApp before you pay your deposit. We would rather explain than surprise you later.