Reconnecting you to the essence and soul of Africa

The cancellation of a trip is often unexpected and sudden, especially because safari itineraries are often planned months in advance and like anything, life can happen in between. We are understanding of this and will do our best to work with you to make it as smooth a process as possible.

With this being said, if your cancellation is made after the due date for payment of your booking and if the booking is already confirmed with the lodge and invoiced for, we are obliged to pass on cancellation charges from the various lodges/camps, policy dependant. The scale of charges will depend on the lodges policy plus any handling fees.

Should you be unable to join a safari or join it after departure or leave it prior to its completion, no refund can be made.

Please note that gorilla and chimp permits are 100% non-refundable.

Cancellations are effective upon written notification to Our African Footprints.

We strongly advise taking out travel insurance because trip cancellation is often unplanned, unexpected and a difficult circumstance for all and in many circumstances (like in the case of ill health), these charges can often be claimed back from your travel insurance.

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes and is contracted when bitten by the female anopheles mosquito (who is infected)  It is wide spread in warmer regions, namely tropical and sub tropical. Many travellers are presciribed anti malaria pills by their doctors when travelling to Africa which offer protection. Always consult your health care provider with regards to any medication. Anti malaria medication is NOT compulsory. There are also a number of tips to avoid being bitten.

• Use insect repellants which are often provided at most lodges. Especially spray on parts of your body where your clothes touch skin and around the ankles and exposed areas. Not all lodges provide repellants so it is handy to pack your own. Peaceful Sleep and Tabard are popular South African brands.
• When going to bed, sleep under a mosquito net
• Turn off all lights in your suite as bugs and mosquitoes are attracted to the light, especially at night.
• Wear long sleeves or pants at the peak mosquito hours when they are very active (dusk and dawn) – this will help cover ‘exposed’ areas of skin

For more info about Malaria consult with your doctor or you can find more info online like:

https://traveldoctor.co.za/health/malaria/

Here we echo &Beyond’s sentiments exactly: 

“When humankind rallies in the face of adversity; we have proved our resourcefulness, our courage and, most of all, the ability to showcase the empathy that defines our humanity.
The spread of COVID-19 has once again tested our resilience, and we would like to take this opportunity to extend our thoughts to those who have been affected. The rapidly changing situation with regards to COVID-19 has affected people, businesses and economies everywhere. It is difficult not to be overwhelmed with impact on such a massive scale and our thoughts go out to all those affected, whether in terms of health or their daily income. In troubling times such as this, we can take to heart that we have faced challenges like coronavirus before – and we have prevailed.”

Important points to note:

• It’s vital that you get the latest information from reputable sources.
• Speak to your travel agent about COVID-19 cancellation and postponement policies / concerns upfront
  • Please request this info from your agent if you wish to know the detail accordingly, as the below changes regularly as the pandemic evolves 

COVID-19 booking updates and policies:

• • The relevant lodge’s most recent covid policy will be adapted
  • Most travel partners have flexible covid policies, majority allowing for cancellation or postponement of trip
  • Travel vouchers can be issued for postponement, usually to 100% of their value with a period in which to use the voucher, normally 1 year from date of issue.
  • Cancellation charges can and may be applicable, however standard cancellation terms have been softened – case dependant
    • Handling and service fees may be applicable, often between 10-20% destination dependant
  • Amendments, reductions, refunds and cancellation policies of partner properties and service providers will be determined at the sole and unfettered discretion of the partner properties and service providers utilized in any itinerary.
  • Where a refund is requested, these payments will be made less any applicable bank charges.
  • Notifications to defer or cancel should be sent to us in writing. We encourage guests to wait out 30-60 days where possible to see anything changes as regulation amendments happen often.
  • Decisions will be made on a case by case basis
    • Large group or corporate bookings may/may not incur cancellation fees / postponement deferment fee.
  • Cancellation of a booking under the flexible covid policies mentioned only applies where one or more of the following named COVID-19 reasons for cancellation impacts travel:
    • The government of the guest’s country of residence restricts all but essential travel or enforces a mandatory quarantine stay at a government specified site at the guest’s cost on return from the destinations the guests are travelling to.
    • The destination/s the guests are travelling to are under official government imposed lock-down which prohibits guests from traveling;
    • If the government of the destination/s in which the lodge is located has declared that no visas will be issued to travellers from the guest’s country of residence;
    • The destination/s have no formal lock-down but have closed their border either to international travellers or to travellers from the guest’s country of residence;
    • International flights are cancelled with no alternative routing available to reach the destination/s in the itinerary;
    • The guest has contracted COVID-19 and is under treatment or is in quarantine for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel.
  • Other:
    • Any reason for cancellation not listed above may be construed as disinclination to travel and standard cancellation terms and conditions will apply.
    • Lodges reserve the right to ask for any reasonable evidence, written statements and/or supporting documents.

Yellow fever is spread by a species of mosquito common to areas of Africa and South America. Vaccination is recommended before travelling to certain areas. The only known hosts of the virus are primates.

Yellow fever is prevented by an effective and safe vaccine. A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and life-long protection against yellow fever disease. The vaccine provides effective immunity within 10 days for 80-100% of people vaccinated, and within 30 days for more than 99% of people vaccinated.

If you are travelling in or out of a yellow fever endemic country, then you they will ask for a certificate of vaccination and it is compulsory to bring this along when travelling in the following countries:
– Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia

Countries are continually changing their entry requirements with regards to yellow fever certification so one should always carry proof of vaccination or a certificate stating that you are medically unable to have the vaccine.

More information is available online or from a local travel clinic, please get in touch with us so we can put you in touch with them to find out more.

Please feel free to get in touch with us to enquire about our offering and costs. All we will need to know from you upfront is a general idea of your travel budget and an idea of the kind of experience you would like to have. We will revert on various bespoke travel options and a curated African journey of a lifetime.

Our African Footprints designs bespoke safari experiences for our guests with no additional charges/agent fee for our services; we work directly with destinations to provide you with the best rates possible. This means that your trip is curated and tailored to meet your individual needs, by a safari expert, completely free of charge, which makes it a smooth and seamless process for you.

In order to confirm your reservation, we will require a non-refundable deposit (usually 35%) at the time of making your booking, with the balance to be paid 60 days prior to commencement of your itinerary. Bookings made within 60 days prior to departure are subject to full payment at the time of confirming the reservation.

Exceptions will apply in the case should specific permits; seasonal permits or supplier terms vary from the above.

Payment platforms and foreign currencies:
– Trips are priced in Rands and USD and we accept payments made by credit cards, debit cards or by direct bank transfer.
– There will be no charges from us for USD bank wire transfers but your bank may charge you an international transaction fee.
– For all USD debit and credit card there will be an additional 4.5% charge from us in order to cover the amount that we are charged by the credit card companies. Your service provider may also charge an international transaction fee.

We strongly advise taking out the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance for the duration of your journey. The insurance should cover, but not be limited to:

• Cancellation or curtailment of trip
• Emergency evacuation expenses
• Medical expenses
• Repatriation expenses
• Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods

*Disclaimer: Our African Footprints, (Pty) Ltd, including their representatives, employees and agents will take no responsibility for any costs, losses incurred or suffered by the guest, or guest’s dependants or travelling companions, with regards to, but not limited to, any of the above mentioned eventualities. Guests will be charged directly by the relevant service providers for any emergency services they may require, and may find themselves in a position of being unable to access such services should they not be carrying the relevant insurance cover. If for any reason you cancel a trip close to departure date, you could lose the entire cost of your trip. Should you have to leave before your holiday is finished, we cannot refund you the cost of the portion of the package you do not complete. In the eventuality of this happening, insurance may cover you, depending on the reason for cancellation and curtailment. If you anticipate an insurance claim upon your return, be sure to document as accurately as possible any accident, injury or loss. Doctor’s notes and police reports will aid any claim.

Anyone traveling to Southern Africa must have two consecutive blank pages in their passport, which lie side by side when the passport is open (i.e. a left- and a right-hand page). In addition to this, a parent traveling with children, without the other parent, will need a letter of consent from the absent parent. The police must certify the letter of consent. Please be aware that most African countries require visitors to have at least six months between the date of entry into the country and the expiration of their passport.

Passport and visa requirements are very specific to various countries and areas, so should you have any questions regarding this please revert back to us and we will answer your query individually.

Our African Footprints will always be sure to adhere to itinerary schedules, however we reserve the right to change routes and camps on safaris due to changing conditions which may be brought about by seasonal rainfall on bush tracks, airfields and in certain areas because of game migrations from one region to another, changes dictated by airlines or other unforeseen booking problems.

Our lodges and camps have the finest cuisine and all are very accommodating when it comes to allergies, intolerances and general food requirements. Please be sure to advise us should you have any notable allergies or intolerances and we will be sure to make the destination aware so that they can cater for your needs and be well prepared to serve you the most delicious meals.

If you are concerned that your disability might make it challenging to travel to any of our destinations, please contact us and we will do our best to make it a seamless and enjoyable journey for you. We will always design our safaris to meet our guests unique requirements, should you or someone you are travelling with have any disabilities that we should be aware of, please do let us know so that we can curate your trip accordingly. We will make the lodge staff aware of your individual requirements so that any guests with special needs can enjoy the same experiences as others.

Gratuities are not compulsory but are usually the norm when travelling in Africa and are greatly appreciated by the team that makes your journey memorable. It is not expected but it is courteous to offer gratuities before leaving a destination. Gratuities can be given in the local currency or in dollars, pounds or euros, so if possible, be sure to
carry a denomination` with you on safari. Our best advice is to communicate with the camp or lodge manager before leaving your destination, for they will be able to shed light on their recommended gratuity structure as a guideline for guests.