If your reservation is made within 60 days of departure, the entire cost of the tour must be paid at the time of confirmation. Failure to deliver complete payment at least 60 days prior to departure will be considered notification of cancellation by default and is subject to cancellation as stated below. Big Apes Africa reserves the right to delay participation to anyone who it deems unsuitable for a tour.
Changing Tours
Any such changes made less than 60 days prior to departure are subject to Big Apes Africa cancellation fees.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation received will be subject to the following forfeit of tour cost
61 days and above —- 20% of the Tour cost
46—60 days —- 40% of the Tour cost
31—45days —- 60% of the Tour cost
0 —-30 days —- 100% of the Tour cost
Gorilla Permit Terms and Conditions
Gorilla Permits cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US $500 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actually pay for the permits at the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices
Percentages are based on full current Permit Price.
Uganda Chimp Permit Cancellation Policy (Separate from main tour cancellation Policy)
Chimpanzee Tracking cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US $150 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actuall pay for the permit at the Wildlife Authority Offices.
Gorilla Permits cannot be guaranteed until we receive a deposit of US $500 per permit (separate from the main tour deposit) and actually pay for the pernits at RDB Offices.
Group Departures
Our group departures run on a minimum participation of 2 clients. If we do not achieve this number on a particular departure by 60 days before the departure, you will be given the option to carry on the tour privately and bear extra costs of doing this. If you don’t take up this option, the trip will be cancelled and your deposit will be returned in full.
Claims and Refunds:
Except for Verifiable extenuating circumstances, refunds are not made for any tour missed services. Please see below our limits of responsibility.
For verifiable claims to be considered, they must be received in writing within 30days of the termination of the tour. Any adjustment considered will be based on the actual cost of the services involved and are not on per diem basis.
Adjustments will not be made for unused sightseeing trips or meals. Big Apes Africa will not accept liability for any claims that are not received within 30days of the termination of a tour.
Expenses covered and not covered:
The details of what your trip price includes and does not include are given on the “Dates and Prices” pages for each tour.
Unless a specific accommodation is requested, we reserve or recommend the best available, reasonably priced, charming hotels/lodges with private births, hot water, good servies and value.
Prices are based on two persons sharing a twin bedded room. Big Apes Africa reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotel. If a hotel of equivalent standard is not available, we reserve the right to substitute the next best quality best hotel. A refund may be applicable in this case.
We make every effort to arrange shared accommodation for single travel or when requested to do so. If the request cannot be honored, the quoted single supplement will apply.
Photography on Tour
This company reserves the right to take photographic images of individual participants to use for commercial promotions. Tour member who prefer that their image not be used are asked to identify themselves to their Tour escort at the start of the tour.
Medical Requirements
Good physical and mental health is essential for the enjoyment of these active, outdoor tours. You may travel in rugged areas removed from modern medical facilities. Good physical conditioning is recommended as preparation for all tours especially those involving trekking.
By forwarding the deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any physical or other condition of disability that would create a hazard for himself/herself or other passengers.
It is very important that any participant with a medical condition requiring regular treatment or which may be affected by vigorous activity, high altitude, heat, cold, other natural phenomenon or particular foods notifies this Company and tour leaders in writing in advance of travel.
Big Apes Africa assumes no liability for medical care or for special dietary requirements. Participants may be received to furnish a doctor’s statement of good health. The judgement of Big Apes Africa or local operator or guide shall make the ultimate determination of an individual tour participation fitness to embark upon or to continue a tour.
Once a tour has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy.
All participants must be covered by a current medical insurance policy applicable for overseas travel for the duration of the tour. Proof of Coverage may be required.
Big Apes Africa purchases transportation, hotel accommodations, restaurants services, medical evacuation services and other services from other independent suppliers that are not subject to its control. Big Apes Africa cannot therefore be liable for any death, personal injury, property damages or the loss that may occur due to any act or omission of such a supplier or by reason of any other event over which it has no control.
Big Apes Africa reserves the right to revise US Dollar prices without notice to reflect marked increases in foreign exchange or tariff rates.
Big Apes Africa reserves a right to withdraw a tour or any part of it, to make such alterations in itinerary a sit deems necessary or desirable to refuse to accept or retain as a member of any tour any person at any time and to pass on tour members any expenditure or losses caused by delays or events beyond its control.
Depending on the itinerary you have selected, optional activities will be available at some of the places you will visit. Some of these activities carry with them the inherent risk of serious personal injury. These activites include but are not necessarily limited to
You should be aware that personal safety cannot be guaranteed should you decide to participate in such activities while you are on tour, you are, of course free to do so.
However you must understand that such participation will be at your own risk and that Big Apes Africa assumes no responsibility for your safety.
Big Apes Africa is not responsible for acts of God, fire, acts of Government, or other authorities, wars, civil, disturbances, riots, terrorists acts, strikes, theft, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, dangers incidents to sea, land and air travel and other similar acts or incidents beyond its ability to control
Primate Tracking
There is a possibility that an individual traveler may be prohibited from tracking on the day of a scheduled excursion because of an illness that might be transmitted to the primates or for some other health related conditions.
Only travelers in good health are permitted to track primates and the decision whether or not the traveler will be allowed to participate in a primate tracking excursion will be made on the day of the excursion by the local guides and trackers, whose decision in such matter is final.
No guarantee can be made that primates will be seen on any primate tracking tour. In light of the foregoing, each traveler should be made aware that in the event that they are prohibited from visiting the primates because of ill health, the cost of primate tracking permit and all other costs associated with the trip to the primates tracking areas (including airfare, hotel accommodation costs etc) are not refundable for any reason in the event that primates are not seen on a primate tracking tour. The minimum age limit for the gorillas tracking participants is 15yrs.
Traveller’s Responsibilities
Tour members are responsible for understanding the conditions implied in our terms and conditions and trip itinerary and selecting a trip which is appropriate clothing equipment as advised by Big Apes Africa for following normal standards of personal hygiene in order to lessen risk of traveler’s disease as advised by the trip leader; for following normal social behavior patterns with fellow trip members; for acting in appropriate and respectful manner in accordance with the customs of countries visited for completing the itinerary as scheduled (or as adjusted in the field as necessary). At the leaders discretion, a member may be asked to leave the trip if the leader feels the person’s further participation may be detrimental to other trip members or to the individual.
Knowing and Voluntary Execution
Payment of a deposit to Big Apes Africa certifies that agents/ tour participants have carefully read and fully understand the contents of the Terms and conditions especially those regarding cancellation and refund policies, limitation of liability and responsibility borne by trip participation. On the advance of a deposit to Big Apes Africa, the depositor, his or her family heirs agree to be bound by the above terms and conditions.
