The Small Print, Made Simple
Planning a safari should feel exciting from the very first conversation, not weighed down by fine print. This page walks you through exactly how booking with us works: deposits, payments, what to do if your plans shift, and the practical things worth sorting out before you travel, all explained in plain language.
For the full legal terms behind this policy, see our Terms & Conditions. But honestly, most of what you need to know is right here.
Every Trevaron journey starts with a conversation, not a checkout page. Once we’ve designed an itinerary together and you’re ready to proceed, we’ll send you a formal quotation with the full breakdown of costs, inclusions, and exclusions. Your booking is confirmed once we receive your deposit and issue written confirmation.
A deposit of 30% of your total safari cost is required to confirm your booking. This deposit secures your dates, accommodation, and the specific itinerary we’ve designed together.
Some experiences require a higher deposit or full payment upfront due to advance commitments we make on your behalf, this typically applies to gorilla trekking permits, peak-season bookings, hot-air balloon safaris, and certain exclusive-use camps. If this applies to your trip, we’ll let you know clearly before you book.
The remaining balance is due 45 days before your departure date. If you’re booking within 45 days of travel, full payment is required at the time of booking.
We’ll send a reminder ahead of your balance due date, so there’s no need to track it yourself.
Life happens, and we’ll always do what we can to help. Minor changes, like adjusting a dinner reservation or an optional activity, are usually easy to accommodate at no extra cost. Bigger changes, such as moving your travel dates or swapping destinations, may carry an administrative fee plus any costs passed on by our suppliers, and we’ll always confirm this with you before making any change.
We understand that cancellations sometimes can’t be avoided. Because we commit funds to camps, conservancies, and airlines well in advance on your behalf, our cancellation charges increase the closer they fall to your departure date:
This is why we always recommend comprehensive travel insurance with cancellation cover from the moment you book, so you’re protected against the unexpected.
Some individual experiences, particularly gorilla trekking permits, may carry their own stricter cancellation terms set by the permit-issuing authority rather than by us. We’ll flag this clearly at the time of booking if it applies to your itinerary.
We love welcoming families on safari, and we’ll guide you through any age-specific requirements for the particular camps and activities in your itinerary, since these vary by property rather than being fixed across the board.
We’d always rather you ask a question before booking than worry about it afterward. If anything here isn’t clear, or your situation doesn’t quite fit the standard policy, speak to our safari designers, we’re happy to talk it through.