Booking Terms & Conditions

The Black and White Stuff

The best things start with an agreement and a sense of adventure




Please ensure that you are aware of our booking conditions. Undertaking a Journey with Martin Meyer Safaris automatically implies your acceptance of these terms.

1. Your travel Contract

This contract is entered into between Martin Meyer Safaris Pty Ltd (hereinafter referred to as the Company) and any person travelling or intending to travel (hereafter referred to as the Client/s) The client who hereby signifies his acceptance of these terms does so on behalf of him/herself and their entire travelling party, which means that all are bound by these terms as if they had individually made the booking.

 

2. Securing your booking

A booking is deemed confirmed upon issuance of an invoice to the Client by the Company. The Company requires confirmation in writing followed by either the first payment or full pre-payment as outlined in Paragraph 3. It is at this point that the contract between the Company and the Client comes into force.

 

Clients who have confirmed a booking with the Company will have deemed to accept our Terms and Conditions and agree to the following:

  1. They understand the risks involved in traveling to the remote areas in which the Company operates.
  2.  They or anyone else in their traveling party will inform the Company of any pre-existing medical condition which may hinder their experience, and to inform the Company of any special dietary requirements or allergies at the time of booking
  3.  The person signing or being deemed to sign our Guest Information Form, warrants that he/she has full authority to do so on behalf of all persons whose names appear thereon and confirms that all persons traveling in the party are fully aware of, and accept these terms and conditions.

 

3. Payment Structure

A first payment of 50% (fifty percent) of the total booking value and 100% (one hundred percent) of all airline tickets is required to confirm the booking. Your first payment is non-refundable unless the Company cancels the booking, or the Client cannot be accommodated on a set departure. The non-refundable portion of the first payment relates to direct and indirect costs incurred by the Company pertaining to services rendered during the consultation process between the Company and the Client.


The remaining payment due 50% (fifty percent of the total booking price) by the Client is due to the Company at 90 (ninety) days prior to commencement of travel. Confirmation will be in writing upon receipt of payments. The Company reserves the right to cancel any reservations for which the booking costs has not been paid by the stipulated due dates, in which event the full first payment will be forfeited to the Company. Reservations will only be considered as confirmed when completed, signed and paid, whether it is the first payment or the remaining payment or a full prepayment.

 

A Special Peak Period Payment Policy applies for all bookings traveling between 15 December and 15 January. The remaining payment is due no later than 120 days prior to commencement of travel. Your travel consultant will communicate the payment deadlines over this peak period, as it varies from supplier to supplier.

 

Special Note:
Due to currency fluctuations please note that all prices quoted are valid only at the time of quoting and are subject to change as stipulated after the allowed period. Once payment has been received the Company will issue the relevant documentation which will guarantee prices. We regret any inconvenience this may cause; however, the Company cannot be held responsible for currency fluctuations

 

When making payment all fees are for the Clients account. Please consider currency fluctuations and bank delays in transmitting funds to the Company bank account. All bank commissions when transmitting by draft, wire transfer, telegraphic or electronic transfers are for the sender’s account. The Company does not extend credit accounts.

 

Payments can be made via the following ways:

  • Direct bank transfers – the Company holds South African Rand, US Dollar, British Pound and Euro bank accounts for direct payments.

The company does not accept credit cards for payment. Due to the increase in credit card fraud and the exorbitant costs associated with credit card payments the Company has deemed the risk of processing credit card payments too high.

4. Booking Changes

A US Dollar +27 61 585 5006 (one hundred and fifty) administration levy alongside any additional costs incurred will be charged if the Client changes a confirmed booking within 60 (sixty) days of the commencement of travel. Thereafter changes will be treated as cancellations and subject to the charges below. Changes are subject to availability at the time of request.

 

5. Cancellations

Cancellation fees are calculated from the first working day when the Company receives written notification from the Client. These penalties are calculated as a percentage of the total booking price and are subject to any surcharges imposed upon the Company by third party suppliers

 

91 days or more      -   First payment forfeited

90 days or less       -    Full Penalties Applies

 

Where possible the Company will endeavor to reduce any cancellation penalty, however cancellation penalties are subject to the regulations of third-party transport providers, airlines, Hotel & Lodge proprietors or any other principals involved in the booking. If the Client cancels an airline ticket made by the Company on behalf of the Client, the Company reserves the right to claim all, or a portion of fares paid.

 

Should the client be unable to complete the journey, or leave prior to the completion of the journey, the Company cannot refund you the cost of the portion of the package not completed. In the eventuality of this happening, your mandatory travel insurance may cover you, depending on the reason for cancellation or curtailment.

 

6. Refunds

No refund can be made for tours, meals, sightseeing, transfers, accommodation or any other services included in your booking, which for any reason including illness, weather or otherwise were not utilized.

 

7. Complaints

Should the Client at any time have a complaint while traveling with the Company, the responsibility lies with the Client to inform the company immediately as well as the relevant supplier. It is only if the Company is made aware of a complaint that action can be taken to rectify the issue. Failure to inform the Company at the time of the incident will result in the Client being unable to claim compensation from the Company or any other principals involved. The Company endeavours to rectify any complaint while the client is on the ground traveling if the Company is made aware timeously of such a complaint.

 

The Company does not hold itself responsible, nor can it be held responsible for any delayed, cancelled or rescheduled flights for any event beyond the control of the Company, prior to and/or during the course of your travels, whether it be brought about by technical difficulties, strikes, weather conditions, global pandemics, or any other circumstance whatsoever, whether foreseen or unforeseen. The Company will in no way be liable for any expenses incurred as a result of cancellations or delays. All additional expenses incurred by the Client due to unscheduled extensions, including but not limited Hotels, Meals, Telephones Calls, Transfers, additional PCR tests etc will all be for the Clients own Account.

 

8. Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking with the Company that the Client has the correct and comprehensive travel insurance to cover themselves as well as any dependants/traveling companions for the duration of your journey. This is the sole responsibility of the client. This travel insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to the following eventualities:

  • Emergency Evacuation
  • Mandatory Quarantine should anyone in the traveling party test positive for COVID- 19
  • Medical Expenses
  • Repatriation Expenses
  • Cancellation or curtailment of the journey
  • Damage/theft/loss of personal items, luggage, money and/or goods

 

The Company and any principals involved and any person or agent acting for, through or on behalf of the company will not take responsibility for any costs, losses incurred or suffered by the Client/s, dependants or traveling companions (including but not limited to any medical expenses, trip interruption or damages suffered during your travel)

 

The Company recommends that the Client/s familiarise themselves with their travel insurers benefits, limitations, and exclusions prior to purchasing a policy, as well as understand the processes regarding claiming for their policy. This includes whether or not the policy is a “pay and claim” policy or if the travel insurer will cover all expenses at the time of travel.

 

Certain travel insurance policies are not recognized by private hospitals, whether you are traveling to Southern Africa or countries like Rwanda. We recommend that you check with your travel insurer to see if their product is accepted before you travel and seek alternative cover where necessary.

 

It is vital the Client has adequate travel insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment, quarantine or assistance. Even with fully comprehensive travel insurance, some private hospitals may insist on a deposit (cash or credit card) before commencing treatment or may insist that the Client pays upfront and institutes a claim from the insurer at a later date. Private hospitals have found that certain travel insurers do not honour their terms of payment and therefore incur a bad dept with the hospital.

 

It is the responsibility of the Client to ensure that they understand their policy terms and whether or not the travel insurers have a relationship with key hospital groups on the continent.

 

9. Client Responsibility

The Client undertakes to have in their possession during travel, all required travel and health documents, including but not limited to – a valid Passport, visas, vaccination certificates and insurance documentation. The client also undertakes to research and equip themselves with all necessary personal health medications and equipment. Should the Company provide advice in these regards, such advice is purely for information purposes, has no legal or contractual value, and does not constitute the assumption by the Company of any Client obligation or liability in these regards. No correspondence or other communication between any Company representative and the Client shall alter the terms of this paragraph.

 

10. Company Responsibility

The Company and any contracted Third Party Suppliers, or any person, agent or any other principals involved, acting for, through or on behalf of the Company – will not be liable for any loss, death or damage whatsoever arising from any cause whatsoever and, without restricting the generality of the a foregoing, shall particularly not be responsible for loss or damage arising from any errors or omissions contained in brochures, websites, social media, promotions or any other literatures or loss or damage caused by delays, sickness, theft, injury or death.

 

In addition, the Company shall have the right at any time at its discretion to cancel any, safari, tour or journey or the remainder thereof or make any alteration in route, accommodation, price or other details and, in the event of any journey, tour or journey being rendered impossible, illegal or inadvisable by weather, strike, war, government, global pandemics or interference by any cause whatsoever, the extra expense incurred as a result thereof shall be the responsibility of the Client.

 

The Company may at its discretion and without liability or cost to itself at any time cancel or terminate the Client/s booking and in particular without limiting the generality of a foregoing it shall be entitled to do so in the event of illness, illegal or incompatible behaviour of the Client/s, who shall in such circumstances not be entitled to any refund or compensation.

 

The person making any booking will, by the making of such booking, warrant that he/she has the authority to enter into this contract on behalf of any other persons traveling in the same booking, and in the even of the failure of any or all the other persons so included to make payment. The person making the booking shall by his/her signature or digital acceptance thereof assume personal liability for the total price of all bookings made by him/her.

 

11. Travel Regulations

Please be aware that the below is based on current information sourced from relevant authorities and is therefore . Serving as a guideline, these are our recommendations only. The Company adopts a cautious approach in order to minimize possibly disruptions with regards to entry into African Countries and onward arrangements. All travel requirements (any and all applicable Visa costs, and/or relevant required certified documentation remain the responsibility of the Client and is to be verified directly with the applicable visa and immigration authorities, consulates, embassies etc prior to commencement of travel.

 

Visitors to Africa must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 (six) months beyond your intended departure dates, together with onward travel documents, proof of accommodation and sufficient funds for the duration of your stay. In addition, each country you may be visiting generally requires two consecutive/side by side blank pages on entry for both visas and stamps. Should your itinerary include more than 1 (one) country, excluding the country of departure and return, please ensure that you have a sufficient number of blank visa pages (not endorsement pages) in your passport. i.e., if visiting three countries, a total of six blank visa pages may be required. Should there be insufficient blank pages in your passport then entry into or exit from a country could be denied by the authorities.

 

It is vital that you verify with your relevant Consulate concerning visa entry requirements, and if extending your journey to other countries, visa entry requirements for those countries need to be established prior to travel. It is the responsibility of the Client to ensure that all necessary visas are obtained prior to departure from your home country, as the Company, its staff, agents, operators and principals cannot be held liable should entry be denied.

 

In addition, it is the Client/s responsibility to ensure that the duration of stay in each of the countries visited on the journey is correctly noted on any and all visas/arrival paperwork or communicated to the Immigration Official so that the appropriate number of days is stamped in your passport. If this is not done, there is a risk of being detained or charged for the number of days that you have “overstayed” in the relevant countries.

 

12. Hotel/Lodge - Check-in/Check out

Hotels will endeavour to accommodate guests for an earlier check in time if required but it is dependant on the availability of rooms. Check-in times vary between countries and the following should be used as general guidelines, check in: 14:00 / Check out :10:00. Should you wish to guarantee an early check in or late check out this is possible at an additional cost. Please speak to your travel consultant timeously should you require this service.

 

13. Flights

All flights will be quoted as per our GDS (Global Distribution System) and can only be secured by providing us with clear copies of the Client/s scanned passports. This enables us to not make any mistakes in the ticketing process with names/ date of birth etc. Flight bookings with wrong names inputted into the system will lead to reissue and penalties, cancellation penalties may be imposed by the airlines. Payments for flights must be made in full prior to the issuance of tickets. It is important to advise your travel consultant of your preferred cabin class and seating arrangements prior to issuing tickets. Preferred seating regulations are subject to the airline quoted within your journey.

 

Any refunds on unused tickets are subject to the fare conditions of the airline. Where a ticket is non-refundable and only the taxes and fees are refundable these will be processed by the airline. Refunds to clients will take place within 5 working days of receiving the refund from the airline and subject to any banking fees.



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