Terms and Conditions
Please take the time to read and understand the conditions of booking set out below prior to booking a trip with us. We strongly recommend that you also read the Essential Trip Information on the webpage relating to your trip prior to booking to ensure that you understand the itinerary, style and physical demands of the trip you are undertaking.
Last updated 30 March 2024.
1. Our Agreement
These booking terms and conditions apply to bookings you make with Element Coaching Pty Ltd (ABN 94119953525) trading as Safara Sisters (whether over the phone, by email or on our website) as well as online bookings you make on our website or on our related sites (including travel agents and partners) offering our products. We will rely on the authority of the person making the booking to act on behalf of any other traveller on the booking and that person will bind all such travellers to these terms and conditions.
2. Payment
You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $350 USD per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed, with the remaining balance of your trip due 60 days prior to your travel departure date.
The option to pay the remaining balance in 3 installments is available at checkout.
If your booking is made within 60 days of the departure date, then the full amount is payable at the time of booking. You acknowledge that we may not be able to confirm services, in which case we will provide you with a refund.
We are under no obligation to remind you of a payment becoming due. If we fail to receive a payment from you by the due date for payment in clear funds, then this will be deemed a cancellation by you (see below). Note: some trips may require payment (including full payment) earlier or in additional instalments and this will be advised with the booking confirmation.
3. Change of Itinerary
For operational or other reasons beyond our control, we may need to operate substitute vehicles or change activities in tours. We will give you as much notice as possible of any such changes.
4. Fees and surcharges
Our trip prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. This means our trip prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions and availability. It is likely that different passengers on the same trip have been charged different prices. Your best option if you like the price you see is to book at that time. Any reduced pricing or discounts that may become available after you have paid your deposit will not apply.
If you wish to cancel your booking to take advantage of a cheaper price, full cancellation conditions apply. The most up to date pricing is available on our website.
Public Holiday Surcharge: Tours operating over a public holiday may be subject to an additional surcharge payable at the time of booking.
Credit Card Surcharge: A credit card surcharge of 3.5% plus 30c may be charged if you use a credit card to pay for your booking via Stripe, or 3.6% plus 30c if paying for your booking via credit card on PayPal.
5. Cancellation
5.1. Cancellation by the traveller
If you cancel some or all portions of your tour/s cancellation fees may apply. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive written confirmation of the cancellation.
If you cancel a tour:
Note: Note that different cancellation conditions apply to third party-operated tours and additional services. You will be advised of the different cancellation charges at the time of booking.
You will be required to take out travel insurance which covers you for cancellation, at the time of booking.
If you leave a tour for any reason after it has commenced, we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund will be provided.
If you have booked through a travel agent, which may also include other travel components, please contact them directly.
5.2. Cancellation by us
We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to Force Majeure** (natural disasters, political instability, terrorism), relevant government advice, or other external events if it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary.
**In these Booking Conditions, the term Force Majeure means an event or events beyond our control and which we could not have reasonably prevented, and includes but is not limited to: (a) natural disasters (including not limited to flooding, fire, earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption), adverse weather conditions (including hurricane or cyclone), high or low water levels; (b) war, armed conflict, industrial dispute, civil strife, terrorist activity or the threat of such acts; epidemic, pandemic; (d) any new or change in law, order, decree, rule or regulation of any government authority (including travel advisories and restrictions).
6. Health-related matters
6.1. Illness or vaccination status preventing travel
If due to any illness, suspected illness or failure to satisfy any required tests (such as a PCR or rapid antigen test in relation to Covid-19) or country specific vaccination requirements:
and you are consequently prevented from commencing or continuing your trip, then:
We will not be liable to refund the cost of your trip (or any part of it) because we would have already paid (or committed to pay) suppliers and we would have already performed significant work preparing for the delivery of your trip and servicing your booking.
We will not be responsible for any other loss or loss you incur in connection with your booking (for example, airfares and visa expenses) if you are prevented from commencing or continuing your trip in these circumstances.
The health and safety of our guests, staff and community are our priority and as such we will continue to follow government health department directives to ensure we minimize risk. We recommend guests refer to the relevant State, Territory and Federal Government websites for information regarding any current travel restrictions prior to making any bookings.
Guests must be free of any cold or flu-like symptoms before travelling. Any guests who have booked travel and which fall ill are asked to contact our team as soon as possible.
6.2. Vaccinations
In some countries, it may be mandatory for you to be fully and validly vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
If you fail to provide evidence of vaccination by the time required, then you acknowledge and agree that this will be deemed a cancellation by yourself. Please refer to the “Cancellation by the traveller” section above.
It is your responsibility to obtain vaccinations and preventative medicines as may be required for the duration of the trip. Any information provided by us is given in good faith.
6.3. New or changed quarantine requirements
If after we confirm your booking: (a) new or changed quarantine requirements are in imposed by government authorities either in a destination you are due to visit or in your home State or county and these remain in effect 60 days before commencement of travel arrangements booked with us; and (b) these new or changed quarantine requirements make it reasonably impractical for you to travel; then (c) you may give us written notice to cancel your trip not less than 45 days prior to commencement of the first arrangement.
If you cancel travel arrangements in these circumstances, then we will refund payments made by you less: (a) unrecoverable third party costs and other expenses incurred by us in relation to your travel arrangements; (b) overhead charges incurred by us relative to the price of your travel arrangements; and (c) fair compensation for work undertaken by us in relation to your travel arrangements until the time of cancellation and in connection with the processing of any refund.
6.4. Age & Health requirements
Minimum Age: For the majority of our tours, the minimum age is 18 years of age at the time of travel.
Maximum Age: For the majority of our tours we have no upper age limit. Please be aware that our tours can be physically demanding and passengers must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow full participation. Passengers aged 65 years or older at the time of departure are required to review and sign our medical form. Due to the potentially remote locations and potentially challenging nature of our tours, it is essential that older travellers consider their health and ability to participate for the safety and the benefit of the whole group.
6.5. Travelling With a Medical Condition
Passengers must inform us and the service provider of any medical conditions which may affect your ability to participate in the tour.
At our discretion we, including the service provider, can exclude you from a tour or in any activity if we consider that you are unable to safely participate in that tour or activity or if we consider your participation may place the safety of other guests at risk.
We reserve the right to cancel your booking if any changed or non-disclosed medical conditions mean that you will require special assistance from our personnel which we cannot reasonably provide. We strongly suggest that your travel insurance policy includes comprehensive cancellation coverage.
We will not be liable for any damage, injury, death or loss of any kind arising from your failure to fully disclose relevant medical information or resulting from any pre-existing medical condition.
7. Booking amendments
If you wish to transfer from one tour to another you must notify us at least 30 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of $200 USD per person per change may apply (in addition to any charges levied by providers such as third-party operators). If you notify us less than 30 days prior to the proposed departure date, the cancellation policy will apply.
Transfers to another departure can only be made to a departure within the same validity period in which your booking was made and is subject to availability. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 7 days of departure.
8. Credit vouchers
Guests who hold a credit voucher must contact our office via email to secure their preferred date of travel, which is subject to availability. Guests wishing to use their credit voucher for travel on a tour which runs over a public holiday may be subject to a public holiday surcharge.
Credit vouchers are not a ticket to travel until a date of travel has been secured with our office and a confirmation has been issued. Once a date of travel has been secured, the booking will then be subject to our regular terms and conditions. Any credit voucher which is not used before its given expiry date will be forfeited without refund. Credit vouchers are valid for 12 months, unless otherwise stated.
9. Prices
Prices stated are in US Dollars ($USD) unless otherwise stated and are current at the time of publication. The most up to date pricing is available on our website.
9.1. Inclusions
The price of your tour includes:
9.2. Exclusions
The price of your tour does not include:
10. Airline schedule changes
Safara Sisters is not responsible for any schedule changes imposed by airlines. Whilst we will do our best to reschedule your touring and accommodation, Safara Sisters is not responsible for any additional costs nor services missed as a result of an airline-imposed schedule change.
11. Unused & denied services
No refunds will be made for any travel arrangements not utilised, whether by choice or because of late arrival or early departure. This includes the failure of transport to operate according to schedule, which we disclaim responsibility for.
While we endeavour to meet scheduled arrival and departure times, we cannot guarantee this. We will not be responsible for any loss or additional expenses you incur for any missed connections/services attributable to delays.
12. Travel insurance
Travel insurance is mandatory for all our travellers. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of AUD$300,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects.
You must provide your travel insurance policy number and the insurance company’s 24-hour emergency contact number via email before the first day of your tour; you will not be able to join the tour without these details.
If your travel insurance is connected to your credit card or bank account please ensure you have details of the participating insurer, the insurance policy number and emergency contact number with you as the bank or card details alone do not suffice.
13. Accommodation
We reserve the right to substitute hotels, vessels and other forms of accommodation with properties or vessels of a comparable or higher standard.
14. Dietary requirements
Special dietary requests are required to be notified to us at the time of booking. Although we will use reasonable endeavours to accommodate requests, we cannot guarantee requests will be met by suppliers. It is your responsibility to check that meals and beverages do not contain any allergens. We expressly disclaim any liability for meals or beverages that contain allergens.
15. Passports & visas
It is a requirement that you hold a valid passport and any required visas for your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the necessary documentation to comply with the laws and regulations of the countries to be visited.
16. Minimum numbers
All Safara Sisters tours are based on a minimum number of passengers travelling. If a tour fails to satisfy minimum numbers, the tour may be cancelled. If the tour is cancelled, we will at your election refund you all payments made or credit payments towards alternative arrangements, less unrecoverable costs. We will not be responsible for any other travel arrangements affected by, or any additional costs incurred, as a result of cancellation.
17. Authority on tour
Safara Sisters may refuse to carry a person whose behaviour is detrimental to the enjoyment of the group. By travelling with Safara Sisters, you agree to accept the authority of the host and guides and accept their decisions. Our staff are entitled to a safe working environment and our passengers to a safe and great holiday. Any threats to safety, being physical, verbal, or inappropriate behaviour may result in removal from the trip. If a host requires a passenger to leave the trip no refunds will be given and that passenger will be responsible for their own travel costs and arrangements from that point
18. Acceptance of risk
You acknowledge that the nature of the trips are adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal and physical risk. You will be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes may present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in your home country.
We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However, it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all relevant travel information and the nature of your itinerary.
You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you are aware of the personal and physical risks attendant upon such travel.
You acknowledge that the assumption of risk and warning above constitutes a ‘risk warning’; in accordance with relevant legislation.
19. Limitation of liability
We contract with a network of companies, government agencies and individuals to assist in the running of our trips as agents for these third parties. We are not responsible for the acts and omissions of these third parties. In consideration of your participation in the trip, to the extent permitted by law, you:
To the extent an Implied Warranty cannot be excluded, our liability in respect of the Implied Warranty is limited to (in our absolute discretion): (i) the provision of a similar trip to an equivalent value; or (ii) a refund of the total amount received by us from you in connection with your booking. Any claim by you is excluded to the extent that it is for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profits or economic loss, however it arises, or for indirect, special, punitive or exemplary damages.
20. Optional activities
Optional activities not included in the tour price do not form part of the tour or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your host, tour guide or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them in any way. The contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and the activity provider.
21. Claims & complaints
If you have a complaint about your trip please inform your Safara Sisters host or our local representative at the time in order that they can attempt to rectify the matter. If satisfaction is not reached through these means, then any further complaint should be put in writing to us within 30 days of the end of the tour. Complaints made outside this timeframe may not be considered.
22. Photos and marketing
Celebrating our journey together is an integral part of our experience, which may include capturing memorable moments through photography or videography. We may use these images or videos for promotional purposes, including but not limited to our website, social media and printed material, without charge, to share the joy and camaraderie of our adventures with others.
However, we fully respect your privacy and understand if you prefer not to have your photos or videos shared publicly. If you wish to opt out or have any concerns regarding the use of your images, please feel free to let us know, and we will ensure your preferences are respected. Your comfort and peace of mind are our top priorities throughout our journey together.
23. Severability
In the event that any term or condition contained in these Booking Conditions is unenforceable or void by operation of law or as being against public policy or for any other reason then such term or condition shall be deemed to be severed from this contract or amended accordingly only to such extent necessary to allow all remaining terms and conditions to survive and continue as binding.
24. Privacy policy
Any personal information that we collect about you may be used for any purpose associated with the operation of a trip or to send you marketing material in relation to our events and special offers. The information may be disclosed to our agents, service providers or other suppliers to enable us to operate the Trip. We will otherwise treat your details in accordance with our privacy policy (available for viewing on our website).
25. Copyright notice
Copyright and other relevant intellectual property rights exist on all text, photos, images, icons, videos, and graphics relating to our services and the full content of this website. Safara Sisters is a registered business name of the company Element Coaching Pty Ltd. You may not copy, reproduce, republish, download, post, broadcast, transmit, make available to the public, or otherwise use www.safarasisters.com content (inclusive of text, images, URLs, pricing information, etc.) in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use. Any other use of www.safarasisters.com content requires the prior written permission of our company.
26. Applicable law
These Booking Conditions are governed by the laws of South Australia. The parties shall attempt to resolve any dispute arising out of or in relation to this contract through negotiations between the parties. If the dispute is not able to be resolved via negotiation, any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of, relating to or in connection with these booking conditions shall be resolved by arbitration in accordance with the ACICA Arbitration Rules. The seat of arbitration shall be Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The language of arbitration shall be english.
27. Feedback
We welcome feedback from all of our customers. Feedback on tour can be given to your tour host. If you wish to provide feedback after your tour please contact us by email on info@safarasisters.com
28. General
The contract between Element Coaching Pty Ltd trading as Safara Sisters and you is governed by the laws of the State of South Australia. Any disputes shall be dealt with via arbitration in accordance with clause 26 above. Any further dispute shall be dealt with by a court in the jurisdiction of South Australia.
If any provision of these Booking Conditions is found to be unenforceable, then to the extent possible it will be severed without affecting the remaining provisions.
Any personal information you provide to us will be collected, stored, used, protected and shared in accordance with Australian Privacy Principles, and our Privacy Policy, which is published on the website.
29. Travel safety
For the latest Australian government advice on travel safety and security please visit www.smartraveller.gov.au.