REFUND AND CANCELLATION POLICY

Reservation and Cancellation Policy (Click Here for Website Content Policy)

THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS HEREIN WILL NEED TO BE READ AND ACCEPTED BY YOU IN ORDER TO CREATE A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BIMM TRAVEL AND SAFARI LTD. (HEREINAFTER CALLED BIMM) AND YOU, THE "CUSTOMER."

How to book
Once you have decided to book a safari through us, you confirm this by fax, e-mail or letter. BIMM will then send you a confirmation of your booking, invoice as well as the banking details. Your booking is confirmed and accepted by BIMM once you have placed a 30% deposit for the value of the services to be rendered by BIMM. The balance of which should be paid no later than 8 weeks prior to departure. BIMM reserves the right to cancel, without notice, any reservation in respect of which the required 30% deposit or the balance thereof has not been received. The quickest and easiest method of payment is by SWIFT or credit card transfer to our Lusaka bank account. Payment methods

Accuracy of information
The information, descriptions, and opinions given by us in respect of itineraries, national parks, animal sightings, accommodation, and security are given in good faith, based on the newest information existing. Care has been taken to ensure the truthfulness of the information provided. We cannot accept any responsibility for any mistakes or omissions caused by issues past our control.

Force majeure
We regret we cannot compensate where the proper performance of our duty is affected by any incident which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, anticipate or avoid. Such events may include but not limited to war, terrorist activity, unexpected government acts, riots, civil strife, natural disaster, border closures, industrial disputes, fire, road closures, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, land and air travel, extreme weather conditions and other similar incidents beyond our control.

Depending on the itinerary you have selected, some activities carry with them the intrinsic risk of personal injury. These activities include, but not limited to;
Bunji jumping, White water rafting, Walking tours, canoe/boat rides and Night drives. Participation in such activities will therefore be at the clients own risk and that we will not assume any responsibility for your safety.

Payment
Upon booking your safari, You must confirm that you are in agreement with our terms and conditions and pay the appropriate deposit of 30% of the total price including the fees for any permits. The balance should be paid at least 8 weeks before the start of the safari.

Baggage
All personal belongings and baggage are at the passengers own risk.

National Parks
Our safaris provide you with the chance of a life time to watch and photograph the fauna and Flora, We therefore strongly disapprove the collecting of any specimen from the natural world.

Taking photographs on tour
We reserve the right to take photographic images of individual participants to use for commercial promotion of our safaris. Any Tour member who wishes that his/her picture should not be used is asked to identify him/herself to the tour guide at the start of the tour.

What is included in our safari prices
Most of our safari prices include accommodation on full board, All ground transportation, Internal flights where these form part of the safari, Full- time experienced safari guide (English speaking) All meals (except where it is otherwise stated), Entrances fees in National Parks (unless otherwise stated). BUT it EXCLUDES, International flights, any items of personal nature i.e. drinks (unless otherwise stated), laundry, telephone, souvenirs, visa fees, Travel / medical insurance, Gratuities for Guide/driver / hotel staff, and any extras not mentioned in the itinerary.

The company reserves the right to vary the safari services agreed with the client in the event of unpredicted conditions, such as bad weather, road closures, security issues. In such cases option arrangements will be made as situations permit.

When you cancel
Should you be forced to call off the safari, you must inform us in writing. A cancellation is not effective until we get a copy of your written notice. In order to cover our estimated loss caused by your cancellation and as we may be unable to resell your holiday, cancellation fees, will be charged per person as follows:

Cancellation policy
Cancellations received will be subject to the following:
60 days and above 20%
46-60 days 30% of safari cost
31-45 days 40% of safari cost
15-30 days 50% of safari cost
0-14 days 100% of safari cost
Should you fail to join a tour or join it after departure or leave it prior to its completion, no tour fare refund can be made. (Please note that if the reason for cancellation falls within the terms of any holiday insurance policy which you hold, then any such charges will normally be refunded to you by the insurance company, subject to the terms of your insurance).

If you Change Your Booking after your booking has been confirmed and you wish to change to an earlier date, you may do so subject to availability and by paying a transfer fee of US$60. Normal cancellation penalties and deposit requirements apply if you wish to postpone your departure.

Where a refund is due (through a default or failure to perform on the part of the operator) this will, o be processed expeditiously.

Kindly note that a full payment is required for bookings made within four weeks of departure

Please take further notice that cancellation fees are based on the date your written notification is received at BIMM

When we cancel
We always try to avoid canceling, but where it is inevitable, BIMM reserves the right to do so.

We shall not cancel your confirmed holiday unless we are forced to do so as a result of unusual and unforeseeable conditions beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. If we cancel your holiday (except where you have failed to make payment or as a result of force majeure) we shall offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday from us of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. If the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original holiday we shall refund the difference, but if it is more expensive, we shall ask you to pay the difference. Alternatively you are entitled to a full refund of all monies you have paid to us save that paid for government or other tax permits which are considered non refundable. Except where we cancel for reasons other than those mentioned in this section, we shall have no additional charge to you. We are sorry we cannot pay any expenses and losses incurred as a result of any cancellation.

Travel insurance
It is a requirement when booking your holiday that you arrange personal comprehensive travel insurance which is relevant and effective to cover, amongst other things, possible cancellation charges, medical expenses (including medical repatriation should this become necessary), theft and loss of personal belongings, death, bodily injury, illness, loss of money and Activities with the greater risk such as White water rafting, and bunji jumping should be covered
any other such occurrence. Insurance should begin from the time of payment of the deposit, and you may be asked to provide evidence of such cover before the safari begins.

Price policy
We will do our utmost to keep to the agreed safari price. If increases are forced on us by government action, currency exchange rate fluctuations, fuel, increases in ground transportation costs, game park entrance fees or any other such related increases, we reserve the right to surcharge without notice, up to a maximum of 10% of the safari price. If surcharges amount to more than 10% you may wish to cancel your booking within 10 days of the issue of the surcharge notice and receive a full refund of all monies already paid for your safari.

Responsibilities of the company
The Company cannot be held responsible for modifications or cancellations caused by exceptional circumstances outside the company's control as described above, but will be responsible for the proven deliberate and negligent commissions or omissions caused by the Company’s employees.

Responsibilities of the client
Any passports, visa, health certificates, travel insurance or other travel documentation required for the holiday must be obtained by the client (please note that the Zambia Immigration authorities normally require that visitors are in possession of a passport which is valid for at least six months after the scheduled date of departure from the country).
No credit or refund is possible for any unused services included in the safari price in the event of delays caused through lost or inadequate travel documents.

Health and personal safety
Safari participants should be in reasonable health. Any special dietary problems, illnesses, physical or mental impairments or phobias must be disclosed when applying for a booking. We can often cater for special requirements, but this may involve a surcharge on the safari price. We recommend that anti-malaria precautions should be taken, starting at least a week before arrival. Please consult a medical doctor for advice. Safaris are often conducted in close proximity to wild animals or poisonous snakes and insects so it is in the interests of participants to treat these with respect. While all reasonable precautions are taken to ensure safety, the company cannot be held responsible for any injury, death or accident caused by animal, snake or insect.

Luggage
Safari participants are limited to a reasonable amount of Luggage, normally one soft sports type bag up to 15kg in weight, plus hand luggage and photographic equipment. Please note that for internal light aircraft charter flights the maximum weight allowance is 12kg in total, including hand luggage and photographic equipment. As conditions are often dusty, please ensure that all bags and containers are suitably dust-proofed. It is therefore advisable to carry what is only required.

Complaints
If you have any complaint, it should be reported immediately to the Safari Manager or Supervisor. They will do their best to help you. If you are not satisfied, you should submit a written report to the Director as soon as possible after the incident and it should not be later than 30 days after completion of your holiday. This will allow us to investigate fully. Unfortunately we can not accept any complaint not notified in accordance with this procedure.

Age limits
Please consult with us for the specific age policies at the camps on your itinerary. If anyone misrepresents their age, we reserve the right to terminate the tour without refund. BIMM cannot be held responsible for any refund in this situation.

Limitations of liability
This section defines BIMM’s responsibility with respect to all of our safaris and tours booked for our guests, including extensions and independent arrangements. Please read it carefully.

BIMM, its owners, and employees give notice that they act only as the agent for the owners, contractors, and suppliers providing accommodation and/or all other related travel and tour services and that they assume no responsibility, howsoever caused, excepting its own negligence or wilful misconduct, for injury, death, loss, or damage to person or property, delay or change in air or other services, howsoever caused, irregularity, inconvenience or additional expenses in connection with any service resulting directly or indirectly therefrom: defect of any vehicle, act of God, act of war, insurrection, revolt, terrorism, government restrictions and regulations, or other civil uprisings or disturbances, military action, quarantines, strikes, weather, sickness, wars, detention, annoyance, delays, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, wild animals, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, travel advisories, discrepancies or changes in transit, hotel and other services over which it has no control, occurring in either the country of origin, destination or through passage, or through the acts or default of any third party company or persons engaged in conveying the passengers or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour, except for such losses caused by the negligence or wilful misconduct of BIMM.  BIMM may not be held responsible for any loss or damage to luggage, before, during, or after the tour program.

On advancement of tour deposit to BIMM, the depositor therefore understands, acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions, further the client certifies that he/she does not knowingly have any physical or other conditions of disability that would create a risk for him/her or other tour participants. BIMM reserves the right to accept or decline any individual from participating on any of the tour programs for any reason without disclosing such reasons to the client. BIMM will not discriminate against any individual because of race, religion, sex, sexual preference or nationality.