Booking Terms & Conditions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

• "The Company" / "We" / "Us" refers to Wander and Wonder Tours Uganda, a licensed tour operator operating in the Republic of Uganda.
• "Client" / "You" refers to the person(s) who make a booking with the Company, including all members of a travel party.
• "Tour" refers to any itinerary, safari, trekking experience, or travel package arranged by the Company.
• "Lead Traveller" refers to the primary contact person who makes the booking on behalf of a group.
• "Permit" refers to a gorilla trekking permit, chimpanzee tracking permit, or any government-issued access permit required to participate in a specific activity.
• "Confirmation" refers to the written acknowledgement issued by the Company following receipt of a deposit, confirming the booking is secured.

All bookings with Wander and Wonder Tours are subject to availability and must be submitted via email or our official booking channels. The booking process proceeds as follows:

1. Enquiry: Submit your travel dates, group size, and preferred tour(s) to bookings@wanderandwonderug.com.
2. Quotation: We will issue a detailed itinerary and quotation within 48 hours of your enquiry.
3. Acceptance: You confirm acceptance of the quotation by signing and returning the booking form provided.
4. Deposit: A non-refundable deposit is required to secure the booking (see Section 3).
5. Confirmation: Upon receipt of the deposit, we issue a written booking confirmation and official receipt.

The following payment schedule applies to all bookings:

All payments must be made in US Dollars (USD) unless otherwise agreed in writing. Bank transfer details will be provided in your booking confirmation. The Company accepts bank transfers, and other payment methods as specified on the payment page.

Please note that all bank charges and transfer fees are the responsibility of the client. Payments must arrive in the Company's account net of all charges.

Should you need to cancel your tour booking, cancellation must be communicated in writing to bookings@wanderandwonderug.com. The following cancellation fees apply:

The cancellation date is the date on which written notification is received by Wander and Wonder Tours during business hours (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00 EAT).

Wander and Wonder Tours reserves the right to cancel a tour in exceptional circumstances, including but not limited to: insufficient bookings, events of force majeure, government travel advisories, or safety concerns. In such cases, we will:

• Provide as much advance notice as possible in writing.
• Offer an alternative tour of equivalent value, subject to availability.
• If no suitable alternative is available, provide a full refund of all monies paid, excluding non-recoverable permit costs where applicable.

The Company shall not be liable for any additional costs incurred by the client as a result of a cancellation, including but not limited to international flights, visas, or non-refundable accommodation booked independently.

Should you wish to amend your booking after confirmation, we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request. An administration fee of USD $50 per amendment may apply for changes requested within 60 days of departure. Changes to gorilla or chimpanzee trekking dates may not be possible and are subject to Uganda Wildlife Authority regulations.

The Company reserves the right to make minor adjustments to itineraries due to operational, weather, or wildlife management reasons. Such changes do not constitute grounds for cancellation or refund.

All tour prices are quoted in US Dollars and are accurate at the time of quotation. Prices are subject to change prior to booking confirmation due to currency fluctuations, permit fee increases, or changes in supplier costs. Once a booking is confirmed and a deposit received, the price is guaranteed unless changes are requested by the client.

Unless otherwise stated in your itinerary, tour prices typically include:

• Ground transportation in a private, comfortable safari vehicle
• Accommodation as specified in the itinerary (midrange or luxury class)
• Meals as specified (Full Board or Half Board)
• Gorilla trekking permits, chimpanzee tracking permits, and park entry fees where listed
• Services of a professional English-speaking guide
• Bottled water during game drives and activities

Unless otherwise stated, tour prices typically exclude:

• International and domestic flights
• Visa fees and travel insurance
• Personal expenses, tips, and gratuities
• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
• Medical expenses and emergency evacuation costs

Gorilla trekking permits and chimpanzee tracking permits are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and are strictly non-transferable and non-refundable once purchased. The following conditions apply:

• Permits are allocated to specific dates and specific gorilla families or chimpanzee groups. No change of date is guaranteed.
• Participants must be aged 15 years or above for gorilla trekking and 12 years or above for chimpanzee tracking.
• Any person showing signs of illness, including cold, flu, or gastrointestinal symptoms, may be refused entry into the forest at the discretion of UWA rangers. No refund will be issued in such cases.
• The Company acts as an agent in securing permits and cannot be held responsible for UWA decisions, permit unavailability, or changes in government regulations.
• Permit costs are paid directly to UWA on behalf of the client and are excluded from refund calculations.

Gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking are physically demanding activities that may involve hiking through dense tropical forest, often on steep and uneven terrain, for several hours. Clients should be in reasonable physical health and fitness.

You are responsible for ensuring that you are medically fit to participate in all booked activities. We strongly recommend consulting your physician before travel and obtaining all recommended vaccinations for Uganda, including yellow fever (which is mandatory for entry). We recommend that all clients carry malaria prophylaxis as prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended and, for many of our tours, effectively mandatory. Your policy should cover, at minimum:

• Trip cancellation and curtailment
• Emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Loss or theft of baggage and personal belongings
• Personal liability

The Company shall not be responsible for any costs arising from a client's failure to obtain adequate travel insurance. We strongly recommend that your policy explicitly covers adventure activities including trekking.

Wander and Wonder Tours operates as a tour operator and co-ordinates services provided by third parties including hotels, transport providers, permit authorities, and local guides. While we take every care in selecting our partners, we cannot accept liability for:

• Acts or omissions of third-party service providers
• Injury, illness, death, loss, or damage arising from participation in activities
• Theft, loss, or damage to personal property
• Changes to services caused by events beyond our reasonable control

By booking with us, you accept that safari activities and gorilla/chimpanzee trekking inherently involve certain risks and physical demands. You participate in all activities at your own risk, having been made aware of those risks.

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by the Company's proven negligence.

The Company shall not be held liable for any failure to perform, or delay in performing, any of our obligations under a booking where such failure or delay is caused by events beyond our reasonable control. These include but are not limited to: natural disasters, acts of government, civil unrest, epidemics, pandemics, terrorist activity, extreme weather, or infrastructure failure.

In such circumstances, we will work in good faith to offer alternative arrangements, postponement, or, where appropriate, a partial refund, taking into account any non-recoverable costs already incurred on your behalf.