Terms & conditions

These terms apply to every booking made with Phy Travellers SMC Ltd (“Phy Travellers”, “we”, “us”), a company registered in Uganda, whether you book through this website, WhatsApp, email, phone or in person. The person who makes the booking accepts these terms on behalf of everyone travelling with them.

1. Making a booking

After you send an enquiry we prepare a written itinerary and quotation. Your booking is confirmed once you have accepted the quotation and we have received your deposit. We will then send a written booking confirmation. Quotations are valid for 14 days unless we say otherwise, and depend on availability of permits, lodges and flights at the time you confirm.

2. Prices and payment

• Unless stated otherwise, prices are in US dollars, per person, and based on the group size and travel dates in your quotation.
• A deposit of 30% of the total trip cost is due to confirm your booking, plus the full cost of any gorilla or chimpanzee permits (see section 3).
• The balance is due no later than 45 days before your arrival date. Bookings made within 45 days of arrival must be paid in full at the time of booking.
• We accept Visa and Mastercard, bank transfer, Mobile Money and PayPal. Card, PayPal and international bank charges are paid by the traveller, and we may add them to your invoice.
• Prices shown on this website are indicative. Your written quotation is the price you pay. Once your booking is confirmed we will not raise the price, except where a government authority (such as the Uganda Wildlife Authority or Rwanda Development Board) increases park fees, permit prices or taxes before you travel. If that happens we will show you the official change.
• If the balance is not received by the due date we may treat the booking as cancelled by you, and the cancellation charges in section 4 will apply.
• Booking fee. For air ticket bookings and passport application help we charge a booking fee for our work. It is shown separately in your quotation, next to the airline fare or the government passport fees, before you pay anything.

3. Gorilla & chimpanzee permits

Permits are bought in your name from the wildlife authorities (the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Rwanda Development Board or Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation) as soon as your deposit arrives, and are limited in number. Because the authorities themselves do not give refunds on permits, permit costs are non-refundable once purchased. Where the authority allows a permit to be moved to a different date, we will help you reschedule; any rescheduling fee the authority charges is passed on to you.

Trekkers must meet the authority’s age and health rules (for example, the minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15). A ranger may refuse entry to anyone showing signs of a cold, flu or other contagious illness, to protect the animals. We cannot refund a permit in that case.

Sightings of wild animals are very likely on a gorilla or chimpanzee trek, but never guaranteed.

4. Cancellations by you

Cancellations must be sent to us in writing (email or WhatsApp). The date we receive your message is the cancellation date. We will keep the following share of the total trip cost, not counting permits (see section 3):

Days before arrival	Cancellation charge
More than 60 days	Deposit is kept (30%)
60 to 31 days	50%
30 to 15 days	75%
14 days or less, or no-show	100%

Some lodges and airlines have stricter rules than ours. If a supplier’s own charges are higher than those above, we will tell you before you book and those charges will apply to that part of your trip. Refunds are paid back using the method you paid with, less any bank or transfer fees, within 30 days.

5. Changes to your trip

If you want to change your dates, route or accommodation after booking, we will do our best to help. Changes depend on availability and may cost extra, including any charges from lodges, airlines or the wildlife authorities. Moving your trip to later dates within 30 days of arrival counts as a cancellation.

6. Changes or cancellation by us

Safari travel depends on weather, roads and wildlife, so small changes to your itinerary may be needed, such as a different route, a similar lodge, or a change of vehicle or guide. We will always tell you as early as possible and choose alternatives of the same or higher standard.

If we have to make a major change or cancel your trip for reasons within our control, you can choose an alternative trip or a full refund of what you have paid us. If we have to cancel or change your trip because of events outside anyone’s control, such as extreme weather, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, civil unrest, government travel restrictions or park closures, we will refund what we can recover from suppliers, less costs already incurred. This is one of the main reasons we ask you to have travel insurance.

7. Travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of booking. Your policy should cover medical costs, emergency evacuation (including from remote parks), cancellation, lost baggage, and any activities you plan to do, such as trekking, hiking or mountaineering at altitude. Please send us your policy details before you travel.

8. Passports, visas & health

You are responsible for having a passport valid for at least six months after your trip, the right visas (for example the East Africa Tourist Visa, or an eVisa for each country), and any vaccination certificates required for entry, such as yellow fever. We are happy to give guidance, but the rules are set by each country and can change. Please check them yourself and talk to a doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations and malaria prevention.

Please tell us before booking about any medical condition, mobility needs, or dietary requirements, so we can plan a suitable trip. Some activities, such as gorilla trekking, need a reasonable level of fitness.

9. On the trip

For your safety and the wildlife’s, you must follow the instructions of your guide, rangers and park rules at all times. We may end the trip of anyone whose behaviour puts others, the wildlife or our staff at risk. In that case, no refund is due and any extra costs are theirs to pay.

10. Car hire & transfers

Cars are hired with a driver-guide unless we agree otherwise in writing. For self-drive hire, the driver must hold a valid driving licence (an International Driving Permit is recommended), is responsible for fines and fuel, and is liable for damage not covered by the vehicle’s insurance. The full vehicle terms are given with your quotation. Airport pick-ups are timed to your flight. Please tell us promptly about delays so we can adjust.

11. Air ticketing

When we book flights for you, we act as a booking agent for the airline, and the airline’s own conditions of carriage, fare rules, baggage rules and change and refund rules apply. Please check that the names on your ticket exactly match your passport. Tickets are issued only after full payment, and fares are not guaranteed until the ticket is issued.

Our booking fee for flights is shown separately in your quotation (see section 2). Government fees for passports are paid to the government; we do not issue passports and cannot speed up their processing beyond the official express service.

12. Our responsibility

We choose our lodges, drivers and partners carefully and are responsible for arranging your trip with reasonable skill and care. We are not responsible for the acts or failures of independent suppliers such as airlines, lodges and park authorities beyond what the law requires, or for loss, injury or delay caused by events outside our control. Nothing in these terms limits any rights you have under the law of Uganda that cannot be limited.

13. Complaints

If something is not right during your trip, please tell your guide or contact us straight away so we can try to fix it on the spot. If you are still unhappy, write to us at ticco256@gmail.com within 30 days of returning home and we will reply within 14 days.

14. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Uganda, and the courts of Uganda have jurisdiction over any dispute. We will always try to settle a disagreement fairly and directly with you first.

Phy Travellers SMC Ltd · Kisementi, Kampala, Uganda · ticco256@gmail.com · +256 770 827 731