Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. How to cancel a booking

All cancellations must be made in writing and sent by email to info@kibulutanzaniasafaris.com by the lead traveller (or the person who confirmed the booking). The cancellation is effective on the date we receive your written notice during our normal working hours (Monday – Saturday, 08:00 – 18:00 East Africa Time).

We will acknowledge your cancellation within one working day, confirm which charges apply under the schedule below, and tell you what — if anything — we are able to refund.

2. Safari cancellation charges

The following charges apply to standard wildlife safaris in the Northern Circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha NP) and the Southern Circuit (Ruaha, Nyerere / Selous, Mikumi, Udzungwa). Charges are calculated as a percentage of the total trip cost.

• More than 60 days before arrival — loss of deposit only (typically 30% of trip cost)
• 60 – 31 days before arrival — 50% of total trip cost
• 30 – 15 days before arrival — 75% of total trip cost
• 14 – 0 days before arrival — 100% of total trip cost

Trips that fall in the peak Wildebeest Migration windows (typically late June – early October and late January – early March) and trips that include exclusive-use mobile camps may be subject to stricter lodge contracts. Where a property's own cancellation policy is harsher than the schedule above, we will tell you in writing before you confirm the booking.

3. Kilimanjaro climb cancellation charges

Kilimanjaro climbs require advance payment of TANAPA park, hut, camping and rescue fees, plus advance booking of guides, cooks and porters. Because most of these costs are non-recoverable once paid, our cancellation schedule for climbs is a little stricter than for safaris.

• More than 75 days before the climb start date — loss of deposit (typically 40% of climb cost)
• 75 – 45 days before the climb start date — 50% of total climb cost
• 44 – 21 days before the climb start date — 75% of total climb cost
• 20 – 0 days before the climb start date — 100% of total climb cost

If you have to descend the mountain early for any reason — including altitude sickness, injury, illness or personal choice — no refund is due for unused trekking days, accommodation or services. You should rely on your travel insurance for any reimbursement of unused services and for emergency rescue / evacuation costs.

4. Zanzibar & beach extension cancellation charges

Zanzibar resort accommodation is contracted directly from the resort and is governed by the resort's own terms, which we pass through to you. As a guide, the following typically applies — exact terms are confirmed at booking:

• More than 45 days before arrival — loss of deposit only
• 45 – 22 days before arrival — 50% of accommodation cost
• 21 – 8 days before arrival — 75% of accommodation cost
• 7 – 0 days before arrival — 100% of accommodation cost
• Festive period (20 December – 5 January) — usually 100% non-refundable from 60 days out

Domestic flights between Arusha / Kilimanjaro / Zanzibar / Dar es Salaam are subject to the operating airline's own ticket rules (Coastal Aviation, Auric Air, Precision Air, Air Tanzania, etc.). Most published low-fare tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable once issued.

5. Day trips & short add-ons

For day trips, cultural visits and one-day excursions:

• More than 14 days before — full refund less a 10% administrative fee
• 14 – 4 days before — 50% of trip cost
• 3 – 0 days before — 100% of trip cost

Hot-air balloon safaris in Serengeti are operated by third-party concessionaires. Once a balloon flight is confirmed it is normally 100% non-refundable, including if the flight is cancelled by the operator on the morning due to weather (a refund of the flight portion is then made by the balloon operator only, at their discretion).

6. Always non-refundable items

The following costs are paid to third parties on your behalf and cannot be refunded once issued:

• Tanzania visa fees and visa-on-arrival charges
• TANAPA park entry, concession, camping and crater service fees once paid to the park authority
• Mountaineering / Kilimanjaro rescue fees once filed with KINAPA
• Domestic and international flight tickets once issued (subject to the airline's own terms)
• Hot-air balloon safari deposits and ticketed seats
• Gorilla, chimpanzee and primate-tracking permits (Uganda, Rwanda, Mahale, Gombe)
• Bank transfer fees and card processing surcharges

7. Date changes & postponement

We will always try to find a way to keep your trip on the calendar rather than cancel it outright. The flexibility we can offer depends on how close to departure you are and which suppliers are involved.

• More than 60 days before arrival: one date change is normally permitted at no charge, subject to availability and any difference in season pricing. After the first change, a USD 100 administration fee per booking applies for further changes.
• 60 – 31 days before arrival: a date change is treated as a cancellation and a new booking; the relevant cancellation charges in §2 – §4 apply.
• 30 days or fewer before arrival: we cannot guarantee any change. Most suppliers will treat the original booking as fully forfeited.

If you postpone to a higher-season period or upgrade properties, you will be invoiced for the difference. Postponements to a lower-season period are honoured at the original price (we do not refund the difference).

8. Cancellation or change by us

In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a trip for reasons within our reasonable control — for example, a critical supplier failure or insufficient minimum numbers on a small-group departure — we will offer you, at your choice:

• An alternative trip of equivalent standard, or
• A full refund of all monies paid to us, or
• A future-travel credit valid for 24 months and transferable to a friend or family member.

Where we make a minor change to your itinerary (for example, swapping a lodge for one of an equivalent standard if availability changes after booking) we are not required to compensate you, but we will always notify you as soon as possible.

9. Force majeure & travel disruption

“Force majeure” means circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: war, civil unrest, terrorist activity, government action, border closure, airspace closure, epidemic or pandemic, severe weather, fire, flood, earthquake, volcanic activity, strike action and significant airline / airport disruption.

Where a trip is materially affected by force majeure, we will refund any monies we are able to recover from our suppliers, less any non-recoverable costs we have already paid on your behalf. We will always pass on the full benefit of anything we are able to recover. Where we can, we will offer a future-travel credit valid for 24 months in lieu of refund.

We do not pay compensation for trips affected by force majeure. This is one of the main reasons we require all clients to carry comprehensive travel insurance with cancellation and curtailment cover (see §12).

10. No-show, late arrival & early departure

• No-show on arrival: if you do not arrive on the agreed start date and have not contacted us, the booking is considered fully forfeited (100% charge).
• Late arrival: we will hold your booking and resume the itinerary as best we can on the day you arrive. Park fees, accommodation and services already paid for the missed days are non-refundable.
• Early departure: if you choose to leave a trip early for any reason, no refund is due for unused days, accommodation, transport or services. You should claim these from your travel insurance under the “curtailment” benefit.

11. How refunds are processed

• Refunds are made to the original payment method (bank transfer or card).
• We aim to process approved refunds within 14 working days of the cancellation date.
• Bank charges, card-processor fees and currency-conversion losses are deducted from the refund.
• Where supplier refunds are still being recovered, we may issue partial refunds in stages.
• Refunds are made in US Dollars regardless of the currency of original payment.

If your card was used to pay for the trip, please ensure the card is still valid before we process the refund. Refunds to closed or expired cards must be re-issued by bank transfer, which usually takes an additional 5 – 10 working days.

12. Travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for every traveller. Most of the cancellation charges set out above can be recovered from your insurance policy if you have to cancel for a covered reason — for example, illness, injury, bereavement, jury service or Foreign Office advice against travel. Your policy must include, as a minimum:

• Trip cancellation, curtailment and travel-delay cover
• Emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation
• Cover for high-altitude trekking up to 5,895 m for Kilimanjaro clients
• Cover for any small-aircraft transfers included in your itinerary

We strongly recommend that you take out a policy at the same time as you pay your deposit, so that the cancellation cover is in place from day one.

13. Contact us

If you would like to cancel, change or postpone a confirmed booking, or if you have any questions about this policy, please get in touch as soon as possible. Earlier notice almost always means a better outcome for you.

This Cancellation & Refund Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. We may update this policy from time to time; the version published on this page at the date of your booking is the version that applies to your trip.