Terms and Conditions

1. Agreeing to These Terms

By deciding to book a trip and paying a deposit to Clayton Safaris, you agree to follow these rules. The person who makes the booking confirms that they have the permission to agree to these terms for every single person traveling in their group.

2. Booking and Payments

To secure your luxury safari with us, we require the following payment schedule:

• Deposit: We require a 30% deposit of the total trip cost to confirm your booking. This deposit is not refundable.
• Wildlife Permits: If your trip includes trekking to see Mountain Gorillas or Chimpanzees, you must pay 100% of the permit cost at the time of booking.
• Final Balance: You must pay the remaining 70% of your trip cost at least 60 days before your safari begins.
• Late Bookings: If you book your trip less than 60 days before you travel, you must pay the full 100% amount immediately.

All of our prices are in United States Dollars (USD). You can pay us using a secure international bank transfer or a secure online credit card link. Please note that you are responsible for paying any fees your bank charges for the transfer.

3. If You Need to Cancel

If you must cancel your trip, you must send an email to info@claytonsafaris.com. We will consider your trip canceled on the day we receive your email. Because we pay hotels in advance to secure your rooms, we must apply the following cancellation charges:

• More than 60 days before travel: You will lose your 30% deposit and any money paid for wildlife permits.
• Between 59 and 30 days before travel: You will lose 50% of the total trip cost.
• Between 29 and 15 days before travel: You will lose 75% of the total trip cost.
• 14 days or less before travel (or if you do not arrive): You will lose 100% of the total trip cost.

Important Note: Some very exclusive luxury lodges have their own strict cancellation rules. If their penalty fees are higher than ours, we must pass those exact fees on to you.

4. Changes to Your Trip

We work extremely hard to ensure your trip goes exactly as planned. However, the African wilderness can be unpredictable. We have the right to change your hotels, driving routes, or cars if sudden weather storms, flooded roads, or hotel problems force us to do so. If this happens, we promise to provide you with a replacement of the exact same luxury standard, or better.

If you ask us to change your confirmed trip, we will try our best to help you. However, we may need to charge an administration fee, along with any extra costs the hotels or airlines charge us for making the change.

5. Required Travel Insurance

Having complete travel insurance is mandatory for all guests traveling with Clayton Safaris. Your insurance policy must cover:

• Medical emergencies and hospital bills.
• Emergency flights (including a helicopter rescue from remote areas).
• Money lost if you are forced to cancel your trip.
• Lost or damaged luggage and expensive items like cameras.

We cannot be held responsible if you do not buy proper insurance. We have the right to ask you for proof of your insurance policy before you arrive.

6. Passports and Health

You are completely responsible for bringing a valid passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your trip ends, and it must have empty pages for stamps. You must also organize your own visas and bring the correct medical certificates. Many East African countries strictly require a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate to enter.

We are happy to give you general advice, but it is your job to check the exact rules with your local embassy and to ask your doctor about Malaria pills and other health safety measures.

7. Safety and Risks

Going on a safari means you will be visiting remote wilderness areas with wild, unpredictable animals. When you book with us, you accept that this type of travel has natural risks. For your safety, you must strictly follow the rules and instructions given by your guide and the hotel staff at all times.

Clayton Safaris, our guides, and our staff are not responsible for any injury, illness, death, or lost property during your trip, unless it is proven that we acted with extreme carelessness. We book your flights and hotels through independent companies, and we cannot be held legally responsible for mistakes made by those specific companies.

8. Events Outside Our Control

Sometimes events happen that we have absolutely no control over. This includes acts of nature, dangerous weather, wars, pandemics, sudden border closures, or strikes. In the travel industry, this is called "Force Majeure."

If these events happen, Clayton Safaris cannot offer you a refund or pay compensation. This is exactly why we require you to buy high-quality travel insurance that protects you from losing money in these rare situations.

9. Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking Permits

The governments of Uganda and Rwanda strictly control the permits required to visit the primates. When you book a tracking trip, we must buy the permits immediately. These permits are 100% non-refundable. We cannot change the dates on the permits, and we cannot transfer them to another person, even if you become sick.

Tracking gorillas requires hiking through thick, steep forests, so you must be reasonably fit. While the guides are absolute experts and it is highly likely you will see the animals, nature is wild, and we cannot absolutely guarantee a sighting.

10. Solving Problems

We want your trip to be flawless. If something goes wrong, you must tell your driver or call our 24/7 team immediately. Giving us the chance to fix the problem while you are still in Africa is the best way to ensure you stay happy.

If we cannot fix the problem during your trip, you must write us an email within 14 days of returning home. These terms and conditions follow the laws of the Republic of Kenya, and any major legal disagreements will be handled by the Kenyan courts.