Customise Your Safari

Amended Booking Policy-03.11.2020

100% refund for all covid cancellations! T’s & C’s apply.

Opulent Tours And Travel is committed to providing our agents and guests both flexibility and security in these uncertain times. We have therefore amended our original revised terms & conditions on COVID-19.

The below terms as outlined will replace the previous release and are applicable as of 16th October 2020. These conditions will remain in place until such time as the WHO declares the pandemic over, or restrictions impacting inbound travel in the countries Opulent Tours And Travel operates in are lifted, by which time Opulent Tours And Travels’ standard terms & condition will be activated again.

The below terms & conditions apply to all Guided Group Tours in Southern African, East Africa and Madagascar. We will endaveour to apply the same terms for tailor-made travel, however these may differ depending on our partner’s policies.

Confirmed Bookings Travelling 01 May – 31 August Guided Group Safaris:

  • Anyone travelling between 1st May and 31st August 2020 can postpone to any time or season for future dates up until the end of August 2021.
  • In the event that guests are travelling after August 2020; we recommend waiting before making a decision on moving the departure. We are currently prioritising travellers with immediate travel plans and guests travelling until the end of August 2020.
  • We will retain or request if not paid already the 20 % deposit paid for the original booking and will apply standard payment terms to the revised dates. All deposits have to be pre-paid with immediate effect.
  • If guests are unsure of their future travel arrangements, we will automatically provisionally book them for the same dates in 2021. This will be subject to availability. In these instances, provisional bookings will be held for 90 days which allows guests time to consider when they’d like to travel.
  • Should guests want to postpone travel booked after the currently proposed “Hibernation” period (travel starting from 01 September 2020), our standard cancellation fee will apply. This may be amended depending on border closures and/or travel bans have been lifted. We recommend that guests wait until 45 days prior to their confirmed date of travel in order to monitor the global status of travel restrictions.
  • Once a booking has been postponed to new dates in 2020 or 2021, our standard cancellation and payment terms and conditions will apply to the new travel dates.

The above cancellation terms apply for all Opulent Tours And Travels’ guided group tours.

Confirmed Bookings Travelling 01 May – 31 August FIT Travel and Private Guided Safaris:

For FIT travel and private guided safaris, we will endeavour to apply the same policies, however this is subject to third party supplier negotiation and will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Once a FIT booking or private guided safari has been postponed to new dates for travel later in 2020 or 2021, any further postponement arrangements prior to 60 days before travel will carry an admin fee of US$ 300 per booking.

New Bookings – Free Cancellation & More Flexibility

In order to provide guests and partners with more flexibility and security, we have revised our terms & conditions for new bookings on Guided Group Safaris:

  • Extension of all 2020 rates until 31st December 2021 until further notice.
  • Should we receive a confirmed booking for the spaces hold, we will require you to confirm your booking within 5 days with a deposit being paid.
  • Free cancellation for any new bookings received up to 30 days before travel if reason for cancellation is COVID-19 related (please see details below).
  • In order to confirm a booking, a deposit will be requested as per our standard T&C’s and booking will be 100% refundable for cancellation up to 30 days before the date of arrival.
  • Final payment will be requested as per our standard T&C’s.

Cancellation Policy for New Bookings on Guided Group Safaris:

21 days to 29 days prior to departure: 30 % of the total rate
14 days to 20 days prior to departure: 50 % of the total rate
8 days to 13 days prior to departure: 80 % of the total rate
Less than 8 days prior to departure: 95 % of the total rate

Refund Policy for New Bookings if Cancellation Occurs due to Covid-19 Related Reasons

Between confirmation and 30 days prior to arrival: 100 % refund of monies received or credit to the value of money received for postponed / future travel.

From 30 days prior to arrival: Cancellation fee will be charged as per above; the outstanding amount will either be refunded or held has credit for future travel.

These revised cancellation terms only apply to COVID-19 related reasons for cancellation, these include:

  • The World Health Organisation has not revised the Pandemic status
  • The government in the guest’s country of residence restricts all but essential travel
  • The destinations the guest is travelling to are under official government sanctioned lockdown that prohibits guest from traveling.
  • If some but not all of the destinations are impacted the guest will be offered the option to re-route into other destinations, refunded or held as a credit according to the revised policy.
  • The destinations have no formal lock-down but have closed their border either to international travellers or to travellers from the guest’s country of residence.
  • International flights are cancelled with no alternative routing available for guest to use to reach the destinations in the itinerary.
  • Any reason for cancellation not listed above, OPULENT TOURS AND TRAVEL Standard Terms & Conditions apply

OPULENT TOURS AND TRAVEL Covid-19 Action Plan

  • Continual monitoring and communication of all current and updated information provided by the World Health Organisation on the global status of Covid-19.
  • Prevention and solution strategies provided to staff on an ongoing basis, safeguarding human life and wellbeing by:
    – Keeping all staff continually updated on developments;
    – Providing clear mandates for increased personal hygiene;
    – Facilitating additional hygiene amenities for all travellers;
    – Educating all staff & guides on emergency procedures in the event of an incident;
    – Ensuring health & safety protocols are communicated to all third-party suppliers;
  • Opulent Tours And Travel continues to accept travellers on the condition they have agreed to comprehensive screening 2 weeks before travel.
  • Guides and drivers have been fully trained on best practice procedures for limiting and containing any risk of infection, includes:
    – Implementing a high level of cleanliness on vehicles, facilities and equipment
    – Providing hand-sanitisers in all tour, game drive & transfer vehicles
    – Encouraging travellers to wash hands more frequently throughout the journey
    – Best-practise action-plan should a traveller have flu-like symptoms
  • Protective and preventative equipment is supplied and personally accessible for both guests and staff should the need arise.
  • No cases of the COVID-Virus have been suspected or occurred during any private or group experiences including at any of the lodges and safari camps we make use of. This is continuously monitored.
  • An incident reporting system is in place for staff to be proactive in attaining medical support at all times.
  • Continuous risk assessment will occur and any individuals who display symptoms and meet criteria for testing will be identified and speedily directed through the correct procedures and medical channels.

These statements are subject to change as we continue to monitor and learn about Covid-19 and how it affects the realms of travel.