Welcome. Thank you for choosing Green Bug Adventures (GBA) for your African experience. It is our goal to make your trip memorable and for all of the good reasons. We have an extensive network of experienced operators that we work with in Africa and we make every effort to assure a problem-free trip. Travel is by nature full of uncertainty and the potential for the unexpected; this is what makes for adventure. This is especially true for African travel and even more true of African eco-tourism. Open and honest communication is one of our highest values. So, for that reason and to keep our legal advisors happy, we ask you to read and agree to the following conditions and understandings. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. A good trip begins with clear communications.
Leif Ryman
Owner, Green Bug Adventures
Contract with Green Bug Adventures:
A completed registration form and signed Liability Waiver form is required prior to booking a trip with GBA.
Please read the Policies and Procedures below carefully as all customers are bound by the conditions spelled out in them. All reservations are made with Green Bug Adventures LLC, (GBA), which sells tours as described on the website, brochure, and catalog, along with any other promotional material that may be provided. No one or any other company has the rights to change the reservations that Green Bug Adventures advertises.
Payments Accepted:
We accept payments on our website by credit card (PayPal). We will also accept payments by check, money order, and bank transfer. For most trips you have the option of making a deposit to secure your booking or paying the full price of the trip on our website. In some cases you will be asked to pay the deposit/booking fee to GBA and the remainder of the fee to our operating partner (in cash) when arriving at the destination. NOTE that your trip will not be booked until any payment method for the deposit or booking fee has been totally cleared by our bank, so please allow adequate time
Reservation Policy:
After expressing interest in a trip or purchasing one online, we will contact you and work out the details of the trip with you. After the details have been worked out a copy of the itinerary, and our policies and procedures, and waiver of liability will be sent to you along with an invoice for the deposit (25 % of the trips) will be sent along with the schedule for the full payment (to book the trip either the down payment or full payment needs to be received). Once the payment has cleared and we receive all of documents signed by each customer going on the trip, we will book the trip with our partners at the destination. Required signed documents include: the specific itinerary, Liability Waiver, and policies and procedures.
Please ensure that all information contained in the confirmation invoice is accurate, most importantly the spelling of names must be the same as on the customers passport. The individual making the booking accepts the conditions of the invoice contract on behalf of all members of the group.
Green Bug Adventures reserves the right to cancel the booking, retain the deposit, and charge cancellation fees where applicable if the balance is not paid in the specified timeframe. Please note that no payment reminders are sent.
Full payment for the trip must be received by GBA at least 60 days prior to departure or the trip will be canceled.
Bookings made less than 60 days prior to the departure date require the full amount to be paid at the time of booking.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Any cancellation by the customer must be made in writing or email. The date that Green Bug Adventure receives written notice of the cancelation determines the charges that are applicable. Cancellation charges are as follows:
60 or more days before travel, Green Bug Adventures will retain the customer’s deposit.
30-59 days before travel, Green Bug Adventures will retain 50% of the cost of the trip.
0-29 days before travel, Green Bug Adventures will retain 100% of the cost of the trip.
Some of our travel partners have their own cancelation policies that we must abide by. These policies will be detailed on the invoice and supersede the above cancellation charges. The customer is strongly encouraged to purchase travel insurance that includes, cancellation insurance. We are happy to provide affordable travel insurance options for our customers.
Cancellations by Green Bug Adventures:
Green Bug Adventures reserves the right to cancel a tour for any reason. It will not cancel a tour less than 8 weeks before departure except in the case of force majeure, consolidation, or the client’s failure to pay the final balance. If a tour is canceled due to consolidation or force majeure the client will receive a full refund of all payments with the option to apply it to another tour offered by GBA. If the price varies for the alternative trip either more or less a refund will be given or required to pay the remainder. Force majeure is an unusual or unforeseen circumstance outside the company’s control. Consolidation means that some of our tours are dependent upon a minimum number of persons participating. If consolidation is a potential issue, this will be stated on the proposed itinerary to prevent surprises.
Partial Refunds for Unused Services:
No partial refunds will be made for unused services including, unused nights in an accommodation, unused land transportation, uneaten meals, lack of wildlife on safaris, and unused trekking days.
Prices, booking fees, and advertised prices:
We publish our prices in advance of tours and trips and make every effort to honor the advertised prices. Unfortunately, conditions are not always predictable in Africa and there can be market changes and currency fluctuations from time to time that are out of our control. GBA reserves the right to impose an increase or a surcharge on price increases due to the above circumstances. If the increase in price is more than 10% of the cost of the package the customer will be able to cancel and receive a full refund if requested within 14 days of being informed of a price increase.
Single Supplement:
Unless otherwise stated the majority of GBA trips are based on double occupancy in hotels, lodges, and other accommodations. We are happy to accommodate single travelers, but there will be some extra cost involved in doing so. If you are traveling alone and do not mind shared accommodations with another person, we will make an effort to arrange shared accommodations with another single traveler of the same gender. If there are no appropriate roommates available at the time of booking, then a single supplement will be charged. The supplement will be refunded if a roommate becomes available.
Medical Fitness and Age:
For the majority of our trips it is important that the customer be in good physical and mental health. By signing our policies and paying our deposit the customer confirms that they do not have any physical or other conditions that would create a hazard for themselves or others on the trip. Any customer over the age of 65 or anyone with a medical condition will need to complete a physical and provide evidence that their doctor assesses that his/her health is sound enough for the planned trip. GBA reserves the right to cancel the trip if satisfactory medical assurance is not provided. After the booking has been confirmed, medical conditions will not be considered as exceptions to the cancelation policy (another good reason for purchasing trip insurance).
The customer is responsible for obtaining necessary medical travel consultation including the proper vaccinations and paperwork. Some of the countries that we travel to require certain vaccinations and will not allow entry to the country without the vaccination and proper paperwork. GBA is happy to share our knowledge of these requirements but we do not assume responsibility for making medical recommendations or for assuring that the requirements are current. The Centers for Disease Control website or your doctor is the best resource for the most current requirements and recommendations.
Flexibility:
Our advertised itineraries are intended to provide samples of what a trip may include and they are not intended as contractual obligations. We hope that you understand and acknowledge that this type of travel requires significant flexibility and adaptability to changes that may occur. In choosing GBA, our customers understand that the amenities, type of transport, route, schedule, and itinerary may change without prior notice due to circumstances or other local events (weather, mechanical breakdowns, flight cancellations, illness, strikes, political disputes, border crossings problems, etc.) that are out of our control.
Just as we ask our customers to be flexible, we also expect the same for ourselves. We understand that our customers may see something that they would like to visit or they would like to tweak the plan a little bit while traveling. We will be receptive to this within reason.
Changes by Green Bug Adventures:
At GBA, we do our best to operate all tours as advertised. Reasonable changes in itinerary may be made where considered necessary. We also reserve the right to change any of the services and accommodations described in the tour descriptions before a booking is made. If such a change is made, the customer will be told at the time of booking. If GBA makes a major change, we will inform the client as soon as possible. A major change is defined as a change effecting one day in five of the itinerary.
Changes made by the Customer:
Major changes can be made 60 days prior to travel. Any additional costs will be charged to the customer. Transferring from one tour to another can be made 60 days prior to travel. The customer should be aware of charges that the airlines may apply for changes. GBA reserves the right to apply a 10% administration fee on the tour change if it is accepted and done in a timely manner. Minor changes by the customer while on tour can be arranged with their driver and tour guide. We understand as our guides get to know people better while on their trip they might have a better idea of what they may want to see on the trip and suggest minor changes to a day’s schedule.
Laws and Authority while Traveling:
The customer must at all times comply with the laws, customs, and foreign exchange and drug regulations of the countries visited. At all times the decision of the local guide or local supplier is final on all matters that may threaten the safety or interfere with the well being of the group or individual travelers. Should the customer fail to comply with these guidelines, or should the customer interfere with the well being of the group, then the local guide or local supplier may order the client to leave the tour without recourse to any refund.
Travel Documents:
A passport is required for all of the countries that GBA provides trips to. Many also require a visa and proof of proper immunizations. The customer is responsible for having their passport, visas, permits, yellow immunization card and any certificates that may be needed on their trip and with them throughout the trip. The customer is responsibility for obtaining these documents, unless they have contracted with GBA for obtaining their entry visas. Information or advice given by GBA regarding visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc. is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of GBA.
Complaints:
If a customer has a complaint against GBA while on tour, we ask that he/she first inform the local guide/supplier so that they can attempt to rectify the matter. Any further complaint must be made by writing to the company within 30 days of the end of the trip.
Insurance:
It is the customer’s responsibility to obtain personal travel insurance that fits their personal level of comfort with risk. The insurance must cover personal accident, medical expenses, air ambulance, loss of effects, repatriation costs and other expenses which might arise as a result of loss, damage, injury, delay or inconvenience occurring to the customer. It is required that all customers have personal travel related medical insurance. GBA is pleased to work with Nomad Travel Insurance to provide appropriate coverage for our customers. Use of Nomad is entirely voluntary; you are welcome to purchase insurance elsewhere. If the customer purchases a Nomad policy through GBA, s/he acknowledges satisfaction with the level of insurance provided.
