2. PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
All prices are quoted in US dollars and all payments must be paid in US dollars. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, personal checks, and bank transfers for payment. Trip deposits are not refundable. We must receive written notice of your cancellation; at which time the following cancellation fees apply:
Trip deposits are non-refundable
150–91 days prior to tour: 50% of tour fee is refunded if we have received your payment in full
90–61 days prior to tour: 25% of tour fee is refunded if we have received your payment in full
60 days prior to tour: All payments made are non-refundable
These cancellation provisions apply except where prohibited by applicable law. Mandatory statutory protections, if any, remain intact.
Emergency evacuation insurance is REQUIRED for this tour. Upon request, we can provide travel insurance options that include the required medical evacuation insurance. Participants purchasing trip insurance on their own should confirm that emergency evacuation is included in their policy.
4. HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
Our tours are within the capabilities of average people in good health. Some of these trips require the capability of walking for several miles over uneven trails, stepping from a small boat to a wave-washed rocky beach, flying in small planes and helicopters, and occasionally hiking at high elevations—all while carrying an assortment of camera equipment. If you have concerns about your own capabilities and/or fitness as it relates to a trip, please inquire with our office before reserving a space. By forwarding a signed Registration Form and trip deposit, you certify that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions of disability that would create a risk for you or other trip participants, and you agree to inform our office in writing if changes in your health, including viral illnesses, occur any time prior to the tour. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s statement of good health. The company’s or trip leader’s judgment shall provide the ultimate determination of an individual’s ability to embark upon or to continue a trip. Once a trip has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. We assume no responsibility for medical care or for special dietary requirements. Participants are asked to refrain from smoking with or near the group.
5. CONTACT SCHEDULE
Participants will receive three emails before the trip departs:
- Initial Tour Information confirms the deposit and provides pre-departure information.
- Practical Tour Information provides clothing and photo gear recommendations, climate data, and applicable health advisories. Visa information will also be included (if applicable).
- Final Tour Information includes arrival instructions, itinerary revisions (if any), hotel addresses, trip telephone contact information, and a participant list. We provide the trip leader’s telephone number(s) and/or email address with final documents so you can inquire about special photographic questions you may have regarding your trip. We welcome your calls or email messages to [email protected].
6. PHOTO TOUR FEE INCLUSIONS
The information supplied upon enrollment describes the specific details that are included in your trip fee. Generally, these include lodging in double room occupancy, all meals (specified in the itinerary as BLD denoting breakfast, lunch, or dinner), ground transportation during the trip in vans or small buses, internal tour air transportation as specified, meal and baggage tipping, and guide services provided by the trip leaders.
Not included are airfare or other transportation from your home to the trip staging location, airport departure taxes, insurance, alcoholic beverages, and bar expenses (plus bottled water and soft drink expenses on international tours outside of North America), tips and gratuities to local guides, phone calls, passport or visa expenses, laundry, or items of a personal nature. Gratuities to PhotoSafaris.com LLC trip leaders are optional and always appreciated. Rates are based on group tariffs; if the trip does not have sufficient registration, a small party supplement may be charged.
Most of our trips are priced in double occupancy (shared) accommodation. Single accommodation is available for a supplemental cost in many locations; see the pre-departure trip information or call our office for details. You will be charged the single supplement fee if you desire single accommodation or if you wish to have a roommate but one is not available.
In some remote locations, clients with single rooms are infrequently compelled to share a room due to circumstances beyond our control. In such cases, appropriate per diem refunds will be made reflecting the direct cost of the single room at the facility where clients are required to share. There is no additional single supplement fee on ship-based cruises if you request a roommate and one is not available. Cost increases may occur due to factors beyond our control. If any single price increase exceeds 15% of the original trip price, you may cancel and receive a refund of all payments we have received on your behalf.
7. LOGISTICS
Whenever possible, our trip participants are lodged in comfortable, modern hotels. We select among the best available accommodations but refrain from extravagance. Some interesting photographic destinations are far removed from modern amenities, however, and where necessary we will be accommodated in rustic country inns, cabins, or tented camps. Meals are always a special part of our trips for the camaraderie they engender and the opportunity they provide to try new foods from different areas. Depending on the trip and specific locale, participants order restaurant meals from the full menu or, less frequently, table d’hôte. Some trips include picnic lunches in the field. Fruit juice for breakfast and coffee or tea is included with the meals. Soft drinks are included with meals on tours within North America. Participants are responsible for their own bar tab (including bottled water, soft drinks, as well as alcoholic beverages on tours outside of North America) at restaurant lunches and dinners. Our itineraries are intended as examples only. Participants should allow for flexibility due to changes in weather, natural history or cultural events, or other logistical arrangements deemed necessary by PhotoSafaris.com LLC, or our leaders. The second tour leader (and any subsequent additional leaders) listed for each trip on the website will be added as the group size warrants. If only one space remains on a trip, and logistics permit, we accept two people traveling together, even if it exceeds the trip maximum.
8. USE OF NAME AND LIKENESS
PhotoSafaris.com LLC may take photos and video during your photo tour and use them for promotional purposes. By making a trip reservation with us, you agree to let us use your name and likeness in any images and video in which you may appear, for our promotional materials, website, or advertising. We may also use any written reviews or photos and video you may provide us with for use on our website and in any advertising and all other forms of publicity. If you prefer to be excluded from this proviso, please email a written request to us at [email protected].
9. RESPONSIBILITY
PhotoSafaris.com LLC may serve as the primary operator for certain tours—particularly those within the United States—coordinating lodging, transportation, and activities directly.
For many international programs, however, PhotoSafaris.com LLC primarily functions as an agent for local ground handlers, destination management companies, or other independent providers. In either role, PhotoSafaris.com LLC and/or its Agents act solely on behalf of the passenger (trip participant) in arranging travel, including but not limited to sightseeing, meals, lodging, and transportation by railroad, motor coach, automobile, van, boat, ship, aircraft, or any other conveyance.
PhotoSafaris.com LLC assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity occasioned for any reason whatsoever, or through the acts, bankruptcy, or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or carrying out any arrangements of the trip.
PhotoSafaris.com LLC can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delays, cancellations, or changes in flights or other tour services; or by force majeure including sickness, weather, strike, war, volcanic eruption, terrorist acts, political unrest, quarantine, epidemics, pandemics, and outbreaks, or other causes. All such losses or expenses must be borne by the passenger, as trip fees only provide for arrangements in the times and locations stated. Baggage is at the owner’s risk entirely.
The right is reserved to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary or transport where deemed necessary, or caused by changes in flight schedules or equipment substitution; cancel any trip prior to departure due to low enrollment, in which case full refund of the paid trip funds will be given, but PhotoSafaris.com LLC is not responsible for any other trip preparation expenses such as penalized or non-refundable air tickets, visa fees, travel insurance premiums, and medical-related expenses; at the company’s sole discretion, suspend or postpone any trip due to force majeure or disease outbreak in which case the trip may be rescheduled, or a refund issued less any deposits paid to tour component providers on behalf of the passenger, or a travel credit given, but PhotoSafaris.com LLC is not responsible for any other trip preparation expenses such as penalized or non-refundable air tickets, visa fees, and medical-related expenses; substitute trip leader(s) for the leader(s) originally specified, in which case the substitution is not a basis for participant cancellation or refund other than provided by our normal cancellation policy; or accept or retain any person as a member of any trip.
Trip prices are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect at the time of publication and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in these conditions shall override any non-waivable statutory or consumer protections provided by applicable law.
An signed Registration Form with the Enrollment Conditions and Release and Assumption of Risk sections must be completed by each participant prior to the commencement of the trip. Participation by any trip member will be declined in the absence of the signed Registration Form including the Release and Assumption of Risk section, with no trip fee refund. No modification to the Registration Form including the Release and Assumption of Risk section will be accepted. Should PhotoSafaris.com LLC, or anyone acting on their behalf be required to incur attorney fees and costs to enforce this agreement, the enrolling trip participant(s) agree(s) to indemnify and hold them harmless for all such fees and costs. In the event a lawsuit is filed, the enrolling participant(s) agree(s) to do so solely in the City and County of Denver in the State of Colorado.
10. ENROLLMENT CONDITIONS AGREEMENT & RELEASE & ASSUMPTION OF RISK
I have read, understand, and agree to the terms, conditions, and provisions of the enrollment information, as stated on the PhotoSafaris.com LLC website and the Enrollment Conditions section of this form, especially noting the policy on cancellations, refunds, and limitations on responsibility. I further agree to the limit on liability as stated below and on the PhotoSafaris.com LLC website. I am aware that during any trip or tour that I am voluntarily participating in under the arrangements of PhotoSafaris.com LLC, and its employees, agents and associates, certain risks and dangers exist while traveling in the United States, foreign countries, and wilderness areas in any country or territory that include the possibility of property damage, bodily injury, and death. There is a possibility of accident or illness occurring without access to immediate or timely medical treatment or facilities. There is a risk of tropical or communicable diseases that may require quarantine and removal from the tour at my expense, food-related illnesses, the risk of personal injury and property damage or delay or inconvenience by forces of nature, wildlife or wildlife models, quarantine, political instability, acts of terrorism, strikes, government restrictions or regulations change, thefts, and the risk of accidents during travel while on foot or by aircraft, train, automobile, van, bus, boat, ship, or other conveyance. I understand that such risks cannot be eliminated without jeopardizing the essential qualities of this trip or tour.
This release does not limit any non-waivable rights or consumer protections provided by applicable law. In consideration of, and as part payment for the right to participate in such trips, tours and/or other activities and services arranged for me by PhotoSafaris.com LLC, its employees, agents and associates, I have and do hereby assume all risks not prohibited by law, and hereby release PhotoSafaris.com LLC, its employees, shareholders, agents and associates, and will hold them harmless from any and all liability, actions, causes of actions, debts, claims, and demands of every kind and nature, howsoever caused, which I now have or which may arise out of or in connection with any of my trips or tours and participation in any activities arranged for me by PhotoSafaris.com LLC, its employees, agents and associates.
Should PhotoSafaris.com LLC, or anyone acting on their behalf, be required to incur attorney’s fees and costs to enforce this Agreement, I agree to indemnify them and hold them harmless for all such fees and costs. In the event a lawsuit is filed, I agree to do so solely in the City and County of Denver in the State of Colorado and further agree that the substantive law of that state shall apply in that action without regard to the conflict-of-law rules of that state. This Agreement is intended to bind my heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, and any other persons who might otherwise assert a claim on my behalf.
If any part, article, paragraph, sentence, or clause of this Agreement is not enforceable, the affected provision shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
I acknowledge that if anyone is hurt or property is damaged during my participation in this activity, I may be found by a court of law to have waived my right to maintain a lawsuit against PhotoSafaris.com LLC, its employees, shareholders, agents, and associates, based on any and all claims from which I have released them.
