Cancellation & Refund Policy

When something changes — an unexpected illness, a family emergency, a flight disruption outside your control — your first call should be to us. Not to read a long list of penalties, but to have a real conversation about what we can do together.

This page explains clearly and honestly how cancellations and refunds work at Trust Tours & Safaris, what we can recover for you, and where our hands are tied by third-party partners who operate under their own rules.

What we believe

At Trust Tours & Safaris, we treat every guest the way we would want to be treated ourselves. When you contact us about a change in plans, you are speaking to real people — Tanzanians who care deeply about your experience and your peace of mind. We do not hide behind automated systems or rigid scripts. We listen, we look at the situation, and we find the best possible solution for you.

That said, delivering your safari or climb involves many partners — national parks, lodges, camps, airlines, and ground teams — who have already been paid well in advance of your arrival date. We will always be honest with you about what we can recover and what we cannot.

Our promise: we will work harder for your refund than any policy requires us to.

Safari cancellations

Safaris involve a combination of our own services and those of our carefully selected lodge and camp partners. Each element has its own rules, and we want you to understand them fully before you book.

Our Trust Tours & Safaris service fees

Our planning, coordination, and guiding fees are non-refundable once a safari has been fully confirmed and paid. However, if you cancel well in advance, we will apply a credit toward a future trip with no expiry date.

Lodge & camp accommodation

Accommodation typically represents the largest portion of your safari cost. Our lodge and camp partners operate independently and apply their own cancellation terms, which we are obliged to pass on. The general industry schedule is as follows:

• More than 90 days before arrivalApproximately 10% of the accommodation cost is retained.
• 60–90 days before arrivalApproximately 30% is retained.
• 30–60 days before arrivalApproximately 60% is retained.
• 8–30 days before arrivalApproximately 80% is retained.
• 7 days or fewer before arrivalThe full accommodation cost is typically non-refundable.

Please note: luxury and ultra-premium lodges and private camps often apply stricter terms than the above, due to the exclusivity of their limited rooms and peak-season demand. We always inform you of the specific cancellation policy for your chosen properties before you confirm your booking — no surprises.

Park entry fees

Tanzania National Park fees paid on your behalf are fully refundable up to 24 hours before your safari begins. We coordinate these refunds directly with the park authorities on your behalf.

Internal flights & light aircraft transfers

Light aircraft charters and scheduled internal flights between parks and destinations are generally non-refundable once issued, as most aviation partners in Tanzania operate on tight margins with no resale of seats. We will always attempt to recover what we can, but we want to be honest that this is the most difficult cost to reclaim.

Kilimanjaro climb cancellations

As a Kilimanjaro specialist operating our own teams, vehicles, and partner lodges, we have significantly more flexibility here than we do with safari lodge partners.

Booking deposit

A booking deposit of USD 200 is required to confirm your Kilimanjaro climb. This deposit is non-refundable — but it never expires. It can be applied to any future Kilimanjaro climb or Tanzania travel experience you book with us, with no time limit whatsoever.

Kilimanjaro park fees

Park fees paid to the Tanzania National Parks Authority on your behalf are refundable up to 24 hours before your climb start date. We handle this process completely on your behalf.

Accommodation (pre- and post-climb)

For accommodation at our partner lodges in Moshi, Arusha, or elsewhere in Tanzania, cancellation terms vary by property. We will always confirm the specific policy at the time of booking. In many cases, with sufficient notice, we can reschedule rather than cancel at no additional cost.

Full climb cost

• More than 60 days before departure25% of the total climb cost is retained.
• 30–60 days before departure50% is retained.
• 14–30 days before departure75% is retained.
• Fewer than 14 days before departureThe full cost is non-refundable.

Postponing your climb is almost always the smarter option. Your payment credit does not expire with us — move to any future date that works for you.

Zanzibar & beach holiday cancellations

Zanzibar resorts and boutique hotels operate their own cancellation policies, which vary significantly between properties and by season. Peak-season bookings — particularly over Christmas, New Year, and the July–August period — carry stricter terms than low-season stays.

At the time of booking, we will provide you with the exact cancellation policy for your specific hotel or resort in writing, so you know precisely where you stand before you commit. As a general guide:

• More than 60 days before arrivalMost properties offer a partial or full refund.
• 30–60 days before arrivalPartial refund, typically 40–60%.
• Fewer than 30 days before arrivalMost Zanzibar properties retain the full amount.

We always contact the property on your behalf to negotiate the best possible outcome, and our established relationships often work in your favour.

Postponing instead of cancelling

If your dates change but your dream of Tanzania has not, postponing is almost always the better option — and we strongly encourage it.

For Kilimanjaro climbs: your full payment sits as credit with us, valid for any future expedition, with absolutely no expiry date. Choose your new dates whenever you are ready.

For safaris and beach holidays: we contact every partner immediately and request a transfer of your booking to new dates. Many lodges — particularly outside peak season — allow this with no penalty at all. The sooner you let us know, the greater our chances of moving everything without cost.

The key is to contact us as early as possible. Every day of notice increases what we can recover or transfer for you.

How to request a cancellation or change

Contact your Trust Tours & Safaris travel consultant directly — by WhatsApp, email, or phone. We respond within 24 hours, and usually much faster. Once we receive your request:

1. We confirm your cancellation or change in writing.
2. We immediately contact all relevant partners — lodges, parks, airlines — to calculate recoverable amounts.
3. We provide you with a full written breakdown of what is being retained and what is being refunded.

Refunds are processed within 14 to 30 business days of confirmation, depending on your original payment method. International bank transfers may take slightly longer due to processing times outside our control. Any refunds are returned via the same payment method used for booking, minus any bank transfer fees incurred.

We strongly recommend travel insurance

We make no exceptions for circumstances we cannot control — but a good travel insurance policy can cover many situations that our cancellation terms cannot, including:

• Medical illness or injury before or during travel
• Emergency evacuation from remote parks or the mountain
• International flight cancellation or delay
• Lost luggage or equipment

We recommend choosing a policy that specifically includes trip cancellation, medical evacuation, and — if you are climbing — high-altitude coverage. We will gladly provide all supporting documentation you need to file a claim with your insurer.

Cancellations by Trust Tours & Safaris

In the rare event that we must cancel your trip due to circumstances on our side — political instability, natural disaster, park closures, or force majeure events beyond anyone’s control — we will offer you a full credit toward a future trip or a full refund, depending on your preference. We will notify you as soon as possible and work immediately on finding an alternative solution.

We have never left a client without a path forward, and we never will.

Our final word on this

We wrote this policy to be honest, not to protect ourselves at your expense. We would rather lose a little money on a genuine cancellation than lose your trust forever. If something goes wrong with your plans, please come to us first — before you worry, before you assume, before you write anything off.

Tanzania will still be here when you are ready. And so will we. We look forward to showing you one of the most extraordinary places on earth — on whatever date works best for you.