Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
into national parks. For wildlife parks, a tour or safari operator designation on
the licence suffices; for Kilimanjaro treks, a TALA mountaineering licence is re-
quired. Be sceptical of claims that the original is with the 'head office' elsewhere
in the country.
»Go with a company that has its own vehicles and equipment. If you have any
doubts, don't pay a deposit until you've seen the vehicle (and tyres) that you'll
be using and remember that it's not unknown for an operator to show you one
vehicle, but then arrive in an inferior one on the day.
»Go through the itinerary in detail and confirm what is planned for each stage of
the trip. Check that the number of wildlife drives per day and all other specifics
appear in the contract. While two competing safari company itineraries may look
the same, service can be very different. Beware of client swapping between com-
panies; you can end up in the hands of a company you were trying to avoid.
»Watch for sham operators trading under the same names as companies listed in
this or other guidebooks. Don't let business cards or websites fool you; they're
no proof of legitimacy.
Normally, major problems such as vehicle breakdown are compensated for by
adding additional time to your safari. If this isn't possible (eg if you have an on-
ward flight), reliable operators may compensate you for a portion of the time
lost. However, don't expect a refund for 'minor' problems such as punctured
tyres and so on. Park fees are also non-refundable. If you do get taken for a ride,
the main avenue of recourse is to file a complaint with both the TTB and TATO.
The police will be of little help, and it's unlikely that you will see your money
again.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search