Terms & Conditions

Payment of deposit and/or payment in full certifies that you understand and agree to all Terms and Conditions.

Tour Deposit & Final Payment

These terms apply to independent tours. Group tours have separate deposit terms, which are tour specific. To confirm a reservation the following deposit and final payment terms must be strictly adhered to and are required at time of reservations.

Deposit Due Per Person $500 or 25% of tour cost, whichever is greater. We reserve the right to request additional deposits as required by hotels and suppliers for peak periods such (but not limited to) Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and New Year. This will be communicated at time of confirmation of booking. Final Payments are due 45 days before Tour begins. For reservations received within 45 days of commencement of travel, the entire amount is to be submitted at time of confirmation. Reservations received within 30 days of departure date may be subject to a non-refundable rush-booking fee of no less than $25 per person to cover additional expenses incurred to expedite booking.

Cancellation Policy, Charges

Continent Tours' cancellation policy is applied as follows:

• cancellation 45 days or more, prior to tour start date 10 % of tour cost .minimum charge $ 125, maximum charge $400 per passenger.
• cancellation 16 to 44 days prior to tour start date 20 % of tour cost. minimum charge $200, maximum $ 650 per passenger.
• cancellation 15 days or less, prior to tour start date Minimum 25 % of tour cost, maximum 50 % of tour cost
• cancellation on or after tour start date No refund

Domestic flight tickets are non-refundable when alternate (land) arrangements are made.

No-shows, late arrivals, voluntary changes or cancellations by travelers of tour days or services during a tour are non-refundable. Cancellation insurance is recommended.

Prior to departure, Continent Tours reserves the right to cancel a tour, and will provide a full refund of all payments. Continent Tours has never cancelled a tour, but would do so at its sole discretion should travelers' safety be of concern. Continent Tours is not responsible for expenses incurred by travelers in preparing for a trip which is eventually cancelled.

Once travelers are at the destination in Africa. Continent Tours will provide comparable alternate tour arrangements, if the cancellation of a particular tour is deemed necessary. Should travelers elect not to accept these alternate arrangements, this will constitute voluntary refusal of services, and no refunds will be given. Pro-rata refunds will be made if alternate arrangements are not comparable to the original tour services. Please note: Domestic flights may be replaced by ground transportation, if the domestic flight schedule renders flights impossible within the constraints of a tour and/or the tour dates; in this case, the missed flights are non-refundable as the ticket price will be used to make alternate land arrangements.

Insurance

Travel insurance while not mandatory is highly recommended and is not included in the tour price.

Tour Prices

Continent Tours prices are stated in US Dollars, and are subject to change until a tour deposit is received. Prices are per person, double occupancy.

Prices do not include international travel to/from Africa, passport fees, entry visa fees, excess baggage charges, airport taxes, immunizations or other medical fees, non-specified meals, alcoholic or other beverages, insurance, tips for tour staff, laundry and other personal expenses.

Responsibilities

It is Continent Tours' responsibility to provide the services listed with each tour itinerary. Continent Tours includes this information with every price quote.

All lodging is double occupancy, bed & breakfast; including private baths. Comparable hotel substitutes will be provided if planned accommodations are not available. For single occupancy, a single supplement will be applied. Day rooms are not included unless specified. Hotel check-in and check-out times are 12:00 noon; day room check-out time is 6:00 PM.

Continent Tours reserves the right to make itinerary modifications or to change hotels or other tour components, if these are deemed necessary or advisable for the continuation of the tour, for safety and security reasons, or to prevent delays that would be detrimental to the tour or its members. Continent Tours is not responsible for any delays or consequences of any delays due to circumstances beyond Continent Tours' control. Continent Tours will make every effort to provide alternate and comparable services if changes are made.

Scheduled domestic flights are sometimes postponed or cancelled; Continent Tours is not responsible for these inconveniences and will use the ticket price of missed domestic flights to make land arrangements. If clients opt to refuse land arrangements Continent Tours will reimburse the cost of the air tickets.

All luggage should have sturdy identification tags and should always be locked. Continent Tours personnel will assist travelers with lost luggage formalities at airport. Continent Tours will also make every effort to forward lost luggage to its owner during the tour; any costs incurred in forwarding luggage are the responsibility of the traveler. Please note: baggage limits on domestic flights are one item of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and one carry-on bag.

Additional services required as a result of international flight schedule changes, illness or emergencies are the responsibility of the traveler. Continent Tours personnel will do what they can to assist travelers who may need to make new flight arrangements. This is done as a courtesy and implies no responsibility on the part of Continent Tours to find or make new arrangements. The costs or penalties for any such arrangements are the sole responsibility of the traveler.

Continent Tours' guide has the ultimate recourse of removing a traveler from a tour at any time, if that person's continued presence is deemed harmful to him/herself or others, or if it adversely affects the quality of the tour and/or the enjoyment of the group. A pro-rata refund will be made for missed activities, contingent upon refunds provided by suppliers.

Travelers must procure their own passport, entry visa(s), and health documents.

Travelers agree to comply with local laws and regulations, and to respect cultural practices observed during the tour. Travelers understand that living conditions and practices in West Africa are not the same as in their home countries. Travelers must be ready to experience cultural differences with grace.

Travelers are expected to be on time for all tour activities; there are no refunds for missed activities. If travelers miss any flights or other scheduled departures, the responsibility and the cost of rejoining the tour will be theirs.

Travelers with special needs or disabilities must inform Continent Tours at the time of booking; failure to disclose in advance any physical or other restrictions, or the need for special accommodations, will make it impossible to meet those needs. When informed, Continent Tours will make every effort to accommodate travelers, and will inform travelers of local conditions they will likely encounter.

For their own safety as well as for the smooth operation of their tour, travelers are expected to follow their guide's requests and instructions; any problems encountered during the tour should be brought to the guide's attention immediately, so that he may remedy the situation. If he is unable to do so, or you are not satisfied with the remedy, please call Continent Tours office, or report the problem to Continent Tours office prior to your departure, at latest.

Tips and gratuities, while not necessary, are accepted as a recognition of quality service by guides, drivers, restaurant personnel. These tips and gratuities are not covered by tour fees, and are entirely at your discretion. Tips for luggage porters are the responsibility of Continent Tours' guide.

Security and Safety

Travelers' safety and security is Continent Tours' first priority. We do not conduct tours to dangerous areas and we always work with local personnel, who are fully cognizant of local security conditions. In order to avoid driver fatigue and accidents, we avoid driving after dark.

Travelers are expected to exercise caution in public areas, where pick-pocketing may occur. Travelers are also expected to keep their valuables at hand at all times, and to keep their luggage locked. Continent Tours is not responsible for articles forgotten in hotel rooms, restaurants, etc.

General Disclaimer

The participant recognizes that Continent Tours is not responsible for circumstances beyond its control, including, without limitations, acts of God, explosion, tempest, fire, accident, war, threats of war, sabotage, sickness, insurrection, government intervention, weather conditions, quarantine, civil disturbances, or armed conflict. Continent Tours will use its best efforts to reschedule or alter tours affected by any of the foregoing, but is not under any obligation to refund any portion of the cost of the tour or to reimburse the participant in any way, even if forced to cancel the trip as a result, Continent Tours will, where possible, make refunds, after deducting a reasonable amount to cover actual and potential costs. In the event that Continent Tours investigates the prevailing situation, and decides, as its sole discretion, that the tour can go forward, but the participant elects to cancel, then no refund will be payable and the provisions regarding payment and cancellation will apply. These provisions also apply to delays and cancellations involving carriage by land, sea and air, including those involving travel to and from the destination. The participant understands that such delays are beyond Continent Tours control, and that the participant must look to the terms and conditions by the carrier and international conventions for any remedy or relief.