Payments and Cancellation
Effective Date: 1st January 2026.
1. Introduction
This Payments and Cancellation Policy forms part of the Terms and Conditions of Rustic Nature Tours Ltd (“the Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) and applies to all safari, day tour and travel arrangements booked with us. By making a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted both the Terms and Conditions and this Payments and Cancellation Policy.
This Policy sets out: (a) how and when payments must be made to confirm and complete a booking; (b) the methods of payment we accept; (c) the seasons in which travel takes place and how those seasons affect payment and cancellation; and (d) the charges that apply if a booking is cancelled, amended, postponed or interrupted.
Our payment schedules and cancellation charges reflect a simple commercial reality. Once a hotel, safari lodge, camp, domestic flight, park entry permit or other supplier service has been booked on your behalf, we incur charges and obligations to those suppliers that we cannot recover. Safari lodges and camps in Kenya — particularly during peak, Easter and festive periods — impose their own strict deposit, balance and cancellation deadlines that apply directly to Rustic Nature Tours. This Policy is structured to align with those supplier deadlines, so that you always know what to pay, when to pay it, and what applies in the event of a change.
2. Season Calendar
Because deposits, balance‑payment deadlines and cancellation charges vary by season, this Policy uses the following Kenyan tourism seasons throughout. The season that applies to your booking is determined by the date on which your safari commences.
| Season | Dates |
| Low Season | 1 April – 31 May (the “long rains”) |
| Shoulder / Green Season | 1 – 30 June; 1 – 30 November |
| High Season | 6 January – 31 March (dry, calving) |
| Peak Season (Migration) | 1 July – 31 October (the Great Migration) |
| Festive Season | 20 December – 5 January (Christmas and New Year) |
| Easter Season | Good Friday – Easter Monday inclusive (overrides the base season) |
| Early December Shoulder | 1 – 19 December (treated as Shoulder / Green) |
Two general rules apply where dates are close to season boundaries: (a) where a safari spans more than one season, the season with the stricter deposit, balance and cancellation terms applies to the entire booking; and (b) where an Easter Sunday falls inside another season, the Easter Season terms override the base season for the Good Friday to Easter Monday period. Both rules are unavoidable, because our own supplier contracts operate on the same basis.
PART A — PAYMENTS
3. Deposit to Confirm a Booking
To confirm a booking, a non‑refundable deposit is required. The deposit is calculated as a percentage of the total invoice value and is determined by the season in which your safari commences:
| Season of Travel | Non‑Refundable Deposit |
| Low / Shoulder / High Season | 40% of total invoice |
| Peak, Festive and Easter Seasons | 50% of total invoice |
| One‑day safaris and day tours (any season) | 0% — payment in full at booking |
Deposits are non‑refundable in all cases. This reflects the fact that a corresponding non‑refundable deposit is paid by Rustic Nature Tours to the safari lodges, camps and other suppliers at the time of your booking.
4. Balance of Invoice — When Due
The balance of the invoice must be paid in cleared funds by the deadline set out below, calculated in calendar days counted backwards from the first day of the safari arrangements (excluding the day of departure itself):
| Season of Travel | Balance Due Before Arrival |
| Low / Shoulder Season | 30 days |
| High Season | 45 days |
| Peak, Festive and Easter Seasons | 60 days |
These deadlines are set to precede the deadlines imposed on us by our safari lodges, camps and other suppliers, and they are not negotiable. Non‑payment of the balance by the applicable deadline shall automatically result in cancellation of the booking, without further reference or reminder, and the cancellation charges in Part B of this Policy shall apply.
5. Late Bookings — Inside the Balance‑Due Window
Where a booking is made at a date that falls inside the balance‑due window for the applicable season (for example, a peak‑season safari booked less than 60 days before departure), the full invoice amount — not merely the deposit — shall be payable in cleared funds at the time of booking. Your sales consultant or tour manager will state this expressly in your quotation.
No booking made inside the balance‑due window will be confirmed until we have received full payment and issued written confirmation to you by email.
6. Currency and Exchange Rate
For clients travelling from overseas, payments are to be made in United States Dollars (USD) as quoted. Payments in other freely convertible currencies may be accepted at our discretion, subject to prior written agreement and the prevailing exchange rate at the time of payment. Any banking, conversion or correspondent‑bank charges associated with such payments are entirely for the client’s account.
7. Payment by Credit / Debit Card
For the security of our esteemed visitors and clients, we strongly discourage cash transactions. Our preferred method of payment is by credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) processed through our secure online payment system.
Once your booking has been confirmed and your sales consultant or tour manager has emailed you the invoice, you will receive a separate email from Rustic Nature Tours containing a secure link directing you to our online payment portal, where you may enter your card details and complete payment.
A transaction fee of four percent (4%) is applied to all credit and debit card payments to cover the costs charged by our payment processor. This fee will be clearly indicated on your invoice and is non‑refundable in the event of cancellation.
8. Confirmation of Booking
A booking is confirmed only once we have received the required deposit (or full payment, where applicable under Clause 5) in cleared funds and have issued written confirmation to you by email. Provisional bookings, quotations and itineraries do not constitute a confirmed booking and do not protect rates or availability.
PART B — CANCELLATION
9. Safari Cancellation Charges — Multi‑Day Safaris
Cancellation charges for multi‑day safari packages are calculated as a percentage of the total invoice price and are determined by (a) the season in which the safari commences and (b) the date on which we receive your written notice of cancellation. Notice of cancellation must be given in writing by email; verbal cancellations are not accepted. All notice periods are calculated in calendar days, counted backwards from the first day of the safari.
9.1 Low and Shoulder / Green Season
| Notice Period Before Safari Commencement | Cancellation Charge |
| More than 45 days prior | Deposit only |
| 31 to 45 days prior | 40% of total invoice |
| 15 to 30 days prior | 60% of total invoice |
| 14 days or less, or no‑show | 100% — No refund |
9.2 High Season
| Notice Period Before Safari Commencement | Cancellation Charge |
| More than 60 days prior | Deposit only |
| 46 to 60 days prior | 50% of total invoice |
| 31 to 45 days prior | 75% of total invoice |
| 30 days or less, or no‑show | 100% — No refund |
9.3 Peak, Easter and Festive Seasons
| Notice Period Before Safari Commencement | Cancellation Charge |
| More than 75 days prior | Deposit only |
| 61 to 75 days prior | 50% of total invoice |
| 60 days or less, or no‑show | 100% — No refund |
The stricter charges in the Peak, Easter and Festive Season grid reflect the fact that Kenyan safari lodges and camps generally impose 100% cancellation charges on Rustic Nature Tours from 60 days before arrival during these periods, and impose deadlines for balance payment at or around the same 60‑day mark. Where a specific supplier included in your itinerary imposes stricter deadlines, those deadlines will apply to your booking under Clause 11.
10. Day Tours — Cancellation Charges
For single‑day tours and excursions, the following cancellation charges apply regardless of season:
| Notice Period Before Tour Commencement | Cancellation Charge |
| More than 48 hours prior | Full refund (less transaction fees) |
| Less than 48 hours, or no‑show | 100% — No refund |
11. Supplier Pass‑Through Charges
The payment schedules and cancellation charges set out in Clauses 3, 4, 9 and 10 above represent our standard published position and align with typical terms imposed by our safari lodge, camp and airline suppliers. However, certain suppliers — particularly luxury properties, mobile camps, migration camps in the Maasai Mara, festive‑season and Easter bookings, and internal flights on scheduled or charter airlines — impose stricter terms directly on Rustic Nature Tours.
Accordingly, and notwithstanding Clauses 3, 4, 9 and 10:
- Where any supplier engaged in connection with your booking imposes a balance‑payment deadline earlier than the deadline in Clause 4, the earlier deadline shall apply to your booking and shall be stated in your quotation.
- Where any supplier engaged in connection with your booking imposes a cancellation charge greater than the charge that would otherwise apply under Clause 9 or 10, the higher supplier charge shall apply and shall be passed on to you in full.
- The specific stricter terms of the affected supplier(s) will be disclosed to you in your written quotation before you pay the deposit. By paying the deposit, you accept both the standard terms of this Policy and any stricter supplier terms disclosed at the quotation stage.
- This pass‑through applies to accommodation providers, airlines, park authorities, permit issuers, and any other third‑party supplier whose services form part of your booking.
This clause protects Rustic Nature Tours from a shortfall that would otherwise arise if we were required to refund you on softer terms than we ourselves can recover from our suppliers. Travel insurance taken out in accordance with Clause 2 of our Terms and Conditions is designed precisely to cover such supplier cancellation charges.
12. Refund Process
Where a refund is due to you under this Policy, the following rules apply:
- Refunds will be credited only to the original credit or debit card used for the initial payment, provided the refund is processed within six (6) months of that payment. After this period, refunds may be issued by bank transfer to an account in the lead traveller’s name, subject to applicable bank charges, which will be deducted from the refund.
- In the event of cancellation, an administrative fee of five percent (5%) of the cancelled invoice will be deducted from any refund due, to cover non‑recoverable transaction and processing charges.
- Refunds are processed within thirty (30) business days of our receipt of your written cancellation, subject to any waiting periods imposed by suppliers, payment processors or banks.
- Where you have paid by credit or debit card, the four percent (4%) card transaction fee originally charged at the time of payment is non‑refundable.
- No refund shall be released until any and all supplier cancellation charges applicable to your booking have been finalised and settled.
13. Cancellation or Amendment by Rustic Nature Tours
Although it is rare, Rustic Nature Tours reserves the right to cancel, amend, postpone or curtail a safari before or during the tour where this becomes necessary as a result of, but not limited to, force majeure events, security advisories, public‑health emergencies, severe weather, animal‑related closures of parks, supplier failure, or any other circumstance reasonably beyond our control.
Where we cancel a safari before its commencement for reasons other than your failure to comply with our Terms and Conditions, we will, at our sole option and so far as is reasonably possible, offer you: (a) an alternative safari of equivalent standard; (b) a postponement to a later date with credit applied; or (c) a refund of monies already paid in respect of services that have not been used or that we are able to recover from suppliers.
In the case of cancellation or amendment by the Company, our liability is strictly limited to the amounts paid by you in respect of the affected services, and further limited to what we are actually able to recover from suppliers. We are not liable for any consequential loss or expense, including but not limited to international flights, visa fees, vaccinations or pre‑ and post‑safari accommodation. This is one of the reasons travel insurance is mandatory under our Terms and Conditions.
14. Changes Requested by the Traveller
Requests to change a confirmed booking (for example a change of date, itinerary, accommodation category or number of travellers) must be submitted to us in writing. We will use reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests, but we cannot guarantee availability.
Where a change is possible, it may attract additional charges from suppliers, including airlines, lodges and parks. Any such additional costs, together with a reasonable administrative handling fee, will be passed on to you. Where a change effectively cancels part of the original booking (for example a reduction in the number of travellers, a shortened itinerary, or a downgrade to a lower category of accommodation), the cancellation charges in Clauses 9 and 10 and the pass‑through in Clause 11 shall apply to the cancelled portion.
15. No‑Show, Late Arrival, and Early Departure
If you fail to arrive at the agreed pick‑up point at the scheduled time, fail to board a scheduled domestic flight, or otherwise fail to commence the safari without prior notice, the booking will be treated as a no‑show. No‑shows are non‑refundable and 100% cancellation charges apply.
If, after the safari has begun, you choose to leave the tour early for any reason (including but not limited to personal reasons, illness, family emergency, or dissatisfaction not raised in accordance with the complaints procedure in our Terms and Conditions), no refund will be due in respect of unused services. Any costs of repatriation or alternative travel will be entirely for your account or your insurer’s account.
16. Insurance Reminder
To protect yourself against the financial impact of cancellation, curtailment, missed departures, illness or evacuation, every traveller is required to take out comprehensive travel insurance and medical insurance from the date of booking, in accordance with Clause 2 of our Terms and Conditions. The charges that fall under this Payments and Cancellation Policy — including any stricter supplier pass‑through charges under Clause 11 — are precisely the type of charges that a properly arranged travel insurance policy is designed to recover.
17. Communication of Issues During the Safari
If a problem arises during your safari that you believe may justify a claim or refund, you must report it immediately, on site, to your tour manager (in writing by email or WhatsApp), to the lodge or camp manager where applicable, and to your driver‑guide, so that we have the opportunity to address it during your trip. A summary of any unresolved complaint must be communicated to the Company in writing within thirty (30) days of completion of the safari. Complaints not raised in this manner will not be considered for refund or compensation.
18. Governing Law
This Payments and Cancellation Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Kenya, and any dispute arising out of or in connection with it shall be subject to the dispute‑resolution procedure set out in our Terms and Conditions.
19. Acknowledgement
By booking a tour with Rustic Nature Tours Ltd, you acknowledge that you have read, fully understood, and agree to be bound by this Payments and Cancellation Policy together with our Terms and Conditions, including any supplier pass‑through terms disclosed to you at the quotation stage.