TOUR TERMS & CONDITIONS
These Tour Terms & Conditions ("Terms") apply to all photography tours, safaris, workshops, and hosted travel experiences offered by Lindsey Arpin ("Tour Host").
By submitting a deposit or other payment toward a trip, the individual booking or participating in the trip ("Guest") acknowledges that they have reviewed and agree to these Terms. Trip-specific details, including destination, dates, pricing, group size, accommodations, inclusions, exclusions, and payment schedule, will be provided separately for each departure. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and a trip-specific Booking Summary, the trip-specific Booking Summary will control with respect to those trip-specific details. The Tour Host reserves the right to update these Terms & Conditions prior to booking. The version in effect at the time of booking shall govern the Guest’s participation.
1. Tour Price and Single Supplement
Prices are based on supplier rates, park or conservation fees, taxes, exchange assumptions, fuel costs, and other operating expenses in effect when the trip is offered.
If there is a material increase in government fees, park fees, taxes, fuel surcharges, or third-party supplier costs prior to final payment, the Tour Host may pass through such increase to the Guest upon written notice. If the increase exceeds 10% of the total Tour price, the Guest may cancel within 5 business days of notice and receive a refund of amounts paid, less any non-recoverable costs already incurred on the Guest’s behalf.
2. Booking, Deposit, and Final Payment
To reserve a place on a Tour, the Guest must submit the deposit stated in the applicable Booking Summary. The remaining balance is due by the final deadline stated in the applicable Booking Summary, unless the Tour Host agrees otherwise in writing. A reservation is not confirmed until the Tour Host has received cleared funds for the required deposit. If any payment is not received when due, the Tour Host may treat the booking as canceled by the Guest, retain amounts then non-refundable under these Terms, and offer the space to another participant. By submitting payment, the Guest acknowledges and agrees to these Terms.
3. Payment Method
Payments shall be made through an online payment platform, bank transfer, or any other payment method authorized by the Tour Host. The sender is responsible for all wire fees, bank charges, currency conversion costs, and intermediary fees so that the full amount due is actually received by the Tour Host. The Tour Host may provide bank instructions separately. The Tour Host may change payment instructions upon written notice. If the Guest initiates a chargeback or payment dispute without valid basis, the Guest shall remain responsible for all amounts due under these Terms and any direct bank, collection, or administrative fees reasonably incurred by the Tour Host in responding to the dispute.
4. Inclusions and Exclusions
Inclusions and exclusions vary by trip and are specified in the applicable Booking Summary. Only services accommodations, meals, activities, transportation, and other items expressly identified as included omissions the Booking Summary are included in the tour price. Any item not expressly listed as included is the responsibility of the Guest unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Tour Host.
5. Guest Travel Documents and Compliance
The Guest is solely responsible for obtaining and carrying a valid passport, visas,
vaccination documentation, travel authorizations, and any other documents required
for entry into, exit from, and travel within the destination country or any transit country.
The Guest is solely responsible for complying with airline rules, baggage rules, customs requirements, and all applicable laws, regulations, park rules, and wildlife rules. No refund shall be due if the Guest is denied boarding, denied entry, delayed, detained, or otherwise unable to participate because required documents or legal requirements are missing or insufficient.
6. Travel Insurance
The Guest is strongly advised, and the Tour Host may require the Guest, to obtain
comprehensive travel insurance covering at minimum: trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical treatment, emergency evacuation, repatriation, baggage loss,
equipment loss, and personal liability. If the Tour Host requests proof of coverage, the Guest shall provide it before departure. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the booking by the Tour Host, in which case the standard cancellation provisions of these Terms shall apply unless the Tour Host states otherwise in writing.
7. Assumption of Risk
The Guest acknowledges that participation in a wildlife photography safari involves
inherent and significant risks, including but not limited to: encounters with wild animals; vehicle accidents; rough or remote roads; adverse weather; illness; food- or water-borne sickness; insect bites; infectious disease exposure; limited or delayed access to medical care; theft or loss of property; acts or omissions of third-party suppliers; political or civil unrest; and itinerary disruptions caused by natural or human events. The Guest knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks, known and unknown, foreseeable and unforeseeable, associated with the Tour, except to the extent caused by the Tour Host’s gross negligence or willful misconduct where such liability cannot be waived under applicable law.
8. Fitness, Health, and Special Needs
The Guest represents that the Guest is physically and medically capable of participating in the Tour and understands that the Tour may involve long drives, early
departures, uneven terrain, dust, heat, wildlife proximity, and remote conditions. The Guest shall disclose in writing before booking any medical condition, allergy, mobility limitation, dietary restriction, medication need, or other circumstance that could materially affect the Guest’s participation or require accommodation. The Tour Host does not guarantee that any requested accommodation can be met unless expressly confirmed in writing. The Guest remains solely responsible for bringing all required medications and medical supplies.
9. Emergency Medical Care and Evacuation
If the Guest becomes ill or injured, or if the Tour Host reasonably believes emergency treatment, evacuation, or related action is advisable, the Guest authorizes the Tour Host and third-party providers to arrange medical care, transportation, evacuation, hospitalization, or other emergency response on the Guest’s behalf. The Guest shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with any medical treatment, rescue, evacuation, transportation, or related services, whether arranged by the Guest, the Tour Host, or a third party. The Tour Host does not guarantee the availability, speed, or quality of medical services or evacuation in remote areas.
10. Third-Party Suppliers
The Tour Host acts as an organizer and facilitator and may contract with or recommend third-party suppliers including safari operators, drivers, guides, lodges,
camps, airlines, transport providers, and activity providers. Those third-party suppliers are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, or insurers of the Tour Host solely by virtue of being used for the Tour. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Tour Host shall not be liable for any injury, death, delay, cancellation, loss, damage, overbooking, service failure, act, omission, or insolvency of any third-party supplier.
11. Wildlife Sightings and Photography Conditions
Wildlife sightings, animal behavior, weather, road conditions, lighting, and access
conditions are inherently unpredictable and cannot be guaranteed. The Tour is designed to maximize photographic and wildlife-viewing opportunities, but the Tour Host does not guarantee that any particular species, scene, photograph, activity, or location access will occur.
12. Itinerary Changes
The Tour Host may make reasonable changes to accommodations, routes, schedules,
guides, transportation, activities, or other itinerary components when necessary or
advisable because of weather, wildlife movement, park rules, safety concerns, operational issues, supplier issues, or other unforeseen circumstances. Such itinerary changes do not constitute a breach of these Terms and do not entitle the Guest to a refund, credit, or price reduction, provided the Tour Host uses reasonable efforts to provide a substantially comparable experience under the circumstances.
13. Guest Conduct and Removal
The Guest agrees to act responsibly and to follow the lawful instructions of the Tour
Host, guides, drivers, camps, lodges, and park authorities at all times. The Tour Host may remove the Guest from any activity or from the Tour, without refund, if the Guest’s conduct is unsafe, illegal, abusive, disruptive, intoxicated to a degree that creates a problem, disrespectful to local people or staff, harmful to wildlife, or materially interferes with the experience or safety of others. The Guest shall be responsible for any damage caused by the Guest to vehicles, lodging, equipment, or other property and for any resulting claims, fines, penalties, or extra charges.
14. Cancellation by Guest
All cancellations by the Guest must be made in writing and are effective only when
received by the Tour Host. The deposit is non-refundable.
If the Guest cancels more than 90 days before departure, the deposit is forfeited and
any additional amounts paid will be refunded, less any non-recoverable third-party
costs already incurred on the Guest’s behalf.
If the Guest cancels 90 to 30 days before departure, 50% of the total Tour price is
non-refundable.
If the Guest cancels fewer than 30 days before departure, 100% of the total Tour price
is non-refundable.
No refunds, credits, or prorations will be given for late arrival, early departure, missed
flights, missed transfers, illness, injury, denial of boarding, failure to obtain required
travel documents, or failure to participate in any part of the Tour.
15. Cancellation by Tour Host; Minimum Participation
The Tour Host may cancel the Tour if the minimum number of participants required
for commercially reasonable operation is not met, if a key supplier becomes
unavailable, or if safety or operational conditions make the Tour impracticable.
If the Tour Host cancels the Tour for reasons other than force majeure, the Guest’s
sole remedy shall be a refund of amounts actually paid to the Tour Host for the
canceled Tour. The Tour Host shall not be responsible for airfare, hotel, gear rental, missed work, visa costs, vaccination costs, or other incidental or consequential expenses incurred by the Guest.
16. Force Majeure
The Tour Host shall not be liable for failure to perform or delay in performing
obligations under these Terms if such failure or delay results from events beyond
reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, severe weather,
floods, fires, wildfires, drought, pandemics, epidemics, government restrictions,
border closures, airline disruptions, strikes, civil unrest, war, terrorism, crime conditions, park closures, or transportation interruptions. If force majeure materially affects the Tour, the Tour Host may modify the itinerary, postpone the Tour, offer a credit, or cancel the Tour, in whole or in part, as reasonably necessary. If the Tour is canceled due to force majeure, the Tour Host may deduct non-recoverable deposits, permit fees, supplier penalties, processing charges, and other costs already incurred on the Guest’s behalf before issuing any refund. The Tour Host may provide an itemized explanation upon reasonable request.
17. Limitation of Liability; Release
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Guest releases and discharges the Tour Host
from claims, demands, causes of action, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and
expenses arising out of or relating to the Tour, including personal injury, death,
property damage, delay, or interruption, except to the extent finally determined to
have resulted from the Tour Host’s gross negligence or willful misconduct where such
liability cannot lawfully be excluded. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Tour Host’s total aggregate liability under or relating to these Terms shall not exceed the total amount actually paid by the Guest to the Tour Host for the Tour. In no event shall the Tour Host be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost enjoyment, lost business opportunities, lost image files, or the replacement value of travel or photography equipment.
18. Property and Equipment
The Guest is solely responsible for safeguarding personal property including luggage,
passports, cash, cameras, lenses, drones, computers, phones, hard drives, memory
cards, and other equipment. The Tour Host is not responsible for loss, theft, confiscation, damage, delay, or corruption of personal property or image files, whether caused by transportation providers, lodges, wildlife conditions, power disruptions, theft, or otherwise.
19. Photography and Promotional Use
The Guest retains ownership of the Guest’s own photographs unless otherwise agreed
in writing. Unless the Guest opts out in writing before departure, the Guest grants the Tour Host permission to use photographs, video, testimonials, and likeness captured during the Tour for lawful promotional, website, social media, and marketing purposes without further compensation. If the Tour Host wants a stricter separate media release, the parties may sign one.
20. Indemnification
The Guest shall indemnify and hold harmless the Tour Host from and against claims,
damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees
where recoverable) arising out of the Guest’s misconduct, negligence, breach of these Terms, violation of laws or park rules, or damage caused by the Guest to persons
or property.
21. Governing Law and Venue
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Virginia. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms shall be brought exclusively in Virginia and each party consents to personal jurisdiction and venue there, unless the Tour Host elects in writing to submit the dispute to mediation or binding arbitration instead.
22. Miscellaneous
These Terms, together with the applicable Booking Summary, constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the Tour and supersedes prior oral or written discussions on the same subject. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by both parties. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force to the fullest extent permitted by law. No waiver of any breach shall be deemed a waiver of any other breach.
The Guest may not assign these Terms without the Tour Host’s written consent.
Electronic signatures, scanned signatures, and PDF copies shall be deemed originals
and enforceable to the same extent as manually signed originals.
23. Acknowledgment
By submitting a deposit or payment, the Guest confirms that the Guest has read and
understood these Terms has had the opportunity to ask questions, understands that
the Tour involves inherent risks, and agrees to be bound by its terms.