Last updated July 2026.
These Booking Terms and Conditions govern all quotations, bookings, itineraries, permits, transport, accommodation, guiding, and related travel services supplied by ExploUganda. They are designed to set clear expectations, protect both parties, and support safe, responsible travel in Uganda.
By paying a deposit, confirming an itinerary in writing, or otherwise authorising us to secure travel services on your behalf, the lead traveller accepts these terms for themselves and for every person named on the booking. The lead traveller is responsible for sharing these terms with all members of the party.
1. Definitions
In these terms, ExploUganda, we, us, and our mean ExploUganda, the Uganda based tour operator providing the travel services. You, your, and traveller mean the person making the booking and all persons travelling under that booking. Lead traveller means the person who communicates with us and makes the booking on behalf of the party. Trip means the itinerary, arrangements, and services confirmed by us in writing. Supplier means any third party provider, including lodges, camps, transport companies, airlines, guides, permit authorities, and activity operators.
2. Booking process
All itineraries and quotations are subject to availability until confirmed. A proposed itinerary does not create a binding contract until we confirm the booking in writing and receive the required deposit or other amount stated at the time of booking. Certain services, especially gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits, domestic flights, and small high demand lodges, may need to be secured immediately in order to protect availability.
You must review your confirmation documents carefully and notify us as soon as possible if any information is incorrect. We reserve the right to decline a booking where we reasonably believe we cannot meet the traveller's needs, where travel would be unsafe, or where a supplier refuses service for lawful reasons.
3. Deposits and balance payments
A deposit of 30% of the total trip price is required to confirm most bookings. The remaining balance is due no later than 60 days before the scheduled trip start date, unless we specify an earlier deadline because of permit, charter, festive season, or special supplier conditions.
If you book within 60 days of departure, full payment may be required at the time of confirmation. Any permit fees, special event tickets, charter flights, or other non flexible items that must be paid in full in advance may also be required at booking, even where the rest of the trip remains subject to the standard deposit schedule.
If payment is not received by the due date, we may treat the booking as cancelled by you and apply the cancellation terms below. We are not responsible for lost bookings, released space, or permit cancellation resulting from late payment.
4. Pricing and currency
Unless stated otherwise, our quotations are provided in United States Dollars. Prices are based on the rates, taxes, park fees, supplier charges, fuel costs, and exchange assumptions available at the time of quotation. Until a booking is confirmed, prices may change at any time.
After confirmation, we reserve the right to adjust prices where changes are caused by factors outside our reasonable control, including changes to government levies, permit fees, park entry fees, concession charges, fuel surcharges, foreign exchange movements, or supplier imposed increases. If a material increase becomes necessary, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible.
5. Inclusions and exclusions
Your itinerary and confirmation documents will specify what is included in the trip price. In general, inclusions may cover accommodation, meals as stated, ground transport, guiding, park entry, and activities specifically listed in writing. Exclusions usually include international flights, visas, passport costs, travel insurance, vaccinations, optional activities, personal spending, drinks unless stated, laundry, tips, and any item not expressly described as included.
Where a booking includes permits, the exact type of permit, the date, and the issuing authority's rules apply. Gorilla permit pricing is controlled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. As published by UWA for the tariff period from July 2024 to June 2026, a gorilla trekking permit for a Foreign Non Resident is USD 800. Travellers should always check the latest official tariff and rules on the Uganda Wildlife Authority website at ugandawildlife.org, because permit prices and policies may be revised by the authority.
6. Permits, parks, and regulated activities
Permits are limited, strictly controlled, and often non transferable. Once a permit has been purchased or issued in your name, the issuing authority's rules will govern changes, rescheduling, and refunds. Many permits are wholly non refundable, even if you later cancel your trip, arrive late, fail a health screening, or cannot participate for personal reasons.
Protected area rules must be followed at all times. For gorilla trekking in Uganda, UWA states that trekkers must be at least 15 years old. The official wildlife authority also sets health, conduct, photography, distance, and group management rules that travellers must follow without exception. Failure to comply may result in refusal of participation without refund.
7. Cancellations by you
All cancellations must be made in writing by the lead traveller and take effect when received by us. Because each booking requires us to commit funds to lodges, permits, transport, and operational planning, the following cancellation charges apply unless a more restrictive supplier condition has been disclosed in writing.
- More than 90 days before departure, loss of deposit and any non refundable permits or prepaid third party items.
- From 60 to 89 days before departure, 50% of the total trip price, plus any non refundable permits or prepaid third party items.
- From 30 to 59 days before departure, 75% of the total trip price.
- From 15 to 29 days before departure, 90% of the total trip price.
- From 0 to 14 days before departure, no show, voluntary trip interruption, or failure to join the trip, 100% of the total trip price.
Where a supplier or permit authority imposes stricter charges than the general schedule above, those charges will apply to the relevant portion of your booking. This is especially important for gorilla permits, chimpanzee permits, charter services, and peak season accommodation.
8. Changes requested by you
If you ask to change dates, traveller names, rooming arrangements, route structure, or key services after confirmation, we will try to help where reasonably possible. However, changes may not be possible once permits, flights, or supplier commitments have been issued, and any changes may result in additional charges, revised rates, or cancellation penalties. An administration fee may also apply where significant rework is required.
9. Cancellation or changes by us
We plan all trips carefully, but sometimes changes are necessary because of weather, road conditions, wildlife movement, protected area rules, supplier failure, safety assessments, or other operational reasons. We reserve the right to make reasonable changes to an itinerary before or during travel where those changes do not materially reduce the trip experience.
If we must make a material change before departure for reasons within our control, we will offer suitable alternatives where available or refund the portion we cannot deliver. If we must cancel a trip for reasons within our control and cannot provide a reasonable alternative, our liability will be limited to refunding monies paid to us for the affected services. We are not responsible for indirect losses, including international air tickets, visa fees, vaccination costs, insurance premiums, lost earnings, or disappointment.
10. Travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory for every traveller. Your policy should, at a minimum, cover medical treatment, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, curtailment, personal accident, baggage loss, and personal liability appropriate to the activities in your itinerary. We may ask for proof of insurance before departure and reserve the right to decline participation if adequate cover is not in place.
11. Traveller responsibilities
You are responsible for ensuring that all travellers hold valid passports, visas, vaccination certificates, permits, and other entry or exit documents required for the trip. Entry requirements can change, and official guidance should be checked directly with the relevant authorities. For Uganda visas, entry permissions, and border rules, travellers should consult the official Uganda Immigration website at immigration.go.ug.
Travellers are also responsible for providing accurate personal details, reviewing itinerary documents promptly, arriving on time for all services, complying with the laws of Uganda, respecting local customs, following guide and ranger instructions, and behaving in a manner that does not endanger others or unreasonably disrupt the trip. If a traveller's conduct causes serious risk, damage, or disruption, we may end that traveller's participation without refund.
12. Health, fitness, and medical disclosures
Many Uganda trips involve long driving days, rough roads, heat, humidity, altitude, remote settings, wildlife conditions, or physically demanding activities. It is your responsibility to assess whether you are medically and physically fit for the trip you book. If you have a condition that may affect your safety or the safety of others, you must tell us before booking and update us if circumstances change.
We may ask for additional information where an itinerary includes strenuous hiking, primate trekking, boat operations, or remote travel. We reserve the right to decline or restrict participation in an activity if we reasonably believe it would be unsafe for the traveller or the group. Any costs resulting from undisclosed medical conditions, mobility limits, or inability to participate remain the traveller's responsibility.
Health entry requirements may change. At the time of writing, travellers are commonly advised to review current yellow fever guidance and vaccination recommendations from the World Health Organization at who.int and from their local travel health adviser before travelling to Uganda.
13. Age limits and minors
Minimum ages for certain activities are set by law, by permit authorities, or by safety policies. For gorilla trekking in Uganda, the minimum age is 15, in accordance with UWA rules. Other activities may have different minimum ages, height limits, or health restrictions. Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring minors are suitable for the trip and supervised appropriately throughout travel.
14. Accommodation, transport, and supplier standards
Accommodation descriptions, photos, and classifications are provided in good faith based on information available to us from suppliers and our own experience. Standards can vary by region and can change without notice. Room preferences, bed type requests, and adjoining rooms cannot always be guaranteed.
Transport services are subject to road conditions, mechanical issues, security conditions, schedules, and operational realities in remote destinations. We work with reputable suppliers, but all transport and accommodation remain subject to the terms and limitations imposed by the relevant supplier.
15. Force majeure
We are not liable for failure, delay, alteration, or cancellation caused by events beyond our reasonable control. This includes severe weather, flood, drought, epidemic, pandemic, fire, airport closure, war, threat of war, terrorism, civil unrest, strikes, border restrictions, government orders, road collapse, wildlife management restrictions, or other extraordinary circumstances.
Where force majeure affects your trip, we will work in good faith to provide practical alternatives, postponement options, or the benefit of recoveries obtained from suppliers. However, refunds and credits will remain subject to what suppliers, insurers, and authorities actually return to us.
16. Complaints during travel
If you have a complaint during your trip, you must inform your guide, lodge manager, or our office as soon as reasonably possible so we have a fair opportunity to investigate and try to resolve the issue while you are travelling. Most operational issues can be addressed more effectively at the time than after travel has ended.
If a matter is not resolved during the trip, the lead traveller should send a written complaint to us within 30 days of the trip end date, together with supporting details and any relevant evidence. We will review the matter and respond within a reasonable period.
17. Liability limits
We act as principal for some services and as arranger for others provided by independent suppliers. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our liability for loss, damage, delay, injury, disappointment, inconvenience, or expense arising from the acts or omissions of independent suppliers is limited to the extent that such suppliers are themselves responsible under their own terms and applicable law.
We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, including loss of enjoyment, loss of income, missed flights, or additional personal expenses, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded. Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence where such exclusion would be unlawful.
Where we are found legally liable for a claim arising from services we directly provide, our total liability shall not exceed the total amount paid to us for the booking to which the claim relates, except where a lower or higher limit is required by mandatory law.
18. Photos and feedback
If you voluntarily send us reviews, photos, or testimonials after travel, you grant us permission to use them for marketing and service promotion unless you tell us otherwise. We will not knowingly use sensitive personal information in promotional materials without permission.
19. Governing law and dispute resolution
These terms and any non contractual obligations connected with them are governed by the laws of the Republic of Uganda. Before starting formal proceedings, both parties agree to try in good faith to resolve disputes through direct written discussions.
If a dispute cannot be resolved amicably within a reasonable time, the courts of competent jurisdiction in Kampala, Uganda, shall have jurisdiction, unless mandatory law requires another forum. Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking urgent interim relief where necessary to protect rights or safety.
20. Severability and updates
If any part of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force. We may update these terms from time to time, and the version in effect at the date of booking will generally apply unless a later version is required by law or expressly agreed in writing.