Private journeys need real commitments, but booking should still feel clear and fair. We explain every payment before you make it, delay ordinary park-fee purchases where possible, and welcome late bookings whenever the route can still be arranged properly.
The short version: no hidden cancellation penalties, no vague convenience fees, and no surprise non-refundable items. If a lodge, permit, flight, campsite, or other supplier requires stricter terms, we show the exact item and amount in your quotation before you pay.
How safari payments work
- To confirm your safari: pay the accommodation amount required by the named hotel or camp, plus 50% of the agreed transport cost.
- Five days before departure: the remaining 50% of the transport cost is due.
- Park and conservation fees: ordinary entry fees are normally paid or purchased on the activity day or one day before. Keeping these payments close to travel reduces the risk of money being tied up if plans change.
- Everything is itemised: your quotation shows the amount, currency, due date, and what each payment covers.
Booking at short notice? You are welcome to ask. If accommodation, transport, permits, and the route are still available, we will confirm what can be arranged and show the shorter payment schedule before you pay.
Flexible safari cancellation
If you cancel in writing at least 30 days before departure, Wilderness Alternative does not charge a cancellation penalty. We return all money that has not already been irreversibly paid to a named supplier. If any part of a booking has a supplier-specific non-refundable condition, we identify it clearly in your quotation before payment.
If you cancel at least three days before departure, any ordinary park-fee money that has not yet been used to purchase entry is returned in full. Accommodation and transport refunds depend only on the commitments disclosed in your quotation, and we provide a clear itemised account.
We do not add a vague administration or “convenience” deduction. Only an actual payment-provider or bank charge that cannot be returned may be deducted, and that charge is disclosed before payment.
If a supplier offers a date change instead of a cash refund, you may choose an eligible travel credit rather than lose the value.
Mount Kenya treks
- You may pay the full trip price or make a 70% booking payment.
- If you choose the 70% option, the remaining 30% is due five days before the scheduled trek start.
- Ordinary park entry fees are normally purchased on the trek day or one day before.
If you cancel in writing at least 48 hours before the scheduled trek start, measured in East Africa Time, Wilderness Alternative does not charge a cancellation penalty. We return money that has not already been irreversibly committed to a named supplier, including all unpurchased park-fee money. Any special campsite, accommodation, transport, or add-on with a stricter supplier condition is identified before payment.
For a cancellation inside 48 hours or a no-show, we still account for and return every recoverable amount. Where suppliers permit, you may move eligible funds to another Wilderness Alternative journey.
Optional travel credit
If moving your journey works better than cancelling, eligible funds can be held as travel credit for 18 months from your original departure date. Credit is your choice; we do not replace an available cash refund with credit without your agreement.
- Use it toward a new Wilderness Alternative journey within the 18-month period.
- If the new journey costs more, you pay the difference; if it costs less, the eligible balance remains available until expiry.
- Credit is normally held for the original guest. A transfer can be considered with written approval.
- The payment and cancellation terms accepted for the new journey apply to that booking.
Items that may need earlier payment
Some limited services must be secured early. These can include domestic or international flights, gorilla or chimpanzee permits, peak-season or special-rate accommodation, and named campsites or reservations. We never treat these as a hidden exception: the supplier, amount, deadline, and refund condition are shown before you pay.
How to cancel or move your dates
Send your request in writing by email to info@wildernessalternativeexpedition.com or by WhatsApp to +254 743 789 655. We use the time the message is received in East Africa Time.
Once the releasable amount is confirmed, we initiate an approved refund to the original payment method within 10 business days. Your bank or card provider may take additional time to post it.
We recommend comprehensive travel insurance because it can protect costs that neither Wilderness Alternative nor a supplier can refund, as well as unexpected illness, flight disruption, or emergencies.
If we need to change a journey
Weather, road conditions, safety, and wildlife operations can occasionally require a practical change. We first offer the closest suitable alternative. If Wilderness Alternative cancels before departure for a reason within our control, you may choose a comparable replacement or a refund of services controlled by us. For events outside our control, we return or recredit every amount recovered from suppliers and help you find the best new date.
Your individual quotation and written booking confirmation show the exact payment schedule and any supplier-specific exception for your journey.