AWOL Tours –Terms & Conditions 

These Terms and Conditions reflect the latest tourism trends, global industry standards, and relevant South African legal requirements. By booking with AWOL Tours, guests acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to these terms.

1. Bookings & Payments

1.1 Guaranteed Departures

• Day Tours: Full payment required 24 hours in advance.
• Group Day Tours (7+ guests): Payment required 14 days in advance.
• Overnight & Multi-day Trips: Payment required 1 month in advance.
• Bookings are only confirmed once full payment has been received.

1.2 Tour Language & Scheduling

• Scheduled tours run in English, at set times.
• Private tours may be offered in other languages (subject to guide availability).

1.3 Children

• Children under 8 are welcome on private tours only.
• Baby bike carriers provided at no extra cost for private family cycling tours.

1.4 Pricing

• Prices are subject to availability and may change without notice until confirmed.
• Multi-day custom tours are priced according to group size. Any change in group size may affect pricing.

2. Deposit & Payment Structure for Multi-Day Tours

To secure your reservation:

• 10% non-refundable deposit on booking.
• 40% deposit due 90 days before arrival.
• 50% final payment due 30 days before departure.
• Bookings made within 90 days require a 50% deposit upon booking.

3. Tour Operations

3.1 Outsourced Activities

Some specialised activities—including but not limited to walking safaris in Big 5 reserves, shark-cage diving, and sea kayaking—are operated by vetted third-party providers. AWOL Tours acts as a facilitator and cannot guarantee availability.

3.2 Activity Safety & Standards

AWOL follows international best-practice in adventure tourism and works only with licensed guides and legally compliant operators.

4. Preparing for Your Trip

Travelers are responsible for:

• Ensuring valid travel documents and visas.
• Meeting health requirements and consulting with medical professionals.
• Understanding that local conditions, infrastructure, and standards may differ from their home country.
• Accepting that nature-based and cultural travel involves unpredictability.

5. Group Size

AWOL Tours offers both scheduled small-group departures and private, fully customised itineraries. To maintain safety, quality, and an optimal guiding environment, AWOL adheres to a maximum guide-to-guest ratio of 1:8. Larger groups may be divided into smaller sub-groups, each led by a dedicated guide. On certain tours, guests may choose to join scheduled small-group departures—where they may be combined with other AWOL travellers—or request a private tour exclusively designed for their group.

6. Meals & Drinks

• Bottled drinking water is provided during tours (tap water in South Africa is safe in most areas).
• Dietary requirements (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free) can be accommodated with advance notice.
• Meals highlight fresh, local cuisine and seasonal ingredients.
• Alcoholic beverages and additional drinks are at guests’ own cost.

7. Accommodation

On private tours, guests have the option to book a wide range of accommodation options varying on price and availability. These range from heritage farmhouses and nature cabins to boutique lodges and camping. Rooms are based on shared occupancy unless otherwise arranged. Single rooms are available on request. AWOL will customise arrangements for group requirements.

8. Weather Policy

AWOL is not liable for weather-related disruptions. If weather prevents an activity from operating:

• Activities may be rescheduled, combined, or substituted with an equivalent available tour offering.
• If no alternative is possible, AWOL will refund the portion of the activity cost that can be recovered from suppliers or tour services that  was not incurred due to the cancellation.

10. Cancellations & Refunds

10.1 Day Tours

• Cancellations made 24+ hours before departure: Full refund.
• Cancellations within 24 hours: Non-refundable.

10.2 Group Day Tours (7+ guests)

• Cancellations must be made 14+ days before departure for refund eligibility.

10.3 Overnight & Multi-Day Tours

• Accommodation deposits are non-refundable.
• Cancellations made 30+ days before departure may qualify for partial refund after the tour concludes, depending on group size and commitments already paid.
• Individual cancellations affect group pricing—refunds cannot be guaranteed.

10.4 AWOL-Initiated Cancellations

AWOL Tours may cancel due to unforeseen circumstances. If cancelled, a full refund of payments received from third party suppliers will be issued. AWOL is not responsible for loss related to non-refundable flights. 

11. Travel Requirements

• Passports must have two blank pages for entry into South Africa.
• Visa compliance is the guest’s responsibility.
• Updated regulations for children travelling internationally must be followed.

12. Health & Medical Information

• South Africa has excellent private medical facilities but limited rural options.
• Guests must have adequate medical insurance, including evacuation.
• Malaria exists in certain regions—consult a travel clinic before travel.
• Guests must inform AWOL of any medical conditions when booking. Late disclosure may prevent AWOL from making safe arrangements.

13. Insurance Requirements

Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical expenses, emergency evacuation, and repatriation is mandatory for all guests and must remain valid for the full duration of the tour. Cover must extend to all activities included in your itinerary. Guests are responsible for ensuring their policy is appropriate for their personal health, destination, and planned activities.

Insurance covering loss or damage to personal luggage, sports equipment, bicycles, cameras, and other valuables is strongly recommended. Guests travelling with high-value items should arrange cover at an adequate insured value. AWOL Tours does not insure guest property unless expressly agreed in writing.

AWOL reserves the right to request proof of insurance at any time and may exclude a guest from participation where adequate cover cannot be confirmed.

14. Assumption of Risk & Limitation of Liability

AWOL Tours will take reasonable care on tour to ensure guest safety and when handling guest property. Guests participate in all tours and related activities at their own risk, and remain responsible for their personal belongings at all times. AWOL Tours shall not be liable for loss of or damage unless directly caused by the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of AWOL Tours.

Adventure travel involves inherent risks — including illness, injury, theft, delays, and loss of or damage to personal property — which guests accept by booking with AWOL Tours. AWOL will take  reasonable care for guest safety and in the handling of guest property, but guests participate in tours and all related activities at their own risk.

AWOL Tours shall not be liable for loss of or damage to luggage or personal belongings — including during vehicle transfers,  at accommodation, or during third-party activities — unless directly caused by the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of AWOL Tours, its employees, agents or subcontractors. AWOL is not liable for damage arising from theft, damage, ordinary wear and tear, or causes beyond its reasonable control.

Guests are responsible for ensuring all personal property, particularly fragile or high-value items such as bicycles and camera equipment, is protected for travel conditions. Any loss or damage must be reported to AWOL as soon as reasonably possible and, where practicable, before the end of the relevant transfer or tour day — failure to report timeously may prejudice any claim.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable South African law.

14.1  AWOL Tours reserves the right to cancel a booking, or exclude a guest from participation, without refund, where adequate insurance cannot be confirmed. Proof of insurance may be requested at any time before or during the tour.

14.2 Photography & Media

Guests consent to AWOL using photographic or video material from tours for marketing purposes without compensation.

By booking an AWOL experience, guests agree:

• To sign an Indemnity Form before participating.
• To release AWOL Tours from liability except in cases of fraudulent or reckless conduct by AWOL staff or directors.
• To acknowledge that third-party suppliers operate independently and AWOL is not liable for their actions.
• To follow the authority of the Tour Leader, whose decisions are final in matters of safety and itinerary.
• That disruptive or unsafe behaviour may result in removal from the tour without refund.

15. POPIA Compliance (Protection of Personal Information Act)

AWOL Tours is fully compliant with the South African Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). By booking with AWOL Tours, guests acknowledge and consent to the following:

• Personal information collected during enquiries, bookings, or participation in tours is used solely for operational, safety, and legal purposes.
• Information may be shared with trusted third-party suppliers only when necessary to deliver booked services (e.g., accommodation providers, outsourced activity partners).
• AWOL implements reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data.
• Guests may request access to, correction of, or deletion of their personal information as permitted by law.
• AWOL will not sell or distribute personal information to unauthorised third parties.

16. Consumer Protection Act (CPA) Compliance

AWOL Tours adheres to the South African Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and is committed to fair, transparent, and responsible business practices:

• All pricing, inclusions, exclusions, and cancellation policies are clearly disclosed prior to booking.
• Guests have the right to receive services that are safe, of good quality, and reasonably fit for the described purpose.
• Adventure activities involve inherent risks; by participating, guests acknowledge these risks as disclosed in the indemnity.
• AWOL will not engage in misleading marketing or unfair contract terms.
• Should a dispute arise, AWOL will engage in fair dispute resolution processes in accordance with CPA guidelines.

17. Adventure Tourism Standards & Safety Compliance

AWOL Tours operates in alignment with global and South African adventure tourism safety standards, including the ISO 21101 guidelines for Adventure Tourism Safety Management Systems. AWOL commits to:

• Using licensed, accredited guides who meet national qualification standards (e.g., CATHSSETA, FGASA, first aid certified).
• Ensuring regular safety audits of cycling equipment, vehicles, gear, and operational procedures.
• Conducting route risk assessments.
• Vetting all outsourced activity partners to ensure they comply with recognised industry safety standards.
• Providing thorough safety briefings prior to activities.
• Upholding responsible tourism principles, conservation awareness, and environmental sustainability best practices.

18. General Provisions

• AWOL reserves the right to decline any booking at its discretion.
• These Terms and Conditions may be updated at any time to reflect legal, safety, or industry changes.
• The laws of the Republic of South Africa govern all bookings, disputes, and interpretations.

For any questions or clarifications, please contact info@awoltours.co.za.