FAQ: Health and safety

Find out how we keep you safe throughout your trip.

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Do you offer any legal or financial protection?

Yes. We are the only organisation of our kind that has been offered membership of ABTA, one of the world’s most recognised quality standards for travel. Find us at abta.com/abta-member-search (our membership number is Y6702). 

We comply with the UK Package Travel Regulations, which set out strict standards of how we must operate in order to protect our travellers. These regulations apply to all our travellers, wherever they come from in the world.

Your trip will be financially protected through ABTA and ATOL. This means that in the unlikely event we were to go out of business, you will be entitled to a refund of the package price. If you have already started your trip, then your transport home will be covered. It also means that you are guaranteed a full refund if you decide not to travel when the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against travel to your destination.

Is working with wild animals dangerous?

Working with wild animals will always carry a small amount of risk. And it’s important you understand this before travelling with us and maintain respect for Africa’s wildlife at all times.

You’ll also undergo a comprehensive safety briefing when you arrive to prepare you for working with potentially dangerous animals.

In spite of the inherent dangers of working with wild animals, thanks to our experienced staff and safety protocols, we have an exemplary track record.

I’ve heard there’s a lot of crime in southern Africa. Will I be safe?

Nothing matters more to us than the safety of our travellers. So we have a team on the ground in Africa who personally meet you in Johannesburg, see you onto your transfer and provide around-the-clock support should you ever need it.

While staying on conservation projects, you’ll be the guests of experienced project coordinators. So as long as you stay vigilant and avoid unnecessary risks, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about while travelling in southern Africa.

Are there any risks of war or political unrest?

We keep in regular contact with relevant embassies and foreign offices to ensure we give you the most up-to-date information and travel advice regarding our locations.

Should any unforeseen situation arise that warrants your removal from a country or specific region for safety reasons, we’ll do so immediately.

What happens if there is an emergency?

We take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of our travellers at all times. This even stretches to being fully prepared for events that could arise beyond our control. For this reason, we have created detailed emergency response procedures for every location that our travellers visit.

We regularly review and update these procedures to ensure our emergency response is always up to date. Likewise, our team members record every incident, no matter how small, and carry out an assessment of our response to ensure our procedures are followed and identify potential areas for improvement.

Thanks to our experienced staff and safety procedures, we have an exemplary track record.

Who should I contact if something goes wrong?

Our experienced support team are on hand for you from the moment you arrive in Africa. And if an issue should arise, we’re there on the ground with you to resolve it, swiftly and professionally.

You can get in touch with us at any time by phone, email or – if there’s an urgent situation – by satellite telephone. We keep detailed information on each traveller and so we’re always up to speed the moment you need us.

You’ll be given a dedicated mobile number for our in-country support team in your Departure Pack information and again on your arrival in South Africa.

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