All of Expert Africa's trips are flexible and tailor-made to suit our travellers. We believe in giving you all the information about the options available, so that you can make the right decisions about your trip.

Nobody at Expert Africa works on commission, and we don't own shares in any tourism ventures in Africa. This all means that our team can simply guide you with impartial advice and first-hand experience.

Getting started

Most of our travellers will have some idea where they want to go, or will have done some prior research. To get started, we'll almost always direct you to think about the kind of travel you enjoy, and read more about what interests you – in our brochure or this website, perhaps thinking about which of our Trip Ideas are closest to what you're looking for. Then it's best to call us for a no-pressure chat.

We'll take time to discuss the 'pros and cons' of all the options that you might be considering, to help you to refine your ideas. We won't rush these discussions, and you shouldn't either. Getting a clear understanding of the choices and options at an early stage is vital if you're going to make the right decisions about your trip.

Itineraries & free quotes

After you've understood your options, together we should be able to decide what's likely to suit you best – and arrive at an itinerary that looks promising. Then we'll swiftly send you a free quote, which will detail the proposed trip, including flights, inclusions and exclusions and precise costs.

When you receive this, we'll leave you to think about it; we won't call to chase you or pressurise you!

We will encourage you to call us back to chat about variations or discuss the trip further. Sometimes you may want to alter the trip plan or budget, and if so we'll send you a further free written quote, for the revised trip. In fact, we'll do as many of these as you like – but eventually we'll aim to arrive at one that you're happy with!

Places that we don't feature

Very occasionally a traveller will request some time at a place that we don't know and don't feature. If it's a small part of a larger trip, then we'll normally be happy to incorporate this – but we can't take any responsibility for any of its shortcomings.

Starting a booking

When you have a quote for a trip that you are happy with, and want to go ahead and book it, we'll ask you to send us a completed booking form with a deposit. This is normally held on file, without the deposit being processed, whilst we complete your reservations.

Because of the time it takes to communicate with lots of suppliers in Africa, we don't make overseas bookings without a signed booking form.

Confirming the booking

We'll always work swiftly to confirm all your bookings for you, and slot everything into place. This can take anything from a day to a few weeks (communications aren't easy for all of our suppliers – especially those in very remote corners).

If anything on your itinerary isn't available, we will call you to discuss the options which are possible. If you choose higher-cost options, then the price of your trip will increase; if you choose lower-cost options, then it will decrease. As normal, we'll explain the choices, and the pros and cons of the various alternatives. Normally, between our knowledge of Africa, and your knowledge of what you like – we can plan a great trip. However, if you don't like what we suggest then you can cancel at any point and we will return your deposit.

When all the reservations have been confirmed for a trip that you are happy with, only then will we finally process your deposit and issue you with a confirmation invoice.

Changes after booking

Once we have issued you with a confirmation invoice, we will absorb most price increases (the main exceptions being airline charges and government action). Unlike many other travel companies, we promise not to change our prices as the result of currency movements – giving you peace of mind that the price won't change.

In the very unlikely even that something has to change on your itinerary (e.g. if a hotel/lodge burns down, or a flight is cancelled), then we will make alternative arrangements for you. If we possibly can, we will contact you to discuss any options for these.

Payment, ticket dispatch and late bookings

The balance of your account is usually due 8 weeks before your departure. For late bookings, within this period, we require the full amount to be paid immediately on confirmation.

Your tickets, vouchers and a final information pack will usually be sent to the address on your invoice, typically 7 to 14 days before you leave. If this address changes after you have booked, but before you travel, then you should advise us immediately.

We usually send this pack out by first-class mail within the UK, or by airmail if overseas.

Agreeing a trip price in different currencies

All of our quotes are in UK Pounds (GBP £), as we are based in the UK.

However, for travellers from outside of the UK, we can arrange very competitive quotes in US Dollars or Euros. Simply make sure that the currency is agreed at the 'quote' stage, in writing, and preferably also note it down on your booking form. We'll then honour the amount and the currency agreed, regardless of how the world's exchange rates vary! The options for payment methods are currently:

Price agreed in UK Sterling (GBP)

Deposit: GB £250 per person for bookings of under GB £3,000 per person, or 10% of the value of the trip for bookings over this level.
Full payment: Due 8 weeks before travel, or immediately for bookings made within that time.
Payment methods: Cheques, Debit cards, Switch/Maestro cards, and direct bank transfers (net of all bank charges) are accepted without any surcharges.
Visa and MasterCard payments are accepted, with a 2% levy to cover our costs.
American Express payments are accepted with a 3% levy to cover our costs.

Price agreed in US Dollars (USD)

Deposit: US $350 per person for bookings of under US $4,000 per person, or 10% of the value of the trip for bookings over this level.
Full payment: Usually due 8 weeks before travel, or immediately for bookings made within that time. If paying by personal check we need to receive your balance 16 weeks before you are due to travel as this can take up to eight weeks to clear.

Payment methods: Direct bank transfers in US Dollars to our USD account (net of all bank charges) are accepted. We'll ask that you add to the transfer amount an extra payment of US$10 to cover our bank's charges
Personal checks, or cashier's checks (also known as a 'bank draft') are accepted. US Dollar personal checks are accepted provided full payment is settled 16 weeks before travel as these take up to eight weeks to clear with the bank. We cannot accept a US Dollar personal check for any bookings made within 16 weeks of the travel date because of this.
Cashier's checks are arranged at your bank and usually clear within a matter of days of us receiving them. Although a cashier's check is the best type of check to pay with, we are charged for the convenience, so US$40 should be added to any amount paid by cashier's check to cover our bank charges.
Credit card payments are accepted. However, because in the UK we can only apply a sterling charge to a credit card, we will advise you of how to pay by converting the US dollar amount owed into sterling at the current exchange rate. As above, Visa/MasterCard attracts a 2% levy; American Express commands a 3% levy.

Price agreed in Euros (EUR)

Deposit: EU €250 per person for bookings of under EU €3,000 per person, or 10% of the value of the trip for bookings over this level.
Full payment: due 10 weeks before travel, or immediately for bookings made within that time.
Payment methods: Direct bank transfers in Euros (net of all bank charges) to our Euro account are accepted without any surcharges.
Credit card payments are accepted. However, because in the UK we can only apply a sterling charge to a credit card, we will advise you of how to pay by converting the Euro amount owed into sterling at the current exchange rate. As above, Visa/MasterCard attracts a 2% levy; American Express commands a 3% levy.
Euro personal cheques are accepted provided full payment is settled 16 weeks before travel. We cannot accept a Euro personal cheque for any bookings made within 16 weeks of the travel date as this will take between six to eight weeks to clear with the bank. Cashier's cheques can be arranged at your bank and usually clear within a matter of days of us receiving them. Although a cashier's cheque is the best type of cheque to pay with, we are charged for the convenience, so EU €30 should be added to any amount paid by cashier's cheque to cover our bank charges.


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