FAQ: Costs and payments

Our experiences start from a weekly cost of GBP 686, USD 871, EUR 816, AUD 1316, CAD 1200. Most travellers like to combine multiple projects to create a tailor-made trip. The combined price of projects is cheaper than the individual projects added up online.

All prices include your accommodation at the conservation project, all your meals, transport to and from Johannesburg and vital financial support to your host conservation projects.

You can find out more about the prices on the specific project pages on our website, or you can speak with us.

Wildlife conservation in southern Africa isn’t government funded. So projects rely on travellers like you, not just for your time and effort, but also for the vital financial support you provide.

Over the years, the financial support of our travellers has empowered the conservation projects we work with in many different ways. We’ve sponsored new equipment, invested in new facilities and provided interest-free loans to help broaden their impact.

During your time in Africa, you’ll see exactly where your money goes: enabling the conservation work you’re involved in and having a direct benefit on the wildlife, communities and ecosystems of southern Africa.

As an independent conservation travel company, we only support projects with a proven track record. And we prioritise those that have little or no other source of funding. So you can rest assured your money is going where it’s needed most.

Yes. To secure your booking there’s an initial deposit of GBP 295 / USD 400 / CAD 500 / AUD 500 / EUR 350 / ZAR 3,500. This amount is then deducted from your final payment.

You can pay your deposit and full travel prices to us in GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, CAD or ZAR.

For all currencies, you can pay via bank transfer (we’ll send you details in your Booking Pack). For all currencies except South African Rand, you can pay online or over the phone by debit / credit card, Visa or Mastercard.

We are unable to accept American Express, Discover Card or Diners Club Card.

After paying your initial deposit, there is then nothing to pay until eight weeks before departure. On booking, you will receive a statement which will detail the exact date your final payment is due.

We ask that you take out travel insurance that covers the wildlife activities you will undertake during your trip, as well as emergency treatment, airlift evacuation and repatriation. If you want, we can arrange insurance that provides this level of cover for you.

You may also need to arrange a visa that allows you to travel and make sure you’re up to date with all the necessary vaccinations. Depending on your nationality, you may have to pay for these precautions.

Sometimes circumstances change and prevent you from travelling. Since we book your placement long before your departure, we incur costs if you have to cancel. Please see our terms and conditions for full and definitive information on cancellation. Here is a brief outline of the cancellation charges:

• More than 8 weeks before departure – cancellation charge is your deposit plus any costs we may have incurred booking flights for you
• 8 to 4 weeks before departure – cancellation charge is 50% of your total package price
• Less than 4 weeks before departure – cancellation charge is 100% of your total package price

If the cancellation charge is greater than the amount you have paid to us prior to cancellation, the balance becomes a debt owed by you to us.

You may be able to recover your losses resulting from cancellation if you cancel for a reason covered by your insurance policy.

Our prices include transport, accommodation and food. So there’s no need to bring extra money if you don’t want to. But you may want to spend a little on gifts and mementos, snacks and toiletries. Around GBP 20 a week should be more than enough to cover all this.

Some projects also offer a wide range of optional excursions which you can book during your stay for an additional cost. Our team will advise you before you travel on what these are and will give you an indication of cost.

Most shops do accept card payments using a VISA and Mastercard.

You’ll find ATMs in most towns and petrol stations in South Africa where you can withdraw cash using a VISA and Mastercard.

For placements in Zimbabwe, you’ll need to bring all your spending money in US dollars cash. This is because there is no option to withdraw cash in Zimbabwe and limited options to pay by card. Our team will advise you before you travel how much money you’ll need to bring.

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.

We are also full members of the Year Out Group, an association of leading UK organisations that promotes the benefits of a well-structured gap year and adheres to specified codes of practice. We also have our own Code of Conduct covering things like participation, behaviour and alcohol consumption that we expect all our participants to adhere to.