Botswana 2009 Terms & Conditions

  1. RATES INCLUDE:
    1. The full-time services of experienced professional hunters, skinners, trackers, caterers & camp assistants.
    2. Full accommodation, camp equipment including towels, linen, proper lighting, refrigeration & daily laundry.
    3. Full catering including fine cuisine, fresh fruit & vegetables, salads & well stocked daily cooler boxes for each hunting vehicle. Special dietary requirements will be catered for as far as possible.
    4. All soft drinks and bottled water, liquor, mixes, fine wine and beer.
    5. All ground transportation in the field during the safari i.e. one fully fitted four-wheel drive hunting vehicle per professional hunter.
    6. Field preparation of trophies and delivery to a local taxidermist for processing. (Mochaba)
    7. Full accommodation and services for 1 night in camp prior to the first hunting day.

  2. RATES DO NOT INCLUDE:Additional Charges: Only If Applicable To Your Safari
    1. Personal Expenses: Safari staff gratuities, personal expenses, curios / shopping etc.
    2. Flights: International or internal flights, charters, hotel bookings before, during or after the safari.
    3. Concession Fee: Applicable to Government controlled areas only @ $400 per hunter per day � NO TAX
    4. Community Levy: Applicable to Government controlled areas only @ $150 per hunter per day � NO TAX.
    5. Observer Rates: Per person per day plus 10% Tax � refer to Botswana Safari options for observer rates.
    6. Ground Transportation: Airport pick up and drop off and camp transfers by road or air � refer to Botswana Safari options for these charges.
    7. Firearm Permits:$175 per firearm (No Tax) (maximum 2 rifles and 1 shotgun per hunter). In addition, a Firearm Security Fee has been implemented by some Airlines as of 2008 (approx. $35).
    8. Trophies : Packing, Dipping & Shipping to Final Destination: clients to deal directly with Mochaba agent.
    9. Ammunition Tax: Upon arrival at Botswana customs 10% of ammunition value is payable to the Botswana Government. CVS will have this cash available and this cost will be added to your additional charges.
    10. Game Licence Fees: Applicable to all game in Government controlled areas and Big 5 species only on private land. Government Licence fees are non refundable and will be purchased in advance of the safari by CVS on behalf of the client.
    11. Shotgun Ammunition: If Applicable at $20 including 10% Tax.
    12. Other Activities: If Applicable before, after or during the safari, such as accommodation etc for sightseeing, fishing and touring which is booked and paid for in advance by CVS for the client.

  3. RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS:
    1. Actual hunting days are determined by the dates of the contracted period. Unless otherwise arranged and paid for in advance by the client, hunting will only commence on the first day of the contracted period and cease on the last day of the contract period.
    2. When hunting more than 1 area, camp transfers are required. The day of transfer is considered a hunting day and will be charged as such unless otherwise arranged.
    3. Confirmed bookings: Reservations are conditional on the timely receipt of all payments including deposits as requested by CVS. These must be received by CVS prior to the clients arrival - as detailed below in points 5 & 6. To reserve the dates for a safari a 50% deposit of the total Daily Rate (safari charge) is required for hunters and observers plus 10% Tax and full licence fees on Big 5 species. For clients who wish to book a safari 2 � 3 years in advance a deposit payment will be payable based on the current seasons daily rates and amounting to 50% of the total daily rate for hunters and observers. This amount will be adjusted closer to the time of the safari taking into account increases that will be applicable to the season for which the safari is booked.
    4. Provisional Dates: Please note that upon receipt of a deposit preferred dates & itineraries are provisional and may need to be adjusted marginally to accommodate circumstances beyond our control. Final dates and itineraries will however be committed to well in advance.
    5. Deposits: Upon receipt of his/her final safari quotation, the client will be required to pay a 50% deposit of the daily safari charge, concession fees and community levies for all hunters and observers and Big 5 licence fees in full if the safari is due to take place within one year. This quotation will be based on the CVS then ruling safari charges, trophy fees and licence fees. If the primary species to be hunted is not available for that year, the deposit is fully refundable or can be carried over to the following year.
    6. The balance of the daily rate (safari charge) as mentioned above is payable to CVS 90 days before the contracted starting date of the safari.
    7. Trophy Fees & additional Charges are payable upon completion of the safari. The outstanding balance is payable in US Dollars only. Personal cheques are accepted but credit cards & travellers cheques are not.
    8. Prices are based on the ruling Botswana Pula / US Dollar exchange rate. This rate may change. Consequently CVS reserves the right to adjust the cost of a safari in Botswana at any time!

  4. POSTPONED AND CANCELLED SAFARIS:
    1. CVS at its sole discretion retains the right to either accept or refuse a request to postpone a safari. Such a request from the client is to be in writing.
    2. - If a safari is cancelled within 270 days of the contracted starting date CVS reserves the right to retain 50% of the deposit paid or 50% of the total daily rate based on the CVS quote if the client has not yet paid the full deposit required for the safari. Any licence fees included in the deposit will be refunded in full provided that CVS has not yet purchased licences for the safari.
      - If within 270 days of the contracted starting date it is agreed to postponed a safari to another year CVS reserves the right to retain 30% of the deposit paid excluding any licence fees that may have been included in the deposit. The balance of the deposit will be applied to the required deposit for a future safari.
      - If a safari is cancelled within 90 days of the contracted starting date the client will forfeit the entire deposit paid which will be retained by CVS.
      - If within 90 days of the contracted starting date it is agreed to postpone the safari to another year CVS retains the right to retain 60% of the deposit paid as well as any licence fees that CVS may have purchased in advance for the safari. The balance of the deposit will be applied to the required deposit for a future safari.
    3. Postponed Safaris: Charges / rates quoted are not guaranteed for safaris postponed to any future season as all rates, licences and charges are not guaranteed to be the same from year to year. CVS reserves the right to change all daily rates, trophy and licence fees and all other fees including additional charges at any time.
    4. Early Departures and or Late Arrivals:All daily rate charges applicable to hunters and observers for the contracted safari dates are to be paid in full regardless of early departure or late arrival.
    5. No safari is confirmed and no quota of animals is allocated unless CVS has received the full deposit required.
    6. It is the clients responsibility to be aware of all CVS Terms and Conditions of Business.
    7. Botswana Government authorities control / regulate / stipulate all game licence fees, quotas, community and concession fees, airport and ammunition taxes as well as Value Added Tax presently 10%. CVS reserves the right to adjust any fees mentioned above without notice in order to conform to Government regulations. NOTE: All game licence fees are non refundable whether the hunt for such a species was successful or not.
    8. CVS will not be held responsible for the cancellation by a Botswana Government agency of any animals on the quota allocated to the client. In the unlikely event of this occurring CVS will endeavour to obtain replacement quota.

  5. RISK AND INSURANCE:
    1. CVS draws the client�s attention to the fact that there are certain inherent risks involved in participating in the type of trips and / or safaris sold by CVS and its agents. The client by paying a deposit for a safari accepts these risks as his / her own.
    2. CVS does not arrange any insurance of any kind for its clients. Clients undertake any trip or safari arranged by CVS or its agents entirely at their own risk. CVS strongly recommends that clients obtain at least the following types of insurance which are commercially available: Accidental Death and Disability, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Trip Cancellation, Major Medical, Loss of Personal Effects, loss or damage to the hides, skins, horns, skulls of trophies hunted.
    3. While travelling, temporary or permanent loss of baggage and or firearms is the responsibility of the client. Any recovery costs of such items by CVS from an airport or any other collection point during a safari will be paid for by the client.
    4. Furthermore CVS will not be held responsible for damages to or loss of personal items belonging to the client and or his / her companions before, during or after the contracted safari dates.
    5. It is necessary for all clients to sign a personal indemnity before the commencement of the safari.

  6. GENERAL:
    1. The client agrees to abide by the decision of his Professional Hunter to kill any animal that the client has shot at, if in his (Professional Hunters�) opinion the animal is a threat to human life or is suffering or may escape and not be found.
    2. In determining whether an animal which has been shot at by the client is wounded or not, the decision of the Professional Hunter will be final and binding to the payment for the animal whether it is found and recovered or not.
    3. The client agrees that he / she has no objection whatsoever to the use of any photographs and or video material taken during his / her safari for use in any promotional material published by CVS, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
    4. CVS will endeavour to provide exclusive use of safari camps and hunting areas for each safari. However, circumstances beyond our control - for example airline flight changes - sometimes do not allow CVS to offer this. Furthermore, the hunting season in certain areas is limited sometimes necessitating the sharing of camp.
    5. t is essential to obtain local currency from any international airport bank upon arrival, for personal expenses. This is extremely important. CVS will advise the client of the estimated amount required.
    6. The hunting season in Government controlled concessions is from April to the end of September however hunting for plains game species in either the Kalahari or Limpopo can be conducted year round, concessionaire permitting.
    7. Long range shooting (200m - 300m) may on occasions be required. All hunters should ensure that they bring rifles of suitable caliber�s (min .270) fitted with reliable variable telescopes and that ammunition is capable of distance trajectory. The legal minimum caliber�s for any of the Big 5 is a .375 magnum.
    8. It is the responsibility of every hunter to be fully acquainted with his/her firearms and to practice his/her shooting thoroughly before arrival. Although our Professional Hunters will endeavour to present the best possible opportunity CVS will not accept responsibility for poor shooting and the hunting time taken up searching for missed or wounded animals.
    9. Clients must be prepared for cold weather in June, July and August.
    10. By contracting for a safari, every client and all companions who accompany him / her on a safari undertake to have read and understood the entire contents of the current CVS brochure and these terms and conditions of business.
    11. It is the clients responsibility to obtain firearm and ammunition import / export permits. CVS will assist clients to obtain these provided that the necessary information requested from the client by CVS for this purpose is accurate and received timeously.
    12. Firearm safety is PARAMOUNT at all times. The client is responsible for his/her firearm safety, not CVS.
    13. CVS does not guarantee record book quality trophies, however our track record shows that the vast majority of animals hunted each year do qualify for the SCI record book.

  7. TOURING, SIGHT-SEEING AND PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARIS:
    1. Should a hunting safari include any touring & sight-seeing plans, the client will receive an itinerary and quotation for the touring portion, together with the hunting safari quotation, once the client�s touring requirements have been established.
    2. This itinerary can be adjusted until the client is entirely happy with the plans and all requirements are met. No adjustments to itineraries will be accepted less than 90 days prior to arrival date.
    3. Upon written confirmation from the client that the itinerary is acceptable, the touring portion will be costed accordingly and will be charged as a lump sum covering all aspects in the itinerary.
    4. A 50% deposit of the total amount is payable upon acceptance of the final itinerary and costing. This deposit may be paid together with the hunting safari deposit payment.
    5. Provisional bookings will be made at the various destinations and with relevant service providers. Deposits will then be made to the various destinations and service providers to secure the bookings.
    6. The balance of the touring portion is payable 90 days before the contracted starting date of the entire safari. This final payment may be paid together with the balance due for the hunting portion.
    7. For any bookings made within 90 days or less prior to the date of arrival, full payment is required.
    8. CVS cannot guarantee bookings with the various travel organizations as outlined in a clients itinerary until a deposit has been received by CVS and payment is made to the relevant travel organizations.
    9. CVS represents hotels, airlines, car rental companies and related travel organizations (service providers) on the suppliers terms and conditions. Tariffs are subject to change without notice. Increases in fares, hotel rates, government value added tax, exchange rates and other costs are for the clients account irrespective if payment in full for the safari has been made or not.
    10. CVS reserves the right to cancel any bookings made on behalf of the client if the client fails to make payments by the due dates. In this event a Cancellation Fee will be charged to the client for any non-recoverable prepaid expenses incurred by CVS. Cancellations of confirmed touring safaris by the client must be made in writing and will be effective on the date the cancellation is received.
    11. Cancellation fees may be payable by the client on cancellation of any reservation - as determined by CVS and / or stipulated by the travel organizations CVS represents. Although CVS will endeavour to waiver cancellation fees imposed by service providers, this cannot be guaranteed and the maximum cancellation fees which may be applicable are as follows:
      8 weeks prior to departure - 10% of total cost.
      6-8 weeks prior to departure - 30% of total cost.
      4-6 weeks prior to departure - 50% of total cost.
      4 weeks prior to departure - 100% of total cost.
    12. Should the client fail to join a safari (no show) or join after the commencement date, or leave the safari prior to its completion, no refund will be made.