Animal Communication Retreats Ltd

These Booking Terms and Conditions form the basis of your contract with Animal Communication Retreats Limited of 4 Tabernacle Street, London EC2A 4LU, UK. In these Booking Conditions, ‘you’ and ‘your’ means all persons named on the booking form (and anyone added at a later date) and ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ means Animal Communication Retreats Limited (“ACR”).

If you book a Retreat with Animal Communication Retreats Limited either through the animalthoughts.com website or otherwise, you agree to the following terms:

1. The Contract: When you make a booking you confirm that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of yourself and others on your booking form the terms of these booking conditions. A contract will exist with us only after you have:
   • acknowledged acceptance of these terms electronically by ticking the relevant tick box in the booking form and
   • made the appropriate payment and
   • we issue a Confirmation Email Receipt verifying the details of your booking. You must contact us immediately if any information which appears on the Confirmation Receipt or any other documents appears to be incorrect as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any liability unless notified of any inaccuracies in any document within 10 days following the date of the document.
2. Please read carefully the details of a retreat on the Site before you register your interest and/or book a retreat. In particular, please read the Suitability section to ensure that you comply with the requirements. Please also note that the Daily details may be subject to change.
3. Unused Services: No refunds will be made for any unused services. Credit will not be given for alterations for any reason after commencement date of the holiday.
4. “Force Majeur”: We will not pay compensation or accept liability for cancellations, delays or changes resulting from force majeure, including war or threat of war, civil unrest, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, adverse weather, fire, natural or nuclear disasters, pandemics, epidemics, WHO-declared public health emergencies, or any other event beyond our reasonable control. We do not provide travel/programme cancellation insurance that covers these eventualities.
5. Your responsibilities: Under terms of this contract, all clients are required to purchase suitable travel insurance on payment of the deposit.  This must cover the full duration of your retreat to include, but not limited to; costs of medical assistance, injury, death and repatriation (including helicopter rescue and air ambulance) and cancel for any reason.  It is also the responsibility of the client(s) to ensure that they are in possession of a current passport with at least 6 months validity, sufficient empty pages and all other travel documents required for your safari (e.g. valid visa and health documents). We will not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. Any information supplied by us on these or related matters (such as climate, when to travel, clothing, baggage, personal items etc) is given as general guidance and in good faith but we do not accept liability for any decisions made on the basis of information supplied.
6. Cancelling your booking: If you have to cancel, please inform us by e-mail.  No cancellation can be considered accepted until receipt of your email and a confirmation email send by ACR. The refund policy is viewable here. There is no rescheduling or transfer on any cancellation.
7. We carefully select the accommodation provider, and where appropriate, the transport provider, for each of our retreats. However, you agree that each retreat is subject to the accommodation and transport providers’ own terms, which we shall provide to you. Please read these terms carefully before you pay the deposit for a retreat. You expressly agree that we are not liable for the acts or omissions of accommodation and/or transport providers or other third party attending or involved on the retreat.
8. Special requests: Although we will do our best to accommodate them, we cannot guarantee any special requests. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of this contract.
9. Health, fitness and medical conditions: By confirming your booking, you warrant that you are in good physical and mental health and are capable of participating safely in the retreat and its associated activities. Depending on the retreat, these activities may include, but are not limited to, boating, swimming, snorkelling, walking on uneven terrain, travel on rough roads, exposure to varying weather conditions, encounters with wild animals and marine life, and other activities reasonably associated with an Animal Communication Retreat.

   If you have any pre-existing medical condition, disability, injury or other circumstance that may affect your ability to participate safely, you must notify us in writing before confirming your booking and provide full details. You must also notify us immediately of any change, deterioration or new medical condition arising between the date of booking and the commencement of the retreat.

   Given the nature of our retreats, we reserve the right, at our absolute discretion, to decline or cancel a booking where we reasonably consider that a guest’s medical condition or disability cannot be safely accommodated, may pose a risk to themselves or others, or is likely to have a significant adverse effect on the retreat or the experience of other guests. Where a relevant medical condition or disability has not been disclosed before booking, or any subsequent change has not been promptly notified to us, we reserve the right to cancel the booking and apply the applicable cancellation charges.

   In some circumstances, it may only become apparent upon arrival that a guest’s medical condition or disability cannot be safely accommodated. In such cases, we reserve the right to refuse participation in the retreat, and any cancellation or curtailment shall be subject to the applicable cancellation terms.

   Guests with any pre-existing medical condition or disability are responsible for ensuring that their travel insurance provides appropriate cover, including cover for their declared medical condition, emergency medical treatment and, where applicable, emergency medical evacuation. We reserve the right to request evidence of such insurance before the retreat commences.

   In the event of a medical emergency, we will take all reasonable steps to arrange appropriate assistance. Where we incur costs on a guest’s behalf that are not recoverable under the guest’s insurance policy, the guest agrees to reimburse us for all reasonable costs incurred.

10. Retreats incur a non-refundable deposit and each retreat operates its individual refund policy. Please check the details of a retreat on the Site for details.
11. Payment for a retreat can be made by instalment, and you agree that if you fail to pay an instalment within 14 days of the due date for that instalment, we shall be entitled to treat such failure as cancellation of the booking.
12. Passport and Visa: You are responsible for all passport requirements (including the required unexpired time on your passport depending on the destination), and visa as appropriate for a retreat. No refunds will be made if improper documentation results in your being denied entry into either country.
13. Delay: ACR is not responsible for delays in flights or road transport at any stage of travel to and from the retreat location nor delays in obtaining health test results or other clearances required by airlines, governments or other relevant authorities.
14. You agree to behave carefully if the retreat includes access to animals. You agree that the animals may be nervous within a group setting and you shall take full responsibility for your interactions with animals. We are not liable for any loss, damage or injury you may suffer or for any loss of or damage to your property at a retreat including as a result of your interaction with an animal unless, and only to the extent that it was caused by our negligence.
15. Our maximum liability to you whether in contract, tort or otherwise shall in no circumstances exceed the total Fees paid by you for the retreat. Your statutory consumer rights are not affected.
16. You recognise and agree that the activities of boating on open ocean and shores, driving on roads, sand, gravel, and highways and being close to wild animals, camping in the bush, deep within the wilderness, walking safari, walking sand dune, boat cruise, and all other hazards and exposures connected with these activities do involve risks and dangers inherent with these activities. You acknowledge that in consideration for being allowed to take part in the “Animal Thoughts event”, you accept and assume all of the dangers that are inherent in all of the above activities, whether or not these dangers are obvious or necessary.
17. You understand and agree that any bodily injury, death or loss of personal property, and expenses thereof that occur as a result of your participating in these activities, are your responsibility. In the event that any damages are to be paid, they shall not exceed the amount of consideration you have paid. And if litigation is pursued after payback of consideration has been tendered, all legal expenses of both parties shall be borne by the party first bringing forth litigation.
18. Data protection policy: In order to process your booking we need to use the information you provide. We may pass on relevant information to travel providers in respect of travel to and from Botswana and/or Zambia elements, or within these countries, where we are assisting you with those arrangements. Therefore in making a booking for you, you consent to this information being passed to the relevant persons. The company will hold your information and may use it in future to inform you of offers electronically. If you do not wish to receive such approaches please tell us so we can advise our providers, we have no control over their policies.
19. Travel Insurance: For your own safety, well-being and financial protection, it is essential that you are adequately insured. All material facts likely to affect your insurance must be declared to your insurer at the time of booking. If you make a booking and then have to cancel it because you are unable to arrange appropriate insurance you will be liable for all costs (See section 5). This insurance should cover trip cancellation/interruption, including inability to travel or cancellation by ACR due to severe weather, emergency evacuation coverage, pandemic or other force majeure, and should cover your total retreat costs. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is particularly important that you obtain a full insurance policy that covers against Covid-19 related risks such as ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ or CFAR policies. Failure to arrange appropriate travel insurance is entirely your responsibility and will not change either party’s obligations under these Terms and Conditions. You are therefore responsible for providing your own travel/cancellation insurance. If you do not secure travel insurance, you accept that you are responsible for all non-refundable charges including as per Clause 5 above and additionally undertake to make full refund to ACR for any costs expended on your behalf before, during or after your retreat programme.
20. Changes to the retreat programme: Mother Nature – the weather and the wildlife – are not under our control and sometimes it may be necessary to make changes to the retreat programme, accommodations or boat. We are not responsible for any consequences arising from such changes, cancellations or delays of programs. In particular, failure to see particular species of wildlife will not be a breach of contract on our part.
21. Waiver of liability: In consideration of your participation in the “Animal Thoughts event,” you do hereby release “Animal Communication Retreats Ltd,” Pea Horsley, and their agents and employees, from any legal liability for any and all injury or death caused by, or resulting from your participation in “Animal Thoughts event” activities, whether or not such injury or death was caused by their negligence or from any other cause.
22. In consideration of my participation in the “Animal Thoughts event”, you do hereby release Animal Communication Retreats Ltd and their agents, employees, from any legal liability for any change or interference in their programmes that could be caused by changes in Wildlife Protection laws, Park Fees, or any new environmental laws.
23. Furthermore, you hereby waive, release and discharge the “Animal Thoughts event,” Animal Communication Retreats Ltd, Pea Horsley, and their representatives, successors and assigns for any and all losses of property, personal injuries, damages and claims, even injuries resulting in death, whether caused by the negligence of “Animal Thoughts event” or any other cause that you might sustain as a result of taking part in the “Animal Thoughts event.”
24. You agree that this agreement is to bind your heirs, estate, your assigns, legal guardians, personal representatives and yourself.
25. You agree that this release and waiver agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted, and that if any part of this agreement is held invalid you agree that the rest shall continue to have full legal force and effect.
26. Jurisdiction: These Terms and Conditions will be governed by the laws of England.

THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND A STIPULATED DAMAGES AGREEMENT. DO NOT SIGN THE  AGREEMENT IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR DO NOT AGREE WITH ITS TERMS.