Our Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions for Mzansi Experience
Last Updated: 01 May 2026
1. Definitions
The Mzansi Experience refers to Mzanzi Bus Adventures (Pty) Ltd trading as The Mzansi Experience, a Propriety Limited business entity, established and registered in 2016. Hereafter also referred to as “The Company”.
- Client means individuals, groups, companies or other legal persons using the services offered by The Mzansi Experience.
- Activity means an excursion or adventure ranging no longer than a few hours of a single day. These can range from highly relaxing to an extreme physical level according to the choice of the client. All activities are provided by authorised and accredited third parties.
- Tour means the provision of services/activities and/or accommodation and/or transportation and/or meals as offered to the client to purchase, and stretches over more than one day – typically at least 3 days. All tours are provided by authorised and accredited third parties.
- Accommodation means the provision of overnight facilities in the form of a dorm bed, private room or camping tent as offered to the client to purchase. All accommodation is offered by reputable and well-screened third parties.
- Booking means the confirmation of the selected activity, tour or accommodation enquiry/purchase and thereto acceptance of the terms & conditions of The Mzansi Experience, by the client.
- Third Party Supplier means any provider of activities, shuttle services, accommodation and tours other than The Mzansi Experience in a direct manner as purchased by the client.
2. Your agreement with The Mzansi Experience
By finalising your arrangements with us (accepting a booking and paying for it – even if only a partial deposit), you are accepting that the terms of this Agreement (and conditions of any contract made with any Third Party Supplier/s) apply to your booking and your travel arrangements. You also consent to our processing personal information about you and other members of your party required for the arrangements of your tour package.
We and the Third Party Suppliers may disclose your personal information to others where directly connected with facilitating your travel arrangements and bookings and the provision of travel services and products. For example, we may disclose your personal information to activity providers, tour operators, accommodation establishments, car rental or transfer companies in facilitating your travel arrangements.
3. Bookings / Reservation Policy
The Mzansi Experience reserves the right not to confirm the booking until the full amount (or deposit – if offered) set out in the invoice received by client (or presented to the client) is paid and has been confirmed by our payment channels as processed successfully.
Please note that for single clients, the Single Supplement is compulsory on all tours. We will never let you share a room with a stranger, unless specifically stated otherwise (e.g. dorm room packages – which you will book by choice)
3.1 When you make a booking:
- You guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept for yourself – as well as your travel party if paying for the guest/s travelling with you – the terms of these booking conditions, and any terms and conditions imposed by Third Party Suppliers.
- It is your responsibility to ensure that all the details on your travel documents are correct and to bring to our attention any errors or discrepancies immediately on receiving this document. The names in your booking must be exactly the same as they appear in the traveller’s passport or ID document.
- You enter into a legally binding contract to acquire the relevant travel or travel-related products and/or services with the Third-Party Suppliers.
- If you make a booking on behalf of someone else, you warrant that you have the authority to be bound by The Mzansi Experience’s general terms and conditions and the relevant Third-Party Suppliers’ terms and conditions on that person’s behalf.
3.2 Booking Conditions
When making an online booking, payment is required in full for the booking to be accepted. Should your tour depart more than 60 days from date of booking, you can contact us directly if you require split payments. All bookings are subject to availability.
Tours/Safari Bookings: Book online up to 3 (THREE) days before departure, or email us at bookings@mzansi.travel, or phone our office for availability.
Please note: For certain tours, a minimum booking capacity (including the client) might be required, e.g. 4 guests required to start a group tour on a specific date. If the minimum booking number is not obtained, the Company or Third-Party Supplier reserves the right to cancel the tour and refund the tour price to the client, in which event the client shall (for the avoidance of doubt) have no claim for any damages against the Company.
3.3 If You Change / Postpone Your Booking
In these current times, it might become necessary to change or postpone your booking due to lockdown restrictions, abrupt flight changes or health reasons. In all cases, Mzansi Experience will be very transparent in our policies and accommodate clients to the best of our ability.
If you wish to change your booking and such a change is permitted and possible, The Mzansi Experience might charge you a service fee to process the change. Please note that all reservation changes are subject to availability and the terms and conditions of the product or service purchased.
For changes & postponements before departure, please contact The Mzansi Experience directly on bookings@mzansi.travel as far ahead as possible.
Where possible, booking postponement will be actioned with minimal charges.
3.4 Cancellations & Refunds
If you cancel your booking, the cancellation terms and conditions will apply, as well as The Mzansi Experience fees outlined on your itinerary and receipt. We need to receive from you written notification of cancellation before any refund can be considered. Should the reason for your cancellation be covered under the terms of your travel insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim your cancellation charges through your insurer (refer to Section 7 further below regarding mandatory travel insurance).
The refund will only be issued after your payment has reflected in our bank account – it might take a few business days to clear – especially if paid from a foreign bank account. We will refund on the next business day, and it will take between 7 – 14 business days to reflect in your bank account due to bank regulations and procedures.
Your cancellation terms will be clearly stated on your booking confirmation if not our standard terms (e.g., our luxury tours), but our standard terms are listed below:
- Cancellation charges less than 20 Days in advance of travel date: No refund (date change can be considered where possible)
- Cancellation charges between 21-40 days in advance of travel date: 50% of full value
- Cancellation charges between 41-60 days in advance of travel date: 25% of full value
- Cancellation charges more than 60 days in advance of arrival date: 5% admin fee
- Changes in dates/transfer of ownership will be handled on a case-to-case basis, pending circumstances and type of transfer.
3.5 Special Cancellation Conditions: Ad Hoc Application
We understand that sometimes extreme circumstances would hinder a guest to fulfill their travel plans, and we pride ourselves on also being human. Therefore, we are open to application for special (case-to-case) cancellations taking into consideration special conditions – with written proof, e.g. family medical emergency, own medical conditions etc. Each case will be reviewed by our management.
Please note this explicitly excludes any items stated under Section 15 – Force Majeure (“Acts of God”) unless clearly communicated or stated otherwise.
4. Payment Options
There are several ways to pay for your safari packages, tours & add-ons (where applicable) – depending on how and where you buy them. Our most frequent payments options are stated below.
4.1 Direct Online Payments (via payment link) with Roam Payments
We believe that paying for your journey should be as effortless as the trip itself. Through our partnership with Roam – Africa’s leading travel payment specialist – you can settle securely by card or bank transfer, with full clarity on charges in your own currency. Once your payment is confirmed, your price is locked in and guaranteed for up to two years, giving you certainty long before your travels begin.
Roam is an incredibly easy-to-use, secure payment solution supports VISA, MasterCard, American Express and also direct bank transfers where providing your car details is not necessary.
4.2 Direct Online Payments (via payment link) with TrustMyTravel
The Mzansi Experience has entered into a partnership with a specialist travel and tourism payment solution called TrustMyTravel, an internationally renowned payment platform used by major tour operators around the world.
TrustMyTravel is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority under the PSR 2009: No. 569641. For more information about how your payments are protected please visit www.trustmytravel.com for more information. It supports all major vendors such a VISA, MasterCard (not American Express).
4.3 Payments made to our agents & OTAs
Payments can be made directly at any of our authorised agents or OTAs (incl. TourRadar, Viator, Expedia, SafariBookings etc) in any payment type they would accept – please check with them directly. These can include credit card, debit card and cash payments.
4.4 Payments to Third Party Tour Providers (when applicable)
Our tours might have charges payable in cash directly to the Third Party Provider and should be done before embarking on the tour. These include charges for the optional activity packages, single supplement and additional activities which is an optional addition to the itinerary. These payments cannot be made to The Mzansi Experience.
5. What to do if you have a complaint
If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant Third Party Supplier (e.g. your hotel/lodge) immediately – no refunds or action will be considered if complaints are reported more than 24 hours after an incident OR any matter where the client feels service or accommodation provided is not up to standard. Should they be unable to resolve the matter, please contact The Mzansi Experience directly via phone (ask reception to give us a call on your behalf if you do not have access to a personal phone) or email our Managing Director at leon@mzansi.travel
If you fail to contact/notify The Mzansi Experience within 24 hours of the specific incident/complaint, we will not be permitted the opportunity to investigate your complaint and rectify any error whilst you are on tour with us. Please note that the dealing with a complaint by The Mzansi Experience or a Third-Party Supplier is done without prejudice and does not imply any fault of any kind on the part of either party.
For certain types of incidents, such as theft of property, you will be required to provide us with a case number as logged at the nearest police station.
6. Passport, Visa and Entry Requirements
It is exclusively and entirely your own responsibility to fulfil the passport, visa and other entry requirements for your entire itinerary including all transiting and stopover destinations applicable to your itinerary. You should confirm these with the relevant High Commissions, embassies and/or consulates before embarking on your journey.
A helpful guideline of visa entry requirements can be found here: https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php
We do not accept any responsibility in the case of you being unable to travel (or enter a country) due to not complying with any such requirements. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your return date into any country of Southern Africa and all passport holders are required to have a minimum of three blank pages in their passport (excluding the front and back cover) to enable entry visas to be issued. If there is insufficient space in the passport, entry can be denied, and the person is likely to be detained pending return to their country of origin. Please ensure that all passports comply to the above to avoid any complications.
7. The importance of Travel Insurance
Comprehensive Travel Insurance is a vital part of your travel arrangements. Comprehensive travel insurance covers (amongst others) personal accidents, flight delays / cancellations, medical expenses, losses of property or theft while on tour, baggage with cancellation and curtailment. We highly recommend – for your own protection – to also take insurance against high cancellation fees from any provider during your tour. Normally, travel insurance is included when using a credit card to pay for your travels, but it has strict limitations. Please check with your credit card company to obtain the specific details of the cover they offer.
Comprehensive Travel Insurance is strongly advised by Mzansi Experience for all our guests. It is best to have that safety net in place just in case something happens! Have peace of mind while travelling with us, in case of the unforeseen. One of the best options for international travel Insurance is WorldNomads (link provided below), but you are free to make use of external providers for comprehensive insurance of your choice. Just ensure you have cover in place.
See our recommended travel insurance option.
8. Travel Advice, Preventative Health Measures and Vaccinations
9. Baggage / Luggage
The client will be responsible for all baggage and personal effects on tour, and The Mzansi Experience, or any Third Party Supplier, shall not be liable for any loss or damage to such baggage or personal effects, howsoever arising.
The client shall be entitled to one bag or suitcase that weighs a maximum of 20 kilograms, and one smaller bag to carry onboard. Should the client require a larger baggage allowance, this needs to be arranged with The Mzansi Experience before-hand by emailing us on bookings@mzansi.travel
Please note that some tours have specific guidelines for luggage which might differ from the guidelines set out as above by The Mzansi Experience. This will be specifically stated as part of the tour itinerary during booking.
10. Chronic Medical Conditions, Disability and Impairments
It is the policy of The Mzansi Experience that we will never discriminate, nor exclude any guest with a chronic medical condition, disability (e.g., wheelchair) or impairment (hearing, speech, sight etc.). It is however extremely important that the guest be upfront with us right from the beginning, for us to best advise if we have the facilities to accommodate them properly. Should we be able to provide a tour/experience to the guest, we will do our utmost to include such guests in activities and tours where it will be SAFE and permitted.
It is, therefore, the policy of The Mzansi Experience that any guest with a chronic medical condition, disability or impairment must disclose it to the bookings team during the bookings process (before payment is concluded), for our team to evaluate and prepare. Failure to do so during the bookings process (not thereafter) will void any complaint, or any claims against us for not being able to accommodate the guest on certain activities, on these specific grounds should this information not be disclosed to us before-hand to make necessary recommendations and/or arrangements.
Should we have to cancel a tour due to a client not disclosing any condition which we cannot accommodate, the cancellation of that tour will be bound to our cancellation fees stipulated in section 3.4 without any negotiation.
11. Illness on Tour
The Mzansi Experience (and its Third Party Suppliers) may, at its discretion and without any liability or cost to itself, choose to continue a tour without the attendance of a guest in the case of illness or injury (where he/she will delay a group tour from sticking to a schedule). Proper care will be taken of the ill / affected guest, including admittance to a hospital or having proper accommodation to rest & recover in a safe environment. Any losses for such a situation should be covered by the guest’s travel insurance.
12. Guest / Passenger Conduct
The Mzansi Experience (and its Third Party Suppliers) may, at its discretion and without any liability or cost to itself, at any time cancel or terminate a guest’s reservation (whether upcoming or already in process) in the event of illegal, any disruptive, dangerous (or potentially dangerous) behaviour of the passenger towards any other guest OR staff member (including Third Party Suppliers guides and/or staff).
This includes rudeness, intimidating behaviour, or making it difficult for us as a supplier to continue with a tour without interruption. This further includes badgering other guests in any manner whatsoever. We respect each other’s space and privacy.
The person displaying such conduct shall in such circumstances not be entitled to any refund, and repatriation costs to return home will be at this person’s own cost .
We cannot, and shall not, endeavour such conduct at the expense of other guests’ comfort and right to enjoy the service that was paid for, and will adhere strictly to the above without exception.
13. Marketing, Advertising and Promotions
The Mzansi Experience reserves the right to use any photographs and video taken during the tour for use in marketing or any other advertising material, and the Client hereby consents to such use as part of the sales agreement by paying for a tour package. The client further agrees that the Company will retain copyright over any such photographs and videos taken during the tour and/or used in its brochures and, to the extent necessary, the client hereby assigns copyright in such photographs and/or videos to the Company.
14. Liability
Neither the Company (The Mzansi Experience) nor persons acting for, through or on behalf of the Company (including 3rd Party Suppliers) will be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from any cause whatsoever and, without restricting the generality of the before mentioned, particularly not be responsible for loss or damage arising from any errors or omissions contained in its brochure or other literature, late or non-confirmation or acceptance of reservations, loss or damage caused by delays, accidents, sickness, injury or death, whether caused by negligence or not.
15. Force Majeure
Unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to:
- war,
- government interventions (e.g. lockdowns),
- mechanical breakdowns,
- extreme weather conditions,
- riots and unrests,
- pandemics (e.g. Covid-19),
- epidemics,
- outbreaks,
- any indirect situation arising that might place our guests in harm’s way,
- and other unforeseen reasons beyond the control of The Mzansi Experience (“acts of God’)
may cause delays, alterations or in extreme cases the cancellation of the transport, activity, accommodation and/or tour. The Company shall not be held liable in any way for any of these occurrences or any consequences, which may arise because of these, and it will be understood that any delays, alterations, or cancellations will be done for the safety of the client as well as staff on duty.
16. Website and Online Booking Privacy Policy
The Mzansi Experience is committed to protecting consumer privacy online. By using our website or booking platform, you consent to the terms of The Mzansi Experience’s Privacy Policy and processing of personal information for the purposes as described below.
You may be required to register in order to be granted access to certain information, services and/or products at this website. At the time of registration, you may be prompted by one of our online forms to provide certain personal information to us, including your name, ID or Passport number, phone number and email address. This is needed for positive identification when embarking on a trip and eliminates fraud and identity theft to occur on any of our services provided.
Our website uses cookies to help us provide better customer service and to enhance the user experience and deliver personalised content. A “cookie” is a small text file stored locally in the computer used to access your account and contains information relating to your past use of this website. You have the ability to accept or decline cookies through your browser settings. Go to the HELP function of your browser to learn how. Please understand that if you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of this website.
To protect the privacy of personal information provided by you, The Mzansi Experience employs industry-standard controls including Internet firewalls, intrusion detection software, and network monitoring. Additionally, only authorised administrators and staff have access to systems containing such information. We urge you to take every precaution to protect your personal data when you are on the Internet.
The Mzansi Experience website may collect certain information about your visit, such as the name of the Internet service provider and the Internet Protocol (IP) address through which you access the Internet; the date and time you access the website; the pages that you access and the Internet address of the website from which you linked directly to our site. This information is used to help improve the Site, analyse trends, and administer the website.
17. Website Disclaimer & Terms of Use
We endeavour to provide the best possible content and information to our clients. Please note that the following applies:
- The content of the pages of this website was created for marketing purposes and should be used for general information only. Content is subject to change without notice.
- Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements. Contact us if you are not clear on any information provided.
- This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
- From time to time this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
18. Applicable law and jurisdiction
These terms and conditions shall be deemed to have been concluded in Somerset West, Western Cape, Republic of South Africa and shall be interpreted according to the laws of the Republic of South Africa.
The client consents to the jurisdiction of the Magistrates Court of Cape Town in terms of the provisions of Section 45 of Act 32 of 1944 (including all amendments), but it is specifically agreed that The Mzansi Experience at its instance will have the discretion to sue in the High Court if it deems necessary and appropriate.
It is also important to note that the client must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and other regulations of all countries visited on the tour.
19. The Mzansi Experience Contact details
Admin Office
3 Gardner Williams Avenue, Paardevlei Precinct, Somerset West, Western Cape,
Republic of South Africa
Operational Office
Unit 28, Garsfontein Office Park, 645 Jacqueline Drive, Garsfontein, Pretoria, 0081, South Africa
Contact Details
General enquiries: info@mzansi.travel
Phone number: +27 (0) 21 001 0651
Emergency Line 24-Hours: +27 72 867 6926
