Privacy Policy

At Heart of Africa Tours, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you visit our website, make an enquiry, book a safari, or otherwise interact with us.

By using our website or providing information to us, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Heart of Africa Tours provides safari, travel, accommodation, guiding, and related tourism services, with a focus on carefully curated journeys throughout Botswana, Zimbabwe, and the surrounding region.

Our website is: https://www.heartofafricatours.com.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that you provide directly to us as well as limited technical information generated when you use our website.

Identity and Contact Information
This may include your full name, email address, telephone number, country of residence, physical address, and other contact details you provide when making an enquiry or booking.

Travel and Booking Information
We may collect details relating to your planned journey, including travel dates, preferred destinations, accommodation preferences, activities, number of travellers, rooming requirements, special requests, and other information necessary to prepare your itinerary.

Passport and Travel Documentation
Where required for international travel arrangements, transfers, accommodation, permits, or other booking requirements, we may request passport details or other necessary travel documentation.

Dietary, Medical and Accessibility Information
You may choose to provide dietary requirements, allergies, mobility considerations, medical considerations, or other information relevant to the safe and appropriate delivery of your safari experience. We only request such information where it is relevant to your travel arrangements.

Payment and Billing Information
Where payments are made online or through third-party payment providers, payment and billing information may be processed securely by the relevant payment service provider. Heart of Africa Tours may not directly store complete payment card details.

Communication Information
We may retain information contained in enquiries, emails, contact forms, telephone conversations, WhatsApp communications, or other correspondence relating to your enquiry or booking.

Technical and Usage Information
When you visit our website, limited technical information may be collected automatically, including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, approximate location, referring website, and interactions with our website.

3. How We Collect Your Information

We may collect personal information when you:

• Submit an enquiry through our website;
• Contact us by email, telephone, WhatsApp, or another communication channel;
• Request a safari itinerary or quotation;
• Make or confirm a booking;
• Provide traveller or passport information;
• Subscribe to marketing communications, where available;
• Participate in one of our travel, community, or conservation initiatives; or
• Browse or interact with our website.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information primarily to provide and manage your travel experience.

Travel Planning and Bookings
To prepare quotations, design personalised itineraries, confirm reservations, and arrange experiences including Lodge Safaris, Mobile Camping, Cultural Encounters, Walking Safaris, Birding & Photography experiences, Family Adventures, and other travel services.

Travel Logistics
To coordinate accommodation, safari camps, transfers, regional transportation, guides, activities, permits, and other services forming part of your itinerary.

Communication
To respond to enquiries and provide quotations, booking confirmations, payment information, itinerary updates, pre-travel information, and important operational communications.

Customer Service
To respond to questions, requests, changes to travel arrangements, feedback, or concerns before, during, or after your journey.

Website Improvement
To understand how visitors use our website, improve website performance, enhance the user experience, and identify areas of our services that may be of interest to travellers.

Travel With Purpose Initiatives
Where appropriate and with your consent where required, we may use information provided by you to facilitate participation in community, conservation, sustainability, or other Travel With Purpose initiatives supported by Heart of Africa Tours.

Legal and Administrative Requirements
We may process information where necessary to comply with legal, regulatory, immigration, taxation, accounting, security, or other legitimate administrative requirements.

5. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to provide essential website functionality, remember certain preferences, improve the browsing experience, and understand how visitors interact with our website.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly. Other cookies, such as analytics or performance cookies, may only be used according to the preferences you select through our cookie consent banner.

When visiting our website, you may choose to Accept All, Reject All non-essential cookies, or Customize your cookie preferences.

Your browser may also allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect some website functionality.

6. Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell your personal information.

Where necessary to arrange or deliver your journey, we may share relevant information with trusted third parties involved in providing your travel services.

These may include:

• Safari lodges and camps;
• Hotels and other accommodation providers;
• Tour and safari operators;
• Professional guides and activity providers;
• Airlines and regional aviation providers;
• Ground transportation and transfer providers;
• National park, wildlife, conservation, or permit authorities;
• Payment processors and financial service providers;
• Website hosting, IT, email, and customer management service providers;
• Government, immigration, regulatory, or law-enforcement authorities where legally required.

We aim to share only the information reasonably necessary for the relevant provider to perform the requested service.

7. International Travel and Data Transfers

Safari itineraries may involve services provided by businesses or organisations located in different countries. As a result, information necessary for your booking may be shared with service providers in countries included within your itinerary, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, and other relevant destinations.

Where personal information is transferred, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is shared only for legitimate travel, operational, administrative, or legal purposes.

8. Embedded Content and Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites or embedded content such as maps, videos, social media content, booking tools, or other third-party services.

Third-party websites may collect information about you, use cookies, or monitor your interaction with their services in accordance with their own privacy policies. Heart of Africa Tours is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites.

9. How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

Access to personal information is limited to employees, representatives, and service providers who require the information to perform legitimate business or travel-related responsibilities.

While we take reasonable precautions to protect your information, no website, electronic communication, or data storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

10. How Long We Retain Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, provide travel services, maintain appropriate business and accounting records, resolve disputes, or meet legal and regulatory obligations.

When information is no longer reasonably required, we may securely delete, anonymise, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with our data management practices.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the laws applicable to you, you may have certain rights concerning your personal information.

These may include the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Request deletion of your personal information in appropriate circumstances;
• Object to or request restrictions on certain processing activities;
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on your consent; and
• Request further information about how your personal information is being used.

Certain information may need to be retained where required for legal, regulatory, accounting, security, contractual, or legitimate business purposes.

12. Marketing Communications

Where you have chosen to receive news, travel inspiration, special offers, or other marketing communications from Heart of Africa Tours, you may withdraw your consent or unsubscribe at any time.

Operational communications relating to an active enquiry or booking may still be sent where necessary to provide the requested travel service.

13. Children’s Privacy

Family safari bookings may include information relating to children where such information is necessary to organise travel arrangements. We expect this information to be provided by a parent, legal guardian, or other appropriately authorised adult.

We do not knowingly collect children’s personal information for unrelated marketing purposes without appropriate authorisation.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our services, website, technology, business practices, or applicable requirements.

Any updated version will be published on this page. We encourage visitors to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, the personal information we hold about you, or would like to exercise a privacy-related right, please contact Heart of Africa Tours using the details provided on our Contact page.