Términos y condiciones de reserva

Last updated: 11 November 2026

These terms apply when you use riftvoya.com, send a trip request or book a trip through Riftvoya. Please read them before you pay a deposit. If anything is unclear, message us on WhatsApp at +256 702 017 741 or email hello@riftvoya.com.

1. Who we are and what we do

Riftvoya is a travel marketplace operated by Joseph Kato Sseruwu, Plot 31 Ntinda–Kisaasi Road, Kampala, Uganda. We are not a tour operator. We match your trip request with two licensed local tour operators ("agencies"), pass messages between you, take your payments and pay the agency you choose. Your trip is designed and run by that agency, under the itinerary, inclusions and cancellation terms in its quote.

2. Trip requests and quotes

Sending a request is free and puts you under no obligation.
Two agencies quote using the same Riftvoya template, usually within 24 hours. You can ask for changes before you book.
Quotes are valid for 14 days unless the quote says otherwise. Prices for permits, park fees and flights can change until they are paid.
Until you pay your deposit, all messages go through Riftvoya and neither side receives the other's contact details.

3. Price and our commission

The price in your quote is the price you pay. Riftvoya adds no booking fee for travellers. We earn a commission from the agency, which is already included in its quoted price.

4. Deposit and balance

Deposit: you confirm your trip by paying a 30% deposit to Riftvoya. Your booking is confirmed when the payment succeeds and you receive a confirmation.
Trips with permits: the Uganda Wildlife Authority requires gorilla, chimpanzee and other permits to be paid in full when they are booked. If your trip includes permits, your deposit is the full cost of the permits plus 30% of the rest of the trip price. Your quote shows the permit amount separately before you pay.
Balance: the remaining 70% is due before you arrive in Uganda, by the due date shown in My trips and in your booking confirmation. If you book close to your travel date, the agency may ask for full payment at booking.
If the balance is not paid by the due date, the agency may cancel the trip and the cancellation terms below apply.
Payments are processed securely by Wix Payments (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and PayPal. Prices are in US dollars. Your bank may charge foreign transaction fees.

5. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits

Trips that include permits are only offered by agencies that Riftvoya has marked as permit-authorised. Your agency buys permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (or the Rwanda Development Board) in your name and confirms them in writing. Permits are subject to the authority's own rules: once bought, they are normally non-refundable and can only be rescheduled where the authority allows it. Minimum ages apply (15 for gorillas, 12 for chimpanzee tracking).

6. Changes and cancellations by you

To change or cancel, write to us through My trips or WhatsApp. We pass your request to the agency straight away.
El cancellation terms in your chosen agency's quote apply; they are shown before you pay and form part of your booking.
Permits, flights and other costs already paid to third parties are refunded only if those suppliers refund them.
Refunds are paid to your original payment method within 14 days of the agency confirming the amount.

7. Changes and cancellations by the agency

If the agency has to make a major change or cancel (for example for safety, weather, park closures or permit changes), you can accept the change, choose an alternative of similar value, or receive a refund of the money you paid for the services not provided. If an agency cannot deliver a confirmed trip, Riftvoya will help find a replacement agency or refund what you paid to us for that trip.

8. Your responsibilities

Valid passport (six months), visas, vaccinations (including yellow fever) and travel insurance with medical evacuation cover are your responsibility.
Give accurate details for everyone travelling, including children's ages and any health or mobility needs that affect activities.
Follow guides', rangers' and park rules, especially around primates.

9. Liability

The agency is responsible for providing the services in your booking. Riftvoya is responsible for matching, messaging, handling your payments correctly and the information on this website. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law. Neither Riftvoya nor the agency is liable for events outside reasonable control, such as extreme weather, natural disasters, political unrest, epidemics or government action.

10. Messages and conduct

Riftvoya reviews every message before delivery and removes contact details shared before a deposit is paid. Arranging to book or pay the agency outside Riftvoya for a trip quoted here is not allowed and removes our payment protection.

11. Complaints

If something goes wrong during your trip, tell your guide and the agency first so they can fix it on the spot, and message Riftvoya on WhatsApp. If it is not resolved, write to us within 30 days of returning home. We will work with you and the agency to put it right.

12. Law

These terms are governed by the laws of Uganda. This does not take away any consumer rights you have in your home country.