Wildlife Encounters is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected, used, stored and protected responsibly.
This Privacy Policy explains how Wildlife Encounters collects, uses, processes and safeguards personal information when you visit our website, submit an enquiry, request assistance with a safari, or use our travel planning and reservation services.
By using our website or providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
When you contact Wildlife Encounters, submit an enquiry, request a safari quotation or make use of our safari planning and reservation services, we may collect personal information such as:
- First name and surname
- Email address
- Telephone or WhatsApp number
- Country of residence
- Travel dates
- Number of travellers
- Accommodation and safari preferences
- Budget or preferred price range
- Special requests or travel requirements
- Information you voluntarily provide through our website enquiry forms, email, telephone or other communication channels
Where necessary to arrange a booking or travel service, we may request additional information required by the relevant lodge, accommodation provider, transfer company or other travel service provider.
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies. This may include your:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Device information
- Pages visited
- Time spent on the website
- General browsing behaviour
- Referring website or source
This information helps us understand how visitors use our website and enables us to improve its functionality and user experience.
2. How We Use Your Information
Wildlife Encounters may use your personal information for the following purposes:
Safari Enquiries and Travel Planning
We use the information you provide to respond to enquiries, recommend suitable safari lodges, camps, reserves and experiences, prepare itineraries and quotations, and assist with your travel planning.
Reservations and Travel Coordination
Where you choose to proceed with a booking, your information may be used to arrange accommodation, transfers, lodge-to-lodge connections, activities and other services forming part of your safari itinerary.
Communication
We may use your email address, telephone number or other contact information to communicate with you regarding your enquiry, itinerary, reservation or travel arrangements.
Where you have provided the appropriate consent, we may also send occasional news, safari information, special offers or other marketing communications. You may opt out of marketing communications at any time.
Website Analytics
We may use services such as Google Analytics to collect and analyse information about how visitors use our website. This helps us monitor website performance, understand visitor behaviour and improve the overall website experience.
3. Cookies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, analyse website traffic and provide a better browsing experience.
Cookies are small data files stored on your device when you visit a website. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.
4. Sharing of Personal Information
Wildlife Encounters does not sell, rent or trade your personal information.
Where necessary to provide our services, we may share relevant personal information with trusted third parties, including:
- Safari lodges and camps
- Private game reserves
- Accommodation providers
- Transfer and transport providers
- Tour and activity operators
- Travel-related service providers
- Website, hosting and technology service providers
- Professional advisers or authorities where required by law
Only the information reasonably necessary to provide the relevant service will be shared.
Some travel service providers may be located outside South Africa. Where personal information needs to be transferred internationally to facilitate your travel arrangements, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is handled appropriately and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
5. Data Security
Wildlife Encounters takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.
Our website uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt information transmitted between your browser and our website where applicable.
While we take reasonable precautions to safeguard personal information, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, provide our services, maintain appropriate business records, resolve disputes and comply with applicable legal, accounting or regulatory requirements.
When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised where reasonably practicable.
7. Your Rights
In accordance with applicable South African privacy legislation, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you may have the right to:
- Request access to personal information we hold about you
- Request that inaccurate or outdated information be corrected
- Request the deletion of personal information where legally permissible
- Object to certain processing of your personal information
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Opt out of direct marketing communications
Requests relating to your personal information can be submitted using the contact details provided below.
8. Children’s Privacy
Our website and safari planning services are intended for adults arranging travel for themselves and, where applicable, members of their travelling party.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children without the appropriate consent of a parent, guardian or other authorised person.
If we become aware that personal information relating to a child has been collected inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to delete or otherwise appropriately manage that information.
9. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to safari lodges, accommodation providers, tourism organisations or other third-party websites.
Wildlife Encounters is not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of external websites. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of third-party websites before providing personal information to them.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Wildlife Encounters may update or amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, website, technology or legal requirements.
Any updated Privacy Policy will become effective when published on our website. We encourage visitors to review this page periodically.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how Wildlife Encounters handles your personal information, please contact us:
Wildlife Encounters
Email: judy@wildlife-encounters.co.za
Website: wildlife-encounters.co.za
Consent
By using the Wildlife Encounters website, submitting an enquiry or voluntarily providing your personal information to us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and understand how your personal information may be collected, used, stored and processed as described above.