Tongasabi Travel B.V. / Selfdrive4x4.com
Version 2026, applicable to package holidays, safaris, self-drive trips and car hire brokerage services.
ongasabi Travel B.V., trading as Selfdrive4x4.com, hereinafter referred to as the “travel organiser”, applies the general travel terms and conditions set out below. These terms and conditions apply to every travel agreement entered into between the traveller and the travel organiser. The detailed travel information and route description provided to the traveller upon booking form part of the travel agreement. Please read these documents before booking.Travel agreements that constitute package travel contracts are governed by the statutory provisions of Book 7, Title 7A of the Dutch Civil Code. These provisions are mandatory law: where these terms and conditions deviate from the law to the detriment of the traveller, the law shall prevail.
1.1 The travel agreement is concluded when the traveller accepts the quotation or the booking through the travel organiser’s online booking portal. The booking is binding from that moment. If the booking is placed using a button or a similar function on the online booking portal, that button must be clearly and legibly labelled with wording indicating that placing the booking entails an obligation to pay, such as “booking with an obligation to pay”.
1.2 After the agreement has been concluded, the traveller will receive the following by email:
• a booking confirmation
• an invoice
• the supplementary travel information and route information, which form part of the agreement.
1.3 When booking, the traveller must disclose all personal circumstances that may affect the performance of the trip, such as illnesses, disabilities, allergies, general physical condition and requested or necessary dietary requirements.
1.4 By accepting the booking, the traveller confirms that they have received and agreed to the travel description, these travel terms and conditions and the travel information.
1.5 Obvious errors and mistakes in the travel itinerary or price quotation are not binding on the travel organiser.
1.6 In the event of any conflict between the documents listed below, the following order of precedence applies, unless expressly stated otherwise:
a. the individual quotation and any special arrangements included in it
b. the booking confirmation
c. the travel description and route information
d. these general travel terms and conditions
e. the terms and conditions of an individual travel service provider, insofar as they relate exclusively to the legal relationship between the traveller and that travel service provider.
2.1 When booking, the traveller must pay a deposit of 35% of the travel price, subject to a minimum of €500 per booking.
2.2 The remaining balance of the travel price must be received no later than eight weeks before departure.
2.3 If flights have been booked, full payment of the airline ticket may be required at the time of booking. This is determined by the airline’s terms and conditions.
2.4 If the traveller fails to pay on time, the travel organiser will give the traveller written notice of default and allow a reasonable period in which to make payment. If payment is still not made, the travel organiser may terminate the agreement, in which case the charges specified in Article 4 will become payable.
2.5 If permit fees are part of the travelcosts, these fees must be paid at the same time as the deposit and will be included on the same invoice.
3.1 The traveller is entitled to:
• performance of the trip in accordance with the travel agreement
• clear information about the trip, provided in advance
• transfer of the travel agreement to another traveller under the conditions set out in Article 8
• price protection, except on the grounds for a price increase specified in Article 5
• appropriate help and assistance if the traveller encounters difficulties during the trip, at no additional cost, unless those difficulties were caused intentionally or through the traveller’s own negligence
• protection in the event of the travel organiser’s insolvency through its membership of the Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden (SGR); see Article 13.2.
3.2 The rights set out in these terms and conditions are in addition to the rights granted to the traveller under Book 7, Title 7A of the Dutch Civil Code. These statutory rights may not be derogated from to the detriment of the traveller.
4.1 The traveller may terminate the travel agreement at any time before departure. The termination must be confirmed by email; the date on which it is received by the travel organiser determines the amount of the fee.
4.2 Upon termination, the traveller must pay the following standardised termination fee:
More than 56 days before departure - 35% of the travel price
56 to 28 days before departure - 50% of the travel price
28 to 21 days before departure - 75% of the travel price
21 days or less before departure - 100% of the travel price
4.3 Airline tickets are subject to the airline’s cancellation terms and conditions. For many low-cost tickets, the cancellation fee is 100% of the ticket price. Accommodations and campsites booked at the traveller’s request may be subject to the local provider’s terms and conditions. The travel organiser will inform the traveller of these terms when booking.
4.4 This fee schedule does not apply if the traveller terminates the agreement for a reason that legally entitles them to do so free of charge. This includes a change as referred to in Articles 5.4 and 5.5, as well as unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at or near the destination that significantly affect the performance of the trip. In such cases, the travel organiser will refund the full travel price.
4.5 If permitcosts are included in the tripprice, these costs are always fully (100%) the responsability of the traveler in case of tripcancellation, regardless of when the cancellation occurs,
4.5 Refunds will be made within fourteen days of termination.
4.6 The travel organiser strongly recommends taking out cancellation insurance.
5.1 Up to 20 days before departure, the travel organiser may increase the travel price, but only as a result of:
• a change in transport costs, including fuel costs
• a change in taxes or charges imposed by third parties, such as airport charges or tourist taxes
• a change in the applicable exchange rates.
5.2 The travel organiser will notify the traveller of any price increase in writing, stating the reasons and providing a calculation of the increase. If the costs referred to in 5.1 decrease, the traveller is entitled to a corresponding price reduction, less the actual administrative costs.
5.3 Changes to the route, activities or order of the itinerary may be necessary due to local circumstances or for safety reasons. This is inherent in the nature of these trips. The travel organiser will minimise any adverse consequences for the traveller as far as possible, seek an equivalent alternative and inform the traveller without undue delay, stating the reasons.
5.4 The traveller may terminate the travel agreement free of charge, without a termination fee and with the right to a full refund of all amounts paid, if the travel organiser, before departure:
• increases the travel price by more than 8%
• significantly changes one of the main characteristics of the travel services, such as the destination, duration of the trip, type or class of transport, accommodation or core activities of the itinerary
• is unable to fulfil a special request made by the traveller to which the travel organiser has expressly agreed.
5.5 In the circumstances referred to in 5.4, the travel organiser will notify the traveller in writing and provide a reasonable period within which the traveller may choose to accept the change, accept an offered replacement trip or terminate the agreement. If the traveller rejects the change and terminates the agreement, no termination fee will be payable and the fee schedule in Article 4.2 will not apply. In that case, the travel organiser will refund the full travel price within fourteen days of termination. If the traveller does not respond within the specified period, they will be deemed to have accepted the change.
5.6 If the traveller accepts a replacement trip of lower quality or value, they are entitled to an appropriate price reduction.
5.7 The traveller may only reject changes that are not significant if they cause a disadvantage of more than minor significance.
5.8 Flight prices, airport taxes and surcharges may also be changed by the airline after booking. The travel organiser has no control over this. If the traveller travels on two separate tickets, neither carrier will be liable if a delay or cancellation affecting one ticket causes the traveller to miss the connecting service booked under the other ticket. Any resulting amendment or cancellation costs will be payable by the traveller.
6.1 The travel organiser may terminate the travel agreement if:
• the minimum number of participants required for the trip is not reached and the travel organiser informs the traveller within the period specified in the travel information
• unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances prevent the travel organiser from performing the trip, such as natural disasters, war, epidemics or government measures.
6.2 The travel organiser will inform the traveller without undue delay, stating the reasons. The traveller will then be entitled to a full refund of the travel price within fourteen days or to participate in an equivalent alternative trip. If an alternative of lower value is accepted, an appropriate price reduction will apply.
6.3 If the travel organiser terminates the agreement on one of the grounds specified in 6.1, the traveller will not be entitled to additional compensation for loss of holiday enjoyment or financial loss. In all other cases of termination by the travel organiser, the traveller’s right to compensation remains unaffected.
6.4 In all cases, the travel organiser will endeavour to offer the traveller a suitable alternative.
7.1 The travel organiser is liable for the proper performance of the travel services included in the travel agreement, even if those services are performed by other service providers.
7.2 Insofar as a limitation is permitted under applicable law, the travel organiser’s liability for damage suffered by the traveller as a result of the performance of the package trip is limited to three times the travel price. This limitation does not apply insofar as the damage results from intentional or negligent conduct by the travel organiser; in that case, liability is unlimited.
7.3 The travel organiser is not liable insofar as the failure to perform the trip is attributable to:
• the traveller
• a third party not involved in the performance of the travel services included in the agreement, where the failure could not have been foreseen or avoided
• unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, including natural disasters, war, epidemics and local laws and regulations
• activities or extras booked independently by the traveller with a third party at the destination
7.4 If the traveller encounters difficulties during the performance of the package trip, the travel organiser will provide appropriate assistance without undue delay, including, where necessary, information about medical services, local authorities and consular assistance, as well as assistance with remote communication and finding alternative travel arrangements. If the difficulties were caused intentionally or through the traveller’s negligence, the travel organiser may charge a reasonable fee for the assistance, which may not exceed the actual costs incurred.
7.5 This Article is without prejudice to the traveller’s statutory rights. Insofar as any provision of this Article deviates from mandatory law to the detriment of the traveller, the statutory provisions will apply.
8.1 The traveller may transfer the travel agreement to another person no later than seven days before departure, provided that the traveller notifies the travel organiser of the transfer in writing within a reasonable period.
8.2 The transferee traveller must meet all the conditions of the travel agreement, including requirements relating to passports, visas, driving licences, the minimum age for the rental vehicle and health.
8.3 The transferring traveller and the transferee traveller are jointly and severally liable for the outstanding balance of the travel price and for all costs arising from the transfer, such as the cost of new tickets or charges imposed by local providers.
8.4 The travel organiser will charge an administration fee of €50 per booking for the transfer, plus any costs charged by third parties. These costs are reasonable and will not exceed the actual costs incurred by the travel organiser as a result of the transfer. The travel organiser will substantiate these costs upon request and provide evidence of them.
9.1 For self-drive trips, the travel organiser acts solely as an intermediary in arranging car hire. The rental agreement is concluded between the traveller and the car rental company.
9.2 The car rental company’s terms and conditions apply to the car hire. These terms cover matters including damage, the security deposit, insurance, the excess and the provision of a replacement vehicle. The traveller is deemed to have reviewed these terms and conditions before the start of the trip.
9.3 A minimum age of 25 or 30 applies to certain types of vehicles. This varies between rental companies.
9.4 Driving conditions in Africa differ from those in Europe. The risk of delays, breakdowns, damage and accidents is greater and cannot be assessed in advance. By booking a self-drive safari, the traveller knowingly chooses a trip involving this higher level of risk and a greater likelihood of unforeseen costs during the trip.
9.5 In the event of damage caused by the traveller, a single-vehicle accident or the total loss of the rental vehicle, the rental company’s excess will be payable in full by the traveller, as will the cost of a replacement vehicle. The rental company will resolve problems with the rental vehicle as quickly as possible through repair or replacement.
9.6 The traveller must read the safety instructions provided before departure and review them again during the trip.
9.7 This Article does not affect the travel organiser’s liability under Article 7 for the travel services that are included in the travel agreement.
10.1 If the traveller discovers during the trip that a travel service is not being performed as agreed, the traveller must report this as soon as possible to the local partner or the travel organiser so that the problem can be resolved at the destination.
10.2 If the complaint is not resolved satisfactorily during the trip, the traveller must submit the complaint to the travel organiser in writing, stating the reasons, within two months after the end of the trip. If the trip did not take place, this period begins on the original departure date.
10.3 The traveller may also address messages, requests or complaints relating to the performance of the trip directly to the retailer through whom the trip was purchased, where applicable. For the purpose of determining whether this was done on time, receipt by the retailer will be deemed receipt by the travel organiser.
10.4 The period specified in Article 10.2 is without prejudice to the statutory limitation periods and time limits for bringing a claim for damages. This provision does not restrict those periods. For travel services governed by a treaty or regulation with its own liability or limitation regime, such as air transport, the periods specified in that treaty or regulation will apply.
10.5 The travel organiser will provide a substantive response to the complaint within one month of receiving it.
10.6 If the complaint does not result in a resolution, the traveller may submit the dispute to the Geschillencommissie Reizen (Bordewijklaan 46, 2591 XR The Hague / P.O. Box 90600, 2509 LP The Hague / www.degeschillencommissie.nl), insofar as it has jurisdiction, or to the competent Dutch court. The travel agreement is governed by Dutch law. This choice of forum may not prevent the traveller from bringing proceedings before a court that has jurisdiction under mandatory law.
11.1 Travel insurance is mandatory for participation in a tour, safari or self-drive trip booked through the travel organiser.
11.2 Cancellation insurance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended. Such insurance must usually be taken out within seven days of booking.
11.3 Before departure, the traveller must provide the travel organiser with the details of their travel insurance for use in the event of an emergency during the trip. The traveller must also carry a copy of the policy and the emergency telephone numbers while travelling.
11.4 The traveller must check the scope of cover with their own insurer in advance, particularly for self-drive trips and adventurous activities. Upon request, the travel organiser can arrange travel and cancellation insurance.
11.5 In the event of an emergency, the traveller must always contact their own insurer’s emergency assistance centre first, as well as the travel organiser or the local organisation. The local contact details are provided in the travel documents.
12.1 Tongasabi Travel B.V., trading as Selfdrive4x4.com, processes the traveller’s personal data in accordance with the Privacy Statement. The Privacy Statement can be viewed at www.selfdrive4x4.com and is available upon request. When booking, the traveller provides the information required to enter into and perform the travel agreement, including their name, date of birth, passport details, driving licence details and travel insurance details, as well as health data insofar as this is relevant to the performance of the trip.
12.2 This data may be shared with third parties involved in the performance of the trip, including local car rental companies, accommodation providers, carriers and insurers, and only insofar as this is necessary for the performance of the travel agreement.
12.3 Insofar as personal data, particularly passport and driving licence details required for car hire, is transferred to a recipient outside the European Union where an appropriate level of protection is not ensured through an adequacy decision or Standard Contractual Clauses, the traveller expressly consents to that transfer by booking the trip. The traveller may withdraw this consent for future transfers at any time by notifying the travel organiser in writing, on the understanding that withdrawal may affect the ability to perform the trip in full or in part.
13.1 The travel organiser is: Tongasabi Travel B.V., trading as Selfdrive4x4.com
Postal and visiting address: Valutaboulevard 30, 3825 BT Amersfoort
Chamber of Commerce number: 66502519
Telephone: 085 400 0335
Email: info@selfdrive4x4.com
Website: www.selfdrive4x4.com
13.2 Tongasabi Travel B.V. is affiliated with the Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden under SGR number 3166. Within the scope of the SGR guarantee scheme, the travel funds paid by the traveller are protected in the event of the travel organiser’s financial insolvency. The SGR scheme can be found at www.sgr.nl.
13.3 If the traveller has any questions about these terms and conditions, they may contact the travel organiser by telephone or email.
13.4 These terms and conditions replace all previous versions and apply to travel agreements concluded on or after the date of publication on www.selfdrive4x4.com.