Payments & Refunds

Planning your adventure with us? Here’s everything you need to know about payments, cancellations, and refunds before you book your tour. This page is a summary; our full Terms & Conditions apply to every booking.

Last updated: 18 September 2026

🔐 Booking & Deposits

To secure your spot, a non-refundable deposit is required:

• R3,000 for flight tours
• R2,000 for road tours

Interest-free instalments are accepted, and you can pay the balance over time before the due date.

You can book online through our website and pay via a secure payment gateway, or book via WhatsApp and email and pay via EFT using your order number as reference. Please note: cash deposit bank charges will be billed to your account.

⏳ Payment Deadline

Full payment is due 21 working days before departure. Extensions must be requested and approved in writing before the due date.

Late payments will incur a R500 administration fee, and may affect flights, hotels and other bookings.

❌ Cancellations & Refunds

Cancellations must be sent to us in writing. The cancellation date is the date we receive your request. The following refund policy applies:

Note: Once your flight is booked (with your written approval), the cost of the ticket is non-refundable and subject to the airline’s rules.

🔄 Replacement Traveller Option

At any time before departure, even within 30 days, you can get a refund of everything you paid except the deposit if you find a replacement traveller who pays the full amount for your spot.

Any costs of moving the booking to your replacement are paid by you and deducted from your refund. These include airline name-change or reissue fees, fare increases, and a new ticket if the original can’t be transferred.

🚫 Missed Tour or Late Arrival

There will be no refund if you:

• Miss the tour or any part of it
• Arrive late for the bus or flight
• Do not have the correct travel documents, or are refused boarding or entry

Thrifty Adventures is not responsible for missed connections or delays caused by the client.

🔁 Postponing Your Tour

• You may postpone once, to a new date in the same calendar year
• Only possible before flight tickets are issued and hotels are finalised
• A R500 postponement fee applies
• You cannot transfer from a full-priced tour to a promotional deal
• Bookings can’t be transferred to another person unless we approve it in writing

📅 If We Cancel or Postpone

Events outside our control (border closures, airline disruptions, natural disasters and similar): the tour will be rescheduled within 12 months and no refund is given.

Our own decisions (for example low booking numbers): you choose either a transfer to the new or another departure, or a refund including your deposit, less any supplier costs we can’t recover, shown to you in writing.

💳 How Refunds Are Paid

You’ll receive a written refund calculation. Approved refunds are paid to your original payment method within 10 business days of approval. Your bank or payment provider may take a little longer to reflect it.

🛡 Travel Insurance is Strongly Recommended

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance, because our cancellation policy above applies in all of these cases:

• Illness or injury
• Family emergencies
• Denied leave or work commitments
• Personal cancellations

If you cannot travel for any of these reasons, the refund table above still applies, and your claim should be made directly with your insurer. Your two options remain the same as for any other cancellation: cancel early enough to fall within the refund table, or find a replacement traveller.

📞 Need Help?

📧 Email: info@thriftyadventures.co.za
📱 WhatsApp: +27 84 331 1059 / +27 65 102 6163