Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Answers to some of the more common questions about SafariNow...

• What does SafariNow do?
• Why would I want to use SafariNow to book holiday accommodation?
• What happens to my new enquiry after I submit it?
• Do I get a quote from the supplier?
• How do I secure my booking?
• When you receive your quote via email, you can secure your booking on the SafariNow.com website by paying the requested deposit.
• Who receives my money?
• How can I communicate with the supplier directly?
• What happens if I want to cancel my booking?
• Do I get a receipt after paying?
• How do I settle the rest of my bill if I only pay the deposit?
• What types of accommodation do you have?
• Why can't I book all accommodation instantly?
• What is the 'My Account'?
• Where in Africa does SafariNow operate?
• Why the name SafariNow.com?
• Can I hire a car through SafariNow?
• Do I have to pay extra to book via SafariNow?
• How does SafariNow earn money?
• What service guarantee does SafariNow.com offer?

Via our website, we help you find and book accommodation in Southern Africa. Our aim is for you to be able to find and book accommodation in 7 minutes!

• Some accommodation has an instantly bookable option - called RealTime and recognisable by the "Book Now" button next to the "Request A Quote" button. View more about Book Now or more about Request a Quote


• SafariNow has a unique system where you can indicate where, when and what you want - and establishments will send you their best quotes via email or sms. You can then choose the best option. View more about Destination Billboard

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1. We have the widest choice (over 3500 establishments).
2. We have the most customer reviews to help you with your choice.
3. We offer great customer service.
4. It is quicker & easier to use our online search and reservation system than to sit on the phone/email for hours trying to deal directly with individual establishments.
5. Ease of cancellation.
6. You can be confident in the fact that you are dealing with an established trustworthy business that offers a service guarantee.

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SafariNow.com sends your enquiry directly to the supplier with whom you have enquired. The supplier then personally answers and quotes on your enquiry. You receive your reply via e-mail.

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Yes. The supplier must give you a quoted price, unless they cannot cater for your requirements (no availability, etc.).

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When you receive your quote via email, you can secure your booking on the SafariNow.com website by paying the requested deposit.

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You can pay in a variety of ways :

1. Online with Credit Card. We accept the following cards:
   • Mastercard
   • Visa
   • Amex
   
   
   •  Diners Club
   
   
   •  JCB

   Why is this Safe?

2. Faxing SafariNow.com your credit-card details:
• Print the fax payment form, complete it and fax it to us. We process the payment on your behalf, and on completion thereof a confirmation receipt will be emailed to you.


3. Bank Deposit (or Internet Transfer) into SafariNow.com's bank account. Direct deposits take a bit longer to process, and you must ensure that the deposit is made before the quote expiry. The supplier is not obliged to hold your provisional booking after the expiry date. Fax the deposit slip to us, referencing the enquiry number.

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The deposit is transacted into SafariNow.com's bank account and electronically switched over into the supplier's account. The balance of payment is settled between you and the supplier at the supplier's discretion.

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By clicking 'Enquire Now' you can ask any questions, including accommodation availability, special requests, general information, etc. Your questions are answered directly by the accommodation supplier. Also, we release the supplier's contact details (email, telephone, etc.) once you have paid the deposit for your booking. You can then communicate with them directly.

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Please notify the supplier as soon as possible. Each accommodation supplier has their own terms of cancellation which are displayed before you pay your deposit.

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Yes. We display an electronic receipt on your browser which you can print out as proof of your payment and your booking. We also e-mail you your receipt.

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SafariNow.com only processes the initial booking payment to secure the booking. You must settle the remainder of your bill directly with the supplier.

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• Self Catering » About 1700 establishments.
• B&B/Guesthouses » About 1500 establishments.
• Hotels » About 300 establishments.
• Other » About 300 establishments.

View our page on accommodation types for descriptions.

Currently we do not offer to source accommodation for you on your behalf  BUT our new Destination Billboard is a unique system that enables establishments to tender a quote in response to your accommodation search. You will recieve their response via email or sms.

If you simply want to request a quote from selected establishments then our reservations team will ensure any enquiries that you make get responded to and will assist you telephonically or via email with any issue or query you have.

View 3 Ways to Book for more details.

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We are in the process of introducing realtime reservations. By the beginning of 2007 we expect to have several hundred establishments bookable instantly. Our goal is to have 80% of our establishments bookable in realtime by the end of 2008.

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If you click on My Account you will be able to find and view any enquiries or bookings you have made in the past.

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Please see our Africa Maps to get an idea of the areas we cover.

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SafariNow launched in 1999 with the intention of doing online safari and tour bookings. However, we had far more success with accommodation reservations, so our business until now has been 99.9% accommodation reservations.

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Yes, we offer car hire services from Aroundabout Cars & Tempest

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Establishments on SafariNow.com quote a rate inclusive of  our commission. The majority of listings quote their standard / rack rate but there are a few listings that adjust their standard rate and increase it to be inclusive of commission charged.
You can  rest assured that there are no additional fees payable unless specified (ie refundable breakages deposits and admin/cleaning fees as indicated in the establishment terms and conditions).

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We charge our establishments a 15%+vat (17.1%) commission of the total quote value. This includes the processing of deposit payments by credit card.

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We are so confident in our ability to provide an exceptional service that we back it up with a Money-Back Service Guarantee*. If your accommodation booking is not handled to your satisfaction, Safarinow.com will gladly refund all monies transacted. You can trust us with your accommodation booking.

*Terms & Conditions » Guarantee only applies to the Safarinow.com accommodation booking service. It does not apply to shortcomings in service provided by other travel suppliers, such as airlines, accommodation establishments, car rental companies etc.

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