Trusted Sri Lanka Tour Payment Policy | Cancellation & Refund Terms
At The Wildlife Guardian Travels, we believe every guest should clearly understand the payment, cancellation, and refund terms before confirming a Sri Lanka tour package. This policy is designed to provide transparency, protect guest bookings, and ensure smooth travel planning between our team, hotels, transport providers, safari operators, and other service partners.
Booking Confirmation & Deposit
To confirm your booking, a 30% advance deposit of the total tour package value is required at the time of booking.
This 30% deposit is calculated excluding air ticket costs, visa fees, travel insurance, and any third-party services that require separate payment terms.
The 30% deposit is non-refundable once the booking is confirmed, as it is used to secure hotel reservations, transport arrangements, guides, safari jeeps, activity bookings, and other supplier commitments.
However, upon written request by the booker, this 30% deposit may be transferred as a future booking credit, subject to availability and supplier conditions.
Balance Payment
The remaining 70% balance payment must be paid at least 14 days before the tour start date.
If the full payment is not received within the required time period, The Wildlife Guardian Travels reserves the right to cancel the booking, release reservations, or revise the quotation based on updated supplier rates.
Your booking is fully guaranteed only after the full payment has been received.
Price Guarantee
The 30% deposit confirms your booking request and allows us to proceed with reservation arrangements.
However, airfares, hotel rates, entrance fees, activity rates, transport charges, and exchange-rate-sensitive costs are guaranteed only after full payment is completed, unless otherwise confirmed in writing.
Any increase in supplier rates, government taxes, entrance fees, fuel charges, exchange rates, or third-party costs before full payment may be added to the final invoice.
Cancellation by the Traveller
If you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, cancellation charges will apply as follows:
| Cancellation Period | Refund Policy |
| More than 14 days before tour start date | 70% of the tour package value may be refunded, excluding the non-refundable 30% deposit and any non-refundable supplier costs |
| Within 14 days of tour start date | No refund will be applicable |
| No-show on arrival or tour start date | No-show on arrival or tour start date |
| Early departure or unused services after tour has started | No refund will be applicable |
The 30% deposit remains non-refundable but may be considered for a future booking credit, subject to written confirmation and supplier conditions.
Future Booking Credit
Instead of cancelling fully, travellers may request to transfer the non-refundable 30% deposit to a future booking.
Future booking credit is subject to:
- Written request by the traveller
- Availability of hotels, transport, guides, and suppliers
- Any rate difference for the new travel dates
- Supplier approval where applicable
- Use within the validity period confirmed by The Wildlife Guardian Travels
- Future booking credit cannot be exchanged for cash.
Air Tickets, Visa Fees & Third-Party Services
Air tickets, visa fees, travel insurance, special permits, event tickets, train tickets, entrance tickets, and any third-party services are subject to the cancellation and refund policy of the relevant supplier.
These payments may be non-refundable, partly refundable, or changeable with penalties depending on supplier terms.
SriLankan Airlines, for example, advises that ticket refunds and penalties depend on purchase conditions and, for travel-agent-issued tickets, customers should contact the travel agent for applicable refund handling.
Refund Processing Time
Approved refunds will be processed within 7 to 14 working days after confirmation of the refundable amount.
The final crediting time may depend on banks, card processors, payment gateways, exchange controls, or the original payment method.
Refunds will normally be made to the same account, card, or payment method used for the original payment, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Cancellation by The Wildlife Guardian Travels
If The Wildlife Guardian Travels is required to cancel a booking due to operational reasons, supplier failure, safety concerns, force majeure, or circumstances beyond our control, we will offer one of the following options:
- Alternative travel dates
- A revised itinerary of similar value
- A future booking credit
- A refund of full recoverable payments paid by our valued client.
Force Majeure
The Wildlife Guardian Travels shall not be liable for failure, delay, cancellation, or changes caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to Natural disasters, extreme weather, floods, landslides, pandemics, epidemics, government restrictions, airport closures, flight cancellations, strikes, civil unrest, road closures, wildlife park closures, safety risks, war, terrorism, or any other event beyond our control. In such cases, we will work with the traveller and relevant suppliers to arrange one of the following:
- Rescheduling of the tour
- Future booking credit
- Partial refund of recoverable payments
- Alternative travel arrangements where possible
Any non-refundable supplier charges will be deducted before issuing refunds.
Payment Methods
We accept payment by:
- Bank transfer
- Credit / debit card
- Approved online payment link – TBA
- Other payment methods confirmed by The Wildlife Guardian Travels in writing
All bank charges, card processing fees, currency conversion charges, intermediary bank fees, and payment gateway charges shall be borne by the traveller unless otherwise stated.
All card processing fees, where applicable, are inclusive of relevant taxes.
By providing card or payment details, you authorize The Wildlife Guardian Travels to charge the agreed amount for confirmed travel services. If payment is declined or reversed, the traveller remains responsible for settling the outstanding amount immediately.
Supplier Terms
Some hotels, airlines, safari providers, transport companies, train operators, activity providers, and other suppliers may apply stricter cancellation or refund policies than those stated above.Where supplier terms differ, the stricter supplier policy may apply, especially for peak periods, special offers, non-refundable rates, festival seasons, group bookings, or tailor-made itineraries.
Changes to Booking
Any request to change travel dates, hotels, room types, transport, route, guest names, activities, or itinerary arrangements must be submitted in writing. Changes are subject to availability and may result in additional charges.
Prepared & Signed by
Anjula Peterson
Founder & Team Leader
The Wildlife Guardian Travels Sri Lanka
No 97c Korathota Kaduwella, Sri Lanka
