What personal information we collect, why we collect it, who sees it, how long we keep it, and the choices you have.
This summary is for convenience only. The full text below is what applies.
The Expedition Tours is a business name registered with BRELA, the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency of Tanzania, under Business Name No. 717897. We organise safaris, Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar holidays from our base in Arusha, Tanzania. In this policy, "we", "us" and "our" mean The Expedition Tours.
We are the controller of the personal information described in this policy. That means we decide why and how your information is used, and we are responsible for looking after it properly.
This policy applies to personal information we handle when you visit this website, use any of its forms, contact us by email or WhatsApp, ask us for a quotation, book a trip with us, or travel with us. It also applies to people who are included in a booking made by someone else, such as family members, friends and colleagues travelling in the same group.
It does not cover other websites that we link to, or the services of the companies that supply parts of your trip. Those organisations have their own privacy practices, and we say more about them in a later section.
If you are making a booking for other people, please make sure they know you are giving us their details and that they have seen this policy. You should only give us information about another person if you are entitled to do so.
The table below summarises the main kinds of information we handle. The sections that follow explain each channel in more detail. Where we say "legal basis", we mean the reason the law allows us to use the information.
| Information | Why we use it | Legal basis | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name, email, phone or WhatsApp number, country | To reply to you and to prepare a proposal | You asked us to do something; our legitimate interest in running our business | Our team; our email delivery provider (Resend) |
| Travel dates, group size, interests, budget, message | To design and price a suitable trip | Steps you request before a contract; our legitimate interest | Our team |
| Newsletter email address | To send you travel news and offers you asked for | Your consent | Our team; our email delivery provider (Resend) |
| Passport details and dates of birth | To obtain permits and tickets and to make reservations | Performing our contract with you; legal obligations | Our team; suppliers, airlines and authorities who need them |
| Dietary needs, health and mobility information you choose to share | To keep you safe and to adapt arrangements for you | Your explicit consent; protecting your vital interests | Only the people who need it, such as your guide and the camps or lodges |
| Emergency contact details | To reach someone if there is a problem on your trip | Our legitimate interest; protecting vital interests | Our team and your guide |
| Emails and WhatsApp messages | To answer questions and keep a record of what was agreed | Our legitimate interest; performing our contract | Our team; WhatsApp (Meta) carries messages sent there |
| Payment records (bank transfers, invoices) | To confirm payments and meet accounting duties | Performing our contract; legal obligations | Our team; our bank; professional advisers |
| Cookie-notice choice stored in your browser | To remember that you have seen the cookie notice | Our legitimate interest in a working website | Only your own browser; we do not receive it |
| Technical data such as device type and pages requested | To deliver and protect the website | Our legitimate interest in security and reliability | Our hosting provider (Cloudflare) |
The website has four ways of sending us information. In each case the details you enter are sent to us by email through Resend, an email delivery service. Nothing you type into these forms is kept in an account, because this website has no user accounts.
When you use the enquiry form we receive your name, email address, phone or WhatsApp number, country, and whatever you write in your message. We use it to reply to you.
The trip planner asks about the kind of trip you want, such as your interests, travel dates, group size and budget, and then your contact details. We receive your answers by email and use them to prepare a tailored proposal. You do not have to answer every question, and you can leave the planner at any time before you submit it, in which case we receive nothing.
If you ask us to call you, we receive your name, your phone number, and any details you add, such as a good time to ring. We use them only to arrange the call.
When you sign up for the newsletter we receive your email address. We use it to send you the newsletter and to manage your subscription, as explained in the marketing section below.
After you submit a form, we may send you a thank-you or acknowledgement email so that you know your message arrived. This email is also sent through Resend.
If you write to us, we keep your message, your email address and our replies so that we can follow the conversation and remember what was agreed.
Links on the website open WhatsApp so that you can message us on +255 682 044 971. WhatsApp is a service run by Meta, and its use is governed by its own terms and privacy policy. We receive your phone number, profile name and the content of the messages you send, and we use them to answer you and plan your trip. Please avoid sending passport scans or sensitive health details over WhatsApp unless we have asked for them and you are comfortable doing so.
Once you decide to go ahead, we need more detail so that we can make reservations and obtain permits. This may include the full names of every traveller as they appear on their passports, passport numbers and expiry dates, nationalities, dates of birth, flight details, dietary needs, and an emergency contact. We ask only for what the booking requires, and we will tell you why if you are unsure.
While you travel, we and our guides may receive information about your health, safety and preferences, such as an illness, an allergy, an incident or a change of plan. We use it to look after you and to resolve problems quickly. We may also receive feedback and reviews if you choose to give them.
When you open the website, the servers that deliver it receive standard technical information so that the pages can be sent to your device. This normally includes your IP address, the type of browser and device you use, and the page you asked for. This information is handled by our hosting provider, Cloudflare, and is used to deliver the website and to protect it from abuse and attacks.
The website loads its fonts from Google Fonts. When your browser fetches a font, it contacts Google's servers, which means Google can see your IP address and basic browser details in the ordinary course of delivering the font file.
The website loads Google Tag Manager on every page. It runs the analytics tools we use to see in aggregate which pages are visited and how the site performs, so Google receives technical details such as your IP address. Until you accept analytics in the cookie notice, the tools run in a restricted mode: they set no cookies and store nothing in your browser. If you accept, analytics cookies are set. We do not use advertising tools, tracking pixels or social login on this website, and we do not build profiles of your browsing behaviour.
Most information comes directly from you. Sometimes we receive it from other sources:
We use your personal information for the following purposes, and we do not use it for anything that is clearly unrelated to them.
The data protection law of Tanzania, and in some cases the laws of other countries, requires us to have a proper reason for using your personal information. We rely on one or more of the following reasons, depending on what we are doing.
Where you ask for a quotation or make a booking, we need to use your information to respond and to carry out what we have agreed.
We have a legitimate interest in running, securing and improving our business, answering the people who write to us, and keeping records. We use your information in this way only where our interest is not outweighed by your rights and freedoms, and you may object as explained below.
We ask for your consent where it is needed, for example to send you the newsletter or to use health information you choose to share. You may withdraw consent at any time, and doing so does not affect what we did before you withdrew it.
Sometimes we must use information to comply with the law, for example in accounting or when an authority makes a lawful request. In an emergency, we may also use information to protect someone's life or physical safety.
Some information is more sensitive than the rest. In our work this mostly means health and mobility information, and sometimes dietary requirements that reveal a medical condition or a religious practice. Passport and identity details also deserve particular care.
We ask for sensitive information only when it helps us to keep you safe or to make suitable arrangements. Sharing it is always your choice. If you prefer not to share it, we will do our best to plan the trip without it, but we may not be able to adapt activities such as a high-altitude climb or a remote safari to your needs, and you remain responsible for deciding whether a trip is suitable for you.
We send our newsletter only to people who have signed up for it. When you subscribe, we use your email address to send you travel news, trip ideas and offers. You do not have to subscribe to enquire or to book.
You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in a newsletter, or by emailing info@theexpeditiontourstz.com and asking us to remove you. We will stop sending newsletters as soon as we reasonably can. We may still need to email you about a booking you have made, because those emails are about your trip and not about marketing.
If you have travelled with us, we may occasionally write to tell you about similar trips where the law allows. You can always say no.
We never sell your information, and we never share it with other companies so that they can advertise to you.
The following service providers support the website itself. They are separate organisations with their own policies, which you can read on their websites.
| Provider | Role | Where it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Resend | Email delivery | Carries your form submissions to us, and acknowledgement emails to you |
| Cloudflare | Website hosting and protection | Delivers the pages you view and helps block attacks |
| Google Fonts | Font supply | Your browser asks Google for the typefaces the site uses |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Messaging | Used only if you click a WhatsApp link or message us there |
Our work is international. Our business is in Tanzania, but our visitors come from many countries, and the organisations that help us run the website and your trip may be located elsewhere. As a result, your information may be processed or stored outside Tanzania and outside your own country, including in places where the data protection rules differ from those at home.
Where we send information abroad, we try to do so only to the extent needed, and we take reasonable steps to make sure it is handled with appropriate care, in line with the data protection law of Tanzania. If you would like to know more about how a particular transfer is made, please contact us.
We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purpose it was collected, and for as long as the law requires. We do not keep it forever without a reason. The table below describes our approach in general terms.
| Type of information | How long we keep it |
|---|---|
| Enquiries that do not lead to a booking | For as long as needed to deal with your enquiry and any follow-up, and then we delete or anonymise it |
| Booking and travel records | For as long as needed to run your trip and handle any later questions or claims, and for as long as the law requires for accounting and tax |
| Passport and identity details | For as long as needed to obtain permits and tickets and finish the trip, and then we delete them unless the law requires us to keep them |
| Health and dietary information | For as long as needed for your safety on the trip, and then we delete it unless we need it to deal with an incident or a legal matter |
| Newsletter subscription | Until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove you |
| Emails and messages | For as long as needed to keep a record of what was agreed or discussed |
| Financial records | For as long as the law requires |
| Cookie-notice flag in your browser | Until you clear your browser's local storage |
In some cases we keep information for longer than usual. This can happen when we need it to resolve a complaint, to defend or bring a legal claim, to respond to an authority, or to meet a legal duty. We may also keep a minimal record that you asked us not to contact you, so that we can respect your wishes in future.
When we no longer need information, we delete it or remove the details that identify you.
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse and unauthorised access. The website is delivered over HTTPS, which means the connection between your browser and the website is protected in transit. We limit access to your information to those who need it, and we ask the organisations we work with to look after it properly.
No system is completely secure, and we cannot promise that information sent over the internet, by email or by WhatsApp will never be intercepted or lost. Please take care when deciding what to send, and avoid sending more sensitive information than necessary by ordinary email.
We do not collect card details through this website. If you pay by card using a link, the payment is handled by the payment provider on its own pages and not by this website.
This website does not take payments. You will not be asked to enter a card number or any other payment details on it. We give payment instructions in writing, as described on our Payments page, which may include bank transfer details or a card payment link.
When you pay by bank transfer, your bank shares with us the details needed to match the payment to your booking. When you pay through a card link, the provider that runs the payment page processes your card details under its own privacy policy. We keep a record of the payment, such as its amount, date and reference, but not your full card number.
Depending on where you live and the law that applies, you have rights over your personal information. These rights are available under the data protection law of Tanzania. If you are in the European Union or the United Kingdom, equivalent rights may also apply to you under the laws there. The table below describes them in plain terms.
| Your right | What it means | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Access | To ask whether we hold information about you and to receive a copy | Email info@theexpeditiontourstz.com |
| Correction | To have inaccurate or incomplete information put right | Email us with the correct details |
| Deletion | To ask us to delete your information where we no longer need it | Email us saying what you want deleted |
| Restriction | To ask us to pause using your information while a question is resolved | Email us explaining the issue |
| Objection | To object to our use of your information based on legitimate interests, or to marketing | Email us, or use the unsubscribe link |
| Portability | To receive information you gave us in a common format, where this applies | Email us |
| Withdraw consent | To take back a consent you gave, at any time | Email us, or unsubscribe from the newsletter |
| Complain | To raise a concern with us or with the data protection authority | See the complaints section below |
To use any of your rights, email info@theexpeditiontourstz.com or write to us at P.O. Box 7037, Arusha, Tanzania. You may also message us on WhatsApp at +255 682 044 971. Please say what you would like us to do and give enough detail for us to find your information, such as the email address you used and the approximate date of your enquiry or trip.
To protect your information from being given to the wrong person, we may need to check your identity before acting on a request. We may ask you to reply from the email address we already hold for you, or to confirm a few details that only you should know. If someone else makes the request on your behalf, we may ask for proof that they are allowed to do so.
We will aim to respond within a reasonable time. We do not normally charge for dealing with a request, but we may decline or charge a reasonable fee for requests that are clearly unfounded or excessive.
Your rights are not absolute. Sometimes we must keep information to meet a legal duty, to deal with a claim, or to protect the rights of others, and in that case we will explain what we can and cannot do.
We do not make decisions about you using automated processing that has a legal or similarly significant effect on you. Our proposals and quotations are prepared by people. The trip planner collects your answers and sends them to us by email, and it does not decide anything on its own.
The website contains links to other services, including WhatsApp, which is run by Meta. When you follow a link, you leave this website and the other service's own privacy practices apply. We are not responsible for them, and we encourage you to read the privacy policy of any site or service you use.
Our suppliers, such as camps, lodges, airlines and park authorities, run their own services and may collect information from you directly, for example at check-in or at a park gate.
This website is not aimed at children, and we do not knowingly collect information from children through its forms or newsletter. Families often travel with us, so we may receive information about children, such as names, ages and passport details, from a parent or guardian who is making the booking. We use that information only to arrange the trip and keep the child safe, and we expect the person giving it to be the child's parent or legal guardian.
If you believe a child has sent us information without a parent's permission, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
Guests and guides often take photographs on a trip, and we may sometimes take photographs or video ourselves. We will not use pictures in which you can be recognised on our website, social media or in marketing without asking you first. If you agree, you can change your mind later and ask us to stop using them, though we may not be able to recall material that has already been printed or widely shared.
Please respect other travellers' privacy when taking photographs, and ask before photographing local people.
If we become aware of a security incident that affects your personal information and is likely to cause you harm, we will investigate promptly and take steps to limit the damage. Where the law requires it, or where we think you should know, we will tell you and the data protection authority, explaining what happened, what information was involved and what you can do to protect yourself.
We may change this policy from time to time, for example when we add a new feature to the website, change a service provider, or when the law changes. We will post the updated version on this page with a new date. If the change is significant, we will take reasonable steps to tell you, and where the law requires your consent for a new use of your information, we will ask for it first.
In particular, we will update this policy before we add any advertising or tracking tools to the website, or any analytics beyond Google Tag Manager.
If you have a question about this policy, or you would like to use your rights, please contact us first. We will do our best to put things right.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your information or a request, you have the right to complain to the data protection authority in Tanzania. If you live in the European Union or the United Kingdom, you may also complain to the data protection authority in your own country. We would appreciate the chance to deal with your concern first, but you do not have to contact us before complaining to the authority.
Browse our safaris and climbs, see where you would stay, and read the guides that help you plan.
Why small group and private safaris often work better in Tanzania, the trade-offs to weigh, and the questions to ask any operator before you book.
Plan a guided walking safari around Tarangire: how to read tracks, dung and bird alarm calls, what to wear, the best season and the rules that keep you safe.
What to expect on a chimpanzee trek in Gombe Stream National Park: getting there from Kigoma, the forest walk, viewing rules, what to wear, the lake, the best season and pairing with Mahale.
If anything here is unclear, or you would like to talk through it before booking, write to us and a real person will reply.
The Expedition Tours · Registered with BRELA, Business Name No. 717897 · TIN 139-056-574 · P.O. Box 7037, Arusha, Tanzania
