Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 2025
This Privacy Policy explains how Tripmates Safaris ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you visit our website or make an enquiry. We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act 2019.

1. Who We Are (Data Controller)

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the personal data necessary to provide our services. This includes:

Information you provide to us:

• Contact details: Full name, email address, phone number
• Travel information: Nationality, preferred travel dates, number of travelers
• Tour preferences: Tour of interest, preferred duration, comfort level
• Special requirements: Dietary needs, medical conditions relevant to activities, accessibility needs
• Communications: Any messages or requests you send us

Information collected automatically:

• Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on site, browser type, device type
• Technical data: IP address, referring website

We do not collect sensitive personal data such as racial origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, biometric data, or financial payment card details through our website.

3. How We Use Your Data (Legal Basis)

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

4. Who We Share Your Data With

We may share your personal data with the following categories of third parties, only to the extent necessary to deliver your tour:

• Accommodation providers — hotels and lodges included in your itinerary
• Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) — for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permit registration
• Domestic transport providers — driver-guides and vehicle operators
• Email service providers — to deliver booking confirmations and itineraries to you
• Government or legal authorities — if required by law

All third parties we work with are required to handle your data securely and only for the purpose we specify.

5. International Data Transfers

Your data is stored on servers located in Uganda. If your data is ever transferred outside Uganda (for example, to EU-based email providers), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in compliance with GDPR requirements, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or transfers to countries with an adequacy decision.

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

• Enquiries that did not result in a booking: 12 months from the date of enquiry
• Confirmed booking records: 7 years (required for legal and accounting purposes)
• Email marketing subscribers: Until you unsubscribe
• Website usage data: 12 months

After the applicable retention period, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Your Rights

Under GDPR and Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act 2019, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your data where there is no compelling reason to continue processing it
• Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to pause processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability — you can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing at any time
• Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@tripmatessafaris.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device. We use:

• Essential cookies — required for the website to function (e.g. session management). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies — to understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. We only use these with your consent.

We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality.

9. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures including:

• Secure database storage with access controls
• Encrypted transmission of data via HTTPS
• Admin access protected by password authentication
• Limited staff access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

In the event of a data breach that is likely to affect your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of it.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g. national park websites, accommodation providers). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal data to them.

12. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with:

• Uganda: The Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO) under the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U)
• EU residents: Your local EU data protection supervisory authority

We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns directly before you contact a supervisory authority — please reach out to us first at info@tripmatessafaris.com.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.