Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern all bookings, payments, and use of the Vourigo Platform by any person ("Tourist", "you", "your"). They constitute a legally binding contract between you and Vourigo SARL.

The Platform operates as an intermediary travel service provider and travel organiser within the meaning of the International Convention on Travel Contracts (CCV, Brussels 1970), the UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists (2024), and Cameroonian tourism regulations under the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure.

By creating an account, submitting a booking request, or making a payment, you expressly acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, Payment and Refund Policy, and Safety and Hygiene Waiver.

Vourigo functions as a commercial intermediary and travel organiser under the OHADA Uniform Act relating to General Commercial Law and the Brussels CCV (1970). We facilitate contracts between Tourists and independent third-party service providers ("Vendors").

Pursuant to Article 22 CCV (1970): As a travel intermediary, Vourigo is liable for wrongful acts or default committed in performing its intermediary obligations, assessed against the standard of a diligent travel intermediary. We are not liable for non-performance attributable to the Vendor, the Tourist, a third party unconnected with the services, or force majeure.

A booking request submitted through the Platform creates a draft record only. No contract is formed until:

(a) Vourigo confirms the booking status as pending (administrative acceptance); and

(b) For advance bookings exceeding two days, the first instalment payment is recorded as paid; or

(c) For walk-in or short bookings, full payment is recorded as paid.

Upon confirmation, you will be issued a unique booking reference in the format VRG-XXXXXXX.

Booking status and legal effect:

• Draft: No contractual obligation; quote subject to availability.
• Pending: Contract formed; Tourist bound by cancellation terms.
• Confirmed: Payment obligations crystallise; Vendor escrow released.
• Completed: Services rendered; liability for performance extinguished except for latent claims.
• Cancelled: Contract terminated; refund rights determined by timing and cause.

All prices are quoted in United States Dollars (USD). The tourist-facing price is computed as:

Tourist Price = ((Provider Base x 1.25) / (1 - 0.04)) + Regulatory Pass-Through

Where:

• Provider Base = Sum of all raw Vendor costs.
• Platform Service Fee (25%) = Vourigo SARL revenue margin, covering platform operations, guide coordination, quality assurance, and 24/7 emergency support.
• Payment Processing Fee (approx. 4%) = Gateway cost absorbed into the gross-up.
• Regulatory Pass-Through = Itemised Cameroonian taxes.

All prices are final at the point of booking confirmation. Itemised invoices are issued in compliance with the Cameroon General Tax Code and 2026 Finance Law transparency provisions.

Applicable Taxes (itemised on your invoice):

• VAT: 19.25% (17.5% standard rate plus 10% local surcharge) on digital service fees and platform commissions per the General Tax Code and 2026 Finance Law.
• Tourist Tax: Per-night accommodation tax from XAF 500 (1-star) to XAF 5,000 (5-star) per person per night.
• Digital Services Tax: Where applicable under Cameroonian fiscal legislation.

Pursuant to Article 11 CCV (1970), Vourigo may not increase the inclusive price after confirmation except as a consequence of changes in exchange rates or carrier tariffs. Increases exceeding 10% entitle you to cancellation without penalty and full refund.

All card and electronic payments are processed by Fincra Limited, a CBN-licensed payment infrastructure company. By paying through the Platform, you agree to Fincra's terms of service.

Payment Schedule:

• Walk-in booking: One payment, 100%.
• Advance booking, 2 days or fewer: One payment, 100%.
• Advance booking, more than 2 days: Instalment 1 at 60% (deposit); Instalment 2 at 40% (balance).

Instalment 1 Due: 7 days before start date, or immediately if imminent.

Instalment 2 Due: 14 days before start date, with a minimum 3-day buffer from creation.

Failure to pay any instalment by its due date constitutes material breach. Under OHADA Uniform Act Articles 256 to 291, Vourigo may cancel the contract and retain cancellation fees, or claim interest at the legal rate for commercial matters.

Upon payment confirmation, the gross-up total is allocated across the following virtual wallets:

• Lodging Advance: Full accommodation cost for the booking. Released immediately upon booking confirmation to secure the property.
• Activity and Guide Escrow: Costs for all booked activities. Activity pricing follows one of five structures depending on the activity type: strict per-person (permits and individual fees), fixed group rate (boat or vehicle hire), per-person with a minimum booking value floor, event access (flat per-person), or tiered per-person with group-size discounts. All activity costs are held in escrow and released when the booking is marked completed.
• Transport Escrow: Vehicle hire and driver costs, based on group size and the assigned comfort tier. Held in escrow; released on completion.
• Meals Escrow: Meal plan costs where applicable. Held in escrow; released on completion.
• Platform Service Fee: 25% margin on provider base, covering operations, coordination, and emergency support. Locked to Vourigo SARL; released periodically.
• Payment Processing Reserve: The approximately 4% gateway fee allocated to Fincra at settlement.

You have the right to request a breakdown of the virtual ledger allocation for your booking.

Document Hierarchy: These Terms and Conditions constitute the primary contract between you and Vourigo SARL. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and any other Vourigo document (including the Payment and Refund Policy, Safety Waiver, or any email communication), these Terms govern.

Tourist-Initiated Cancellation (per Articles 9 and 20 CCV, 1970):

• More than 30 days before start: Full refund minus 5% administrative fee.
• 15 to 30 days before start: 70% refund of total trip cost paid.
• 7 to 14 days before start: 50% refund of total trip cost paid.
• Less than 7 days before start: 25% refund of total trip cost paid.
• No-show or same-day cancellation: No refund.

These refund percentages are the definitive and binding schedule. Any figure stated elsewhere in Vourigo documentation that differs from the above is superseded by this schedule.

Non-refundable items: Visa fees, gorilla tracking permits, and third-party deposits already released to Vendors.

Three-Tier Force Majeure System:

Tier 1 (CCV Strict): Government travel bans, war, terrorism, or exceptional circumstances unknown at contract conclusion per Article 10 CCV (1970).

Effect: Full cash refund of all sums paid. No cancellation fees apply.

Tier 2 (UNWTO Broad): Natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics (WHO or Cameroon Ministry of Public Health declaration), strikes affecting essential services, landslides, or volcanic activity.

Effect: Default remedy is issuance of Vourigo Travel Credits equal to 100% of sums paid, valid for 24 months. Conversion to cash refund available upon written request submitted 90 days after the force majeure event.

Tier 3 (Vendor Fault): Overbooking, vehicle mechanical failure, guide absence, or other Vendor operational failure.

Effect: Vourigo shall first attempt to secure an equivalent or superior alternative. If no alternative is available, the pro-rata value of the affected service is refunded from Vendor escrow.

Chargeback Indemnity: If you bypass the internal mediation process and file a chargeback for a properly delivered itinerary, you are contractually liable to indemnify the Platform for the full transaction amount, all associated card network penalties, and a flat XAF 150,000 administrative legal fee.

You must furnish all necessary information specifically requested (passport details, dietary restrictions, medical conditions, fitness level, mobility notes) and comply with all regulations relating to the journey (Article 4 CCV).

You warrant that the Platform converts raw medical text into anonymised system tokens and risk tiers for operational safety purposes, in compliance with Cameroon Law No. 2024/017 and GDPR data minimisation principles. You consent to this processing as a condition of booking adventure activities.

You must have comprehensive travel insurance covering:

• Medical evacuation (minimum USD 100,000);
• Trip cancellation and interruption;
• Adventure activity coverage (for high-risk bookings).

Prohibited Conduct:

• Unlawful, abusive, or threatening behaviour toward Vendors, guides, or other tourists.
• Damage to property or natural habitats.
• Disturbance of wildlife outside designated protocols.
• Fraudulent bookings or chargeback abuse.

All Tourists are required to review and accept the separate Vourigo Safety, Hygiene and Liability Waiver before participating in any booked activity. The Waiver is incorporated by reference into these Terms.

All data processing is governed by the Vourigo Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference. The Privacy Policy complies with Cameroon Law No. 2024/017 relating to Personal Data Protection and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

You are required to obtain comprehensive travel insurance prior to departure covering medical expenses (minimum USD 100,000), emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage and personal effects, and adventure activity coverage.

Vourigo Liability Cap (per traveller, per Article 13(2) CCV, 1970):

• USD 50,000 for personal injury.
• USD 2,000 for damage to property.
• USD 5,000 for any other damage.

Nothing herein limits liability for death or personal injury caused by Vourigo's gross negligence, willful misconduct, or fraud.

All Platform content, trademarks, booking engine logic, and itinerary algorithms are the exclusive property of Vourigo SARL. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Platform for personal booking purposes only.

Prohibited: scraping, reverse-engineering, automated booking abuse, or resale of Platform services.

These Terms are governed by:

• The laws of the Republic of Cameroon, including the OHADA Uniform Acts.
• The International Convention on Travel Contracts (CCV, Brussels 1970).
• The UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists (2024) as interpretive guidance.
• Applicable EU consumer protection rules for Tourists domiciled in the EU or EEA.

Disputes shall first be attempted through amicable settlement within 30 days, then mandatory mediation through an accredited mediator in Douala within 45 days, then binding arbitration under the OHADA Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA) rules, with the seat in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Complaints Procedure: Vourigo maintains a formal complaints procedure. To submit a complaint, email complaints@vourigo.com with your booking reference and a description of the issue. You will receive acknowledgment within 2 business days and a substantive response within 10 business days. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may escalate to mediation as described above.

Vourigo SARL

Email: legal@vourigo.com

Data Protection Officer: dpo@vourigo.com

Regulatory Registrations:

• Tourism Operator Licence: Ministry of Tourism and Leisure, Cameroon
• VAT Registration: General Tax Code, Cameroon

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: By clicking "I Agree" or submitting a booking, you certify that you are at least 18 years of age, possess legal capacity, and accept these Terms without reservation.