How a booking is confirmed
Bookings are confirmed when we send the WhatsApp message with driver name, vehicle plate, pickup time window and price. Save that message — it acts as your receipt and we treat it as the binding record of the booking. Verbal phone confirmations alone are not enough; we always follow up on WhatsApp so you have written details to refer back to.
Pay-on-arrival vs deposit
Most standard desert tours (30-min and 1-hour buggy/quad, morning safari, evening safari standard) run on pay-on-arrival in cash, card or bank transfer at the pickup or staging area. Premium bookings (Can-Am Maverick, hot air balloon, private safari, full-day combos, group sizes 12+) may require a confirmation deposit on WhatsApp before the date — typically 20-30% of the total. The booking confirmation always tells you up-front which model applies. There's no surprise at the staging area.
Identification at the staging area
We ask all riders to sign a standard waiver before any active activity (buggy, quad, dirt bike). The waiver covers acknowledgement of inherent risk, agreement to follow guide instructions, and confirmation that no relevant medical conditions have been concealed. Driving licence may be requested at the briefing for self-drive buggy and any dirt-bike booking — bring it to the staging area. Photo ID isn't required for safari (passenger-only) bookings but is helpful if you need to be added to a group manifest.
Children and minors
Children under 18 ride only with a parent or guardian present. Age-specific rules apply per service: kids ATV zone is on a closed compound with parent supervision, the family 4-seater buggy uses a child harness, and the desert safari camp evening is family-friendly. We don't accept booking for unaccompanied minors. The minimum age for any activity is verified at the briefing, not on this page, because it depends on the child's harness/control fit.
Booking changes after confirmation
Reschedules and changes are handled on WhatsApp under the original booking thread. Most changes 24+ hours before pickup are no-charge. Same-day changes may incur a small handling charge depending on the service tier. We don't advertise a blanket no-fee cancellation rule because the real policy depends on lead time and operator commitments — see the cancellation policy page for the matrix.
Group bookings
Group sizes of 6+ are quoted on a per-booking basis. Groups of 12+ usually require a small confirmation deposit because we reserve multiple vehicles. Corporate group bookings are billed on invoice with VAT — see /corporate/ for the invoice flow and /group-bookings/ for general group logistics.
What you can expect from us
- WhatsApp confirmation within minutes of booking inquiry
- Day-before reminder with confirmed driver and vehicle plate
- Driver call 5-10 minutes before pickup
- Honest verified or quote-based price — no hidden fees, no fake discounts, no card surcharge
- Reschedule handled on WhatsApp without escalation
- Lead-guide briefing before any active activity
- Refund routed back to original payment method when applicable