Privacy policy

Absolute Wilderness Travel & Tours ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit absolutewilderness.com, how we use it, and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Tanzanian data protection law.

Our registered office is at MEC House, Nairobi Road, Room no. 801, Arusha, Tanzania. If you have questions about this policy, contact us at [email protected].

Information We Collect

We collect personal data in the following ways:

• Contact and enquiry forms — name, email address, phone number, travel dates, group size, and any details you choose to share about your planned safari.
• Newsletter sign-up — email address only.
• Analytics — anonymised usage data (pages visited, session duration, device type, approximate location) collected via Google Analytics 4. No personally identifiable information is stored in analytics.
• Server logs — IP address, browser type, and referring URL, retained for up to 30 days for security and diagnostic purposes.

We do not collect sensitive personal data (health information, passport details, payment card numbers) through this website. Payment and booking details are handled directly by our team over email or phone.

How We Use Your Data

We use the information you provide to:

• Respond to safari enquiries and plan your itinerary.
• Send the newsletter you subscribed to (you may unsubscribe at any time).
• Improve the website and understand how visitors use it (analytics).
• Comply with legal obligations and protect against fraud or abuse.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling.

Legal Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we process your data on the following legal bases:

• Legitimate interest — responding to enquiries you initiate and maintaining server security logs.
• Consent — newsletter subscriptions and analytics cookies. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Legal obligation — where required by Tanzanian law or applicable regulation.

Cookies and Analytics

This website uses cookies. A cookie banner is displayed on your first visit; analytics cookies are only set after you consent. You may withdraw consent or change your preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies.

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4), operated by Google LLC. Data is processed in accordance with Google's privacy policy. IP addresses are anonymised before storage. We do not enable Google Signals or cross-site tracking features.

Strictly necessary cookies (session management, security) are set without consent as they are essential for the website to function.

Data Retention

• Enquiry emails — retained for up to 3 years to support ongoing client relationships, then deleted.
• Newsletter subscriber list — retained until you unsubscribe, after which your address is removed within 30 days.
• Analytics data — aggregated and anonymised; retained for 14 months in Google Analytics.
• Server logs — retained for 30 days, then automatically purged.

Data Sharing

We share data only with the following categories of processor, each bound by a data processing agreement:

• Google LLC — analytics (GA4) and email (Gmail for business correspondence).
• GoDaddy Inc. — website hosting and infrastructure.
• Email service providers — for newsletter delivery.

We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our clients and staff.

International Transfers

Our website is hosted on servers that may be located outside Tanzania and the European Economic Area (EEA). Where data is transferred internationally, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission, or equivalent safeguards, to ensure your data receives adequate protection.

Your Rights

Under GDPR and applicable law, you have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure — request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten"), subject to legal retention obligations.
• Restriction — ask us to limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.
• Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interest.
• Withdraw consent — at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For material changes, we will notify newsletter subscribers by email.