You are in Safe Hands
Your Financial Protection
Mahlatini is a trading division of Chaka Travel Ltd, ATOL member number 9422. We are fully bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority and hold ATOL 9422. The ATOL scheme protects you from losing money or being stranded abroad when a tour operator goes out of business. All licensed firms have to lodge bonds with the CAA. The CAA gives refunds and arranges for people to finish their holidays and fly home. A Government-backed fund, the Air Travel Trust, steps in if any ATOL bond isn't enough to look after everyone affected. The ATOL holder must honour your booking even if their agent goes out of business. And if the ATOL holder itself goes out of business, you'll be protected by ATOL.
Please visit the CAA ATOL web site* to find out more. *Search for 'Chaka Travel Ltd' or 9422.
ATOL Protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom.
ABTA: Why we are not members of ABTA
We are not members of ABTA as we are tour operators and not travel agents, the difference is that travel agents buy holidays from a third party whilst we as Tour Operators deal direct with hotels, airlines etc. All ABTA members have to buy from ATOL holders as this means the holiday has financial protection.
Our Business
We are a specialist travel company offering high value tailor-made holidays and as such we are not as exposed to medium market fluctuations as the majority of tour operators. We do not operate our own flights and as such are not heavily exposed to the massive fuel price increases and the heavy financial losses that can occur with these. As an owner-managed business, with a small specialist team our finances are tightly managed and as such we can compete even in difficult times With over 13 years experience, we have built a solid business with a stable base of repeat clients providing a relative level of security against consumer buying trends.
Our Ethics
As a responsible tour operator the safety and health of our clients and staff is of paramount importance. We do not operate in any destinations or run any type of trip unless we consider it to be safe. We receive regular updates from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and we follow their guidelines when planning your trip. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact you to discuss alternatives. All decisions are made with the help and advice of our ground handlers and tour leaders out in the field. We appreciate that governments are by their very nature, extremely cautious and some advisories can initially appear quite off putting.
It is important that you feel comfortable with the type of holiday you choose. We have spent many years researching the most reliable suppliers in Africa. Where possible we prefer to use local based companies that give something back to the local community. All of our staff have travelled extensively across the African continent so you can always speak to someone with direct knowledge and experience.
Know Before You Go Campaign
This is the FCO’s on going travel safety campaign. The aim is to encourage British nationals to be better prepared for their overseas trips with a view to avoiding common travelling traumas, risks and dangers. The key campaign message is simple and applies to everyone - Know Before You Go – get travel insurance, research your destination including local laws and customs, visit a specialist travel clinic or your GP at least six weeks before travelling overseas and make copies of important travel documents.
African Travel
Many of the holidays we offer are in remote areas where the culture and lifestyle are very different to our own, these features are often what make an African holiday so appealing. Health, safety and operational standards - particularly of hotels, transport and airlines - are often not the same as those in the western world. To get the most out of your well earned holiday we recommend that you research your chosen destination, the Mahlatini team are always happy to recommend reading materials and websites.