Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (“we”, “us” and “our”) operates the Sheldrick Conservation Lodges website and safari lodges in Kenya under the trading name Sheldrick Conservation Lodges, including Galdessa Camp, Galdessa Little, Umani Lodge, Ithumba Hill, Ithumba Private, Ithumba Camp, and Rhino Valley Lodge (collectively, the “Lodges”).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit our website, submit an enquiry, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with Sheldrick Conservation Lodges.

We welcome guests and website visitors from around the world and are committed to processing personal information fairly, lawfully, transparently and securely.

This Privacy Policy has been prepared having regard to applicable data protection legislation, including:

• the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019;
• the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), where applicable;
• the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), where applicable; and
• other applicable privacy laws in jurisdictions where we actively offer our services.

2. Data Controller

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, the data controller responsible for your personal information is:

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
PO Box 15555
Magadi Road
Nairobi 00503
Kenya

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how we process your personal information, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +254 (0)111 044 200

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information you provide directly

Depending upon how you interact with us, we may collect:

• your name;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• country of residence;
• preferred travel dates;
• the information you include when contacting us or submitting an enquiry;
• any other information you voluntarily provide.

3.2 Additional Information for Guests

If you make a reservation or stay with us, we may collect additional information required to administer your booking and provide our services. This may include payment information, dietary or accessibility requirements that you choose to disclose, and passport or identification details where required by applicable law or Kenyan park authorities.

3.2 Information collected automatically

When you visit our website we may collect:

• IP address;
• browser type and version;
• device information;
• operating system;
• referring website;
• pages viewed;
• date and time of visits;
• approximate geographic location;
• cookie identifiers; and
• website usage information.

3.3 Information received from third parties

We may also receive information from:

• travel agents;
• tour operators;
• booking partners;
• payment providers;
• analytics providers; and
• marketing platforms where permitted by law.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Where applicable, we process personal information on one or more of the following lawful bases:

• performance of a contract;
• compliance with legal obligations;
• legitimate interests;
• consent.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and requests for information;
• communicate with you about your enquiry, reservation or stay;
• administer reservations and provide our accommodation and related services;
• process payments where applicable;
• comply with applicable legal, regulatory and licensing requirements;
• meet the requirements of Kenyan government authorities, national parks or other regulatory bodies where necessary;
• personalise and improve the services we provide to our guests;
• operate, maintain and improve our website;
• maintain the security and integrity of our website and systems;
• prevent fraud and other unlawful activity;
• analyse website usage and performance; and
• send marketing communications where you have provided your consent or where otherwise permitted by applicable law.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information.

Where necessary, we may share your personal information with:

• employees and authorised representatives of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust;
• staff operating Sheldrick Conservation Lodges;
• trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, managing reservations, processing payments, providing technology services or communicating with our guests;
• travel agents, tour operators or other partners involved in arranging your reservation, where applicable;
• Kenya Wildlife Service and other government or regulatory authorities where required by law or to facilitate your stay; and
• our professional advisers, including legal, financial and insurance advisers, where necessary.

We may also disclose personal information where required by law, regulation or a lawful request from a competent authority.

All third parties who process personal information on our behalf are required to protect it appropriately and may only use it for the purposes for which it was disclosed.

7. International Transfers

As an organisation based in Kenya serving guests from around the world, personal information may be transferred internationally where necessary to provide our services.

Where applicable, we take appropriate safeguards to protect transferred personal information, including recognised contractual safeguards and other lawful transfer mechanisms required by applicable data protection legislation.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting and regulatory obligations.

Typical retention periods include:

• enquiries where no booking is made: up to 24 months;
• guest booking records: up to seven years following the last stay;
• marketing preferences: until consent is withdrawn or you unsubscribe;
• website analytics: in accordance with the retention settings of the relevant provider.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

9. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience, remember your preferences, understand website usage and maintain website security.

We use:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies;
• Functional Cookies;
• Analytics Cookies; and
• Marketing Cookies where applicable.

When you first visit our website you will be presented with a cookie banner allowing you to accept or reject non-essential cookies.

You may update your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings available on our website.

Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending upon your location and the applicable law, you may have the right to:

• access your personal information;
• correct inaccurate information;
• request deletion of your personal information;
• restrict processing;
• object to certain processing;
• withdraw consent where processing relies upon consent;
• request portability of your information where applicable.

To exercise any of these rights please contact us using the details below. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are intended for adults.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16. Where we become aware that such information has been collected unintentionally, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

12. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or destruction.

These measures include:

• encrypted communications;
• secure hosting infrastructure;
• access controls;
• role-based permissions;
• staff confidentiality obligations;
• restricted access to personal information;
• regular review of our security arrangements.

No internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we continually work to maintain appropriate safeguards.

13. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including websites operated by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and other partner organisations.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.

We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

14. Marketing Communications

Where permitted by law, or where you have provided your consent, we may send you information about Sheldrick Conservation Lodges, conservation initiatives and special offers.

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by:

• clicking the unsubscribe link contained within our emails; or
• contacting us directly.

Please note that we may still send service-related communications concerning enquiries, reservations or your stay.

15. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations or privacy practices.

The latest version will always be published on this website together with the date it was last updated.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact:

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +254 (0)111 044 200
Postal Address: PO Box 15555, Magadi Road, Nairobi 00503, Kenya

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us using the details above.

If you remain dissatisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with:

• the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (Kenya) – www.odpc.go.ke;
• the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are in the United Kingdom – www.ico.org.uk; or
• the relevant data protection supervisory authority in your European Union Member State or other jurisdiction, where applicable.

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