Privacy Policy

DrakensbergHikes.com is operated by Village Media. This policy explains how personal information is used when you browse the website, contact us or contribute information. For privacy questions or requests, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or use our contact form.

Information you give us

When you send an enquiry, correction or contribution, we receive the details you provide, such as your name, email address, telephone number and message. We use them to answer you, check the information supplied and manage the website. Please provide only the information needed for your request. We need a way to contact you if you would like a reply; other details depend on the enquiry.

If you submit a photograph, review or article for publication, the material and the agreed contributor credit may appear publicly. Please do not include another person's private details without their permission. Let us know if your message is private rather than intended for publication.

Newsletter subscriptions, where offered, are optional. An enquiry is not a newsletter subscription. You can unsubscribe from newsletter emails using their unsubscribe link or by contacting us.

Browsing, cookies and third-party services

Website requests can include technical information such as your IP address, browser, device details and the pages requested. This information helps deliver the website, understand its use and investigate errors or abuse. Cookies and similar technologies can also support site functions, remember choices, measure visits and serve advertising.

• Google Analytics and advertising: the website uses Google Analytics and Google advertising services. These services can receive information about your device and visits, including page addresses and IP addresses, and can use cookies or other identifiers. Advertising personalisation depends on the applicable choices and settings. Google explains these services and available controls in How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services.
• Form protection: contact forms use Google reCAPTCHA to help detect automated submissions and prevent spam and abuse. This involves processing technical information about the browser and its interaction with the website for security checks.
• Maps and embedded content: opening maps, videos or other external content may connect your browser to the relevant provider. That provider can receive technical information needed to deliver its content.

Use the privacy or cookie choices displayed on the website where available. Your browser settings also let you manage or delete cookies, although blocking some technologies may affect forms or other features. These choices do not turn a private browsing session into an anonymous visit.

Sharing and bookings

Drakensberg Hikes provides information and handles enquiries. Accommodation bookings, guided trips and payments are arranged with the relevant providers, who are responsible for the information you give them. Their own privacy policies and booking terms apply.

Service providers involved in hosting, email, website support, analytics, advertising and security may process information as part of those services. Some services may process information outside South Africa. We may also disclose information where required by law. We do not sell the names, email addresses or message contents that you send directly to us.

Keeping information

Personal information should be kept only as long as needed for its purpose or for a legal requirement. Enquiry correspondence, publication permissions and contributor credits may need to be retained for different periods. Contact us about a particular record rather than assuming that an old message has automatically been deleted. Please avoid sending identity documents, payment-card details or other sensitive information through an ordinary enquiry.

Your privacy choices and rights

Under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you can ask whether we hold personal information about you, request access, and request correction or deletion where applicable. You can also object to relevant processing or withdraw consent where processing relies on it. These rights are subject to the Act, including any lawful reason to retain a record.

Send requests to Village Media at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., identifying the information or page concerned. We may need to verify your identity before releasing or changing personal information. You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

Changes to this policy

We will publish updates on this page when the website or its information practices change. This policy describes the use of personal information; it does not treat browsing the website as consent to every form of processing.