Dear maurker, thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
As you are aware, I have been in touch with you via email and I will copy in my responses to your points mentioned in your review.
I'd like to address your comments regarding the ages of the passengers and your observations about the type of person this tour is suitable for. The tour that you travelled on is one of our Open Aged safaris; this means that you can expect any age from 5 years upwards providing that they meet our fitness requirements. Our 4WD Safaris are suitable for all ages seeking an authentic outback experience providing a moderate level of comfort. With remote and some powered campsites they include hot water, flushing toilets, complete with permanent tents with beds. As such I do not believe that your claims that our tour is only suitable for school excursions and recalcitrant teenagers is a fair observation.
With regards to the fitness requirements and unsupervised passengers, I refer to Section 11 of our T&C's:
"A certain level of fitness is required for all safaris. To ensure that you enjoy your time on tour with us, you should be able to walk at least 6km (3.7 miles), unaided, over rough, uneven ground (often in intense heat) and climb (or descend) steps or steep inclines without hindrance. If you are unable to meet the required level, you must disclose this at time of booking."
Passengers are advised to stay in close proximity to the guide on all walks, however if passengers advise that they feel they are not capable of a particular walk or activity, the guide will either offer an alternative walk (unsupervised) or advise them to make their way back to the carpark shelters and wait until the group has completed the walk or activity. No member of your group had advised of any pre-existing medical conditions or that they were unable to meet the required level of fitness prior to the tour departing.
As we travel in remote areas we are unfortunately unable to guarantee lighting at each of our campsites. As such we recommend that all passengers carry a flashlight with them when travelling with us as per our FAQ's; this information is reiterated at time of reconfirmation. Flashlights are an important part of travelling with us on a remote camping adventure; not only to assist with navigating the campsites at night time but also to assist with making up the tents after sunrise.
The toilet and showers are located a short distance away from each of our campsites (usually between 100-250m depending on the campsite) and the walk is along a clearly marked path. As the toilet and showers are in a fixed location as decided upon by the owners of the property, we are unfortunately unable to offer a closer alternative.
Here at Wayoutback, we do understand that this type of touring may not appeal to everyone. As such we do try our best to be very clear about the type of touring we offer; we have extensive FAQ's and photographs (including our campsites and vehicles) readily available on our website for those wishing to research prior to booking as well as we welcome any questions prior to booking if you are uncertain.
Once again, I apologise that you feel that some aspects of our tours did not live up to your expectations, however in this instance I do believe that we have provided this tour as advertised. We have taken your feedback on board to ensure that we continue to provide our passengers with amazing trips within the Northern Territory.
Thank you again for taking the time to leave a review and we wish you all the best on your future travels.