Safety Standards
Last updated: June 24, 2026
Your safety is not negotiable. Every organizer on Safarnama must meet the safety standards on this page before and during every trip. These standards are built into our Organizer Agreement — violations lead to immediate suspension.
How We Verify Organizer Safety
- ✓ KYC review includes verification of vehicle permits and guide credentials
- ✓ Traveler reviews specifically rate organizers on Safety (1–5 stars)
- ✓ Low safety ratings trigger an automatic account review
- ✓ Any safety complaint or incident report initiates an immediate investigation
- ✓ Repeat safety violations result in permanent ban from the platform
Vehicle Safety
- •All transport vehicles must have valid Registration Certificate (RC), Fitness Certificate, commercial route permit, and third-party insurance under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- •Drivers must hold a valid commercial driving licence (Heavy Motor Vehicle or Light Motor Vehicle as appropriate).
- •Passenger capacity must not exceed the legally permitted seating for the vehicle.
- •Vehicles must be maintained and in roadworthy condition — no overloaded luggage compartments or bald tyres.
- •For overnight journeys exceeding 8 hours, two drivers are required.
- •Night driving on mountain roads (above 2,000m elevation) is prohibited unless the route is specifically approved and weather conditions are safe.
Guides and Staff
- •All trekking trips must be led by guides with documented experience on the specific route and knowledge of altitude sickness symptoms and first response.
- •Adventure activities (white-water rafting, rock climbing, paragliding, zip-lining) must be supervised by instructors holding valid certifications from recognised Indian bodies such as the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) or equivalent.
- •A guide-to-traveler ratio of at minimum 1:10 is required on all adventure treks. Higher ratios are required for routes above 4,000m or with Class III+ rapids.
- •All guides must carry a fully stocked first aid kit and know how to use it.
- •For trips to remote areas (Spiti, Ladakh beyond Leh, parts of Northeast India), guides must have satellite phone access or an emergency communication device.
First Aid & Medical Preparedness
- •A comprehensive first aid kit must be carried on every trip. Contents must be appropriate for the destination — standard wilderness first aid kit for remote treks, marine safety kit for water-based activities.
- •For high-altitude trips above 3,500m, organizers must carry a pulse oximeter and emergency supplemental oxygen.
- •Guides must conduct a pre-departure health check for travelers on high-altitude routes.
- •Emergency contact numbers (local hospital, ambulance, rescue teams, police) for the destination must be accessible to all guides and shared with travelers.
- •A written emergency action plan must exist for each trip route, including nearest hospital, evacuation routes, and helicopter landing zones if applicable.
High-Altitude Safety
- •Trips to destinations above 3,000m (Ladakh, Spiti Valley, high-altitude Himalayan treks) require a mandatory acclimatisation day before ascending to higher altitudes.
- •Guides must be trained to recognise and respond to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE).
- •The "golden rule" of altitude sickness — never ascend with symptoms — must be followed without exception. Any traveler showing AMS symptoms must descend immediately.
- •Altitude limits and daily ascent rates (typically no more than 300–500m per day above 3,000m) must be respected in the itinerary.
- •Travelers with heart or respiratory conditions must be screened out or cleared by a doctor before joining high-altitude trips.
Water-Based Activity Safety
- •Life jackets of appropriate buoyancy must be provided and correctly fitted for all water activities.
- •Helmets must be worn during river rafting, kayaking, and any activity near rapids.
- •Water activities must be cancelled or modified if river levels, current conditions, or weather pose unreasonable risk.
- •Rafting activities on Grade IV+ rapids require participants to have completed a swim test or declared swimming competency.
- •All watercraft must carry safety throw ropes, rescue paddles, and first aid equipment.
Emergency Protocols
- •In any medical emergency, the organizer's first obligation is to the welfare of the traveler — evacuate or transport to the nearest medical facility without delay.
- •The organizer must notify Safarnama support immediately upon any medical emergency, accident, or serious incident using the emergency contact number provided during onboarding.
- •In case of a missing traveler, the organizer must inform local authorities (police, forest department, mountain rescue) within 1 hour of the traveler being confirmed missing.
- •Organizers must not attempt to manage serious medical emergencies (suspected fractures, head injuries, chest pain, unconsciousness) without professional medical assistance.
- •A post-incident report must be submitted to Safarnama within 48 hours of any serious incident.
What to Do in a Safety Emergency (As a Traveler)
- 1
Prioritise your safety first.
Move away from immediate danger. Do not put yourself at additional risk.
- 2
Contact the organizer or guide immediately.
You were given an emergency contact number before departure. Call it now.
- 3
Call emergency services if needed.
112 (National Emergency — police, ambulance, fire; operational across India) | Mountain Rescue (Uttarakhand/HP): 1800-180-1500 | Coast Guard: 1554 | Backup: Police 100 | Ambulance 108
- 4
Contact Safarnama support.
Email support@safarnama.in with your booking reference and location. We will escalate to our emergency contact network immediately.
- 5
Document the incident.
If safe to do so, document the situation with photos, timestamps, and a written account. This is important for insurance claims and any formal complaint.
Report a Safety Concern
If an organizer violated safety standards during your trip — or if you observed unsafe practices before the trip — report it to us. Your report protects future travelers.
Report a Safety IssueAll safety reports are reviewed within 24 hours. Organizer accounts are suspended immediately pending investigation for serious safety complaints.