Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 16, 2026

Welcome to Footpaths Around Lake Victoria (accessible via https://lakevictoriafootpaths.com/). We are deeply committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled with the utmost care, transparency, and respect.

As a slow-travel homestay business, our goal is to build meaningful connections, and that includes building trust in how we handle your digital data. This Privacy Policy outlines what information we collect, how we use it, and how we keep it safe.

1. Information We Collect

Because we focus on a curated, human-scale travel experience rather than automated mass tourism, we only collect the essential information required to arrange your stay and ensure your comfort.

  • Booking Request Information: When you submit a reservation request through our website, we collect your name, email address, WhatsApp or phone number, requested travel dates, and any voluntary notes or cultural/accessibility preferences you share with us.
  • Communication Data: If you contact us directly via email, contact forms, or WhatsApp links on our site, we retain a record of that correspondence to help plan your journey.
  • Website Usage Data: We may use basic, privacy-friendly analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., pages viewed, time spent on the site) so we can continuously improve your browsing experience.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your data strictly to facilitate your homestay experience and maintain a well-organized operation. We use it to:

  • Process your booking requests and check availability on Mfangano Island.
  • Communicate with you directly regarding travel logistics, mainland tours, or island excursions (such as trips to Takawiri Island).
  • Coordinate with our local island manager to prepare for your arrival, meals, and tailored itineraries.
  • Improve our website’s layout, speed, and overall user experience.

3. How Your Data is Shared and Handled (The Mobile Workflow)

To keep our business running smoothly in a remote island setting, we route booking notifications directly to our island manager’s smartphone using trusted tools:

  • Internal Operations: Your booking details are synchronized with a secure Google Calendar and pushed via automated Email Alerts so our non-tech-savvy management team can view and approve your stay instantly without logging into complex databases.
  • No Third-Party Selling: We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal information with third-party marketing companies, advertisers, or all-inclusive tour operators. Your information stays with us.
  • Legal Compliance: We will only disclose your information if strictly required by law or to protect the safety of our guests, hosts, and local community.

4. Payment Data Security

To maintain the authentic, low-impact nature of our homestay, we use a “Request to Book” framework rather than processing immediate online credit card payments through our website.

  • Once your booking is manually approved by the island manager, secure local payment instructions or invoicing details will be shared with you directly.
  • We do not store or process sensitive credit card numbers or banking data on https://lakevictoriafootpaths.com/ .

5. Cookies

We use basic cookies to ensure our website functions correctly, remembers your booking calendar selections while you navigate the site, and loads smoothly. You can choose to disable cookies through your individual browser settings, though it may affect how the booking calendar functions.

6. Your Rights

No matter where you are traveling from, you have complete control over your personal data. You have the right to:

  • Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Request that we permanently delete your contact information and booking history from our calendar records.

To exercise any of these rights, simply email us at the address provided below, and we will update our records immediately.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may occasionally update this policy to reflect shifts in our local operations, new community experiences, or updated digital tools. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Effective Date.”

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your data, or if you simply want to finalize your journey to the lake, please reach out to us: