privacy policy - Sundarban eco explore

1. Introduction & Overview

Welcome to Sundarban Eco Explore ("we", "our", or "us"). We are dedicated to providing memorable, responsible, and eco-friendly tour packages across the Sundarban mangrove delta. We consider the privacy and trust of our guests paramount.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, store, utilize, and protect your personal identification information when you browse our website, make a safari booking, submit an inquiry via WhatsApp/Phone, or travel with our team.

2. Information We Collect

In order to arrange seamless travels and process official authorizations, we may collect the following data:

Personal Identification Data: Full Name, Age, Gender, Mobile Number, WhatsApp Number, and Email Address.
Government-Issued ID Details: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, or Driving License copies (mandatory for Indian and International travelers for entering Sundarban Tiger Reserve and watchtower zones).
Tour Specific Preferences: Date of departure, choice of pickup location (Kolkata/Canning/Godkhali), dietary requirements (Veg, Non-Veg, Jain), and room accommodations.
Transaction Details: Advance booking payment reference IDs (UPI IDs, bank transaction slips). Please note: We do NOT store debit card PINs or net-banking passwords.

Mandatory Government Permits Notice

Sundarbans is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. As per West Bengal Forest Department guidelines, valid government IDs and passenger age details are mandatory to issue legal boat entry permits.

3. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect from you is used strictly for operational and tour-related tasks:

To verify and confirm your Sundarban boat safari and resort room bookings.
To obtain official entry permits and forest guide allocations from the West Bengal Forest Department.
To arrange road transfers and pick-up logistics from Kolkata / Canning to Godkhali Ferry Terminal.
To communicate real-time updates regarding tide timings, departure schedules, and weather warnings via WhatsApp or phone call.
To address your inquiries and provide 24/7 on-tour customer support.

4. Information Sharing & Third Parties

We never sell, trade, or rent your personal data to marketing aggregators or third-party telemarketers.

Your details are disclosed solely on a need-to-know basis with trusted partners directly involved in executing your itinerary:

Forest Officers & Boat Authorities: To pass security checkpoints, entry gates, and Sajnekhali / Sudhanyakhali watchtowers.
Partner Resorts & Eco-Cottages: For guest register logging as required by local law enforcement.
Legal & Emergency Requirements: In case of medical emergencies or statutory requests from Indian law enforcement agencies.

5. Data Security & Storage

We enforce strict managerial, physical, and technical controls to safeguard your documents and personal records against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

Digital records and WhatsApp chat logs are held on password-protected internal management devices.
Identity proofs collected for permit issuance are securely archived and deleted after the statutory accounting and compliance periods.

6. Cookies & Web Analytics

Our website may use basic cookies and analytics tools (like Google Analytics) to improve user navigation, identify device compatibility, and analyze traffic trends. Cookies do not extract private personal files from your computer or phone. You can disable cookies at any time via your browser settings.

7. Your Rights & Choices

As our valued guest, you have full authority over your data:

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold regarding your booking.
You can request the correction of any inaccurate details in your itinerary.
You may request the deletion of your contact data from our promotional messaging lists at any point by sending us a simple WhatsApp message.